Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Brooklyn Mirage files for full demolition after months of uncertainty
By
Ryan Kailath
Published Oct 14, 2025
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 .
Santiago Felipe/Getty Images
By
Ryan Kailath
Published Oct 14, 2025
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 owners of the troubled East Williamsburg mega-venue Avant Gardner have filed permits for a full demolition of the Brooklyn Mirage, its seasonal outdoor stage.
According to records filed with the city’s Department of Buildings on Oct. 10 and first reported by the Real Deal, the owners are seeking to tear down 32,000 square feet of temporary structures at Avant Gardner, where the Brooklyn Mirage has remained shuttered since 2024 following a last-minute cancellation of its 2025 season due to permitting issues.
Avant Gardner did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The company previously said the Mirage would not reopen this year but had expressed its intention to bring it back for “2026 and beyond.”
The demolition application comes two months after Avant Gardner filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, citing as much as $500 million in liabilities and less than $100 million in assets. Two smaller venues on the site, the Great Hall and the Kings Hall, remain open.
Brooklyn Mirage, known for its open-air dance floor and large-scaled electronic music shows, faced mounting scrutiny in recent years over safety issues, including what regulators described as rampant drug use and multiple overdose deaths. Two concertgoers were also found dead in Newtown Creek after attending events at the Mirage in 2023.
Avant Gardner is also behind the Electric Zoo music festival, which ended in 2023 after overcrowding, last-minute cancellations and unpaid vendors.
The company owes money to artists, production companies and contractors. One of the largest is a construction firm called HEINI, which builds outdoor stages including those at SummerStage and Pier 17.
Court filings show the company is wholly owned by Juergen “Billy” Bildstein.
No timeline was listed in the demolition permit, and it remains unclear whether the filing signals a permanent end for Brooklyn Mirage or a potential redevelopment of the site.
Tagged
Music
brooklyn
economy
Ryan Kailath
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 26, 2026
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says
By
Hannah Frishberg
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 .