Sen. Squadron Gives Update on Noise From Watermark Bar

We’ve been contacted by State Senator Daniel Squadron’s Deputy Chief of Staff and Communications Director, Zeeshan Ott, who gave us the following information regarding the Watermark Bar, which was the source of the noise assaulting Brooklyn Heights one week ago. There was a meeting between Squadron’s office, Brooklyn Community Board 2, Manhattan Community Board 1 (lower Manhattan is also affected by the noise), the Brooklyn Heights Association, and Manhattan NYPD Precinct 1 (which has jurisdiction over Watermark), on the one side, and Watermark. He advised us that Watermark, which has an event scheduled this weekend and another the following, has agreed to direct its speaker away from Brooklyn, and to send out sound engineers to measure noise. They have also provided an e-mail address, events@watermarkny.com, and phone number, 646-632-2547, to which you may send noise complaints. Please also contact Sen. Squadron’s office at zeeshan@danielsquadron.org with any complaints.

Share this Story:

, , , ,

  • petercow

    Thank you, Sen. Squadron!

  • Bob

    Thank you to Squadron’s office for taking the lead. And I’m sure folks here will be paying attention during this weekend’s event.

  • Hicks Street

    Excellent news. Thank you!!!!

  • CHatter

    I’m putting that number on speed dial.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    Better put it on speakerphone too, cause something tells my they ain’t gonna answer it right away.

  • Robert Lockwood

    Er, just a small question…if these obnoxious brats only had a sound permit for 11 PM, why isn’t anyone being fined?

    Why aren’t substantial legal penalties for this stunt nowhere in the picture here?

    What if some Heights party blasted music laced with obscenities at that db level at lower Manhattan? What would the community down there now be calling for? Just have a loud exhaust there and there’s immediate calls to 311.

  • David Chirls

    Squadron is a total fraud. I was at multiple events 6 years ago where he said he was totally against BBP. Now he says he was a supporter. Absolutely untrue. Totally Trumplike.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Curious as to where the “obscenities” variable comes in. If it’s loud but without obscenities, it’s okay? If it’s at a reasonable volume but with obscenities, is that okay? Which words are problematic?

  • Concerned

    You just said it. It is a “variable”. And a negative one, at that. If nursery rhymes were blaring, people would still be complaining and action would need to be taken. But adding obscenities into it what is invading our homes/neighborhood makes the noise that less palatable and annoying for most people who don’t like to curse around their children.

  • MaryT

    Wait a minute. Why isn’t DEP taking the db measurements? I don’t believe that the restaurant is an impersonal actor. And DEP can sanction them if they violate code. Well, I guess we’ll find out..

    Hey, lower Manhattan – guess what’s coming your way!

    Thanks for the update, Claude.

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    I spoke with someone from DEP yesterday. They will be doing their own monitoring.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    I’m totally with you until the point comes to involve authorities. At that point, I don’t see why the phonic instance of obscenities should be a variable. 1st Amendment etc.

  • MaryT

    Let’s hope so. Thanks again.

  • Joe Smith

    This is by far, the dumbest post I’ve seen in a while. This is NYC. There’s noise everywhere. Why would you try and stop the noise? The kids are back in school, they scream at all hours, up to (and not limited to) 5/6/7am, all days, people blast their cars’ subwoofers, motorbikes rev all the time, there’s a firehouse with screaming horns from firetrucks every day. Why are these crappy people complaining about the every day noises that all neighborhoods experience? People are so entitled to this now? It’s come to this kind of crap? You people are awful.

  • Mr Robertson

    So, again, if the business only had a permit till 11 PM or midnight and the music continued till 2 AM plus why aren’t they going to be seriously fined for the incident. According to the 84 they were flooded with calls. So where is the penalty senator, BHA, community Board, anybody….

    Without a real penalty it’s all a lark they got away with…..

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    Keep quiet — YOU’RE giving me a headache.

  • Concerned

    In a vacuum, you’re correct.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    I’m correct in most household appliances.

  • petercow

    Along with (of course), a promise by the bar, to never have a repeat of that, an apology would be nice.

  • Reggie

    I doubt Squadron was ever “totally against BBP.” Maybe against housing “in” the park (as some like to say) but he played a weak hand and lost, for which he gets blasted, as if he choose to not have as much power as the mayor.

  • Andrew Porter

    They did apologize. Didn’t you hear them shouting it to the east, over the river?

  • Roberto

    For those who side with noise and the noise makers, they are really asking the rest of us to ignore sleep disruptions and embrace the ridiculous NYC motto – “the city that never sleeps.” Of course, reality-based city dwellers realize that the parameters of peace of mind have distinctly wide margins (obviously, NYC is not “the country”), but efforts to mitigate noise should be part of the urban dance. And, it should be emphasized that not all city residents choose to live here and accept all that is thrown their way. It should also be noted that the DEP has a tiny group of inspectors for “quality of life” violations. The agency’s main function is water and sewer infrastructure.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    The slogan you mentioned strikes me as being primarily aimed at tourists and people who are interested in nightlife. It has little, if nothing, to do with residents.

    But I’m starting to notice larger trends in some of the media I’m exposed to, which paint the experience of New York as either sated with archetypal glitz or undesirable filth. Much of the city’s cultural output, such as the StreetEasy subway ad campaign, or a number of TV shows that can be traced back to the influence of Lorne Michaels, glamorize flashy and well-lit tourist hotspots while depicting places off the beaten path, like Brooklyn, as gritty or dangerous.

    This makes me wonder if there isn’t a larger cultural zeitgeist in New York that is completely, mindlessly oblivious to the conditions of its own society. On one hand we have smarmy, presumably focus-grouped, Seamless (or whatever) ads that celebrate the supposedly New Millennial attitude of “stay inside, avoid Times Square” while at the same time we’re supposed to dance every night away as publicly and loudly as possible. It’s kind of schizophrenic.

    Hmm.

  • Brixtony

    Shhhhhhhhhh

  • roberto

    Your phrase “oblivious to the conditions of its own society” stuck out as extremely to the point.

  • Concerned

    I’ll leave that one, alone.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Whew! When I can get one phrase to be on point I’m having a good day.

  • Reggie

    I’m glad I wasn’t you kid. Fear of punishment is not the only motivator.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    Fines for noise from sound device exceeding permit levels.
    1st offense $250
    2nd offense $500
    3rd offense $750
    4th offense $1000
    http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/31-115_noise_code_penalty_schedule.pdf

  • Mr robertson

    So again Sen. Squadron; is ANYBODY going too be penalized for this incident/obnoxious stunt?

    Yes, that’s what I thought……