Exclusive Photos Of The Day: Farewell To Limelight

With the announcement of the conversion of Limelight into a retail space, we have to wonder if there will ever be any mega clubs again in New York. The empire of Peter Gatien came crashing down in the nineties-- Limelight, Tunnel, Club USA and Palladium-- but name any other nightclub owner who worked with such a stellar diverse lineup of talent -- Moby (DJ), Eric Goode (designed several of Gatien's clubs), Jason Strauss (promoter), Chazz Palminteri (doorman), Mark Ronson (DJ), Funkmaster Flex (DJ), Biggie Smalls (performed at Tunnel), Vin Diesel (security), Pearl Jam (performed at Limelight), the list is endless. Click below for more story, and the first online photos from inside Limelight...

Each night inside the church turned nightlife was like a Broadway production involved lighting technicians, DJs, doorstaff, security, bartenders, barbacks, graphic designers for the invites, drag queens, club kids, event directors, bathroom attendants, promotors, receptionists, accountants, art department. The NY Times asked the question of what comes next in nightlife, and no one seems to know the direction of what will come next-- lounges, gastropubs (?), bars. However, the nineties were the decade of the mega clubs where celebs mixed with drag queens in the VIP rooms, there was no bottle service, models did not make a scene cool, and artists got in for free and got drink tickets, Wall Street guys were rejected at the ropes and there was a sense that the more diverse the crowd, the better a time was to be had. In recognition of a sad farewell to the iconic clubs of the nineties, we are posting some photos from Limelight which will never be a club again. And while the neighborhood may have a sigh of relief, there was time when Chelsea was not the retail row it is today (hello Bed, Bath and Beyond) and was not yet developed into the multimillion dollar lofts and brownstones.