by CKSOKEEFE in Arts and Culture, Public Health & Safety
Posted on April 28, 2010 at 11:47 am
Last Modified on April 29, 2010 at 8:20 pm
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Despite verbal and written opposition by neighbors, the License Commission approved a transfer of a beer & wine license (donated) by Dali to the Arts at the Armory located at 191 Highland Avenue in Ward 5 on April 26th. This transfer was featured as agenda item #29.
This decision comes just in time as the arts-focused establishment neared its maximum amount of “special” permits to serve the above named type of alcoholic beverages at events. Please note that hard liquor is not included in both the “special” permits nor in the permanent license that The Armory was awarded.
Although their presentation and visibility paled in comparison to the support of the Armory, neighbors and abutters to the building presented valid concerns that are clearly jeopardizing their quality of life. Citing noise up to two hours after an event and severe lack of parking, the opposing side described their experience as horrendous and a reason to move out of the city. The common consensus was that, although they value the arts, they question whether the inclusion of alcohol was really necessary. Representatives and supporters noted that the inclusion was to stabilize and maintain money flow for the establishment and financially support different causes within the city.
The task now at hand for The Armory is resolving both of these issues that seem to be mainly associated with their music events. A recent submission by Alderman Sean O’Donovan to the Board of Alderman requesting increased police patrols and enforcement of parking violations, as well as a pending noise study report should point the Armory in the right direction of putting both of these problems to rest.
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Arts at the Armory is an awesome program, but to keep its events affordable for everyone and not just become another little ivory tower for the enjoyment of the elite, it has to be at least somewhat self-supporting. And if patrons really act that obnoxious, I suppose we could consider the citations issued to them another possible revenue stream.
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The vaild concerns of the neighbors have been ignored by the Armory management. The sound study currently being done is a good first step but there is no guarantee that the owner of the building will implement the recommend changes. The Armory management team has not been effective in dealilng with thiese issues. I would like to suggest that you Courtney use your blog to advocate for the neighbors. Walk through the neighborhood at the begining of an event to see the people lined up out front, the cars on High;land Ave searching for spaces, then come back when the events get out. Hear the noise of the patrons leaving, then the bands packing up until 2 or 3 in the am. The Armory has become a musical venue spot and a function facility in the middle of the city.
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My thought is that the management of the Armory realize not only the opportunity that this license affords them, but the vulnerability of it, as well. If they don’t implement suggestions from the sound study as well as suggestions made to them by the Licensing Commission on Monday night, the ability to advocate that this license be revoked is the ace in the hand for the neighbors and abutters.
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It takes works to have a license revoked once it is granted. Since you have decided to have a public forum addressing Ward 5 issues, this is a Ward 5 issue. You have been vocal in your support of the Armory. It would help if you would report on the problems too.
Using your voice would let others know that the neighbor’s issue are valid. Many people who use the Armory are not aware of the problems because they do not live in the area. They come to the Armory enjoy the shows and leave. But their coming and going causes disruption in the neighborhood. Don’t let the issue retreat to the background now that the license has been granted. Follow up with the Armory management and neighbors to see if the problems have been addressed
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Cathy,
I have to be honest in telling you that I did not hear any complaints regarding the Armory until I saw orders submitted into the Board of Alderman (I attend the meetings twice a month). This was after I signed their petition in favor of the license transfer.
I vocalized my support of the Armory because they acknowledged the concerns of the neighbors at the Licensing Commission meeting before I spoke and vowed to address them. Up until that point, I intended to issue them a warning about respecting the neighbors due to the BOA items I saw.
Please know that if problems continue, they will find a home on my website as all other Ward 5 issues do. I try to make the site as unbiased as I possibly can by focusing on both sides of a story and suggesting resolutions rather than just playing the blame game as other neighborhood blogs tend to do.
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Courtney, if you had attended the community meeting at the Armory, or any of the other licensing commission meetings you would have heard of the neighbors’ complaints. In any event I hope that you have learned that in order to know if there are problems reach out to the neighbors. It would be great if you would follow-up with the Armory on the sound study and report it on your blog. Thanks for the good discussion!
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Please note that the noise complaints about the events at the Arts building are included on the May 10th agenda for the BOA-Committee on Public Health and Public Safety meeting.
This meeting will be held at 6:30pm in the 2nd floor Committee Room of City Hall.
At Cathy’s request, I did email the management at the Arts building inquiring about the sound study, its results, and if they will be made public. I have yet to receive a response, but am taking the recent Somerville Open Studios events into consideration for the delay.
I will follow up later in the week if I don’t get a reply back.
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Thank you Courtney for following up with the Armory and for posting the information on the public meeting. It has been my experience with the Armory management team that they tend to ignore emails. I’m glad that you plan on following up with them. It would be nice to have the report before the 5/10 meeting.
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I just wanted to update everyone that I received a response from Debra that the sound study results are not in, but will be made public with the recommendations from David Coate (he conducted the study) as soon as the analysis is done. A copy will be sent to the neighborhood task force, as well as Alderman O’Donovan.
Thanks!
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At the recent public safety meeting, the Armory was told, explicitly, to better monitor themselves, or the city will force them to do it and burden them (The Armory) with the cost. Please note that the acting Chief of Police was in attendance at this meeting and heard the parking concerns of the neighbors.
Secondly, the sound study will be made public once it is completed and the Armory will have a list of recommendations (also public) that can be implemented to decrease the noise output. The Licensing Commission also gave them recommendations when they were granted the beer and wine license, as well.
Lastly, Alderman Bill White, chairperson of the Public Safety Committee, has plans to make a field study visit to the Armory to hear/experience the noise output with the other members of the committee in 30 days.
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Another update…the 42 conditions have been posted on Ward5Online.Com for your reference.
Thank you
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