Take Action || November 7, 2007
No, not against the failed bid to block the Trinity River toll road--the yuppies and business owners got their way with that one yesterday. Rather, this is an instance in which your direct words and actions can make more impact than slipping a ballot into a box.
I was at the Gypsy Tea Room "Town Hall" meeting on the day Laura Miller pranced in and duped a music district into signing over their death certificates. Special Use Permits were the high order of the day, and Miller used Club Blue as the scapegoat--"The number one crime generator in all of downtown Dallas that spills over to Deep Ellum is Club Blue," she declared, and even though her statement about the city's largest hip-hop club at the time was largely inaccurate, the mostly white crowd of rock club and tattoo parlor employees roared and cheered anyway.
Of course, months later, the real reason for the fear campaign became apparent--to placate developers and make that DART rail extension toward Deep Ellum lead not to music venues but to condos and retail. This has been a concern of mine since the second rise and fall of Trees, but not so much in the "SAVE DEEP ELLUM" sense. Deep Ellum worked in its heyday thanks to general people coming out to concerts and nightlife spots and showing interest in their scene; blocking yuppies from converting the place into condos doesn't fix the central issue of the city's declining nightlife interest.
No, now I'm more concerned about Dallas spreading its SUP wings into places where activity is actually bubbling and percolating. MySpace bulletins have been spreading about the City Plan Commission meeting tomorrow afternoon to decide the fate of nighttime clubs, bars and venues that stretch out as far as Exposition Park, a zone that has enjoyed a reputation renaissance (and could see a huge boost if punk/art venue Sloppyworld finally comes to fruition). The Double Wide is among those turning on the bullhorn with a fear-based call to arms of their own: "They could possibly shut us down. Why? Because they want to pick and choose your neighbors and your bars. WE NEED UR HELP."
Is that really the case? I visited the City Plan Commission's agenda site and pulled tomorrow's agenda up, which lists more than a few requests for "a Specific Use Permit for a bar, lounge, or tavern and an inside commercial amusement for a live music venue." Every single one of these requests has a recommendation for "approval for two-year period" right next to it. Seems pretty clear cut.
I put out a phone call to Double Wide booking guru Chelsea Callahan, and she set me straight--"That's what happened last week with Monkey Bar," she says. Essentially, the reps at Exposition Park's Monkey Bar (formerly Expo Lounge) showed up to a CPC meeting having read the same sort of no-trouble agenda preview. A condo resident near the bar came to the hearing and complained about late night noise. MB didn't have anyone show up on their behalf to speak out--because, uh, do you really need your customers to show up to a Special Use Permit meeting? Apparently, you do. Monkey Bar's SUP request was denied, as was Club One's and Tom Cats'.
"That's why we're all freaking out now," Callahan says. "The thing is, they're getting denied so easily." This may be the only time in which I defend the shithole that is Tom Cats, but holy crap, the thought of such strangling control over businesses in Dallas is chilling. It gets even worse when you read THIS ESSAY, which I strongly encourage all of you to peruse. It digs deeply into the stances, statements and perspectives of developers and city representatives that are working hand-in-hand to reclaim control over highly prized real estate in Dallas.
Got the fires burning in your hearts? Then take action. If you don't have free time at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow to show up at the City Planning Commission meeting, you can zip an e-mail to any of the addresses below, with your full name and address/contact info, making a clear, well-written statement in defense of these venues' existence and output. The recipients of these e-mails will appreciate them at tomorrow's SUP hearing.
Write, show up, spread the word. -SM
Monkey Bar (trying again): info@dallasmonkeybar.com
Darkside Lounge: darksidelounge@yahoo.com
Double Wide: kim@thedoublewidebar.com
Club Dada: info@clubdada.com
Amsterdam Bar: amsterdam@theamsterdambar.com
The Bone: info@thebonedallas.com
Minc Lounge: http://www.myspace.com/minclounge
I was at the Gypsy Tea Room "Town Hall" meeting on the day Laura Miller pranced in and duped a music district into signing over their death certificates. Special Use Permits were the high order of the day, and Miller used Club Blue as the scapegoat--"The number one crime generator in all of downtown Dallas that spills over to Deep Ellum is Club Blue," she declared, and even though her statement about the city's largest hip-hop club at the time was largely inaccurate, the mostly white crowd of rock club and tattoo parlor employees roared and cheered anyway.
Of course, months later, the real reason for the fear campaign became apparent--to placate developers and make that DART rail extension toward Deep Ellum lead not to music venues but to condos and retail. This has been a concern of mine since the second rise and fall of Trees, but not so much in the "SAVE DEEP ELLUM" sense. Deep Ellum worked in its heyday thanks to general people coming out to concerts and nightlife spots and showing interest in their scene; blocking yuppies from converting the place into condos doesn't fix the central issue of the city's declining nightlife interest.
No, now I'm more concerned about Dallas spreading its SUP wings into places where activity is actually bubbling and percolating. MySpace bulletins have been spreading about the City Plan Commission meeting tomorrow afternoon to decide the fate of nighttime clubs, bars and venues that stretch out as far as Exposition Park, a zone that has enjoyed a reputation renaissance (and could see a huge boost if punk/art venue Sloppyworld finally comes to fruition). The Double Wide is among those turning on the bullhorn with a fear-based call to arms of their own: "They could possibly shut us down. Why? Because they want to pick and choose your neighbors and your bars. WE NEED UR HELP."
Is that really the case? I visited the City Plan Commission's agenda site and pulled tomorrow's agenda up, which lists more than a few requests for "a Specific Use Permit for a bar, lounge, or tavern and an inside commercial amusement for a live music venue." Every single one of these requests has a recommendation for "approval for two-year period" right next to it. Seems pretty clear cut.
I put out a phone call to Double Wide booking guru Chelsea Callahan, and she set me straight--"That's what happened last week with Monkey Bar," she says. Essentially, the reps at Exposition Park's Monkey Bar (formerly Expo Lounge) showed up to a CPC meeting having read the same sort of no-trouble agenda preview. A condo resident near the bar came to the hearing and complained about late night noise. MB didn't have anyone show up on their behalf to speak out--because, uh, do you really need your customers to show up to a Special Use Permit meeting? Apparently, you do. Monkey Bar's SUP request was denied, as was Club One's and Tom Cats'.
"That's why we're all freaking out now," Callahan says. "The thing is, they're getting denied so easily." This may be the only time in which I defend the shithole that is Tom Cats, but holy crap, the thought of such strangling control over businesses in Dallas is chilling. It gets even worse when you read THIS ESSAY, which I strongly encourage all of you to peruse. It digs deeply into the stances, statements and perspectives of developers and city representatives that are working hand-in-hand to reclaim control over highly prized real estate in Dallas.
Got the fires burning in your hearts? Then take action. If you don't have free time at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow to show up at the City Planning Commission meeting, you can zip an e-mail to any of the addresses below, with your full name and address/contact info, making a clear, well-written statement in defense of these venues' existence and output. The recipients of these e-mails will appreciate them at tomorrow's SUP hearing.
Write, show up, spread the word. -SM
Monkey Bar (trying again): info@dallasmonkeybar.com
Darkside Lounge: darksidelounge@yahoo.com
Double Wide: kim@thedoublewidebar.com
Club Dada: info@clubdada.com
Amsterdam Bar: amsterdam@theamsterdambar.com
The Bone: info@thebonedallas.com
Minc Lounge: http://www.myspace.com/mincloun
posted by Sam M. at 11:59 AM
6 Comments:
Thanks Sam!
deep ellum was cool when I was in highschool until I discovered denton
2:21am, this isn't about Deep Ellum. In fact, I strongly believe that the city of Dallas would love for the conversation to shift to that, because then people get too caught up in nostalgia and emotion to realize the real story: This is about power being wrested from local businesses by our own city's employees. And that's frightening.
sam, you rock for posting this and the email address. With your help, doublewide had around 75 emails of support and they passed with flying colors! here's to another two years until they go back up!!
they were so impressed with dada that they issued them a 5 year sup!
I attended both hearings (Yesterday and last Thursday). The thing that took me back the most was no amount of support mattered if one person had a complaint then you were doomed.
When the commission asked for everyone there in support of Monkey Bar to stand about 70 people stood up. When they asked for anyone not in support 3 people went to the front.
The result, Monkey Bar was denied without prejudice. It now takes a 3/4 majority City Counsel vote to save them.
D.E.E.P> has been working with all the clubs and bars to get their SUP applications in and help them through the process. It's worth noting that not a single land owner or bar operator on Expo even knew the SUP deadline until we (D.E.E.P.) informed them. More fuel for the conspiracy fires.
Please note that NO ONE HAS PASSED THEIR SUP except Taboo, Tigger's, Pharmacy (not open yet),Reno's, and Elm St. Tattoo.
They all still have to go up before city council. This was the first round. Round two is NOT PRETTY.
Double Wide supporters should realize that they still have a huge battle. Five people went on record against them. Those five people did not show up, but they more than likely will @ the big hearing.
The planing commission even said that if those people had shown, Double Wide would have had a difficult time.
Please note that 4 people went up against Monkey Bar. Double Wide has 5.
Also, Red Blood Club is dealing with their 2nd hearing being moved to the 28th OF THIS MONTH, and redoing a lot of paperwork. April @ Red Blood needs your help. She needs people to show up for her. ESPECIALLY residents.
Minc is going up again on the 15th, and they have opposition.
Dada had one person in opposition who did not show, but more than likely will show @ council.
Scott and I over at DEEP will keep you informed on times, but this is far from over.
Please come to the DEEP meeting @ the new Deep Ellum Association (who whole-heartedly supports these businesses staying open)office this Tuesday @ 9pm @ 2822 Elm. We need the community still, now more than ever.
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