Another historic NYC music venue to be lost?
Dear Stephen:
Is New York University about to cross out The Bottom Line? The Bottom Line has been presenting live music since February 12, 1974, and is owned and operated by Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky. The Bottom Line is unique because it is a “mom & pop store” amidst a crowded field of conglomerates and corporations.
The problem, as detailed at www.bottomlinecabaret.com is as follows:
Even before the terrorist attacks on the World Trader Center, the nation was already feeling the downturn in the economy. The Bottom Line, along with so many other small businesses, has not been able to recover since the tragedy of September 11th. Attendance to shows has declined. In addition, its customers are feeling economic stress, bills have been multiplying, and the venue has been substantially behind in our rent. The landlord, New York University, has started eviction proceedings.
During negotiations with NYU to resolve this situation, the Bottom Line has presented several different proposals to pay past due rent, while at the same time keeping current with a new, higher rent proposed by NYU.
NYU has not been open to negotiating a long-term solution to this mutual problem. The Bottom Line wants to pay off the debt to NYU, but to do so says it needs to remain in business. To stay in business, it needs a promise from NYU that, if the club pays off the rental arrears, NYU won’t evict the Bottom Line.
According to an online letter from Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky, “We acknowledge that we owe back rent, and we have offered to pay back every penny owed. It would be impossible to list all of the issues which come up in a lease negotiation. There is only one obstacle to The Bottom Line remaining in business. All we have asked NYU to agree to is that if we pay them back all the rent we owe, NYU will be willing to allow The Bottom Line to stay on. This NYU has refused to do.
Even if we do jump through all the hoops that NYU has put before us, and we pay down our debts as we plan to do, NYU is giving us no assurance that we will be able to stay at our current historical location.”
For more details, contact Allan Pepper and Stanley Snadowsky of The Bottom Line at SaveBLT@aol.com, and John Beckman, assistant vice president of the Office of Public Affairs at john.beckman@nyu.edu or Lynne Brown, the VP for University Relations and Public Affairs at NYU at lynne.brown@nyu.edu.