Slope Residents Worry About Another Arena-Area Club
Last night at the Community Board 6 permits meeting emotions ran high as many Park Slope and Prospect Heights neighbors spoke out against plans to build another “nightclub/lounge” near the coming Barclays Center, on Flatbush Avenue between 6th Avenue and Prospect Place. The exact location is 260 Flatbush Avenue, the single story building with plans…
Last night at the Community Board 6 permits meeting emotions ran high as many Park Slope and Prospect Heights neighbors spoke out against plans to build another “nightclub/lounge” near the coming Barclays Center, on Flatbush Avenue between 6th Avenue and Prospect Place. The exact location is 260 Flatbush Avenue, the single story building with plans to add another seven stories. Residents expressed concern that the building would have an exit on mostly-residential Prospect Place. Meanwhile, owners of the bar, which is dubbed “Kemistry Lounge” for now, assured residents that the exit onto Prospect—which is currently a glass-fronted, one-story building—would be bricked over and would only be used as an emergency exit. The owners also pointed out that the space will not be a nightclub, rather a bar with occasional live entertainment. But residents saw the Kemistry Lounge Facebook Page (which has since been removed, although here’s a teaser website), and spoke out against what they saw depicted there. One Prospect Place resident stated: “We are the wrong demographic to have that type of place in our neighborhood.” Another man, who plans to have children, threatened to move out of his home if the bar moves in, saying, “look at the people who are attracted to this lounge,” referring to the “high energy” crowd he depicted from the Facebook page. The usual concerns about noise, crime, the proliferation of bars and parking were also discussed. It seemed unclear how the extra seven stories planned for the building, which is only one-story high at present, would work into plans for the bar, as the bar owner said DOB approved some work for the major enlargement but not all. Regina Cahill, of the Flatbush Avenue BID, told the audience that “we look forward to neighbors having open minds, and that this business agrees to be a good neighbor.” Kemistry Lounge agreed to meet with the BID and community members, which is what brought an end to the Prime Six debacle. Click through for a photo of what the one-story building on the site currently looks like.
Seven More Stories for 260 Flatbush Avenue [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Brooklynista ,
As Montrosemorris commented, “well said.” You are right — any new business opportunities created by virtue of the arena’s arrival should be equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of race, class, gender, etc. I too had many concerns about AY, but concur that it’s a “done deal” and we now need to live with this new reality in our neighborhood. That does not mean, though, that those who live on the surrounding blocks should not speak up about the future of our neighborhood.
I live on the block where Kemistry is proposed and was at the CB6 meeting last night. I know personally the person who said “wrong demographic”. In the context of her entire remarks it was clear (to me at least) that the “demographic” she was referring to was the large number of young children and elderly on the block as being the “wrong demographic” to be expected to live amongst (or next to) a bar with 3am closing hours on weekends – i.e., “We (families with children and/or elderly family members) are the wrong demographic”. You’re free to interpret the comments as you will based on the reporter’s recounting, and I of course can understand how this turn of phrase could be seen as “code” for race. But I truly believe that was in no way the intent given the context and her larger point about the residential block the new club would be part of.
I am concerned about Kemistry not because of who the business owners are (who went out of their way to stick around after the hearing to speak with us and hear our concerns in more detail) or because of who the clientele might hypothetically be. Speaking only for myself – though I suspect my neighbors might agree — the primary concern is one of increasing density of alcohol serving establishments on Flatbush between Prospect Pl and 6th Ave and the attendant issues of noise, traffic, driving while intoxicated, parking, trash, etc. We get it – the arena is coming and there is going to be an impetus to create new drinking establishments. But that doesn’t mean that residents, including people like me that own property here and lived here before the arena, shouldn’t have a voice in how many new drinking establishments get created. Those who want to create businesses that attract those attending arena events are not the only voice allowed at the table. The residents of these blocks have a right to speak up too. Many of us were here before the arena, and certainly before the many new bars and restaurants arrived. I think we have the right to be heard too.
Simply put, when do we reach a point of saturation? Is it Kemistry the tipping point? 5 more bars in the area? When the entire stretch from Grand Army Plaza to Atlantic is nothing but bars and clubs? We’re already seen so much more traffic on streets such as 6th Ave and cross streets like Prospect Place. Late night in the metered parking sections of 6th Avenue has become very loud as people pour out of places like Flatbush Farm/Bar(n) and Sugarcane to get into their cars and drive home. We need to discuss as a community how many bars are appropriate given the amount of residences in this area.
This isn’t about race — it’s about a tipping point related to places serving booze late night. As current residential property owners and tenants we’re seeking a voice in the future of our blocks.
FYI, the Facebook page the author alludes to can still be viewed through the Google cache at:
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:EOhz6CE2yhoJ:www.facebook.com/pages/Kemistry-Lounge-NYC/283997438311434%3Fsk%3Dwall%26filter%3D12+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us
From the google cached FB page:
“Soon to be open Kemistry Lounge offers a sexy sophisticated venue for premium drinks, good conversation and as Ernie Barnes picture suggest ‘Good Times’ … We also hope to be your go-to source for all things happening in NYC …”
C.
MM, here is what Brooklynista’s originally stated:
“Lastly, I gotta wonder just what kind of businesses people thought would be coming to the neighborhood once the arena took hold? You think you could have a major sports venue and not have bars, lounges, clubs, etc. in close proximity?
This is only the beginning of major “kemistry” changes for the neighborhood– many of which were predicted by the anti-AY protests in the first place.
Yet, as so many on this site have been known to say: DONE DEAL. Get used to it.”
Reads pretty clearly as ‘you residents just better get used to all the bars! Tough luck!’
C:
Yours is a well-written response, MM. Can I ask you a non-race related question?
Do residents of neighborhoods around AY have a right (through zoning, liquor license stipulations, monitoring, and more) to determine the businesses that open in/serve their neighborhoods?
I say “yes.” You and brooklynista are saying “no.”
Really? It surprises me that anyone would shut residents out of the development of their own neighborhood. That’s what FCRC did. The fact that their AY is a DONE DEAL to me is utterly beside the point.
C:
All I can ask is as a residential property owner on this block, you accept me at my word and fervent belief that if this were, hypothetically, a “Blarney Stone” or new Southpaw, our concerns would be no different and our voices no less forthright. This is about the density of bars and alcohol serving establishments on a residential block.
As said in my previous comment, I strongly believe given the context of her comments that the “wrong demographic” phrase was a reference to families, children, and the elderly and not one made by the speaker about race.
I love how your first point is “i don’t own or rent in the AY impact zone!”
I also love how you like to repeat “done deal” in all caps as if it’s confers magical properties to the phrase.
But I’m confounded that you are blind to the rights (yes, rights) of the people who are OWNERS or RENTERS (like the caps?) in the AY impact area to have a say in the development of their neighborhood.
I don’t actually believe you were an opponent of AY, brooklynista. If you were, you would understand that the one thing we have never had “from the very start” is any of our concerns addressed. Not density, not traffic, not superblocks, not a single thing.
You shouldn’t go into anyone’s neighborhood shouting “done deal” and think it’s a license to trample all over the people who have lived here – and are raising families here – since way before you or your arena came to town.
It’s not about black vs. white — it’s about 4 residential neighborhoods with long-time residents who are fighting (and have been fighting for 9 years) to preserve a livable environment for them and their families.
I’m disappointed to discover Montrose Morris agreed with you.
Took the words right out of my mouth Brooklynista. Now that the arena is a done deal, anyone who has the money and sound business plan to open a business has the right to do so. There are plethora of homeowning, tax paying, equally contributing Brooklynites of color who patronize plenty of places (raises hand) without pillaging and vandalizing the area. So barefoot vegan hippies from upstate want to open an organic milkshake stand that’s okay;, but a person of color who happens to be a local wants to open a lounge in an empty spot and use his own money to do so is not okay? GTFOH
It’s a residential area, brooklynista.
What kind of response did you expect from plopping an arena in the middle of four landmarked, historic low-density neighborhoods?
This is only the beginning of the public outcry and zoning fights. Get used to it.
(Right back atcha.)