Gelareh Khoie likes finally having some neighbors.

Days before the master-of-all things-thirtyninehotel (that's "managing director" to the rest of us) prepared to celebrate her downtown gallery/performance loft's first birthday on Saturday night, Khoie mused on the positive aspects of having like-minded folk downstairs and next door. In her case, neighbors like urbane urban beer joint Bar 35 on one side, and cinema/music lounge Next Door on the other.

"When you're next-door neighbors with someone, you always go and borrow a glass of milk or a couple of eggs," said Khoie. "With us, it's like, 'Can I get some ice? Can I get some ones (dollar bills)?' It's great."

Khoie opened thirtyninehotel in August 2004 with hopes of attracting artists of all stripes — painters, sculptors, photographers, musicians, DJs, dancers, etc. — to a gallery that would revel in their unheralded diversity. They didn't come "in droves" or "bang the door down" in numbers as she would have liked. But she did sort of get her wish.

Monthly gallery exhibitions have showcased mixed-media works by emerging local artists Joe Pa'ahana, Zana Tsutakawa, Ryuta Nakajima and Mike Ming, among others. Local musicians playing thirtyninehotel evening events have included Suspicious Minds, X-Factor and Mabanzi Marimba.

Virtually founded at thirtyninehotel, the inventive music collective Newjass Quartet has held down a well-attended modern jazz showcase on Tuesdays since the venue's opening.

Then there are those new neighbors.

Inspired by thirtyninehotel's pioneering spirit and success smack dab near what was once, likely, one of Chinatown's top 5 seediest crossroads, Cinema Paradise founders Sergio Goes and Chris Kahunahana opened Next Door next door in June. Indigo Eurasian Cuisine owner Dave Stewart opened Bar 35 the following month.

Both appear to be doing well. Next Door, in addition to serving as Cinema Paradise's new home, has brought in an impressive lineup of DJs and musicians (Interpol's Carlos D, house legend Doc Martin, among them) and hosts a live local music night called The HNL on Thursdays. And just try finding an empty klatch of seats at Bar 35 'round pau-hana on a Friday.

No one is more pleased by their success than Khoie.

"For (thirtyninehotel) to be received so well by the community here, to the point of changing the business landscape of the area ... those are some major impacts I wasn't really prepared for," she said.

Khoie also lauded years of pre-thirtyninehotel sweat put in by other organizations intent on promoting culture and the arts and improving the business climate in Chinatown as catalysts for change.

Khoie, a year ago, was simply hoping that her "big ideas" for thirtyninehotel would fly, and keep its doors open. With some degree of tweaking along the way, both have happened.

"There was a time when we first got our liquor license (in February) that we were saying, 'Oh, we should have more parties — reggae night, movie night, this night, that night,' " said Khoie. "And at some point, (manager/marketing director) Richard (Ralya) and I felt really exhausted. We were just going down the wrong path."

After five months leading up to an insane July "where we had a (Mainland) DJ coming out every other week," Khoie and her small group of staffers, security personnel and DJs pared back their night work. You know, lest they lose their sanity.

"We decided to kind of go back to our roots of when we first opened," said Khoie. "We were only open on Tuesday nights for jazz and Saturday nights for our little disco dance music party at first. And that's what we're back to now."

The gallery is also open evenings for First Friday — this month's edition drew a record 889 visitors — and occasional one-off events, like a recent benefit for Hurricane Katrina victims. With thirtyninehotel's renewed focus on its artist exhibitions, the time off from the night shift has given Khoie and Ralya a bit more time to work on their own art again. Both will finally have exhibitions at thirtyninehotel later this year.

Khoie plans to shut down thirtyninehotel come January for some major "visual renovation," details of which she insisted on keeping top secret.

"There'll be lots of Astro-turf," she joked.

We'll alert the neighbors.

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.