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In Bars & Clubs Briefs

By Doug Hissom Special to OnMilwaukee.com E-mail author | Author bio More articles by Doug Hissom

Published April 24, 2007 at 4:52 p.m.

Tags: red dot, d'amato, stace, miramar, tess, common council, license

The City of Milwaukee Licenses Committee handed down one of its harshest punishments of the year on Tuesday, possibly stepping into broader turf for the committee that regulates the city's tavern industry.

The committee voted to recommend a 15-day license suspension for The Red Dot, 2498 N. Bartlett St., to prevent the bar from using its patio, and restrict the East Side tavern's closing hours to 10 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends. The committee generally doesn't stretch its authority to restricting tavern hours of an ongoing operation nor strip a bar of its working patio.

The restrictions were placed on the bar after the committee heard extensive and detailed complaints about noise, public urination, public sex, and pot smoking about patrons from neighbors of the bar. What seemed to cinch the bar's fate was a videotape of noise and street activity outside the bar made by The Red Dot's next-door neighbors. The bulk of Tuesdays' testimony, however, came from supporters of the bar, including other neighbors, who said the noise wasn't any different than that of other East Side neighborhoods. Several attributed the noise to a party house across the street.

The support list even featured neighborhood resident and Miramar Theatre owner Bill Stace, who testified that he frequented the tavern after his theater closes at night and noticed nothing out of the ordinary. Red Dot owner Martin Beaudoin was also supported by Mitchell Wakefield, owner of Tess, and Bobby Greenya of Champion's Pub, who said Beaudoin was working hard to resolve noise issues that exude from the patio and the bar. Police had cited the tavern in the past year for noise issues.

Beaudoin said he was planning on insulating the patio to control the noise further and that he was behind in making improvements to the place because he had to meet mortgage payments, among other issues.

Ald. Mike D'Amato didn't express opposition to the presence of the tavern and called it a "delicate balance" between the bar and the neighbors. Before the committee vote he indicated that Beaudoin was ready to improve the situation.

The Red Dot opened in 2005 in the space former occupied by the Calderone Club.

The committee's recommendation heads to the full Common Council on May 8.

4 comments about this article. Post a comment / write a review.

Recent Talkbacks ...

Posted by Gnovack on May 9, 2007 at 9:32 p.m. (report)

I watched the committee meeting on cable and was apalled by the action of the members of the board. I believe that the council, if it adopts the recommendations of the committee, will be acting illegally. I was further discouraged by the comments of Ald. D'Amato. Mike, take a stand, make a recommendation and come up with a solution. It is your district, isn't it? Isn't the prupose of the govenrment to do the will of the people? From the comments I saw it appeared the majority of speakers supported the Red Dot; however, the Committee's decision spoke about the quality of life specifically for the next door neighbor. What about the quality of life for those neighbors that came to support the Red Dot? Not to mention how this will adversely affect the quality of life for the empolyees and owner of the Red Dot. I read the comment posted by a neighbor of the bar stating that since the Red Dot has opened his property has been vandalized and there has been debauchery in his neighborhood. I have lived on Oakland Ave for nearly 10 years and am within two blocks of the Red Dot. I too have had my car damaged including side views ripped off, my garbage cans and garage doors have been vandalized, my garage was broken into and my bike was stolen, a log was thrown throught one of my front windows, I have had signs, trash, and various bodily fluids left in my front yard. Guess what? All of these occurrances happened before the Red Dot was even an idea in the owner's head. I am truly sorry that bad things have happened to your property and your friend's property; however, unless you can state that the bad things that happen in our neighborhood are a direct result of the opening of the Red Dot, sit down, shut up, and do something about it. Organize a neighbor hood patrol if you want to help cut down on crime and vandalizism. Get the neighbors together and clean up the place. In fact, I bet if you asked, the Red Dot would happily participate. If not, I am positive that some of its patrons would. Speaking your mind is great and it is one of the most sacred and protected freedoms that our Constitution guarantees, but as they say, "actions speak louder than words."

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Posted by slwrigley on May 5, 2007 at 7:31 p.m. (report)

I was one of the people speeking in opposition to the red Dot. I have the misfortune to live just 1/2 a block away. I have had property vandalized, and someone peed on my front door. The man who lives across the streeet has had the rear-view mirror broken off his new truck twice. I have personally watched patrons of the Red Dot so drunk they could barely walk, but they get into cars and DRIVE away. The owner of this pig sty promised the neighbors he would operate a small family friendly neighborhood restaurant - not a noisy late night bar! The dvd that was shown was sadly typical of the behavior of the late night crowd at the Red Dot. Marty needs to grow up and stop trying to be "Mr. Cool" to a bunch of 20-somethings who could care less about him and just want a place to drink and party.

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Posted by twoaday2 on April 30, 2007 at 8:43 a.m. (report)

Agreed please alderman bohl move to the suburbs where you belong! Somehow one neighbor carried more weight than 30 or so neighbors.

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Posted by Billybluesfan on April 26, 2007 at 12:36 p.m. (report)

The committee has gone too far! I was present at the hearing and the things that came out of the member's mouths were astounding! Ald Bohl to be most specific. He NEEDS to be removed from his position immediately! The way he addressed the legal counsel, people giving testimony, and to Marty were inexcusable! Everyone on the eastside needs to step up and fight this committee and its insane findings!

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