HELL’S KITCHEN — Four months ago, a Hell's Kitchen block association invited the owners of Alfie’s Bar and Kitchen to their meeting — a would-be détente to quiet an ongoing dispute over noise complaints.
The result was even more cacophony, said 50-51 Block Association co-chairman Steve Belida.
"When they talked about their business, it escalated into just a mess," he told a Community Board 4 committee on Monday. "It was a big fight between everybody."
For at least two summers, residents living near the eatery at 800 Ninth Ave., at the corner of West 53rd Street, have been subjected to loud noise emanating through its windows and patrons making a racket on the sidewalks, block association members claimed.
Additionally, music blares intermittently from outdoor speakers the bar isn’t supposed to have, several members said Monday.
The two sides have since turned to CB4's Quality of Life committee for help.
“I think at some point, we’ve got to put aside the yelling and screaming and the anger that we have… and get a dialogue,” Belida said.
The bar’s owners — who also operate Jasper's Taphouse & Kitchen, McCoys Bar and Dalton’s Bar & Grill — have been less than receptive to residents’ concerns, block association co-chairman Bob Minor said.
When Minor and other members approached the owners, the association felt “threatened” by their hostile responses, he said.
“Alfie’s and Jasper’s are both hot spots [for noise] in our neighborhood because their windows are always open," Minor added.
“This is a very big, bad owner,” block association member Sherri Hodes added. “No one can say anything bad.”
A map of noise complaints to 311 in the past year shows only one complaint with Alfie's address — for "loud music/party" on June 20 around 10:20 p.m.
On Monday, Alfie’s owner Sean Hayden took issue with the accusations.
“We feel personally… that we’re getting nit-picked by two or three people all the time,” he said. “Hundreds of people frequent our restaurants and we don’t have any issue with anybody.
“I’m not here to get into a yelling match — I’m here to improve things,” he added.
Committee co-chairwoman Tina DiFeliciantonio called noise-related disputes on Ninth Avenue “a systemic issue.”
“It gets overwhelming sometimes, and that’s why we’re here, and I appreciate everyone being here,” she said.
Hayden volunteered to disconnect Alfie’s outdoor speakers — which his legal representative Michael Kelly acknowledged are not permitted at the space — and work to keep the bar’s noise under control.
Block association members and Alfie’s representatives agreed to meet again in the fall for an update on the issues.
Both Hayden and Kelly also offered their phone numbers after DiFeliciantonio suggested residents could text or call with complaints instead of showing up at the bar.
Minor jotted down both phone numbers, but seemed skeptical about the offer.
“Will you answer [a call] at 2 o’clock in the morning?” he asked Kelly.
"I usually wake up around 3 and start work," Kelly replied.
"We'll wake you up early then," Minor said.
