Jerome Sherman and Rich Lord have the story:
There seem to be two different stories going on here. First is the procedural zoning story - was the place doing business in a way proscribed by the city's zoning laws and if it was did it get the city to look the other way with some well-placed political donations. And second is the lascivious sex story - Ohmigodohmigodohmigod gay men having sex! At a health club! And buying lubricant! And watching porn! In Pittsburgh!A racy Strip District club at which a man died Sunday was threatened with closure by the city of Pittsburgh in August but it was allowed to continue to operate after its politically connected owners approached city officials.
Although Club Pittsburgh is zoned as a health and fitness center, the city initially ordered it to close because of other adult-related activities that didn't comply with its operating permit. The club's Web site has pictures of nude and partially clothed men in erotic poses and a complaint filed with the city claimed there was open sexual activity at the club.
Those owners, Peter Karlovich and Steven Herforth, hold political fundraisers at their Mount Washington home, including one for Mayor Luke Ravenstahl in May 2007. When the Bureau of Building Inspection threatened to close the club, they appealed to Council President Doug Shields, and then to the mayor's Chief of Staff Yarone Zober, who connected them with city lawyers.
After talks with the club, the city lawyers told building inspectors to let it stay open pending discussions that never occurred.
Somehow I suspect that had the details of the second story been different, the first would not be so prominent.
But I could be wrong.
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