Iowa City and the owners of the hookah bar that was the site of a killing earlier this year have agreed to limit the lounge’s hours and allow the Iowa City Police Department to enter the lounge at any time.
The court ordered H-Bar to cease business operations effective immediately after 2 a.m. every day and not allow any customers on the premises after that time. The order also requires the business owners to permit ICPD officers to enter H-Bar at any time during regular business hours to conduct “community caretaking functions.”
“They recognize the reports of public safety and they want to cooperate with the city and with the proprietor in maintaining public safety,” said Kevin Caster, an attorney representing the hookah smoking parlor’s landlords. “All of the parties have expressed that interest in the course of the agreement of a temporary injunction.”
Lee Hermiston, the ICPD public safety information officer, said community caretaking functions involve the officers’ entry in the H-Bar when it is open to the public to prevent and respond to public safety concerns, and also to develop and maintain relationships with the business owners.
The temporary injunction will cover operations at H-Bar until a permanent resolution can be reached according to an Iowa City news release. The injunction states that this action is not seen by the court as the owners of H-Bar admitting liability or wrongdoing for a slew of fights, shootings and other calls for service over the past year in the area surrounding the property.
The hookah lounge, located at 220 S. Van Buren St., has online hours listed between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and its Facebook page also said it is open 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Thursdays.
Iowa City filed this petition in Johnson County District Court in October following the city’s first homicide of the year when a man was shot and killed in the alley outside of H-Bar earlier that week. The city argued in its petition the owners of H-Bar have not taken adequate measures to mitigate the public safety threat that the bar poses.
The city initially sought to close the bar entirely. The city attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment and it is unclear whether the city is still seeking that.
Iowa City’s first homicide of 2022 still remains unsolved
Hermiston also told the Press-Citizen the shooting that killed Waymond Thomas of Iowa City remains unsolved and ICPD has not charged anyone in connection with it. He said the investigation remains ongoing.
The city increased patrols around H-Bar and the petition to close the business said it has unsuccessfully attempted to solve the ongoing issues with the property owners.
The petition that argued for the court to close H-Bar entirely stated that Iowa City police have responded to 173 calls for service at 220 S. Van Buren St. between Jan. 1 and Oct. 26. Police responded to only 23 calls for service at this address between 2016 and 2021, meaning calls have increased by 4,400% since it opened as H-Bar on Dec. 31, 2021 compared to the previous five years.
This includes another shooting that injured one person in August. Hermiston said no arrests have been made in this case either.
Anyone with information about this or any other open investigation to come forward and speak with ICPD, or use Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous. Tips can be submitted to Crime Stoppers by phone at 319-358-8477.
Hookah bar owner and landlord to work with city to maintain public safety
James Miller is listed as the owner of H-Bar and Groundwork LLC. Miller’s attorney, Thomas Maxwell with Leff Law Firm, did not respond to a request for comment.
Bryan Clark of Apartments Downtown, one of Iowa City’s largest landlord companies, is listed as the owner in Johnson County property records. Clark is not directly named in court documents and the LLC does not appear on the Iowa Secretary of State’s business entity database, but it is listed as the deedholder on the Iowa City Assessor’s website.
Caster — the landlord’s attorney — refused to provide his client’s name.
Caster said his client voluntarily agreed to terms of the temporary injunction, but did not state what his client’s goals for the future of his property are with this injunction in place and possible stricter decision pending.
H-Bar, a lounge in which patrons smoke flavored tobacco from hookah pipes, does not have a liquor license or serve alcohol.
George Shillcock is the Press-Citizen’s local government and development reporter covering Iowa City and Johnson County. He can be reached at (515) 350-6307, GShillcock@press-citizen.com and on Twitter @ShillcockGeorge