Crime-Ridden Woodside Club Closed Down
BY LINDA J. WILSON

Photo Walter Karling Club Phenomenon 62-05 30th Ave., Woodside, was padlocked after five shootings and three deaths occurred on the premises in the past two years and more than 20 health and safety violations were accumulated over the same period.

After weeks of advocacy and hard work, City Councilmember Eric Gioia, the Woodside community, law enforcement officials and Queens District Attorney Richard Brown have shut down Club Phenomenon, a club in Woodside with a history of violence, crime, and murder that was the scene of five shootings and three deaths in the past two years, while accumulating more than 20 health and safety violations over the same period.

District Attorney Brown noted that a second nightspot, Club Fantasia, which is located in the same building at 62-05 30th Ave. in Woodside, was also ordered closed at the same time. Such commercial locations must have two means of exit. Since Club Phenomenon was the second means of egress for Club Fantasia, both clubs had to be closed.

“[Club Phenomenon] has no place in our city,” Gioia, who represents Woodside, Sunnyside, Long Island City, Astoria, and Maspeth, said. “It has displayed a blatant disregard for the law and human life, and its doors should never open again. I would like to thank the New York City Police Department and District Attorney Brown for their hard work, and I look forward to continuing to work with them to make sure this club stays closed for good. No mother should ever have to bury her son because he walked into the wrong bar on a Saturday night.” Ernesto Salgado Jr., a 22- year-old Woodside resident, was shot while sitting in a car outside the club on October 1 and another individual was critically wounded. To date, no one has been charged in the incident.

City Councilmember Eric Gioia, who led efforts to shut down Club Phenomenon, puts a padlock on the club’s doors.

After Salgado was shot and killed outside the club in October, Gioia rallied Woodsiders and Salgado's friends and family to call on the State Liquor Authority (SLA) to pull Phenomenon's liquor license and for the club's owners to close Phenomenon’s doors for good. Gioia also began exploring legal action under the City's Nuisance Abatement Law to close the club, working with local law enforcement officials and Brown. Last week, Gioia joined Salgado's family and friends to again demand the SLA revoke the club’s liquor license. Gioia and the community walked into SLA offices in Manhattan to present the agency with nearly 2,000 petitions in support of pulling the club's license and closing it down for good. SLA officials turned Gioia and the residents away, declining to accept the petitions.

Phenomenon was shut down on December 14 under the Nuisance Abatement Law and will remain closed pending court proceedings. A raid was conducted as the result of a multi-government initiative by the Queens District Attorney’s Office, the New York City Police Department

Queens Vice Enforcement Unit and the city Department of Buildings and the club closed. The closing climaxes a fivemonth

investigation by the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD Queens Vice Enforcement Unit during which undercover police officers, posing as club patrons, were sold drugs and offered sex in exchange for cash.

In addition to the nuisance abatement order, the District Attorney’s Office has initiated a “Bawdy House” eviction proceeding in Landlord and Tenant Court. A “Bawdy House” action allows neighbors, tenants or, as in this case, the District Attorney’s Office, to write to the landlord of a property being used for illegal business, such as drug dealing, prostitution, illegal gambling or trademark counterfeiting. If the landlord does not take action to evict that illegal business, the District Attorney can sue the landlord for not evicting and also sue to evict the tenant. In this case, the landlord has served a 30-day notice of termination (of lease) on Club Phenomenon, which has until Jan. 2, 2007 to vacate the premises.

Besides Salgado, there have been two other fatal shootings outside Club Phenomenon during the last three years. Francisco Rosa, 32, an off-duty New York state court officer moonlighting as a security guard at the club, was fatally shot outside the club on May 22, 2004. Two other security guards/bouncers were wounded. Moises Valerio, 31, of 182 Hull St. in Brooklyn was arrested on October 27, 2005 and charged with second degree murder in the incident. He is presently awaiting trial. David Garcia, 23, was shot during a fight outside the club in November 2003. To date, no one has been charged in the incident.

Brown said that it is alleged that, during the course of the investigation that led to the closing, undercover officers were offered sex with different women at Club Phenomenon for prices ranging from $400 to $500, though no arrests were made in order not to jeopardize a drug investigation also being conducted at the location. As the investigation neared completion, Billy Diaz, 29, of 37- 22 95th St. was arrested on November 17 for allegedly selling cocaine to undercover officers on six separate occasions. When arrested after his last sale, Diaz allegedly had $1,600 in marked money on him. In another instance, a club employee allegedly agreed to sell cocaine to undercover officers but then had to inform them that the stock of cocaine that night had been sold out. Following Diaz’ arrest, the NYPD obtained a court order against the club and ordered the club closed.

District Attorney Brown said, “Far from being the ‘gentleman’s club’ it presumes to be, this strip club has long been a hotbed for drugs, prostitution and gunplay and the subject of numerous complaints both to my office and the NYPD from area residents and local officials, such as City Councilman Eric Gioia. Drugs and prostitution are neither harmless nor victimless crimes. They erode a neighborhood’s quality of life, instill fear in its residents and create an atmosphere in which more serious crimes can flourish. We are committed to working with the community and its leaders in eliminating crime and business practices that promote criminal activity and drive out legitimate businesses. The message that we are delivering today is clear: businesses that allow prostitution or other illegal activity to occur on their premises are at risk of being shut down.”

Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said, “The illegal activities at Club Phenomenon resulted in a number of violent incidents. Its closing will improve the quality of life for members of the community previously threatened by activities in and around this location. I thank the Queens Vice Enforcement Unit, Civil Enforcement Unit, Deputy Managing Attorney Scott Weiss and the Queen’s District Attorney’s Office for helping to bring to an end the drug-dealing, prostitution and fatal shootings that this nightclub abetted.”

“We’ve been working on this investigation for five months, and my neighborhood is very happy finally to be rid of this rat hole,” City Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr., who represents the neighborhood that holds the club, said. “It was a haven for guns, drugs and prostitution. In fact, you could say it was a ‘Phenomenal’ blight on the community. This is one strip club that should be stripped of its right to do business.”