Elmo Restaurant Owner Angling to Open ‘Healthy’ Eatery at Hexed 71 Clinton Street
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Hexed and water-logged, the corner store of 160-162 Rivington Street (aka 71 Clinton) remains a tough sell. Bad luck is just woven into its DNA. The previous occupant – San Marzano Pizza – fell victim to a burst water pipe and fled the Lower East Side. It subsequently relocated to 117 Second Avenue. That happened last year, and it’s been vacant ever since. Now the principal of Elmo Restaurant on Seventh Avenue in Chelsea wants to open a “fresh foods” venture here.
Under the usual intention of becoming a “neighborhood” establishment, the plan is to open a restaurant that is “healthy, fresh, abundant, and food-centric.” What the hell does that mean? By very definition, a restaurant is food-centric. But we digress. The proposed ten-table eatery will offer “meats and poultry largely cooked on rotisserie; garden vegetables cooked in a wood burning oven; cakes and cookies.” Basically hitting all the necessary buzz words, like “artisanal,” “organic,” and “locally sourced.”
The applicant will appear before Community Board 3 this month to seek full liquor privileges and an outdoor cafe. Closing time floated is 2am daily indoors, and 12am outdoors (fat chance).
Meanwhile, this new establishment notwithstanding, 71 Clinton remains on the chopping block after six months of availability. Asking price for the five story corner building is now hovering at $18 million.
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