The second floor is off-limits for now at Ashes Cigar Club.
Turns out the Internet Café wasn’t the only joint in town to come under the scrutiny of Red Bank safety inspectors in recent weeks.
Ashes Cigar Club was shut down in the early hours of Feb. 2 after inspectors found the restaurant and lounge overcrowded by about 100 patrons, redbankgreen has learned.
The first-floor of the Broad Street facility has since reopened, but the second-floor bar remains off-limits until the reaturant’s owners obtain approvals for a number of changes made without permits, said Borough Administrator Stanley Sickels.
Among the violations: turning a pantry into a DJ booth, running television wires through a fire exit, penetrating a fire-rated stairway, installing a door that opened in the wrong direction and using open candles, Sickels said.
The business was also cited for failing to count patrons, said Sickels, who was present for the inspection in his capacity as fire marshal.
An estimated 550 people were in the building at the time of the early-morning inspection, Sickels said. The place is rated for a maximum occupancy of about 444, he said — 360 on the first floor.
The first floor was allowed to reopen after the removal of some portable coolers that had not been shown on approved plans, Sickels said.
A nearby business owner who was at Ashes that night tells redbankgreen that customers first got an early “last call” at about 1a, and then shortly thereafter were hustled out by management in the presence of the inspectors.
“They’ve got a heavy hand in this town,” the merchant said.
redbankgreen put in a call to Ashes manager Telly Lekacos this morning but haven’t heard back from him yet.
And apparently, about a half hour later, state transportation officials had to close the entrance to the Outerbridge Crossing because a convoy of Hummers heading eastbound across the span was surpassing the bridge's weight limit..
About time…it has been on more of a few occasions that I have been in the vicinity of Ashes between 12-2am and have witnessed not only a very loud and obnoxious crowd but more than a number of large fights. This place needs to be put in line and should be an example when we debate letting other "clubs" into the downtown area.
how many of those that left had computers from sears in their hands
bfrank- witty as usual.
Internet Cafe, Ashes, Landlord on shrewsbury ave. - it is all about "safety".
I'm sure there is "2 sides" to all these instances but at the end of the day I'd rather have the government err on the side of caution and safety to protect all the citizens of RB.
The other day my business received a warning for not tying up our cardboard when we put it out on Tuesday pm (for Wed am pick up). The
reason : if it gets windy overnight, can blow
into the streets and cause a dangerous situation.
I couldn't argue and have made the necessary
change.
Dave your right,
But, overdeveloping a town into a city overnight, ultimately leads to overcrowded situations.
Whether it be traffic, patrons, or condos.
The history of Hoboken teaches us that fire safety rules are necessary.
David: Can't argue with your statements in general, and especially re the residences involved. But the question has come up in these posts about occupancy being linked to paying Red Bank's parking extortion. If that's at all true, then the safety arguments become hollow.
It is also a little difficult to accept at face the motives of the same officials who for 18 years have called the overcrowding of the town positive, "hip", wonderful. Some simply find it incongruous that these same people who now champion controlling the overcrowding "in" the buildings, still turn a blind eye to the overcrowding "of" the buildings.
The parking is not even close to the travesty in Hoboken. The town in general has a good vibe with a nice mix of resturants and such. The west side could use more development and a little cleaning up. You are complaining for the wrong reasons. The reason you should complain is these ass holes invade like locusts and cause problems. I move for a 10% value added tax on anyone that dines at a resturant or bar with an out of county license.
Was'nt the whole fire department in there a night or two prior to this incedent for Chief's night? Was'nt Mr.Sickles there that night? Mr. Budabing should have eaten more of that tab for Stan.
padrone, you're absolutely right.