Luxury public housing coming after limpdick movie theater demolition

 

Queens Post

The building that housed Sunnyside Center Cinemas on Queens Boulevard will soon be bulldozed to make way for an eight-story, 99 unit apartment complex.

Plans were filed earlier this month for an apartment building at 43-42 43^rd St. that will contain 99 units, ground floor retail space and 138 below-ground parking spaces.

The site is located on the northwest corner of Queens Boulevard and 43^rd Street and at one time housed a Dime Bank branch, Sunnyside Center Cinemas, P.J. Horgan’s and a dental office.

The proposed building will be 79-feet-tall and will yield 73,762 square feet, with 67,098 square feet designated for residential space and 6,664 square feet for commercial space.

John Ciafone, the owner, told the Queens Post that the plan includes approximately 25 affordable housing units. He will be receiving a 421a tax abatement—which will lower his property tax bill—in return for providing the affordable units.

The property does not need to be rezoned in order for the development to take place. However, Ciafone said that he is waiting for the Dept. of Buildings to approve the plans.

He said that upon approval, he would aim to start demolishing the building within 3 months. He said that it would likely take two years to develop the project.

Ciafone, who bought the property at the end of 2012, has been subject to fierce criticism over the years.

Shortly after acquiring the building he made clear that he would not be renewing the leases of the existing tenants—which led to the closure of long-time businesses such as Sunnyside Center Cinemas and P.J. Horgan’s.

All the tenants had left by 2015 and the building has been vacant since.

 Update: 

Forgot to mention the last movie feature that played at this theater earlier this year.

 

Limpdick Litterbug

Now, with part one. Sound on, folks. 😸 https://t.co/w5UpGFaqM5 pic.twitter.com/7yei4xEU5u

— Kween Kuntopia, New York Shitty (@newyorkshitty) June 23, 2021

Ciafone cinema follies continues...

Astoria Post

The marquee sign at a shuttered Sunnyside movie theater was altered for the third time this year with the perpetrators taking yet another shot at landlord and political candidate John Ciafone.

“Ciafone Lost Again, Long Live Radical Communism,” the sign reads, referring to Ciafone’s unsuccessful run Tuesday in the Democratic primary to represent the 22^nd Council District in Astoria.

The latest message comes just months after the perpetrators targeted him by putting up signage that read “Death by Speculation, Starring Limpdick Landlord.”

The harsh messages directed toward Ciafone, however, largely stem from his ownership of the 42-17 Queens Blvd. building containing the movie theater. The site has been vacant for about 6 years, although he plans to develop it in the future.

This time the perpetrators sent an e-mail to the media — explaining their behavior.

“Sunnyside Soyboy Strikes Center Cinemas Again,” the e-mail reads, which comes from the address sunnysidesoyboy@gmail.com.

Ciafone told the Queens Post that the perpetrators put up the latest sign at 3:30 a.m. today. He said that his video footage shows that it is the same people who targeted him in January.

He said he doesn’t have footage of the people who put up the pro-Palestine message, although given what’s involved in putting the marquee signage up he believes it is the same people.

“These people should be ashamed of themselves,” Ciafone said. “Don’t they have anything better to do?”

Ciafone, an attorney, described them as “radicals.”

“These people are anti-American,” he said. “The deface private property and try to stop free speech.”

“They hate the police, hate this country, hate Jewish people, hate everyone and are anti-development and against gentrification,” Ciafone said. “These people are destructive not constructive — and they want to take us back to the ’70s and ’80s when the city was saddled with crime.”

Gentrification is not a good thing Johnny. This is why your marquee is such an easy target.

Caption Ciafone on the campaign trail

 

Making all his nowhere plans for nobody...

Ciafone two times

District 22 city council petition filed. Looks like limp dick landlord is taking another stab at it. 😹 pic.twitter.com/wMqgeonwvd

— Kween Kuntopia, New York Shitty (@newyorkshitty) March 24, 2021

Limpdick Landlord now playing at Sunnyside Cinema

  

Queens Post

The marquee sign at a shuttered Sunnyside movie theater was altered over the weekend with the perpetrator taking aim at the landlord.

“Death by Speculation, Starring Limpdick Landlord,” the sign reads, which appears to have gone up in the past 24 hours.

The vacant cinema, located at 42-17 Queens Blvd., closed in January 2015 after its operator Rudy Prashad was unable to renew the lease.

The landlord, John Ciafone, who bought the property off Dime Savings Bank at the end of 2012, decided that he wanted to develop the property.

Ciafone, who still owns the building, was subject to heavy criticism at the time since a theater had been located at the Queens Boulevard site for more than 40 years.

Prashad, who had operated the theater for nine years and fought to keep the theater open, broke into laughter Sunday when he saw a photo of the altered signage.

“I love it. I’m saving it to my phone and using it as a screensaver,” Prashad said.

“I want to shake his hand,” he said of the perpetrator. “I want to take him out to dinner.”

Ciafone loses Queens Civil Court primary

Total votes: 102,908
(96.53% precincts reporting)

		Candidate	%	Votes
		John Ciafone	28.0	28,825
		Jessica Earle-Gargan	71.6	73,644

Wear a mask and show respect...by John Ciafone

Note how the first responder wears his PPE....

Also that yahoo email address just screams I'm a professional.

Just a reminder...

Thanks to NY Shitty for tweeting me this (wherever she got it from)

The battle for Queens civil court: John "The Canopy" Ciafone vs. Jessica "ex Machina" Earle-Gargan

 

City Limits


Judge of the Civil Court: Queens

Jessica Earle-Gargan: A St. John’s Law School grad like her opponent, Jessica Earle-Gargan is a former Assistant District Attorney who specialized in prosecuting domestic violence crimes, according to her campaign site. A Bayside resident, Earle-Gargan’s other law experience includes serving as court attorney for two Supreme Court justices, where she worked on divorce and child custody cases.

John J. Ciafone: A trial attorney and lifelong Queens resident, John Ciafone studied at St. John’s Law School and has worked as an hearing officer for the city’s Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) and as a small claims court arbitrator. In a campaign ad posted to YouTube, Ciafone described himself as “independent” and criticized the current judicial establishment as beholden to special interests. He made headlines last year when he was fined for advertising his legal services on buildings he owns without a city permit.

Everybody knows about The Canopy as Crapper came back to remind you. But Jessica has, um, quite a machine backing her up.

 Queens County Democratic Organization

Congressman Gregory Meeks

Former Congressman Joe Crowley 

 Found "Qualified" by the Independent Judicial Qualifications Commission

State Senator Toby Stavisky

State Senator Leroy Comrie

Assemblyman Daniel Rosenthal

State Assemblyman Ed Braunstein

State Assemblyman Michael DenDekker

NYC Council member Francisco Moya

NYC Council Member Rory Lancman

NYC Council member Danny Dromm

District Leaders: Ari Espinal, Ellen Raffael, Carol Gresser, Deirdre Feerick, Martha Taylor, Jacqueline Boyce, Yanna Henriquez

Supreme Court Justice Jeremy Weinstein, Ret. Former Administrative Judge Civil Term, Queens County.

Supreme Court Justice, Agustus Agate, Ret.

"Better Call" Saul Weprin Democratic Club

I know I have a proclivity to refer and defer to the Simpsons when I see shit like this, but another one won't hurt. (Yes I know it's one party, but it's still two bad choices)

Vote your conscience comrades.

Just say NO on June 23rd!

Hi folks,

Crapper here. If you've been following the blog for all these years, you are aware that John Ciafone has been somewhat of a problem, and has been in the news for his corruption as late as last December. I just wanted to call your attention to the fact that he is on the Democratic primary ballot, running for a judgeship.

So before you mail in your ballot, early vote or head to the polls on the 23rd, I thought I'd give you the heads up, so you can be prepared to Vote ABC: Anyone but Ciafone!

Cozy relationships may have brought shelter to College Point

From the Times Ledger:

City Councilman Paul Vallone (D-Bayside) confirmed Thursday that a controversial men’s shelter will open in College Point next year.

The Department of Homeless Services (DHS) spoke to Vallone Nov. 14 and notified him that they would be moving forward with the proposed shelter at 127-03 20th Ave.

According to the Vallone, the shelter could come as early as next September.

“Our fears were confirmed that 127-03 20th Avenue has been approved for use as a homeless shelter as early as September 2019,” Vallone said. “David Levitan’s greed sold out all of College Point for profit over the needs of our entire community.”

“This is a site that was deliberately purchased and converted for use as a homeless shelter — a despicable act by one owner who has no regard for the communities he infiltrates. We will continue to fight and stand with College Point,” he added.

Despicable act by one owner?

Yes, it was deliberately purchased and converted for use as a homeless shelter by David Levitan and Steven Berger. So who really sold out College Point since everyone knows what those two are all about? Why, it was none other than Gina Argento of Broadway Stages fame, a close friend of the mayor! Let's not forget that her husband, John Ciafone, has organized at least one fundraiser for Peter Vallone, and has been friends with the Vallone family for decades. Hmmm....

Also note that the sale of the property happened more than a year ago (just before the City Council election), but the transfer didn't happen until well after, in March.

Not to worry, we're sure Vallone and the born-again progressive, John Liu, will be right on top of this one. The voters of northeast Queens are to be applauded for their wise choices at the polls.

Ciafone throws BdB under the bus

From the Daily News:

Directly hit up for big-dollar donations by Mayor de Blasio and his associates, the owner of a movie and TV production services company complied for fear that her business would be crippled if she failed to raise money for the mayor’s causes, her husband told the Daily News.

“There was never a threat or anything, but if your boss says you gotta do it, you gotta play ball,” lawyer John Ciafone said of his wife Gina Argento, the power behind Broadway Stages in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.

“He’s asked her (for money) and then his minions asked her and Broadway Stages.”

The requests paid off — Argento raised $167,000 for the mayor and his causes, including writing four checks totaling $70,000 from herself and her companies.

“Here’s their concern, which is why they have to play the game of giving,” he said of Broadway Stages. “In the film industry, you have to take over parking on the block for the filming. At different times it was difficult to film because the mayor’s office would arbitrarily issue hot spots.”

He described the “hot spots” as areas “where you can’t film in that area.”

“They get complaints, they say ‘We’ve been oversaturated with complaints. We want a freeze.’ That was done in Long Island City, parts of Brooklyn, Greenpoint. Specifically Broadway Stages, they were given hot spots right outside of where they’re located. They had hot spots right outside their building. No explanation. It’s their discretion. It is what it is,” he said.

Ciafone said if the mayor’s office denied a permit, there was no recourse.

“There’s not much you can do about it. It’s up to the discretion of the mayor's office of film where they’re going to instill those hot spots,” he said. “For TV or movie productions, it can be devastating. Suppose you’re filming and you want the flavor of a brownstone neighborhood or you want the flavor of New York City skyscrapers?”

And then there's the stop work order that de Blasio allegedly had lifted for another of his donor pals.

John Ciafone redefines "plaza"

This property has a great history of complaints. One of the most entertaining we have come across.

Definition of plaza per Merriam Webster:

Full Definition of plaza
1
a : a public square in a city or town
b : an open area usually located near urban buildings and often featuring walkways, trees and shrubs, places to sit, and sometimes shops
2
: a place on a thoroughfare (as a turnpike) at which all traffic must temporarily stop (as to pay tolls)
3
: an area adjacent to an expressway which has service facilities (as a restaurant, gas station, and restrooms)
4
: shopping center

Preet scrutinizing campaign donors

From the NY Times:

A federal investigation into Mayor Bill de Blasio’s campaign fund-raising has zeroed in on whether donations were exchanged for beneficial city action in about a half-dozen cases, according to people with knowledge of the inquiry.

The matters under scrutiny, the people said, involve, among others, a company whose soundstages are used to film television shows such as “The Good Wife” and “Blue Bloods” that wanted to expand its operations, and that depends on city permits; those connected to a lucrative development deal on the site of a former hospital that needed city approvals; a popular restaurant and wedding site that was negotiating a new lease with the city; and a garbage bag company seeking a city contract.

Some of the earliest and most generous donors to the Campaign for One New York are among those whose contributions — along with their actions and those of the mayor and members of his administration and campaign staff — are under scrutiny, several people with knowledge of the inquiry said.

The first two donations to the group, made on Jan. 24, 2014, just weeks after Mr. de Blasio was sworn in, were for $25,000 each and came from Broadway Stages, the soundstage company seeking to expand, and the company’s president, Gina Argento.

By then, Ms. Argento and her company were well known to the mayor. She was the second-largest bundler of contributions for his 2013 run — city records show she brought in over $100,000 for the campaign and transition — and even spent $250 to rent the costumes that Mr. de Blasio and his wife, Chirlane McCray, wore at a 2014 Halloween party for children at Gracie Mansion. (The company said it also paid for costumes for more than 100 children from homeless shelters who attended the party.)

One of Ms. Argento’s companies also gave $10,000 to the Putnam County Democratic Committee in October 2014, when the mayor was urging his donors to support Democratic efforts to wrest control of the State Senate.

Broadway Stages also gave $35,000 to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC, a charity that is led by Ms. McCray. Ms. Argento served on the group’s advisory board until July.

John J. Ciafone, a lawyer who is married to Ms. Argento and represents her and Broadway Stages, would not confirm the existence of a federal inquiry, but said that neither she nor the company had engaged in wrongdoing. Neither, he said, had sought help from the administration for Broadway Stages’ expansion plans, which include new soundstages in Brooklyn and on Staten Island, in exchange for its contributions.

“Broadway Stages and Gina Argento has not gotten a penny from the city for any of these projects — not a penny!” he said.

Mr. Ciafone suggested that his wife and the company had been pressured to donate. Their business, he said, relied directly on the discretion of the mayor’s office, which issues film permits from the film commissioner.

“They put a lot of pressure on people like Broadway Stages and I’m sure the other film people to give money to the mayor, to give money to C.O.N.Y.,” he said, referring to the mayor’s nonprofit.

Mr. Ciafone said there could be “repercussions in terms of not contributing,” adding, “People don’t understand that.”

Mr. Ciafone said the pressure had not come from Mr. de Blasio himself, but rather “from several people — fund-raisers, staff fund-raisers, several people on behalf of the mayor” whom he could not name.

He also denied suggestions that Ms. Argento had engaged in a so-called straw donor scheme, saying Mr. de Blasio’s campaign had attributed donors to her whom he said she had not solicited.

Ciafone looking to flip Sunnyside Theatre

From Sunnyside Post:

...the site that once housed PJ Horgan’s, Dime Bank, a neighborhood dentist and Center Cinemas on 43rd Street and Queens Boulevard is back on the market.

John Ciafone, who bought the property from Dime Bank for $6.65 million in December 2012 has put it on the market for $19 million.

Ciafone originally said he would develop the site and construct a 5-7 story building with about 60-70 apartments and ground floor retail.

At the time he notified the owner of Center Cinemas and the dentist that he would not renew their lease. He also told PJ Horgan’s he wanted them to leave too.

The ultimate John Ciafone property - and it's in QUEENS!

"Another Ciafone Masterpiece on Vernon Boulevard! They even took the time to give the building a great name City Skyline Water & Park Views. Huh? Sounds like a real estate description, not a building name." - anonymous

This really has everything, doesn't it? $120,000 in unpaid illegal sign fines, something resembling tin foil in the windows, and one of his famous canopies with a really ridiculous name on it. Also, the graffitied van in front is a nice touch.

Ciafone canopy encroaches on tree pit

Here we are at "199 Green Court" in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. That familiar sign indicates that this is a John Ciafone building.

And one of his classic canopies is in full bloom here.

And it's anchored in an interesting location.

That's right, the post likely drills right down into a tree root because the genius decided that the presence of a public street tree pit should not be a deterrent to jazzing up his private property.

This just oozes class!

Another Ciafone canopy makes its debut

So, being that these have all been installed on rent stabilized buildings, could this be part of a way to raise the rent by charging for "improvements"?

Ciafone canopy craze crosses the Creek

Why didn't DOT inspect Ciafone's canopies?

You may recall recently that John Ciafone installed some canopies at several of his buildings. A reader noticed that this installation damaged the sidewalks. But when they reported it to 311, they got this response:

Service Request #: C1-1-1223937251
Date Submitted: 03/12/16 5:38:27 AM
Request Type: Sidewalk Condition
Details: Broken Sidewalk
Your Service Request was closed.
The Department of Transportation inspected the location more than six months ago and has notified the property owner of any defective sidewalk conditions. The property owner is responsible for maintaining, repairing and installing sidewalks adjoining their property, according to Section 19-152 of the New York City Administrative Code.

The canopies were installed in February, so what good is a 6 month old inspection? And was the sidewalk cracked back then or not?