The city’s porn palaces got a nudie lease on life yesterday when a Manhattan judge blocked new regulations that would mean their demise from going into effect until at least December.
State Supreme Court Justice Louis York issued an “industry-wide” temporary restraining order sparing 101 topless bars, all-nude clubs, adult movie theaters, peep shows and adult book and video stores from the city’s ax until he holds another hearing Dec. 16.
The city’s lawyer, Robin Binder, had argued they should be allowed to shut down the nudie nooks on Friday, the day the city’s new zoning regulations go into effect.
The regulations close a loophole that frustrated the city’s previous bid to shut down the Big Apple’s adult industry – the “60-40” rule.
That exception was caused because the city had defined adult establishments as places where a “substantial portion” of the premises was used for “adult” purposes. The new legislation defines it as “any” – which the businesses’ lawyers claim is unconstitutional.
One, Mark Alonso, said the law is so “over the top” it could be used to shut down Broadway plays.