NYC’s iconic Water Club on East River remains indefinitely closed for ‘renovations,’ faces murky future
The Water Club, a boldface-favorite Manhattan riverfront restaurant and celebration venue for 42 years, faces a murky future — if any.
Buzzy O’Keeffe’s glamorous eatery and party space on a barge moored off East 30th Street in the East River is indefinitely closed for “renovations” but might not reopen, sources said.
Callers hoping to book dates for weddings and other events were recently told no reservations were being taken while O’Keeffe weighed options for the fabled venue.
A reporter who called to ask about its status this week was told, “It’s all up in the air, to be honest.”
Although O’Keeffe operates the Water Club, the property is owned by the city, which licenses it to his company.
An insider told The Post that his deal with the Department of Ports and Terminals allows O’Keeffe to sell the license, but the sale is subject to city approval of the potential new operator’s management track record and financial qualifications.
O’Keeffe didn’t respond to calls and emails.
A rep for the city’s Economic Development Corp. wasn’t immediately able to provide details.
O’Keeffe launched the Water Club in 1982 after a years-long campaign to get approvals from city, state and federal agencies. The three-level barge boasts open river views from several dining rooms, party spaces, outdoor decks and a rooftop “Crow’s Nest.”
The opening was hailed as a stroke of faith in the city, which was still recovering from near-bankruptcy, rising crime and corporate flight.
The water-bound setting and white-tablecloth elegance proved equally popular for “power lunches” and romantic nighttime merrymaking.
Guests were transported from Manhattan’s mean streets by the sight of nautical flags, Chopin Nocturnes on the dining room soundtrack and the occasional roll from the wake of passing freighters.
The Water Club was the scene of ex-Gov. David Paterson’s nuptials to Mary Sliwa and a pre-wedding reception for Sen. Ted Kennedy and Vicki Reggie. Blondie’s Debbie Harry sang at the wedding of two close friends.
It hosted glam events such as the Tribeca Film Festival after-party where the likes of Gerard Butler and John Flanagan mingled with “Maiden” documentary star Tracy Edwards.
One of the most memorable occasions was a press conference where then- Sen. Al D’Amato and former Page Six editor Claudia Cohen announced they were “in love,” although the two never tied the knot.
But the business struggled with environmental challenges. The barge nearly sank when Superstorm Sandy flooded its cabin and that of O’Keeffe’s River Cafe in Brooklyn in 2012. Both were able to reopen a year later. The Water Club was later converted into a private events venue.
Weddings were held there as recently as last fall, and it remained the best place to enjoy the July 4th Macy’s Fireworks and fine American food before the event was moved to the West Side this year.
But the pandemic apparently took a toll. A Reddit post last fall said, “They are currently planning renovations starting January 2024 so won’t be definitive about any dates for 2024 and are not accepting any events until further notice.”
The Post reported in December 2021 that O’Keeffe applied to the state for a casino license. The gaming venue would be housed next door to the Water Club in a new building to be constructed in the water.
However, the submission didn’t appear in lists of applicants recently released by the state Gaming Facility Location Board, which is expected to select one or more downstate proposals later this year.
