Neighbors to Union Hall: Shut Up!
Since opening a little over a year ago, Union Hall’s formula—booze, bands, and bocce—has been a resounding success, drawing crowds of revelers to the North Slope. Some of the bar’s neighbors wish it were a tad less successful, though. In May a group of Union Street residents sent a letter to a bunch of officials…
Since opening a little over a year ago, Union Hall’s formula—booze, bands, and bocce—has been a resounding success, drawing crowds of revelers to the North Slope. Some of the bar’s neighbors wish it were a tad less successful, though. In May a group of Union Street residents sent a letter to a bunch of officials (including Mayor Bloomberg, BP Markowitz, State Senator Montgomery and Councilmember de Blasio) regarding the tremendous increase in noise and nuisance that’d befallen their street since Union Hall opened. The letter, which was signed by 76 people, claims the quality of life for the immediate neighbors has been drastically altered, leading to sleep loss, stress, anxiety and serious health issues. The signatories said the bar’s soundproofing measures were inadequate and that its patrons have terrorized Union Street by shouting, fighting, throwing bottles, urinating and passing out on the sidewalk. Jon Crow, one of the residents leading the charge against the bar, showed up at Wednesday night’s Community Board 6 meeting to expound on Union Hall’s alleged ne’er-do-well ways and to ask for the board’s help in bringing peace and quiet back to Union Street. From the outside, it may look like a library, but it’s not, said Crow, who intends to lobby the state liquor board so that Union Hall’s booze license isn’t renewed this spring.
The Skinny on Union Hall [Brownstoner] GMAP
“Actually, the businesses and the firehouse are in the next block up the hill between 7th and 6th. ”
Yup, and the farther UP THE HILL you go, the more residential Park Slope becomes.
Right near 5th…and certainly between 5th and 6th is a loud block. With or without Union Hall. 5th is the main commercial corridor of Park Slope.
You just proved the point about how ridiculous the complaints are.
If those who complain about this place had ever set foot inside Union Hall, you would know that what 2:09 says is true. You would also know that the bands playing here are not Kiss nor Guns and Roses. Not even close.
We are talking about guys (and gals) who play guitar and sing with perhaps another guy on guitar and some percussion. These are indie rock groups for the most part…not heavy metal hard core rock or anything of the sort.
Someone above wrote that this block of union is not residential, that it has the coop, bike shop, etc. on it. Actually, the businesses and the firehouse are in the next block up the hill between 7th and 6th.
That said, sure, music venues are great and bars are great, I’m a tweener, not a 20-something, not a “mom”, and not a fuddy-duddy yet. Still, I know for a fact, that when a store closes and a bar comes, there can be a lot of noise issues for the residence surrounding it.
Though night venues are great, they really can disrupt a block where there had been no such business before.
Particularly with Union Hall, it has windows that open up full in the front which can generate a lot of reflected noise in the street and facing houses.
Does anyone know if the owners post a “Please be considerate of our neighbors” signs.
Moe’s on Lafayette generates a lot of noise but they make an effort to ask their patrons to keep it down.
Habana Outpost on Fulton is another story. Since it’s basically open air, the noise carries all over the place. People up in the Griffin apartment building on Lafayette can’t open their windows during the warm season and can even hear the music with windows closed.
Remember, noise complaints are the number one reason for calls and complaints to the City and precincts.
People seem to think someone who doesn’t want to hear noise should move to the suburbs… All over the country, burb residents are up in arms every day over neighbors creating too much noise from speakers, power tools, domestic disputes, etc. Doesn’t it stand to reason that in an urban setting where we live in much more densely packed neighborhoods that we need to be extra considerate about others.
So what if we’re exposed to more noise due to traffic, garbage trucks, buses? I’m sure anyone of the rather obnoxious posters to this thread has already experienced or would eventually be P’d off having a downstairs neighbor blasting music all the time, someone coming in every morning at 2AM in heavy shoes and stomping around above them, etc.
Remember, Union Hall is a private business that one way or another is going to impact the neighbors. Any noise pollution, etc. that they allow/don’t care about, is a cost of doing business that is transferred to all the residents next door and across the street. Same as with other types of pollution: cost of doing business that is often transferred to the public.
another wonderfully upbeat comment from johnife.
you sound like the most miserable person around.
You’re painting the picture like it’s an outdoor stadium in the middle of Ditmas Park, 2:02.
Here’s the reality. The bands play in a soundproofed basement. I’ve been on the main floor of the bar and can’t hear the band playing. So um, how exactly do those down the street hear it? Union Hall is directly behind a large gymnasium, and right near one of the largest commercial avenues in Brooklyn. It is across the street from an ice cream place that stays open late at night in Summer and Fall and where people also congregate on the sidewalks, also it’s down the street from a large fire station. There are several bars/restaurants on Union all up and down. Anybody who moved to Union wanting quiet is crazy.
I find it hard to believe, also, that there are drunken folks hanging outside. The bartenders there are so inefficient and slow I would have thought that any drinker worth his salt would have fled the joint for pastures new way before reaching any level of intoxication whatsoever.
I do not work for Union Hall, nor does anyone here. Get a grip 1:02.
I have never seen the noise and crowds outside Union Hall that 1:02 describes. Remember Summer is a factor. Summer brings everyone outside but it only lasts a few short months, then it’s cold again and everyone’s inside. Every street everywhere is noisier in Summer.
As for expecting quiet on Union Street – huh? I’m sensitive to noise and I’d never live on a major commercial/residential street like that. It’s just common sense. Accept and live with the choice you made to live on Union.
It doesn’t sound like the right fit – a club with live bands (lots of amplified bass music) in middle of residential neighborhood.
Hard to believe that buildings that abut this one don’t hear/feel the noise.
The fact that we are in middle of a city living on top of each other makes it MORE imperative that we are conscious of noise/nuisances we make not less.
Well said, 1:37. Even Develop Don’t Destroy, a group that has arguably worked the hardest to prevent the advancement of Brooklyn, has held fundraisers at Union Hall.