2 Park Avenue tires of food trucks, seeks protection for retail tenants

The manager of 2 Park Avenue near East 32nd Street is requesting that the Department of Transportation create a “No Standing” zone near his building to prevent the influx of food trucks. According to DNAinfo, food trucks have garnered complaints from the building’s retail tenants, including Crumbs Bake Shop, Pret A Manger and Europa Café. “Everyone… complains, ‘You’ve got to stop these food trucks. They’re taking away our business,'” Jose Toro, the building’s manager, said. “The last thing you want to see is a truck that sells halal food when I have Café Europa.” Toro also claims that a falafel truck left a trail of grease that cost him $4,000 to clean up, although the truck’s owner denies the claim, saying Toro is looking for any excuse to evict the trucks. When presented in front of Community Board 5, members were conflicted as to how to react. Some were concerned that the issue would launch an avalanche of building managers requesting such private zones, but others sympathized with Toro and wanted protection for brick and mortar buildings. A spokesperson for DOT said that the agency will look into parking changes, but that it doesn’t have any control over where food trucks park. DNAinfo notes that conflicts involving food trucks are becoming more frequent as summer approaches and police respond to complaints by businesses and neighbors. [DNAinfo]