Feb. 19, 2014 By Michael Florio
The Melrose Ballroom, a massive performance space that opened recently at 36-08 33rd Street, went before Community Board 1 Tuesday seeking a cabaret license.
The venue, which features four bars, a ballroom and a VIP lounge, sought the license so it could offer live music and dancing.
The Melrose Ballroom opened in December and hosts Greek, Latin and house music shows, as well as sporting events and private parties. The space can cater up to 1,400 party goers.
While the board gave its blessing, several members had reservations. They were concerned that such a large crowd could wreck havoc on the neighborhood when it dispersed at the end of the night. They worried that it could lead to local disturbances, such as vandalism or waking up residents in the middle of the night.
The board also sought reassurances that there would not be any topless dancing going on.
The president of the Melrose Ballroom assured the board that the space was largely for family occasions and live music events.
“We are an event space … that is going to host live music events, along with weddings, christenings, bar mitzvahs and other events,” said Basil Messados, the president of Melrose Ballroom. He estimated that half the events will be live music shows, with the other half being private events.
He said that many of the guests won’t even leave the Melrose Ballroon location since they will park on site. Therefore, they will not be walking through the neighborhood afterward.
“We have an indoor parking lot that holds over 200 cars,” Messados said.
Messados agreed to a number of terms with the board. He assured the board that the live music would be played at a reasonable level; that effort would be made to monitor noise, fumes and odors; reasonable efforts would be made to maintain the sidewalks; and that the venue would make sure that patrons respect residential property upon departure.
The ballroom’s application was approved, despite five board members voting against it. The venue will be allowed to have dancing and entertainment events until 4 am, the same as its liquor license.
Featured Events
