Talks break down for new indie rock club

Negotiations between the University and a concert organizer seeking to open an alcohol-free indie rock club on the edge of campus broke down this week, according to officials involved in the deal. "It looks as though we won't be able to reach an agreement" for the proposed location at 18 N. 40th Street, said Tom Lussenhop, the University's top real estate official. Last week, club co-owner Sean Agnew said the club would be opening in the 40th Street location for a five-month trial period later this month. The 9,000 square-foot building formerly housed a catering business called Ayinde and is currently leased by the University for storage. Neither Agnew nor Lussenhop would reveal the reason for the failure to come to an agreement. According to Agnew, Lussenhop and other University officials approached him about opening the club earlier this summer after the 4-year-old Stalag 13 -- a warehouse at 39th and Lancaster streets for which Agnew organized about 20 concerts per month -- was closed by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses and Inspection for licensing violations. The University was attracted to Agnew for two primary reasons: to fulfill one of the recommendations made by the provost-led alcohol task force last spring to provide an alcohol-free dance club, and to further develop the 40th Street corridor. At first the initiative met with high praise from faculty and students. Wharton senior Jon Herrmann, the chairperson of the Social Planning and Events Committee, said he felt the loss of Stalag 2000 was especially troubling because the club was to be one of only a few that offered music for an under-21 audience. "Everyone I've spoken to was upset because it was one of the most promising things to happen here in a while," Herrmann said, adding that SPEC had planned to hold some events at Stalag 2000 later this year. Agnew said he planned to continue trying to bring the new club to University City, though he said it is now doubtful that his efforts will succeed.