Steve Lohse has had to battle loud music at night for years.

“;It literally vibrates your furniture,”; said the Chinatown Gateway Plaza resident. “;When they really get going, you cannot stop the bass. There is nothing you can do.”;

Another Chinatown resident, Anthony Marlin, said he has to turn up his television to drown out music from an art center on King Street.

“;It's annoying,”; Marlin said.

As community leaders encourage revitalizing the Chinatown area with new businesses that create a hip atmosphere, some residents say the club music at night is ruining their sleep. Chinatown, a mixed-use area, houses residents among businesses and late-night bars.

Frank Lavoie, chairman of the Downtown Neighborhood Board, said the noise complaints appear to be rising again after a recent calm.

He said he wants to see an increase in Chinatown businesses—as long as they cooperate with residents, because they generate foot traffic that deters unsavory activity.

In September, the Honolulu Liquor Commission denied Harbor Court Bistro a permanent liquor license because residents complained, forcing it to go out of business.

No one has an exact number of residents bothered by the noise, since they can call in anonymously, said Honolulu Liquor Commission Administrator Dewey Kim.

Club noise is particularly troublesome because of the bass that's more common in popular music, Kim said.

The commission, which cites bars for noise violations, is ordering new meters that can measure the bass levels, he said. But even with new meters, there is no state rule that says when bass music is a violation.

Rep. Karl Rhoads, who represents the area, says he's asking the commission to include bass readings in their violation standards. He's working on legislation to determine what bass level constitutes a violation.

“;They (clubs) could make the whole problem go away just by turning the volume down a few notches,”; he said.

Gelareh Khoie, owner and managing director of thirtyninehotel, a Hotel Street club, sympathized with residents and said she hasn't received any complaints.

But as a former Chinatown resident, she recalled the area was noisy before the popular clubs arrived.

“;It's just a noisy area,”; she said.

Several complaints have been directed at NextDoor, another Hotel Street bar, according to the Liquor Commission.

The bar lost its liquor license this summer because it didn't renew it in time, said co-owner Chris Kahunahana.

Since then, it's opened about twice a month under a special-event license.

He said the club spent thousands of dollars to reduce noise, from installing double entrance doors to adding air-conditioning that allows the windows to be closed. He is trying to reopen the club next month.

“;It's unfortunate, but it is a mixed-use (neighborhood) and we are licensed to do what we do,”; he said. “;The neighborhood is going to be growing, and there's going to be additional noise, especially if it grows in the direction that everybody wants it to.”;

While several complaints have come from Chinatown Gateway Plaza, at the corner of Nuuanu Avenue near Hotel Street, some residents at Chinatown Manor also are saying they are bothered.

“;The problems persist,”; said resident Andrew Marlin, referring to Ong King Art Center on King Street, which is about 25 feet away from his building. “;Ong King continues to operate as if it's no problem, especially on Sunday evenings.”;

Marlin said the Liquor Commission is not involved because Ong King doesn't have a liquor license. Police can only ask the business to turn the music down.

“;The issue is that no one's talking and no one wants to admit that there's a problem,”; he said.

See Ellauri, Ong King co-owner and Chinatown resident, said he met with the neighborhood board this summer about the noise and they haven't had a complaint in about five months. He said he's been open to working with residents.

“;It's pretty mellow,”; he said. “;We're more about the art and the music than trying to get crazy.”;