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The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Inwood Nightclub La Marina to Stay Open Year-Round

By Lindsay Armstrong | September 30, 2014 5:33pm

INWOOD — Just because the summer is over doesn’t mean the party has to stop.

That’s the message from controversial Inwood restaurant and nightclub La Marina, known for its raucous summer parties featuring DJs, pricey bottle service and crowds of more than 1,000 people.

The venue is planning to stay open all winter after closing in December in previous years and then reopening again in the spring, the club confirmed. 

In an email attributed to La Marina, the club said it will remain open throughout the fall and winter season, but would not clarify which parts of the venue would be in operation. The email stated that offseason hours will be from 4 p.m. to midnight Wednesday through Friday and 12 p.m to midnight Saturday and Sunday. The venue will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

In previous years, La Marina, which sits on waterfront land owned by the city’s Parks Department, has closed the nightclub section of its venue at the end of the summer, including an outdoor beach and patio. The restaurant, which is enclosed, has remained open through December, with the entire venue shutting down until late April.

Starting in early September, La Marina employees began tweeting about the venue’s plans to stay open through the colder months, using the hashtag #LaMarinaAllWinter. Chef Kelvin Fernandez first used the hashtag on Sept. 8. 

On Sept. 27, DJ E Stylez, who identifies himself as the resident DJ of La Marina, posted an ad promoting the grand opening of La Marina’s winter season the next day with an event featuring multiple DJs. The ad also featured La Marina’s official logo.

“2morroe night we back at it #LaMarinaAllWinter just cuz the summer is over doesn't mean the party has to stop!!!” he wrote on Instagram.

La Marina has not used the hashtag or discussed plans to stay open year-round on its own Twitter or Facebook accounts. However, La Marina’s official Instagram account did respond to a question from an Instragram user about whether or not the venue would be open all year long.

“Yes, we are open Wed-Sun. Reservations are encouraged,” wrote La Marina NYC.

In an email to DNAinfo, the club said it had no more beach events planned for the year but that it would keep its outdoor areas open as long as the weather permits, as well as hosting live music including DJs and salsa bands.

While La Marina would not specify whether the club portion would stay open during the winter, the venue distanced itself from the ad shared by DJ E Stylez.

“The flyer that has stirred up this concern was neither produced nor authorized by La Marina and does not reflect our intended programming,” the email said. “La Marina has no plans to operate a nightclub.”

The original license agreement between the Parks Department and La Marina, which was signed in 2009, stipulated that the venue would open around May 1 each year and close at the end of October. The license agreement states that the Parks Commissioner has the power to approve and regulate the hours of operation, but does not mention the possibility of a seasonal operation becoming a year-round venue.

The Parks Department did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Residents have long expressed concerns over loud, late-night parties at La Marina that they say bring traffic and rowdy crowds to Dyckman Street. In July, a security guard was shot in the neck while breaking up a fight at the venue.

Some residents said they were worried about these issues continuing year round.

Amin Ben, owner of local pet shop Furry Fiends who lives near Dyckman Street, said that  summer crowds going to and from La Marina bring unwanted noise and traffic to the neighborhood.

“Sometimes I would wait an hour in front of my parking garage just to be able to get my car in,” said Ben, who pays for monthly parking in a garage near Dyckman Street.

He also described large crowds of drunken party-goers leaving the venue at night and congregating along Dyckman Street.

“I hope it’s not true,” he said, of the year-round hours. “This is like the only time of year we have peace on Dyckman Street and now that will be ruined too.”