(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.
.JPG)
