The Wall Street Journal reveals that Lenox Avenue is the most popular choice for new businesses these days but the density of churches in Harlem prevent many eateries from opening. A city law has it that a liquor license can not be given to an establishment within 200 feet of a house of worship or school so many restaurants open over to FDB where that is not such an issue. New establishments such as the Red Rooster have made Lenox Avenue most desirable for restauranteurs but many say these businesses can not flourish without selling cocktails. In our opinion (since beer and wine can be served without a liquor license) maybe some of these place should figure out a great champagne cocktail list instead? Anyways, the for the full story, check out the article in the Journal:
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I said it before and I'll say it again: the stranglehold churches have over Harlem must be broken.
ReplyDeleteThese liquor laws are not just for Harlem. And the church pictured is fabulous. Began life as a Temple. They have a large soup kitchen.
DeleteOr perhaps we could consider changing a outdated and pointless law. Lenox Avenue is a wonderful boulevard and could easily be turned into a thriving, vibrant corridor to rival anything downtown. I don't see how having restaurants that serve liquor-based cocktails would impinge on any neighborhood churches.
ReplyDeleteChurches are non tax paying institutions and for the life of me i cannot understand why they are given so much power over tax paying businesses. This lay should have been repealed 25 years ago as it truly makes zero sense.
ReplyDeleteNo one faults their right to gather and worship so why should they be allowed to tell me I cannot have a cocktail in a nice bar close to my home.
Guest, of course they wouldn't impinge on the churches. The law is archaic as, Norah correctly pointed out, the stranglehold the churches have on Harlem. Imagine tax paying businesses replacing some of the hundreds of churches that overpopulate the community?.
ReplyDeleteWhat is overpopulation to you are beloved places of worship and fellowship to others who, a hazard a guess, have lived here a helluva lot longer than you.
DeleteI respect those who love their houses of worship (and many are stunning btw). I've no doubt many have lived longer than you and I here in Harlem. But to quote a very prominent politician in the spotlight these days: "We need to move 'forward' not backward.
DeleteAnd I must admit, it irks me when on a Sunday I pass a church and see, parked in the "pastor's parking" spot, a gleaming BMW, Lexus or Audi with, yes, New Jersey plates.
Imagine if taxes were collected on all that real estate and went back to the community.
Yes, a lot of people who have moved come back to worship at their home parish.
DeleteIf churches had to pay real estate taxes they could not survive. They are supported by the pledges of members. My parish is in Chelsea and we always operate at a loss. If we folded so would our soup kitchen which averages 1500 meals per weekday. That would leave a lot of people hungry.
I understand the soup kitchens (worked in a few). But maybe, especially here in Harlem, some of the properties where the countless churches reside, would turn into businesses that would not only pay real estate taxes and other taxes that would go back to the community, but provide jobs to the residents of the community. Just maybe the economy here in Harlem would do better and, as a result, the lines at the soup kitchens decrease.
DeleteOr maybe it's a pipe dream. What we do know is that the abundance of churches in Harlem have done nothing to improve conditions here.
I think those who attend the 'abundance of churches' would disagree with you.
DeleteThey might. But the proof is out there for all to see.
DeleteIt doesn't.
ReplyDeleteIf anything it would make the neighborhood safer.
Streets full of revelers going from bar to bar are a lot safer than streets that are virtually deserted after 7 pm.
Then there are the jobs these venues will provide.
This isn't hard.
Maybe churches are the last preventive measure against further gentrification
ReplyDeleteIts the law and not the Churches that is at fault here. True, the law is archaiac and makes no sense today. Many of these Churches have been here since the late 19th cent and so has this law probably. Point it out to the City Council and I'm sure they will agree. Petition the City Council to change the law and leave the Churches alone. I've seen many of these parishoners ordering cocktails on Sunday afternoon in the establishments along Lenox Ave after the 11 o'clock serves lets out.
DeleteIn addition, the Churches have no more of a stranglehold on "Harlem" than individual Harlemites have on the community.
That obsolete law from 1933 should be changed. We should start writing letters to our city councilor,state representative,state senator, Christine Queen and Mike Bloomber who is very pro-business.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the law is unconstitutional, what about separation of church and state?
ReplyDeleteCongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof....
How dare people who have been in Harlem five minutes decide that the original culture of the neighborhood - and that includes religious institutions - has to be eradicated and made light of? As a woman born and raised in Harlem I find this attitude insulting. Black people are a religious/spiritual people and most of the churches are full on Sunday.
ReplyDelete