It’s the latest chapter in what some have dubbed “Brooklyn’s own Fyre Fest.”
After months of uncertainty, the troubled Brooklyn Mirage will be demolished, according to permits filed with the city.
The Real Deal first broke the news that Avant Gardner, Brooklyn Mirage’s parent company and the name of the larger music complex, planned to demolish 32,000 square feet of the venue. Avant Gardner totals 80,000 square feet. The demolition would cost $1.5 million.
It’s the end of a rather turbulent road for the Mirage. The venue shut down last year amid growing public skepticism after two Mirage patrons were found dead in the nearby Newtown Creek in the summer of 2023. In October 2024, Avant Gardner appointed Josh Wyatt as CEO and tasked him with turning things around. Under Wyatt, Avant Gardner boasted that a new and improved venue would be ready in May 2025, launching a now-scrubbed social media campaign that mocked naysayers. Avant Gardner released a full calendar of shows, and fans eagerly anticipated opening day with tickets in hand. However, just a few hours before the first set, the Brooklyn Mirage announced that it was unable to open, due to its failure to obtain certain construction permits.
The gods (aka the city’s’ Department of Buildings), perhaps smiting Avant Gardner for its corporate hubris, pulled the venue’s temporary Certificate of Occupancy. The decision was hardly petty, however, as DOB representatives deemed the venue completely unsafe. Brooklyn Paper reported that venue’s construction issues ran the gamut, including an unstable outdoor stage structure, lack of fire exits and sprinklers, and failure to meet accessibility requirements.
Since last summer, the Avant Gardner team has cancelled all shows, fired Wyatt, and filed for bankruptcy. Brooklyn Mirage’s reopening status remained uncertain all the while, but the demolition news is the final blow.