Sunday, September 25, 2016

This Place is Hopeless Unless Blackstone Will Finally Enforce the Rules

An absolute disaster with periods of calm. Prove otherwise. Enforce the rules!

Thursday, September 22, 2016

New Dog Rules - Yes, no, we don't care?

Posted here as a matter of policy:

>>The following letter to the editor should appear tomorrow on the T&V website:

On Sep 13, the Board of Health met and passed the following with respect to Health Code 161.03 which bears on dog waste on sidewalks and other public places:

"§161.03 Control of dogs and other animals to prevent nuisance.
(a) A person who owns, possesses or controls a dog, cat or other animal shall not permit the animal to commit a nuisance on a sidewalk of any public place, on a floor, wall, stairway, sidewalk, lawn, garden or roof of any public or private premises used in common by the public, or on a fence, wall [or], stairway or entranceway of a building abutting on a public place."


I'm told this statement of the regulation will go into effect around Oct 21.

The new statement makes clear that 161.03 applies to both public and private property. This means that dog owners in STPCV would have to abide by the same rules by which other dog owners in the city are charged to abide. That is, dogs must be curbed, the waste picked up and discarded.

Dogs would do their business in the streets, presumably where the sanitation vehicles clean. At the public hearing it was said that DHMH legal intends to get in touch with STPCV mgt about enforcement.

Management policy in STPCV has been to permit dog owners to allow their dogs to do their business on sidewalks, in specified grassy areas and on dog day playgrounds. I think the clarified statement makes it clear that the current management policy if continued would be in support of activity the board of health would consider illegal.

Would like to know if management intends to follow the clarified HC161.03 or intends to continue current dog waste policies. Would also like to know Dan Garodnick's position with respect to this issue. To wit, should STPCV management follow the amended HC161.03 or not?<<

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

For Residents and Their Guests

No comment necessary...but necessary.

Yelp Review Not Meant to Be Properly Seen

The 17th of this month, September:

>>As my grandmother had said--she still lives in ST--the new management will show it's true colors.
And, they have.
They are still renting to students--how do they plan on making this a family community with students living here?  People with kids do not want to hear all night parties.  The students/and younger renters start their parties at 10 PM.  Under NYC law that is a violation of the new noise codes.
They are still renovating empty apartments and converting the living rooms to a "den".  How is that even legal?  Management is packing more people into apartments they what they were designed for.
Which apts. will be used for lottery applicants?  Management never said how they will decide that.
They are now going after MCIs which are from 2 years ago.
There are more than 2,000 dogs now and many of the dogs are over the 50 lbs limit.
Dog owners do not pick up after their dogs after dark.  That is obvious come daylight.
Many of the dog owners are not using legal leashes--6 feet only.

Grandma was correct.  They are now showing their true colors.<<

There are more like these in the "not recommended" category.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

We are monitoring the results of the explosion....

News is very scanty at this point, but it appears there was a device going off on West 23th Street and another one, a pressure cooker, undetonated, found several blocks more distant at 28th St. Time: yesterday evening.

Your sources for news are the best places to hear the most recent developments.

Obviously we send our thoughts to not only New Yorkers, but out to enforcement agencies, which are some of the best in the country.

--------

Update: 1:45pm, Sunday. From AOL: "NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio called the explosion 'an intentional act.' New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo referred to it as an 'act of terrorism.'"

--------

Update: 4.35pm, Sunday. The TA has posted this information too. It's best to check the local transportation schedule.

>>From State Senator Brad Hoylman: As investigations continue there are a number of traffic restrictions in place. Until further notice the following streets remained closed to all traffic:

West 23rd Street is closed in both directions between 5th and 7th Avenues
Northbound traffic is restricted on 6th Avenue at 14th Street
Southbound traffic is restricted on 7th Avenue at 34th Street
All cross town traffic (eastbound and westbound) is closed from West 14th Street to West 32nd Street between 5th and 8th Avenues
Public transportation in the area has been affected as well:

1 trains are bypassing 23rd and 28th Streets in both directions
E & F trains are bypassing 23rd Street in both directions
MTA M5, M7 Northbound, M23, and X10, X17, X27, X28, and X1 Manhattan-bound buses are detoured around the area due to NYPD Activity at 23 St between 6 Avenue and 7 Avenue
For more updates on potential traffic changes please check www.mta.info

If you live in an affected area, please be advised that residents are being allowed in by NYPD escort only. If you require access to the affected areas, please bring identification for proof of residence or ownership.

If you have any tips or clues regarding yesterday’s explosions please reach out immediately to law enforcement at (800) 577-TIPS or (888) NYC-SAFE<<


--------

Update: 11:10am, Monday. Doesn't look like an Amish terrorist. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37409441?SThisFB 

Friday, September 16, 2016

How's the milling, grinding and repaving working out for you?

It's been a while since the milling and grinding awoke residents, or kept them up, who live on the borders of Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village, with an appropriate smiling at the camera councilman Dan Garodnick and his two "assistants" for the photo, our own TA president Susan and Dan's helper, Howie. Remarkably for some, the work is not finished, with repaving "expected" to begin this month, the 22nd of September. That's about a month since the first phase was done, and a month for everyone to skip and hop to avoid the damaged roadways done by the milling and grinding. Of course, near the end of September we are promised smooth roads that will delight all our residents. Until then, just suck it up.

We were told that 200,000 dollars came from our councilman for this complex, one of his final gifts as councilman as he is headed for better (?) things in the future (having sold his soul to the REBNY, but that's another issue). Our intention is to take photos so that residents will be aware of what happened and the result.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Rats! Thousands! Millions! -- Message from Dick Hayduski, STPCV General Manager for Blackstoned

Dear Resident, we, as well as you, have noticed an increase in the rat population of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village. While we are currently dealing with the human kind, I must tell the residents of this outstanding community that the rat increase is a product of a purposeful attempt by our crack Public Safety Department (which never sleeps and has a thousand eyes continually upon you via our award-winning cameras) to make sure that rats multiply in this community and are considered part of its infrastructure. Rats, after all, are our friends and should be considered as such. Surprisingly, we already have negative missives about the other rodents--squirrels--which are simply funny little things with cute bushy tails. The rats that we are harboring admittedly do not have such bushy tails, but they are part of the squirrel family and should be considered as such.

Please, not only keep the pizza boxes in display at our Oval and other places of eatery (frankly the entire complex), but increase their display and other discarded food items. Let the rats benefit and grow.

I ask this not only as the representative of Blackstoned, but as someone who lives in this community and considers you his friend.

Yours respectfully,

Dick

General Manager
Blackstoned Properties All Over Manhattan Ltd.

Monday, September 12, 2016

No Comment Necessary

From the TA Facebook. Thomas:

"This evening, at about 10:15 pm, I was walking through the Oval from 14th Street to 20th Street. I observed three young men, obviously drunk, harassing a young woman who was walking in front of them. One of the men made a sexually aggressive comment to her, and she quickly hurried away. I can only imagine how frightened she must have been.

"I confronted the men and told them that that behavior was not appropriate. They became belligerent, defended their indefensible behavior, and started to verbally harass me.

"I then saw a public security officer patrolling and told him what I had just witnessed. He basically dismissed me, and then actually passed by the three men, and did absolutely nothing. Yup - nothing.

"I am so disappointed that, in this era of increasingly-common sexual assaults, including some here in Stuy Town, that the officer apparently had no problem with what I had just reported. He was completely uninterested in what I had told him, and didn't even stop to take any report. He mumbled something and kept walking. Shameful."

There could be another view, but...

Saturday, September 10, 2016

How are you doing?

To be 100% upfront, which my commentary tries to be....

It can be one of three things that make this property seem far less than what it can be:

1) The humid weather. It's been a difficult summer, for sure. Affects everyone I would think and gives them a piss-poor feeling periodically.
 .
2) Personal disposition. It has not been a happy year so far, and I feel it.

3) Things just are not working the way they should be. Plus: the rules by new management have been put in place, with more to come probably. Seriously, just look around and say to yourself is this the best we can do? Or even close to the best?

Anything else? Or is this an oasis in the city that we can be proud of and secure in our positive feeling?

I would like to be HAPPY, but, generally, I just can't be.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

That Ice Cream Truck




 Photos sent in by Edmund. Thanks!

On the northwest corner of 1st Ave and 14 St. New York Ice Cream from 34-37 Long Island City, 11106. I tried to reach the 13th precinct with no luck. Next time I may just call 311, though I would have to probably wait and wait for a resolution. But this will get done.

Is this truck legally idling there, almost at the corner, and ruining the sight of traffic, most human, around it? Should it be there???

Those are the questions.

Of course, I should not be calling. There are people who are a much higher pay grade than myself (one just got a hefty raise), who should be alert to this truck.

-----------

Update: 9/9/16. That top photo reminds me that I can't see any traffic as I approach the corner.

----------

Update: 12/4/16: Perhaps it is too early to tell, but it appears that the 13th Precinct has listened and the ice cream truck is no more at that location. Again, I am not positive, but it appears to be gone, at least most of the time. If so, kudos to the 13th Precinct. 

More MCIs On the Way



From "Peter Stuyvesant" of the TA STPCV Facebook group: "Management has informed the TA that they have applied for more MCIs, some of which are from CWCapital and some of which are for work Blackstone has done. We don't have all the details yet, but the MCIs are for intercoms (PCV only), water heaters, ADA ramps (2 buildings), and waterproofing of the exterior. As always, the TA will investigate the MCIs and ask for an extension to respond to DHCR."

What did you think? No MCIs because Blackstone is nice?

Let the fun begin! Again and again and again....

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Those Yelp Reviews

Not too good for ST/PCV but what can you do? Perhaps more prizes for those who cheer the complex and write about it.

I took a look at the first page and amid the poor reviews I saw one that was dazzling perfect. I read it and noted:

"Summation; if you're a reasonable, regular person or family rent here. We'll hang out on the lawn by the fountain and drink a beer."

Yeah, let's have a beer on the Oval lawn!

Saturday, September 3, 2016

Dan, Susan and Howie

Photo by Sabina Mollot. 

From T&V, August 16th: "The streets surrounding Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village are getting a $200,000 facelift. The project, which is being paid for with funds allocated by Council Member Dan Garodnick..."

"As for the expected noise levels from the project, Garodnick said he doesn’t expect that it will be 'overly disturbing' to neighbors."

Thursday, September 1, 2016

September!

I'm opening up this blog again, as promised. The "rules" are basically the same. You can rant or cheer about what's happening here or even in the city as it relates to us. Please no relatively baseless accusations, especially, with names. Remember that some problems are the management's own choosing, based upon Tishman Speyer's reign, and will not go way, and, we predict, will only get worse for now. Some things will get better. I think. I hope.

Just in case: I also have to warn that posts may have to wait a while before they are public. This is due to my lifestyle, more than anything else.

Look around you...and below--and enjoy!