by Curabad
Does anyone else in Nyack, find it odd that each Thursday, Friday and Saturday (at the minimum) night the streets of Nyack are handed over to a mob of drunken partygoers? It’s one thing to support a thriving downtown with an active and rich nightlife. I’m all for visiting the great restaurants and bars that line Main St, but when those bars are targeting college students, most of them underage, and supporting , through their promotions, late-night overdrinking then it becomes not only irresponsible, but dangerous and damaging to the village.
I’ve never been to a village which sits back and allows its streets to be literally overtaken by a screaming, drunken mob at least three times a week! Where is the leadership? Where is the debate about having a stronger police presence downtown? Why aren’t people demanding a reduction of music levels in these bars and nightclubs? I hear people talk about the diminishing tax base; the empty store fronts in Nyack, well what kinds of businesses would want to move into Nyack and open up shop next to these establishments? We are creating a place where only bars and nightclubs would want to set up shop. I don’t think these places are part of the revitalization of a village downtown, but rather as the beginning of the permanent transformation of Nyack into a partygoer’s paradise. The leadership of Nyack should be careful about this issue and provide some strong and decisive answers.
See also: Downtown Thrives – Minus The Anarchy (9/23), Descartes on Nyack 9/22
Nyrez, I totally agree. Since Black Bear came to town, we’ve really gone down hill. Talk to John Fisk about what happens in the alley way. Why aren’t they held accountable? Because they have fundraisers for Orangetown cops. It’s disgraceful. However, I haven’t seen a broken window in a while so maybe they’re keeping a lid on, somewhat.
Take a look at the bouncers at Black Bear. They’ll let any female in if they are good looking. It is known as an easy place to get in for high-school aged kids. My son and all their friends have been going for years and there was nothing I could do about it because management there does nothing to support a more strict enforcement of the drinking age. The drink specials, coupled with the bartenders who OVERSERVE these kids… it’s a matter of time. Plenty of parents have been in to voice our concerns and nothing has changed. Black Bear does NOTHING for our community.
I don’t think it’s necessary to take this post so personally. Nyack is a great place with a thriving night life and I am sure most people living here are happy it is. Of course one of the great things about it is the diversity. They aren’t just college kids. Alcohol makes most people annoying after a certain point. For example, is it necessary for all of Nyack to listen in on karaoke night? Must speakers be placed outside the establishments? I don’t think anyone mind’s the party, but keep the party inside. If I wanted to party, I would go and granted I would have a great time. But, there are nights when I’d prefer to sleep and not be woken up by people yelling in the streets at 2am. That’s just plainly inconsiderate. I doubt anyone is suggesting Nyack become a sleepy little town ‘rolling up the sidewalks by 4:30pm’. But, perhaps fewer alcohol induced disturbances wouldn’t be a bad thing. And the nightclub, Vertigo…that place deserves its own post…in fact it deserves a new home!
More than 81 one families at the foot of Main Street have been pressing the Village on exactly that issue.
Nyack for years has had a lively nightlife on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. That’s certainly no surprise. I think this fact makes some local residents uncomfortable – perhaps longing for the days when the village practically rolled up the sidewalks at 4:30 p.m. and Nyack looked like a ghost town. What’s extremely interesting about Nyack today is that the village is alive morning, noon and night. Although it suffers from closed stores, a darkened theater and parking issues, it still has the reputation as a lively place with a friendly and diverse population. The “drunken mob” statement incorrectly uses a broad brush to paint the downtown as an afterdark wild west. It’s not. Nyack attracts more than just college kids – take a look at the young professionals and mature adults who are coming to Nyack in the late evening as patrons of our local businesses. Is it perfect? No. Are there issues? Yes. But I don’t think it’s time yet to call in the National Guard.