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Place Pigalle. Photo: Facebook
Jason Perkins‘ phone call echoed the sentiments of his email: “The new San Francisco is only place where the super rich can literally crap on the rest of us.”
Perkins is a managing partner of New Parish Entertainment Group, which operates Place Pigalle in Hayes Valley and Brick & Mortar Music Hall in the Mission, along with the New Parish and the Rock Steady in Oakland. And when it comes to the “crap” statement, he is being pretty literal: He claims that for the last three years, Place Pigalle has weathered sewage leaks, with raw sewage seeping through the ceiling and flooding the basement (see the photo below of the flood). He’s had to replace the lights six times, because electrical systems were soaked. They have been wiping down the entire bar and basement with bleach every day. Perkins says the business “has been terribly harmed.”
Perkins’ repeated complaints to his landlord, Hayes Valley Properties, have not been resolved to his satisfaction.
This week, Perkins had enough. Citing health concerns for his employees and his customers, he called the building and health departments himself. Inspectors came out. They saw the situation. Both departments issued citations and demanded repairs (see their respective reports below). The bar has remained open. The contractors have until the end of day today to make the fixes.
And following the inspections, Perkins says that Hayes Valley Properties threatened to terminate his lease, which incidentally was just renewed for 10 years with a 50 percent rent hike to $10,800 a month, effective at the end of this month.
“They told us we’re out and they’ll take the bar for themselves,” says Perkins.
For his part, Roger Perez of Hayes Valley Properties says they have taken care of the sewage leak as of today, but Perez declined to comment about the future of Place Pigalle, only saying to call back later this week.
“We’re reviewing our options with our attorneys,” says Perkins, who says that he hopes they can remain, since the bar is the neighborhood’s closest to a watering hole. “We want to stay. We want to upgrade the bar and be a part of the neighborhood like we’ve been.”
Will tempers simmer? Or will Place Pigalle get new owners? Stay tuned for updates.
For now, a photo of the basement sewage leak:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
And the reports from the San Francisco Department of Public Health and the Department of Building Inspection:
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Place Pigalle: 520 Hayes Street, near Octavia. placepigallesf.com
