Beach Marina

"The scandalous uptown party spot La Marina had lofty plans to reopen for the summer season by Memorial Day, but it has reportedly not received the go-ahead from the city’s Parks Department. The Manhattan River Group, which operates the restaurant, has been in proceedings in bankruptcy court and has submitted plans for a $150,000 loan from a real estate group in order to get back up and running. But lawyers for the Parks Department responded to those filings with a document that characterized these plans as unrealistic. This is the latest development in a long line of lawsuits and scandals for the restaurant." - Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya

"People who paid thousands of dollars for events at uptown waterfront restaurant La Marina are now scrambling to get their deposits back after the troubled party spot filed for bankruptcy. La Marina — which has had a scandalous few years — is more than $600,000 in debt, a good chunk of which is owed to these customers, the Post reports. The restaurant had collected more than $116,000 in deposits from a dozen people, including three Manhattan couples planning weddings there and a mom that reserved the space for her daughter’s bat mitzvah. The mom put down $5,493, while others like city council aide Erik Cuello, who paid $12,000 for his wedding spot, have even more on the line. Deposits as high as $22,000 were made. The restaurant claims it’s going to restructure and reopen in May, co-owner Josh Rosen tells the Post. He says people that booked private events will be allowed “out of their contracts,” although he didn’t specify whether or not that means their money will be returned. Update: Co-owner Jerald Tenenbaum says the restaurant will reopen with “an entirely new concept, management, and method of operation.” He says remaining event contracts will be honored, and those whose events were already impacted will be reimbursed through the bankruptcy process. The bankruptcy filing should come as no surprise; the restaurant has been shrouded in legal and financial controversy for years. In 2016, co-owner Fernando Mateo was involved in a City Hall corruption scandal, though an investigation led to no charges. Last year, the party spot was hit with a multi-agency raid that temporarily shut it down, which later led to the arrest of a bar manager for selling illegal drugs on the premises. Both Rosen and Tenenbaum say that Mateo is no longer involved in the business. In December, the State Liquor Authority began taking measures to permanently remove the venue’s license, saying La Marina posed a risk to its employees and the surrounding neighborhood. The restaurant shot back with a $2 million lawsuit earlier this year. La Marina opened in 2012 on city-owned land under a deal with the parks department, in which it’d operate seasonally from Memorial Day to September. The restaurant reportedly owes $221,676 in back rent to the department." - Carla Vianna

"Maligned uptown party spot La Marina is suing the city for $2 million in damages, alleging the restaurant lost a good chunk of its business when its landlord, NYC’s Parks and Recreation Department, prohibited valet parking and ticketed beach events on the premises as of last July, according to a lawsuit. La Marina claims the ban was purposely placed in the 'height of the summer season' to ensure 'maximum damage,' and that ownership wasn’t given a chance to oppose the ban. The restaurant opened in 2012 on city-owned land under a deal with the parks department and has since been involved in a series of scandals — most recently, it was the center of a multi-agency raid in July, which found the restaurant was unsanitary, allowed underage drinking, and violated several liquor laws." - Carla Vianna

"Uptown waterfront party spot La Marina — whose owner was accused of bribing the mayor in a 2016 City Hall scandal — has again run into trouble with the State Liquor Authority. The state has labeled the restaurant a “safety risk” to the public and suspended its liquor license last week, the Post reports. State Liquor Authority chairman Vincent Bradley said the outdoor Inwood restaurant poses a risk to its employees as well as the surrounding neighborhood, according to the Post. The state is working to permanently remove the venue’s license, according to Patch, which could prompt a closure. It’s the latest hiccup in a series of controversial scandals the restaurant has faced in recent years." - Carla Vianna

"A manager at La Marina has been busted for selling drugs at the uptown club. Christian Mendez, 33, was arrested last week and charged with seven counts of the criminal sale of a controlled substance, according to the New York Police Department. Mendez has been fired. This follows a temporarily closure last year by the Department of Health, a 2017 wage theft and sexual harassment lawsuit that was voluntarily dismissed to arbitration, and a 2016 City Hall corruption scandal in which co-owner Fernando Mateo tried to bribe Mayor Bill de Blasio." - Stefanie Tuder