Landlord shuts down Hamilton’s Zen Lounge after last month’s shooting

A property manager has shut down a popular downtown Hamilton bar following a shooting late last month.

Core Urban owns the John and Jackson Building in which Zen Lounge is located. On Aug. 30, police said more than 80 shots were fired across Jackson and Bowen streets, and injured three young men who had just left Zen Lounge.

Core Urban announced the closure in a letter posted outside the establishment.

The Hamilton Spectator reports that the letter reads, in part: “A downtown in fear is not the Hamilton we know or we want to foster.”

Steve Kulakowsky, a co-founder of Core Urban, told CHCH News that they met with the owners of Zen Lounge to see if guidelines could be established. After the meeting, they say they were not satisfied with the outcome and felt that closing the lounge was necessary.

A written notice was then posted inside the commercial building to notify the tenants.

“The shooting last week sent shockwaves through our community,” said Kulakowsky in a statement. “As the week progressed and more information emerged, it became clear that individuals involved in the shooting were allowed to enter the unit through the back entrance and avoided security check.”

“Putting the public at risk is completely unacceptable and won’t be tolerated.”

Kulakowsky said there are no current plans on what will be done with the space.

This is a developing news story. More to come.

READ MORE: Assault rifle among firearms used in weekend Hamilton shooting that injured 3 men

This article previously stated that Core Urban owns Zen Lounge, which is incorrect. Core Urban owns the building in which Zen Lounge is located.