Friday, February 11, 2011

Rose Associates Inc Gets Tough



By now all of you should have received and read your "PCV/ST Community Update" (February 7th edition) from Rose Associates Inc (RAI). According to the update, Rose is "committed to enhancing the quality of service for all residents," etc, etc. Sections of the update deal with "Quality of Life Issues," dog problems, security hirings, noise, apartment renovations, water value replacement, etc.

Rose should be commended for, at least, reaching out to residents in this manner, because certainly the stone wall of Tishman Speyer did not. Yet, despite Rose's reach out and the stated goals, color me doubtful that the problems here will be dealt with as expeditiously and professionally as the intention seems.

Regarding dogs, I will believe it when I see it, but so far I have seen the same old/same old, with residents letting their dogs off leash or on the grass (though, now in the winter there's admittedly little grass around). If Rose is serious about the dog problem, it has to get the security force walking the grounds and in places, like the M level areas of buildings, where dog owners do what they want because no one is watching. Security also has to be around at the times when dogs are typically walked--morning and evening. Even the Oval area in the early morning is lacking security, and that's when many of the dog violations occur. The test here will come with warmer weather. If there is no progress with the dog problem, then Rose has to look into shaking up the security force and the person(s) who runs(run) it. So far, this security force has been pathetic regarding enforcement of dog rules.

The latest Town & Village spoke to Security Chief Bill McClellan about some of the quality of life problems in ST/PCV, and his responses were stupefying on occasion, if not revealing a gross irresponsibility on the part of security.

T&V on dog summonses: "Of course, as was the case before, the tough part will be catching people in the act. Since being deputized to give $250 dog poop summonses, McClellan said only a few have actually been written since people tend to be on better behavior when security's around." This sounds like almost zero summonses were issued, and, of course, security is rarely around--which is the reason dog owners get away with this behavior.

Curiously, while the attached "Resident Notice" flyer mentions that dog leashes cannot be longer then six feet, there is no prohibition against retractable leashes. A prohibition against such leashes would have been the easiest way out of this problem and the quickest to check, so this lack of insight is troubling. Also of concern is that there is no mention of non-resident dog owners using the grounds in whatever way they please and parading dog breeds through the complex that are not allowed here, including pit bulls.

Dan Garodnick's assistance in getting security the authority to issue summonses for leash violations is mentioned, but--hey--considering how fast Garodnick got those dumpsters out of Stuy Town's loops, we may have to wait for this authority for years.

Regarding noise--well, it's unclear just what Rose will do differently than what's been done before. This sounds fine: "Excessive incidents and related inappropriate conduct will be addressed by the Management through an aggressive notification and response process." But there is no explanation of this process.

And, again, here's T&V speaking with Security Chief McClellan: "... McClellan said this week there have been six recent hires. The officers are now using newer security vans, and a new system to help keep track of quality of life complaints. Previously, if there was a shift change, security wouldn't necessarily be aware that it was visiting the same apartment more than once a night to respond to issues like noise."

Huh??? You mean that security was so disorganized that they had no system that would tell them about a repeat noise offenders at night? And this bit about "newer security vans"... Guys, how many times do residents have to tell you, it's BOOTS ON THE GROUND that are needed, not new security vans or a couple of guys watching monitors in the Management office.

Left out of the quality of life concerns are bicycles. There is a no bicycle-riding rule in Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village that gets violated very second it seems, and many complaints. Yet this update has not one word on the subject. Possibly too difficult to enforce? Or would it be too obvious that there is no enforcement?

Anyway, let's see how this plays out. I'd love to be proven wrong about my pessimism.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

No mention of the filthy, vile laundry rooms with the broken and inferior equipment. No mention of the filthy, vile recycling areas where cretins dump all kinds of organic stuff that cannot be recycled. Personally, I don't mind the dogs. I do mind the self-absorbed young twits from the flyover states who have been embedded here and have no idea as to how to live without their mommies picking up their shit.

Anonymous said...

Please. The dogs aren't nearly the problem the people are!

Anonymous said...

Says Beulah.

Anonymous said...

We need the return of security on bicycles. When I moved here 15+ yrs. ago that was the only way they got around - now some never even walk!They drive around with the windows up & the heater cranked. I had to wake one by rapping on his window as he had earbuds in and the heater on while running the engine in park. What the hell is that about?

Anonymous said...

You sound like an old man screaming get off my lawn. I came to this article because I have my own issues with stuy town management... but 3/4ths of your article basically complains about the PEOPLE that you feel like stuy town should be monitoring... it sounds whiny and annoying. Is this what takes priority at the town hall meetings??

As a market rate tenant, I pay WAY over what most of the biggest complainers pay, and my problems with the PEOPLE are far less. Id rather my money spent upgrading laundry than on poop patrol. Id rather people grew up and had a dialog with their neighbors instead of calling the cops whenever someone is being too loud. I didn't ask to live in a police state run by grumpy pessimists, and I certainly don't want it.

Let's spend money on things that matter... stop distracting us with petty dog crap issues.

-10 year new yorker, 4th year in stuy town

Anonymous said...

Who's Beulah?

Anonymous said...

rofl!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I wrote the first comment and my name is not Beualah. I'm a disgusted long time tenant. Whomever this "Beulah" is, it seems it's ok with STR for people to take pot shots at her. I guess the rules concerning "Comments that insult another ... blah blah blah" don't apply now.

Stuy Town Reporter said...

No one insulted Beulah here.

Anonymous said...

I tried talking to my neighbor once about the noise in her apartment and she sent her boyfriend, who didn't even live with her, to the door. He got chest to chest with me and tried to start a physical fight. So now I call security. Fucking bimbos.

Anonymous said...

a miracle has potentially occured: a cop/security guard (my eyes are bad) is WALKING outside around the M level of my building. Looks like he's just kinda walking a beat.

It makes me nervous though...likely something suspicious just happened rather than the implementation of a new standard of security guarding, right?

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Unfortunately, I'm still seeing much of the same old/same old, but I'm willing to believe.

Anonymous said...

I am almost afraid to say it but I DO see improvement. I joined with some fellow tenants in calling CW Capital about the attack our rights as tenants were taking from the combination of college students and market rate idiots who believe because they are stupid enough to overpay for their apartments that they are somehow special. Personally, I think they are just dopes shelling out way more than their apartments are worth, but that's a different story. Anyway we threatened CW Capital and Rose Assoc, and TS with class action lawsuits demanding our rent back if something wasn't done to contain and control the quality of life crimes that were pervasive here in ST/PCV. Most of the group (some of whom record video out their windows to capture these QOL attacks for court) report a major decrease in both dog related offenses and late night partying. The jury is still out on some other issues but I am happy to say it appears to me that Jim Yasser and Rene Riley of Rose Associates may not be as incompetent as I accussed them of being. My apologies to them both.

Anonymous said...

I noticed an increased security presence while walking my dog last night. A vehicle stationed at 14th and A, another vehicle farther in on the Avenue A Loop and an office walking in the Oval. I felt a little safer. It was nice to see them.

Anonymous said...

yeah, i haven't seen anything like that since - someone probably just reported something suspicious outside my building!

Stuy Town Reporter said...

This morning on my way to work I passed through the Oval. The first two dog sightings that met me? 1) A guy with his dog on the grass not far from the security booth, which was unmanned. 2) A grandma type walking her dog around the Oval with her dog leash extended way beyond 6 feet. Of course, in both instances there was not a security person around. They just don't appear to show up before 9am. And THAT should change. There should be a foot patrol security person, either in the booth or around the Oval area at ALL times.

Anonymous said...

Stuyvesant town is so filthy. I see cigarettes and other litter all over the place, with trash cans piled so high that they're spilling over. It's not the dogs, the dog owners, or any dog poop making Stuytown look ugly, it's the lack of maintanence!

Stuy Town Reporter said...

Sorry, the dog situation here is major problem. I also think you've spammed other threads at the same time with basically the same message. Won't work.

Anonymous said...

there should be law makes people who dont pick up after dogs carry it home in their hands

Anonymous said...

As a responsible dog owner I am much more upset about all the cigarette butts that are all over outside the entrance to every building than the dogs!

Anonymous said...

I have to agree that the dogs aren't really a problem at all for me (and I"m a cat person!). If the owners don't curb them and pick up after them, that's obviously different, but letting them chase a frisbee once in a while is hardly a major inconvenience to my lifestyle. And banning retractable leashes??? Are you serious?? There are a zillion more important issues than this. I mean this in all respect, seriously--you do the rest of the tenants a disservice when you sound like old Mr. Wilson complaining about the neighbor's rose bushes being too aromatic or too pink or something. We need to be a united force, but this kind of divisive nitpicking isn't good for a happy community anymore than the negligent management is.

Anonymous said...

Nitpicking? I don't think so. I was unable to get a good night sleep for years due to the illegal activities of the dog owners who let their dogs run wild all over ST with their incessant barking. I have kept detailed records and notified TS, CW and Rose that I intended to sue to get my rent back and that if something wasn't done I would seek to make it a class action suit. Finally, Rose stepped up and enforced the rules these arrogant dog owners just ignored for all this time. Thank you Rose Associates, keep up the "nitpicking" and evict those who think they are above the law!!!