Young Michie: Club 216 taking old LiveArts space
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Located across Market Street from the police station, the Old Michie Building was originally anchored by LiveArts.PHOTO BY HAWES SPENCER
The city’s leading dance club is moving to the original home of the city’s leading theater company. Club 216 is moving from Water Street, a site slated for a high-rise residential condominium project, to the Old Michie Building, which served as the home of LiveArts from 1989 to 2003. “Club 216 is MOVING!!” exclaims an email to members of the private club, known for its frequent drag shows and large gay clientele. “The rumors are true.”
The email indicates that the last weekend at 216 West Water Street is April 3rd & 4th, with the reopening on Market Street two weeks later. The release also remarks that the new location is directly across the street from the Charlottesville Police Station— “The safest place to party will now be even
safer!!”
Blogger Waldo Jaquith notes that the anchor spot in Old Michie— a big windowless box created expressly for LiveArts by developer Gabe Silverman— was only suitable for a very few tenants.
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Nice, but will they change the name? I mean, at that point “Club 216″ is not applicable, since they won’t be at 216.
Access will be a little better, though. Plenty of parking in the city garage.
[...] Club 216 has found new digs—the old Live Arts space in the Old Michie Building. Which is great, because that space is only suitable for a pretty select group of uses. [...]
Well, no more stairs, standing on said stairs waiting, and maybe they’ll be smoke free this time. And maybe I’ll check it out again.
I don’t think I’d like to be coming out with a buzz on at 3 a.m. right in front of the Police Station. Did anyone give that some thought?
I hope they keep the name. Spencer didn’t change the name of Spencer’s 206 when he moved to Water Street, which I admired. I haven’t been to Club 216 for 15 years, though, so I can’t claim to have a sense of what they ought to do.
I would think that any club that does lawful business would like being across from a police station. I’m sure they thought about that and the parking available nearby. The owners of 216 have always struck me as good business people. I wish them all the best.
Fine for the club-but those of us living downtown will be wedged between two nightclubs. Which means inevitably dozens of car doors slamming at 2:00 am and loud laughter and arguments and the occasional beer bottle smashed against a light pole. I know this because fifteen years ago (like Waldo) I was an occasional Club 216 patron. Now I’ve grown up. I appreciate the value of a good night’s sleep. Which means, sadly, time to move.