Info for filing complaints: 311 and ABC website

This is from Ro Sheffe of CB1 and chair of the Financial District:

... let everyone concerned about Remix know that each infraction of SLA rules can now be reported directly to the SLA. People should still call 311 about a disturbance, but ALSO fill out an online report. I'm told every report will be reviewed by SLA enforcement personnel, and retained for review when renewal applications are filed.
[ always get a 311 service request # to send to CB1: cb1@cb1.org ]

SLA complaint form:
http://www.abc.state.ny.us/
(click Register A Complaint > Complaint Registration Form)

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And the following is information you will need for your reports to ABC about our worst offenders.

Remix - Lic.# 1157658

27 Park Place, 24 Murray Street

License up for renewal 2/28/11

Biddy Early - Lic. # 1143382

43 Murray Street

License up for renewal 10/31/09

Lilly O’Brian - Lic. # 1024572

67 Murray Street

License up for renewal 2/28/10

This is an email I sent to Community Board 1 on January 30th, 2009 regarding the stabbing incident that occurred in and in front of Biddy Early's on January 23rd, 2009 at approximately 2am EST:

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From: <name removed>
Sent: Friday, January 30, 2009 5:29PM
To: cb1@cb1.org
Subject: Biddy Early's Complaint

To Whom It May Concern,

Biddy Early's (43 Murray Street) has become too rowdy and too dangerous and needs to be shut down. Multiple nights per week, there are dozens of underage drinkers loitering on the sidewalks, urinating and vomiting on doors, and often bar brawls break out and spill onto the streets. The drunken fights not only regularly generate noise that disrupts sleeping children and infants living at 50 Murray Street, but worse leaves all tenants vulnerable to being caught in the violence that has been regularly occurring throughout its existence.

On January 23rd, 2009, at approximately 2am, I watched in horror as a 30-person brawl spill onto Murray Street and two people were stabbed. Cops swarmed the block and cordoned it off with police ribbon as they went on a neighborhood manhunt for the perpetrators. Several dozen cops arrested the drunken brawlers and ambulances took away the victims of the stabbings. On one hand I was happy to hear that one of the victims (who I thought at the time had been killed) has survived and is in stable condition. On the other hand, the violence regularly occurring at Biddy Early's has gone way too far and must be stopped.

Please urgently use your power as representatives of our community to resolve this problem. The owners of Biddy Early's regularly advertise at Pace University. It is known as a destination where underage drinkers can go and order pitchers of beer and play "beer pong" until they are too drunk to stand. In addition, there have been health code violations, and tenants at 50 Murray Street regularly file complaints with the city via 311. These issues alone should be enough to shut them down. With the above incident having occurred, we ask that you immediately do what you can to stop the drunken violence from continuing to escalate, perhaps eventually resulting in not just serious injury, but in the death of a human being.

Our community is full of parents who choose to raise young children here because of the many parks, services, and excellent schools that are available in the neighborhood. The existence of Biddy Early's casts a dark cloud over it, serving as a regular source of stress, sleep deprivation, and anxiety. Worse, with last week’s incident, it has now become a threat to the safety of community members who are now more vulnerable than ever to injury or death if caught in the wrong Biddy Early’s bar brawl. Please make it stop.

Best Regards,

<name removed>
50 Murray Street
New York, NY 10007

Letter to the Editor of the Downtown Express

The following has been sent for consideration to the editor for the next issue, March 20-26 .

Re: ‘Club Remix gets liquor license’ (March 13-19):

We residents of Murray Street, Church Street and Park Place and surrounding homes suggest the owners of Remix try living in our neighborhood before they say their club is not a nuisance.

We are greatly saddened to hear for the first time that the dozens and dozens of citizen calls to police over issues caused by Remix making conditions for homes that surround the club uninhabitable are just now coming to light. There is obviously a flaw in the 311 system and 911 which seemingly does not follow up to alert the 1^st precinct about such neighborhood violations.

Must we follow in the footsteps of neighbors of Peppers/Eros/Deco on Leonard Street? At recent meetings with the 1^st Precinct detectives, East Tribeca residents were told the ‘good news’ is that someone finally has been stabbed, inside rather than outside, the Leonard Street club. Why do we have to wait for a disaster to get attention to this serious matter?

What is the real purpose of hearing from the community over liquor licensing these establishments when community input is so blatantly disregarded?

Clearly stated in the ABC laws; Article 8; Revocation of license for just cause. Section 118, # 3:

As used in this section, the term "for cause" shall also include

the existence of a sustained and continuing pattern of noise,

disturbance, misconduct, or disorder on or about the licensed premises,

related to the operation of the premises or the conduct of its patrons,

which adversely affects the health, welfare or safety of the inhabitants

of the area in which such licensed premises are located.

If the State Liquor Authority were to honestly solicit community input, and the law was followed, such establishments would be made to be better neighbors.

Sincerely,

Suellen Epstein and the Murray Street Block Association

Neighbor

Amy Gross 49 Murray Street - will represent 49 Murray Street Condo

Letter of Intent - Murray Street Block Association

Murray Street, though short and narrow, is home to many people and many businesses. It has undergone significant change in the last few years, including construction and renovation of numerous buildings and influx of new residents and commercial enterprises. Because this trend is certain to continue, it is in the best interest of those who currently live and work on Murray Street to ensure that further growth and change occurs with our constructive input.

Murray Street Block Association creates a mechanism whereby our concerns can be discussed and presented to Community Board 1 (and its various committees) and local politicians with sufficient weight to influence outcomes. It would address issues as diverse as beautification of Murray Street; sanitation; zoning issues that have an impact on new development; noise levels at night; dealing in advance with potentially dangerous construction problems, including the presence of cranes; general safety matters; and others.

As density on Murray Street increases, it is advantageous to have this forum through which differences of opinion could be amicably discussed.

We invite all interested parties that live or work on Murray Street to join in this block association. Membership is free, and participation will be at one’s own comfort level. If you are interested, please reply with your name, Murray Street address and email address, and whether you live or work or enjoy the use of businesses on Murray Street.

Please pass this blog address to neighbors for which it will be of interest to participate in a dialogue with their neighbors.

Sincerely,

Suellen Epstein - 9 Murray Street

Robert Krauss - 41 Murray Street

Loretta Thomas - 67 Murray Street

Amy Gross - 49 Murray Street

We would like to include you on the list !