Local Residents Sue Luxury Venue Over Alleged Takeover of Public Plaza
Three Manhattan residents have filed a class-action lawsuit against Guastavino’s, claiming the event space is treating a city-owned plaza as private property.
Manhattan residents Iskander Khan, Sean Basinski and two others have brought a class-action suit against Guastavino’s, accusing the upscale event venue of monopolizing a city-owned plaza beneath the Queensboro Bridge. The plaintiffs argue that the venue’s security staff have repeatedly asked them to leave, and that signage implying private ownership was recently taken down. Their complaint also names New York City, alleging the municipality allowed the venue to profit from public space without proper oversight.
Council Member Virginia Maloney and her community affairs director, Brice Peyre, attended a press conference supporting the claim that the space should remain freely accessible. Guastavino’s, which charges roughly $150,000 for weddings, has not yet replied to the lawsuit or media inquiries. The case highlights longstanding tensions over the use of historic public plazas in densely built neighborhoods.
Why it matters
The case could set a precedent for how private businesses use publicly owned urban spaces.
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