You can't park your Lamborghini here anymore, Raleigh tells nightclub owner

Move your Lamborghini.

That was the message business owners in the Glenwood South district gave a nightclub owner who claimed a valet zone as his sports car’s personal parking space.

Staff at Raleigh City Hall began hearing complaints about the loitering Lambo parked in the valet zone in front of Alchemy, a popular dance club, in August 2016. The complaints eventually reached the City Council that on Tuesday voted to remove Alchemy’s valet zone. Council members agreed with local business owners that the zone was “not being operated for the lawfully intended purpose.”

The white Lamborghini belongs to Dan Lovenheim, who owns Alchemy and other late-night haunts, including Cornerstone Tavern in Glenwood South, a popular nightlife hub near downtown. The city originally approved the valet zone in the 600 block of Glenwood Avenue in February 2016. It was only in effect during Alchemy’s business hours, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. At all other times, the area was available for public parking.

But since then, some people say, the Lamborghini has enjoyed the spacious sanctuary of the valet zone during late-night hours.

Parking in Glenwood South has become increasingly difficult as more bars and restaurants have opened. Alchemy is listed as No. 5 on Yelp’s best dance clubs in Raleigh.

The Glenwood South Neighborhood Collaborative lists 14 nearby parking areas, but most of them have fewer than 30 spaces. So some people weren’t thrilled when Lovenheim commandeered a valet zone big enough for three cars.

“Those spaces are important,” said Gordon Dash, parking administrator for Raleigh.

Lovenheim could not be immediately reached for comment Friday.

Employees of several local businesses who answered the phone this week declined to comment.

Raleigh police officers determined that the valet zone at Alchemy was not used for valet service, according to a city staff report. That determination was corroborated by “two ranking officers (who) have stated the Club owner admitted the same to them during a meeting on Oct. 30, 2017,” the report says.

The city gave Lovenheim a month to appeal his case to the city’s director of transportation, but no appeal was filed.

“The only consequence for (Lovenheim) is the money lost on making it a valet zone,” Dash said.

And, of course, the loss of a convenient parking spot for a car that can sell for more than $200,000.

In the coming weeks, the valet zone will return to public parking during all hours.

This story was originally published June 22, 2018 at 2:18 PM with the headline "You can't park your Lamborghini here anymore, Raleigh tells nightclub owner."