Is an Exclusive Invite-Only Dance Club Coming to Orange County, NY?

It's time to party like it's 1999. Or 1969, even. A proposed private club is in the works in Orange County, NY. The twist? It's actually already been here for years.

Private Club in Cornwall, NY

Last week, the planning board of Cornwall, NY heard a proposal from James Ferrara, the owner of The Darkroom Private Lounge to officially be permitted to host private parties. From the April 4th meeting:.

My first step is now for the Dark Room is to become a discotheque LLC, which would allow me to have private parties not open to the public, a space where I can have people come in to dance, get together to celebrate, to have a birthday party, an anniversary party, something small under 40 people ideally.

Ferrara has been hosting these events for years, he says, but only recently learned that a special permit was required. Before appearing before the planning board, a petition was created on Change.org to address his campaign. "I was recently made aware after all these years, that I need to obtain a Special Permit from the town to host parties of any kind", Ferrara wrote. "Myself, along with many others, believe The Darkroom is a much needed amenity to Cornwall, the surrounding towns, and of course Main Street itself"

What Exactly is a Discotheque?

Put simply, a discotheque is defined as a club that plays recorded music, rather than hosting live entertainment. While we (mostly) have dropped the term, and its famous nickname, disco, it can still be a catch-all term to define exactly what is happening inside an establishment. As Ferrara made clear, his event space isn't only for dance parties, but it's good to know it's on the list of possibilities.

Club Status

Ferrara was referred to the town board by the planning committee, as he would need a special permit to operate the disco. After a brief discussion over parking, Ferrara was successfully referred.

Want your own club? What about this $6 million property in Lake Gerge?