What happened in the lead-up to these problems spilling into the courts?Ī timeline of important events has been created by the Ann Arbor News/MLive, based on dozens of legal documents, emails, and city records filed in federal and state courts.Īlyte Katilius | Photographs Deja Vu Strip Club in Ypsilanti on Tuesday, Oct. and if theyd done that wed be having a different conversation. They didn't get the approval, they did not go through the proper procedure. There's no way to come into compliance with this, according to the man who said, because the work has already been done. The business owners did not respond to communications from city employees noting the violations, and theres no moral issue in the Ypsilanti's compliance of its local laws, according to Wilcoxen. Three other council members Nicole Brown, Brian Jones-Chance, and Jennifer Symmans did not return voicemails left November 4Ĭouncil Member Steve Wilcoxen, who represents Ward 2, said, I dont think theyre being singled out in any way. We're not able to continue to fight the business, she said, claiming that zoning violations can be resolved out of court, adding that the lawsuit is wasting city resources and prolonging the time a business will sit inactive downtown.Īnthony Morgan, a ward-mate, declined to comment, as did Lois Richardson, a city's mayor. So far, the city council has kept the lion's share of their conversations over the legal litigation private meetings, as they're permitted to do when they are with their attorney.Īnnie Somerville, a council member, has been appointed as the District 3, in which the club is located. The lawsuits themselves are being pursued, but city leaders are divided. That includes an outside lawyer Ypsilanti, who is known as a specialist in adult business regulation but has also received criticism in other parts of the country for his links to anti-LBGTQ groups. City officials are debating whether or not they have documented illegal and unconstitutional construction.Īlong the way, the legal cases have stifled in nearly as many attorneys as there are city council seats. If it wants to stay what it stands on North Washington Street, it can be used to change the strip club's existing status.ĭeja Vu, a lawyer for the Lansing-based club, has denied the privilege, dating back to the time when the club opened in Ypsilanti in 1982. Officials at Deja Vu, which is based in Johannesburg, claim that the club threw the legal required construction approval procedures to the wind, while making changes to the building's interior from January to January 2019. They focus on the importance of city zoning, building permits, and code enforcement. The arguments at the heart of the legal battle and the subsequent lawsuit Ypsilanti filed against the government two months later in court are more complex. The company claims city officials have intentionally slowed down a decision on whether or not to resurrect the club because of its nude business model, which is based on the First Amendment. Limited, Inc., the company that owns the building. In April of this year, Ypsilanti Art Theatre Corp., the company that owns the facility, and M.I.C. First, COVID-19 public health measures ordered the club to close last year, but it hasn't opened since. The club is affiliated with Deja Vu, an adult entertainment company, owned by the company.ĭespite the connection to the illustrious adult businessman, the Ypsilanti gentleman's club has limped along as of late. However, the outcome of two parallel legal disputes between its owners and the city will determine its fate. A place for anyone to discover news and events happening in the city of Detroit.įind local stories and discussion for anything related to Detroit including music, the auto industry, local finds, food, urban planning and development, politics, art, photography (no ruin porn), sports and more.YPSILANTI, MI - A two-story brick building near the heart of downtown Ypsilanti has operated.
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