Subject: PM Lounge – Hearing for Noise Code Violation
Tuesday, June 26th and Wednesday, June 27th at 9:30am
111 Centre St. Room 949 NY, NY 10013 / Judge Stallman / NYC Civil Court

Dear Neighbors,

My husband and I and two young children (Lucas, 6 and Juliette, 3) moved into unit 1A at 838 Greenwich St. right after our honeymoon in October, 2006. Our unit is directly adjacent to the PM Lounge, and our lives have been a nightmare since the first day we moved into our home.

Despite working in good faith with the club to find a permanent solution to the noise problem, in our opinion, the owners and managers of the PM Lounge failed to adequately respond. During December, we turned to the court system, seeking an injunction to stop the club from operating in an unlawful manner. We also hired an acoustical expert, who found the club in excess of the New York Noise Code on all nine occasions he took readings in our unit, sometimes as much as 4 TIMES ABOVE THE LEGAL MAXIMUM. The club’s actions and the ensuing legal battle have taken a major emotional and financial toll on our family. In fact, we have been forced to seek refuge at hotel rooms on over 40 occasions.

The principals of the PM Lounge are well aware of this problem, which has plagued 838 Greenwich St., as well as dwellings on Horatio St., for years. Through our painstaking efforts and legal action, the club finally entered into a stipulation during March 2007 which provides that the PM LOUNGE WILL BE PROHIBITED FROM PLAYING AMPLIFIED OR LIVE MUSIC if we show that they have violated the NY Noise Code again. We believe such violation has occurred.

Judge Stallman will hear our case on Tuesday, June 26th and Wednesday, June 27th, at 9:30 am at 111 Centre St. Room 949. We believe the presence of additional concerned parties will help the judge understand the severity of the problem. Your attendance is appreciated and will hopefully result in the increased enjoyment of your unit and the overall health of our building and neighborhood. Please feel free to e-mail any comments or questions to skelley13@yahoo.com or call (917) 319-6994.

Regards,
Suzanne Kelley & Ross Henderson

For more about the community’s history with PM Lounge, please click “PM Lounge” at the bottom of this article.

Case-in-point: In May of ’05, almost exactly two years ago, the emails were flying to rally folk to attend a CB2 meeting to testify against PM Lounge so that they would be denied a sidewalk cafe application.

Now, emails are flying to rally folk to attend a CB2 meeting to testify against PM Lounge so that they will be denied a liquor license application in a new space across the street. Really, I could just re-post the old blog post, and replace SIDEWALK with LIQUOR and Monday, May 9 with Tuesday April 10. (you can get a history of some of this blog’s posts about PM Lounge by clicking “PM Lounge” in the ‘tags’ listed at the bottom of this post – nifty, huh?)

In all seriousness, however, this is a bit different. This time, PM Lounge (as part of a group called AM Operation Group, LLC – oh the witty wordsmiths) is applying for a liquor license at the space across the street, occuped by SASHA (53 Gansevoort Street) … Revoking a liquor license, well, that’s almost impossible but if you are one of the many who calls 311 repeatedly about noise levels at PM Lounge, here’s an even better place to make yourself heard. Bring your log of complaints to 311, your letters to local politicians, your letters to management, bring it all, and get a chance to testify.

The application is to be reviewed by CB 2 Business committee at a hearing Tuesday evening April 10 at 6:30 at Tony D’Apolito Recreation Center ..3 Clarkson St. THIRD FLOOR (It’s near Carmine and Seventh Ave South).

As an interesting comparison, it’s much easier to report on the Hotel G’s various (truly creative) skirmishes with the nieghborhood. First there was the contention that the site of the hotel was the original site for the water tunnel construction, which instead took over Seravalli playground; then there was the (no adjective necessary) design of the hotel; then the noise problems, first with music blaring from the roof; then the whirring sound of an airplane engine emanating from the hotel restaurant ventilation system. And now, of course, now we have their illegal, horrid billboard. I really wonder what’s next for them. Nothing horrid has appeared on the sidewalks out front. Perhaps they’ll accidentally defile the sidewalk next?

Via Bruce Solomon:

Many of us living on the northern side of Horatio St. adjacent to the Meatpacking district would have been disturbed by the loud dance music coming from the building at 60 Gansevoort St. last April 19. This event did not end until nearly 2 in the morning. When I went there to complain, about midnight, I was amazed to see hundreds of people dancing or waiting to enter what is normally a disused building.

I wanted to know how hundreds of people would have known of this event at a building that is vacant most of the time. By Googling “60 Gansevoort St.” on the internet, I found the web site of the organizers of the event. They advertised in a large poster-like web page that read,

“Wednesday,April 19, 2006; 60 Gansevoort Street, OPEN BAR ALL NIGHT LONG; Doors at 9:00pm. 21+, $15 Donation Req.”

They listed a number of bands to provide live music, and said the presenter is Vacancy Records, Brion Isaacs and Franco V. They also said in another part of their site that they have finally found a place for April 19, after being kicked out of one place by the fire department, and another by the police. No mention of why, or whether they’ll return. You can access them at www.shindignyc.com.

A more useful web site lists all open bars for the week, including the one at 60 Gansevoort during the week it happened. This web site is: www.myopenbar.com. This is the site that would be most useful to monitor from week to week, as we could then know when an event will take place at 60 Gansevoort BEFORE it happens, and alert the police accordingly. The organizers themselves are advertising sale of drinks, though under cover of demanding a donation and then providing drinks, as well as dancing to live music. The use of “open bars” appears to be a means of avoiding the need for liquor and cabaret licenses, and thus “open bars” are popular with underground party organizers. Interestingly, there is a complaint from one dissatisfied customer who thought the $15 was too much for what was offered.

We may feel awkward about bookmarking websites for open bars and clubs, but we need to do what we can to end the activities they advertise when they affect our peace and well-being, not to mention sleep.
Bruce Solomon
77 Horatio St.

However, the very same night and subsequently, the club has continued to blast their music, which, even with windows closed this time of year, drifts over to Horatio Street.

Jon says he has alerted DEP and asks that we continue to call 311, as those logs go to the Sixth Precinct and DEP.

Also, the Sixth Precinct Cabaret Patrol has been very vigliant about Rhone and has issued what Detective Singer called “numerous summons.”

We were hoping the Meatpacking District Committee would also help, not only with Rhone but now also with Meet blasting music and PM being equally inconsiderate after a period of being very cooperative.

From Jonathan Prosnit, Senator Duane’s office:

Just got off the phone with DEP. They said they will flag [RHONE] 63 Gansevoort Street and send another inspector out. ‘

They said that the amount of call volume to 311 does help get inspectors out.

All best, and thanks for your efforts,
Jon

I’m sure you all know it is Fashion Week – and will be for 10 or 12 more days. What this means to our neighbors is parties, parties, parties…many of them occurring in our next door or around the corner. I have just had occasion to call 311 (and leave a message for Celeste Fierro) regarding the awakening pounding bass coming from ONE.

Adding to Marge’s and Julie’s pleas, I ask that you call 311 and complain about noise. Each call makes a record. A neighbor recently told me that RHONE has been fined five digit $ for noise as a result of 500 complaints that reached the 6th Precinct via 311.

So don’t be shy. If you are annoyed – say so.

And thank you.

Do you think the Prostitution issue, especially at the corners of Horatio Street and Greenwich Street and Jane Street and Greenwich Street could be addressed AGAIN?

Ditto the endless all night horn-honking?

I recently contacted the Sixth Precint to inquire who controls where the construction site at Gansvoort and Greenwich places their construction office trailers. The two gigantic ones on Greenwich Street are a traffic nightmare, not only blocking part of a narrow street but also preventing traffic from observing each other. It would make sense to have them around the corner, where the site workers [illegally] park their cars during the day.

Finally, after nearly five days [some went without service for more], we now have phone service restored. It seems Verizon refuses to address a permanent solution to this problem which often happens in heavy rain and snow.

Now, I’m very pleased that they have finally come to fix the massive hole in our street, but honestly that hole was noticed months ago and warning cones were placed around it to stop vehicles from falling in…

Why after MONTHS of no action is it suddenly an URGENT MIDNIGHT WAKE UP ALL THE RESIDENTS type of job?

I’m sooooo tired! Make them stop so i can go back to sleep….

This lack of sleep is definitely going to delay me writing and posting my scattered notes from tonight (last night’s) Town Hall…