JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The city has shut down a gentleman's club on Jacksonville's Southside because of what it’s calling ‘unsafe conditions’ for the public.
Right now, orange signs are on the front door of Mascara’s Gentlemen’s Club on Southside Boulevard.
One is a ‘Cease and Desist’ Order and the other is a ‘Stop Work Order.’
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Action News Jax reporter Courtney Cole learned these violations have been issued for reasons that include not having a sprinkler system or fire alarm system.
According to the fire marshal, both of these systems are not optional if the business plans to safely serve more than 300 customers.
Since the club is located at the end of a neighborhood, Cole also spoke to neighbors to see how they feel about what happened at Mascara’s.
“It is extremely loud—makes the pictures on my wall bounce around, and it drives me nuts!”
Pat, who did not want her last name used, told Action News Jax Courtney Cole the noise she's talking about comes from Mascara's Gentlemen's Club.
While some neighbors say the place has quieted down over the last couple of years, they weren't surprised to learn what happened.
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"The things that go on and the traffic that goes on in the middle of the night, late I night, I don't like it!" said Pat.
Pat's lived down the street from the location for the last 44 years.
In the time the club has been located on Southside Boulevard, she said it hasn't gotten better.
"I've seen some terrible things happen from down there. Like a lady drug by her hair down the street in front of my house one night. I did call the police that night I don't know what happened,” Pat said.
On Sunday, July 28, the fire marshal and the City’s Building Inspection Division served the business with orders to close down.
"I would love to see that place gone or turned back into a restaurant. Anything but what it is because it's dangerous, it really is!" Pat told Cole.
This isn't the first time the business has been in trouble with the city.
According to the city's building inspections website, DART (the Drug Abatement Response Team) completed an investigation there in 2012.
A local adult entertainment spot on Jacksonville’s Southside closed down by the city. #NEXT on CBS47 @ActionNewsJax at Noon—what I’ve learned from the city in the last hour about why they were issued these “Cease and Desist” orders: ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/nocYVhmAYl
— Courtney Cole (@CourtneyANJax) July 29, 2019
On Monday, DART also opened an investigation into the business.
Cole reached out to the city three times on Monday for more specifics on the investigation.
The city says they're working to find that information.
We will continue to update this story as we learn more.
Cox Media Group
