New plantings, new fencing, the interior of buildings being cleaned, recycling areas redone, dog rules enforced (supposedly), amenities "refreshed".... The last time Rose Associates paid so much attention to the property, and spent so much money (we're talking millions), was when this property was being readied for the First Big Sell. Now, it's obvious we are being prepped for the Second Big Sell, which I expect to come some time next year. So enjoy it for what it's worth and while you can. Who knows what's going to hit us after the Second Big Sell. Hopefully not another Tishman Speyer.
BTW, the previous recyling area set-up is being removed in favor of this, which may make it easier and quicker to remove garbage:
Not sure if a night crew is at work now, but I noticed that there's been no heavy buildup of garbage over the weekend, as there used to be.
Dog Town
You may as well start calling this place Dog Town, instead of Stuy Town, as we are heading into the distinct possibility of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village being overrun by dogs within five years or less. The latest issue of Town & Village contains info from a representative for CWCapital that the official dog count is now 1,080, but the "actual number is even higher than that" as "the effort to get all the dogs in the complex registered is still ongoing." Anyone who has his or her eyes open and walks about the complex or sits down on one of its benches can see the increase in the dog population month by month. Only an enforced moratorium on new dogs can stop this advance.
While management and Public Safety has been doing a fairly commendable job enforcing the dog rules and checking registration tags near the Oval Fountain area, I still have yet to see Public Safety step outside of this zone to conduct similar enforcement and registration tag checks in other areas of the complex, particularly in the back areas of buildings and at the entry points to PCVST. I am continually seeing outsiders bring in their dogs for a walk-through, including dogs that are prohibited within the complex. And I am still seeing REGISTERED pit-bulls and pit-bull mixes being walked with impunity through Stuy Town by several residents.
PCVST General Manager Sean Sullivan wrote an op-ed in this week's T & V on "Why Dog Rules Were Stepped Up." The gist is that the enforcement of these rules is "part of an ongoing effort to improve quality of life standards for the PCVST community." Clearly, in presenting this property as attractive to a buyer, the dog problem has to be dealt with and stabilized. As the number of dogs here increases, this property, as a rental, will eventually be only appealing to dog owners, which will have the effect of bringing in more dogs into the complex.
And what's up with this...?
A dog at the Greenmarket today without ANY tag whatsoever....
So, a PCVST dog? Or a dog owned by a non-resident and their guest, the owner making use of the Greenmarket against zoning regulations? A Public Security officer a few feet away didn't seem to care.
And speaking of the Greenmarket and dogs, this morning the market plopped itself right near a trail of stomped dog turd. No one cleaned this up....
If your artisanal cheese has some extra spice on it, well....
Cafe Kubrick: Another Fail
Work has stopped (temporarily, I assume) on the patio extension of Oval Cafe. Why? Perhaps because the not sun-baked American planners or bossman didn't get the extension properly leveled with what's there already, causing a lengthy, uneven gouge where the two sides are supposed to meet? Now it's going to take another week to figure out how to fix this.
131 comments:
Be prepared for a very slow process for the big sale to occur. Be prepared for CW to ask for an extension so that the actual sale doesn't occur until 2015. Strategically, as time passes and there is more turnover here, CW will be able to get more money for the place & its partner Brookfield will be able to make more. It's a win-win for CW & Brookfield to wait. That's why they've been working hand-in-glove.
What makes you think that the recycling areas in Stuyvesant Town are going to be left as you show in your picture? I certainly hope that three, large, blue, recycling containers sitting forlornly by themselves is NOT what they consider an improvement over what was there before! Peter Cooper Village got a very fancy redo in its recycling areas. You should go check them out, STR.
You're right, of course. I don't expect those containers to be the end of the recycling area being "refreshed."
Does someone want to take a photo of a PCV recycling area and show it to us? Send to: stuytownreporter@gmail.com
I went to the greenmarket the last two Sundays and will not be going again. Too many dogs sniffing around the stands. They wouldn't be allowed in a grocery store and they should not be allowed near fresh produce. As well as that, the produce wasn't all that great. I'll stick with Union Square and Whole Foods.
Why is it such a big deal if someone who lives outside of Stuy Town shops at the Greenmarket? I understand what the zoning says... but does this actually bother people in Stuy Town? Is anyone disenfranchised by this?
I don't see any improvement in that photo of the recycling area. I bet that half an hour after that photo was taken it was filled up with dirty pizza boxes, bags of oozing kitchen crap and the bins were filled with unwashed bottles, cans, etc. All rendered totally unrecyleable. I will continue to put all my garbage down the chute. Glass is the only thing that should not be put down the chute because it can break in the compacter and shards can fly out and hurt the maintenance people. They have enough to cope with as it is.
I couldn't have articulated the dog situation any better myself STR. I'm curious as to what the end game is going to be regarding this. I would imagine that Brookfield will put fences around every single grassy area of the property?
"I went to the greenmarket the last two Sundays and will not be going again. Too many dogs sniffing around the stands. They wouldn't be allowed in a grocery store and they should not be allowed near fresh produce."
Yeah, I've noticed that recently there are a lot more dogs at the Greenmarket, sniffing, scratching, etc. Good luck with that produce!
There are a lot of dogs at Union Square every Saturday. I wonder if there are too many cranky PCVST residents also? Is so, I'll stay away.
I wonder how many dogs were near that fresh produce on the farm?
I wonder how many dogs were near that fresh produce on the farm?>>
What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over. ;-) (As my granny used to say.)
I know there are dogs at Union Square, but I do prefer the produce there. Mind you, the Mignoli (sp) stand at our Greenmarket does have some nice greens. The other stands seem to be a little less appealing. I bought some cilantro from Mignoli as well as some rocket arugula and it was so delicious as to be out of this world. The cheese stands kind of turn my stomach!
Ita, CW will extend the sale. And there are apparently many interested parties. New price? MORE THAN 5 billion you think? Some people 'in the RE business' are saying it's more than likely.
What a shame.
Not only is the dog cowering at the greenmarket - he's had it with Lady Maya too! - but it's off lease, and off it's torture collar laying on the ground.
STR the patio at Cafe Kubrick is a DISASTER! LOL I walked by the other day and caught myself gasping out loud. It's so warped and uneven!
If there is any work that needs to be done in your apartment, have it done NOW while it's still CW's responsibility. Painting, replacing windows with broken seals, anything electrical or plumbing related. Ditto for anything you see in your building. At some point in the future, those who buy their apartments may find themselves hit with these costs.
Perhaps the construction snafu will be completed when the pbj's recipe arrives.
On another topic, NY1's appropriately named real estate reporter, Jill Urban, recently did a piece called "Stay Within Legal Boundaries When Walling Off Apartment Space." In it she says that the city is aggressively cracking down on illegal walls.
http://www.ny1.com/content/ny1_living/real_estate/166720/stay-within-legal-boundaries-when-walling-off-apartment-space?ap=1&MP4
Commodities at 10th Street and 1st Ave. has great organic produce if you don't feel like going to Union Square.
Brian, I'm totally with you. I could care less if nonresidents buy some veggies at the Greenmarket, nor do I care about dogs sniffing around the produce...SINCE I WASH IT LATER.
Many folks on this blog seem unusually paranoid about germs, so this is par for the course.
Why were you at the farmers market? I thought you were against it? Stay away and let those of us with dogs enjoy it.
"Why were you at the farmers market?"
I take walks around the Oval. The farmers market is along my route. And I like the free peach samples.
Of course, the issue never was whether one likes the farmers market or not, but whether it is legally zoned to be present where it is.
"I could care less if nonresidents buy some veggies at the Greenmarket, nor do I care about dogs sniffing around the produce"
How about dog crap getting on your produce? You don't mind that either, I guess. Scrub, scrub away.
As for nonresidents buying veggies from the Greenmarket, the idea behind allowing the Greenmarket in its current place is that it's supposed to serve only "residents and their guests." The fact that it doesn't just serve residents and their guests is another violation, however minor or not, that's occurring in this community with EVERYONE'S UNDERSTANDING.
Why don't they lock all the gates and only allow entrance to residents? No public, no visitors, no guests and name it PCVST Hospice.
I wish they would just get rid of the greenmarket. It's an unwelcome intrusion to those of us who live near it. We have to listen to them unloading and reloading every Sunday for the duration. It's bad enough being so painfully close to those hideous "concerts."
>>Why don't they lock all the gates and only allow entrance to residents?<<
You mean like a real gated community?
The city aggressively dealing with illegals walls? ROFLLLLL.
Has the city even seen our ILLEGAL WALLS? OR does CW / Rose get a free pass on these?
I would hate to live here if it were a gated community. And I love the greenmarket. Go to Florida already people, you don't like living in NYC anymore, clearly.
I wish they would just get rid of the greenmarket. It's an unwelcome intrusion to those of us who live near it. We have to listen to them unloading and reloading every Sunday for the duration. It's bad enough being so painfully close to those hideous "concerts."
You can thank Councilman Dan Garodnick for your Greenmarket pain. If he had done what he very publically said he would do and worked with Management to move the Greenmarket to a legal location on or near the property, you and others like you who live nearby would not have to suffer from this unwelcome, Sunday morning intrusion into your lives. It would be interesting to know exactly why Garodnick didn't do what he said he would. I - and many, many others - are very disappointed in him and his handling of the Greenmarket and the STPCV zoning issue, but I guess you can just chalk it up to yet another politician not delivering on their promises. Silly me, I thought that Garodnick was better than that.
Yes "like a real gated community." Then we can ban all dogs, food trucks, green markets, cafes, anyone under the age of 30, sports, ice skating, movies, music, children playing, non-whites, etc. And all the PCVST residents can live in quiet with immaculately clean trash rooms.
Yes it is the old, slap lipstick on a pig routine all over again, only they would not be refreshing the amenities, or doing new plantings or cleaning the building interior, if it was for a sale as you said next year, or as one of your commenters said for a sale in 2015, they are getting it ready for a sale now.
The Tenants Association announced at a press conference in November that they had partnered with Brookfield and were going to place a bid to buy STPCV in the 2nd quarter of 2012, that time came and went, and when the TA was asked what happened, we were told that the deal was a little more complicated than they were expecting, so there new plan was to place the bid to buy, late summer of 2012.
Well that is very soon, so that is why CW are cleaning the interiors of the buildings and improving on the recycling, opening the Oval Cafe and doing up the stores along 1st Ave,etc, etc. it's all going to look like S##t again in a year, so it's now that they are planning on selling.
The contradictions (and irony) expressed here are troubling...how Stuy Town should be a bastion of middle class families, etc, yet also offer a level of security typical of a super-expensive gated community and/or something so big-brother like that it's scary.
"Why don't they lock all the gates and only allow entrance to residents? No public, no visitors, no guests and name it PCVST Hospice."
Sounds good to me.
Who needs the San Andreas Fault when we the American Leisure Kubrick Fault.
The green market doesn't belong here. When they're setting up and closing, you can't even walk on that stretch of the Oval. You can't park where the vendors' park their trucks either. It just doesn't belong here. Zoning laws don't turn a place into a hospice. That's ridiculous, 8/12 10:16PM. Zoning laws have nothing to do with the age of residents. Where do you store your parents 10:16? Is that the way you talk about them?
They CAN'T put up locked gates because when PCV/ST was built one of the caveats was that Met would allow thru access in exchange for deleting the street grid. Now considering that, how does "accessory use" pass muster when by definition the public is allowed access??
"Yes "like a real gated community." Then we can ban all dogs, food trucks, green markets, cafes, anyone under the age of 30, sports, ice skating, movies, music, children playing, non-whites, etc. And all the PCVST residents can live in quiet with immaculately clean trash rooms."
Totally agree, though I don't have a problem with the non-whites. Most of the qol offenders are little whities from flyover states.
"The contradictions (and irony) expressed here are troubling...how Stuy Town should be a bastion of middle class families, etc, yet also offer a level of security typical of a super-expensive gated community and/or something so big-brother like that it's scary."
No, I would like to see the level of security we had when Stuy Town really was bastion of middle class families. That would be a giant step up from the present level.
There is nothing in the Stuytown that you guys seem to want that appeals to me. Locked gates? No farmers market? No dogs? No people playing sports or enjoying the lawn?
Ugh, grim and lifeless to say the least. I like it the way it is now. I'm glad the farmers market is here, and thank god for the young people to add life and balance to the bleak version you all seem to want.
"Where do you store your parents 10:16? Is that the way you talk about them?"
I’m 58 years old and both my parents are stored six feet under. They lived into their eighties and were full of life. New York City is full of life which includes dogs, children, sports, music, etc. This is a living city and world which changes every day - I’m glad I can accept change and reside in a community which is full of life. I’d rather be dead than have no life as I get older.
Stuy Town Reporter @ 9:57pm Seriously - you are actually implying that dog crap is going to get all over the produce at the green market? I feel you have went to far at this point to even suggest something so ridiculous. I can only assume that was a joke.
On a separate matter, it appears Bed Bugs are running rampant rght now. I spoke to someone in my building who said there are 3 reported cases on her floor (including her apartment). All apartments appear to be transient dorm style set ups.
I know I have seen Adam Rose's email address posted, can somebody repost it here.
Thanks
"STR the patio at Cafe Kubrick is a DISASTER! LOL I walked by the other day and caught myself gasping out loud. It's so warped and uneven!"
Serously? Really? Does the uneven patio keep you awake at night? You have way too much time on you hands. Maybe you should volunteer to finish the job?
The Greenmarket is just another unnecessary noise-producing Oval gimmick. MetLife used to be concerned enough about noise from routine maintenance that they made workers collect the leaves with rakes rather than use a super-loud blower. Fast forward to today and you have a noisy concert on Saturday afternoon, Greenmarket banging and clanging first thing in the morning on Sunday, and intermittent leaf blower/construction vehicle noise during the week. Plus we can all look forward to the two months of nonstop noise it takes to set up the ice rink.
I know I have seen Adam Rose's email address posted, can somebody repost it here.
adam@rosenyc.com
>>Serously? Really? Does the uneven patio keep you awake at night? You have way too much time on you hands. Maybe you should volunteer to finish the job?<<
I volunteer to bring a hammer and break up the poor job that's there!
BTW, where do you think the money for building a patio extension, as well as money for creating Oval Kubrick, comes from? One way or another, it's money that is NOT being used for better purposes in this complex--or even, gasp, lowering rents.
Anon 4:57 PM, what building is this bedbug infestation in?
A few observations, Cafe Kubrick was sporadically used the afternoon, Peter Cooper does have gates and closes them to deter crossing thru when the public pool is in session. The construction snafu should remain as is, performance art, aptly named the "Great Diviide"
Regarding the sale of this complex, you as a renter have more rights than a said owner. The thought of today's kids, young urban professionals having to a bathroom is beyond their comprehension. If you ever had to make a holiday meal in our kitchens you can the inside joke regarding "Luxury Living"
5:28 p.m. Yeah, the greenmarket is a gimmick. The way 99 percent of the world gets their food is a gimmick. Are you freaking kidding? You are railing against a farmers market???
"I’m 58 years old and both my parents are stored six feet under. They lived into their eighties and were full of life. New York City is full of life which includes dogs, children, sports, music, etc. This is a living city and world which changes every day - I’m glad I can accept change and reside in a community which is full of life. I’d rather be dead than have no life as I get older."
Hey, if you have to depend on your entertainment to be provided by CW/Rose, then you do have no life. It's true that New York City is full of life, dogs, children, Sports, music, etc., and I enjoy them all thoroughly. However, I enjoy them "off campus" and would prefer to come home to a nice, pleasant, quiet ambience, thank you very much. If you are in need of the crappy concerts, flyblown greenmarket and Cafe Kubrick to satisfy your zest for life, then you are the one who should be in a retirement home. A real one. Have you ever thought of going on a cruise? That's something that would drive me nuts, but as you like everything laid on and right on the doorstep, it might be ideal for you.
All the nostalgia for Metlife--but it's Metlife who sold out the longtime residents, big time. Their greed what started this big mess.
"Serously? Really? Does the uneven patio keep you awake at night? You have way too much time on you hands. Maybe you should volunteer to finish the job?"
Seriously, as I think you meant to say, the patio does not keep me awake at night. I will never step foot on the patio. If I feel the need for a coffee or food, I will venture into the East Village and take advantage of the what the city has to offer.
But back to the patio. It's a disgrace that YOUR RENT MONEY is going towards shoddy work, work indicative of a much bigger problem. But Mary's building NEVER has problems, so who cares, right?
Agreed, that's the bottom line here, in a city that never sleeps one should never limit themselves to over-priced java. Just because it is nearby, unfortunately we live in a lazy environment. If a new store opened elsewhere with so many rules and regulation, good NYers would shun said establishment. If the Oval Cafe was run like a regular business and not a subsided Rose entity it would be closed by now. Sometimes stupid is just that.........Stupid!
Any nostalgia for MetLife is for the "old" MetLife that existed before it ceases to be a mutual company and became publicly traded company under the leadership of the notorious Robert Benmoshe, one of the most ruthless admen since Al Dunlap. That's when the war on RS tenants was declared.
"Serously? Really? Does the uneven patio keep you awake at night? You have way too much time on you hands. Maybe you should volunteer to finish the job?"
It could be serious if somebody has a slip and fall (especially whilst carrying hot coffee).
"Hey, if you have to depend on your entertainment to be provided by CW/Rose, then you do have no life. It's true that New York City is full of life, dogs, children, Sports, music, etc., and I enjoy them all thoroughly. However, I enjoy them "off campus" and would prefer to come home to a nice, pleasant, quiet ambience, thank you very much. If you are in need of the crappy concerts, flyblown greenmarket and Cafe Kubrick to satisfy your zest for life, then you are the one who should be in a retirement home. A real one. Have you ever thought of going on a cruise? That's something that would drive me nuts, but as you like everything laid on and right on the doorstep, it might be ideal for you."
Ditto!!! Well said. Unfortunately your common sense is going to elude many of these posters.
"Anonymous said...
5:28 p.m. Yeah, the greenmarket is a gimmick. The way 99 percent of the world gets their food is a gimmick. Are you freaking kidding? You are railing against a farmers market???"
I don't know where you get your 99 percent statistic from, but personally I purchase my groceries indoors in a store where there are no dogs, flies, or outdoor pests flying all over my produce. My issue is not with the Farmer's Market itself. I think it's kind of cute and quaint. However, it has no place in the Oval, which in "my day" was a quiet, commercial-free oasis where kids could play and seniors could sit on a bench a read without being forced to listen to PEARL AND THE BEARD and whatever hipster band they have this week. I'm only 26. I'm not part of the geriatric serial complainers. But as a lifelong resident, the Greenmarket seems out of place and inappropriate, albeit well-intentioned.
It's not nostalgia for Met Life, a company. It's longing for the days, less than ten years ago, when the property wasn't filled with transients, when we knew our neighbors, and people were more respectful of each other. When CITY people lived in the city. It was like this into the early 2000s.
"However, it has no place in the Oval, which in "my day" was a quiet, commercial-free oasis where kids could play and seniors could sit on a bench a read without being forced to listen to PEARL AND THE BEARD and whatever hipster band they have this week. I'm only 26. I'm not part of the geriatric serial complainers. But as a lifelong resident, the Greenmarket seems out of place and inappropriate, albeit well-intentioned."
Amen to that! That's what a lot of us miss! We can go off the property to listen to bad music (if that's what you like), but we don't want it shoved down our throats. The Oval used to be a lovely place to go and relax. Now, we have nowhere to go and get some pleasant, restorative relaxation - an oasis from the noise, crowds and stress of the city. Thanks alot, Rose and CW. May you never have a peaceful moment again in your homes.
“Hey, if you have to depend on your entertainment to be provided by CW/Rose, then you do have no life. It's true that New York City is full of life, dogs, children, Sports, music, etc., and I enjoy them all thoroughly. However, I enjoy them "off campus" and would prefer to come home to a nice, pleasant, quiet ambience, thank you very much. If you are in need of the crappy concerts, flyblown greenmarket and Cafe Kubrick to satisfy your zest for life, then you are the one who should be in a retirement home. A real one. Have you ever thought of going on a cruise? That's something that would drive me nuts, but as you like everything laid on and right on the doorstep, it might be ideal for you.”
Yes – I had no entertainment before CW/Rose.
Can the chronic complainers on this blog each post at least one positive thing about living in PCVST?
"If you are in need of the crappy concerts, flyblown greenmarket and Cafe Kubrick to satisfy your zest for life, then you are the one who should be in a retirement home"
THANK YOU!!!!
PCV and ST are, in fact private property and there is noeasement or other right for thepublic to use or pass through the property. The Loop Roads are also private roads, albeit with public access. However, that access can be cut off by the owner at any time.
Management can, and has in the past, blocked public access the bot ST and PCV by foot and by vehicle. As noted, by another poster, PCV has gate. Those gates are not only closed on 23rd street during pool season, but were all been closed every July 4 when the fireworks were on the East River. Likewise in ST when management posted security to block public access at the eight entrances to ST to avoid crowds shortcutting through the community.
The market and the cafe are violations of the zoning. They exist solely becuase feckless Dan sold out to CW and Rose on the comercialization of the Oval. Rose should rename this now commercial strip as Garodnick Boulevard.
Valuation comment:
There are 11,231 units in PCVST. The total number of square feet of rental space is 10,224,532 square feet. At $315 per square foot, that's a value of $3,220,727,580 or $3.22 billion.
Joe DePlasco takes slips and falls very seriously!
>>Can the chronic complainers on this blog each post at least one positive thing about living in PCVST?<<
You can't be addressing me, because I'm not a chronic complainer, but I will name the Oval Fountain area as something very positive in this complex, when there's no intrusion from a concert or other Lady Maya gimmick event.
anyone hear that ROSE is on the way OUT by next month???????
It is chronic calling out CW Capital when they spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on window dressing events such as push up contests, crappy concerts, a subsidized Kubrick Café while ignoring illegal hotels, being called out for major fire code violations, stuffing apartment with transients so that maintenance is overwhelmed, not enforcing any of the QOL regulations that they post on their website, keeping secret major bed bug infestations, and forgoing stairway security patrols? Keep going on sticking your head in the sand. I can’t wait to see if you are affected by a major fire and we will see who is the chronic complainer.
I'd be very surprised to see Rose Associates out of here that soon, as the property is now being prepped for sale, and Rose was in charge the first time around.
I really don't get the use of the word transients here. Do you mean college kids? I think of transients as people who stay in flophouse rooming houses for days or weeks.
Granted, most college kids are not here for the long term, but I don't think being here for a year or more qualifies them as transients.
The offer to the public is anywhere from 1-2 years off. If there is a mgt change, it would probably be a change to the liking of the new buyer. That way when the buyer takes over, there will be no transition hiccups. So the new mgt will be of Brookfield's choosing since this whole deal was probably agreed upon behind closed doors months ago.
@anon August 14, 2012 2:32 PM
I hate to argue, but I've heard from management sources that the easement exists, and it would be in the residents best interests in fighting the "accessory use" issue if in fact, this was the case. IMHO, the gates in PCV aren't supposed to be there, but the city simply looks the other way (as they do with most of the issues here) because Met wanted to address crowd control on the 4th of July fireworks days.
But I can't prove the easement issue because I don't know where to look in the public record. It would be ultra cool if someone could prove that issue and supply it to the TA.
"I'd be very surprised to see Rose Associates out of here that soon, as the property is now being prepped for sale, and Rose was in charge the first time around."
After all we have seen in the last 6+ years, how could ANYTHING surprise you, STR? I half expect to walk out my door in the morning to see an oil rig on the front lawn or a shopping mall being built.
Impark is gone. They were probably too expensive. They are one of the best parking management companies in the industry. I'm not going to give those same props to Rose but maybe they, too, are too expensive.
Around here I think you have to expect the unexpected.
Transients: People who move here for one year. Roommate situations where the roommates change at 6 month -1 year intervals. Then move out in one year. The fake, free month rent scam and the huge rent increases that all but force people to move out.
"I really don't get the use of the word transients here. "
Hello, have you been sleeping? The dozens of illegal hotels that have been advertised on Airbnb (this story has been all over the net including the NY Times) and the almost daily Craig's list postings for roommates. This is the usual MO for such roomate postings:
"We're two early-mid-twenties creative types. One freelance graphic designer and one grad school student"
I am truly amazed of the ignorance factor of many of the residents of what is going on here. Like, Yah!
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/646407
Notice the lie of "Central NYC". LOL!
http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/roo/3204003197.html
@9:45 p.m. "IMHO, the gates in PCV aren't supposed to be there, but the city simply looks the other way (as they do with most of the issues here) because Met wanted to address crowd control on the 4th of July fireworks days."
I don't see any reason why the gates can't be there. I've never heard of a reason why they can't be closed. I've never heard that the public has to have access to our space (as opposed to buildings that are allowed to be taller than allowed in return for creating public space). As for the ST roads, my understanding was that they had to be closed to the public one day a year in order to maintain their private status. MetLife used to do this.
In the olden days, you had to apply on a list, your options were 1 or 2 year lease, not semester by semester! The endlessness of transient move-ins & disposals of Ikea like desks & shelves.
Still in all this is still the best complex in the city, with all it's shortfalls. I believe it's the managements disregard for long term tenants that rile the complaints & venting.
I vow to stay and also never buy, unfortunately others will jump at the chance for a quick inclusion into Stuy Town.
In the meantime please do not forget the ineffectlessnes of Dan Garodnick and his obvious biased backing of Brookfield Conversion plans..
1:47 a.m.--it is not your space. It belongs to CW and they can do what they want. Plus, they have requirements for access to the public. So stop pretending you own anything here--you are no more of an owner than the students you complain about. We are all renters, with the same rights, but you have no more say than anyone else.
Anon 12:20:
I wrote the transient post. The Craiglist ad is someone looking for a roommate. When I was younger I lived in a roommate situation for years until I could afford a place of my own. I never considered myself a transient.
AirBnB is a different animal and better fits the definition of transient. However, there are over 11,000 apts here and at any given time 20-40 people are illegally TRYING (and not necessarily succeeding) to rent out a room or an apartment on a short term basis. Is this a problem? Yes. Is it this major, wide-ranging scourge that people are making it out to be? I highly doubt it. And please don't cry bedbugs; your neighbor the frequent business traveler is a greater risk.
I'm not trying to in any way minimize the short-term rental problem, but I also don't subscribe to all the fear-mongering that's rampant on this blog.
" Tommyboy said...
In the olden days, you had to apply on a list, your options were 1 or 2 year lease"
In the really olden days, there were 3-year leases.
Yes it is true, Rose are out of here in one months time and CW are going to take over managing the place.
If you kids think Kubrick Café is an abomination, just wait till you see what they do with the Oval Cinema, that has been closed for the last 6 months.
"I vow to stay and also never buy, unfortunately others will jump at the chance for a quick inclusion into Stuy Town.
In the meantime please do not forget the ineffectlessnes of Dan Garodnick and his obvious biased backing of Brookfield Conversion plans.."
Exactly my sentiments, too.
"I vow to stay and also never buy"
Tommyboy,this may be the best course of action if you are a real RS tenant. It won't, of course, be a sensible course of action if you are overpaying.
Like the 7:32AM poster, I vow to stay and also never to buy. Most old-time rent stabilized tenants I speak to agree. The most common refrain I get is "They'll have to drag me out in a box first. Why would anyone in their right mind double or even triple their monthly nut to live here? Makes NO sense from an economic point of view." Believe me, tenants buying this place ain't never going to happen. You can take THAT to the bank.
Just one man's opinion...feel free to disagree.
P.S. My children can succeed to my apartment as they are legal, registered occupants. So even after CW Capital&Rose drag my carcass out of here my kids can still stay under current lease terms.
So God willing, CW Capital&Rose are on the hook for at least another 50 years as far as this apartment goes.
Peace and love to all and above all, keep on chuckling. Life is too short.
There have been some interesting posts here about public access and whether or not an easement exists. Posters have bought up the issue of the fireworks display, the gate at PCV and the road closings. Regarding the Marcy’s fireworks display, once the display ended, thousands of people streamed through the property while the PS officers stationed at barriers at the Stuy Town Ave C and 20th St. loops did nothing. Regarding the road closings, when the TA had a blog, this issue was also discussed rather vigorously with no resolution because Met Life had one view, NYC another. The easement issue, I believe, is purposely nebulous which is fine, first with TS, now with CW Capital, so that they can continue to add additional internal zoning law violating commercialization projects with the now laughable caveat, “For PCVST Residents & Their Guests Only.” As long as Bloomberg and his socialite pal, Amanda Burden remain, nothing will ever be resolved and the commercialization will continue. And by the way, Christine Quinn, “the chosen one” and who gave Bloomberg his third term, will be the same thing, just a another version of Bloomberg “light”. The ST. Vincent’s (her district) hospital debacle and the Rudin acquisition that has left the city without a major hospital in the Village (as usual, nobody prosecuted) and has destroyed many small businesses, well, get used to this type of city government if she’s elected.
“Hello, have you been sleeping? The dozens of illegal hotels that have been advertised on Airbnb (this story has been all over the net including the NY Times) and the almost daily Craig's list postings for roommates.”
1. No need to be arrogant (have you been sleeping?) to your neighbors who post on this blog. You can have a different perspective, and still be nice to your neighbors
2. Dozens of Airbnb ads amount to about 0.7% of the population (based on 72 [6 dozen] out of 11,000 apartments) and this is if all of the ads are successful and always rented – which is highly questionable. I hesitate to consider the noise and trash problems you attribute to these illegal hotels is seriously distressing that many residents. Yes, there are noise problems, but there have been noise problems in PCVST for years (children are noisy also). And yes, the trash is a problem compared to when MetLife was providing maintenance - but it is way overblown on this blog. Those who are disturbed are contacting management. Bedbugs are a problem all over NYC and there is probably a greater risk from your neighbors who travel and frequently stay in hotels.
3. The Craigslist ads are people seeking roommates – this is very normal in NYC and has been for decades. If roommates rent an apartment for one year, I don’t feel they are transient. Young people have a right to live in NYC and just because someone is young, does not make them a transient.
All tenants are tenants. Where did some people get the idea that they had the right to tell the owner what to do? If you want to control things, go buy some real estate. And Brookfield, by the way, has gotten NOWHERE. Why do the paranoid think that Brookfield is in charge? CW calls the shots here, and they only report to the debt which is their client.
Re the bedbugs...has anyone else seen the bedbug exterminator that they've hired? I saw their vans on the 14th Street loop a couple of weeks ago...they look like white horse trailers.
Well anyhow, they roll a machine into the affected apartment that essentially uses radiant heat to cook the bedbugs to death by raising the ambiant temperature to something like 200 degrees (according to the guy rolling it in).
So I'm assuming this method can only be used in completely empty apartments...or else you'd have a flash fire?!?
To Anony 9:16 AM and Anony 12:08-This whole community is being marketed to a transient demographic. It is in the short term interest of CW Capital to churn apartments as much as possible to drive up the so called legal rent. Do you deny this? Roommates that come and go have always been part of the mix in Manhattan and this community. But this is unprecedented. I have personally experienced on my floor various roommates moving in an out of various apartments at least 4 times alone for a one year lease. Look at the overloaded re-cycle areas and all of the furniture that is dumped here on a daily basis. I am sure that many other posters can back me up. And the stats you quote are only for the illegal hotels that are being outed. Who knows many really are out there. This is a major city wide issue, covered everywhere, it’s not just a PCVST issue. And management does not give a damn. And to Anony 9:16 who casually dismissed the beg infestation issue, I have been infested twice. Management is keeping this issue under wraps since they are no longer doing the most effective treatment (they have gone back to chemical treatment) which is the heat treatment. This treatment is very visible since one sees a series of rubber pipes coming from a loud generator and leading up to the widows of an infested apartment. This horror I would not wish upon anyone. And where are bed bugs usually found? In dormitories , hotels, retail establishments and schools, locations with a steady flow of “transients”.
CW & Brookfield are working together to maximize price for CW and maximize profit for Brookfield. First element of proof will be...watch and see if Brookfield announces anything of substance before Sep 21 (end of summer). It won't. Those of you who say you won't buy...music to Brookfield's ears. They're happy to wait. And when you die, they'll sell your unit at market rate. It's really not an issue so far as Brookfield is concerned. They intend to price you out anyhow.
2:24 p.m. Where do you get this paranoid conspiracy crap?
@hippo
Granted, the conversion may not happen, but if it does,your 50 yr RS scenario with 7-10 per cent yrly RGB increases may see your kids paying much more in monthly rent than the mortgage paying condo owning neighbor....
Re: @ Hippo your 50 yr RS scenario with 7-10 per cent yrly RGB increases may see your kids paying much more in monthly rent than the mortgage paying condo owning neighbor....
Not only that, but your condo owning neighbor will also be able to re sell there apartment at market value, and hopefully make a tidy profit, instead of just pissing away money on rent every month.
@ hippo, you forgot to mention that your condo owning neighbor, will be able to write off on their taxes most of their mortgage and maintenance.
@ Anonymous said August 15, 12:08 PM - "And yes, the trash is a problem compared to when MetLife was providing maintenance - but it is way overblown on this blog."
Clearly someone not familiar with physical condition of ST-PCV maintained by MetLife for 60 years. Building common areas were immaculate and landscape was pristine. There were no trashcans and no garbage on the ground anywhere. Now trashcans are everywhere and garbage is on the ground everywhere.
And when the apartments are submetered, wait until the renters have to pay for their own electricity and heat...then it really won't be cheaper, but the owners will be able to deduct all that...
In all honesty, i wouldn't buy here and it won't happen imo in any case.. I too miss the days when things were different here. I"m not that old, not that young, but it's a shame and it's happening all OVER MANHATTAN.
But its with the poster who said, we don't own it, they do. They can do whatever they want. Those of us who want to be in control should probably buy their own piece of whatever. Just saying.
3:38AM...what's the matter with you? Haven't you been told here that you are not an owner & owners are free to do whatever they like. I guess whoever posted that about owners is really saying to shut up & stop complaining. Since you're not an owner, you're a second-class citizen.
So far we've heard from Brookfield/TA it would formalize a plan by early March/April. Then it was April. Then it was June. Then it was some time in the summer. Then it was by end of summer. 36 days to go. 10 to 1...no plan will be released this year and Roberts will also not settle this year.
"Anonymous said...
@ hippo, you forgot to mention that your condo owning neighbor, will be able to write off on their taxes most of their mortgage and maintenance.
August 15, 2012 10:16 PM"
Condo owners can't write off their maintenance. Maint for a condo is just for services provided and that is not deductible.
If you earn enough to afford a condo here, you are probably going to be subject to AMT (ask your accountant if you don't know what that is). That means that you won't be able to deduct your taxes, either.
Mortgage interest you can deduct in most all circumstances.
Don't count on deductions bailing you out of buying a pig in a poke.
"Anonymous said...
And when the apartments are submetered, wait until the renters have to pay for their own electricity and heat...then it really won't be cheaper, but the owners will be able to deduct all that...
August 16, 2012 9:30 AM"
Welcome, newcomer! The heat is steam and can't be metered.
They have been kicking around the submetering plan for years and they can never make the numbers work. That's not likely to change any time soon but, if it does, they have to rebate the average cost of power for your unit, lowering your rent, and they will no longer be able to charge for A/C as that would be metered. After a huge capital investment, they probably lose out as lighting and appliances get more efficient.
Can you explain to all of us how condo owners are able to deduct their heat and electricity from income taxes? I would love to hear that one!
"3:38AM...what's the matter with you? Haven't you been told here that you are not an owner & owners are free to do whatever they like."
True, but they are also a business and we are their customers. And they treat their customers like shit.
"And when the apartments are submetered,....but the owners will be able to deduct all that... "
Not true Spanky. Homeowners can only deduct utilities for a legitimate home business, and then only the percentage of the home that is used by the business will be deductible.
To: Anonymous @ 10:53 AM, nice to see you have such a positive outlook, on your neighbors future. I bet you are going to hate it when Roberts is settled in the favor of the FMRT by the end of September and the TA/Brookfield place a bid to buy in Nov, and those of us who would like to buy get to buy in at $315PSF. with the lowest mortgage rate in decades.
2:57PM...from your lips to God's ears. But it's not going to happen. Brookfield offering at 315 psf? And in November no less. That's rich. You must be smoking the kool-aid.
"They have been kicking around the submetering plan for years and they can never make the numbers work. That's not likely to change any time soon but, if it does, they have to rebate the average cost of power for your unit, lowering your rent,"
My memory is a little hazy on this point, but when I looked into this at one time, I discovered that the amount of the rebate would be very small (maybe only $20)--not nearly as much as the cost of electricity.
Re: What's tax deductible. I don't recall a discussion of whether condo or coop would be better on this point.
"Don't count on deductions bailing you out of buying a pig in a poke."
You don't need deductions to bail you out of this "pig in a pokie", just the Manhattan real estate market. The fact that it is now one big toilet will probably make it even easier to sell once one buys in (people want to be able to have dogs). I'm with you though, I'll be getting out of dodge.
What about the lead pipes?
That is why this is a non eviction conversion, if you would like to stay renting, and pissing your money away each month by all means stay renting, no one is telling you you have to buy. But for those of us who wish to buy at the insiders price, we will, if the price is right. This will give us the opportunity to sell our apts at market rate after 5 years time if we wish, it will also give us a big tax write off that we do not have now, plus finally after living here for 40 years I can rip out the kitchen and bathroom, an re do them the way I want, not the way he landlord tells me they have to be done. As I will be the landlord of my 3 bedroom apt.
"...finally after living here for 40 years I can rip out the kitchen and bathroom, an re do them the way I want, not the way he landlord tells me they have to be done."
Good luck with that! The plumbing is not "stand alone" you know, and it may not be as easy as you may think. In a house you can reconfigure the plumbing all you want so long as it is up to municipal code; in an apartment building your plumbing is part of a long chain shared by many other units.
"You don't need deductions to bail you out of this "pig in a pokie"
The pig in the pokie is going to be the head of PS. The yunnies are buying a pig in a poke. It's different, you know.
Still the same pig...
So if I can read between the lines, you want to buy so you can put your kitchen where? Perhaps a whirlpool bath elsewhere? Maybe a screen door ala Kramer on Seinfeld?
Pppppppppplease
So if I can read between the lines, you want to buy so you can put your kitchen where? Perhaps a whirlpool bath elsewhere? Maybe a screen door ala Kramer on Seinfeld?
Pppppppppplease.<<
Don't forget the sunken bathtub. I'm sure the people downstairs won't mind.
So if I can read between the lines, you want to buy so you can put your kitchen where? Perhaps a whirlpool bath elsewhere? Maybe a screen door ala Kramer on Seinfeld?
Pppppppppplease.<<
I think he/she just said they would renovate the kitchen Tommyboy. There was no mention of moving the room to any other place. Scroll up. I, however, am contemplating splitting the bedroom horizontally and placing the kitchen under the bed and nightstands, more in line with your thinking. I haven't yet figured out what I will do with the space that was once the kitchen, perhaps a home theatre room? At any rate, the impending conversion will certainly provide us with some interesting renovating possibilities!
God forbid, someone who has lived here for 40 years might want to improve his apartment, so by me saying I would like to finally rip out the kitchen and bathroom, an re do them the way I want, not the way the landlord tells me they have to be done. As I will be the landlord of my 3 bedroom apt.
Is somehow wrong? Those who can only make negative comments on everything, think it's Ok to attack me? If it is so difficult to put in a new kitchen and bathroom, how is it that it has already been done in almost 5,000 apt in this complex in the last 6 years? Like I said if you want to keep pissing away money on rent every month, that is your choice, I personally like the idea of buying, If the price is right, it will be a great tax write off, and I will be able to re sell it at market rate in 5 years if I choose to. Or leave it to my children and grandchildren. And they can either sell it or live here. It's a win, win, if the price is right.
@anonymous August 17, 2012 9:05 AM
Apparently reading comprehension isn't high on the skill list of some posters here, as you clearly said that you wanted to "re-do", which clearly means to remodel your kitchen and bath. I will add that condo and co-op boards usually reserve the right to approve or disapprove renovations to a unit, as it affects the common facilities (i.e. Plumbing), so while you will be able to re-do, you will probably need to do so within certain guidelines, that is IF you ever get the opportunity to buy.
"Apparently reading comprehension isn't high on the skill list of some posters here, as you clearly said that you wanted to "re-do", which clearly means to remodel your kitchen and bath. I will add that condo and co-op boards usually reserve the right to approve or disapprove renovations to a unit, as it affects the common facilities (i.e. Plumbing), so while you will be able to re-do, you will probably need to do so within certain guidelines, that is IF you ever get the opportunity to buy."
OK. I made the comment about the sunken bathtub. Sorry. Didn't mean to offend anybody. I have an "original" apartment (been here 32 years) and I would love to rip up the tiles and take out those old cabinets and put nice ones in. Probably would never be able to afford my unit, but good luck to those who will be able to buy. I am being sincere when I wish you all the best.
Buyers will certainly be able to re-do kitchens and baths. The configuration can't change significantly, and mgmt approval will undoubtedly be required. Plus you have to show that you've hired licensed and insured contractors for major work. But this is standard and very doable.
The AG doesn't even have a plan submitted, and you folks are watching the paint dry in your new kitchens and baths. Get a grip people !
Buyers will certainly be able to re-do kitchens and baths. The configuration can't change significantly, and mgmt approval will undoubtedly be required. Plus you have to show that you've hired licensed and insured contractors for major work. But this is standard and very doable.
Absolutely correct.
" Plus you have to show that you've hired licensed and insured contractors for major work."
That would be in sharp contrast to the way Rose/CW and TS have operated! Even MetLife used scab labor to put in the crappy windows that imploded and are to this day a monument to shoddy workmanship and materials. Tenant ownership could only improve this place. Corporate ownership will drive it further and further into a schlocky slum.
"The AG doesn't even have a plan submitted, and you folks are watching the paint dry in your new kitchens and baths. Get a grip people !"
We can hope and dream. Let us at least have something to hope for while we endure the current situation. Everybody has to have something to live for! I wouldn't be able to afford to buy my unit, but I know the place would be a helluva lot better if others could. We would all benefit because the owners would make sure the place was kept nice and the renters would have more incentive to care about the property. Right now, I never go near the laundry or recycling rooms (all down the chute) and stay away from the Oval. If the property was kept in good shape and the laundry and recycling rooms were not stomach-turning, I would feel/behave very differently.
Yes Anonymous August 18, 2012 6:32 PM
Your a very smart fellow, the AG doesn't even have a plan submitted yet.
That is because Roberts has not yet been settled and the TA/Brookfield, as far as we know have not yet placed a bid, and then of course CW have to except the bid. Before it goes to the AG.
Those of us with some idea of what we would like to happen, moving forward, can at least speculate on our futures, cant we? Or does that somehow upset your fragile state of being? Do you want us all to live in the past, like you?
Oh please. Can we stop with the usual exaggeration and insulting language? Being able to remodel is a tempting reason to buy. And it's great fun to think about.
There a number of good points being raised, re condo conversion, but please let's leave off the insults. I would hate to not let an interesting post pass because of the insertion of one insult. Thanks.
Personally, I think it's way to early to speculate about what a condo plan will look like--if we (as tenants) ever get that far. This place could be sold to an entity without CW Capital even looking at a tenant/Brookfield bid
"Personally, I think it's way to early to speculate about what a condo plan will look like--if we (as tenants) ever get that far. This place could be sold to an entity without CW Capital even looking at a tenant/Brookfield bid"
This is true STR, but it doesn't negate the prospect of either a coop or condo conversion by that other party. As a matter of fact, thanks to us real RS tenants, it's the only scenario that would work for a future buyer be it Brookfield or whomever. I think the conversion will be the least of our problems. I find it difficult to see how all of these QOL issues are going to be resolved. I have a neighbor who is the only one on her floor to not have a dog(s). The noise and stench she tells me about is terrible, not to mention the bathroom accidents. How do we possibly address these kinds of issues? I personally don't see how. Granted though at least we have a shot with a conversion.
"I have a neighbor who is the only one on her floor to not have a dog(s). The noise and stench she tells me about is terrible, not to mention the bathroom accidents. How do we possibly address these kinds of issues?"
You solve this problem by grandfathering the dogs that are already here and forbidding new ones and by enforcing the rules. This can be done. And people will need to step up and report neighbors who bring in dogs because the law says that if they're open about the dog and the landlord does nothing within, I think, three months, the dog can stay.
It sounds like a perfect plan and I'm with you. Unfortunately, I think you're dreaming. I don't see it happening. It seems to me that we have one of two options: either accept the changes here or move on. I'm with all the people who long for the old days, but it's over. The conversion could very well enable us to eventually escape from here and move on to another place in manhattan. Without it, speaking for myself, it's either stay and deal with it, or leave manhattan.
The dog problem wouldn't be so bad if the leasing office explained the dog rules on the tour. Easy. Instead all they do is carry on about the "24 hour security system," you know, the one that never catches any of the dozen muggings taken place. The way they carry on about the constantly broken and mold infested Mac Gray clothes mangles is pretty funny too. They tell the tour folks everything they want to hear. Liars.
"The dog problem wouldn't be so bad if the leasing office explained the dog rules on the tour."
Seriously? You believe that? People wouldn't be self absorbed and have consideration for their neighbors if the rules were just explained to them?
The Tenants Association announced at a press conference in November that they had partnered with Brookfield and were going to place a bid to buy STPCV in the 2nd quarter of 2012, that time came and went, and when the TA was asked what happened, we were told that the deal was a little more complicated than they were expecting, but to rest assured, there new plan was to place a bid to buy, late summer of 2012.
Well folks, that is only 2 weeks away and so far we have not heard anything from the TA or Brookfield about buying the property.
And for those of you who think they are not telling us anything because it is a smart business practice, may I remind you that they already did tell us, so why now are we not hearing any updates from the TA/Brookfield?
Our J-51 Roberts lawyers are not allowed, by law, to tell us what is going on with working out the correct formula for recalculating the rents. But at least our very own TA, could let us know if they are on schedule with placing a bid or not?
And yes if it does go Co-Op or Condo, the board could vote to stop a lot of the QOL problems that have been plaguing us for the last 6 years.
anon 1:43, I couldn't agree with you more and couldn't have articulated it any better.
If anyone who reads STR is also a TAFB member, can they repost anon 1:43PM post on the TA's Facebook page? All they seem to post about are QOL issues that could easily be resolved if we were owners, instead of just tenants.
CW fired Rose and Impark because they are putting STPCV on the auction block at the end of Summer and want to show low operating costs on the books. Which is also why they have been putting lipstick on the pig all summer long.
Our glorious, Tenants Association announced at a press conference in November that they had partnered with Brookfield and were going to place a bid to buy STPCV in the 2nd quarter of 2012, that time came and went, and when the TA was asked what happened, we were told that the deal was a little more complicated than they were expecting, but to rest assured, there new plan was to place a bid to buy, late summer of 2012.
Well folks, that is only 2 weeks away, which is why both Rose and Impark are out of here but of course so far we have not heard anything from the TA or Brookfield about buying the property.
And for those of you who think they are not telling us anything because it is a smart business practice, may I remind you that they already did tell us, so why now are we not hearing any updates from the TA/Brookfield?
Our J-51 Roberts lawyers are not allowed, by law, to tell us what is going on with working out the correct formula for recalculating the rents. But at least our very own TA, could let us know if they are on schedule with placing a bid or not?
And yes if it does go Co-Op or Condo, the board could vote to stop a lot of the QOL problems that have been plaguing us for the last 6 years.
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