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Show & TellNov. 17, 2006Must All Good Thongs Come to an End?Ivy City to strip clubs: Not in my semi-industrial, ripe-for-gentrification backyard!By Jessica Gouldadvertisement
You could call the Edge/Wet good, clean adult entertainment. After all, back when the club was open on L Street SE, the strippers were known for shedding their clothes and showering on stage. But no matter how soapy the Edge/Wet once was, the club isn’t nearly clean enough for the Ward 5 neighbors who recently voted against its application to move to 2026 West Virginia Ave. NE. Nothing personal, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner William Shelton says; it’s just that the community doesn’t need any more clubs, strip or otherwise. In October, the commission voted to block Club 55, another strip club, and Big Chill, a nightclub, from moving to New York Avenue. The Edge/Wet got the cold shoulder on Nov. 2. “They’re coming to us, and we’re sending them back,” Shelton says. Problem is, strip clubs may have nowhere else to go. Downtown is already crowded, and strip clubs aren’t allowed to locate within 600 feet of a residential building. As industrial areas go condo, more and more strip clubs are bumping up against restricted zones. Then, of course, there’s the new baseball stadium, which has sent several Southeast strip clubs packing. “Unless this changes, this kind of lifestyle will never happen again,” says the oft-quoted Bob Siegel, who once owned 11 properties, including Secrets, Heat, Ziegfields, the Follies, and Glorious Health & Amusement on what is now the stadium site. For decades, Siegel’s properties anchored a stripper-studded playground for gay men and daring women. Accustomed to being the life of the party, Siegel now says he feels like an unwelcome guest. He had hoped to relocate some of his businesses to Mount Olivet Road NE. “I was invited by Councilmember [Vincent] Orange to go to an emergency public meeting on dance clubs moving to Ward 5 at the Bethesda Baptist Church.” At that meeting, he says he “was called up before an angry crowd” and rebuffed. He even remembers someone saying, “ ‘We don’t want those people in our neighborhood.’ ” Not surprisingly, members of the gay community have raised a red flag. “Perhaps under this veneer of civic-mindedness is a little bit of homophobia,” says gay activist Chris Dyer. According to Shelton, however, “it’s not the nature of the club that we’re opposed to. It’s just that over the years, we’ve been inundated.” Megaclub Love is located on Okie Street, just off of New York Avenue, and Skylark Lounge, a strip club, sits at 1943 New York Ave. NE. Shelton says he and his commission plan to oppose liquor licenses for all New York Avenue–bound nightclubs, regardless of their clientele. And while the new stadium might have signaled the demise of the city’s unofficial gay red-light district, it’s had an effect on clubs catering to straight patrons as well, says Jeff Coudriet, director of operations for the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration. For example, Nexus Gold Club, which calls itself the “Ultimate Gentleman’s Club,” has already reduced its operating hours, and, like the Edge/Wet, it’s contemplating a move—from 900 1st St. SE to Queens Chapel Road NE. But, according to Shelton, if Nexus comes knocking, it’ll get the same response from Ivy City. “We’re standing up and saying no.” Naked City:What neighbors say about nearby strip clubs 
1Macombo Lounge Vibe: A little too friendly? NIMBY Factor: high—neighbors call it notorious
2
The House Vibe: down-home service with a smile NIMBY Factor: moderate—not on neighbors’ hit list
3JP’s Vibe: basement chic NIMBY Factor: high—it’s located in activist-heavy Glover Park
4GoodGuys Restaurant Vibe: businessman meets sports fan NIMBY Factor: high—it’s down the street from Whole Foods!
5Royal Palace Vibe: Vegas NIMBY Factor: moderate—Dupont Circlites say they keep a watchful eye on the place
6Camelot Vibe: chi-chi NIMBY Factor: low—see Archibald’s
7Archibald’s Vibe: swank NIMBY Factor: low—neighbors consist mainly of office buildings
8Louis’ Rogue Vibe: divey NIMBY Factor: low—but a new condominium building is planned for across the street
9Skylark Lounge Vibe: “It’s a Small World After All” NIMBY Factor: moderate—neighbors say it’s not a nuisance, but one is enough
10Nexus Gold Club Vibe: glitzy NIMBY Factor: low— though if Nexus moves forward with plans to move to Northeast, the factor is expected to skyrocket
11Club Rendezvous Vibe: on the chopping block NIMBY Factor: low CP
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