Home > Blogs > The Lounge Lizards > Archives > 2011 > October > 19 > Entry
Parking garage music serenades downtown patrons
Downtown patrons heading to Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers, Century Bar, Hammerjax and other businesses in the area of the Greater Dayton RTA Hub may notice a new soundtrack in the air.
The music, complete with yodeling, is being played at a serious volume from the covered area in front of the entrance to Air City parking garage on South Jefferson Street. A Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers employee confirmed that the bar management is not responsible for the music.
The garage entrance sits in a pedestrian heavy area between Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers and the RTA Hub. The new hub has been blamed for an increase in loitering and illegal activity around the restaurant that nearly led to a city recommendation that the owner’s liquor license be revoked.
I wasn’t able to talk to anyone in charge of the garage Wednesday evening, but it would appear that the property owners are trying to discourage loitering in front of the garage entrance.
Or maybe they are just really big yodeling fans trying to spread the love.
The reaction to the music, which has been playing seemingly non-stop for about a week, has been mixed.
The staff and patrons at Century Bar didn’t seem fazed by the tunes, while RTA patrons were either turned off or determined to tune it out.
If the goal was to drive people away, it appeared to be working Wednesday night as only a few people took shelter from the rain anywhere near the garage entrance where several mounted speakers are located.
I wouldn’t call myself a fan, but I didn’t find the music that awful. Take a listen for yourself: MP3 of Parking Garage Music
However, I will say the volume may be too loud for late-night hours. A resident of the St. Clair Lofts confirmed that the music is clearly audible from the far end of the Price Stores parking lot across Jefferson Street. I can only assume that apartments facing that lot are within earshot.
The noise obviously annoyed some people enough to contact the Dayton Police Department. So many calls had come in about the music by 10:30 p.m. Wednesday that a note was sent to dispatchers to stop sending officers on the noise complaints. There was nothing officers could do to turn off the music while the parking garage was closed.
Since I imagine the local businesses and the police department are tired of getting calls about music they don’t control, here’s the phone number for the parking garage: (937) 461-2916.
Give ‘em a call to complain or thank them for the lovely public dance party.
What do you think? Is parking garage music your new fave? Are there other, less noisy ways to control unwanted loitering downtown?
NOTE: Earlier, this entry referred to the music as polka.
Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: News
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By Laura
October 20, 2011 5:00 AM | Link to this
This is very annoying to those of us who walk by there every day. It is just another embarrassment for the city. Working and parking in the area should not be subject to this. I can imagine what people think going to CBCB and Price Brothers store etc. It will definately keep me away from eating there. I do park there and that is annoying enough. Hire someone to get rid of the riff raff.
By Laura
October 20, 2011 5:04 AM | Link to this
This is very annoying to those of us who walk by there every day. It is just another embarrassment for the city. Working and parking in the area should not be subject to this. I can imagine what people think going to CBCB and Price Brothers store etc. It will definately keep me away from eating there. I do park there and that is annoying enough. Hire someone to get rid of the riff raff.
By Linda Lipinski
October 20, 2011 6:49 AM | Link to this
As someone of Polish descent,to me this is not Polka music. This is old school country twang.
By not a music expert
October 20, 2011 7:30 AM | Link to this
From what I heard of the MP3, it does appear to be more bluegrass than polka. And it would certainly reduce my chances of patronizing the businesses in that area if I had to endure it to get to their door. Thanks for the warning.
By jim
October 20, 2011 7:45 AM | Link to this
I happen to like it.
By it's been done before
October 20, 2011 8:40 AM | Link to this
This has been done before in Dayton as well as other communities, often using classical music, to discourage the “young urban” demographic from sticking around. Agreed that it’s not polka. Play more polka!
By Frankie Yankovic
October 20, 2011 8:48 AM | Link to this
Frankie Yankovic is God. Bow down to your God Frankie of the Yankovic urban ne’erdowells!
By Dan
October 20, 2011 9:28 AM | Link to this
As a person who parks in that garage on a daily basis. This has helped tremendously to keep people from loitering making it unsafe. There was vandalism ocurring to the cars during the day which pushed the garage to do this.
By Safety First
October 20, 2011 10:43 AM | Link to this
This is not polka, this is straight yodeling music. It is funny that the complaints about the drug dealers and individuals that feel that pot is legally smoked in this area of downtown are not mentioned.
By Babushka
October 20, 2011 10:49 AM | Link to this
Absolutely not a polka. I would think most of the people in Dayton would recognize Appalachian music.
By Lech Walesa
October 20, 2011 11:33 AM | Link to this
Let’s all sing the beer barrel polka!!!
By Active Dayton team
October 20, 2011 11:36 AM | Link to this
We did eliminate polka references from the entry. Thanks for the notes.
By null
October 20, 2011 12:00 PM | Link to this
frankie you are no god .you are a fool!!!!
By Dido
October 20, 2011 1:49 PM | Link to this
I have seen people that used to hang out at RTA and make trouble, hanging out in this area instead. I am glad that someone is taking it upon themselves to try and fix the situation. We can not count on the police to do everything.
By Just a downtown lass
October 20, 2011 2:02 PM | Link to this
If you both lived and worked downtown you would understand the necessity for the non-aggressive manner of “shooing” criminals and those that loiter from in front of your “honest” business. The RTA hub has brought nothing but heartache to those of us trying to live a decent/upstanding life. Kudos to the parking garage. Shame to ActiveDayton.com for posting their number for calls, that is underhanded.
By Just a downtown lass
October 20, 2011 2:03 PM | Link to this
If you both lived and worked downtown you would understand the necessity for the non-aggressive manner of “shooing” criminals and those that loiter from in front of your “honest” business. The RTA hub has brought nothing but heartache to those of us trying to live a decent/upstanding life. Kudos to the parking garage. Shame to ActiveDayton.com for posting their number for calls, that is underhanded.
By Dawn
October 20, 2011 2:52 PM | Link to this
I have to say I would rather walk into CBCB listening to the yoleding music instead of trying to walk around the pot haze.
By RTA patron
October 20, 2011 3:24 PM | Link to this
Ive rode on the rta for many years. Since the opening of the new hub I have seen an abundance of illegal activity transpire in front of the parking garage. Everything from drug dealing to what i can only assume was a transvestite prostitute looking for business. While the new music is a little annoying, since the yodeling started a few days ago no one has stuck around long enough to do much of anything illegal.
By karon
October 20, 2011 7:06 PM | Link to this
Why not put a streetcar that runs on rail in the downtown area! Streetcars actually help reduce crime and attract business and people to live in the city! The streetcars that are poping up around the cities around the country have actually seen a improvement in the cities!
By downtown lass
October 21, 2011 9:04 AM | Link to this
Karon……..Shhhhhhhhsh with the train crap…. really? Not every article about Dayton relates to your need for trains in Dayton. STICK WITH THE ISSUE NOT YOURS!
By Dude
October 24, 2011 2:35 AM | Link to this
How about a list of Halloween parties at local bars? That is more interesting than any yodeling. It would be nice to know who is charging what in advance in these hard economic times.