Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Uptown bar changing locations

Things are heating up over at the old Daddy’s location in the Ivey’s building at the corner of Fifth and Church streets.

Buzz around town is that Coyote Ugly – currently in the boonies of North College Street – is looking to change locations and has already applied for a liquor license and signed a lease at Ivey’s.

The Friends of Fourth Ward neighborhood association isn’t too happy about the possible new tenant.

"This particular bar’s intent is more akin to a pure drinking establishment than a restaurant or cocktail lounge," said FoFW president Jay Biles. "There is open encouragement to drink to excess."

Biles cites that atmosphere as a concern for noise and increased crime to nearby residents.

Charlotte Center City Partners backed Biles’ concerns in a letter released Tuesday.

"We emphatically agree that this is the wrong location for this business type. The potentially loud and boisterous interior and exterior noise generated by a bar of this type would greatly disturb residents," the letter said.

Biles said he would prefer to see Coyote Ugly stay in the College Street entertainment district.

Ivey’s manager Stefan Latorre responded to the concerns in an e-mailed statement tonight:


"Coyote Ugly ... is a reputable national company that is willing to improve the space and operate a restaurant and bar. The tenant has a signed lease agreement with our company, so we are legally bound to lease this space to them. Nevertheless, we believe they will be good neighbors and they are obligated under the terms of the lease to abide by all laws and not create a nuisance. The tenant has an excellent record in 15 sites throughout the country, and we expect them operate a good business here as well."

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Those people need to get over it. They live in center city - do they expect it to always be quiet?

Anonymous said...

I don't believe that it is the noise that they would be complaining about. There is a difference between a loud club that has music blarring through the speakers and a loud club that you hear a drunk person all night blarring through a bullhorn and bartenders dancing on the bar. The city of Charlotte has class and needs to remain a more upscale downtown scene. There is room for plenty of bars like this one in other neighborhoods around Charlotte.

Anonymous said...

I think downtown needs to have a mix of everything. More upscale places would be nice though!

Anonymous said...

"Center City" residents do not expect it to always be quiet, and you just can't excpect them "to get over it". Crime and lastivious living are already declining property values in many areas of Charlotte. Would you want visitors to witness this at an increased degree when they ride down/up Tryon St.?? I don't even live down there but I have visited many other large cities and have witnessed what a loud, drunken, bullhorned group of people sound/or act like. Just the auditions for bar dancers on MTV or wherever I was channeling surfing one day,for Coyote Ugly are enough. Yea, I might be old , by your standards, but I was young once. You might not be thers every night (or maybe you will??)but someone will be there taking you place, I'm sure. Every drunk knows they can't visit the same place every night...?? I know I disturbed many residents near some of the places I attended; Neighborhood house/Frat parties, bars, etc. But, then I grew up.

Anonymous said...

I have been to Coyote Ugly before and it is not as bad as they are claiming it to be. In my opinion, BAR Charlotte is more loud and rowdy than Coyote Ugly. The bartenders dance on the bar which makes it entertaining. Yes, drinking is encouraged but I wouldn't say that everyone that walks through the door comes out stumbling drunk. Most adults know their limits and still act responsible from what I've seen.

Anonymous said...

Urban dwellers embrace the sounds of the city, people on the street going to restaurants and bars, the fire engines and general commotion; however, they deserve peace in their homes just as every other American does. It is up to our leadership to ensure that city planning makes responsible decisions. We have an Entertainment District and a S.O.B. (Sexually Oriented Business) belongs in the Entertainment District not next to a Children's playground and day school, a historic Church and under the homes of 68 residents ranging from ages 2 months to 80 years. It's easy to say "get over it" and much harder to make thoughtful responsible decisions so that we can progress and continue to grow our beautiful dynamic city.

Anonymous said...

Nothing seems to survive in that location. I wouldn't be too concerned about it.

Anonymous said...

These complaints are a perfect example of Uptown Elites with the NIMBY attitude of "I want things where I want them, when I want them, how I want them, and attended only by those people with whom I want to associate."

They want "diversity", but only the "diversity" they approve.

Anonymous said...

I'm all for another bar in the old Daddy's spot, but not Coyote Ugly. Nobody goes there now, not b/c of location, but b/c it sucks. Nobody cares about a bunch of girls dancing on the bar, except "reds" from Gastonia and Conord, and old perverts, which is basically who goes to the current location. I'll be at Buckhead anyway.

Anonymous said...

I am very aware that by living in the center city you have to deal with all different things. For the most part the positives far outweigh the negatives.

But Coyote Ugly ? Come on people. This is a truck stop dive bar that has no place on this block. I live at the Avenue and on a pretty high floor. We can still hear the noise from HOM and it keeps us up on a regular basis. I fear Coyote Ugly will be even worse for us as well as the Ivey's residents.
As far as revenue goes I am sure the state, city and county are making a lot more from our taxes than they are from a liquor license at Coyote.

As far as Latorre goes, he's a joke. He's on the board of directors for Center City Partners and the Ivey's HOA board. He owns half the block and could care less about the noise or the element it may bring. I know, I've contacted him about it.

If FOFW wants to do something about it they need to picket the corner daily and get a few thousand center city residents to petition Latorre and let him know they will no longer patronize any of his establishments.

Another huge issue is that the new Basil Thai restaurant going in at Avenue directly across from Coyote Ugly is a very upscale place. Likely they will have outdoor side walk dinning as well. I just don't see how that will fit in when some drunk from Coyote comes over and vomits on a Basil patron.

So yes, living at Avenue can be noisy at times, especially if you face the city view side. Invest in white noise machines, really good earplugs and hang on for the ride. Because I believe the bar is coming wether we like it or not. I also believe the city of Charlotte will never update it's outdated ordinances, get judges that do the right thing or get a police force that actually do their jobs instead of hanging out on the corner talking and checking out the women and B.s.'ing (not all of you officers - but enough of you)

On a side note, what's up with all of you on the patio of HOM yelling and screaming and whooo Hoooo'ing at 3 am like you are a drunk 16 year old ? Aren't all of you over 21 ? Isn't this an upscale night club ? Act your age people you are at a night club not a sporting event. I've never witnessed such childish behavior at clubs in other cities. Is this the Charlotte mating call ?

Anonymous said...

Hey I'm old too but I like to drink and party and have fun. I think these neighbors ought to shut up and give the place a chance, THEN if it causes excessive noise, they would have a right to complain. I would love to have Coyote Ugly next to my home! People love to complain nowadays about everything. Quit complaining and enjoy life!!!

Anonymous said...

Hahahaha. This is so funny. Considering that "Center City" was such a ghost town 12 years ago when all the bankers would leave the town to run to the suburbs. When you buy a condo, etc. in these "revitalized" downtown areas...more than likely you do so because you want to be in the middle of it all. So in this case you have to take the bad with the good (thanks Tootie!)hahaha

Anonymous said...

yeah - nothing survives in that location - remember paladian, city tavern, some other wannabe place, and daddy's (worst of them all). besides coyote ugly will not be any worse/better than other places on the 5th street corridor.

Anonymous said...

You chose to live uptown, therefore you choose the to live in the middle of the urban lifestyle and that means bars, night clubs, drunk people yelling til 3 a.m. If you don't want to deal with that, move to Southpark. Coyote Ugly may be considered a dive bar (personally never been to this location) but I did go to one in ATL and it wasn't all that bad. It can't be any worse than the people stumbling out of Forum and Alley Cats every week. Are the people at 210 Trade going to complain as well about Whiskey River, etc when it is completed? Point is, you live uptown, it's loud...don't like, head back to the suburbs.

Anonymous said...

Can Rick please get over himself already ? He's posted for years on other blogs and it's very apparent that he is jealous beyond belief that he just can't afford to live uptown.

I believe people are just aggravated at the type of bar it is as well as residents were hoping for some different sort of business. A cafe, 24/7 diner, retail, etc.

Yes Rick, we residents do have the right to "desire" certain things on our block that "we" personally would use and that would increase, not decrease our property value. We are the ones who actually own property and pay high real estate taxes on top of a special center city real estate tax. Not the drunk rednecks that will be at Coyote and especially not you.

Go away once and for all. You are nothing more than a complainer with no solutions. Charlotte has had about enough of you.

Anonymous said...

I am hearing more critical noise from suburbans who don't understand that an urban choice does not mean take it all or leave it all. The FOFW are active in their diverse community they live among the elderly with fixed income Salvation Army homes, interact with them daily and cherish the community relationships that they have built over many years. They embrace diversity (including diversity in income and race) and don't deserve the suburban mass making this a lifestyle issue -- which it is not. This is a safety first issue and the children that live in our center city as well as their families deserve protection -- just as you do. Coty Ugly brings an unsafe crowd. And, the crime statistics at the current location are proof therof. That crime should not be brought into peoples homes.

Anonymous said...

The bars/nightclubs were there before the Avenue condo building so your going to have to deal with it.

CarolinaKat said...

Seriously? Have people seen the outside of Daddy's and any other bar/restaurant on that side of town on a Friday or Saturday night? I literally have to drive in the middle of the road to get through there because of so many people around. Coyote Ugly is NOT that much more insane. It's a bar, they are supposed to be loud. I'll just be sad that it isn't within walking distance for me anymore...now I have to cab it to dance on the bar :)

Anonymous said...

You expect some noise living in center city, but when the music blasting from a bar is so loud that you can't even watch a movie in your living room (thanks, Therapy), then it has gone too far. There are noise ordinances that ought to be enforced.

Anonymous said...

Charlotte needs to do a better job of urban planning. These types of clubs should not be located under/next to residential. This stuff was fine over on College St. When I moved here in the late 90s I fully expected SouthEnd (area around Jillians) to house this stuff...no residential at the time. You see bars and clubs like this clustered in other cities away from residential...why can't Charlotte do the same.

Anonymous said...

I honestly see both sides of the argument. Bottom line is that anything Latorre opens will eventually fail. He is a pompous ass and patrons will soon figure it out. As far as I'm concerned, Coyote Ugly will be gone in less than a year.

Anonymous said...

I've been to Coyote Ugly and found their clientele much more down to earth and laid back than most of the other uptight and obnoxious places uptown. I don't see how thisplace can be any more of a threat to Fourth Ward than most of the other bars around there. All these folks piddling about being near a church and a day care center...hellooooo...so were all the other bars there before them! I have to agree with most of the other posters here, 4th Ward needs to get over themselves. Their only gripe is that Coyote is not as yuppie as the other places that have been there before. If they can't stand a little diversity, perhaps they need to move to Ballantyne.

Anonymous said...

If the residents of Ivey's don't want another bar, or even just that one bar, going into that space, perhaps they should buy the space from Latorre so they get to decide to whom it should be leased.

But until they do that, it's his space to lease and he can lease it to anyone he wants to.

Anonymous said...

^^
So Lattore and Coyote Ugly were there before a church that is over 100 years old ?
Wow, you are the smart one on this blog.

It doesn't matter who came first anyway. The noise levels from these clubs are illegal and this pathetic court system does nothing about it. So you see, it doesn't matter what anyone on this blog thinks, it illegal plain and simple. Or does legality not count in your book ?

As far as noise ordinances go, we have them. So far HOM is over the legal limit every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. The police have ticketed them and it has already gone to court 2 weeks ago.

But guess what ? The manager ticketed doesn't work there any longer. So instead of the judge listening to the long list of complaints and illegal noise level readings from the officer at the hearing he simple threw it out. They will be back in court though since they have been cited many times since.

It's typical Southern good old boy nothing ever gets done mentality. Same reason we have all the crime we have and no one gets put behind bars. Same reason our roads suck. Same reason people think 4th Ward residents should just have to suck it up.
Your mindset that it doesn't matter even if it is illegal is mind blowing.

You are all jackasses. Likely the same clientele 4th Ward would prefer not to have in their neighborhood. If you want to hang at a truck stop bar go to Gastonia. Or better yet build the damn thing across the street from your house ..... if you even own one.

Anonymous said...

I doubt the people who are complaining about Coyote Ugly who live in Ave. have ever been to Coyote Ugly. If they had they would realize that it is no different than the 15 other bars within two blocks of Ave..

When they bought their condos they should have realized at that time that they were in the middle of a entertainment district, and that's what Coyote Ugly is, an entertainment bar. If they didn't, then they are fools, and should move. Those businesses were there long before they got there.

If your kids are on the street at 11 pm, then thats your fault not anyone elses.

How many church activities are going on past 10pm at night? Shut up, you just don't approve of the style of the business because it doesn't seem very christian. It has nothing to do with how your church will be seen, and people not coming to your church.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you are obviously a yuppie and also a notherner.

All hail to the guy above who obviously knows more than everyone else on this board.

Anonymous said...

Why should Center City Partners have any say in this matter, or any other? They are a group of rich developers and business owners trying to get richer any way they can. Lets not let them make every decision that concerns our fair city.

Oh and this does seem like a NIMBY issue, at least as long as the establishments are obeying noise limits. If they aren't given citations and penalties I don't really know what to say that hasn't been said.

FOFW would do better to organize and work towards changing ordidances and zoning than targeting one specific bar.

If Latorre had a clue he would have worked to get the type of place people seem to want there, like a diner. But then people would complain about fryer smells and people coming and going 24 hours a day.

T said...

Daddy’s left the Ivey’s Building? I didn’t even notice but it’s not a huge disappointment. Honestly though nothing seems to last in that location and I wonder why Coyote thinks it is a good move. It is a great space as far as size but at least with Coyote now they have parking, which for me is a huge bonus with the lack of free or convenient parking in UpTown. Nice and professional response by the way from Stefan.



“Nobody goes there now, not b/c of location, but b/c it sucks.”

-I must agree with the above comment. However there was a time when Coyote here and the dancers and staff rocked. We use to have a lot of fun there when it opened. The last time we went it was pretty sketchy. The girls on the bar that worked there weren’t much to look at and the girls that got up there from the crowd should have known they are not the girls to be dancing on bars. If Coyote Ugly was the bar that it is in the movie it would be packed every night no matter what location you put it in.

I sure am glad I don’t live in UpTown. First of all it should be called downtown as it is downtown… In all seriousness though would you rather it went back to the ghost town it was as one person noted? Charlotte was boring as can be back in those days.

-T

Anonymous said...

Anyone who looked at this rationally would not be too upset. Coyote will not be different than any other bar.

To residents of the Avenue - you bought your overpriced Condo when a BAR WAS ALREADY THERE! YOU ALSO LIVE WITHIN A BLOCK OF THE AREA WITH THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF BARS IN ALL OF CHARLOTTE.

All this you already knew. Were you counting on Daddy's staying there to anchor the neighborhood? You even have a bar right in your friggin building in Stool Pigeons.


Again all this only matter if you assume, as i do, that Coyote wont be any different than any other bar. (And since its all inside it wont be loud like the patio outside at Hom, which sucks by the way, and is a crap bar.)

So really the only reason you all must be getting your knickers knotted up is that you irrationally assume coyote ugly is some crazy place, perhaps because of that movie with John goodman or something? Hahahahah.

Hahahahahahahaha

Anonymous said...

How is Coyote Ugly any different than The Palladium (once in that spot) or Ménage / HOM (across the street)?

Seems like FOFW are just showing the snobish side.

Then again, that spot seems to be hexed, so I wouldn't worry about Coyote Ugly for too long.