River Place Residents Not Bowled Over (Groan) By Lucky Strike Lanes

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Of all the businesses that could occupy the retail space of Larry Silverstein's West 42nd Street rental tower River Place, a bowling alley wouldn't seem to be the most controversial. And yet, RP residents are all up in arms about Lucky Strike Lanes, the soon-to-open alley that could give Leisure Time Bowl a run for its money. An entrenched tipster emails:

Some months ago I sent you guys an e-mail mentioning that the long-empty retail space at the base of 1 River Place looked to have a new tenant soon, Luck Strike Lanes; this was based on a smaller poster detailing a Community Board meeting/petition for a liquor license. Since then, a few new interesting twists have transpired...

Some residents of 1 River Place were up in a tizzy about the possibility of bowling alley and bar appearing there, going so far as to post a petition in the mailroom and demand a meeting with management. (Despite being a resident, scheduling conflicts prevented me from attending that group discussion.) They were concerned that there would be lots of noise, drunken bowlers rambling around in the building's cul-de-sac, or some other rowdy behavior; I guess they frown upon the bowling elite?

The poster disappeared and the big "Retail Space Available" signs returned and I heard little more about Lucky Strikes Lanes...until last week when, walking my dog, I noticed a new Public Notice about the liquor license. This time, however, the notice was posted on the much less trafficked southern facing windows on 41st Street, across the street from the MTA Bus Depot. On both the West Side Highway and 42nd Street sides of the big space—nothing.

I meant to grab a picture and forward that along, as I thought in intriguing that the sign seems to be hidden so as to prevent another uproar but before I could do so something else changed—all of the southern windows are now papered with giant Lucky Strike Lanes advertisements! Again, nothing on the giant open windows on the west or north side of the building, but along 41st Street there are giant, window sized posters foretelling the forthcoming upscalish bowling alley.

Wonder if any of the uppity residents unhappy about the bowling alley have seen these, though it seems unlikely that anyone who'd complain about a bar and bowling alley would traverse the dimly lit 41st Street side of the building.

Sneaky! The residents have a right to be concerned, though—grade-school birthday parties and media bowling league matches can get pretty wild.
· Midday RackedWire: Bowling Alley To Rival Port Authority's Opening Near Times Square [Racked]