No grand slam dunk, as Denny’s courts Tribeca residents

Ubiquitous restaurant operator in struggle to open first NYC franchise

From left: A Denny’s in Florida, 150 Nassau Street and Babaev Group’s Meir Babaev
From left: A Denny’s in Florida, 150 Nassau Street and Babaev Group’s Meir Babaev

In its ongoing battle to open a restaurant at 150 Nassau Street, Denny’s held an information session last week with Tribeca residents in an effort to calm concerns over its planned move to the neighborhood in May.

The Seaport/Civic Center Committee for Community Board 1 is slated to review the breakfast restaurant’s application for a liquor license Monday as part of an advisory review.

After settling a $10 million lawsuit from an angry condominium board in December, Denny’s decided to proceed with plans for its first restaurant in the city, having recently applied for a full liquor license. The condo board of the landmarked 24-story building at 150 Nassau Street filed suit in June to block the restaurant chain from operating at the site’s commercial space, as The Real Deal reported.

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The case was subsequently “discontinued with prejudice,” meaning that the board cannot a file another suit that makes the same claims. The Babaev Group owns the commercial space.

“Because of the Financial District and the demands of the Financial District in the local office population and so forth, that’s what dictated to serve liquor,” said Gurbax “Ray” Marwah of Denco, which owns 24 Denny’s franchises. [Tribeca Trib]Mark Maurer