Albany Boarding Zone of Appeals rule against ‘rave-like dance parties’ at the Armory

From the Times Union:

Large rave-like dance parties are not allowed in the Washington Avenue Armory, the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals ruled Wednesday night.

The ruling is yet another wrinkle in the ongoing dispute pitting the music and sports venue against the city. Officials halted the parties last Friday for the second time in five months, citing security and zoning problems.

It was not immediately clear how the BZA’s decision would affect a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the armory to block the city from enforcing its ban.

A state Supreme Court judge refused to issue a temporary restraining order against city code enforcement officials, who argue the parties transform the venue into a de facto night club that is not allowed in the armory’s commercial-office zoning district.

This is insane. A concert that has a DJ doesn’t make a stadium a night club. The TU Center had Tiesto, and that was very clearly a concert. If quality is the goal here, cut down on the quantity of allowed “rave-like” events and the promoters will only bring the top electronic artists, and not keep throwing these cash-grab “raves for the sake of raves”.

It’s amazing how “it’s bad for the neighborhood” can be used to shut down something they don’t like, but the minute something they think is cool wants to come to town, call everyone in opposition a NIMBY and blame them for the stagnation of culture-rich entities within Albany.