PIER 26 UPDATE
Madelyn Wils, president and CEO of the Hudson River Park Trust, came by for an update on the park. First, she spoke about post-Sandy repairs (there’s still no electricity in the park—which is why it’s closing at dusk—and she “cannot say that all electric will be done by the season’s start”). She also said that the unfinished section of the Tribeca esplanade should be open by early June, and I think that includes the dog run. Pier 26 had to be rethought a bit, post-Sandy: For one thing, the restaurant is being floodproofed, and the boathouse isn’t happening this season. An audience member asked about the Pier 25 restroom; it needs “mold remediation” and electricity before it can reopen.

But mainly she was there to talk about the summer concert series on Pier 26. There will be eight concerts, or maybe one or two more (indeed, she asked approval for a third Fun. concert, which the committee granted), with capacity of around 5,000. The park reps will be back later with plans for security, transportation, and sanitation, but they do this kind of thing all the time—with far bigger crowds—so they’re not too worried about it. Doors will open around 5:30 p.m., and the shows will start at 7 p.m.; they’ll be cleared by 10 p.m. “No electric artists,” she said—not 100% sure what that means—”and I have nothing against hip-hop,” but no hip-hop. The concerts are rain or shine; only lightning will stop them.

STREET ACTIVITY PERMIT: DOWNTOWN INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATS & VILLAGE VISITING NEIGHBORS
It’ll be Sunday, April 21, on Lafayette from Canal to Leonard, and they’re hoping to get the Red Cross to talk about preparing for the unexpected. Vote: 4-0-1.

STREET-ACTIVITY PERMIT: TRIBECA FAMILY FESTIVAL
The 12th year of the Tribeca Film Festival’s “family festival” will be like recent editions; it’s scheduled for Saturday, April 27. Lane closures will start the Thursday prior; they’ll be done and gone by midnight on Saturday. Vote: 7-0.

WINE/BEER LICENSE FOR 86A W. BROADWAY
It’s for JR Sushi. I didn’t get the details because it seemed totally uncontroversial. Vote: 7-0.

ALTERATION OF LIQUOR LICENSE FOR AAMANNS-COPENHAGEN
Aamanns-Copenhagen needed approval to extend its liquor license out into its sidewalk café. The committee had approved the café last month, but then promptly forgot about it, evidently, because there was much confusion as to what/where the restaurant is. (“Is this open for business yet?” asked one member. To which another said: “Very few people know it’s there, which is a shame.” I’ve been twice in the past three weeks and it was busy both times.) Aamanns wants to have eight tables with 18 seats, and it agreed to the café closing at 11 p.m. (Sunday-Thursday) and midnight (Friday and Saturday). Vote: 7-0. “Advertise!” yelled one public member as the representative left the room. I feel certain he meant they should do it here.

LIQUOR-LICENSE APPLICATION FOR 361 GREENWICH
The application for a new-but-similar restaurant in the Flor de Sol space got sent back from last month’s main CB1 meeting, because there was confusion about exactly what had been agreed to. (It doesn’t seem to have been the restaurant’s fault.) The issue was a non-voting one—I guess it just goes to this month’s main meeting for approval.

SIDEWALK-CAFÉ LICENSE RENEWAL FOR PETIT ABEILLE
No-show.

SIDEWALK-CAFÉ LICENSE RENEWAL FOR GIGINO
Same as always. Vote: 7-0.

SIDEWALK-CAFÉ LICENSE APPLICATION FOR SALEYA
Ten tables, 21 seats. “There are a lot of cafés around there,” said one member, and I may have been among the audience members who said that no, actually, there are none on that block. (Or at least none yet: One member remembered that the Smyth has received approval to do one.) Vote: 7-0.

TRIBECA TRUST
Lynn Ellsworth was on hand to talk about Tribeca Trust, including its upcoming event, its membership campaign, and its hopes and plans to invigorate the public-private plaza at 33 Thomas (the AT&T Long Lines behemoth). Since I’m pretty up on all that, I didn’t stick around. As my dear sweet mama used to say, “A bitch gotta eat!”

SIDEWALK CAFÉS
So I missed what I heard was a lively discussion about how the committee handles sidewalk-café requests. Back in October, this happened: “Councilmember Margaret Chin’s director of land use and planning, Matt Viggiano, came by to talk about it. I’ll spare you the full recap, but—if I followed—the city council can only deny such applications if there’s a reason involving land use, so CB1 Tribeca’s criteria for sidewalk cafés (not on side streets except on corners) doesn’t really hold water. (The city council can, however, insist on modifications.) The thing is, most restaurants don’t pursue the matter beyond CB1, probably because they tend not to hire lawyers for sidewalk permits the way they do for liquor licenses.” Understandably not thrilled about this, the committee is considering working with the city council to make sure that its recommendations are heard.