Bourbon Street bar required to close after losing court battle
A controversial Bourbon Street bar will need to get required permits before it can re-open, after Civil District Court Robin Giarrusso this morning denied a preliminary injunction that would have allowed the nightclub to continue operating.
Attorneys for the city and French Quarter residents heralded the decision against Bourbon Lights as a victory, saying the owners of the bar at 709-713 Bourbon Street have been in repeated violation of "stop work" orders by the Vieux Carre Commission. The building is known as the Tricou House and is "blue-rated" by the commission, which means it is a historic structure just below the level of a landmark like the Cabildo.
Ralph Lupin, commission chairman, said today's court action should be seen as part of a larger effort to ensure that property owners in the Quarter abide by the rules and regulations of the historic district.
"We are going to clean it up," he said.
Giarrusso last week signed a temporary restraining order on behalf of the club operators, which allowed them to re-open their doors to customers despite the stop work orders. Her decision today overturns that original ruling.
In the petition filed by 711 Entertainment LLC, the club operators argued that the unauthorized construction work at the property had ceased and they would be deprived of their property rights if not allowed to serve customers.
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