Middle Village construction fence hosts painting & permits

Recently, yours truly came across a painting on a construction fence covered with DOB permits within the friendly confines of Middle Village. Well, this was certainly a new one! So, let's look into it.

The fence stands around what was the former site of a recessed bungalow-style house and a garage which were both torn down.

It's sure looking great now! What a boon to the neighborhood. That fence permit expired about a month ago, but there are no plans filed to do any further work at this site. Surely the local rodent population is grateful for the new habitat provided.

Whitestone wants stalled site dealt with

From the Times Ledger:

Whitestone residents are calling on officials to deal with an abandoned home they say has plagued the neighborhood for over a decade.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Whitestone) and neighbors gathered in front of 168-08 14th Ave., asking Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city Department of Buildings to investigate the status of the abandoned corner home that has been listed as “under construction” for years.

According to residents, construction on the home began years ago but then stopped suddenly. Neighbors described the house as being in an “unhealthy and unsanitary state, creating a breeding ground for rodents.”

Avella said the home first received a DOB permit for construction in 2004 which was renewed in 2008 and 2013. He said the repeated permit renewals led community members to wonder why the city continued to reissue permits for a home that had badly deteriorated. Avella also pointed out that the home had received 10 DOB Environmental Control Board violations and has had 16 complaints from the community.

The DOB said inspectors had been sent to the property to investigate the site as recently as three weeks ago and found that the scene was secure. The agency has issued two violations to the property owner, one for an unpermitted construction fence that was in poor condition and the other for failing to comply with the previously issued violations.

Former Elmhurst Community Garden turned into huge eyesore

Above: before photo from Queens Courier

Below: current site

The owner was in a hurry to kick the kids off the lot and put up a construction fence, but 3 years later, it looks like this? Permit problems?

And how do lots situated right next to each other have different block numbers? And notice the easement passing through them all...

Developer walks away from project

"FYI, the front construction fence around this house has (finally) been taken down, and there is activity (people going in and out):

On 11/13/15: APPLICATION HEREWITH FILED TO RESTORE EXISTING GAS SERVICE TO DWELLING." - Anonymous

6 months of destruction at the Steinway Mansion site

From George the Atheist:

Construction fence kills pedestrian at former St. Vincent's site

From the NY Post:

A real estate agent was killed in a freak accident as she was walking down a Manhattan street — when a gust of wind dislodged a piece of plywood at a nearby construction site and it struck her, authorities said.

The construction site is the former home of the now-shuttered St. Vincent’s Hospital, which is in the process of being converted into a luxury condominium complex called The Greenwich Lane.

The Department of Building issued a stop work order for the site following the accident. The site has racked up several complaints complaints and currently has 11 open violations.

Garbage pile up in Flushing

"As I was walking to the bus, I noticed this garbage all over the place by a construction site on union street and 39 avenue.

I actually first noticed this trash last week sometime, but it seems as if the pile is only getting larger.

I actually first noticed this trash last week sometime, but it seems as if the pile is only getting larger.

Dormant site on major corner

Last July, there was word that the Gulf gas station at Metropolitan Ave and Woodhaven Blvd was for sale. There was a permit issued to remove the underground tanks. So far, that's all the work that has been done on the property. The construction fence looked like this on Saturday night. One can only imagine what's been going on inside...

According to ACRIS, the lot has not yet been sold. But here are the plans:

90-04 Metropolitan Avenue Queens Exclusive Flyer Web 0

Miss Heather's advice to elected officials

From New York Shitty:

Thought of the day: if the leaders of our community want to attract tourists, perhaps they should crackdown on speculators/developers who do not maintain their properties, illegally occupy the sidewalk and/or street with their “accoutrements”*, etc.? Is it just me or are our electeds sort of missing the forest for the trees here?Paul Richard has a sense of humor. It kind of stings, though, doesn't it?

Just what are they building at Wendy's?

Hi, just wanted to pass this further info along to you. One, the developers threw up a plywood construction fence yesterday that also extends halfway into the public sidewalk, I've attached two pics of it. I've sent a complaint via 311 about it, but that will probably go nowhere...

Also, the city approved merging both of the tax lots into one large tax lot now, Block 1549, Lot 28. Putting that in pulls up the old 85-15 Queens Blvd address, but the info field tells you it's been combined and a new address is issued.


Also, the old addresses of these two lots don't give any results on the DOB BIS system anymore (such as Wendy's old 85-07 Queens Blvd). The new address for the whole lot is now 51-35 Reeder St.

And BTW, the plan was resubmitted for that 7-story condo and is pending now under the new address on BIS. Also, it calls for over 325 parking spaces, both below ground and also an above ground, stackable car parking lot business in the the disapproved plans.

Who knows what is being resubmitted again. I even sent an email to the Queens Borough President's Office about this, twice, over a month ago and never received a reply back. I even dug through their useless QBP website and sent the same email to the QBP Planning Director, a J Choi, no reply either.

You know, a brother would start to think something's going on here!

Finally, using the City's Tax Map, you can see the old streams and other artifacts from the previous maps, listed as "Relics" on the tax maps or the old tax maps. You can check it out here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/dof/html/property/property_info_taxmaps.shtml#.

Justin

325 cars?

Jamaica lot finally gets cleaned

Dear Councilman Leroy Comrie, Councilman James Gennaro, Councilman Ruben Wills, Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall, Senator Malcolm Smith, Assemblymember Rory Lancman, Assemblymember Vivian Cook, Assemblymember William Scarborough, Iggy Terranova, Community Board #12 Members, Community Board #8 Members and Other Concerned Individuals:

Check out the article in the Queens Chronicle in regards to the empty lot at 91-22 175th St that was strewn with garbage and had a fence falling down, that pretty much none of you did anything about.

Last Sunday, February 3rd, I took photos of an abandoned lot with garbage galore and a wooden fence that was falling down at 91-22 175th Street and sent a scathing email to all the powers to be including the media. Well the next day, it was taken care of (almost 3 months later after first reporting it!). I had reported this situation back in November of 2012 and then reported it a second time on Sunday, February 3rd after checking the site to see if it was ever taken care of. Why it took so long and why not much seems to be done to this owner, Mimie Jagassar, who has outstanding fines of over $45,000 is another big question and another major problem with our system. How you elected officials, who are supposed to represent Jamaica and actually live here, allow this type of thing to happen over and over again is beyond my comprehension.

I have attached a photo of the lot that I took on February 10th. Yes, it is clean-up and the fence is fixed up, but it is still the same shitty wooden fence that will probably fall apart again and garbage will pile up again while this totally disgusting person who owns this eyesore, Mimie Jagassar from Jamaica, will just continue to do what she has been doing for years, nothing. Until you elected officials make some changes to the laws that allow repeat "pieces of shit" offenders like Mimie Jagassar or the rich white trash family the Gottis (yes, those knuckleheads) do whatever the hell they want in Jamaica, this will continue. Time for some of you to grow a HUGE PAIR and stand up for what is right.

Joe Moretti

Elected officials stand by as lot deteriorates

"Back on November 23rd of 2012 I reported to both Department of Sanitation and Department of Buildings a vacant lot that had all kinds of garbage on it and in front of the sidewalk (garbage bags, tires, litter, etc) and part of the wooden fence had fallen down, making it a dangerous situation (I have the photo attached). This lot is situated between an apartment building (91-26 175th St) and a house (91-20 175th St), so it is not always easy to tell what the address of the empty lot is, but I assume it is 91-22 175th Street. Regardless it is the only empty lot on that block, which is a pretty nice block and relatively clean. The sanitation service request, which I did two were (C1-1-804162201, which I could not find any information) and (2012WB5254085), which they stated "The Department of Sanitation found that the property is a private tax lot and not a vacant lot. Your Service Request was sent to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene for further action." The Department of Buildings service request (C1-1-804162151) also gave no information. I even received a phone call that week in regards to this lot from Department of Sanitation and they were going to check it out.

Well from the after photo, none of the three departments checked it our or did anything about it. Today, February 2, 2013, over 2 months since I reported this major eyesore, nothing seems to have been done, the tire and the big garbage bags are still there, along with new garbage, plus the majority of the fence is now completely down.

This chronic garbage/litter/dumping problem has been going on for way too long with sometimes very little being down to address it or take care of it. Granted this is caused by the low class ghetto/third world immigrant people that populate way too much of Jamaica. But if Jamaica can get cleaned-up and enforcement of litter/dumping laws, maybe better businesses and a better class of people will come into our neighborhood, property values will go up and the low class pieces of garbage who cause this problem will no longer afford to live here and be gone to other areas such as East New York, Brownsville, Hunts Point, etc where they can live among their own kind who engage in the same type of behavior. I really do not give a shit where they get shipped off to as long as they are out of our community for good.

But as long as city leaders and lazy do nothing politicians do not really address this issue, make sure laws are enforced and proper zoning laws are put in place, this issue will continue. I have so little faith in most of the batch of Jamaica politicians, I find them to be pretty much joke, questionable with ulterior motives and do not have the best interest of the community or the people in mind. Because if they did, Jamaica would not look the way it does. When I mention I live in Jamaica, most people just roll their eyes and the words ghetto, crime, dirty, violent, etc pop up. Is that the reputation you want of Jamaica, because that is certainly what you have right now and have had for years.

I lived in Long Island City for many years, even before it was developed and it never looked like Jamaica, not even the low class section where the Queens Projects are. In fact no other area in Queens looks anything remotely like Jamaica nor has the extent of this issue. Again low class people and do nothing questionable city officials and politicians are to blame.

You all should be totally ashamed of yourself for letting this problem get so out of hand for so many years. I certainly will remember you all during elections. For my money, Senator Tony Avella, is the only qualified candidate for Queens Borough President to take over that useless piece of shit Helen Marshall who has sold out most of Queens. Senator Avella is the only candidate who actually cares about Queens and the people as opposed to the other politicians who are whoring out to real estate developers and attempting to sell off our park lands and destroy them (Take note Mr. Comrie, I know where you stand on those issues)."

Joe Moretti

Broad Channel's extra story

Here we are in Broad Channel on Cross Bay Blvd at East 9th Road. I noticed this building which had been started years ago has stalled out.

Looking on the DOB's website, we find that the property has had a couple of stop work orders in place since 2009. Both are for a defective/expired fence. But that seems like an easy enough thing to get resolved. Maybe there's another issue here.

Let's look at what is supposed to be built here. Permits issued in 2010 to developer/engineer Steve Chon were for a one-story retail building containing 3 stores.

Looks like the construction crew forgot to stop at one story. This is why there's a relatively recent complaint from 9/2012. I'm sure DOB will get around to inspecting it eventually...

More trash in Jamaica

Dear Councilman Leroy Comrie, Councilman James Gennaro, Councilman Ruben Wills, Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall, Senator Malcolm Smith, Assemblymember Rory Lancman, Assemblymember Vivian Cook, Iggy Terranova, Community Board #12 Members and Other Concerned Individuals:

Finally after so long of complaining about the empty lot at the NW corner of 170th St & 90th Avenue (and surrounding sidewalks), the owner came out and cleaned everything, the surrounding sidewalks and the lot itself. But how long is this going to stay this way and what are you going to do about this irresponsible and negligent owner of this property? So far, he has come out twice, June of 2011 and June of 2012. What are you going to do to see that the owner of this property (who does not even live in Jamaica) comes out on a regular basis to clean this area? I know all about the red tape, bureaucratic BS involved, but this type of negligent owner needs to be held accountable and if that means changing the system, then change it - you are the leaders in the community, so do something about this, because this is a major problem in Jamaica.

For example, attached are photos of another property, an abandoned house surrounded by a not too steady wooden fence, which has a ton of garbage all over the surrounding sidewalk. The property is located at the 170-05 Cedarcroft Rd (corner of Cedarcroft Rd & Homelawn St). I have brought this to the attention of DOS. This property has been like this for over a year if not more. Not only is it an eyesore, but the building itself does not look too safe, not to mention that part of the fence can be opened and anyone can go inside the lot, which I looked and can tell people have done that. This property is in a very visible area and residential/business area. Again another irresponsible and negligent property owner, one of hundreds who are destroying Jamaica by tearing down nice 1 family homes and leaving the property abandoned to look like an eyesore or building a cheap, 3-4 story eyesore of an apartment building that destroys the quality of the neighborhood and attracts questionable individuals to these type of properties who in turn bring Jamaica down several notches.

The abandoned playground (not city owned, but privately property) at 109th Avenue and 171st St is a major eyesore, which has garbage in the inside and all on the outside of the property. Why is this allowed to be like this for so many years in a residential area? Why is the empty lot at Merrick Blvd and Foch Blvd right across from beautiful Roy Wilkins Park allowed to be a dumping ground for all kinds of garbage for so many years? Why is the 170th Street LIRR Tunnel continually allowed to be a notorious dumping ground? Can any of you answer this? Do any of you want to actually address these problems, find solutions and solve this? This is totally unacceptable for these situations to be allowed to stay this way for such a long period of time. Again I say that this would not be allowed to happen in Long Island City (and before it was developed), Forest Hills, Kew Gardens, Astoria and Rego Park. So why Jamaica? It seems to be a combination of the kinds of people who live here, the absentee property owners and a true lack of leadership concerning this issue. It is like Jamaica is the Wild Wild West where people and property owners can pretty much do whatever they want without little retribution.

I do know that many of you are attempting to do something about this garbage/litter/dumping problem but you really need to come down with the hammer of Thor on this issue. You will never attract the kinds of businesses and people of quality with the current situation here in Jamaica. Right now Jamaica just seems to be attracting more and more of lesser quality people and businesses that do very little for Jamaica except to make it a place where you do not want to live and that is a shame considering the rich history of Jamaica and the possibilities that Jamaica has.

Sincerely,

Joe Moretti

Something not quite right about this...

This is curious since DOB records show that there is still a stop work order in effect and DOF's ACRIS records show no change in ownership since 2009:

What are the "new owner's" plans for the lot? I doubt it's just to beautify Whitestone by planting flowers, as Halloran laughingly suggested to the Courier:

“[Singh and I] both had the same idea of sowing wildflower seeds on the property in the hope that after all these years, our neighbors deserve some beauty, instead of a ghastly eyesore,” Halloran said.

(A challenge for those of you who like brainteasers: How many grammatical errors are contained in that sentence?)

I pray that I am wrong, but to me it sounds like another "bend over for the BSA" opportunity might be heading Whitestone's way.

The lot by Halloran's office - part 2

"Avella got the inside of the lot cleaned up. Let's hope Halloran gets the outside cleaned up. Nice of the owner to put no trespassing and private property signs, did they have to leave the graffiti?" - Anonymous

Corner blight in Corona

Empty lots are often trash magnets and this one at the corner of Corona Avenue and 54th Avenue is no exception.

It wouldn't be so bad if the construction fence shielded passersby from the blight, but the fence itself is an eyesore as well.

This story came out after I posted the above photos:

How Howard got the fence fixed

City sees no problem with eyesore

St. Saviour's work explanation sounds like B.S.

---- Original message ----
Date: Thu, 7 Jul 2011 15:53:30 -0400
From: "Donald Ranshte"
Subject: 405/57-40 58th St. & 57-37/41/45 57 Dr.
To: "Christina Wilkinson", "Ira Gluckman", Byron Muñoz

All,

Please be aware that the four lots here are going to have DOB approved remedial work occurring over the course of the next few days. This will take place while the SWO's and/or PSWO's remain in place.

The water main & sewer contractor has permission to install water mains and sewers from the street, but will be entering into the site, mainly because the DEP permits issued expire after 60 days. Also, work on the perimeter of the lots, mainly consisting of work to the fence.
_________________________________________

Date: Thu Jul 7 16:14:05 EDT 2011
From: Christina Wilkinson
Subject: Re: 405/57-40 58th St. & 57-37/41/45 57 Dr.
To: "Donald Ranshte", "Ira Gluckman", "Byron Muñoz"

Thank you for responding, Mr. Ranshte. My thoughts are as follows:

First of all why should DOB or the community care if the owner's DEP permits expire and they have to reapply for them? That's their problem and they brought it on themselves.

The initial SWO rescind, dated 6/17, specifically says "RESCIND TO BACKFILL 45 ANGLE OF REPOSE AND REMOVE SHED, DEBRIS AND INSTALL GUARDRAILS." Now that's what most people would consider to be remedial work.

The next rescind, dated 7/1, says they may "COMPLETE THE INSTALLATION OF FOUNDATION, MASONRY WALLS AND SLABS" That is not making the site safe, that is allowing construction to proceed.

- Without a construction fence.
- With an undermined adjacent sidewalk.
- Without the required barrier 20' from the retaining wall.
- With plans that don't conform to zoning.
- With permits about to be revoked by the commissioner.

How is that correcting the violating conditions? Shouldn't these other problems be cured first? According to DOB's own records, the owner supposedly "cured" the fence violation on 6/17, then days later was cited for the same exact thing...

It seems to the community that strings are being pulled for these owners. I have never seen DOB partially rescind a stop work order to allow construction to advance. In fact, on most SWOs, the percentage of construction completed is noted and if there is a violation the amount of progress is also noted on that. I see that is not the case here.
_______________________________________

Question:

How does one get a DEP sewer work permit without first getting a DOB plumbing permit?

And if remedial work includes replacing the undermined sidewalk, why do they only have a DOT permit for sewer installation and not one for sidewalk installation/repair?



And if the City truly wants a park here, then what the hell is going on?