On top of these setbacks, the building sustained damage during this summer's floods.

In a story Tone Madison published in December 2017 about Parhamovich's civil-forfeiture case, Parhamovich said he intended to use the old recording studio as a personal, multi-use music and arts space, and did mention the possibility of hosting some events there.

"As long as I can live and do my projects, I'm going to kind of treat it as my house," Parhamovich said at the time.

At one time that meant recording electronic music under the name Star Monster. But starting in May, audiences (of up to 150 people, according to a capacity listing posted on the electronic music site Resident Advisor) attended shows at the space. Some events lasted until 6 a.m.—much later than above-board venues are allowed to operate or serve alcohol in Madison—and were promoted through Facebook and Reddit. Some of the promotional posts for these events touted the building's history as "the recording studio that Nirvana, Garbage, L7, Killdozer, Smashing Pumpkins, and Butch Vig all called home up until 2010."

Parhamovich's former venue manager, Thomas Stavlo, says the Press Play team considers the site a private residence, where Parhamovich happened to host music.

"The idea was for stuff like punk-rock one night, a photo gallery the next, a yoga class, and then to feature electronic shows for the weekends," Stavlo says. "It's [Parhamovich's] private residence that he is deciding to host private parties at."

But the venue charged covers and sold alcohol at at least some of its events, which means it was operating as a business, or at the very least in a legal grey area. Some shows at the space were promoted as BYOB events, suggesting the team backed off on alcohol sales at some point.

Madison-based musician Isaac deBroux-Slone, whose band Disq played at Press Play in June, says organizers instructed attendees not to linger outside and didn't allow anyone who left the building to re-enter. Smokers were told to take cigarettes to the basement.

"It wasn't as bad as that would make you think," says deBroux-Slone. "It'd be a great space for hi-fi sessions or something like that."

DeBroux-Slone also says that while organizers pitched the show as 21-and-up, bands could bring in minors by putting their names on a guest list.

For his part, Stavlo says he advised against liquor sales.

According to Parhamovich, Press Play isn't currently seeking an entertainment license or a liquor license, but is instead exploring ways to "rezone" the location for a variety of community arts activities. He also says he organized shows without realizing they weren't allowed.

"We haven't really known about how to do the proper zoning," Parhamovich says. "The city's helping with that."

Though Parhamovich didn't elaborate on what he meant by helping, Zilavy said that city officials have directed him to the proper channels for obtaining permits. However Parhamovich ends up using the building, it's an ambitious undertaking. New, high-end developments are popping up fast along that stretch of East Wash, and the Smart Studios property is currently valued at $251,000, Dane County property records show.