Twilo - Closing

Closing

Twilo had been under pressure to close from then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani ever since the launch of his controversial quality-of-life campaign. Still, the club managed to hold onto its cabaret license until early 2001, when a spate of previous allegations re-surfaced in connection with a claim by city authorities that the club's manager had misused private ambulances to hide victims of drug overdoses. In fact, club management claimed that the ambulance was obtained by recommendation of the city.

Several run-ins with New York city authorities starting in 1998 concerning drug-related incidents apparently caused the city to stonewall the club's re-application in October 2000 for a cabaret license, a requirement for all dancing venues in New York City. In July 2000 James Wiest, an undergraduate from Johns Hopkins University was found unconscious in a back room. He had allegedly been put into the lobby after passing out on the dance floor. He later died of a suspected drug overdose. The club was never charged in his death. This was not the first fatal overdose associated with Twilo.

In June 1998 a female named Brigette Murray had died, also from a drug overdose. The club's lawyer asserted friends of Brigette Murray had informed the police that while she had in fact visited the club earlier in the evening her death did not take place there. Another allegation was that undercover police during an eight-month period, also in 1998, had made 18 drug buys (of which two led to arrests). These older grievances were now brought back to life. Daniel S. Connolly of the New York City Law Department stated: "There are a series of serious public-safety issues that are of grave concern We believe we are able to convince the court that this is not a responsible organization that should continue to operate. The fact that people are dying inside of there there is a pattern of reckless disregard of the safety of the clientele." Twilo general manager Mike Bindra on the other hand asserted that the club had done everything in its power to appease the city authorities even taking to extreme measures like hiring three undercover guards, "We pull people aside all night—we are literally on the verge of violating people's civil rights, just short of forcing them to give a blood test when they walk in." It was apparently in connection with the accusations against the club for its lack of response to the previous drug incidents that the decision to retain EMT ambulances at the club throughout opening hours was made.

During the early hours of May 6, 2001, Twilo was raided and its occupants were evicted. The authorities cited the reason for the closing was an expired Certificate of Occupancy. The club remained closed due to its inability to fulfill the long list of the city's mandates and regulations. Twilo's sound system, disco ball and awning were sold online soon after, ending any speculation that it might reopen in the near future.