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Touche Nightclub Neighbors Complain About Noise and Violence

By Janet Upadhye | March 6, 2013 3:47pm | Updated on March 6, 2013 4:44pm

CLINTON HILL — Residents living at the old Chocolate Factory on Park Avenue are fed up with excessive noise and violence half a block away at Club Touché.

A group of concerned residents took their complaints to the 88th Precinct Council Meeting in October 2012 and again to the council's February meeting. And though Capt. Scott Henderson told neighbors he was working on the problem, they have seen no changes.

"Since Touché opened we have endured countless nights of screaming fights, stabbings, and shootings," said residential manager Danelle Davis. "And the police are doing nothing about it.

"Henderson promised he would have police patrolling the neighborhood," Davis said. "But every night I go out and no one is there."

There are 350 residents living in the old red brick factory and several of them have made complaints to building management about Touché, Davis said.

Owners of Il Porto across the street from Touché also complained of broken lights, damaged trees and liquor bottles outside of their restaurant, but said that Il Porto normally closes before things get rough across the street.

The city had two 311 complaints listed for the block: one for a dirty sidewalk and another for a loud party.

Feb. 2 was a breaking point. Davis claims that up to six gunshots were fired outside the club near the window of a sleeping child in the Chocolate Factory. Several residents called the police, 311 and their local representative after hearing the shots. And when nothing was done, nine residents moved out.

Davis also claims that the owners of Club Touché have been unresponsive to attempts at addressing the problem.

"They have refused to cooperate," she said.

But angry residents are not giving up. A group plans to attend a Community Board 2 liquor license meeting Wednesday night to get help.

"If the police won't help, maybe this will," Davis said.

Calls to the owners of Club Touché and to the 88th Precinct were not immediately returned.