The Knockdown Center’s request for a liquor license application was rejected by Community Board 5, though the state will have the ultimate say as to whether or not the arts and music venue will be allowed to serve alcohol. File Photo
Community Board 5 members voted last week to reject a Maspeth art center’s liquor license application after residents raised concerns over thousands of patrons partying in a residential area, though the manager of the facility said he aims to be a good neighbor and plans to remain in the neighborhood.
Members of the board said they did not support a liquor license for the Knockdown Center, which has been operating in an abandoned glass factory for about one year, because the facility does not have a certificate of occupancy or a place of assembly permit. The center’s application to serve liquor now goes to the state, which gives the ultimate stamp of approval or denial on it.
Until now, the Knockdown Center, located at 52-19 Flushing Ave., has received temporary permits to hold such events as concerts and art exhibits – as well as to provide alcohol at them. The center’s manager has said they could hold events at which up to 5,000 people could attend.
“It’s frightening,” said Community Board 5 District Manager Gary Giordano. “They’re going to have 5,000 people there? There’s a residential community right next door.”
Tyler Myers, the manager at the Knockdown Center, said after the board’s vote at its meeting last Wednesday that the center has applied for a certificate of occupancy from the city and will work with the community on a variety of concerns.
Myers said he expects about one or two events a month to draw about 5,000 people and said other gatherings would likely be attended by fewer individuals.
“We feel good about the mass transit options there,” Myers said. “Four major bus lines stop within a block of us. There’s an L-train less than three-quarters of a mile from the Knockdown Center. There’s no reason why anyone coming to Knockdown would go through a residential neighborhood; they’d stay on main thoroughfares.”
Myers added they have not received complaints about events they have held over the past year and said they plan to hold similar programming, including art exhibitions, literary readings, concerts, and flea markets.
“We exist because of our building – the building is the thing that drove the enterprise in the first place,” Myers said. “It’s totally gorgeous, so we’re not moving. We’re all ears, and we’re thankful for the time and attention the community board gave our proposal and understand their objection. It’s something we’re looking to resolve.”
A number of civic leaders, including CB 5 member and coordinator for the Maspeth Industrial Business Zone Jean Tanler, said they feel as though the center’s staff have “not been forthcoming” about the types of events they expect to hold at the facility. For example, Christina Wilkinson, of the Communities of Maspeth and Elmhurst Together, said that Myers argued the center was not interested in hosting raves, but she pointed to an advertisement in the online publication Free Williamsburg about an event billing itself as “a satanic future rave” that would be “immersive multimedia installation turned Halloween party” and would feature an electronic musician at Knockdown. The party was ultimately cancelled.
Residents have also pointed to documentation on social media of public sex and drug use at center events.
“I think mostly what we were heard were people who were concerned about raves and things like that – but that’s not who we are or who will ever be,” Myers said. “Maybe we need to be more clear about who we are in the community.”
Knockdown’s manager went on to say that his organization has been a good neighbor and has, for example, donated thousands of square feet for volunteers to use while coordinator efforts during Hurricane Sandy.
“It’s clear to me we’re not what people are scared of,” Myers said. “We need to describe plans for security and traffic management to the community.”
A number of elected officials – including state Sen. Michael Gianaris (D-Astoria) and Assemblywoman Cathy Nolan (D-Ridgewood) have voiced concerns about the thousands of people who could potentially attend the center. And while Councilwoman Elizabeth Crowley (D-Middle Village) said at a CB 5 meeting in September that she was supportive of the center because of the jobs it could create, a spokesman for the councilwoman said this week that concerns about the liquor license need to be addressed.
By Anna Gustafson
