A luxury event venue located beneath the Queensboro Bridge is accused of illegally monopolizing a public city plaza for the past ten years, charging as much as $300,000 per event, according to a new lawsuit. Guastavino's, an event space in Manhattan, allegedly barred the public from the plaza, which is city-owned land designated for public use.
The class-action suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, claims that the venue's operators have "brazenly and illegally seized" the public space and that security guards and signage have been used to prevent public access. The plaintiffs seek a court order to declare the plaza public land and to compel the venue to surrender any profits derived from its alleged unauthorized use.
According to the lawsuit, the plaza is part of a parcel acquired by the city in 1900 for the construction of the Queensboro Bridge and was intended to serve as a public seating area. However, Guastavino's has reportedly treated it as private property.
One plaintiff, Sean Basinski, recounts instances where he was prevented from using the space. He alleges that during COVID-19 lockdowns, Guastavino's security forced him off the property when he attempted to use it for exercise. In another incident in 2023, he was reportedly told the plaza was part of the event space and that the NYPD's Community Affairs division was aware of the arrangement.
Basinski also claims that when he asked for proof of a lease for the space, venue workers cited their private signage as sufficient legal justification. In December 2025, he alleged that a venue manager, Louis Rose, declared the plaza his property, grabbed Basinski's belongings, and threw them into the street. A venue worker then allegedly slapped a phone out of Basinski's hand before police arrived, who then arrested him on trespassing charges. The suit states these charges were later dismissed.
When Basinski returned to the area in April and was reading a book in the plaza, he was allegedly threatened multiple times by venue workers. He claims that when officers were called, they informed him it was private property without providing documentation, and seven officers ultimately escorted him away. The New York Police Department declined to comment on the pending litigation.
Guastavino's has acknowledged that the area is a public plaza and stated that it is working with the city to find a resolution. The venue did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.