Ben Maisani, whose partner is CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, is set to open a third trendy New York City gay bar in Hell’s Kitchen, The Real Deal has learned.
Maisani, 40, took possession of a 5,000-square-foot watering hole at 753 Ninth Avenue, between 50th and 51st streets, this weekend after being approved for a liquor license at the property in April under the name Oxido Corp., sources said. The location was once home to wine bar Vintage and is opposite Boxer’s HK, a three-level, gay sports bar recently opened at 742 Ninth Avenue.
The French-born Maisani, who has been dating Cooper since 2009 but was spotted smooching another man last year, is part owner of two other bars in the city — Bedlam, a straight-friendly Victorian-themed cocktail bar at 40 Avenue C, and Eastern Bloc, a commie-themed gay haunt at 505 East 6th Street.
When contacted by The Real Deal, NYCRS’ James Famularo, the broker listing the property, declined to comment on whether Maisani was the new tenant. The owner of the building, an LLC with a registered address on First Avenue, could not be reached for comment.
The new space is comprised of 2,500 square feet of Space On The Street level and 2,500 feet on the lower level, according to a listing for the property on BuzzTarget.com. The term of Maisani’s lease is 15 years, sources said. Retail rents in the area range from $150 to $200 a square foot, they said.
As for Anderson and Maisani, the duo’s relationship appears to be going strong. The two were spotted at dinner at the W Times Square last month, celebrating actor pal Alan Cumming’s performance in “Macbeth.”