Kudos to the Associated on 14 St for placing (or allowing to be placed) the yellow "A Community. Not a Commodity" sign in its window. It looks beautiful and very colorful where it is. Can't be missed. Wonder if there will be any "pressure" from the Powers That Be to have it taken down.
Meanwhile, several Stuy Town-PCV residents took to picketing in front of the leasing office yesterday in an endeavor that was independently scheduled from the TA activities. As I was passing by in the late afternoon, I saw a prospective renter inside the leasing office reading one of their handouts with serious concern. Thank you, those of you who can make it to picket. My feeling is that this picketing can be as sustained or erratic as we like, yet a statement that we won't give up. Large crowds are not necessary, though there should be periodic larger-size gatherings to keep the Powers That Be on their toes.
And don't forget that you, as an independent citizen, can always say something to the group of prospective renters who are being led through the complex by a leasing agent. You will be ignored, but they will hear you.
Another personal protest is to not support any of the commercial endeavors that exist within Stuy Town, like Oval Cafe and, yes, the Greenmarket.
Some news from the TA:
Mid-lease affected tenants, on Sunday, June 2nd (time to be announced), come to the leasing office for a video shooting of a documentary of your story. Shockumentory artist, Sandy Bachom will shoot short video vignettes of tenants stories for sharing on YouTube and for sending to CW Capital and for building public awareness.
If you still want to independently turnout, and want to print your own flyers, we have posted a link to the file. The flyer is double-sided.
http://stpcvta.org/flyers/LO_Flyer.pdf
WORKSHOP SCHEDULED FOR MAY 29th.
Because of the ever-increasing number of questions along these lines, the ST/PCV Tenants Association inviting tenants facing mid-lease increases to a workshop on May 29th at IS 104, between 20th and 21st Street, starting at 8:00 PM. This directly follows our members-only annual meeting.
The TA’s attorney, Tim Collins, of Collins Dobkin & Miller, will speak with Roberts tenants who want to explore their options and to answer mid-lease increase-related questions from TA members and non-members, alike. It will also give affected tenants an opportunity to meet others with the same challenges, and exchange contact information.
Seating in the IS 104 auditorium is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Doors open at 7:45 PM.
25 comments:
All businesses should post this sign. Thank you Associated!!!
Good for Associated! I spend several hundred dollars a month in there and I'm glad to see they are being such good neighbors. I hope other merchants (Wash and Clean, for instance) follow suit.
And Zeichners.
Here's to Norman at Associated.
Thanks to ALL the scores of businesses along First Ave who allowed us to put our signs in their windows, including a couple of big corporate owned stores. More than a few businesses told us that they have been affected badly by the constant turnover here in ST-PCV.
We will be in out front of the Leasing Office again today, Memorial Day Monday, with flyers from the TA to hand out to prospective renters.
CVS and Duane Reade BOTH have our signs up. JOHNNY MOZZARELLA (the Pizza & Wings place between 15th & 16th) mentioned specifically how he no longer has any regular customers since the churning of apartments has accelerated. He's got a sign up too.
I remember when THE BACK OFFICE (18th just off First) actually closed since (besides her old-time regulars) NONE of the newer tenants would walk off the Avenue, so never knew she was there, much less what services she offered. Sad.
Remember, even if only ONE picketer is down there, CWC has to take a PS Officer and place them at the Leasing Office. So, it costs them money every time we stand there.
Zeichner's was interested in moving into a ST retail space but they were asking something like $30+ a month in rent. We are all human ATMs to CWCapital and CompasssJoke.
I hope to have more photos of businesses around Stuy Town that have the yellow signs up. Way to go! And MANY thanks!
I ran into a friend tonight walking through the oval. He and his partner are being forced to move out because their rent went up $900. They are limited to buildings with elevators because of a medical condition but were otherwise optimistic because they are finding better deals around the city. He also said they are warning people not to rent her because the landlord, or in our case CWCapital, can't be trusted and don't know how to manage the property. Word is getting out.
It's terrible the people who bring stability to this community are being forcefully evicted with these rent hikes. How Andrew MacArthur can sleep at night is beyond me. He lives up to every greedy, negative, corporate stereotype in the book. Rotten P.O.S.
Does Lenz's have a sign? and what about the restaurants at First and 20th? Maybe someone could approach Oval Concierge.
Tenants should boycott any business renting from STPCV, including Oval Concierge, that does not show its support by prominently displaying a sign.
The TA should consider an ad in T&V listing those businesses that support the tenants on this issue and, equally as important, those who do not.
TA really stepped up to the plate on this. T&V, too.
A shout-out & BIG thank you to Silver Haired Daddy who single-handedly got those posters into all of the shops displaying them (with a few more still pending!). What a rock star! Thank you!
Place your own ad. Or better yet join them at the leasing office protests.
>>Tenants should boycott any business renting from STPCV, including Oval Concierge, that does not show its support by prominently displaying a sign.<<
I understand where you're coming from, but I'm against pressuring businesses to do so. Let them accept the signs of their own "free will." Of course, supporting a business is up to the individual. I make it a point not to support the commercial activities within Stuy Town, for instance.
Sound like a familiar story? Seems it's spreading...
http://evgrieve.com/2013/05/a-classic-urban-etiquette-sign-for.html
LESS ANDREW MACARTHUR!
LESS SEAN SULLIVAN!
The leasing office protests need chants!
HEY HEY HO HO
ANDY MAC HAS GOT TO GO
HEY HEY HO HO
SEAN SULLIVAN HAS GOT TO GO
STPCV
COMMUNITY NOT COMMODITY
Tomorrow is 7 month anniversary of Sandy and much of PCV remains a dump. Great day to have to do laundry in the rain. all thanks to our "friends" at CW.
Agree wtih 7:46 PM. If you harass local businesses by boycotting them which will cause them to lose income, you behave on the same level as CWC.
Here's hoping that the person who wants to add chants to the protests is at least putting their money where their mouth is. A few more bodies would certainly help.
Spotted the bright yellow sign this morning at Gristedes, First Ave/20th St.
http://escapestuytown.wordpress.com/2013/05/29/stuy-town-still-feeling-superstorm-sandy/
FYI - Now that the infuriatingly inept Compass Rock management has closed the management office they won't tell you where the Legal Dept.is located.Call 420-5000 and none of their operators know either.They don't even know that if you happen to press "4" and specifically ask for the Legal Dept. they'll finally admit - "You've reached the legal dept".
Ask "where are you located" and the answer is "within the complex but we can't tell you where".Seriously,that's their answer.Only if you have a document to deliver or some legal emergency will they direct you to The CONCIERGE office at 276 First avenue.Even then they STILL won't admit the Legal Dept.is now secretly located through the doors BEHIND THE CONCIERGE DESK.
Can you imagine any prior management playing these childish games? Hiding from residents? And the widespread ignorance amongst their own staff is absolutely incredible.NOBODY knows where the management office is,IF there's a management office,what happened to the Legal Dept...etc,etc.Some will send you to 310 1st avenue...the rental office...the Concierge,[but they don't know what's there] and some simply repeat over and over,like robots "call them"...."call them"...."call them"..
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