Residents of the east-facing condos in the 2520 Robinhood at Kirby tower jealous of all the fun their neighbors in the west-facing units have been having with late night partiers at Hans’ Bier Haus next door now have their very own partly open-air next-door bar to mess with: Hudson Lounge opened earlier this week, at 2506 Robinhood. And hey: on this side of the tower, there’s no pesky parking garage to get in the way of any nightclub-condo interaction.
Brothers Adam, Alexander, and Andre Klieber carved the new straight-Mod space out of the former office HQ of Adam and Alexander’s other business, Southampton Homes — after business there slowed down. New swiveling steel doors on the front and back of the 1950 building open to a patio and separate bar pavilion in back.
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A publicist for the new bar and event venue claims the owners have a “good relationship” with the high-rise dwellers next door — that’s likely easier when there’s no court order in place prohibiting any contact. Unlike Hans’ Bier Haus, Hudson Lounge won’t feature live music — and probably won’t attract too many late-night rugby-team singalongs either. The brand-new Village hangout will serve small plates of food for $12 each.
- Hudson Lounge
- Previously on Swamplot: Is 2520 Robinhood at Kirby Ready for Another Neighborhood Bar?
Photos: Candace Garcia
I wander if someone is going to challenge their liquor license. I’m personally on the side of the condo owners… In my opinion needs of a residence trump needs of an entertainment venue any time.
Commonsense,
Your comment belies your name. Just because 2520 is a residence does not mean the residents at 2520 can act like entitled jackasses. I’m not sure who is right and who is wrong in this dispute, but Hans has just as much right to operate his business as the owners at 2520.
This could get very interesting.
Wasn’t the first bar there when the condos were built? Caveat emptor for the buyers. Second bar however should consider the needs of their neighbors. If they keep the music volume down to a point where people can converse without screaming it shouldn’t be a big deal.
I’m in a condo with an attached (extremely popular) bar. Thankfully the noise doesn’t carry to my end of the building, but the loud conversations a people walk past do, and the fire alarm pulls when the angry drunks get kicked out are a thrill. The complex finally removed the fire alarm boxes in the underground parking garage. I knew the bar was there when I moved in, and it can be a pain, but I have no right to bitch (much).
And yet dyed in the wool Houstonians continue to vote down ZONING. I say we need a Baptist Bible Thumping Church and an Adult bookstore also on that same block.
Those searing, incindiary Burt Bacharach stylings will peel the paint off 2520 RH.
Judging by the decor, I’m thinking the other side of Robinhood will have to deal with the umph-tika-umph of a DJ. It looks nice though… a bit pricey, but nice…
Han’s was there first. Han’s trumps the condo. Period.
Doesn’t matter who was there first, this is not kindergarten. Han’s violates noise ordinances, nuisance ordinances, and precludes the residents from Peaceful Enjoiment of their residence. If it was a productive business I might think differently, but this is just a two bit beer joint.
My sentiments exactly Eric! It is like moving next to a railroad track,complaining about the noise of the trains and demanding the tracks be moved.
commonsense,
surely you recall all the discussions on here about ashby and how the city states that NO condo towers are to be located in actual residential areas, and can only front 6-lane streets with no hint of prior traffic. maybe we can move the light rail over to bissonet so it doesn’t have to do that retarded cross over the freeway and we can just line richmond with condo towers.
the fact that you think a two-bit beer joint doesn’t deserve the same rights as a condo tower already shows your faulty logic here. there’s many reasons why people choose to live at robinhood and i’m sure the lower price for being located in the middle of a largely commercial district and near a heavily trafficked street is one of those reasons.
I’ve been to Hudson Lounge a couple of times since they’ve opened and yes, they keep the music down on the patios. The music is “lounge-y” not techno, which helps. It’s an upscale crowd that, so far, has not been loud or obnoxious. Hopefully, the Washington types won’t discover it and it will stay that way. Very cool place with good food.
And is no one going to tell commonsense that it’s “wonder” not “wander?” Sheesh!
I’m with commonnosense on this one. Once you’ve made a certain amount of money and have reached a higher rung in the social ladder, you should be able to do what ever you want. They amount of money one spends on a condo supercedes any petty zonning laws. I do disagree though with the Kindergarten remark. It is Kindergarten and I’m better than you so what I say goes and that yucky no good 3 bit bar needs to go…
I’ll bet Hans’ place is a lot more fun than Hudson’s.
I’d rather be stuck on a deserted island with a guy who can work with his hands than a pencil pusher (er, I guess that’s an outdated term) or computer guy/stock broker type.
Pyewacket2, there is not enough time today to explain the vast difference in the types of people who are computer guys, versus stock brokers. I didn’t see either at Hudson. Well, maybe some stock broker/lawyer types. I did, however, see several of the tenants who live at 2520…I know because we were sitting on the front patio and watched them walk over.
Merica Rul, I know you’re being sarcastic but frankly that’s the way this world works. All the 2520 people have to do is continue filing law suits one after the other. Hans must answer the lawsuit every time which costs money… eventually it will close due to lack of money or give up… in either case 2520 will win without actually winning the lawsuits.
At some point, Hans can get a ruling that prevents the 2520 people from continuing to file suits, especially if the same cause of action is used each time.
I would hope that he (Hans) has at least one lawyer customer who would do his work pro bono. You know, the Percy Foreman kind, with rumpled suit and sharp wit.
Let’s understand the relationship between Alcohol and Depression.
For people who have been alcohol dependent for a long time, alcohol has a toxic effect on their serotonin neuro-transmitters. Alcohol feeds depressive symptoms, increasing both their frequency and severity.
95% of people who drink heavily have symptoms that resemble a depressive illness.
Alcohol drinkers self medicate with alcohol, falsely believing that alcohol will cure their depression and bi-polar genetic disorder.
Individuals who suffer from depression and bi-polar disorder can relieve their symptoms with drugs such as Zoloft, Prozac, Lexapro, Paxil, etc.
Individuals who do NOT have health insurance, or who continue to be in DENIAL, gather together in bars like Hudson Lounge to medicate their depression illness with alcohol.
These white trash mentally depressed alcoholics are usually arrested for DWI, and eventually forced in to poor mans rehab, 90 days at the county jail.
Some white trash DWI arrested alcoholics have yet to be rehabilitated because they believe they are normal by surrounding themselves with mentally depressed bi-polar alcoholics.
I went by Han’s Bier Haus this past Saturday. Half of their taps were out. Another 20% were flat. Han’s also owns the new Fedora Lounge off Bissonnet, which only had one customer. It makes me think that they may already be having money problems. I guess the condo will win by draining Han’s finances. Sad, and so wrong.
Whether you moved in next to a bar or a bar moves in next to you shouldn’t matter. And it really doesn’t since there are no protections either way. There should be guidelines that protect both residents and businesses, whether that’s simple geography (zoning) or rules and fines that are more compelling than alcohol profits. As someone who just fled my home near Washington Avenue, I can only hope that they don’t open a bar in the house next door to me in Montrose. It could happen. It has happened all over town.
That’s why some neighborhoods have deed restrictions.
One shouldn’t have to be a neighborhood activist to live in peace.