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New energy continues to build through the South End
 Gaining
Altitude
New dance club in New Bedford takes it to another level
By Jennette Barnes, Standard-Times staff writer
Photo credit Andrew T. Gallagher/Standard-Times special
Date of Publication: November 02, 2006 on Page A11
Iris Colon and Michelle O'Brien, both of New Bedford,
and Vicki Lavoie of Carver take to the dance floor on a
Friday night at Club Altitude.
Saturday is the night to find a packed dance floor at
Altitude, the new club in New Bedford's South End.
On a recent Friday, the scene was more relaxed. Dancers
didn't hit the floor until 11:30.
In the 10 o'clock hour, DJ Tony T played "Boogie Fever"
and "Disco Inferno," along with "Start the Commotion"
(known to many as the Mitsubishi song).
The sound got newer, and the crowd younger, as the night
wore on.
Even if things were a little slow, most Altie-goers
raved about the club.
Of course, in New Bedford, a bit of the good stuff goes
a long way. Patrons described existing dance clubs in
the city as déclassé, prone to fights, and in the case
of one Ashley Boulevard institution, "a retirement
home."
With the exception of Bar 908 downtown, thriving dance
floors in the Gritty City are hard to find. So it was no
surprise to hear people at Altitude praise the
8,000-square-foot night spot.
"It's a very nice club, high class," said Gary LeBlanc,
a Fairhaven man in his 40s.
Gushed 27-year-old Wendy Andrade of New Bedford, "I
think it's awesome."
The place offers a taste of Providence or Boston without
the worry about a long drive home, she said.
She and mom Debbie Andrade, 46, liked the palpable level
of security.
At the ground floor entrance, bouncers do an ID check,
use a machine to photograph each ID, and scan patrons
with a hand-held metal detector. ("We usually have the
guys empty their pockets," the bouncer said when a woman
questioned why she was waved through after setting off
the detector.)
Once people clear security, they ride a glass elevator
to the fourth floor of the old mill building.
Renovated in the 1980s, 651 Orchard Street failed as an
upscale outlet mall called Howland Place. It now houses
a gym, day care, and offices, but the top floor stood
cavernous and vacant until co-owners Ken Rapoza and
Janis Sharek came along.
Now that the club is open, they hope to develop the rest
of the floor as a Dave and Buster's-style establishment,
with food and elaborate arcade games. Mr. Rapoza
projected construction would start by June.
The owners know the food game — they also own the
Naughty Dawgs hot dog joint in Fairhaven.
Back at the club, patrons step from the elevator into an
anteroom, painted with clouds awash in lights that
slowly change colors. A glass door welcomes them to the
club interior.
Old-mill industrial meets Mediterranean in the decor.
The mammoth mill windows and columns are intact. A
tiered fountain stands in the entrance.
Seating areas have sconce lighting with dangling
crystals, and chandeliers salvaged from a church
illuminate the main bar.
Different types of seating and a second bar surround the
dance floor.
A VIP lounge, separated from the rest of the club by a
knee wall, is booked for Saturday nights through the
holidays, Mr. Rapoza said. That means locals are ready
to drop some cash: Reservations cost $200 for one of
four seating areas, or $775 for the whole space. Prices
include a liquor package and cold hors d'oeuvres of
cheese, fruit, and shrimp.
With the exception of some friends of Mr. Rapoza,
though, the VIP lounge was empty on that Friday.
Club patrons said they hope the Friday pace picks up.
"It's a little dead tonight," said Mitch Cravero, 33, of
Dartmouth. "I have heard it's packed on Saturdays."
The crowd is "nicer" than other local haunts, he said.
A sizeable crowd will be necessary to cover the cost of
staff, which on that recent Friday evening included 15
security guards and eight bartenders.
Stereo equipment installed to the tune of $150,000 makes
the DJ booth a multimedia command center, controlling
the colored lights with the click of a mouse. Two
retractable screens can display music videos or
customized images for private parties.
On Saturdays, Mr. Rapoza said, hired dancers take to the
stage in front of the DJ booth.
He hired live bands on two recent Fridays, but after a
while, people started leaving, apparently because they
expected a DJ, he said. He's not sure if he'll hire a
band again — "maybe Thursdays," he said.
In the meantime, Thursdays are college nights, with
drink specials and a $3 cover for those with college ID.
The cover on that Friday was $7.
Drink prices are reasonable, said Dennis Costa, 43, of
New Bedford. He paid $3.75 for a Heineken.
Just before midnight, 12 people were on the dance floor.
But one club-goer reports that the following night,
Altitude hosted a larger crowd befitting its big-city
vibe.
For information, visit altitudetheclub.com or call (508)
990-1222.
Contact Jennette Barnes at jbarnes@s-t.com or (508)
979-4446. |
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