From the Lux Living Facebook, an e-mail he received:
Is the new ice skating rink the last straw for tenants already upset with commercial activities in Stuyvesant Town’s parks? Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village tenants who are tired of businesses operating in the property’s park space are meeting by the Oval fountain Saturday morning at 11AM to discuss what they can do to stop these noisy and intrusive gimmicks.
UPDATE: A good crowd of tenants gathered around in front of the ice-skating rink to listen to speakers address the commercialization that's happening inside Stuy Town, and particularly what's going to be occurring at the forthcoming ice-skating rink. The main speaker for most of the time was Bill (Otto?), the apparent ringmaster of the event, along with his wife, who was passing out petitions to sign. The crowd got larger as the event proceeded, as passerby residents (who knew nothing of the meeting beforehand) stopped to listen and sign petitions. (Flyers posted in lobby buildings alerting tenants to the meeting were quickly taken down by maintenance staff.)
Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera with me, but other residents did, so I'm sure we will see photos from the event turn up soon. Town & Village's Sabina Mollot was present, too, taking photos, jotting down what was being said, and interviewing protesters. Expect a T & V article on this meeting.
Two-sheet handouts were available, listing "Good Neighbor" policies concerning the ice-skating rink based on management's own "Good Neighbor" definitions.
A few people questioned why there were no work permits posted anywhere around the forthcoming ice-rink. Perhaps a temporary (albeit lasting 3 months) structure doesn't need one, but it was an interesting query I hadn't heard before.
A couple of suggestions from yours truly that may already be under consideration:
1) This newly-formed group should have a web presence, where basic info can be posted. Even a no-cost blog would be beneficial.
2) There are several online petition sites that can harbor a "Say No to Commercialization of the Oval"-type petition.
3) Have volunteers go door-to-door in their buildings to sign the paper petition.
Contact for this new group is quietoval@gmail.com
On a personal note I was very heartened to see this event actualized and that tenants are concerned about what has been happening in this complex with its ever-expanding commercialization. We need to get the word out to more tenants, many of whom are unaware of the issues involved and that the commercialization of the Oval will continue and expand even more. As if to stress the point of the importance of reining in such commercial activity, the awful hum from the Joyride food truck across the Oval could be heard while the meeting was in progress. (This truck has not been hooked into Stuy Town's electricity for a number of days now, whether by malicious f.u. intent or some other factor like a malfunctioning cable.)
I want to also add something else. I noticed that Bill and his wife have a dog, and that at some point in the life of my blog, the both of them must have gotten pissed off at my dog postings. I will also note that there was once a rift between Lux and myself (now healed completely, btw). Despite whatever disagreements the group of us may have had, the issue of the commercialization of this complex has united us, as it is beginning to unite tenants. And that is a very good thing, indeed.
40 comments:
To clarify, this was an email sent to me to post.
Rumor as it...
Ice playground #12 is to be turned into a winter wonderland petting zoo. Featuring: Penguins, polar bears, muskoxs, walruses and a rare miniature wooly mammoth!
Patrons should dress accordingly. Entry fee is to be 6 sardines for now.
Where can I get my children's skates sharpened? I went to Paragon and it was kind of expensive.
So moved by the outpouring of tenants at the OccupyTheFountain protest - hundreds of tenants rallying against coffee on the oval.
Only with unity like this will we defeat evil.
I was very pleased with the large turnout today especially on such short notice. The first of many more no doubt!
"Where can I get my children's skates sharpened?"
... The recreation office.
They are in the process of getting a diamond carbide high-tech-unisex skates sharpener. That will turn adults & infants skates into "Killer Skates" free of charge.
Please observe the right of way and a speed limit of under 15 Miles per hour. Public Safety will ticket offenders.
This is NYC! I think Stuytown is shaping into an exciting place. Why do we want to live in a boring neighborhood that will look like a retirement community? If you're looking for a quiet place to retire, move out of the city, and go to Florida! As one in his 30s, and a resident for 5 years, this is exciting for Stuytown! I enjoy what the oval has to offer. People are pathetic with these protests! Just stop it already! I'm tired of someone googling Stuytown, "my home" and seeing "all negative things come up."
We don't want to move out of the city, but perhaps you should move to midtown Manhattan. Yes, the city is an exciting place, but when we moved into Stuy Town it was a place where one could unwind and relax from the excitement, noise, pollution that's outside, on the city streets. This is a RESIDENTIAL community, not a strip mall. Having a refuge like this, in Manhattan, has been one of the biggest selling points that this place has had to offer. Start making the interior of Stuy Town into any street in the city and you lose something of tremendous value that may never be retrieved.
"Where can I get my children's skates sharpened? I went to Paragon and it was kind of expensive."
Well, aren't YOU the sensitive, caring soul.
I guarantee that worrying about where to get your kids' skates sharpened would be the LAST thing on your mind if you lived anywhere near the Oval and had to contemplate the months-long destruction of your quality-of-life thanks to this skating rink.
Thinking only about yourself is exactly what's wrong with this country and the world. Shame on you.
Sorry, this is a RESIDENTIAL community, not Carnival Cruise Lines!!
No work permits for the construction of the rink are posted. Now there are about twenty fifty gallon sized drums sitting on the west side of the construction area. My guess some sort of chemical "coolant". I can not imagine any of the new electrical work has been inspected, judging from the way
Electrical wires are strung between and wrapped around the trees.
Somehow I don't think this is leagal? I hope that between drums of chemicals and the electrical work we are not looking at some sort of dissaster. No sign of our Fecklees Councilman Dan or anyone from his staff at this mornings rink-side meeting. I urge our fellow residents the next time Dan is running for a public Office possition we should ignore him as he does us.
If I knew there was going to be a protest, I would have been there this morning. My bad.
It's time to start pushing until we tip this cow over. We can do it.
Anyone have any information about the 77 year old man that was robbed in the lobby of his Stuyvesant Town building yesterday? Must have happened while security officers were guarding the ice rink! Prior poster was right, this is an exciting place, drinking, drugs, crime, sex, etc. and now you can do it all on ice, how exciting!
@Anon 2:03
If YOU want an exciting place to live, move to a pier at the South Street Seaport or perhaps the TKTS booth in Times Square!
Seems reasonable to me that construction should be put on hiatus until these issues can be addressed. Let's say they pick up where they leave off around March of next year.
Once again Stuy Town's award winning (LMFAO) security system proves it doesn't deter crime or keep tenants safe. Money well spent Rose!
Fed Up Tenant is right. This always was a residential community. It was never a retirement place, but people were able to grow old here alongside families with kids, and enjoy a beautiful and relatively quiet atmosphere with good neighbors. No matter what anyone says, it was not designed as the greedy commercial mess it is, never was designed to be a hotel or dorm, never designed to accommodate drunks, or carnival acts. And there IS supposed to be affordable housing in NY. There's no law that says when you reach a certain age you have to go to an outer boro. It's out of hand. I hope today's meeting wasn't too late. Who is going to undo the skating rink or the fish bowls or anything else? It's all a big FY from Rose and CW to anyone who cared to be out there this morning and they highlighted their latest insult by starting days before they said they would. Where was the TA before today? Come on. So Sabina got to write a story.
We're fortunate that responsible tenants still outnumber the Party Town / Chuckleheads by at least 2-1, so there's still hope that the right thing will be done. It amazes me that anyone but an Internet Troll would disregard the welfare of the hundreds of tenants that surround this skating rink. I really like the idea of having a skating rink, but this is simply the wrong place for it. Perhaps in one of Mr. Rose's COMMERCIAL properties, they can build something like SkyRink.
Apparently you don't live next to the generator. And you are probably moving out next year anyway.
"This is NYC! I think Stuytown is shaping into an exciting place. Why do we want to live in a boring neighborhood that will look like a retirement community? If you're looking for a quiet place to retire, move out of the city, and go to Florida! As one in his 30s, and a resident for 5 years, this is exciting for Stuytown! I enjoy what the oval has to offer. People are pathetic with these protests! Just stop it already! I'm tired of someone googling Stuytown, "my home" and seeing "all negative things come up."
@Anon 5:53 PM
Let Lady Maya speak her mind!
BTW, Stuy Town Reporter, just want to say that you are doing a great job. Thanks for your time, effort and dedication to the cause. Very much appreciated.
To respond to your comment about
a "temporary" structure possibly not requiring a building, plumbing, electrical or other type of permit, I very much doubt that that is true. On the NYC Building Department's website it says, "The New York City Buildings Department ensures the safe and lawful use of buildings and properties by enforcing the Building Code and the Zoning Resolution." Since the Building Department is concerned with SAFETY, LAWFUL USE, BUILDING CODES and ZONING RESOLUTIONS, I doubt whether or not a structure is temporary or permanent matters to them. Case in point, the original temporary walls that were used to sub-divide apartments here. Once the Building Department was made aware of what was going on here and investigated, they ruled that the configuration of the walls was illegal and those walls had to be removed or reconfigured.
The chemicals and coolants they are using for their latest stupid, asinine, money-wasting, pathetic attempt to sell ST/PCV: aren't they toxic? What if dogs lick around the rinky dinky rink? I can't believe this crap is happening! The front of my building (435/445 E 14) is absolutely filthy, covered in garbage, rats running around and hasn't been cleaned in months, but they have money to blow on this crap rink! I am embarrassed to invite people here because the area in front of my building is so filthy, they building itself is so shabby and filled with recycling crap left by the carriage room door and there's a stench like shit permeating the lobby and area by the elevators on T and M. Yuk!
"I think Stuytown is shaping into an exciting place. Why do we want to live in a boring neighborhood that will look like a retirement community?"
Immediately reminds me of:
"May you live in interesting times, often referred to as the Chinese curse, is reputed to be the English translation of an ancient Chinese proverb and curse."
To the author of the original post, I sincerely hope that your times are, in fact, "interesting."
@ Anony 2.03 PM-Listen troll, I am really getting frigging tired of your age warfare comments about this place. As I have posted innumerable times before, this is BS. There is a recreation department (my brother was once an employee) that coordinates lots of athletic activity in many of the 15 playgrounds that adorn, the PCVST property here . Duh? Having played some serious B-Ball at Playground 9, let me tell you, those games were sick and it looks like the local comp is still pretty intense (now that we are back to tenants only thanks to this blog and Lux’s blog ) . “Looking for a quiet place to retire, move out of the city, and go to Florida!” Again, as I have posted many times, on both ST blogs, EV Grieve and Jeremiah’s Vanishing NY, this is the mantra of the flyover state/ suburban rube who does not have a clue of what this city is all about. Please go back to your strip mall where you were spawned. Also, where do you live in this community? Do you face playground 10 or the Oval? Are you evenly slightly concerned that this shabbily done, (wires everywhere) hastily constructed, commercial enterprise is most likely to be in violation of NYC zoning laws? As bedbugs, roaches, rats, illegally dumped trash, hordes of drunken frats and their dates, roam this property, are you not even remotely concerned that using resources (security and maintenance ) for a pretty crappy ice rink (much smaller that Rockefeller Center) is a wise use of limited financial resources? By the way, I’ll race you (run or ride) to the Williamsburg Bridge anytime.
Now, back to the serious stuff. This conspicuous lack of any construction permits being posted (I wonder if they will “appear” tomorrow) is very disturbing indeed. Everyone should notify the TA and Dan ASAP. Dan, when is a stop order to cease and desist going it be issued and served here? And one final vent. Where are Brian Kavanagh and Thomas Duane on this issue? I know this is a city issue, not a state one, but their concern would be appreciated.
Health and safety concerns loomed large at the Meet-Up yesterday. Those concerns will be added to the draft list that we distributed yesterday (which focused mainly on noise and quality-of-life concerns). If you missed the Meet-Up and would like to find out more, you can email to quietoval@gmail.com.
STR's 3-point suggestions are right on. If anyone wants to help with taking the communications to the next level as STR suggests, please contact quietoval@gmail.com.
You go, Crazy Eddie! Tell em! You speak for a lot of people here.
To Crazzy Eddie;
With all do respect, Do you really Believe that our Feckless Councilmen Dan will be getting back to us?
It’s been over a week since he said, that he is looking into this.
This should be cut and dry, Electrical wires running through the trees, tree branches used to support electrical wires, new electrical service panels (west side of play ground) electrical inspection?, no work permits posted at the site , no “ C of O” for the tents, fuel for portable generators out in the open,
50 gallon drums with coolant in a non protected area, a lack childproof barriers to protect the little ones from the above hazards.
And Feckless Dan is still no where to be found
I urge everyone to start calling 311 and the NYC building department to report a unsafe construction site.
Borough Commissioner: (212) 566-0011 & (212) 566-0019
Borough Manager: (212) 566-0042
Electrical Code Questions: (212) 566-3206
It would be nice if Feckless Dan or if someone from feckless Dan's office would take a look at the ice skating rink and comment on this consruction site. I hope lots of people are taking pictures of this mess and that the pictures are published.
Does anyone know how to file a compaint with the Dept. of Buildings? I was able to see the complaints online-two of them relate to the area where the rink is being constructed. One relates to the health of the workers and the other to no permits posted. I would like to file another one, but I'm not sure how to do it. Thanks.
Crazy Eddie,
Big +1!
Lo
Great news, Glycol is safe!
Skating rinks often work with a coolant called glycol, which circulates through the ice system. In this way the cold is transported from the cooler to the rink. For many years Ice-World has worked with the more expensive but environmentally-friendly propylene glycol, also used in the food industry. No glycol enters the environment when this unique rink is installed. The fluid is drained off prior to dismantling with no loss of coolant. In contrast to the much-used EPDM system, there is almost no chance of leaks.
... and just think: No chance of leaks.
To file a complaint dial 311 from your cell phone. Tell the, you would like to report a unsafe work site. Or call the following
Borough Commissioner: (212) 566-0011 & (212) 566-0019
Borough Manager: (212) 566-0042
Once they power up those huge collers I am sure we will be able to file a noise complaint as well. And it's my guess they did not file a "Noise Mitigation Plan" with the city.
Also contact the Daily News and Post, they are interested in the lack of work permits and no "C of O" for the tents. You can file a complaint with the NY city fire dept via http://www.nyc.gov/html/fdny/html/firecode/feedback.shtml
This skating rink requires a firedepartment inspection as well.
To file complaints, call 311. There are four of them on file in the Building Information System for the Department of Buildings. The complaints and all permits for ST and PCV can be found on line in the BIS by searching Manhattan Blocl 972 Lot 1 for ST and Block 978 Lot 1 for PCV.
The DOB has issued a permit for the rink under 19 Stuyvesant Oval. The permit number is 120828364-01-EW-OT, which can also be searched in BIS.
Remarkably,as far as I could determine, there are no plumbing or electric permits for this job and the cost of the job is shown as $5,500.
If you are opposed to this fiasco, you shoud continue to call Dan Garodnick's office, the TA, and make complaints to the DOB. You should also start focusing on Andrew McArthur of CW Capital who is really the man behind the rink.
Excellent work, Anon 11:01 AM.
A bit more about propylene glycol:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5499611_danger-inhaling-propylene-glycol.html
Some holistic sites warn of greater dangers, however.
UPDATE FROM COUNCILMAN DAN GARODNICK
I spoke with Councilman Dan Garodnick this morning and here is a summary of what he had to say.
He is addressing the skating rink issue on all city fronts. He has contacted The Department of City Planning (zoning) and The Department of Buildings (permits) and will be going to the City's Department of Environmental Protection, which enforces the noise code, shortly. There is some sort of a permit on file with The Department of Buildings. He said that he expects to hear back from The Department of City Planning and more fully about the permit from The Department of Buildings sometime this week.
He is suggesting that everyone contact 311, make your complaint, get a complaint number and send it or call it in to his office so he can follow-up/track complaints, if necessary. You can telephone 311. You can go online to www.nyc.gov/311. You can also text your complaint to 311NYC (311692). The City does not charge for this service but your wireless charges may apply.
I just called 311; 311 tried to transfer me to 911, but 911 turned me over to the Fire Department instead. I made my complaint about the electrical wiring that is being run out of 19 Stuyvesant Oval - and also out of the EXPOSED OPENING of a LIGHT POLE in front of 19 Oval - and strung up into the trees and snaked over to Playground 10. The Fire Department said that it would send someone to investigate.
You can bet that if Concilman Garodnick is going to the City's Department of Environmental Protection, which enforces the NOISE code, he's knows that there is gonna MUSIC!
If CWC and Adam Rose think that they're gonna blast music here all afternoon and into the evening every day that skating rink is open, they better get ready for a fight. You, CWC and Rose - devoid of all decency, morals, consciences, and ethics - are NOT gonna impose your will on tenants.
I'll call Public Safety every night if I have too. I'm sick and tired of these gimmicks feet from my living room! You hear that Andy Mac and Lady Maya? This time you've gone too far!
Public Safety will do nothing. Your calls of complaint should be directed to 311 and/or the 13th precinct.
Go to lux for hte letters from City Planning - the green market and the food trucks are illegal.
Call the City and Council Member Garodnick to demand immediate enforcement.
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