According to some very concerned neighbors and community leaders, the renaissance of West Chelsea is under assault. The culprit? The new Sapphire strip club, which opened at the corner of West 23rd Street and Eleventh Avenue despite the attempts of many to prevent just that. Just check out how close the club is to architect Annabelle Selldorf's 200 Eleventh Avenue, the luxury building complete with en-suite "Sky Garage" and rumored buyers including Dolce (of & Gabbana fame), and it's no surprise why the building's brokers were involved with the fight. Oh, and then there's the whole playground thing. Anyway, once Sapphire's plans spread to adding a hotel to the jiggle palace, we knew this scrap would heat up. Heck, we were right!
A tipster writes:
Sapphire West Gentleman's Club is officially operating illegally. The club remains open, but as of mid-February, they are operating illegally and without a permit. The neighborhood is waiting on the Mayor's Office of Special Enforcement to shut them down officially. They may be able to re-open as a bar without an adult use, but their liquor license application is also being investigated by the SLA for misleading and/or fraudulent statements.The proof? An attached letter from the office of Christine Quinn, in which the City Council speaker says the Buildings Department ruled in late January that Sapphire violates local zoning. And yet, for now, the club is still operates. Rather inconspicuously, we might add:
· Sapphire Stirp Club coverage [Curbed]
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