Bay Street nightlife showing new growth? COJ and JSO to the rescue

[chris]

to get back on topic.

All of this nonsense with code violation nonsense is complete bull. The state, with active cooperation from local agencies, is actively targeting popular gay hangouts all over the place and they have been for quite sometime. I would not be surprised at all if the Pearl and Norm were hit within a few weeks time. I went to Gainesville for the weekend and was informed of TSI's raid, and my friends told me a few stories. Just recently the ABT raided two clubs in Gainseville, both popular with the gay community, and shut them down for "code violations" as well; however, no other clubs in the area were shut down, and nothing was down to combat the post-closing time violence that occurs regularly. I'll be honest, as a young gay male, it is quite annoying when the only places I feel safe being myself are closed, and I end up having to endanger myself by going to bars with a disproportionate number of people who are intolerant and generally aggresssive when under the influence. It becomes not only an issue of comfort, but also one of safety. With Park Place, Metro, Incahoots, TSI and various other locations being targeted, it is only a matter of time before the lack of business really starts to impact their business. I won't comment on the incident at De Real Ting, but suffice it to say they serve a rather marginalized clientelle as well, and therefore fit the bill for a targeted business.

It really illustrates a disturbing trend in state politics that is increasingly becoming intolerant towards all those people that do not fit the mold exactly, e.g. Amendment 2. I only hope The city understands the contributions of these marginalized groups to the stability of the community at large before its too late, and starts refusing to allow the state to destroy viable businesses.

[Driven1]

TSI was a gay bar?  i never knew this.  also, I have been to the Pearl a few times and never knew it was a gay bar/club as well.  then again, i never claimed to know everything, lol!

[chris]

They're not "gay bars" but they are more gay friendly than say the Ritz, Ocean Club, Marks, Dive, or Ocean Club. They're also more fay friendly than just about any other regular joint in the five county area. Although The Advocate would claim Jax is one the top 5 gay friendly cities in the country, there is still a lot of animosity towards non-heterosexual individuals, and a lot of intolerance for any sort of public display of "non-normal" behaviors.

[Eazy E]

They're not "gay bars" but they are more gay friendly than say the Ritz, Ocean Club, Marks, Dive, or Ocean Club. They're also more fay friendly than just about any other regular joint in the five county area. Although The Advocate would claim Jax is one the top 5 gay friendly cities in the country, there is still a lot of animosity towards non-heterosexual individuals, and a lot of intolerance for any sort of public display of "non-normal" behaviors.

While I have absolute empathy for you, to say that TSI was "targeted" because it's a gay bar, or because gay people go there, is pretty unbelievable to me-- and not 'unbelievable' as in 'how could they?!', but 'unbelievable' as in 'i don't believe that is true'.

[chris]

While I will admit my post sounds a bit like a conspiracy theory, I maintain my sentiment. While many clubs that target so called "minority" populations tend to be in rather unkempt conditions, and it is quite possible this is why they are being cited for code violations, I do not think that is why they are "raiding" these places. By the response from our boys in blue, you would think the mafia had set up shop at these locations.

Maybe the talk of a "Gay Mafia" isn't a bunch of gossip?

The biggest factor influencing my opinion is that other bars, catering to a more mainstream clientele have not been raided for narcotic substances that I have seen floating around. The authorities really shouldn't be as concerned with minor drug usage as they should the increasing usage rates of substances like cocaine, ecstasy, and other dangerous compounds. As for the code violations, while the more mainstream locations are less likely to have them, it does not substantiate why the ABT felt it necessary to raid while the bars were open for business. Why not during the day with actual building inspectors? And the list goes on...

I understand your disbelief Eazy, but I am not dissuaded from my original opinion.

[konstantconsumer]

TSI was a gay bar?  i never knew this.  also, I have been to the Pearl a few times and never knew it was a gay bar/club as well.  then again, i never claimed to know everything, lol!

not a gay bar, but a bar with a high number of gay clientele. 

[gatorback]

It's easy to see the "Mark's" crowd and the "TSI" crowd in this forum.  Ha.

[comncense]

I go to both Mark's and TSI regularly. But then again, I'm comfortable in most settings. But I never considered Mark's to be Ocean Club'ish as far as the crowd goes. Personally I think you should be able to go out wherever you want to and have fun. Stop worrying about what everyone around you may or may not be whispering about you. There's going to be a couple of a$$holes in pretty much any venue you go to.

[Eazy E]

I go to both Mark's and TSI regularly. But then again, I'm comfortable in most settings. But I never considered Mark's to be Ocean Club'ish as far as the crowd goes. Personally I think you should be able to go out wherever you want to and have fun. Stop worrying about what everyone around you may or may not be whispering about you. There's going to be a couple of a$$holes in pretty much any venue you go to.

THis is true, and I am mostly on your wavelength, but Mark's-- the patrons, not the owners or operators-- has been, in my experience, very aggressive in this area.  I walked up to the line one night with my wife and some friends, and immediately some fat chick made some snide comment on my sweater; several other times, I have walked past on my way to TSI and had people laugh or make loud, rude comments, and all i ever wear is jeans and a t-shirt, it's not like i was wearing something that invited ridicule.  In general, Mark's could blow down in a hurricane for all I care, that place sucks.

[BridgeTroll]

THis is true, and I am mostly on your wavelength, but Mark's-- the patrons, not the owners or operators-- has been, in my experience, very aggressive in this area.  I walked up to the line one night with my wife and some friends, and immediately some fat chick made some snide comment on my sweater; several other times, I have walked past on my way to TSI and had people laugh or make loud, rude comments, and all i ever wear is jeans and a t-shirt, it's not like i was wearing something that invited ridicule.  In general, Mark's could blow down in a hurricane for all I care, that place sucks.

Well I for one, have sat several nights with Veronica or John or a few others and made derisive comments about orange foundation and buttshorts as the cattle passed by TSI as well, so I hope it gets you some justice for the sweater remarks.  (those bitches)

lol.

Anyways.

I just got off the phone with Ryan Rummel, one of the two owners of TSI.

Yesterday afternoon they met with the city to go over the various code enforcement issues outlined in the complaint.

Ryan and Jason lease the property from a local attorney, so much of what the complaint contained is the responsibility of the property owner rather than theirs.  Details like the roof leak, and the upstairs floors etc (see river, old buildings often have code violations even when they are owned by perfectly respectable attorneys) are things which the landlord should address.

The rest of it was simply a matter of having their general contractor on site to meet with the city guys in order to implement the updates and upgrades called for.

The only glitch is that their landlord is on a sailboat out over the ocean somewhere and completely unreachable by anything except trained carrier pigeon, which the boys lacked the foresight to have on standby.

In all, the work will take a couple of weeks and will cost the boys upwards of 60 thousand in lost sales and of course another 20 thousand in contracting.

One interesting sidenote.  A primary focus of the 'raid' was the fact that the guys have a doorman at the entrance of the tunnel.  Apparently when dinosaurs roamed the earth, that old tunnel was an emergency services alley.  Meaning that the police horses at the turn of the century were led down that alley and fed and watered in the back, where the patio bar is presently standing empty.

In modern times, of course, it is a blind alley.  There is no thruway for either horse or vehicle.  Either of those creatures, once they entered would only be able to exit back through the front.

Interestingly they were cited for blocking an emergency services tunnel, leading speculation that it must have been a specific complaint levied against the earnest young men.

What ancient, mummified wreck of a killjoy is old enough to have remembered the original use of that tunnel, and even more, mean enough to report it as as complaint?

Amazing... would TSI's doorman try to stop a police horse???  Make the cop pay a cover?  Make the firemen take off their hats??

[BridgeTroll]

 

[Eazy E]

Yeah, i didn't mean to sound like a whiny bitch about my sweater, but: 1) I was dressed nicely and fashionably, and my wife is beautiful so we were looking the Mark's part, and that fat cow had no room to be talking shit about anyone, and 2) the people at Mark's are, for the most part, the worst, whitest-dressing, no-sense-of-what's-cool dipshits, so they have no room to be LOUDLY talking shit about what anyone wears.

[gatorback]

I agree stephen. Bay Street ended up being my favorite place to hang out in Jacksonville. Great Hotdogs there too. 

[Coolyfett]

I could only imagine what would happen if the Vortex came to town and wanted approval to put the skull up on a building.

LOL one of the cool spots in the OTHER 5 Points!! They got this pizza joint a few shops down called Savage Pizza I go there all the time. Inman Park is cool neighborhood!! A Vortex in Riverside would be cool as hell man!! They could put it at the corner of Lomax and Park Street. Awesomeness

[Eazy E]

Yeah, overall, I agree Stephen: Why? Why armed men in ski masks? Why attack what is becoming an actual  viable space in downtown, an actual "area" or "scene" or "destination" that Bay street was/is becoming?