By Gregory Korte and Jane Prendergast
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cincinnati City Council refused to take action this week against the liquor license of an Over-the-Rhine nightclub with a history of violent incidents. So the landlord did.

The Next Level on Sycamore Street was boarded up Friday as the owners of the building, Sycamore Gardens Real Estate LLC, took action to evict the club.

Sycamore Gardens President Steven Ross did not return a call seeking comment. But a letter he posted at the property Friday informed club owners Waleia and Farrah Jackson that Sycamore Gardens was "taking repossession of the property."

Sycamore Gardens also owns the liquor license.

City Council Republicans moved to object to an annual renewal of that license Wednesday, but Democrats blocked the move.

The hip-hop nightclub was the only African-American-oriented venue in the Main Street entertainment district. Rap artist 50 Cent performed there in February, just one week after his much-heralded debut album hit stores.

But police complained that the nightclub had become a magnet for illegal activity. In 2002, police responded to the corner of 12th and Sycamore streets 507 times. Twenty-eight were for shots fired.

Councilman Pat DeWine said council should show it's serious about reducing the city's violent crime rate by shutting the club.

But Vice Mayor Alicia Reece said the Next Level shouldn't be held responsible for what happens outside.

"If we're going to hold every property owner responsible for something that happens outside a club, or outside someone's home, we're going to be closing down an awful lot of places," she said.

E-mail gkorte@enquirer.com and jprendergast@enquirer.com