By Ivan Pereira
A strip club that disturbed Rosedale neighbors with a large, racy billboard has been shuttered following months of protests from the community.
City Councilman James Sanders (D-Laurelton) announced last Thursday that the landlord of the Platinum Club on 248-58 Rockaway Blvd. evicted the owners of the strip club. The strip club owners had failed to pay $200,000 in rent over the last few months and were at the center of the controversy over a 25-foot billboard that displayed a scantily clad woman.
“Today we have sent a clear message that if you choose to disrespect the women and children of our community, we will fight you to the bitter end. By the community supporting our efforts, we were able to put a serious dent in the club’s capital and successfully boot them out of business,” Sanders said in a statement.
Last year Sanders filed a nuisance lawsuit against the owners of Platinum, who could not be reached for comment, over the billboard. The ad, which could be seen by Long Island and Queens drivers who commute across the boulevard, advertised the club’s services with the image of a blonde woman in a black bikini that barely covered her breasts.
The councilman and other leaders from both Queens and Nassau County had staged protests to urge the strip club’s owners to take the sign down, but they refused, claiming it was a “dollars and cents” issue, Sanders said.
The councilman got serious by filing the lawsuit and taking his fight to Community Board 13, which oversees the area of the strip club. He had urged the community leaders to deny the strip club a liquor license.
Richard Hellenbrecht, the former chairman of CB 13 who has been fighting to get the strip club’s billboard taken down, said he was thrilled that the uncooperative owners were forced out.
“I hope it comes down and hope it comes down quickly,” the CB 13 member said of the sign.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
