The Midnight Hookah Lounge is located at 695 S. Main St. in Middletown.

MIDDLETOWN — Weekends offer a lot of people an opportunity for extra sleep, but one Highland Street resident said his weekends only offer honking cars, loud voices, and a lot of aggravation because of the overnight operation of a business across the street.

However, the operator of the Midnight Hookah Lounge at 695 S. Main St., said he has made improvements to reduce the noise and enhance security.

The neighbor, Joe Zurlo, father of a 15- and 12-year old, lives kitty-corner from the lounge. The rented space is in a building also containing a Denny’s Restaurant and tattoo parlor. The neighborhood is mixed use — mostly businesses — with Zurlo’s home across the street, and a couple of apartments located above other businesses in a separate, nearby facility.

Zurlo has lived in his house for 16 years. When he moved in, it was a mixed-use neighborhood. “That hasn’t changed,” he said.

The problem, Zurlo said, is that the lounge opens at midnight and remains open until 4 a.m. on Saturday, Sunday, and sometimes Friday. “It’s strange hours,” he said.“I was being woken up by honking cars and yelling kids. We aren’t getting any sleep.”

Operator Hossom Abudawood said he has tried to be responsive and respectful of neighbors. “We don’t want to bother him,” said the businessman, who also runs a hookah lounge in Groton.

“We want to respect him. I’m trying hard to work with him, but he won’t work with us. He just wants to call the police,” he added.

Zurlo, who works six days a week, said his children are also awoken by the sounds. “Can I get a quiet weekend at my house?” he asked. “I want my peace and quiet back.”

There was a dance studio in the space before the hookah lounge opened. “It’s a very quiet neighborhood,” Zurlo added. “Now we have kids hanging out outside all night.” He said patrons are drinking alcohol outside the club, which does not serve alcohol or food.

Patrons are invited to bring alcohol, said Abudawood, who charges $20 for entrance.

Both men say lounge patrons congregate in a parking lot outside the hookah lounge property, across from the restaurant.

Abudawood said he has taken a number of measures to address Zurlo’s complaints, including reducing the volume of music played inside the club. He said he doubled his security staff, so there are now two posted outside the club, and two inside at all times. He also closed the parking lot at the building he rents so patrons have to leave their vehicles two lots away — again, he said, to reduce the noise Zurlo experiences.

“If he comes to us, we can work something out,” Abudawood said. “We’re trying hard to solve the problem. We don’t allow customers to hang out in our parking lot. Not even our employees. It’s the best I can do.”

He said the legal capacity of the club is 116 patrons, but that he only allows about 70 in at a time.

Middletown Mayor Ben Florsheim said he is aware of the situation and knows that Zurlo has contacted his office about the matter. “I can certainly sympathize with the neighbor,” he said. The business has approval to operate, he said, but that “does not exempt them from health codes and noise ordinances.

“If there is anything actionable, we will act on it,” the mayor said. “It’s on our radar, and, if there are continued issues, we’ll look at them.”

Police Chief Erik Costa said records show that police have been called 17 times, most — but not all — from Zurlo. Passersby have also complained, the chief said.

Authorities responded, Costa added, but found only a group of people and an occasional “skirmish.” No arrests resulted, and the patrons generally respond well to police requests to quiet down, he said. Patrons are not on the business’ property and “once they leave (Abudawood’s) establishment, it’s on the patron,” he added.

“When police respond and tell people to quiet down, they complied,” Costa said, adding that the business hours are not a law enforcement or police matter. “Hours of operation aren’t in my scope of authority,” he said. “He’s allowed to be open.”

However, Costa said, “We will be more strict in enforcing the breach of peace laws.”

“The owner has been receptive,” the chief added. “He’s been understanding — not belligerent or defiant.”

Abudawood said he has taken all the steps city government required, including those from the fire marshal, building department, Planning and Zoning Commission and law enforcement.

When officers came to the hookah lounge last weekend, Abudawood explained, “I let them in ... I respect them. I work with them to resolve this problem. We aren’t doing anything illegal.”