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Board Approves Troubled Uptown Bar For Liquor License While Denying Another

 Uptown Social and Apt. 78 both came before CB 12's licensing committee on Wednesday.
Uptown Liquor Licenses
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WASHINGTON HEIGHTS — Two uptown bars with troubled pasts went before Community Board 12’s licensing committee Wednesday night to seek approval for liquor licenses — with one getting the nod while the other was turned down.

Uptown Social and Apt. 78 have both been cited by the NYPD in the past for selling alcohol to minors and hosting disorderly, over-capacity crowds. But while the board voted in favor of Uptown Social’s application for a new license, citing positive changes in recent months following new ownership, it voted to deny Apt. 78’s application.

The board voted Wednesday to allow Uptown Social, at 186 Dyckman St., to have a full liquor license that will allow it to operate until 2 a.m. seven nights a week.

The bar has made huge changes since being taken over by new owner Myra Acosta, who brought on new general manager Yuri Prokhorov this summer by to help rehabilitate Uptown Social’s image, Prokhorov told those present at Wednesday night's meeting.

“I know it’s only the first step, but it’s a good first step,” Prokhorov said of Wednesday night's vote. “More importantly, the precinct didn’t object and actually commended us for what we’ve been doing so far.”

Prokhorov told the board he has implemented all of the court-ordered stipulations that were required of the bar after it was shut down earlier this year — first for serving minors and later for failure to pay worker’s compensation insurance.

The sports bar long had a contentious relationship with neighbors — who lodged hundreds of noise complaints against the establishment after it opened in April 2013, according to 311 records and police.

Prokhorov said the changes included increasing security and using an ID scanner. Prokhorov said he has also engaged in extensive re-training of the staff and has reached out personally to nearby residents to address the noise issues.

“It’s hurt the business tremendously to be closed and to not cooperate with the community,” Prokhorov said.

The changes seem to be working, according to some in the community.

Nancy Preston, a member of Moving Forward Unidos, a group that addresses quality-of-life issues in the area, told the board, “There are a lot of people who live behind there who were haunted by the previous ownership. I have checked with people and they have told me that it hasn’t been a problem recently.”

The board voted unanimously to deny Apt. 78's application to renew its liquor license, following opposition from the local police precinct.

An officer from the 34th Precinct noted that Apt. 78, at 4447 Broadway, had three violations for serving minors and multiple summons for disorderly conduct and overcrowding. Police have also responded to violent incidents at the venue, he said.

“On March 9, a person was struck in the face with a bottle at the location,” the officer said. “They were barely cooperative during the investigation.”

Records of 311 calls show more than 50 noise complaints were filed at or directly in front of the business in the past year.

Owner Jose Morales objected to the police’s characterization of his business as a danger to the community.

“Don’t say that we’re a threat to the community,” he said. “No one does more charitable work for Washington Heights.”

Apt. 78 frequently hosts Uptown cultural events including poetry slams and book readings, he said.

Morales said he called police when the fight broke out, but that there was no investigation because all of the participants were arrested at the scene.

Morales said he has made all of the changes he was required to make, including re-training staff and purchasing an ID scanner. In addition, he voluntarily changed the closing time from 2 p.m. to midnight on weeknights, he said.

Still, the board was not convinced.

“The way a business operates changes over time, but what were seeing in the most recent history is troubling,” said committee chair Aldomar Diaz. “This is the first time I’ve seen this many objections from the precinct.”

Both applications will be considered by the full board on October 28 before they head to the State Liquor Authority for a final vote.