Empty Since Late 2014, The Former P.J. Hanley Space On Court Street In Carroll Gardens Finally For Rent

It has been so very long since the former Irish tavern P.J. Hanley at 449 Court Street on the corner of Third Street has stood empty. The bar, one of Brooklyn's oldest, was tangled in a messy bankruptcy proceeding between the Hanley family, who owns the building, and the last tenant of the commercial space, James McGown.

(Many may better remember McGown as the owner of 320 Court Street, which housed Buschenschank for a number of years.)

McGown, known as 'the bankruptcy baron' for the trail of failed businesses and real estate investments he left in New York City, took over Hanley's in 2005. By February 2013, he filed for Chapter 11 for the bar. Months before, he had done the same for his South Brooklyn Pizza chain that occupied the retail space next door at 451 Court Street.

Rather than vacate the premises to return it to the Hanley family, he remodeled the space (without permits) and renamed the bar Goldenrod.

The matter ended in court when the Hanley family accused McGown of having "breached his lease by making substantial alterations without getting consent from the building owner or the Department of Buildings" and for paying rent only sporadically. The Hanleys began eviction proceedings and City Marshals finally seized the property in November 2014.

The place has been empty since then.

That may soon change. A PMFA reader alerted us to the fact that a new "space for lease" sign has gone up at the former bar  and the former pizza place just this past week. Newmark Knight Frank, a commercial real estate brokerage firm, has the listing.

It would be wonderful to see a new tavern or restaurant bring some life back to this corner of Carroll Gardens. What type of establishment would you like to see here? What do you think would do well.

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P.J. Hanley's Sanitation Inspection Grade Not Quite So Pending

One of my readers recently pointed out to me that P.J. Hanley's at 449 Court Street at the corner of 4th Street, has been displaying a sign in its window indicating that its Sanitation Inspection Grade from the New York City Department Of Health was 'pending'.  
The sign, according to the reader has been there for quite some time, although the Health Department has issued the bar/restaurant a C grade in August 2011, when Hanley's earned 33 violation points during an inspection.  A re-inspection on January 4, 2012 did not improve matters.  It was still issued 32 violation points for, amongst other things, adulterated, contaminated raw and cooked meat, as well as evidence of mice and filth flies.
Just a few days ago, someone else sent me a photo taken of a make-shift open fire pit, which had been assembled on the sidewalk last week-end right in front of Hanley's.  (When I walked by two days ago, it was disassembled and stored in the side courtyard.)  
Besides pointing out the obvious health and fire hazard, the reader wrote: "I can't for the life of me understand why this community puts up with their flagrant abuse of the law."

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