The Russell Auditorium/Carver Den function hall on Talbot Avenue has applied for a full entertainment license with a 2 a.m. closing hour. If approved, the permit would allow for music, DJs, dancing and the like for a combined capacity gathering of some 890 patrons.
Neighbors have expressed reservations about that application and about several other large-venue licenses pending or recently granted in the area around Franklin Field. The Russell/Carver Den, for instance, is but a few steps away from the El Punto restaurant, lounge, and function hall that has been okayed to open at 879 Blue Hill Ave. with a total capacity of just under 400 individuals.
At a hearing before the city’s Entertainment Licensing board about the Russell/Carver proposal on June 26, the board took the matter under advisement and had not issued a decision by press time.
The facility houses a membership fraternal organization called the Most Worshipful George Washington Carver Grand Lodge that has rented out the Hall and Den and its large parking lot for private events since 1976.
At the hearing, Glenn Williams of the Carver Lodge noted that “several times we’ve had live entertainment shows, which we do with the one-time live entertainment license and we’re trying to move forward to make that a permanent part of our regular resume.”
Chair Kathleen Joyce took notice that there haven’t been any issues with those one-time events, but since the function facility plans to work with entertainment promoters, she cautioned them about that configuration.
“It behooves you to have your entertainment managers talk to promoters and make sure promoters you work with understand the rules and the regulations,” she said. “Sometimes we see at violation hearings a manager say they used a promoter and it’s their responsibility, but we see it as your responsibility at the end of the day and it comes back to your license.”
Fatima Ali-Salaam, chair of the Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council (GMNC) said her group was concerned about the combination of late-night crowds in the area with the new locations.
“With both establishments going, you’re talking about at any given night more than 1,000 people in a very confined area,” she said. “We want to make sure the establishments are aware of each other and are working with the city and the Police Department to coordinate activities. We don’t want to overwhelm our area of B-3 [police]…nor do we want to tax the residents that live nearby.”
Cynthia Francis, the long-time president of the Harvard Talbot Triangle Association, said they would like to talk more about past issues with events at the facility – some of them in the parking lot – and potential issues going forward.
“The concern to the community is cleaning up the mess left behind by these participants in events because if they can’t get in, they will hang out in the community and stay longer after the entertainment,” she said.
“I have not seen any security come out and move people out of the community,” she added, “so they’re staying and urinating and sitting on people’s property and we have to clean up all the mess left behind…We just want to make sure it doesn’t negatively affect people in the community and maybe with those events in the parking lot, move to keep them inside the building.”
Williams said they are under new management, and they are no longer hosting the problematic outdoor parties – particularly J’Ouvert and Suave events. He also said they have in-house security, and they employ JGS Security for all events and that there are numerous security cameras inside and outside the facility that are accessible to law enforcement.
Community members and Williams agreed at the hearing to speak more about the issues with each other.
