Monday, June 22, 2009
Oval Lawn in Complete Ruin
A blog reader sent in these two photos of Stuyvesant Town's Oval Lawn in its present condition. With the lousy weather we've been having, the "concerts," the farmers market, and the sloppy use of the space, this lawn is more a disaster than ever. How much worse can it get? Stay tuned!
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13 comments:
I will they'd put the chainlink fences back up and keep people off the grass.
Applcations are now being accepted at Oval Concierge for a new TS-sponsored activity -Mudwrestling on the Oval. Matches will be held in all weight classes from featherweight to superheavyweight for both men and women.Matches will commence at 6AM SHARP Sat June 28 with the playing of the National Anthem over loudspeakers.
Grand prize will be dinner for 2 with NYC's # 1 Power Couple (at least in their minds) Jerry Speyer and his wife Katherine Farley
Come on. Haven't you heard? The Oval is in glorious bloom!
Where the ersatz farmer's market sets up there's some spectacularly deep, muddy gulches courtesy of the driving-impaired ST "security" officers. There's no way in hell that area will ever see grass again.
Ahh, that explains why one of the little peace officer nazis told me not to take pictures of "the property" and implicitly threatened to confiscate my camera if I didn't follow orders (like a good little German).
I've had a security guy tell me I'm not allowed to take photos of the property, and I told him he was wrong and should check with his superior. He did and found out I was right, and that was that. This was a couple of months ago, though.
That's interesting to know - apparently they've decided to start using that threat again to stop people from taking pictures of "the property."
Stuyvesant Town was referred to as a park by TS PR and people from all over were invited to the Concerts on the Oval and advised to bring a frisbee. Since when can't people take pictures in a park? It's a public park when it suits them and private property at other times. All it really is is that TS is embarrassed by this blog and Lux Living and they're trying to censor these blogs. Why does TS have the right to bring in a weekly farmers market or food trucks and Verizon tables for concerts and do commercial things on residential property? This is out of control and ridiculous.
Well, I haven't heard anything official, so I will continue to take photos whenever I want to. If Tishman Speyer doesn't want photos taken of the property, it can only be because the photos that are taken of the property, and posted on the internet, are an embarrassment to them. In other words, they are afraid of the truth and wish to squash it.
But, legally, Tishman Speyer may have to give notice somehow of this new rule (if it is a new rule), either by posting signs up or sending notices to Stuy Town and PCV residents.
They'll also have to prove that they have the legal right to institute and enforce such a rule. Even though they are in bed with Bloomberg, I don't think they can arbitrarily write their own laws. Jerry and Robbie can pass gas, but not legislation.
How can they stop people from taking pictures? People have cameras and cell phones. Cameras are everywhere. If they had kept this place as beautiful as it was they'd be proud of the pictures. They destroyed it and think they can keep that a secret. There can't be any rule to stop people from taking pictures. You don't leave your rights outside when you enter this TS-made swamp. TS and their skeleton security team will not be able to stop picture taking. What right do they have anyway? Creeps.
There's no way these assholes can stop people from photographing the property - and comparing it with how it used to look - and posting it on the internet. I send the links to this blog and LuxLiving to friends and family all over the world. They have all visited over the years and seen what Stuyvesant used to be like and what is like now that Tishman Speyer have trashed it. Oh, and my sister and brother in law own a travel agency in London where they specialize in shopping and food/drink oriented group trips. They now warn their clients to avoid the Top of the Rock because it is owned by one of New York's most prolific homewreckers and slumlords. A lot of people listen and strike that off their list.
Interesting commentary here by someone who has studied the subject of the legal aspect of photographing people and places:
May 2009
Legal Rights of Photographers
Version 2.01 — May 2009
By Andrew Kantor • andrew@kantor.com
You can legally take pictures of anything that is visible to the general public (without special equipment — e.g., a telephoto lens), whether it or you are on public or private property.
That means you can legally take pictures of children, athletes, people on the street, beach bathers,buildings, cars, policemen, accident scenes, government officials, airplanes, airports, trains, and so on.
You can legally take pictures when you are on private property, if that property is open to the public
(e.g., a mall or office complex).
Perhaps a better phrase is: If anyone can see it, you can shoot it.
You do not need permission to take pictures. The answer to the
question, “What law says you can take that picture?” is “You’ve got it backwards. What law says I can’t?”
All that said, there are two important caveats.
1. While there are few exceptions to what you can photograph,
there are exceptions to what you can publish. (More on that in
a moment.)
2. Although it is legal to take pictures while on private property,
you could still be guilty of trespassing if the owner of that
property tells you not to, or if he demands that you leave.
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ST Reporter: The last part is interesting because in one case mentioned on Lux's blog a commentator says security wanted to know if the photographer was a resident. It could very well be that a non-resident may be prohibited from taking a photo here, but a resident should have no problem. (After all, it is his or her home.) Now Lux apparently doesn't live in Stuy Town, but the vast majority of the photos on his are submitted by Stuy Town residents. I am a Stuy Town resident myself, so would certainly not be trespassing here when I am taking photos.
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