Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Food
New LES SoHo House Already Faces Backlash From Peace-Seeking Residents
By
Nell Casey
Published Oct 22, 2013
Modified Oct 22, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock
By
Nell Casey
Published Oct 22, 2013
Modified Oct 22, 2013
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The latest incarnation of SoHo House, whose impending arrival we've been tracking for almost a year, filed its application for a liquor license and wouldn't you know it, some local residents aren't too thrilled about it. The Times has a dispatch from Ludlow Street, where a community group called L.E.S. Dwellers—in addition to other locals—wants to bar the proposed club from serving alcohol in the already nightlife-dense enclave.
"Here, you could lean out the window and they could hand you a drink," said local resident Scott Cooke. "It's bar after bar after bar." So-called "Hell Square," which spans nine block from Houston to Delancey, Allen to Essex, has area residents on edge from noise, pollution and traffic congestion. Ludlow House, as the new enterprise has been dubbed, would add bars on the first and second floors in addition to a rooftop terrace on the fourth floor that would serve pizza and salad. "It's three feet from people's windows," bemoans Diem Boyd, founder of L.E.S Dwellers.
The New York State Liquor Authority should decide on the license at some time today and using history to guide us, chances are they won't heed the advice of Community Board 3, which voted in opposition of the liquor license in May. We reached out to SoHo House representatives for their input on how the impending club would affect the neighborhood and we'll update if we hear back.
As a person whose bedroom overlooks an incredibly noisy stretch of 2nd Avenue, I can relate to the murderous rage felt when the drunks across the street won't shut up and you have a 7 a.m. wake up call. But as a long-time resident of NYC, I learned long ago there's a simple solution that will keep the baleful cries out of your head: earplugs. Or you could just flee to the country!
Tagged
bars
drunks
LES
Lower East Side
ludlow house
noise
sla
soho house
Nell Casey
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE food
North African restaurants are rare in NYC. These 10 are the best.
Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian food is delicious but underrepresented in the city.
By
Robert Sietsema
Published Oct 10, 2026
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Food
10 dishes that demonstrate the delicious diversity of curry in New York City
The global dish is shapeshifting and ubiquitous.
By
Robert Sietsema
Frozen yogurt is back in New York City. So are the super long lines.
By
Sonia Rao
5 NYC banana puddings as good as Magnolia's
By
Hannah Frishberg
Where to eat in Greenpoint, Brooklyn right now, from Polish to Sichuan to Iberian
By
Robert Sietsema
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .