Jon B Shows Off His Ecofriendly Nightclub

Updated 6:49 AM EST, Wed, Nov 26, 2008

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Jon B, the man behind Home and Guest House, went after two spaces in Chelsea (one was on 21st Street; the other was the Earth space that Noah Tepperberg is now pursuing) before he decided to move on from the neighborhood.

"I didn't want to deal with the hassles," he says. "l figured if I moved away from the action I'd be better off."

Opening up in undertrafficked Hudson Square took chutzpah, especially since the business model of an ecofriendly nightclub is new to the city. He hit on it two years ago during Passover, while on a Florida beach: "I was looking at the sky and ocean and sand and thought, why not do something with the environment?"

Bakhshi says it cost him 35 percent more to build his bi-level venue with LED lights, recycled or recyclable materials, low-flow urinals and sinks, and an air conditioner with a special filtration system (not to mention the consultant that he hired) -- but as far as he's concerned, he didn't take it far enough. If he had access, he would've installed solar panels on the roof. So has this been a lifelong quest?

"My parents always used to tell me not to waste electricity and [to] shut the lights off," says Bakhshi. "I've always been conscious of it -- I guess this is taking it to the next step."

Okay, so he's not Al Gore, but he is hoping to work with foundations in order to raise awareness. And he's also talking to “several different well-known chefs” about installing a food program of small plates. Sightings so far: Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, David Blaine, Kevin Spacey, Joel Madden, and Eli Manning.

Greenhouse, 150 Varick St., at Vandam St.; 212-807-7001