Brooklyn Mirage Set for Demolition Following Avant Gardner Bankruptcy 

Brooklyn Mirage — the 32,000-square-foot open-air nightclub that has helped specify Brooklyn’s nightlife since 2017 — is acceptable to beryllium torn down, according to caller filings with New York City’s Department of Buildings.

Public records amusement that Avant Gardner LLC, the institution down the venue complex, submitted a licence exertion connected Tuesday (Oct. 14) seeking support to demolish the Mirage. The 2 different venues astatine the Avant Gardner complex, Kings Hall and the Great Hall, are acceptable to stay unfastened done December.

The filing lists a $1.5 cardinal fund for the demolition task and names H&O Engineering arsenic the contractor. It remains unclear erstwhile demolition volition begin, but filings bespeak the task volition beryllium a straightforward teardown.

Opened successful 2017, the Mirage rapidly became 1 of the astir coveted venues for touring DJs and physics acts, earning designation from DJ Mag and being named “Best Venue” by EDM.com successful 2024 for its innovative plan and large-scale production.

Behind the scenes, however, Avant Gardner faced mounting challenges. The institution became embroiled successful aggregate lawsuits alleging overly assertive information practices and clashed with the New York State Liquor Authority. The concern worsened successful 2023 erstwhile Avant Gardner’s accumulation of the Electric Zoo festival collapsed amid permitting issues and overcrowding, forcing the cancellation of 1 of the festival’s 3 days.

The fallout from Electric Zoo, including aggregate lawsuits filed by fans, triggered an ownership reshuffle. Axar Capital, 1 of Avant Gardner’s elder creditors, took a starring relation successful the company, portion hospitality seasoned Josh Wyatt was brought successful arsenic CEO. Wyatt closed Avant Gardner past November to statesman an ambitious renovation of the 80,000-square-foot complex, including an expanded creation level designed to beryllium the largest successful New York City.

At its peak, the Brooklyn Mirage stood 65 feet precocious and featured a 30K-resolution wraparound LED wall, 100 L-Acoustics loudspeakers and a kinetic shutter system. The remodeled venue was slated to reopen May 1, 2025, with a two-night tally by techno creator Sara Landry.

But the reopening ne'er happened, arsenic the project became mired successful permitting issues with the city’s Department of Buildings. As an open-air venue that typically operates lone successful warmer months, Brooklyn Mirage functioned nether a Temporary Place of Assembly Certificate of Occupancy that had to beryllium renewed annually. Wyatt’s 2025 redesign included a prefabricated woody operation lasting 65 feet precocious and astir 200 feet agelong — a standard that yet analyzable the city’s permitting process.

When the Department of Buildings declined to contented the indispensable permits, the venue posted a connection to Instagram asking fans for patience.

“We privation to beryllium clear: the venue is show-ready and the New Mirage has been built to exacting safety, structural, mechanical, and method specifications,” the since-deleted station read. “However, we were not capable to conscionable the last inspection deadline today.”

On May 22, Wyatt stepped down arsenic CEO and was replaced by seasoned euphony enforcement and touring creator Gary Richards. Three months later, successful August, Avant Gardner filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Ba...