WEST VILLAGE — A coffee company and a pastry purveyor are re-opening a waterfront restaurant and bar at the West 10th Street pier in Hudson River Park just in time for summer.
Coffeed and Wafels & Dinges won the Hudson River Trust's Request for Proposals for the concession stand at Pier 45.
Announcing the venture to the local community board, Trust Assistant Vice President of Planning and Real Estate Nicole Dooskin praised the companies' experience in other parks, specifically Central Park and Bryant Park, and said they have a reputation for "giving back" to the communities in which they operate.
The Pier 45 concession area area holds seven tables and 14 chairs on the south side of the kiosk and 27 tables and 96 chairs on the north side. The companies plan to have "more exclusive planned service and seating" on the north side, according to notes from their presentation to Community Board 2's parks and waterfront committee, while treating the south side seating as "public."
They also told the board they would offer "grab and go" foods and beverages.
The previous tenant served American fare like burgers and chicken fingers, as well as wine and beer. Coffeed and Wafels & Dinges are also planning to serve wine and beer, and have mobile food carts at Piers 40, 46 and 51.
The two companies aim to keep the typically seasonal kiosk open year-round if they can keep business going in the colder months. The Trust is giving them a storage space at Pier 40.
The kiosk will be open from 7 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. seven days a week. (The park itself closes at 1 a.m.)
There will be no live performances or DJs, only background music, to appease Community Board 2's liquor license committee's noise concerns. They agreed to install a "sound limiter" to make sure that the music remained at background level.
They also promised the committee that they would not have unlimited drink specials or unlimited food and drink combination specials.
The companies were warned at the parks committee meeting that the "marginalized group of young people" — primarily LGBT youth of color — who hang out around the pier may resent the roped-off seating area.
"The owners were encouraged to consider ways to bridge this gap, perhaps in part by posting job openings with local service organizations and seeking to hire young people, especially LGBT youths," the committee's notes read.
