Coming to Atlantic Terrace, across from the arena: Tony Roma's

Photo via TonyRomasNY Twitter account

It's not the Hooters some feared, but Tony Roma's, a chain restaurant/bar known for ribs/seafood/steaks is indeed moving into the ground-floor retail space in the Atlantic Terrace building, catercorner to the arena block to the northeast.

As DNAinfo reported, neighbors upstairs aren't happy about the move, expected in September.

They say that the building manager/developer, the Fifth Avenue Committee, told them the restaurant would serve liquor only until 1 am, rather than the 2 am license for which it applied--and which the Community Board so far supports.

It's understandable why they'd want to be open that late, on a major corridor across from the arena. But a building of similar size in a less advantageous location wouldn't be getting a national chain, either.

This is but one of several major changes expected in the blocks closest to the arena. For example, a Shake Shack is coming to Flatbush Avenue on the south side of the arena, while the occupant of the building previously occupied by Triangle Sports, at Flatbush and Fifth avenues, hasn't been announced.