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Pictured L-R: Anti-Union Hallers Roberta Lehrner and Jon "Old Man" Crow -- and their laundry list of complaints.
Late last month some residents of Park Slope secured themselves a Community Board meeting with CB6 to air their complaints about Union Hall, and attempt to stop their liquor license from getting renewed. The meeting took place last night, lasted more than two hours, and to everyone's surprise -- the board voted against Union Hall. The vote of six to two (with two abstentions) means CB6 will advise the State Liquor Authority (SLA) against renewing the liquor license of Union Hall.
The meeting was mostly an open forum for the Board to hear voices in favor of and against the bar/venue's presence in the neighborhood. The voices against were predominantly residents of the Union Avenue block Union Hall is located at, led by community activist Jon Crow (aka "Old Man Crow"). The supporters of the bar consisted of patrons, employees, and regular performers at the venue including Michael Showalter and Eugene Mirman (pronounced by the Board "MEER-min") who ended his testimonial by asking the angered but wealthy residents of Park Slope, "Can I borrow some money?"
The residents were by far the more animated (and dramatic) of the two groups, regularly being called to order as they would heckle Hall supporters with everything from indignant responses ("Why don't you hold your quiet science fair at three AM while I'm trying to get some sleep?!") to outright heckles (standing and shouting "Sneak!" at one of the owners, audibly calling another speaker a "jerkoff"). Easily the most livid neighbor of Union Hall to speak was Roberta Lehrner, who painted a picture of her block coming full circle from the "prostitutes and gypsies" she helped clean off the street to current female patrons of the bar that she could hear outside her window yelling, "F-me! F-me!" One has to wonder if Crow & Co. are just acting out against the stroller ban.
Union Hall's owners demonstrated plenty of evidence as to how much they've bent over backwards to appease griping residents, regularly attempting to set up meetings to hear their complaints and installing soundproofing. There was a large outpouring of support from locals who made the case that Union Hall was more than just a bar, bringing Nobel Prize winners to Brooklyn for a fraction of the price it would cost to see them at somewhere like the 92nd Street Y. However the Board made the point that of all the many supporters of Union Hall (more coming out to speak for than against it), none of them actually lived within 200 feet of the bar where people were most affected by its late night noise (some even complaining of health issues caused by sleep deprivation).
The Board's advice will now be taken into account at the SLA's liquor license renewal meeting on May 31st. But both the CB6 and the complaining neighbors consistently acknowledged that the vote was only a minor victory since the general expectation is that the SLA will still renew the license as residents have little history of success when it comes to shutting establishments down.
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Community board madness?
Okay, East River, you're on...
I wonder if rather than not renewing the liquor lic, they'll restrict the hours, like they have been with new applications, to 1 or 2am.
All the wankers who moved to Bklyn from Indiana
should move back there and open their own Union Hall next to their parents' home.
I grew up in Parl Slope and haven't been to Union Street in a few years, but it used to be quiet.
Sounds like a Muncie hell-hole for midwest transplants and B&T frat boys.
Too bad the South Brooklyn Boys are no longer around to lead-pipe these lager louts into submission.
The Golden Ginnies would have stolen these pussies lunch money, er, beer money.
I suppose it never occurs to the neighbors that this is someones livelihood they are trying to destroy. This guy has his life tied to this business and they are trying to dash it to pieces.
You moved to the loudest city in the world. There's a reason it's called the city that never sleeps. This is like moving next to the airport and complaining about the planes flying over head.
But the community is right, they should close the bar - that area could really use another bank.
so there's the rub, they didn't have any supporters who lived near the bar.
I wonder why?
So the entire neighborhood should suffer because of the few people who live within shouting distance of the place? Give me an f'ing break. I lived on 7th Avenue in front of a bus stop for 10 years, and yep, it was loud, but I tolerated it because I loved the area. If I couldn't take it, I would've moved.
Grow up people. The world, and this neighborhood, does not revolve around you.
I agree with thefacts. I miss the old Parl Slope.
their biggest mistake was parading that weirdo eugene mirman out. dude looks perpetually dead and he's a complete asshole.
Seriously, it's the RESIDENTS who act like the whole neighborhood is an extension of their living room. These people who not dream of choosing their battles. Everything except unfettered freedom to let their kids run barefoot in your store screaming is totally cool but reasonably suggesting strollers be folded in the library? Or in Barnes & Noble? That's totally unacceptable. And they can drink at the bar with their kids but you can't with your friends when they're turning in for the night?
Nail your windows shut, assholes.
I was born here and as much as we value our peace and quiet, the people I grew up around would never malevolently shut down a business that had made every attempt to engage us and address our concerns. And even let us bring our babies there. Park Slope isn't even part of Brooklyn anymore. It's seriously a lower rung of hell, filled with hateful english teachers.
Residents do need to have a thicker skin when it comes to goings-on in their neighborhood, but they also deserve to sleep without interruption from mating shrieks and the like. Perhaps the hours will be restricted. Sounds like a good compromise to me.
Being in Brooklyn doesn't mean you have to give up being civilized. It's too bad that other "born and bred" (or claim to be b&b) residents feel like it has to be a hell-hole to be authentic. Maybe you watched The Warriors once too many times?
The part they don't get is that these establishments actually contribute to the safety of a neighborhood, since there are eyes on the streets late into the night while the scrooges are dreaming of sugarplums. And what with the decline in police enforcement.
I don't believe these are midwest transplants, they've probably been here forever, went through their young cocaine and heroin days, got their shit together in their 30's, then bought when prices were cheap and are now old, cranky, and feel they deserve their quiet. Leave the city already, you suck and don't deserve the energy that you trying to squash. And yes I do consider street suffles, girls screaming f-me, and sub-woofers a certain energy to feed off of.
I was at Union Hall a few weeks ago for a birthday gathering and it was an awful experience. As a result of the complaints they've shut their outdoor patio and smokers are forced to the front of the bar. While you are outside, the bouncers stand over the patrons and constantly remind them to keep their volume down. As irritating as it was, you can't say they are not trying. Anyone else have a similar experience?
Why do local political events -- especially community board meetings -- always seem to turn into the rudest, most uncivil events possible? I can't understand why there is always so much heckling and shouting at these things -- it's one thing to be passionate, quite another to be a lout. It's not like this was a meeting between neo-nazis and protesters. It's really disheartening to me that people can't resolve something like a liquor license dispute without resorting to name-calling and heckling.
elephant in the room: the problem isn't the bar per se, it's the patrons' bad behavior.
also: "Can I borrow some money?" = priceless.
#11, Indiana beckons you.
You live here a coupla years, and you got the balls to berate and dictate to long-timers, who made this neighborhood safe and pleasant for you to ruin?
Your ignorance is exceed only by your arrogance.
For those of you not at the meeting it was a sham. The board let opposers go on and on at the end and did not let or ask UH to respond to the questions. Lou then opposed any mediation with the bar and the block association saying it never works. His main argument was that they didn't have anyone speaking from the block but what he didn't take into consideration was the massive amount of letters for the bar from the block and immediate area.
Hopefully cooler and more intelligent heads prevail at the meeting next week. We as a community need to make sure these advisory committees are ran properly with no conflict of interests. And as stated before, Lou's bar is located on Atlantic Ave and his main biz competition on that block is Floyd. That's right Floyd the sister bar to Union Hall.
Wow, no one's mentioned how uptight those two up top look. They look as if they're on a crusade to rid the world of youth.
If the noise is coming from thumping bass frequencies I'll side with the anti-UH people. Those sounds travel through walls, windows, earplugs, anything. The occasional "f-me, f-me!" shrieking of a drunken harpy is relatively easy to block out. If that's all they're really complaining about...move out to Long Island and have all the peace and quiet in the world.
Too bad the South Brooklyn Boys are no longer around to lead-pipe these lager louts into submission.
Note to some old timers: if you long for the hooligans and ne'er-do-wells of yesteryear, there are still plenty of bad neighborhoods (in the same borough!) in which you could still witness people beating the shit out of each other on a daily basis. The ethnicities might be slightly different, but violence is violence, right?
I can see both sides (though Roberta Lehrner clearly has anger management issues). I don't live in the vicinity, so I can't comment on specfic sound levels, but with all the bars and residents in this city that are able to work out an agreement, I can't see why they can't come to a compromise here.
Also consider there's a big difference in the atmosphere and clientele of the main area and performance space downstairs (it's as if they're two separate establishments). Whenever I go to a show, I walk through the main space as quickly as possible because frankly, some of those people scare the shit out of me. I'm pretty tolerant of noise and shenanigans, but I can easily visualize the obnoxiousness of some of the typical upstairs patrons.
The neighborhood has been made safe not just by the old timers but from the crop of new residents that have moved to the neighborhood because of all the pioneering businesses and the park. Give complete credit were it is due.
Munsonians drink at Lobo or Long Tan. Everybody knows that. Pshaw! Anyway, what's worse: noisy late-nights or social purges of prostitutes and gypsies?
What is lost here is that PS's popularity has been built on the backs of small biz owners in combination with the park. 5th ave was unsafe before the businesses came. The families moved from the park down and the culture from the gowanus up. Here we meet in the middle. As long as this bar is willing to work with the neighbors (which contrary to this lou guy's feelings mediation actually works) I think it should be there. Responsible business owners should be aloud to thrive next to residential. I believe from what I heard at the meeting that they are responsible and are listening to their neighbors. Mixed-use city planing is what has made this city unique and the business owners as well as the home owners should have the right to exist as long as they are thoughtful of one another.
"Your ignorance is exceed only by your arrogance."
god i'm glad i'm not a local.
I spend some time in Park Slope these days, and I must say that I'm surprised by the number of businesses that aren't on the avenues - they are around the corners and even mid-block. You can say "you knew it would be like this" if you want, but it's not like these people are renting an apartment above some Chinese restaurant on 5th. If the block was quiet before UH got there, the brownstoners have a right to be pissed.
let's build a wall around park slope (can build around union hall) so nothing can ever bother them again. sort of like Escape from NY in reverse.
thefacts... I've been here for 15 years, and grew upin philly. I'm proud to consider myself a person that has helped transform neighborhoods into safer places... I guess you consider safer/better to be american apparels and starbucks sprouting up. I am being priced out of the areas that I would like to think I've helped transform. Have fun shopping in your lovely establishments.
Also you are responding to heresay about who goes to the establishment... your arrogance is pathetic. Enjoy disneyland.
It's a combo of neuvoriche homeowners battling Generation Me loudmouths. While there have always been people who can't understand that loudness comes with all the other amenities of the city, this generation of frat-aged kids is also particularly obnoxious and self-absorbed. What's left in Park Slope anyway?
Really? Noise? They live on Union Street for god's sake! It's a major thoroughfare from 4th Avenue to Grand Army Plaza, with traffic at times rivaling Flatbush. Maybe the "neighbors" can also get rid of the bus stop, the gym and Uncle Louie G's while they're at it ... I remember a number of years ago these same people bitching and moaning when Union Street had to be ripped open to put in new sewer and water pipes ... wankers...
"Community board members will violate Chapter 68 if they simultaneously have an interest in a licensed liquor facility and chair a community board committee responsible for considering liquor license applications. Community board members will not violate Chapter 68 if they have an interest in a licensed liquor facility and vote on matters involving liquor license applications of others, but, consistent with Charter Section 2604(b)(1)(b), they may not vote on their own license applications or those of persons with whom they are associated."
Sorry Lou
CB6? I thought they were shutting down that yuppie bar in midtown.
Move it to Wallabout. Will be better than the shootings at Reign and the frat boys can go for a private dance at the Navy Cocktail Lounge to tame their wild spirits.
I've been to one show at UH and I enjoyed it so here's my thing: the place was so low profile and QUIET outside, I couldn't even find it trying to get to the show! Seriously, I had to ask another bar around the corner where it was! My bad for not writing down the exact address, but figured heck, I'll surely see a crowd, hear a music venue within a few feet? No, UH operates in stealth mode as far as I could tell. Can't speak to the closing time crowd as I left after my show. Plus, it's not like we're talking about a place like Manitoba's or some other punk venue, these are not tear the walls down bands playing this venue. Some people just don't want to be made happy, and I think that's who lives next to UH
Hold on parksloper25, you're saying that Lou Sones, occasional L&O actor, owner of the Brazen Head, recipient of an April 2007 Gothamist profile, and last I looked an anti-Ikea Red Hook activist, is supporting the fight to shut down Union Hall? Well that certainly puts things in a new perspective. In his defense, though, the Brazen Head is a pretty brisk walk from Floyd.
Yes that's the Lou I speak of. Brazen head is 2 short blocks from Floyd. Floyd, The Last Exit and The Brazen Head all enjoy the same regulars that bar hop between the 3 bars. I.E. they all compete for a lot of the same business.
"Roberta Lehrner, who painted a picture of her block coming full circle from the 'prostitutes and gypsies' she helped clean off the street..."
If I'm not mistaken the Nazis took a similar approach to Gypsies, did they not?
"I can see both sides (though Roberta Lehrner clearly has anger management issues). I don't live in the vicinity, so I can't comment on specific sound levels..."
I live near by. The anti-union hall crew is a looney, vociferous minority. Whether Union Hall is your kind of bar or not, it is a very well run establishment. It does not deserve to be shut down or otherwise punished. Doing so would be an injustice to Union Hall's owners and a disservice to this and surrounding neighborhoods.
Roberta Lehmer looks like a prostitute and a gypsy. Maybe she is talking about herself in her paranoid schizo delusions. Good gawd, where did these people crawl out of???
If you ask me you're all acting like a bunch of chuckleheads. All those people who live in Park Slope with the closet queens and lesbo fag hags should move to Queens or Long Island if they want a real community. I'd rather live in Baghdad than slum it near the gowanus canal. As for the freaks at this bar. What kind bar has a science fair? Last thing I wanna do when I'm getting drunk watching the spanish armada mets is hear about some global warming bullshit.
Get a life.
That bitch really looks crazy. Bet she has a bunch of cats too.