ECU Alum battles to save F.A.C.E.S.

Far from the busy streets of downtown Greenville, another local haven, F.A.C.E.S. Bar and Lounge, is fighting for the right to continue to provide an alternative spot for students and citizens alike. The 10th Street Nightclub will no longer be allowed to operate after the Board of Adjustment, the entity responsible for controlling business practices, unanimously voted to rescind the special use permit issued in Dec. 2007.

This decision comes from a long battle fought between F.A.C.E.S., the Board of Adjustment and the Colonial Heights Neighborhood Association; Colonial Heights neighborhood is located no more than three blocks from the club, across a four-lane street.

The issues with the nightclub started even prior to the opening of its doors; Kevin Faison, an ECU alumni and the club owner, has been dealing with the neighborhood association, Greenville police and the Board of Adjustment for over two years. Complaints range from litter and public nuisance all the way up to 26 different noise violations; however, only four of which were actually substantiated.

The residents of Colonial Heights were informed of the clubs coming presence back in 2007 and have been fighting for their right to peace since that time, citing that a nightclub would bring down the property value of that area, increase the crime rate and spawn numerous drunk drivers who would litter the neighborhood with garbage.

However, the location in which F.A.C.E.S. is leased is zoned specifically for commercial use.

At Faison's initial special use permit review on July 24, 2008, the Board of Adjustment took no action due to a lack of infractions being committed since the opening of the establishment. However, at the second special use permit hearing, the Board of Adjustment imposed regulations that stemmed from numerous complaints from Colonial Heights residents.

The Board conditionally granted F.A.C.E.S. an additional six months to hold the special permit as well as requiring the club to step up security measures and keep all amplified sounds to a minimum. Faison complied with the regulations by reading his own noise levels with a decibel reader, hiring an outside security company and taking on additional in-club security staff.

Nevertheless, Faison has continuously been fighting for his right to be respected as a minority owned establishment.

"With Phoenix you have the 18-and-up crowd so it has become a place for younger students to go and have a good time, F.A.C.E.S provides a more low-key environment for older students as well as the citizens of Greenville," Faison stated.

Providing a safe and community-oriented environment has been in Faison's plan from the beginning.

By donating money to numerous National Panhellenic Council fraternities and sororities, holding canned food drives to feed the needy, participating in Toys for Tots and having a car wash for an associate who needed a location to raise money for a charity, F.A.C.E.S. and Faison have gone above and beyond the typical call of nightclubs.

For the Colonial Heights Neighborhood Association however, this is not enough.

In her interview with the Daily Reflector, Colonial Heights resident Gertie Nichols stated, "We're too old for this. I've been so deprived of my sleep and so stressed out, I feared I was going to have a heart attack."

Nichols is a Jefferson Street resident and her home is located over four blocks across the street from the club.

The Board of Adjustment cited detriment to public welfare and public nuisance as their reasoning for closing the club.

However, the fight is far from over.

Faison plans to appeal the decision set forth by the board as soon as possible. Faison feels that if his establishment remains closed it could lead to a snowball effect for other minority-owned establishments.

Susan Duffy, a senior special education major and former employee of the nightclub, deems all of the uproar regarding F.A.C.E.S. a slightly racial issue.

"The neighborhood is predominantly white. It just seems like everyone is complaining because it is a black-owned business. You can't hear the noise if you are even standing across the street," Duffy stated.

Numerous students have taken the issue to heart and have even created a save F.A.C.E.S. Facebook group and are starting a petition to keep the club open.

F.A.C.E.S. is also located near two additional apartment complexes -- neither complex, both closer than Colonial Heights, have complained.

Faison is trying to remain neutral regarding the issue of race and strives to keep the name of the club unsullied in the community. His support of the Greenville Police Department has remained unwavering through this whole matter.

"They are fielding all of the noise complaint calls, and when they do come to the club and nothing is wrong, they are extremely nice about it," Faison states.

Out of nine incident reports accessed by The East Carolinian, only one was substantiated as an actual noise violation and Gertie Nichols herself reported four of the nine incidents.

The issue escalated to the point of Faison receiving a death threat from a resident of Colonial Heights.

The unidentified woman stated to Faison, "If you don't turn that music down I'm going to come to the club and shoot you."

This threat is just one of many that Faison has received regarding this issue. Faison hopes that everything can be resolved peaceably.

This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com.