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Last night the Community Board panel voted against recommending a cabaret license for Studio B, something the club has lacked for years – not that that's stopped anyone inside from getting down. At the core of the club's problem are the neighbors, who are now getting as loud as Studio B's late night parties, while running wild with Footloose laws clenched in their fists. Amongst their complaints are the new roof deck, the trash, the noise and of course the dancing – the horrible, illicit, sinful dancing. This one time one of them saw a girl flash her breasts inside of the club on the dancefloor!
The Brooklyn Paper reports that only about three people spoke in favor of Studio B, insisting that it's not that noisy and, furthermore, the club “put Greenpoint on the map." In an attempt to mollify the neighbors, Studio B's lawyer, Ken Fisher, came armed with a list of compromises, including:
- Better soundproof on the deck
- Permanent signage urging club-goers to keep quiet when outside
- A second set of double doors at its entrance to muffle noise
- A roped-off smoking pen on the sidewalk in front of the club
- Better trash cleanup and a security patrol
Miss Heather, a local who has voiced her distaste for Studio B in the past, has a play-by-play of the meeting from last night. She notes that on July 23th the club "ceased using the rooftop garden because the Mayor’s Office for Special Enforcement closed it down." Rumor has it that some of the upcoming shows have been canceled or moved to Southpaw, which could mean the entire club is now shut down; we contacted the management but have yet to hear back.
Original photo of Studio B by Bryan Bruchman.
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Cabaret laws are so retarded, I don't even know where to begin. Loud music and booze is fine as long as it's not accompanied by rhythmic body movement?
I appreciate Miss Heather's enthusiasm, but using certain pictures out of context to make your point is pretty shady as well. Seems like she would like nothing better than to have that place shut down- regardless of what they do to compromise.
Well anyhow, congrats I guess...
There is nowhere to go in this city. Every venue is under pressure by so-called residents.
I've been to Studio B and it's located in what appears to be a commercial area. The type of area where in the 80's and 90's they'd dump bodies.
Now that it has some viability why prevent it from staying interesting?
People don't understand what New York is. If you don't want any noise, why live here?
Move to a 2nd tier city, I hear you can get great real-estate deals!
Cabaret laws ARE retarded. But given the lack of the city's response to all the DOB and quality-of-life violations, which is where the issues began, there was no other way to get any of the powers that pay attention to the problems the club was causing. The cabaret hearing was a perfect time to bring the issues to light.
When the club decided they didn't have to wait for any permits for the roof deck to open (it was almost summer, after all), or go about things LEGALLY, the way every other person or club in the city has to do, they brought a shitstorm down on their own heads.
It could have been an easy fix and they would be open tonight, if they had simply made some basic provisions that any club in the city makes. (That list of suggestions by the neighbors -- whoo hoo, really radical stuff!!) And, followed the DOB and FDNY guidelines. Arrogance is an ugly thing. But being completely stupid is even worse.
They want Studio B to not have a cabaret license for the same reason they created cabaret licenses in the first place.
"1926: The cabaret law is created to crack down on multiracial Harlem jazz clubs."
A similar thing happened to Triple Crown. Funny how all these rocker bars are staying open though... Must be the lack of the horrid, openly exposed black breasts and hip hop music corrupting the young white artists.
Studio B had some large parties that were frequented by all black crowds. I guarantee you that those are the "patrons" the neighbors are REALLY complaining about. Oh, the many shades of racism and how they play out today.
Actually, the club IS responsible for activity beyond its doors. Ken Fisher should know better.
Passed in 1995, and introduced by NYS Senator Catherine Abate, the Rowdy Bar Bull calls for the revocation by the SLA of a liquor license if there are criminal or uncivil acts created by patrons who have exited the licensed establishment - even if it occurs down the block from the joint.
Of course, crying the wolf of 'racism' is a pathetic attempt to deflect the problems onto the victim, away from the perps.
If there is any racism, it is being practiced by these patrons and the greedy club owners on the families who have lived nearby for years and want some peace and quiet.
The racism thing is red herring here. The crowds at Studio B are overwhelmingly white.
With the pre-existing mixed-use (residential & commercial) reality of the area there are at least two reasonable solutions to this problem.
Solomonic Solution: Require the club owners to COMPLETELY soundproof the exterior of the establishment, redirect any offensive lighting away from residences and to provide additional sidewalk security in front of the club (all at its own expense ) It's completely doable.
OR
NYC Solution (also a favorite in Zimbabwe): Pass the enforcement buck from one dept to another, grease a few people's palms, get ones own palms greased, launder a few bucks, move some drugs. pay-off a few favors. Make a few arrests. Hey maybe there's even a free BJ for some lucky bastard in all of this!.
Viva Niu Jork Citi!
I'm not sure what the problem is, whenever I've gone to Studio B it's packed but no one is outside. Besides, it surrounded by empty warehouses and you can't hear the music outside at all.
Haters.
a whole bunch of houses are right around the corner. a whole street of houses backs up to studio b. many of the people who go there walk thru residential areas to get back to the G, the bus, or wherever.
this isn't a place in the middle of nowhere. i live a block or so away, i hear people going home at 4am...i don't really care so much but i can see why the people who studio b backs up to might.
in the end, if they had just gotten a license in the first place, they would have run into these problems. they're dumb.
also, 99.9999% of the people that go there are whiter than white...maybe there is a hip hop show once a month? and it's with biz markie or someone who draws a pretty diverse crowd.
Maybe mommies and babies can ruin Greenpoint like they ruined Tribeca.
Agree on the points about this being NY. I am here because I can *walk* or take a short train ride to shows at places like Studio B that attract national artists. Some of these kvetchers seem to want Greenpoint to be just like the suburbs - closing down Studio B, no more live shows in McCarren after this summer, etc. Shit, I might as well move to Anytown, East Bumfuck, USA! Btw, I LIVE near Studio B also and have not seen the issues some of the very vocal locals complain about.
This is very unfortunate. I threw a party recently at Studio B and was very happy with the experience. Decent bar guarantee, huge club wiht a roof and amazing sound system, nice staff, etc. Things that are very hard to find in Manhattan, already overrun by Red Mango, Dunkin Donuts and Jamba Juice.
These people complaining are haters and are looking to make NYC as bland as the rest of the United States! Remember the good ole days of Studio 54, Danceteria, Roxy, Palladium, Twilo, etc??
Well, in this case Studio B moved into an essentially residential neighborhood. A residential neighborhood did not just build around Studio B. So the argument that people should be able to take the noise of NYC just doesn't hold water in this case. I live in Greenpoint it has to be one of sleepiest, quiet neighborhoods in NYC, not one of the best places to put a club. I'm lucky to find a place to eat at 11pm.
Besides sounds like they were flaunting many more regulations that the Cabaret Laws, like the building codes. So you break laws, you get shut down.
However, Rififi just closed down in the East Village, you could definitely make that case irrational intolerance for noise with regard for that establishment.
It's about time that place was closed down!
newyorkshitty.com was able to publish some pretty damning photos of folks OUTSIDE of the club breaking the law. The fact is that indecent exposure is illegal. That club is feet from neighbors that have children.
They'll get it.
I personally live around the corner and would gladly vote for it.