The owners of a popular East Williamsburg concert venue, the Brooklyn Mirage, have filed for a permit to tear down part of the outdoor stage.
It comes after the Mirage’s reopening was canceled last minute after the city Department of Buildings ruled it unsafe back in May.
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The owners of a popular East Williamsburg concert venue, the Brooklyn Mirage, have filed for a permit to tear down part of the outdoor stage
It comes after the Mirage’s reopening was canceled last minute after the city Department of Buildings ruled it unsafe back in May
The owners filed for a permit to tear down 32,000 square feet of the 80,000-square-foot temporary structure located on Stewart Avenue following last-minute cancellations of 2025 performances due to permitting issues
The owners, Avant Gardner, LLC, filed for a permit to tear down 32,000 square feet of the 80,000-square-foot temporary structure located on Stewart Avenue in East Williamsburg following last-minute cancellations of 2025 performances due to permitting issues.
“It’s a very iconic venue,” said Ryema Ahmed, who showed up for an event at the company’s neighboring venue, The Great Hall, Wednesday. “I think a lot of major artists play here.”
“I know so many people who had tickets to go to events here, and because of everything that’s happening, it’s been canceled last minute,” Ahmed added.
Johnny Alexander, who is a chiropractor in the city, has been to space several times. He said he is now fed up because the venue canceled a show in August and never gave him his money back.
“And they’ve been stringing people along, almost like all year,” Alexander said. “They’re not canceling the show until, sometimes hours beforehand. And with the ‘Black Coffee’ event, we still don’t have a refund.”
“I would love to see a better parent company come on and take it over,” he added. “I have a few in mind, but just some people that, you know, are accustomed to throwing events like that.”
The news comes after the owners also filed for bankruptcy in August, citing several months of financial distress, which prevented the opening of the newly constructed Brooklyn Mirage for the 2025 season. The venue has been shuttered since 2024, but experts say it can still make a comeback.
“They could be doing several things,” said Tim Hynes, global head of credit research for Debtwire. “They could be tearing down the 32,000 square feet in order to avoid any liability, perhaps, of the structure is collapsing, or they could be deciding to rebuild the Brooklyn Mirage.”
The company is no stranger to controversy. Back in 2023, the bodies of two men were found in the nearby Newtown Creek just months apart after the victims each attended separate events at the Mirage.
Ahmed said she attended an event at the Mirage in 2024. Although she had a good time, she believes it could use some better safety features.
“I definitely think that there needs to be more street lights here that are functioning and brighter. I think that provides a lot of safety for people,” Ahmed said.
The company said it has hired a new CEO to stabilize its finances and prepare to reopen the Mirage for the 2026 season.
Its two other venues, The Great Hall and Kings Hall, will remain open as the company continues with the bankruptcy process.