They're Baaaack!

Like Freddy Krueger, Studio B is the venue that never goes away. andtheend was surprised the other night when I mentioned that they had never closed, with reports of their death being greatly exaggerated. A huge FOR RENT sign appeared for a few weeks on the exterior around Christmas, then had disappeared by the time we were back in early February.

I never thought they would go away completely, (that space is huge and ready to go for dancing/shows--how could it sit empty?) and only hoped we would force them to be more responsible nightlife tenants in a residential neighborhood. I mean, godforbid if even worse tenants were operating the club 7 nights a week. The devil we don't know could be something more horrible.

As of now, the sound bleed isn't nearly as loud as it was previously, and not just because my windows are closed for winter. This is a good thing. I don't know what (if anything) they did to change, but if the sound levels from inside stay down to this somewhat duller roar on a 2-night a week basis, we neighbors will all remain happier. However, this doesn't seem likely.

NY Mag reports the latest this week, and below is the text of an email I got back in early February from a booking agent friend, who kindly forwarded me what he received from the new promoters.

My simple idea is that no business in any neighborhood should negatively impact its surroundings. If there is impact at all, it should improve the area, not just take from it. I don't want to go to a club every night. Maybe that makes me old, but it a choice I am allowed to make. When Studio B is in full effect, it's as if a sound system playing inside my house. Why should that be okay in any circumstance?

People who argue that "You live in New York, get used to the noise!" or "We need better nightlife in the city!" is all fine and good; I am not against clubs or the noise of city life. However, the houses were here first, as in most cases where a new business moves in because the area becomes more desirable. I moved to Greenpoint 8 years ago exactly because it was a quiet neighborhood where I know many of my neighbors and local business owners, because it is a place where families have been raised for generations, because it was safe, and because it wasn't in the middle of nightlife city. It was inexpensive (at the time), and my neighborhood is the main reason I still love living in New York City. I can have all of the good of the city nearby while relishing a quieter place and life to come home to.

To my way of thinking, the onus is on any new business to fit into the existing neighborhood, not the other way around. Greenpointer Newyorkshitty spoke to this subject this week. Neighborhood turnover and change is constant in NYC; that is a given. Yet the change shouldn't be for the pleasure of a few and at the expense of many others' daily quality of life. The Production Lounge shooting is a perfect example of a new business bringing money into the neighborhood that doesn't add anything positive; Studio B's current plan to offer you a free drink with a taxi receipt is along these same lines.

We'll see how these "new" guys do. I truly hope they are better. I don't need or want the hassle, believe me. Even so, if that roof deck is wide open in the summer with noise projecting off the smoking area, I suspect the problems will not be over. Wonder if they have that cabaret license yet? And the all ages shows should prove interesting, too.

First let’s start with our new set up in Brooklyn :
As many of you are aware – Studio B has been open for about three years now in the Greenpoint / Williamsburgh section of Brooklyn. In the past two years they have hosted the likes of : Justice, Art Brut, The Klaxons, LCD Soundsystem, Madball, Battles, Santogold, M.I.A., Crystal Castles, Kid Sister, MSTRKRFT, The Black Kids, The Thermals, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Mountain Goats, Lady Sovereign, Diplo, The Cool Kids, Chromeo, Terror, Hercules & Love Affair, The Go! Team, CSS, The Thermals, Hot Chip, El-P etc etc

The club has had a quite a few people booking the room in the past. With the venue “open” to many different promoters at one time – it caused a great deal of issues and infighting between a lot of people you may work or have worked with in nyc. In addition to the insular promoter issues there has recently been a great deal of rumors and talk about whether the club is open / shut down for good / for sale / for rent (all created by the aforementioned promoters who e-mailed every blog when they didn’t get dates they wanted etc). All of this “chatter” has greatly contributed to a perception that Studio B is no longer fully functioning. That is not true. The club is back to being fully operational and open and hired a full new management team and staff.

In January Studio B approached two long time friends to become the general managers and help them “start over”. The two general managers have begun to clean house from top to bottom - all new night managers, office people, bar managers, production people, bartenders, security guards etc. Both of the general managers have worked with us at R5 for over eight years now. The day and night managers are both former r5 staff members and close friends of 10+ years. For the first time ever, Studio B will now be run by “music” people. No more club personnel with limited or no experience with dealing with “indie” crowds, musicians / artists. Everyone working here is very experienced with live shows.

The owner has removed himself from the day to day running of the club. After less than stellar experiences with previous promoters / managers that he hired, he has now relinquished full control to allow this newly formed team to run his club. The calendar will now be controlled by a small in-house group who all have previous booking experience. For the first time at Studio B, one small group of select individuals will be handling ALL of the booking for all their upcoming calendar.

We, R5 Productions will be handling all of the live shows/concerts. For those not in the know, Studio B holds 800+ people. They have the ability to do all ages or 18+ and serve alcohol at their events. There is a full real-deal PA in there with EAW mains, Midas FOH Console and Crest VCA Monitor board - A very SERIOUS system. Starting in two weeks we are having the PA recalibrated + adding new monitors and outboard gear to further the already great stage production that exists in the venue. (A full production inventory can be provided upon request). Studio B will now be operating with the ability to be more of a serious option for live music (it was previously operating / focused on just DJ events and “parties” )

Obviously looking at the above sampling of artists who have played live shows here, Studio B is very well known and quite established in NYC. We now hope with the group of new people who take this very seriously – we all can make Stuido B even bigger. We are looking to book last minute artists and bands starting in March (or possibly February if you have something appropriate). Starting on March 1st - Studio B will begin a two month long press campaign handled w/ a hired publicist to get word out about the club’s new management. There will be weekly ads in The Village Voice and other likeminded publications as well as NYC focused blogs (Brooklynvegan etc)

With Studio B making the majority of their $$ on late night dance oriented events - we are happy to make the room available for concerts/shows at an extremely low cost. Depending on the type of crowd the 800 perosn capacity room will start at only $XXX for the evening (all staff, promotion, rent, sound, insurance etc is included). We are willing and able to make 50% to 75% deposits for the initial string of confirmed shows to ease any concern about Studio B being open “for sure”

The End.

Studio B looks to be closing forever. Well, they certainly caused their own demise. Still, it definitely feels like a bit of a victory, and can't say I'll be sorry to see them go.

Wonder what comes next in that space?

Studio B reopened

Studio B was open last night for the first time since July 30th. Wonder if they got that cabaret license that is required to allow dancing. I'm guessing not. Although the roof deck wasn't open, nothing on the DOB website indicates that anything has changed in their status.

DOB Shuts 'em Down

Studio B has been closed since Friday night because a lack of a Public Assembly Permit, for both floors. Shows scheduled through at least August 19th will not be held at the venue on Banker Street.

Is it snotty to say I told you so??

These folks thought they could break any law they wanted, do whatever they wanted, and no one would stop them. Well, they were WRONG with that assumption.

It's downright ugly to be so arrogant, but it's even more pathetic to be completely stupid. They bought this shitstorm right down on themselves.

CB 1 Votes NO!

Because you want to know about the latest in the "Footloose" hearings, click here for a detailed play-by-play of last night's vote AGAINST approving Studio B's cabaret license.

The upshot is that a letter Julia and I wrote raised quite a stir. Studio B's lawyer, former assemblyman Ken Fisher, was caught in a bunch of his usual arrogant double talking, raising the ire of the Safety Committe Chairman. Thus, the CB decided they will not recommend the issuance of the cabaret license. The roof deck was also shut down by the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement last Wednesday, at least supposedly until real permits are in place.

Which is all I wanted in the first place: no open air roof deck until 4 am in my backyard -- Not such an unreasonable request. The cabaret license application simply gave us a way to voice our ignored complaints to the community leaders.

The Dept of Consumer Affairs could still issue the license in spite of the CB recommendation against it, but it's one big step towards quieter nights. And now I'm in good with the Nine-Four since Captain Fulton liked my letter so much.

Also: my lobbyist skills are now available for a fee.

It's All About Me.

Can't a woman just have a beer in her garden in peace?

I, seriously, can't believe that Ken Fisher's argument is that it's not their problem to police their patrons. Hmm. No one causing the problems would even be in the area (check out how many reviews call it "in the middle of nowhere) without the shows happening at Studio B. Thus, they are your responsibility. Three security guards is a laugh. There may be three, but I have never seen a single one of those guys walk further than 5 feet away from the front door. The problems are around the corner, where patrons are shooed to smoke, take a piss and drink BYO open containers.

I guess all those press releases, BBQ announcements, and blog postings (check the last paragraph!) about people being on the "roof" of the B are just "allegations."

I'm not sure when everyone forgot that besides operating with the lack of a cabaret license for over two years, the whole second floor still doesn't have a Certificate of Occupancy, a Public Assembly permit, or a fire plan. Period. And no one cares enough to just shut that part of the club down.

This two day party ought to be fun for all. At least I'll be out of town.

And Why Should Studio B Be Rewarded?

The Community Board meeting tonight in reference to blocking Studio B's cabaret license went well for us, I think. After an hour of tribute including an appearance by Marty Markowitz to the CB1 president Vincent Abate on his 90th (!) birthday, six (correx 7/16: FIVE) of us had our say to the Board on the problems with Studio B, and why they should not be given the cabaret license. The not so good news was they have Ken Fisher, a former city councilman now lobbying for them and acting as their legal council. It suddenly makes a little more sense as to why every violation up to this point was ignored by the city. I do wish someone could explain why they have been allowed to operate as a dance club for over TWO YEARS under the Studio B name without a cabaret license. And, more importantly, why exactly they should now be awarded one after 'suddenly' deciding to go legit after breaking every law they possibly could, and adding nothing of value to Greenpoint. And by suddenly I mean: lots of bad press and angry neighbors. Unreal.

Although I am the worst public speaker ever, another 10-15 neighbors or so were there to show support. It was great to see, and having Ms. Julia contribute her past experiences with community organizing was a real plus. Thanks, J. You gave me some faith.

Brooklyn Courier Outlines Studio B's Violations

Article here.

Upshot: More citations. Studio B skipped the community board meeting because their lawyer didn't show. The hearing is postponed until July 8th. Club still in full operation, including the roof deck on Friday, June 13th, in complete violation of all the missing permits. The 94th precinct tells me they can do nothing since it's a DOB issue. And the DOB has passed it off to the Department of Consumer Affairs. Apparently not having a cabaret license is worse than not having any fire safety plan or being over occupancy. Uh, ok.

It's going to be a long slog, but myself and rest of the neighbors are not going away.

Won't You be my Neighbor?

Somehow I've become the 'point person' in the ongoing quest to have Studio B's roof deck shut down. A reporter from the Brooklyn Courier called me today to talk about their permit problems after I went to Community Board 1's monthly meeting on public safety last Thursday. Weird how these things spiral.

For those who have inquired recently (at least, the ones who have asked without making a snide comment in the process) is that the second floor of the place a.k.a. "the roof deck" has not one single permit to be open legally: no fire safety plan, no amended Certificate of Occupancy, no amended Public Assembly (PA) permit, no cabaret license. The roof hasn't been open much recently, but if that is due to crap weather or no permits, I really don't know. The few nights they have been open caused a ridiculous amount of noise to float into the houses on the residential sides of our block.

They recently made motion towards applying for a cabaret license, although their current PA indicates they have a cabaret license. However the Department of Consumer Affairs are the ones responsible for the cabaret permit, not the DOB, who issue the PA. This means they have been operating for over TWO YEARS without a cabaret license, when they constantly promote dance parties, DJs, etc. Why the owners would suddenly care about having one permit specifically, when they have no others for the space, is a mystery.

There will be a public hearing on their application on June 11th at 6:15 at the Swinging 60s Seniors Center (my new best friends, no doubt) at 211 Ainslie St., a recommendation from the board will be made, and then the final vote will be in early July.

I also had the pleasure last week of helping my neighbor Chuck write captions for the Greenpoint Gazette, who were going to run his photos from the Greenpoint Memorial Day Parade. Weigh laid on my way to the store, I sat in his front yard for 20 minutes and pounded out some brilliant stuff like "Greenpointers show their American pride as members of the Armed Forces march down the Avenue on Sunday, May 23rd" Easily my most stirring work.

More on Studio B

The Village Voice this week very kindly ran a piece about the proposed rooftop garden at Studio B.

A stop work order has been issued by the DOB, yet construction on the 2nd floor continues onward, even with the lack of ANY permits in place, and a fine and hearing pending. Via advice from my neighbor Chuck (aka the Mayor of Calyer Street and also the local rep for CB1), a call was made to Community Board 1 with all the details of the lacking permits. The missing paperwork includes proposed operation of the roof garden without an amended amended Certificate of Occupancy, or an amended Place of Assembly application, on top of the non-existent construction permit.

The fact is that any PA place over 300 people requires a fire protection plan to be approved by the DOB and the FDNY. Studio B has not filed one in their history.

We'll see what happens when (if?) it actually opens. The arrogance of doing whatever they want, and the assumption that no one will do a thing is what really galls me. My hope is that this addition won't become even a bigger nightmare to our homes, or worse, put their patrons in danger. However, I am not optimistic. Or amused. But an roof deck with a full bar and separate sound system opening on Friday seems unlikely.


Crashing Studio B's Garden Party
A fantastic Greenpoint spot plans a vertical expansion, to its neighbors' chagrin
by Annie Fischer

Upon opening in September of 2006 under the discerning eye (and ear) of Justine Delaney, Brooklyn nightclub Studio B immediately established itself as a stylish source for the latest in dance, rock, and hip-hop. That hasn't changed. The 9,000-square-foot converted warehouse boasts a full stage, an incredible sound system, a VIP lounge, and a great dance floor—an increasingly rare element across the river. And it's a club where the bartenders actually smile. Even when the hipper-than-thou crowd doesn't.

Now the venue is expanding—skyward. On May 2, Studio B is slated to celebrate the debut of a large rooftop level, including its own bar and sound system, with live performances by Brazilian Girls and Spank Rock. Forty imported palm trees will serve as a nod to Studio B's sister club in Miami, Studio A; a retractable glass roof ensures a South Beach climate year-round. As Studio B has staked its reputation on offering the opposite of a pricey, smug Manhattan lounge, I'd expect some fans of the club to balk at the opening's $35 cover charge. Fans of a cleaner, quieter Greenpoint (as in: the neighborhood's residents), though, balk at the opening altogether.

According to them, Studio B's patrons forever vomit show flyers, cigarette butts, and broken glass (and occasionally actual vomit) onto the streets surrounding the club. Sometimes the atmosphere is even worse—at least one brutal streetfight broke out in broad daylight during the all-day, hardcore-centric Black & Blue Bowl that the club hosted on a recent Saturday. But many of Studio B's neighbors agree that the noise is the worst problem of all.

"It's terrible," complains a 44-year-old former music writer of her apartment's proximity to Studio B. "Every other bar or club posts signs that say, 'Please respect our neighbors' or 'Please be quiet to and from'—there's none of that here. There are just continual hordes of people who only see [Studio B] as a destination—people who know nothing of the neighborhood and think the club's in the middle of nowhere. They think, 'It's industrial, I can scream and yell all I want.' We're not human to them. It just doesn't register . . . And you can already hear the music, especially in summer when the doors are open. Now they're going to open the whole roof up?"

She sighs.

"Going around the corner to smoke a joint or have a drink or exchange something before the show—and then the extended drunken goodbyes—we hear all of that," she continues. "And they'll pee anywhere. I mean, what do they think? That's a business. Guys eat their lunches on those steps . . . [A rooftop deck] is only going to draw even more people to the area who say, 'Who cares about Greenpoint?' "

For their part, Studio B's management says that they'll do what they can to contain the noise. "The scale and times of the sound system on the roof are still TBD, because Studio B is aware that they must be courteous to neighbors in regard to sound levels on the roof during the nighttime hours," a spokesperson for the club writes in an e-mail. "This will always be an issue nightclubs must deal with to stay in business in New York City."

Another big issue for nightclubs, though, especially as of late: community boards. The Sun reported last week that CBs wielding clout with the State Liquor Authority (SLA) are more often requesting that potential liquor licenses be tied to earlier closing times, often at or before 2 a.m. (The paper added that in November, December, and January—the three most recent months in Community Board 3's records—not a single liquor-license recommendation was granted to a bar that would close after 3 a.m. in the East Village or Lower East Side.) On March 26, the SLA posted a notice on its website that in addition to liquor-license renewals, bars and clubs are now also required to file 30 days' prior notice with their respective community boards of their intention to renew. And now, unhappy residents of Greenpoint are suggesting on community blogs that like-minded citizens inundate their own community board (CB1) with noise- and permit-violation complaints to see action.

As it happens, the New York Department of Buildings currently has two open complaints for Studio B with regard to construction without permits (one filed April 11, another on April 16), as well as one unrelated pending violation for a March 8 inspection, which found the club filled beyond its legal capacity. (According to the document, the first floor of Studio B is permitted a maximum of 461 persons; at the time of inspection, there were "over 650.")

That's the one that has "Miss Heather," the blogger behind NewYorkShitty.com, up in arms. "That violation disturbs me so much," she says. "If they're allowed 450 or so people, and they're packing in 650—well, I haven't done the math, but isn't that nearly 50 percent? I have concerns about management that has such a complete lack of regard for the safety of their patrons. I agree that we need bars and clubs in the area. But at what cost?"

I ask if it's an actual possibility that CB1 could do anything to cause Studio B to lose its liquor license. "It happened with Triple Crown," Heather responds, referring to the troubled Williamsburg lounge that closed last year after racking up thousands of dollars in noise-violation fines. "They netted enough complaints with CB1 that they had to close. If this rooftop garden proves to be that much of a nuisance, then yeah, the community will go after the club's liquor license. It's already been run past the board; it's out there. They're already doing work without a permit."

According to Studio B's spokesperson, that isn't the case. "Some permitting is still in process, but this is very common with the opening of any type of venue or restaurant in New York City," he says. The official party line: "Everything should be good to go for May 2."

NIMBY, Literally

Please hold the line for a minute for an old person curmudgeon rant:
I am almost throwing up in my mouth at the thought of a roof garden at Studio B. This place is backed up against my garden. I already have to hear the bass coming from the club every night they have a show when I'm in my kitchen or bedroom. I shudder to think about people pissing down into my garden, shrieking all night from the rooftop, or throwing beer bottles off the roof.

While I wanted to be glad about a live music facility in the neighborhood, Studio B has been nothing but a crappy neighbor. They seemingly have no crowd control as people enter and exit the club, and take no notice of the fact that they are located on the edge of a residential neighborhood. On show nights, people scream drunkenly up and down Calyer, or even better when the windows are open, sit on our stoops to make phone calls at extremely high volume.

Trash is strewn everywhere on nights after shows, garbage bags pile up outside for rats to run around in, graffiti that is obviously tied into the previous night's show has gotten worse (Anarchy symbol anyone?) and parking is impossible. Beer bottles end up in the planters, and someone even went so far as to steal a lily in bloom, pot and all, last summer. I love when people fuck with my car, too.

Via newyorkshitty's research on the DOB online database, it looks as though the roof garden is completely without permits, so we'll have to see what we can do from this end to make their lives a little harder. Just as they have done to everyone's lives on my street.