WEST LOOP — Neighbors living near Washington and Green say they are fed up with loud noise coming from an open-late pizza place on the block.
At a CAPS meeting Wednesday night, about a dozen irked condo residents said they have resorted to calling 911 in an effort to get Parlor Pizza Bar, 108 N. Green St., to turn the noise down. While they want to work with neighbors, the pizza bar's owners say they aren't violating their operations plan or city rules.
Wally Braun, who owns a condo at 23 N. Green St., said the pizza bar's "cranked-up" sound system was especially "obnoxious" on March 14 — the Saturday before St. Patrick's Day and the day of the Downtown St. Patrick's Day Parade, when many flock to the city to celebrate — promoting neighbors to call the cops.
"We want to work as neighbors," he said. "But we don't want noise."
Patrick Comer, Parlor Pizza's director of operations, said he and managing owner Michael Bisbee were surprised by the complaints, noting they were made by a "small number of people." The restaurant has received an "overwhelming positive reception" from the West Loop community, he said Wednesday night.
"We attended the CAPS meeting in an effort to address those with concerns and will continue to work with the community to make sure that we are the best neighbors we can be," Comer wrote in a statement.
With nice weather and the patio open, St. Patrick's Day Saturday was "more rambunctious" than a normal operating day, Comer said. But even when cops showed up twice that day to address noise complaints, the restaurant was never ticketed, he said.
Parlor Pizza Bar managers said they routinely measure the sound being emitted from the bar using a decibel meter.
The restaurant/bar has followed through on the plan of operations, a contract developed between a business, residents and the city before a new establishment opens, and "believes we have not only met the expectations contained in the plan, but exceeded them," Comer said. At the CAPS meeting, the operations director shared his cellphone number, asking neighbors to call him personally if sound is an issue in the future.
At the meeting, neighbor Jeanne Braun said noise — and what is too noisy — is "very subjective."
"We all know that," she said. "But when there's people complaining from two buildings, there's a problem."
If loud sound continues, Patti Mocco, who acts as CAPS facilitator for Beat 1224, said neighbors should continue to call the cops who will log the incidents and "keep the pressure on."
The Neapolitan-inspired pizza spot that features an expansive outdoor patio and second-story rooftop deck opened in September. The restaurant offers lunch, dinner and late-night menus seven days a week, including weekend brunch.
Parlor Pizza Bar, built on the site of a former auto repair shop, isn't the only new restaurant to line the block. Soho House, which features restaurants open to the public, opened at 113-125 N. Green St. in August. Brendan Sodikoff's Green Street Smoked Meats opened at 112 N. Green St. in February 2014.
Parlor Pizza Bar owners Bisbee and Tim Hendricks also own Stout Barrel House in River North and Cedar Hotel in the Gold Coast. Earlier this month, a Wicker Park landlord announced Parlor Pizza's plans to open a second location in the former Moonshine restaurant, 1824 W. Division St.
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