Stuy Town to Adam Rose and Maya Autret: We're Not Interested in Your Summer on the Oval Events

How do I know the above is very true? Look at the figures. I've monitored several Summer on the Oval events this past summer, including the last one (thank heavens) today, and none of them had an attendance that I would call impacting. Today, when I was there after 3:30 pm, I counted heads and came up with about 125-130 (difficult to do an accurate count with people moving around, etc). I will grant that maybe another 50 may have turned up later, but the number still is shy of 200. Even if another 100 turned up, that still is a low number considering that ST/PCV has a population of over 25,000 and probably much more considering all the pressurized walls here. And let's not forget that about 75 of those initially "in attendance" were already there, young folks sunbathing themselves hours before the concert began.

This low turnout happens all the time, this after the e-mails, the deluxe brochures slipped under the door, the signs all over the complex listing the events--and the clear invitation, with outside promotions, for ALL New Yorkers to attend Summer on the Oval.

Here are some photos from these events. This one from when the circus came to Stuy Town:



Battle of the Paint Brushes, or whatever the hell that event was called:



Today's grand finale!....



A close-up of the same shot, zeroing in on the performer. Note the disinterested sunbathers in the foreground:



And another shot of the packed crowds:



From the other side, a closer shot of people on the lawn listening to the concert. (You can click on the photo to see its larger size):




So, Adam and Maya--a BIG FAIL.

But, perhaps, it is not that big of a fail, because one of the chief reasons, if not the supreme reason, for Summer on the Oval is to present Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village as a happening place for outsiders, the potential renters that management is hoping to attract. This is why the rental office on 1st Ave has this facing the street and passersby:





The photo right above, btw, is of a new monitor placed at the rental office window. Pretty nice, isn't it? You may see yourself there in the future if you attended any of the events and were photographed.

So Rose Associates is spending CW Capital's money on this nonsense, while areas of the complex (especially now Peter Cooper!) look lousy, and buildings need cleaning and painting, and the laundry rooms are appalling, and there's still furniture being dumped all of the place, and dog urine smells wafting up from the new designated dog areas (most of the complex), and gaudy and smelly food trucks (the newest brilliant idea) mar the Oval. Ace, you've done your job and you've done it well!

Contact Joyride Trucks

The Joyride Truck has probably been the most obnoxious and persistent of the food trucks to descend on Stuyvesant Town. The truck is there this morning, humming away throughout the entire Oval. If you wish to make your displeasure known to Joyride, this is their contact page:

www.joyridetrucks.com/contact/contact_joyride_trucks.html

There, you will find the following:

Phone number: 646.450.1569.

The emails of the guys who run Joyride:

David Belanich: david@joyridetrucks.com
Adam Belanich: adam@joyridetrucks.com
Lev Brie: lev@joyridetrucks.com

Please let them know that you do not want their trucks in this residential neighborhood. Let them also know that you can and will let all New Yorkers know about your continued dissatisfaction at the Yelp review site. (There are already a couple of Stuy Town protests there.)

Yelp comment page for Joyride Trucks.

If you wish to call Stuy Town management about the presence of food trucks on the Oval, this is the number:

212-420-5000

Food Trucks, The Answer: They ARE Promoting Them!

I was wondering just why we are seeing these nasty food trucks descend on Stuyvesant Town every day till nighttime. Well, I was just sent a copy of the mailing that residents get who sign up for official e-mail notifications from Management. And, sure enough, "Food Trucks on the Oval" are being promoted as part of the charm of living here:



"Enjoy gourmet treats and artisanal snacks right on the Oval with the best of NYCFTA's food trucks!"

Gourmet? Artisanal? This has to be the work of Lady Maya!

Rose Associates Requests City Park Status for the Oval and the Conversion of the Oval Fountain to a City Pool

In a dramatic Friday morning announcement, Adam Rose of Rose Associates and manager-in-chief of Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village, announced that he has requested the City Council and the Mayor, the Honorable Michael R. Bloomberg, to fast track the legal conversion of the Oval in Stuyvesant Town, hitherto private property, into a city park and the Oval Fountain into a city pool.

"We've been heading in this direction anyway," stated Rose, "and I think this will balance the needs of the community and also give CW Capital, holders of the 3 billion dollar senior mortgage, a financial break and me some breathing room to deal more effectively with all the furniture dumping that's happening here."

According to the plan, the city will take over the entire Oval area, including its upkeep, dramatically alleviating the financial burden and administrative strains placed on CW Capital and Rose Associates, respectively.

Lady Maya Autret, Director of Programing for the complex and the person whose motto is "let no space be unused," had already set in motion the conversion of the fountain into a pool, irregardless of the outcome in the requested city park status of the Oval grounds and pool. "The fountain was a useless, completely underused space. By converting it into a pool, both residents and now hopefully all New Yorkers, will be able to refresh themselves in the hot summer months. Oval Essential members will be able to participate in special swimming classes and the occasional game of water bocci, a sophisticated non-rough sport that is played by Parisians in the know."

Of course, like anything else in Stuyvesant Town, the plan is sure to be opposed by certain residents, who have noticed more and more an influx of outsiders to the Oval grounds and for Oval events and concerts. But Lady Autret says that the time has come to keep up with the times. "There has been a great demand among PCV/ST residents for an outdoor pool, and so this conversion was a no-brainer. The water and plumbing were already there, after all. We are, however, trying to balance everybody's needs, so we will add one more small geyser to the mini-fountain in Peter Cooper Village to satisfy PCV/ST fountain fans."

While Rose Associates waits for a positive response from the City Council and the Mayor, work on the Oval fountain will begin in the fall, as well as on the installation of ATM machines at four corners of the Oval to meet the increasing demand for change needed for the twelve food trucks that have descended on the Oval grounds since the summer, day and night.

Note: This is a parody, but at times it doesn't seem like one.

How Ghetto Can You Get?

Two food trucks on the Oval at the same time! BBQ and Pizza!!! Gourmet, of course. Good for your heart and your weight. What a high-class place this is! And here I thought Stuyvesant Town was turning into a dump.

Thanks, Rose Associates!

BTW, I wonder how the surrounding stores that pay lofty rents to Rose Associates feel about these food trucks? Surely these food trucks are taking business away from them? Rent free. They probably won't complain for fear of Rose jacking up their rent come lease renewal time.

ST/PCV Hot Weather Precautions

Click on notice to get larger view.

With temperatures nearing 100 in the next three days (Friday could be the worst), stay-at-home residents without air-conditioning who may be affected by the weather should note that the air-conditioned Community Center off the 14 St Loop, by First Avenue [449 East 14th St], will be open from 10am to, probably, 10pm, if the above notice is accurate.

While this is a positive and thankful use of the Center, the center itself is small and almost at the corner end of the ST/PCV complex. I wonder if management has ever considered opening up the Oval "Essentials" to non-members during such times of an intense heat wave. Oval Lounge and Oval Film are particularly underused during the day and very frequently empty, except for a lone American Leisure staff member.

RIP: Stuy Town Golf Putting Green

On a hot, humid July 20th, 2011, Stuy Town's renowned mini putting green was put to rest. It will only be missed by the babes who sunbathed there and the perverts who drooled.

RIP

(But, please, don't put a Food Truck or a concession stand in its place!!!)

Update: A commenter wrote about the possibility of there being a new addition to the lovely Oval surroundings--Oval Compost.

Well, the Oval already has Oval Compost, right by Oval 19. Nice, rich, aromatic smells....



Update July 24: I've a hunch that the former Oval Golf will now be a security guardhouse.

Are You Ready for "The World Music and Food Fair"!

Preparations are already underway for Stuy Town's World Music and Food Fair.

This one actually does sound interesting--well, at least the food sounds interesting, though it's listed as "gourmet," when it seems to be just "ethnic" food. But we can't have this being promoted as ethnic food cause that just doesn't sound as pretentiously snotty (no doubt, courtesy Lady Maya Autret, ST's Director of Programming) as we'd like all our future residents to be, so "gourmet" it is. The food will come from Petite Abeille, Balade, Veselka and Wacky Wok. Would be nice if residents received free samples.... And maybe some free ethnic beer--no, better make that, "gourmet wine." I just hope those food-dive food trucks don't turn up and spoil this upscale food fair atmosphere.

I may have trouble with some of the music, though. The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra is all wrong for an event like this. Brazilian fusion music--from Nation Beat--is not my thing (though I like regular Brazilian music). While Meklit Hadero, a truly impressive talent, needs the intimacy of a club rather than the sweaty open Oval with people pigging out on food and dribbling it over the Oval grass. Anyway, you are guaranteed to hear some "foot-stomping global flair" at the Oval this Saturday. What I've been waiting for all summer. And you seniors, get yer asses off those benches, and join the fun!

Now, here's the kicker, this event is "Free to all residents and their guests." Yup, only residents and their guests will be allowed to participate in this World Music and Food Fair. Says so, right here:



So, unless this is typical Rose Associates promotional BS, non-residents will have to either pay for entry or be stopped by Security from entry. Right, Adam?

-----------------------

Update: What was I thinking!?!? I just did a google on this, and the above event is being promoted all over the place on the web. Didn't management state that there was no outside promotion of events supposedly meant just for "residents and their guests"???

Here's a sampling of what a quick Google search uncovered:







Hey New York! Come on over! We're having a party! It's on us!

Our Security System Wins an Award!

Read it here: Stuy Town's Security Management System Award

This must mean that furniture dump violators, graffiti tagsters, speeding delivery bike riders, people who leave cigarette butts, underwear and condoms lying near buildings, bench board breakers, dog owners who let dogs off leash, outside dog owners who walk their pit bulls through the complex, and the occasional rapist and mugger--are all being caught thanks to the "over 1,100 video cameras, 950 access control points, VOIP emergency phones, and parking controls for six garages." This also must mean that Lux and his spies can take a well deserved break and stop monitoring furniture dumping and other garbage inside and outside buildings because it's all under control via our deluxe security operation. And here I thought we had a problem!

Congratulations!

Here's Mud in Your Eye!

Today. Not as loud as Joy Ride, but kicking in with the exhaust/refrig/whatever system. Doesn't belong here, either way.

BTW, I've noticed that a LOT of young NYU-type Lower East Side residents are using the Oval on nice sunny days like today. I see them flocking in from below 14th St, bringing their chairs and blankets and water bottles. I guess these food trucks are for their pleasure as well--and they don't care about what the trucks do to the complex because--hey--they don't live here and it's super having snacks and soft drinks/coffee at your disposal a few yards away from where you sunbathe or kick back with a book.

Of course, Rose Associates bullshits about the Oval and who is allowed to be in it, as they imply on the official Community site that the Oval and its events are for "PCVST residents and their guests." Yet what has happened is that now the Oval is a not very well "best kept secret" of where young white folks can head for a safe and relatively relaxing afternoon, for free and without paying any rent. I wonder if our rent checks help out in the public access use of this complex and its cleanup afterward? Perhaps Adam Rose can lower our rents if so, because we shouldn't be paying for this.

It's War

Joy Ride Truck back again and now at the southern end of the central Oval area where the Farmer's Market resides on Sunday. So the truck is actually ON the Oval. (Perhaps they are looking for that electrical outlet that will make them stop their Hum from Hell and continual exhaust refuse. If you are a jogger running past the truck, don't inhale until they turn their motor off.) You can contact Joy Ride here and/or write a review of what you think of Joy Ride on Yelp.

Oh, if you don't want to be used for Rose Associates' publicity, don't go to the Oval later because Rose will be filming! ALL DAY!



I'm thoroughly disgusted with what's happening here in Stuyvesant and with Rose Associates and the bullshit that's coming from them, as they try to SELL, SELL, SELL the apartments here to the detriment of the complex. Rose Associates now officially enters my book as the true inheritors of Tishman Speyer's presence here. And that's not a compliment.

So Just What is the Rug Policy?

I was going to post on something else (will do tomorrow), but in checking the official PCVST website for anything about the new dog policy (no success), I came across a few "sales pitch" photos I've not seen for the complex, the above of a Peter Cooper Village "Classic" living room and bedroom. We've seen photos like this before, which say one thing, but the reality is different (or should be different according to one's lease). If anyone gets into trouble for not having appropriate rug covering in their apartment, they should bring up these bs photos.

Stuy Town Residents Prepare to Evacute Stuyvesant on Saturday

Many residents who live around the Oval area or partake of its garden-like surroundings have learned their lesson this year and are making plans to flee the complex this Saturday, a weekly occurrence that should be happening for the rest of July at least.

Yup, it's another "Summer on the Oval" event invading the quiet space of the Oval grounds this Saturday. Ovalicious Mambo ["Ovalicious"?--who thought that up?--yech!] "follows the lives of 10 dynamic young New Yorkers as they experience love, loss, hope and redemption against the urban backdrop of the lower east side in the summer." Oh, good, just what I can see with a five-minute walk down from 14 St, but then again some ST/PCV residents may be too lazy or too fearful of heading down Avenues A, B or C after playing bacci ball or sipping their Joy Luck coffee near the Oval Fountain to experience the LES as it really is. Much better to take in this bullshit art-farted-up performance of clean and non-smelly street life, where, instead of tattooed and pierced gutter punkers, drug lords with their non-muzzled pit bulls and flea-ridden panhandlers reeking of Thunderbird and Night Train Express, you will find spiffy-dressed American Leisure staff giving away balloons to your kids and application forms for Oval Essentials. There will be dancing from the Roschman Dance Company (dancing which looks more like gymnastics to me, but what do I know about the art form) and a freaky salsa band of musicians who can't afford the high rents in Stuyvesant Town or Peter Cooper Village. From 4 to 8pm. And don't forget that "Food Trucks on the Oval" will also be making an appearance. (Residents are advised to keep their children away from the exhaust pipes.)

Event and Food Trucks courtesy Rose Associates.

No More Taim Mobile Trucks

Angry residents of Stuyvesant Town sent e-mails to the Taim Mobile/Joy Ride Trucks businesses, protesting the presence of one of their loud and obnoxious trucks inside Stuyvesant Town. The responses from Taim Mobile were revelatory. Here is one such response, similar to other responses. (Thanks to Lux Living and original e-mail senders.)

Stuy town property management has been inviting us and begging us to come .

If you have any issues you should take it up with them .

Incidentally yesterday was our last day there anyway but it is my understanding they want to have trucks on a regular basis ...

So again , sorry for the inconvenience , but I think you are complaining to the wrong party

As a matter of fact we didn't really want to come there (I didnt really think it was a great idea for numerous reasons) but the management kind of sold us on the idea and we came ...

And like I said , doubt we would be back again anyway , but it is my understanding that they want to have other trucks regularly ..

So I suggest you contact them

------------

So, the good news is that the Taim Mobile Truck will not reappear in Stuy Town (we hope!), but the bad news is that management is really pushing the commercial trucks idea, even to the point of "begging" such services to come into the complex.

PS: I've been reading the by-now lengthy thread over on Lux's Facebook concerning the presence of commercial enterprises and "events" at the Oval. I'm stupefied and dismayed by one of the commentators and her position.... You don't know what you are losing by wanting these enterprises and events. You really don't. I do think you represent a minority. Hopefully. Otherwise, we'll have food and coffee trucks at all four points of the Oval, concerts every week, a carnival or two, and so many event "battles" that it'll seem we are being attacked by the Transformers. More on this in a future post.

6AM Sunday Wake-Up Call for 20th Street Loop Residents

Photo taken about 6:20am by a 20th Street Loop resident who just couldn't take it anymore.

So you think you have it bad with those loud Oval concerts and coffee trucks? Are they disturbing your peace?

Well, consider yourselves fortunate that you don't live around the 20th Street Loop, which saw Stuyvesant Town work crews bringing out bulk items from the surely nasty 522 building, and at what time? 6AM!!!

Yes, in the noise-gift-that-keeps-on-giving here lately, some brain decided that it would be good to wake up residents living nearby 522 at this early hour with the banging, throwing, crashing of junk being piled up for the disposal truck that came by later.

So Stuy Town, how's your 4th of July weekend so far?

Rose Asssociates Surrenders on Dog Policy

I was wondering what was up with those designated no dog signs. Lux Living's Facebook gave the answer. (No flyer drops by the management yet to inform residents of this major change in policy.)

Seems that the areas pictured above in dark orange are off-limits to dogs, but everything else is a go: dogs can urinate and defecate wherever they want, though I'm assuming that the garden areas are still prohibited, even if they are not shown in dark orange. (Ah, as if this new freedom is going to stop dog owners from letting their pooches "stray" into the gardens!)

Though management can spin this as a compromise to make dog owners happy, I've a feeling based on past experience since dogs were allowed by Tishman Speyer (may that company name be permanently etched in the Hall of Landlord Shame) that security was just not up to catching and ticketing all the dog rule offenses that happen around here. Major FAIL, in other words.

What does this new policy mean? Well, things are just going to get worse with dog shit piling up in the green areas (why pick up when no one will see that turd hiding in the grass?) and the pungent smell of dog urine spreading throughout Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. Shame on Rose Associates.

The fight about caring about this place is lost. Three sucker punches in a row. Game over.

The Hum from Hell: Yogurt & Coffee Truck Destroys Atmosphere of Oval

It's really amazing. Really amazing. So, Rose Associates spends time, energy and work hours to make the Oval look reasonably decent and then they screw it up by having a yogurt and coffee truck (Joy Ride Trucks!) parked near the playground, its AC/refrig system giving off an awful hum that is heard no matter where you go (or try to sit) around the Oval. Besides the exhaust smells, too, but at least that is limited to the near vicinity.

The truck has been there all evening, as it was earlier in the day, and will be there till 9-ish. Hummmm, hummmm, hummmm. The evening ruined. Thank you, Rose Associates!!!

July 2nd Update:

In Stuy Town again, at the other side of the Oval now. Pictured: The noise maker. Blowing a perpertual and annoying hum. Enjoy the Oval. Courtesy Rose Associates.



Seriously, what is this doing in the middle of a residential area?....

Are you ready for a relaxing July 4th weekend at Stuy Town?

I swear, it's a couple of steps forward and a couple of steps backward with Rose Associates. And by now I'm suspecting that the "brains" behind some of the Tishman Speyer "ideas" for this complex is working for Rose now.

Prepare yourself for ArtBattles! (Why is everything "battles" here, btw.... "Battle of the Bands"... "ArtBattles"....)

Yeah, ArtBattles returns to Stuyvesant Town this weekend....



You, the Stuy Town/PCV resident is encouraged via this e-mail sent to residents to click on the video below to entice you to ArtBattles at the Oval:



Man, that oughtta get you geezers attending!

And what the hell is that noisy coffee truck doing at the Oval today when there is no event? Another Tishman Speyer idea. (Remember the Mud truck?)

So, if you are not leaving ST/PCV this weekend, you may want to consider an outing to Tomkins Square Park, which will probably be quieter than here, as residents from the Lower East Side head up for ArtBattles!

July 3rd Update:

ArtBattles was a bust. The event was supposed to start at 4pm, but by 4:25pm hardly anyone was there, and the people that were, seemed more interested in just chilling on the grass:



Much later on, ArtBattles was in full swing. Kids were given ST/PVC balloons and encouraged to watch. Some families gathered around, but the crowd could not have numbered more than a hundred, if that. Hipsters and LESers stayed away. The art stuff looked quite good, but was wasted in such a low turnout:



I'm still waiting to see evidence of thousands attending Summer on the Oval events, a number suggested by one pro-events commentator to this blog.