Fans of La Marina will be sad to learn that the beloved Inwood venue may be closing its doors for good. As Vibe Magazine reports, the New York Liquor Authority stripped the Uptown nightclub of its license to serve alcohol after bar manager Christian Mendez was detained in November for selling cocaine, oxycodone, and other narcotics to undercover NYPD officers. The New York Liquor Authority released details on their extensive investigation into the venue on December 6, which included 72 violations, such as serving alcohol to minors and intoxicated customers.
Eater claims that the State is pushing to permanently revoke the venue’s liquor license, which would force La Marina to close for good. Over the summer, the club was caught in a series of controversies after several city and state agencies conducted raids and uncovered multiple violations, including unsanitary conditions and building and fire code hazards. Vibe reports that the restaurant temporarily closed in July when its inspection grade “was something close to an F minus for mishandling of food, shoddy plumbing and the presence of mice and flies.”
The New York Post writes that the venue has a 15-year lease with the parks department, and as a result of the violations, has been forbidden from hosting special events until further notice. Popular brands like Red Bull and HBO have used the space for activations, but it remains to be seen whether La Marina will be permitted to lend the space to these partners again. The venue is also the home of recurring Uptown party series Que Lo Que, which focuses on merengue típico.
Remezcla will update this post if more information becomes available.