The facility, located behind the Public Access Television building on South Dubuque Street, offers studio space to visual artists, live music performances and room for bands to practice without fear of retaliatory neighbors. The multi-purpose space for creative minds has grown significantly over the last year, taking part in the 2011 Mission Creek Festival earlier this spring and, more recently, hosting a Lexicon Collective fashion show in support of Little Village itself.
With growing publicity, photos and videos from these events quickly made their way online. As it turns out, Iowa City city officials are fans of Youtube, and did not like seeing a non-commercial space used as a venue for publicly-advertised events.
“[The inspector] told us ‘We know what’s going on. We know you have shows. We’ve seen your website and your videos on Youtube,” Wherehouse Coordinator and co-leaseholder Nelle Dunlap said in a phone interview. “They were polite, but obviously upset that we had been doing that.”
The officials took photos and spoke to additional Wherehouse coordinators Joshua Hoffman–the second leaseholder–and Chris Wiersema, making it clear that, at least for now, The Wherehouse’s days of hosting public events are over.
“The issue with the city was occupancy rules,” Coordinator Wiersema said. “Occupancy is based on parking and we don’t have any. Because it’s an old space, there are just concerns about public safety that I think they want to address.”
The facility, however, is far from defunct. The Wherehouse may not be hosting live music performances anytime soon, but its other services will remain fully functional.
“We are free to continue to have bands practice and [artists] can continue working there,” said Dunlap. “The space doesn’t have to close.”
Indeed, artists who pay to utilize the facility’s studio space are its primary means of financial support, Dunlap said.
“We never made money off performances,” Coordinator Wiersema said in a separate phone interview. “It wasn’t a for-profit venue.”
Wiersema added that he hesitates to call The Wherehouse a venue, likening it instead to an arts facility with “a performance space.”
Looking forward, The Wherehouse could be used as a legitimate commercial space able to publicly advertise its events, music or otherwise. Before that can happen, however, the facility would have to undergo a number of changes, Dunlap said. Additional restroom facilities would be needed, as well as additional parking. Throw in issues of taxation, landlord permissions and proper city registration, and the municipal red tape quickly adds up.
Turning The Wherehouse into a live music and events venue would require a great deal of money and community support, according to Dunlap, adding that she is unsure if Iowa City could support an alcohol-free venue.
Coordinators of The Wherehouse will be meeting Saturday afternoon to determine the next step for the facility. In an email sent Thursday evening, Dunlap notes that the facility and its coordinators have three options, the first of which is to continue on as is, leasing space to artists. The second option is to begin the expensive task of becoming a legitimate commercial venue, capable of hosting live music events once again. The final option is, quite simply, to decline signing a lease renewal, assuming a renewal is offered.
“I think in the past, people have been very supportive of this space,” said Wiersema. “We’d really like to see it continue. It’s going to take a tremendous amount of work and a tremendous amount of money.”
The Wherehouse is not facing litigation of any kind, said Dunlap. Apart from a noise complaint due to non-performing individuals outside the facility some time ago, she can’t recall any run-ins with law enforcement. The facility received no citations that night, Dunlap adds.
“There’s a forthcoming inspection,” Wiersema said. “We’ve not yet heard back from the landlord if this is going to be an issue with lease renewal, so that’s up in the air.”
In the mean time, Wherehouse coordinators are working to relocate previously-scheduled shows to other venues within Iowa City, including the Pillars and Tongues, Zodiac and Buoyant Sea show scheduled for this Saturday. Public Space One is a likely venue for these relocated events, according to Dunlap, though final word is forthcoming.
Wait a minute, I thought Iowa City was some sort of bike-friendly, eco-friendly nirvana – where car use was discouraged – and yet that's what their basing their decision on, inadequate parking?
This is the worst sort of ham-handed attempt to pass off a bald-faced lie as having some relationship to the truth of the matter which is very simply that the city did not like the notion of people gathering, sharing music, art, experiences, etc without them getting their cut or – given the kind of crowds it drew – being able to make the number of PAULA, etc, arrests it needs to fill its coffers.
At a time when venues like this should be encouraged and nourished as an alternative to the drunken asshattery and meatheadery that all too often passes for “culture” downtown, the city decides to curb stomp one of the few truly original places to have spring forth in Iowa City in recent memory?
Upsetting, but, sadly, neither atypical nor unexpected given the direction this town seems to be headed of late.
The question is then, what are WE going to do about it . . . .
re post http://cache.daylife.com/image…
While Yale has a valid point, the simple fact of the matter is the place is a death trap. Without proper safety precautions (fire exits, ventilation, railing, etc.) the lease-owners have no right holding concerts there without ensuring the safety of its patrons.
I for one enjoy the atmosphere and mystique of the space, but frankly the folks running the operation should've known better.
I hope to do what I can to make the Wherehouse a place to see some awesome live shows again, but it doesn't look like the city is willing to allow any wiggle room for a place that just wants art to thrive. If safety was the city's only concern, this issue would be easy to tackle. Unfortunately, their greed and short-sightedness will make this an unnecessarily hard struggle. I wish all of those involved with the Wherehouse the best of luck.
Its really unfortunate, considering that the venues(bars) deemed 'legit' are actually really awful places to see music of any kind.
its weird, also, mentioning safety. i think if you were to tally injuries in or around the music spaces(bars) of iowa city, the wherehouse would rank best. NO ONE has ever gotten injured at the wherehouse in its existence to my knowledge.
you are correct, though. unless someone (that has no prior association with the wherehouse) can start making money off of it, itll be very tough to continue.
And no one died at the Iroquois Theatre until one fateful night when 600 people perished…
good point. you should probably always stay home. everything is dangerous.
wow yale cohn totally hit the nail on the head.
You just articulated every aspect of most of our frustration towards this bullshit.
Bravo
Hey Andrew,
Just as a side note…exits/fire exits were not a concern with the fire marshal. i.e., no additional exits would be needed if it were to become a full-fledged venue. You're right with regard to the railing issue, I believe, but concerns with the city had mostly to do with things like “needs another bathroom” and “needs parking.”
Just pointing this out because fire exits are obviously an important point to touch on, here.
-Drew
Also, every club in town shutting down wouldn't get me to come to “gabes”
What about the option of making it a membership club? This is was what 912 (ferget the number) Gilman in SF does as well as all the bars in SLC. Membership includes knowing the 'risks' and could cost $5 for a year or cheaper. This would be a great way of keeping track of all the houligans even if the city wasn't putting pressure on the space. Also I can make one call to my father and T Dwight will sort this all out.
Miss you IC
Given there's been absolutely zero problems associated with the venue (fights, sexual assaults, ambulance calls for super drunk folks, etc, etc, etc) the city's decision to crack down on them like this is nothing short of fickle and capricious, ultimately, as it could have simply continued to look the other way.
It's decisions like this – and the general sentiment which fuels them – that ensure that few if any of the thousands of young people who graduate from college here decide to stick around.
I used to dismiss much of the concerns over things like this that were perceived as being “anti-youth” as mere hand-wringing, but I'm now convinced such an attitude does exist.
Though I've been here only 8 years I've seen too many things happen in just that brief span of time to ignore it.
Fundamentally, I feel there's a real battle underway over what kind of town Iowa City is and what kind of town it will be and, unfortunately, it seems like the kind of folks that would make somebody like me (or anybody else who's not an Iowa City native) decide to want to stay here or move here are losing this battle.
Also, I can't possibly fathom what manner of arcania factors into the “you need parking” issue.
Which of the myriad downtown bars has dedicated parking, or downtown business of any sort?
As to the bathroom issue, that's a 5 day job.
more government red tape b.s.
The parking issue is written into the zoning code to require all commercial businesses or public facilities to contribute to the need for parking that their existence creates. Allowing the Wherehouse to operate legitimately would require a zoning change from industrial use to commercial or public use. Obviously it assumes all businesses are the same (attract the same amount of people, using the same mode of transportation, blah blah) and requires a flat ratio of square feet/expected capacity to parking. I would guess that this was written into the zoning code decades ago when the general tide believed that there was a parking shortage downtown, but many of the existing businesses were already zoned for commercial use and thus their existing parking has been grandfathered in. And it does make sense that some businesses that are obviously going to be a draw to cars (banks, grocery stores, etc) and should contribute to the supply of parking in order to allow residents to retain their existing parking.
However, White Lightning could make a pretty reasonable argument that they deserve a variance if there is the willingness to see this through the zoning board.
Usually this requires demonstrating
1. Existing parking is adequate- I'm sure that the building comes with some dedicated spaces in that lot, and they could agree to limit vehicles associated with shows/practices to these spaces and direct other vehicles to park in the court street ramp.
2. The establishment is unlikely to draw demand for parking at the ratio required by the zoning code- you could get someone to conduct an informal poll of WLW patrons. I would guess that less that 5% of people in there on any given night came by car.
3. the establishment is near public transportation options (I don't know if Iowa City has a demonstrated opinion on this) – if the warehouse is near a bus route, you can argue that people do or can take the bus.
Either way, it will require a significant amount of organization and a significant amount of donated time. I would hope that some coordination and compromise (on both sides) with the Planning and Zoning people could produce some sort of proposal for a special use zoning designation, or a commerical/mixed use/public zoning with some variances.
I do think that the city council talks like the want Iowa City to be a place that supports non-traditional spaces like WLW. But I am not surprised that they eventually asserted themselves, because someone on the city council is going to want credit for “allowing this great space” or “shutting down a dangerous venue.”
Find someone who has an in and see what the mood is. If they refuse to work with you then at least make a fuss and point out the blatant hypocrisy. Either way, the White Lightning of old will never be again.
As far as the zoning, the inspectors stated that we are in a zone where public performance and venue space are acceptable. It is a commercial zone. In fact, an intensive commercial zone.
We are at the beginning stages of finding out what we need to do to become legitimate and keep having amazing public events.
We appreciate all of your support and we will keep Iowa City posted.
Have you contributed anything to changing this? Art and music are communal by nature. It's easy to say it sucks when you can hide behind a blank face… But what have you done?
Tis very interesting those were the only notes. I reckon that is the point of frustration for many.
I loved the wherehouse, and will continue to support it however I can.
Also, “Gabe.” Grow a pair and stop bitching.
Even by commenting and putting forth opinions helps in shaping the future of the music scene, Andrew. And while I planned to stay off this board and stay focused on the wherehouse, but you are wrong in questioning the above poster. I happen to recognize his handle, and know them. I can attest that they are HUGE supporter of local and touring artists. They GO to the shows, they PAY the door when they could easily get on the list, they WATCH the bands, they BUY merch from the bands (which is the best way to support the touring musician), they HOUSE the traveling acts at the end of the night, and they BOOK the show at their house when the need arises.
So Andrew, in response to your question, this person does far more than any fucking venue. This person, and people like them of which this town is blessed with many, are what changes a scene into a community.
I've been thinking a lot about where the community goes from here. And while I wait to see how to proceed with the city and the Wherehouse and what I can do in the interim to keep things going. Here's what I've come up with: I've got two portable PA's and will rent them for $1 to anyone who wants to throw a house show, a yard show, a park show- any place that isn't a bar. I'll show you how to run it. Not sure how to book and run a show? I'll show you. As long as the money is going to the artist, I'll give you every piece of info I have. Don't let venues and the Downtown Association tell you what is or is not valued culture. They make money (though admitted, it's very little) on the fact that you don't do it on your own. If you've got a place to plug in, you've got a venue. Sometimes you don't even need that.
If you want help throwing a show, let me know.
And in spirit of not “[hidding] behind a blank face…”
Yours,
Christopher D. Wiersema
outsound@gmail:disqus .com