The search has officially begun for a new operator to take the helm of the restaurant at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park. New York City Parks announced Friday that it is working on an agreement with the current operator— who plans to shut down the restaurant and snack bar this fall— to find a new restauranteur that can keep the good times going at the iconic venue.
In a filing with the state, the current operator of the boathouse’s restaurant blamed shrinking profit margins and the rising costs for the closure— expected by October 16th— which will result in the layoffs of 163 employees.
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The shut down would never be a permanent one, according to NYC Parks, which told Upper East Site last month that it was working to accommodate events already scheduled at the boathouse, including some weddings, as well as to find a new restaurant operator as quickly as possible.
We’ve now learned that both sides have entered good faith negotiations to allow catered events to continue at the Loeb Boathouse through New Years Eve.
“Patrons to the Loeb Boathouse and visitors to Central Park have enjoyed this location for years and Parks would like to continue to provide these welcome amenities,” NYC Parks said in a statement.
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According to a request for proposals, NYC Parks expects the new restaurant and snack bar to be up and running by next spring or summer— and setting an expedited deadline of August 19th for submissions from potential future boathouse operators.
The Loeb Boathouse opened on the eastern shore of the Central Park Lake in its current form in 1954 and serves ‘as a unique dining and recreational amenity in one of New York City’s most picturesque locations,’ according to Parks officials.
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