▁in ▁Central ▁Park s ▁during ▁the ▁mid - 2 0 th ▁century ▁was ▁a ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁dispute ▁over ▁a ▁par king ▁lot ▁for ▁Ta vern ▁in ▁the ▁Green . ▁The ▁controvers y ▁placed ▁Mos es , ▁an ▁urban ▁pl anner ▁known ▁for ▁disp la cing ▁families ▁for ▁other ▁large ▁projects ▁around ▁the ▁city , ▁against ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁moth ers ▁who ▁frequ ented ▁a ▁wood ed ▁h ollow ▁at ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁par king ▁lot . ▁Despite ▁opposition ▁from ▁the ▁parents , ▁Mos es ▁approved ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁h ollow . ▁Dem ol ition ▁work ▁comm enced ▁after ▁Central ▁Park ▁was ▁closed ▁for ▁the ▁night , ▁and ▁was ▁only ▁halt ed ▁after ▁a ▁threat ▁of ▁a ▁law suit . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 2 ▁Joe ▁Ba um ' s ▁R estaur ant ▁Associ ates ▁purchased ▁the ▁Sch le ifer - B erman ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁Ta vern ' s ▁operation . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁Warner ▁Le Ro y ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁restaurant ' s ▁le ase ▁and ▁re open ed ▁it ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁after ▁$ 1 0 ▁million ▁in ▁renov ations , ▁including ▁the ▁addition ▁of ▁a ▁glass - en closed ▁Cry stal ▁Room ▁over looking ▁the ▁restaurant ' s ▁garden ▁( one ▁of ▁several ▁d ining ▁rooms ), ▁which ▁double d ▁the ▁se ating ▁capacity ▁to ▁ 8 0 0 . ▁According ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁officials ▁it ▁was ▁illegal , ▁but ▁the ▁city ,