Upscale Hotel Wars: Neighbors Blast 'Thompson LES' Over Noise

The new rooftop pool at the Thompson LES Hotel

Over a dozen local residents who live (if you can call it that!) near the Thompson LES Hotel on Allen Street showed up at a Community Board 3 meeting last night to complain about traffic congestion, rowdy tools crowding their sidewalks, and noise noise NOISE echoing up into their windows from the newly-opened third floor rooftop pool bar. (Which, it should be noted, is open only to hotel guests—or anyone who gets a bite to eat at the hotel restaurant Shang!) How obstreperous are those bastards drinking and swimming and digesting Susur Lee's lamb chops? Well, one neighbor says their opening parties were so loud she couldn't hear her TV. Clearly, this monstrosity must be razed or urinated on at once.

The Lo-Down, who attended last night's bitch-in, cataloged the complaints, which include outrage over the "blocks and blocks" of black SUVs idling behind the hotel, "transforming the street into a landing pad for celebrity" guests and the paparazzi. Also, the doormen in "black turtlenecks" behaved arrogantly toward one neighbor. Further, it's actually not clear that the hotel is allowed to operate a bar on the roof! The Community Board says that when they reviewed the hotel's liquor license application, there was nothing about open air roof bars. In response, hotel manager Elizabeth Mao said, "I'm not the architect," but vowed to be "responsive to the concerns."

Meanwhile, Vanishing New York, a blog that's been documenting neighbors' creative methods for battling noise reverberating from the Cooper Square Hotel patio bar, is furious that a widely read NYC tabloid picked up his story without crediting him. Indeed, the article is a shameless jack of original reporting on the blog's "Notes from the Backside" series about the noise complaints, detailing how neighbors are using megaphones and blasting recordings of obscene comedy routines at yapping drinkers on the patio. While hotel owner Matt Moss has offered to install soundproof windows in neighboring apartments, and has agreed to close the roof at 9 p.m., disgruntled neighbor Carrie Schneider says Moss is too "slow to respond to our needs, and does what he wants to do."

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By John Del Signore in News on May 28, 2009 11:14 AM

Comments [rss]

eringobiteme

Hey, I've lived there my entire adult life and having a hotel playing rap karaoke so that it rattles your windows till 6AM is not part of the trade off. Frankly, its the people who DON't live in the neighborhood who make the most noise and whine about their right to do so. In the words of Lou Reed, so folks like to go our Dancing....other people like us, we gotta work!

feelthebuzz

If you want quite, don't live on the LES. It's that simple. There are so many alternative places you can live where there is as much peace and quiet as you want. Like, the rest of the country or any borough or suburb. YOU CHOSE to live in the most densely populated place in the country. Deal with it.

everyAframe

Damn straight, Mr. Mehoff (Jack) has it right. USed to have a wrist rocket and marbles next to my bed, and when the parking lot across the way become a loud mob of tools on a saturday night around 4AM, rolled outta bed like I was I was ready to take the fcking DaNang peninsula. Was awesome -- guidos and euro-tools scattering like bugs when the incoming marbles were incoming at about 50MPH and they couldn't see the enemy staying low in the 3rd floor walkup across the street. Game ON, Thompson Hotel!

ganghiscon

When are any of these blogs that are being plagiarized by the Post going to do something about it other than complain?

chris

As a resident who has also stayed in the hotel, I've got to say, if they opened this place up to locals during the day for Standard style pool parties, I wouldn't be so mad at it.

GoToHell

Why would someone want to build a hotel down in that area anyway?

JacqueMehoff

another problem some M80's can't handle.

nicemarmot

Waaaaah, I live in Manhattan, there are loud douchebags outside my apartment!

Yeah. Welcome to what 75% of us experience all the time.

wobbleSmith

while you've got a point, there is a difference between normal street noise and having an actual party full of drunk revelers FEET from your aparment windows.

anyway, this should battle should get good as the summer drags on. i'm sure the locals will get pretty creative. i officially suggest super-soaker flame-thrower.

nicemarmot

Actually, I live in another area that has become party-heavy in the past few years. So yes, I do have actual parties full of drunk revelers feet from my windows. It's annoying, but the city's not going to do anything to help these people.

wobbleSmith

while the city does or doesn't do anything is one matter. (and a likely forgone conclusion.) but there are noise ordinances, etc that are probably in play. in your hood too, i'd think. most bars with outdoor areas have signs posted, proactive staffs, rigid hours, etc...

and hey: just because one lives in NYC doesn't mean they are meant to suffer. although, one way or another, it's usually the case.