New Circus Venue Sparks Debate On W'burg's 'Nightlife Sector'

WILLIAMSBURG, BROOKLYN — A Greenwich Village events venue hoping to make a Scott Avenue warehouse their new home has local community board members worried whether trendy nightlife spots popping up in Williamsburg's industrial zone are "getting out of hand."

Secret Loft — a venue "specializing in stand-up comedy, circus shows, burlesque, and wild dance parties" — presented its liquor license application for a 350-person venue in the 90 Scott Avenue industrial space during Community Board 1's meeting on Tuesday. The converted warehouse, owners said, would give Secret Loft more space for the bar, showroom and storage needed to run its shows.

But board members wondered whether the new business would further oversaturate East Williamsburg's industrial area, which is already home to about a dozen events spaces, bars or nightclubs in just a few blocks.

"This is getting out of hand…that’s an industrial part and we are no up to five or six massive venues in a hell-hole of a location," said Thomas Burrows, chair of Community Board 1's State Liquor Authority review subcommittee. "As a community board, we need to look at if we're going to be the nightlife sector of Brooklyn, we have to do it safely and responsibly."

The 90 Scott Avenue warehouse, which Secret Loft has not yet finalized a lease for, falls on the corner of Scott Avenue and Randolph Street. To its north is Avant Gardner's nightclub and music venue complex and Elsewhere music venue and bar and the popular House of Yes dance, circus, theater and cabaret performance spot are to its south.

Burrows said his main concern wasn't necessarily that these venues were popping up in the neighborhood, but that they were setting up shop in a former industrial area that he said is still dangerous for that kind of nightlife. The industrial business zone has "pot holes your car could get lost in" and is often littered with dangerous construction equipment, he said.

"Make it a safe place that’s welcoming and proper, not just some backwoods place," Burrows said, adding that the local NYPD force often doesn't have enough resources to add extra patrols to that area.

Secret Loft owners, though, said they disagreed with Burrows' characterization of the area as a "hellhole."

In their presentation they included photos of the streets near 90 Scott Avenue to show that the area was a walkable spot for an events venue and highlighted the family Vietnamese restaurant that would be their neighbor.

Co-owner Alex Neuhausen told Patch after the meeting that he and co-owner Lillly Wolfson did plan to look into the "valid concerns" members brought up about how the new nightclubs and venues could be taxing on the area's infrastructure or the local police force.

"We hear those concerns and take them to heart," Neuhausen said. "We're going to be working closely with the community board throughout the application process and after we open, aiming to strike a balance between expanding tourism and cultural opportunities in East Williamsburg while at the same time advocating for city budget resources to ensure safe streets, a well-staffed local police force and safe transportation options."

Secret Loft has already reached out to NYPD's 90th Precint, North Brooklyn Patrol, its neighbors on Scott Avenue and other business or community groups in the area, Neuhausen said during his presentation. He added that the new venue will include trained security staff and would offer community shows, such as free open houses, street fairs, or writing workshops for local groups.

Community Board 1 resolved not to vote on Secret Loft's application yet, but to write a letter to their elected officials and the city's nightlife mayor to outline their concerns about the industrial zone. Secret Loft will return to the board's State Liquor Authority Review Committee to discuss its application further.

"There needs to be some sort of city focus to making this either go away, and just be industrial, or if we want it to be a nightlife zone, making it a safe and proper nightlife zone," Burrows said.