La Marina is one step closer to becoming a waterfront Brother Jimmy’s.
The owners of the embattled uptown hotspot have received approval to reorganize and reopen under the management of the southern food chain, a bankruptcy hearing revealed Monday.
The plan earned a unanimous okay from the owners’ 20 creditors, who are collectively owed more than $600,000. The Manhattan River Group LLC operated La Marina until last year, when it closed following a liquor license suspension and drug bust.
But the Dyckman Street outdoor eat-and-drink venue can’t throw open its doors just yet. The reorganization plan must still get final approval from the city’s Parks Department.
If it goes through, the La Marina owners — including Joshua Rosen, Jerald Tenenbaum and Fernando Mateo — will dissolve their shares and give control over to Jimmy Goldman of Brother Jimmy’s BBQ and a lender, Waterfront Hospitality Partners, LLC, court papers say.
At Monday’s bankruptcy hearing, Manhattan River Group’s attorney Robert Rattet urged the judge and the city’s attorney to close out the case as soon as possible — within a day or at least before the weekend, he said — so the new owners could take advantage of what’s left of summer.
“The season is ending quickly,” he observed.
Casual and Kid-Friendly
The Parks Department is not yet ready to give the green light, a city attorney said in court, and asked the bankruptcy judge for time to consider. Another hearing in the case is scheduled for next week.
The Parks Department declined to comment, saying only that “discussions are ongoing.” Goldman did not return inquiries from THE CITY.
It’s unclear what the new restaurant may be named, or precisely what it may look like.
However, Goldman previously told THE CITY he envisioned the new uptown restaurant as a casual, kid-friendly place with barbeque and seafood. He said he has no plans to put on the large music events and parties that made La Marina famous.
Meanwhile, the actual marina there has been getting some limited use after the Manhattan River Group lost control over the marina docks, which are now used by Hudson River Community Sailing.
The Parks Department, which is determining the future use of the Dyckman Street Marina, held a public hearing on rules and regulations for the site earlier this month.
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