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Midtown Residents Rail Against Promenade Nightclub

By DNAinfo Staff on March 4, 2011 9:58am

The lineup outside of Promenade, which residents want shut down.
The lineup outside of Promenade, which residents want shut down.
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Photo Courtesy of Mike Patten

By Jill Colvin

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

MIDTOWN — Midtown residents rallied at a community board meeting Wednesday night in an effort to close down the Promenade Nightclub.

Residents on the block allege that drunken patrons from the club regularly harass locals, engage in fights and urinate on the street.

"Many of the residents in my building are afraid to walk this street," said Mike Patton, 36, president of the block’s Onyx Chelsea condo board, who urged Midtown Community Board 5's Public Safety Committee to recommend denying the club’s liquor license renewal.

Patton shared photographs with the board depicting filthy sidewalks strewn with broken bottles in front of the club at 215 W. 28th St. between Seventh and Eighth avenues. Other photos show men who appear to be urinating and bouncers blocking the sidewalk with gates, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street.

A picture that allegedly depicts a man urinating near Promenade nightclub.
A picture that allegedly depicts a man urinating near Promenade nightclub.
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Photo Courtesy of Mike Patten

"It’s urinating. It’s vomiting. It’s trash everywhere when we wake up in the morning," said Patton, who said that staff at his building frequently have to break up fights between rowdy patrons on the street.

Julia Shapiro, who has lived on the block for more than 20 years, said she normally has a hard time hearing without her two hearing aids, but said the noise from the club is so loud she can hear it without any assistance from her earpieces.

"It's just crazy," she said.

A representative for the club, who identified herself only as Betsy, testified before the committee that Promenade’s management has been making concerted efforts to improve the situation, including hiring more and better experienced workers.

She also said many of the problems associated with the club happen after Promenade has closed for the night and said another club on the block, Shadow nightclub at 229 W. 28th St., should share some of the blame.

Rashana Cain, 43, who lives near Madison Square Park, defended Promenade and said there was confusion between the clubs.

"I don't think it’s fair to blame them for the fault of another," she said.

But other residents sharply disagreed. They and board members who live nearby said club Shadow has a much better track record than Promenade, adding that the clubs are far enough apart on the block to indicate that the problems associated with one do not appear to be related to the other.

Arthur Dunn, who has lived on the block for 16 years, said that the situation has been so bad that he began a petition that drew 56 signatures and sent it to the State Liquor Authority urging them to consider action against club Promenade.

"This is out of control. It just seems like complete neglect at every level," another resident said.

Citing repeated violations, including underage drinking, a felony assault and failing to control crowds, the committee sided with the residents, and voted unanimously to recommend that the club’s liquor license not be renewed. The full board will cast its vote, which is only advisory, next Thursday.

Committee Chair Nick Athanail also encouraged residents to organize and seek legal advice in case they want to take action to close the club.

Calls to club Promenade’s number were not returned for comment.