Some Manhattanites may say that New York’s hottest club is Tao. It has everything: bottle girls, a dress code and even the occasional celebrity.
Greenpoint wants none of it.
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For months, Tao Hospitality Group has been eyeing the Brooklyn neighborhood, specifically 25 Franklin St. In May, the nightlife company filed a liquor license application, which included plans to stay open until 4 a.m. and have a capacity of 1,000 customers, Greenpointers reported.
But on Monday, New York City Council Member Lincoln Restler shared a letter on X urging Tao to find a different location and for the New York State Liquor Authority to deny the pending license application.
The letter was also signed by state Assembly Member Emily Gallagher and state Sen. Kristen Gonzalez. All three lawmakers represent the neighborhood.
“This proposal has united our neighborhood in strong opposition,” they wrote in the letter. “Not a single constituent has voiced support for this project.”
In community board hearings, residents expressed concerns about how the club would change the neighborhood’s safety and character.
“Allowing TAO into our space will ruin everything about this place we love so much,” one resident wrote in an email to the community board.
“Tao is the quintessential magnet for the sleaziest worst members of society,” wrote another.
The residential neighborhood has historically been known for its Polish immigrant community, but in recent years it has attracted younger crowds who formerly resided in areas of Manhattan. Developers like Brookfield and Park Tower Group have added thousands of new apartments, pushing rents up — they rose nearly 5% between April 2023 and 2024, according to StreetEasy data.
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The space that Tao is looking to fill is a 25K SF warehouse that, between 2010 and 2018, was the House of Vans. The punk venue by the shoe brand had a stage as well as a skate park.
It also briefly housed the immersive event venue ArtsDistrict Brooklyn.
Tao’s other locations offer a more trendy and high-end vibe compared to the warehouse’s former tenants. But the company is on a mission to expand.
Last year, Cyprus-based real estate investor Mohari Hospitality acquired Tao from Madison Square Garden Entertainment. The deal valued the luxury hospitality company at $550M.
Tao has more than 80 branded locations, including LAVO restaurants and nightclubs, Hakkasan Mayfair Cantonese restaurants and Beauty & Essex restaurants. Its portfolio spans 20 cities, from New York and Miami to Singapore and Dubai.
Tao didn't respond to Bisnow’s request for comment.
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