Outrage over Harassment at Public Plaza Leads to Lawsuit

A plaza under the Queensboro Bride where TJ Maxx and Trader Joe’s have established retail outlets is known to neighbors as a public haven for peace and greenery. However, angry local residents claim management at Guastavino’s, a high-end private party operator that also operates there, has laid claim to the plaza illegally, co-opting the space, hosting parties, blocking entryways with velvet ropes, kicking people out, and even having one person arrested who refused to leave.

The venue has even built a trellis at the entrance covered in ivy, narrowing access to the public courtyard. Ironically, a fountain gifted by the Municipal Art Society of New York sits inside the plaza with a plaque honoring an artist “who sought to beautify public spaces.”

Guastavinos has now found itself on the receiving end of a class action lawsuit led by Sean Basinski, a public advocate and owner of the popular social media page Park Not Dump, amassing 115,000 followers and millions of views.

Guastavino’s is known for its unique architecture and premier hosting services, operates in a historic space underneath the Queensboro Bridge. Its elegant arches once covered vendors selling produce in the early 70s. In the early 2000s, Guastavino’s opened as a restaurant and evolved into a private event location due to its sheer size.

The lawsuit outlines that Guastavino's has been profiting from the public space, charging clients for use of the “private garden” up to $300,000 to party outside. The suit aims to allocate the profits back to the public space for preservation.

Park Not Dump

During a press conference on August 25th, locals including 21-year-old Iskander Khan expressed their frustrations with what they say is the twisting of the plaza’s lease, sharing moments from their past when they felt unwelcome or were removed from the premises.

While the conference continued, a handful of employees and security guards from Guastavinos glared from inside, watching the protest carefully. One even had a jacket on covering his uniform, with a TJ Maxx bag in his hand serving as a lackluster disguise.

This sort of behavior is not out of the ordinary for Guastavino employees, claim the residents. Captured on Basinski’s Instagram, an employee threatened Basinski for refusing to leave the plaza saying “You are going to go to the hospital, then you are going to jail.” The same security guard was caught on camera calling Basinski a slur while walking away.

Signs reading “PRIVATE GARDEN available to the public at the discretion of Bridgemarket Associates” had been installed and placed along the walls of the plaza. Before the press conference, however the two plaques were removed. Although the company offered very few statements, they did address the removal of the signs on their Instagram after the event. “Guastavino’s acknowledges that this is a public plaza. The signage indicating that it is a private space has been removed.” The statement included a promise to work with the city to ensure the space is available to the public.

Evonne and Bernie, residents of the Upper East Side for 43-plus years, came to the protest in support of the lawsuit. “We feel that this neighborhood has a dearth of public spaces, and it is not just a feeling,” Evonne says. “I would like to see it stay as it is and would like for people who enjoy it to do so, uninterrupted and unharassed.”

The eastside couple believes a compromise could occur. Guastavino’s hosts outdoor events at night, while the public mostly enjoys the public green space during the day. Basinski, however, says does not find it necessary to grant Guastavino’s any such leniency.