The TA Still Dreaming of Conversion While Ignoring Major Tenant Issues

 

It's sad really. While the TA is mum, and therefore by its silence acquiescent, on matters like the commercialization of the Oval with Playground 11 turned into a pay-to-play area, and refuses to respond to questions about the legality of CWCapital crafting extra rooms out of ST/PCV apartments with work permits that state no change in occupancy (and all the shenanigans and bonuses that go along with garnering an extra room), while the TA is mum on other pertinent issues and is not putting up any vigorous fight for affordable housing, it is still pursuing conversion as a viable goal at the expense of all else, it seems.

Seriously, does the TA think that CWCapital will hamper itself in the sale of the complex by restricting the options a buyer can pursue, to include, at some point in the future, razing these old project buildings and replacing them with the most modern highrises? Does the TA think that CWCapital will restrict the potential profits a future landlord can garner from owning ST/PCV and dictating a course that will maximize the major investment?

There may be a 1% chance, or less, that conversion could happen, but it will only happen if CW doesn't see a solid sale in the future or if the economy starts seriously tanking. And as has already been said to me by an insider, conversion is NOT going to happen. So dream on, TA and those who are holding on to living here for the potential of buying an apartment.

There is going to be a tenant meeting this coming Saturday, December 6th, at Middle School 104, where conversion will once again be brought to the fore, among a couple of other matters. Chances are good that I will sit this one out, as by now, despite the cold, I'm not willing to put up with hot air.

The Enemy - Part 2

He's on the list!  Funny, I thought he was a Republican.

Bill de Blasio picks 101 member host committee in push to win 2016 Democratic National Convention

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/de-blasio-picks-101-member-host-committee-2016-dnc-push-article-1.2017142

Must be a very important person with a lot of influence.

The Enemy - Part 1

It will become apparent who I am talking about soon.

http://therealdeal.com/blog/2014/11/24/rob-speyer-reportedly-tried-to-broker-election-deal-for-cuomo/

3 people now live no problem roommate need 1-2 for both sexes

Obviously the Google translation is screwed up, but I wonder if what this actually states is that 3 people are living in the Stuy Town apartment currently, and there are openings for 1 or 2 more of any sex. Well, if that's not what the original message says, it's still provides fodder for the imagination!

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://www.cssanyu.org/bbs2/forum.php%3Fmod%3Dviewthread%26tid%3D89117%26extra%3Dpage%253D1&prev=search

The original message:

http://www.cssanyu.org/bbs2/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=89117&extra=page%3D1

Do note it's an NYU forum.

Where is Lo Rhent when you need him!

That "After Hours Construction" Noise Bill

...is, of course, languishing with the City Council.

http://chelseanow.com/2014/11/after-hours-construction-still-rattling-residents/

Some money quotes:

"In an interview with Chelsea Now, Mendez said that the bill is undergoing revisions, though she did not name specifics. 'Organized labor expressed concerns that limiting AHVs would affect members work opportunities,' she said."

"Officials from the Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) said the proposed restrictions are too broad." [Our disgraced former landlord, Rob Speyer, is chairman of the REBNY, btw.]

And what did I notice this Sunday when looking through a gap in the wooden high-fence barrier at the new Management Office construction site?  A guy working with a grout gun!  No work permit needed, it seems.

Of course, we already have noise codes, but, as you will read in the article, the DOB (Department of Buildings) hands out After-Hours Variances very freely. So the necessity for "new legislation," which, if passed, will probably be so diluted that it may well be like the old legislation. So the game continues....

Another Attempted Rape In Stuyvesant Town

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20141105/stuy-town/deliveryman-tries-rape-woman-after-asking-use-her-bathroom-nypd

STUYVESANT TOWN — A deli worker tried to rape a woman after delivering food to her Stuyvesant Town apartment, NYPD said.

Luis Corpeno, 27, who works for Fraiche Maxx on Park Avenue South, brought an order to the victim’s East 20th Street apartment just after midnight on Nov. 1 and then asked if he could use her bathroom, police said.

When he returned from the bathroom, Corpeno grabbed the 26-year-old woman's face and told her to kiss him. When she refused, he threw her on the couch, tried to take off her shirt and groped her, according to a criminal complaint from the Manhattan District Attorney's office. 

More at the above link.

If CWCapital and CompassRock think we're going to keep quiet about these type of instances, they are mistaken.

Dan Must Be Pleased: The Progressive Vision of Manhattan Continues!

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/realestate/new-condos-coming-to-midtown-east.html

From the above article:

"Spurred by the success of trophy skyscrapers like 432 Park Avenue, developers are planning luxury residential towers that could reshape the area between Park Avenue and Second Avenue from 57th Street to 60th Street."

Seriously, what are we waiting for? ST/PCV should have trophy skyscrapers, too. One on each current building site in this community.

Dan, please facilitate this here as you've done for the above neighborhood.

About Tenant Free Access to "The Courts"

First off, I hate the "street" name some suit gave what's at Playground 11--"The Courts."

"Yeah, we going down to 'The Courts'!"

But onward....

It seems that "The Courts" will have limited free tenant access. The first two weeks of "The Courts" will have little paid programing, but after that a deluge of paid activities will take over.

Here's the schedule of "Court 1" beginning the week of November 30:

The colored blocks are paid activities, the gray ones aren't. "Court 2" has a more openings for free play, but paid activities arrive in greater number on the third week.

(Here is the complete schedule for a few weeks.)

Now, you may wonder about access to "The Courts."

For that we head over to the online CompassRock FAQ and find out that:

"A Recreation Department staff member will be onsite checking IDs during Open Time." (Open Time is, obviously, when "The Courts" are not occupied by paid activities.)

Which means that during non-Open Time, there will be no ID check except for the staffing from the companies doing business at "The Courts": "...each company will provide staffing and qualified instructors for their activity who will check registrations and monitor the activities of all participants." One wonders, since Stuy Town/PCV IDs won't be checked during these paid activities if some activities, like the NYC Basketball League, will have members/players who are not residents (or their guests). BTW, if you sign up for the League, it will cost you about $2,000 for playing a lucky (!) thirteen games.

What about when "The Courts" are not in use by these companies? Will residents (and their guests) be able to use them. The answer:

"Sometimes - there will be designated blocks of time for open basketball play when there is no programming."

I'm very tempted to say something about the commercialization of the Oval, Dan the Man, and our TA, but it would be purposeless, wouldn't it?