Aces, a strip club in Long Island City that has repeatedly caused quality-of-life issues for surrounding residents, had its cabaret license revoked and later reinstated by a judge, pending an upcoming hearing.
Located at 32-10 37th Ave., the club has received multiple fines and was the scene of a gang-related shooting last year. The club was temporarily shut down in May 2016 after receiving dozens of summonses and not complying with its cabaret or liquor license.
The State Liquor Authority revoked the club’s liquor license last week after state Senator Michael Gianaris wrote a letter to the agency, detailing the issues the community faced. According to Gianaris, residents called 911 to complain about the club 252 times in 2016.
The club’s owners visited a state court on March 9, the same day SLA moved to revoke their license, and were granted a stay to keep it. A hearing is scheduled for April 5 and the SLA will argue that the club’s liquor license should be revoked.
On March 16, Gianaris, SLA representatives, the 114th Precinct, Community Board 1 and other community groups gathered in front of the establishment to call for Judge Manuel Hernandez to affirm SLA’s decision.
“Aces is notorious for its ongoing troubling activity and should be closed down,” Gianaris said. “The community and State Liquor Authority are in agreement that Aces’ history of criminal incidents justify revoking the license of this bad actor. I encourage the Court to do the right thing and affirm the SLA’s decision.”
The club failed to comply with its cabaret license in 2016, did not display its license in a visible place and employed unlicensed security guards among other violations. According to the Daily News, Aces was fined $11,500 by the SLA for failing to keep up with fire and building codes and for selling alcohol past 4 a.m.
In September of 2014, the club was fined $24,000 for again failing to keep up with codes and selling alcohol past 4 a.m.
Nearby residents have complained about constantly seeing vomit, urine and condoms in the area and have argued that the constant police presence at the club keeps them up at night.
James Woods, who lives on 32nd Street between 37th and 38th avenues, said at a Community Board 1 meeting that four to six squad cars are parked at every intersection surrounding the club from 2 to 4 a.m. every night.
“I strongly suggest y’all do something and fix it because I’m sick of living in a pool of urine surrounded by used condoms and discarded woman’s undergarments all over my sidewalk,” Woods said at the meeting last May.
As of 2015, the club was called Systems and owned by Dimitri Beylis, according to city records. Gianaris said he prefers that the building “no longer be used to support establishments detrimental to the neighborhood’s quality of life.”
“Residents deserve to live in a community where they feel safe, with a robust quality of life,” he said in a statement. “It’s time we get rid of this bad adult establishment once and for all and apply our resources towards protecting our schools, small businesses and families.”
