New plan on the table for Tavern on the Green

Jennifer LeRoy and Tavern on the Green

The
next round of proposals from restaurateurs who would like to run Tavern
on the Green could come later this year, including a previously
undisclosed plan that would transform both the landmarked restaurant
and a stretch of Central Park, the New York Times reported. The plan
would require the demolition of the Crystal Room — a dining room
overlooking the restaurant’s garden in Central Park — which would be
rebuilt at the rear of the building, largely out of sight. Diners
would enjoy sweeping views of the Bridle Path and the grassy Sheep
Meadow, reminiscent of the building’s original 1870 design. The
restaurant’s last operator, Jennifer LeRoy, submitted the 57-page plan
last year, but the city rejected it in favor of a bid by Dean Poll,
proprietor of the Central Park Boathouse. But Poll’s negotiations have
since collapsed and LeRoy said she would be interested in resubmitting
her proposal. Donald Trump and the Cipriani company had expressed interest in the eatery in May, one day after Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced that it would be used as a temporary visitors center. [NYT]