Pandora's strip club opens in Seattle, Wa

8/14/2011 12:00:00 AM

Pandora’s Adult Cabaret is scheduled to open Wednesday, July 6, on Lake City Way Northeast, despite contention from local community councils. 
 
The new club will open in the building previously occupied by Seven Seas Restaurant, at 8914 Lake City Way N.E. Renovation is almost completed to turn the building into a more functional space, including stages for the dancers. 
 
The location, however, is a problem for some local residents. The Wedgwood and Maple Leaf community councils believe the club is too close to an in-home day-care center. 
 
“The first, primary concern was that, under the [Seattle Municipal] Code, adult cabarets cannot be located within 600 feet of another cabaret and 800 [feet] of child land uses,” said Per Johnson, the Wedgewood Community Council’s Land Use Committee chairperson. “The code specifically says child-care centers.” 
 
A close proximity to the in-home day-care prompted the councils to write a joint letter to the Seattle Department of Planning and Development (DPD). The letter, which can be found on the Wedgwood Community Council website (www.wedgwoodcc.org), outlines three main points of concern. 
 
“There were issues with the permitting process that we think should send the strip club back to the permitting process,” said Joshua Newman, president of the Maple Leaf Community Council. “Our contention is that the process wasn’t followed correctly and that the process should be redone.” 
 
Siting concerns 
The location of the day-care is the primary issue. Jiggles Gentlemen’s Club in the University District recently lost a court case for being within 800 feet of where children congregate. While the situations are similar, the DPD supports Pandora’s location. 
 
A spokesperson could not be reached, but the DPD has previously gone on the record with KOMO-TV, saying nothing was wrong with Pandora’s permit. The DPD distinguished the in-home daycare center from the child-care centers specifically mentioned in the land-use code. 
 
The location isn’t the only issue the councils have taken up with the city. They also believe there is reason to be concerned over Pandora’s building zones. 
 
“The part of it that faces Lake City Way is zoned for commercial; the other piece of the property is zoned for residential,” Newman explained. 
 
“Regardless of whether or not there are child-care vicinities in the area, there should have been a public notice associated with this permit before the city authorized it,” Johnson added. 
 
The majority of Pandora’s resides within a Commercial-1 (C-1) zone. In that location, adult cabarets can open without a public notification. There are small portions of the land that are zoned Lowrise-2 (LR-2), which would have required a comment process. 
 
“The code protects adult cabarets as protected uses in commercial areas,” said Johnson, whose council brought the zoning concern to the DPD in a previous e-mail. “They thought that they were obligated to issue the permit, and they didn’t think notification was required. 
 
“In permit intake, DPD made it clear to the applicant that they were in no way able to use that site zoned as LR-2. Can’t use it for parking or anything — otherwise, it will violate the permit,” he added. 
 
Rick’s reputation 
The opening of Pandora’s has brought other worries to members of the community. 
“There is a lot of concern based on people’s experiences with Rick’s,” Newman said. The neighborhood is concerned about prostitution, drug use and crime. 
 
Rick’s, which was shut down because of prostitution and racketeering charges, is also located on Lake City Way. The building, at 11332 Lake City Way N.E., is set to be auctioned off on Wednesday, June 29. 
 
“We are not Rick’s,” said Joe Walker, the owner of Pandora’s Adult Cabaret. “We don’t want that here. We want to be part of the community. 
 
“Our focus is on entertainment,” he explained. “I want to take it to the next level. We have a couple surprises up our sleeves.” 
 
Walker disagrees with the councils about the location of his club. While he was quick to distance himself from the problems at Rick’s, he admitted it would be easy for people to get to Pandora’s because they were used to going to the club. There is also another strip club in the area, Deja Vu, where Lake City Way turns into Bothell Way. 
 
“It’s a great location,” he said. “It’s a heavily trafficked road. There aren’t a lot of houses nearby.” 
 
Pandora’s is situated between The Shanty Tavern and a public-storage business. The Shanty Tavern is only open two nights a week. 
 
Walker said that he has received a lot of positive feedback from the community, but he also doesn’t blame the councils for being concerned. 
 
“I understand they’re trying to protect their community because that’s what they are supposed to do,” he said. 
 
Walker approached community members through the neighborhood blogs in an attempt to discuss their differences. They will meet in the near future.