Judge Temporarily Blocks Landlord From Evicting Bryant Park Grill

MIDTOWN, NY — Bryant Park Grill — which is set to close in April after more than 30 years — has been issued a temporary extension by a state judge, according to recent legal filings.

This is the latest development in a saga that started two weeks ago when the owner of the Bryant Park Grill sued its landlord, the Bryant Park Corporation, and accused it of holding a "sham bidding process" that skewed the decision process toward a restaurant by celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, which plans to take over the Grill's place.

The suit argues that the Bryant Park Corporation ignored certain contractual agreements made with the Grill and did not sufficiently publicize its Request for Proposals, as required by law.

This Friday, in response to the lawsuit, Judge Anar Rathod Patel ruled that while the lawsuit was proceeding in court, the landlord would be restrained from "dispossessing, ousting, ejecting, evicting, and/or removing" the Bryant Park Grill.

In this restraining order, the landlord was also forbidden from granting anyone else to use the space, according to the court filing.

“This is a public concession in a public park owned by the people of New York. Bryant Park is not private property to do as you wish. You have to follow the law,” Michael Weinstein, the owner of the Bryant Park Grill, said when the lawsuit was made public.

The restaurateur also argued that the Bryant Park Corporation rejected the Grill's competitive bid, which was $1 million higher in annual rent than the Jean-Georges restaurant, and is handing over to a company with a "recent record of failure."

In late January, Dan Biederman, president of the Bryant Park Corporation, told Community Board 5 that Jean-Georges fairly beat 10 other restaurant applications for the spot, including the Byrant Park Grill itself.

"They present the best combination of operating record, financial strength, and creative talent in the food and design field," Biederman said of the Jean-Georges management company, Seaport Entertainment Group, in January.

Friday's order from Patel also sets a hearing for April 22 to determine the future of the case. Meanwhile, the judge ordered that the restaurant also must continue to pay rent to the landlord, as required in its lease.

For questions and tips, email Miranda.Levingston@Patch.com.