Illegal Business Next Door
I live next door to some guys who have set up a recording studio in their house. Nobody lives in the house, and there is no soundproofing. They live down the street and just use the house for recording sessions. Unfortunately, I share a wall with them. They definitely have clients over at the space,…
I live next door to some guys who have set up a recording studio in their house. Nobody lives in the house, and there is no soundproofing. They live down the street and just use the house for recording sessions. Unfortunately, I share a wall with them. They definitely have clients over at the space, I’ve seen Bentleys parked out front. The police ignore my noise complaints. When I called 311 tonight about more noise, they suggested I talk to the DOB about a business being run in a residential building. Anyone have experience with this sort of thing?
I sympathize, I have a Trust Fund DJ living next door who illegally sub divided the house to accomadate tenants. A single family house now used as a two family. The noise was unbearable, like living in a bass drum. I banged on his door(non-working bell) and told him that my lawyer advised me to speak to him about the volume and persistence of his music and could he please lower it so we both could avoid legal issues. That has worked some. DOB never showed up, the PD never showed up, five to ten calls to 311. If you tell the FD that the roof has holes and the back of the building is in danger of collapse and your worried about the fireman’s safety, you may get the FD to send a report to the Buildings Dept.(an A-8). Complain, complain, complain the squeaky wheel gets the grease in this city. Document, document,document, time called, date called, person spoken to, etc. finally, get a lawyer.
Hm Bentley is an ostentatious car. I wander how is best to communicate with Bentley owner in record industry. 🙂
If asking my neighbors to keep the volume down was a solution, this would have been solved years ago.
They basically took their mom’s old house, gutted it, and put in a recording studio. Nobody actually lives there. The backyard is filled with garbage and bags of cement that have turned solid. The back of the house looks like it’s going to collapse. Chunks of the roof are blowing off. They had to clear their studio out for a couple weeks this spring when it turned out the tarp they’d had on their roof for three years didn’t work as well as actually fixing their roof. There’s a derelict car with four flat tires that’s been sitting out front for five years, poking out into the sidewalk.
That being said, they drive new cars and have tons of expensive equipment. I’ve seen the owner’s name on music websites. They definitely have pro clients and money to spend. They just don’t spend it on soundproofing or building maintenance.
I’m not dealing with responsible, considerate guys here.
wasn’t there an article about a few months ago in the times about a violin repair shop in a residential space and how a complaint to DOB got it evicted. The fact that studios exist in residential spaces doesn’t make them legal
Why do you assume it’s a business? You use the words “clients”…they could friends. It could be a hobby. Maybe you should try meeting your neighbors instead of hating on them. Obviously, they own the space or have use of the space. Try talking to them instead of calling the police.
momo284, why hinder the ability to solve OP’s problem by simply concentrating on the noise. He has a better chance of rousting these clowns if he expands the problem to include zoning, and potential loss of life issues. Calling 311 for noise complaints is the modern equivalent of “Waiting for Godot”.
There is nothing illegal about having a recording studio in a residential space, just about every wanna-be rapper and their grandmother has one. Noise is regulated by NYC noise laws (check with 311); no excessive noise on weekdays after 11pm and on weekends after 1am. As far as sound proofing that is your responsibility. If they are making noise after the proper time you can call 911 and make a complaint
contact your local community board and attend the next precinct council meeting of your precinct.
Have you talked to them and asked them about installing some soundproofing?