Second Ave Subway Hits Business

Irish Voice News

Second Ave Subway Hits Business

April 2, 2008

By April Drew

A NEW business endeavor for a Galway man turned rapidly sour when ground broke for the Second Avenue subway line in Manhattan right outside his front door last year.

Proprietor of Crowe’s Nest Irish bar and restaurant, Eddie Crowe, spoke to the Irish Voice last week about his life long dream quickly turning into a nightmare.

January 18, 2007 was one of the proudest days in the life of Crowe. It was the day he opened the doors of his new business, an Irish bar on the Upper East Side on Second Avenue between 93rd and 94th Streets.

After spending a small fortune renovating the inside of his new venture, Crowe was ready to show the world, or at least New Yorkers, his new pride and joy.

Crowe, 38, who left Galway in 1991, always had a dream. “I always wanted to have my own bar,” said the tall tribesman. “But I wanted to make sure it was in the right location.”

It was a dream come true for Crowe when he stumbled upon an available property on Second Avenue. “I always had my sights set on an avenue, not a side street because, as I had thought, you’d be guaranteed a good flow of traffic on the avenue.”

The biggest draw of all for Crowe was “the huge 20 foot sidewalk outside the door that I planned to use as for an outdoor café in the summer.”

Within a month or so of opening his doors, Crowe was building up a steady clientele. Several locals from the busy residential neighborhood in the area started to become regular punters. “Business was doing great. The bar was busy, the restaurant was busy . . . and then my worst nightmare happened,” he said.

In April 2007 trucks, barriers, shovels and men quickly set up home right outside the Crowe’s Nest. In order for workers to carry out their duties safely they had to erect a 10 foot high safety barrier right across three blocks on the avenue, making it next to impossible to access any of businesses in the area, including Crowe’s Nest.

For the Irish proprietor, this not only hindered foot traffic from passing his door, it also prevented anyone from parking their cars within a three-block radius.

Since work began on the subway line, Crowe estimates that his business has suffered more than 40%.

“The bar never got a chance to reach it’s full potential so I can’t say exactly how much I’m losing, but speaking to other business owners in the area it’s definitely 40% if not more,” he said frustratingly.

Crowe admits if he had any inclination that work for a new subway line was going to be carried out right outside his front door he would never have opened his bar there.

Looking back now, Crowe said it was evident the landlord of the building knew what was about to go down on the avenue but never informed him.

“At the time the landlord wanted someone to spend x amount of money to do the place up because, as I found out later, he was in the process of selling up,” he said.

By the time this all came out in the open, Crowe had spent a small fortune making the new bar attractive and warm. He also signed a 12-year lease on the premises.

For Crowe his options are limited. “If I file for bankruptcy I lose everything. I can’t take the bar with me and set up elsewhere,” he said.

“So my only choice is to keep going and do the best I can to make a go of it.”

Since construction has begun, four businesses in the area have closed their doors. Crowe is determined this won’t be his fate. In an effort to keep punters coming to Crowe’s Nest, the Galway man provides several means of entertainment.

On Wednesdays and Sundays he holds Texas Hold’em nights and Saturdays there is live music. During the baseball season there will be various drink specials on offer, and for soccer fans Champions League games can be seen on any of the seven large panel flat screen televisions throughout the bar.

Not able to sit idly by and allow the new subway line to continue affecting his business, Crowe got together with other business owners in the area and founded the Second Avenue Business Association.

“We have met with lots of City Council and Assembly members including Speaker Christine Quinn, who has been very supportive, and we have come up with a proposed legislation.”

Crowe and his colleagues have asked for grants to be given to each business that have been and will continue to be affected by the subway line. The association is also requesting tax credits, and that the area be made into a tax free zone in an effort to attract new customers, and finally that landlords of the properties be provided with tax abatements.

“This legislation is my only real hope of a fair shot at my new business,” he said.

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