Brooklyn Mirage Demolition Finally Approved, Set to Begin in February

The demolition process is expected to cost $1.5 million and will be completed by April or May of this year

After roughly three months, demolition of The Brooklyn Mirage has finally been approved and is set to start on Monday, February 2, according to Department of Buildings and Community Board records.

Community Board 1, which represents East Williamsburg, where the Mirage is located, was notified on January 21 by an employee of Mirage’s parent company Avant Gardner of the impending knockdown. The letter says the full demolition of its current three-story structure is expected to be completed in April or May, which could complicate the re-opening plan put forth by Axar Capital Management—the new but tentative owner of Avant Gardner and Mirage—in court papers, where it stated its intent to be ready for shows by Spring 2026 (sounds familiar). The demolition itself will cost $1.5 million (plus a $1,271.40 filing fee).

But first, Axar, who bought Avant Gardner for $110 million in October, needs to clear some hurdles in the courtroom. As BKMAG exclusively reported on January 1, the Dubai-based holding company for Pacha, a global nightlife brand, was expected to enter into a deal with Axar to buy Avant Gardner and turn its flagship venue, Brooklyn Mirage, into Pacha New York.

However, a group of unsecured creditors for the Mirage has since pulled its support for a bankruptcy agreement after it learned that the deal was brokered “under the cover of darkness,” without the knowledge of the debtors, committee of creditors, or the bankruptcy court.

The venue, which underwent a $30 million renovation last offseason, never opened due to failed safety inspections. Its parent company, after declaring bankruptcy, filed for demolition of the Mirage in October. Shortly after the permits were submitted, the city’s Department of Buildings issued objections to Avant Gardner’s application for demolition, before they were ultimately approved in late January.

As delays, permitting issues, and court woes continue to unfold, many in the electronic music community have been left wondering when, or even if, they will be able to dance again on Stewart Avenue.