The Daily Briefing

PINE AVENUE CLUB UNDER FIRE BEFORE IT OPENS

Theo DouglasFri. February 22
 

Last month, for those of you just joining us, I wrote about The Cellar, a downtown blues club at Broadway and The Promenade, which is being built and should open this year.

But there’s another downtown club being built up the street from The Cellar: it’s Backstage Jazz Club, at 330 Pine Ave., a jazz and supper club from the owners of the Vault 350 rock ‘n’ roll venue at Fourth Street and Pine Avenue.

And as the Press-Telegram’s Don Jergler reports this morning, Backstage will be in court before it ever opens.

Apparently attorneys for the Archstone CityPlace apartment complex–which is on the same side of Pine Avenue and in the same area as Backstage–will seek a temporary restraining order today in San Pedro court, to stop the club from opening.

Really, it’s hilarious, though not for the Backstage owners. We feel bad for them–but come on! When was the last time you ever heard of jazz music keeping anyone up at night? (Learning the Charleston–that’s what keeps you up.)

Isn’t it interesting that Vault 350 is open–at 350 Pine Avenue, hosting all kinds of super loud rock music–and no one seems to have a problem with that? Do they just have better soundproofing or what?

Anyway, as Jergler points out, there’s already talk going around that the real reason the Archstone owners are suing (they’ve known about Backstage since 2006) is because they intend to “gain civic approval to convert the complex to condominiums” as Jergler has it, and then resell the place some time in the not-too-distant future.

(This isn’t just a rumor; Jergler reports that Archstone owners are actively working with city staffers to begin the process of converting the units to condos.)

According to Jergler, the Archstone owners apparently think that if a “loud” (my quotes) jazz club opens up, it could disturb residents–and would put a damper on their selling price.

A loud jazz club. If you think jazz is loud, you should try listening to skiffle.

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COMMENTS

  1. 1

    Let’s see…a blues nightclub vs.another abandoned space downtown. What’s going to reduce values more?. Are these people idiots?

    Yes, another classic example of how LB gets popped by developers. Now, that they’ve gotten concessions form the city, built the stucco boxes masquerading as apts. (you can see where the rain has already affected the facade in several places), sold it several times, they want their dessert. The Backstage folks have done great work and should be commended.

    The end result? An empty half-finished space that benefits NO ONE.

    And, be aware, developers want to close the AMC theaters and convert those to (wait for it) more apts/condos to further keep anyone from going downtown after hours.

    [report]

    Posted By Andy on February 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 am

     

  2. 2

    Andy, oh how right you are. A sleepy but active jazz club vs. another empty storefront to match all the other ones? Come on Long Beach (and the San Pedro court), don’t let Archstone get away with this!

    [report]

    Posted By Dave in Alamitos Beach on February 22nd, 2008 at 11:17 am

     

  3. 3

    Andy, i totally agree with you except for the part about the AMC theatre. I really hope that place closes down and turns into anything (well not anything) other then the ghetto ass theatre it is. that place provides the worst movie experience of any spot i’ve ever been to.

    as for the jazz and blues place, i look forward to it opening as well. although its faux exterior bugs the crap out of me.

    [report]

    Posted By Gunther on February 22nd, 2008 at 12:48 pm

     

  4. 4

    re: AMC theaters…but if you want to hear great back talk to a boring-ass Merchant Ivory production, there’s no better place. :^)

    [report]

    Posted By Andy on February 22nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm

     

  5. 5

    I like the theater. I enjoy just walking to it and watching a movie and I hardly have to deal with a crowd. Its one of the main things I enjoy about pine. I am not the trendy club type. But this is what developers do. They find a “hip” place people want to live and drive out all the reasons people wanted to live there in the first place.

    [report]

    Posted By James on June 15th, 2008 at 12:40 pm

     

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