the end of the warehouse

[snailhook]

yup, the warehouse next door is closing its doors to music on july 7th. my last show there is on thursday (details can be found in my clavius thread).
 
 there is a good chance it will re-open in a new area, probably in a few months. hopefully.

[K8teebug]

That's sad, but I'm glad it'll be opening up somewhere else.  Nice place to see a show.

[bnyced0]

Originally posted by snailhook:
  yup, the warehouse next door is closing its doors to music on july 7th. my last show there is on thursday (details can be found in my clavius thread).
 
 there is a good chance it will re-open in a new area, probably in a few months. hopefully.

Is it adios to the entire complex?  I'm assuming developers and condos are involved.

[snailhook]

yes, the entire complex will cease operations in december. the music room will be finished in july, and the theater space in december. the bar/cafe will close with the music.
 
 the city raised the warehouse's property over 500% this year, which they cannot afford.

[thirsty moore]

Property as in property tax or rent?
 
 

Originally posted by snailhook:
  the city raised the warehouse's property over 500% this year, which they cannot afford.

[saco]

Originally posted by econo:
  Property as in property tax or rent?
 
   

Originally posted by snailhook:
  the city raised the warehouse's property over 500% this year, which they cannot afford.

[/b]

property taxes...
 
 http://www.dcist.com/2007/04/26/warehouse_slamm.php

[nkotb]

That is a bummer.  I didn't go very frequently, but every show I saw there was an instant favorite.  Keep us posted, snailhook.

[bnyced0]

Originally posted by saco:
   

Originally posted by econo:
  Property as in property tax or rent?
 
     

Originally posted by snailhook:
  the city raised the warehouse's property over 500% this year, which they cannot afford.

[/b]

property taxes...
 
   http://www.dcist.com/2007/04/26/warehouse_slamm.php  [/b]

This blows in so many different ways, but it doesn't seem like a situation where greater patronage or even a fund drive would provide a remedy.  Short of (I'm making up shit here) a Mayoral order, or something I don't know what could be done.  Are the property taxes a function of the DC government, does it require congressional approval to raise/lower taxes, provide exemptions for say historical, cultural significant landmarks, etc?   I'm obviously ignorant on these details and I'm sure better minds have analyzed possible solutions, so it just appears to me the warehouse complex was victim of a cultural homocide, where's the justice?

[tigersscareme]

there isn't any justice.
 it's fucking heartbreaking to see a building/family business that has been in dc for over a century lost.
 
 molly's somehow related to col. brooks. not the restaurant, the col. brooks of whom Brookland is named for. I can't remember the whole story, but she's an amazingly interesting lady.
 
 This is one of about 45 reasons why i really want to move back to philly.

[snailhook]

yes, property taxes (thanks, saco).
 
 

so it just appears to me the warehouse complex was victim of a cultural homocide, where's the justice?[/b]

exactly. the city is forcing the warehouse's hand by raising its taxes so high it can't possibly come up with the money. they intend to eventually build a hotel on that block for the convention center (and probably a starbucks, mcdonalds, taco bell, etc). there really isn't anything that could be done, the only "upside" is that the rupperts will make plenty of money from selling the property. if they had registered as a non-profit years ago, they might have been exempt from this crap, though i'm not sure.
 
 

This is one of about 45 reasons why i really want to move back to philly.[/b]

agreed. except i am actually going to make the move to philly instead of talking about it for the past couple of years. within a year, i will be up there paying cheaper rent, playing and touring more, and dealing with a hell of a lot less yuppies.

[bnyced0]

Now that's two phuckin homocides, who is going to book all the cool obscure artsy shit if you're leaving?  I'm not one to talk, I bailed on U street for the less gentrified confines of Bmore a few years ago, but there's no escaping it, even up there.  I'm moving back down next year if I stay in the states, so we can't give up we have to try to fight this shit as much as possible.  With the softening of the real estate market there has to be some flexibility in the build at all cost philosophy that's taken over the city's officials in the last half decade don't you think?
 
 
 

Originally posted by snailhook:
   

This is one of about 45 reasons why i really want to move back to philly.[/b]

agreed. except i am actually going to make the move to philly instead of talking about it for the past couple of years. within a year, i will be up there paying cheaper rent, playing and touring more, and dealing with a hell of a lot less yuppies. [/b]

[sweetcell]

Originally posted by snailhook:
 exactly. the city is forcing the warehouse's hand by raising its taxes so high it can't possibly come up with the money. they intend to eventually build a hotel on that block for the convention center (and probably a starbucks, mcdonalds, taco bell, etc).

waaaait... this doesn't have anything to do with the House of Blues trying to move in to the convention center area with a hotel + performance space, does it?

[snailhook]

With the softening of the real estate market there has to be some flexibility in the build at all cost philosophy that's taken over the city's officials in the last half decade don't you think?[/b]

it's really up to the clubs in this city to stop booking dance night and dj nights and booking the same old tired local crap. but that is the stuff that generates money, not the interesting, artistic, freaky stuff. experimental music relies on independent and alternative venues, unless the masses change and start coming to these shows. sadly, i don't see that happening in this town. i don't want to sound like a total elitist asshole, but i just don't see the interest here for my kind of music. and that includes not just experimental, but also doom/sludge metal, fingerpicking folk guitar, psych, noise/drone, and free jazz. there are way more folks in philly who dig this kind of thing.
 
 there haven't been many independent/alternative venues popping up around here because of sky-high rent and property values. this also does not bode well for bookstores and video stores and fringe shops, as well as live music venues and record stores. in fact, i am amazed that dc has four record stores near each other right now. i'll be more amazed if all of them succeed.
 
 

waaaait... this doesn't have anything to do with the House of Blues trying to move in to the convention center area with a hotel + performance space, does it?[/b]

well, not directly. indirectly, it is because of businesses like the house of blues wanting to move into the area that places like the warehouse get screwed. but specifically, the hosiery will really be screwed when house of blues moves in, because it will be on that block.
 
 

who is going to book all the cool obscure artsy shit if you're leaving?[/b]

i have no idea. dc needs some younger blood to step up and accept the task of fighting a fight most people don't give a shit about. i've been doing it for four years, and have spent way more hours than i should have. and consequently, i have no money to show for it. now, i don't care about making a lot, but i have been barely surviving in this city since i've been here, and i am convinced that i need to go somewhere i can afford, where i can work less and concentrate on my own music, a place where other people are setting up interesting shows and where there is an audience for such music. like philly.
 
 it sounds pretty depressing, but i just don't see dc improving. the arts scene, especially for lower-brow stuff, just sucks.

[sweetcell]

Originally posted by snailhook:
 but specifically, the hosiery will really be screwed when house of blues moves in, because it will be on that block.

really?  but they appeal to completely different crowds.  HOB needs to sell 500 tickets to break even, hosiery needs closer to 50 (yes, i made up the number, i'm talking order of magnitude here).  maybe hosiery would even benefit from some sort of halo effect from HOB's presence in the hood...

[Bags]

I'm pretty conflicted on the property tax issue, because one of my pet peeves (that's a gentle, family friendly description) are the homowners who bitch and moan about tax reassessments while they, in fact, live in a $700,000 home they paid $200,000 for (and, hence, make monthly mortgage payments based on $200K).  This is annoying and the whining of many privileged folks in DC.  Granted, this was happening every day a couple years ago, less so now (on a short turnaround basis -- I'm talking about the folks who paid $200K in 2003 and were kvetching about taxes on their $500K appreciation)
 
 However, it is a crime to see how these property values impact local businesses that have been around for years.  Similarly the property owners who have lived in their home for 10, 15, 20 years and can't pay the increased tax assessment.
 
 It's a cunundrum, I tell you.  
 
 The Warehouse saga is a shame.  And alas, it's my neighborhood that will see the new Starbucks and Taco Bells and...god forbid...Hooters or Ruby Tuesdays!