Warren night spot shut down temporarily - 21 News Now, More Local News for Youngstown, Ohio -

WARREN, Ohio - A new Warren business is ordered to shut down, at least temporarily, just days after its grand opening.

Warren city leaders have taken swift action, posting a brightly colored cease and desist order on the front door of the old warehouse at 2226 McMyler Street NW.

The unmarked building opened as Stiletto's private club on Saturday, and Warren officials say the business also opened without the proper occupancy permit.

"They are not to use or occupy the building until such time as they get the appropriate permits for the occupancy, which includes providing the construction drawings to the Warren City Building Department as to how the business will be laid out for this particular usage," said Warren Law Director Greg Hicks.

Occupancy permits are critical to make sure that the public is protected, especially when one type of business is transformed into another; like a former warehouse that has become a nightclub of sorts.

Safety could become an issue in the unfortunate event of a fire or some type of other emergency, Hicks said

"If you're going to have 200 people in here to watch a band for example, darn it, you need enough exits. But until they file for permits, for that occupancy, that's when we'll know what it is and if there's any additional concerns regarding zoning, regarding the health department, regarding any other agencies," Hicks said.

The business sits in an old gray warehouse across the street from a residential neighborhood, and the club has been advertised on the web offering patrons a dip in the hot tub, stripper poles and allegedly hoping to attract those interested in a "swing life style."

Calls to the owner of the business to find out exactly what the building is being used for were not returned.

Warren 7th Ward Councilman Eddie Colbert says, "I'm not concerned with what type of club it is at this time. I'm more concerned with the idea that you will not do business within our city if you are not pulling the proper permits, and licenses to operate that business."

Council President Bob Dean is pleased with the city's quick actions to protect the public. But he wants to remind everyone that the city is very business friendly, and will only shut a business down if they don't do the right thing.

"I'm really concerned that when they start hearing these stories that they shut this bar down in Warren and they shut that club down in Warren, that we'll get the reputation for not being business friendly. But you know our mayor is the most business friendly on the planet. But we're going to weed out the bad ones, and keep the good ones," Dean said.

For now, Warren officials say the priority is to make sure that the business has the right permits to open in the city.

As for the type of business that's being operated, the law director says he'll have a better idea when the owner applies for the permits, "I'm not here to judge moralistic issues, I'm only here dealing with legal issues. Obviously, if any of the activities are illegal, they will be dealt with," Hicks said.