Opus NY - a new music venue opening on 13th St.

From one of the opposed residents: “My wife is pregnant, and we plan to put the nursery by the front door,” he said. “With all these people in the front waiting in line, it’s going to be impossible to live a quiet normal existence with an infant.
*****

THIS is what's wrong with the city right now. Yuppie trash demanding that the East Village--13th between A and B--become like the suburbs because they've outgrown appreciating nightlife. Fuck. Off.

Cannot agree more. These people need to get the %^&# out of Manhattan and move to wherever the hell they please. It's a wide open country.

Good - maybe they'll block it from opening so that we can have another dunkin donuts in the neighborhood.

manhattans "Scene" is obsolete now anyway. You say yuppie trash I say annoying trust-fund hipsters are just as much a problem. the poor parts of brooklyn are where its at. the "village revival" is coming and its going to be in brooklyn. - OL

^^
Embittered in Bushwick.

That's East Williamsburg to you mister. I swear! The 14th stop on the L train is really Williamsburg!

“Either I try to live with this, or I take a big loss,” said Hancock, who recently purchased his apartment for nearly $1 million. “I’ve finally saved up enough to buy my own place, and I didn’t have any idea that something like this could happen — that a nightclub might move in right next door. It doesn’t do anything positive for the neighborhood.”

ohhh my heart goes out to you, you brave citizen. Saving all those pennies to finally be able to afford that million dollar apartment in the east village and now they're gonna go and culture it all up for you. we wouldn't want your children to grow up around such terrifying diversity.

I thought the reason that buy places in the village is because it's loud and exciting and your close to everything?

a nightclub opening in Manhattan... what a shock! who would have ever seen that coming...
those POOR millionaires...

“Either I try to live with this, or I take a big loss,” said Hancock.

Take the big loss and go to the suburbs. The city isn't here to cater to your age-softened sensibilities. What a twat.

Noone wants clubs in their neighborhood but everyone wants to go to them

Just watch the problems that clear channel is going to have at the grammercy theater

The neighbors cant wait to mess them up

Irony lives here in the BV comments section

i hope he takes a big loss...
What makes his loss more important than the loss the owners of the business will take if they are not allowed to open with a liquor license? It's a free country...
if you need silence... DON'T LIVE IN NYC! Where did the idea that just because you work 9-5, no one can open a business that might inconvenience you in some way? After all, it's not like they are opening a porno shop or something like that...

i hope he takes a big loss...
What makes his loss more important than the loss the owners of the business will take if they are not allowed to open with a liquor license? It's a free country...
if you need silence... DON'T LIVE IN NYC! Where did the idea that just because you work 9-5, no one can open a business that might inconvenience you in some way? After all, it's not like they are opening a porno shop or something like that...

when was the east village ever quiet? if you want peace and quiet move to the upper ____ side!!

There probably aren't any family-size apartments that cost "just" $1 million on the Upper __st Side. Not that that means he's in the right.

yeah, it's already a sad state of affairs with CBGB's closing, the Continental leaving (not that it was THAT great, but still!)...I mean, wtf? This city IS rock-n-roll..what will the east village be without rock clubs? I mean, who the FU#k moves to the east village for some peace and quiet??? It's not getting any better in Williamsburg either..aging yuppie hipsters pushing their babies around on Bedford and living in hideously expensive apartment buildings. It's sickening. maybe bushwick IS where it's at, haha. Just dodge the bullets -j/k

Or maybe we should all move to Philly.

Or maybe we should all move to Philly.

ok... now this is getting stupid.

you know, i'm all against the quoted whiner above, but just for some parity, I'd like to see someone on this blog pipe up and argue on behalf of all the griping Hancocks of NYC.

Typical NYC "not in my neighborhood" syndrome that others have mentioned above. This city and its entertainment areas have changed dramatically in the eight years I've lived here...Maybe it's time for a rock club resurgence in the mid-30s around Fifth Ave...

ok, i'll play devil's advocate to all you arguing against the "not in my backyard" syndrome...since most everyone posting here seems to have no problem with a rowdy, drunken nightclub opening next door, how about after you put your life savings into a home they put a homeless shelter in your building or decide to build a nuclear power plant across the street???

ummmm... we're talking about a jazz club. slightly different from a homeless shelter or power plant. you would think they were talking about these judging from the knee-jerk reactions of neighbors

The more I deepen my relationship with NYC, the more the distinction between neighborhoods becomes apparent. I used to only see 5 boroughs, now I see 5 boroughs that are each parcelled into unique neighborhoods (some streets even have their own flavor). The identity of these neighborhoods seem to be defined by a combination of its location, nearest subway line, cultural heritage, architectural layout, etc… yadda yadda… Ultimately my point is: neighborhood pride. Case in point: what was once East Williamsburg is now proudly claimed by its residents and patrons as Bushwick. The Sunset Park/Park Slope fringe is now more commonly know as "South Slope" (did the residents of "South Slope" coin that term did the realtors?).

We get emotional about our neighborhoods. This is good. Hopefully it means you care about the place. If you care about the place, hopefully it means you will want to be a good neighbor and foster a positive relationship with the other people and local artists/shops/restaurants in your community.

I imagine a few of the people complaining about Opus have lived in the East village for a while now. Maybe the dude with the infant met his wife in the midst of a rowdy drunken night out at a rock show 10 years ago when he was living in his bohemian east village loft. He wooed her with his revolutionary politics ("we're gonna change the world"), artwork, and badass apartment location. She wooed him with her style, sexy ass, avante photography skills, and with her interest in his artwork and badass apartment. Time passes. They fall in love, get raises at their day jobs, and decide to find a bigger place. Marriage. Home Depot. Bed, Bath, & Beyond. Eventually mom starts hassling about grandkids. They save money and buy a place in the neighborhood they consider their home. Assholes.

The East Village of yore and lore is done. Instead of mourning its demise, or, trying to recreate it elsewhere perhaps the energy is better spent studying what happened and making sure it doesn't happen in your neighborhood.

Me, I'm putting my heart in Park Slope/Windsor Terrace/Gowanus/Carroll Gardens/Brooklyn Heights. I find there are a lot of folks interested in balancing family with nightlife. It's not perfect, but if we aim for sustainable balance of chaos and stillness it will hopefully prevent some of the less savory side-effects of gentrification and population boom.

Anyways, the plan for Opus doesn't seem like it's rocking the boat too much. The neighborhood complainers might want to do some more research. If the lot is available, something less savory might bully its way in. Do you take door # 1 or the mystery box?

"since most everyone posting here seems to have no problem with a rowdy, drunken nightclub opening next door, how about after you put your life savings into a home they put a homeless shelter in your building or decide to build a nuclear power plant across the street???"

Even if the club that was to open wasn't a relatively sedate jazz club [relative to, say, southpaw or something], still there's the issue of coming into a neighborhood and expecting it to change its pre-established character around your needs.

the scenarios you describe above are different -- they feature developments that come *after* the person's already moved in.

that's different from some dude with a ton of bucks buying a place in a neighborhood whose very character IS bohemia, music, nightlife and ruckus, and expecting things to be any different. it's presumptuous.

but i am glad someone spoke up for the other side.

I'm the owner actually trying to open this performance gallery. All I have to say is the residents of 13 street who claim to have live on the block for 15+ years is get a friggin job! Mind your business! It's a performance space with a gallery area for artist and a theater space for jazz, classical, opera, blues musicians as well as a space for actors. It's a great space for all artist, and those that oppose it, who claim are that want peace and quiet... get a frigging clue! you live not only in manhattan but the most lively, upbeat section of manhattan.

In conclusion maybe its about economics, maybe they are afraid the gravy train is coming to an end and they will be forced to pay market value rent as OPUS NY beatifies the run down looking block of 13 street; or maybe they just rather go back in time and live with the junkies and drugdealers and all the squatters that occupied most of the buildings on 13 street between A & B.

I'm the owner actually trying to open this performance gallery. All I have to say is the residents of 13 street who claim to have live on the block for 15+ years is get a friggin job! Mind your business! It's a performance space with a gallery area for artist and a theater space for jazz, classical, opera, blues musicians as well as a space for actors. It's a great space for all artist, and those that oppose it, who claim are that want peace and quiet... get a frigging clue! you live not only in manhattan but the most lively, upbeat section of manhattan.

In conclusion maybe its about economics, maybe they are afraid the gravy train is coming to an end and they will be forced to pay market value rent as OPUS NY beatifies the run down looking block of 13 street; or maybe they just rather go back in time and live with the junkies and drugdealers and all the squatters that occupied most of the buildings on 13 street between A & B.

In the above referenced article, the two co-owners of Opus (it doesn't have just one owner) come across as well educated individuals who are trying to assuage their neighbors. The comment by "highart99" contradicts both those characteristics. I call bullshit on "highart99".

This is the other owner of OPUS NY. In response to the comment posted by the lovely, and obviously well educated individual who posted his/her comment on September 1 @ 12:52 am. We see that you have read the article and of course, you needed to vent. However, if that is your best argument, one in which you feel the need to personally ridicule, than my response is - you need to try harder.

A bit of advice, personally assaulting others only makes you look ignorant. And of course, using the term "I call bullshit” proves your point, in such a well-spoken manner. And finally, we are not trying to "assuage" anyone here - it is what it is - a cafe and a place for art and culture. It's a sad fact that you object to this, but perhaps you might actually try to be open-minded. Come - you might actually learn a thing or two about the world around you - and about the city. Maybe you might even learn some new terminology in which to express yourself - other than "bullshit." Hm, perhaps you can even learn from other artists - have you ever heard of art therapy - it might do you some good and even broaden your narrow-minded horizons.

This is the other owner of OPUS NY. In response to the comment posted by the lovely, and obviously well educated individual who posted his/her comment on September 1 @ 12:52 am. We see that you have read the article and of course, you needed to vent. However, if that is your best argument, one in which you feel the need to personally ridicule, than my response is - you need to try harder.

A bit of advice, personally assaulting others only makes you look ignorant. And of course, using the term "I call bullshit” proves your point, in such a well-spoken manner. And finally, we are not trying to "assuage" anyone here - it is what it is - a cafe and a place for art and culture. It's a sad fact that you object to this, but perhaps you might actually try to be open-minded. Come - you might actually learn a thing or two about the world around you - and about the city. Maybe you might even learn some new terminology in which to express yourself - other than "bullshit." Hm, perhaps you can even learn from other artists - have you ever heard of art therapy - it might do you some good and even broaden your narrow-minded horizons.