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Grey Lady in the Harbor

By
T.E. McMorrow

There was a sea change in the ownership of the Harbor restaurant at the Montauk docks this week, with the old management group bowing out and a new group, Grey Lady restaurant, stepping in.

Ryan Chadwick, a partner, spoke on Monday about the new group’s plans. Gone is the tile dance floor, the platform for the D.J.s, and the disco ball. “We still want to have a fun bar,” he said, “but no more disco.” Affordable dining, with entrees in the $20s, is promised; lobster rolls, baked oysters, and classic clam chowder as well.

“Grey Lady” is a nickname for Nantucket Island, where the group already has a restaurant. It has others in Aspen and Manhattan.

“We work hard to keep our restaurants connected with the community by sourcing local ingredients,” Mr. Chadwick wrote in a mission statement.

One unusual menu item will be lionfish, which is an invasive species that has been moving up the East Coast. It happens to taste very good, Mr. Chadwick said, adding that Grey Lady will combat the spread of the lionfish, which are indigenous to the Pacific and Indian Oceans, one delicious meal at a time.

The management team of the now defunct Harbor faced more than 90 code violation charges in East Hampton Town Justice Court, including lack of a certificate of occupancy, lack of a building permit, and lack of site plan approval. The nightclub was closed at least once last summer by fire marshals. All the charges were dismissed on Monday as part of a global settlement in State Supreme Court in Riverhead.

The old team had presented a site plan to the planning board last fall, hoping to legalize a large wooden deck and increased seating — expansions of use, according to code enforcement. The application received a gloomy reception.

The new management, headed by Mr. Chadwick, faced the planning board on April 6. After hearing how the establishment would be brought into conformance with the code, including slashing the size of the outdoor decking, Kathleen Cunningham, a board member, said, “Thank you for downsizing. We are happy.”

Mr. Sendlenski was asked on Monday if the new operation at the old Harbor site would make code enforcement’s job easier. “It is not about making our job easier, it is the result of the hard work we have put in,” he said.

On Tuesday, Mr. Chadwick and his crew took down the old Harbor sign. Tonight, they go before the architectural review board, seeking approval of their new sign.

 

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