Studio Square
Oct. 18, 2018 By Tara Law
Some residents in the Dutch Kills section of Long Island City are up in arms about a local venue they say rattles their windows with music and allows its customers to leave urine, vomit and broken bottles in the street.
About 10 people who live near Studio Square at 35-33 36th St. have said publicly that they are desperate to tame the venue, which they say creates excessive noise and unleashes unruly crowds in the nearby streets.
The event space is one of the largest venues in the area, boasting 30,000 square feet and with enough room for 900 people, according to reports. Since the space opened in 2009, it has become well known locally for hosting musical events and sporting events.
However, among its neighbors, the space has become best known for disruption. Police said that they have received 58 311 calls about the venue since January, as well as 16 911 calls.
The neighbors made their case to Community Board 1 at its September and October meetings, arguing that their efforts to get the police to take action to control the space— including 911 and 311 calls— have repeatedly failed, and that they’re running out of ideas.
The neighbors claimed that the noise emanating from the venue sometimes starts at around 10 a.m. and doesn’t end until around 4 a.m., disrupting sleep and generally making life difficult for residents nearby.
Marino Frost, who operates a music studio a block away and lives nearby, said that the noise from the venue can be heard through 17 inches of soundproofing in his music studio.
“That kind of noise makes you crazy,” Frost said.
James Basco, who said he lives about two blocks away, said that although the bar sometimes hosts a “silent disco,” drunken revelers on the street will disturb neighbors by leaving glass and bodily fluids outside.
The owner of the bar could not be reached for comment.
Community Board 1 Chairperson Marie Torniali urged the neighbors to continue submitting requests to 311, as the service is the best possible way to record their grievances.
The 311 calls may come into play next month, when the State Liquor Authority must decide whether to approve a liquor license renewal application for the venue.
