STR Has Had It

Yes, this is a nasty place. Don't let them tell you otherwise. Don't believe that New York City was always like this. When? Where? I'm not talking about Times Square or the Lower East Side.

Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village, the latter the "jewel" of the complex, were dreams that many wanted to live in. People had to wait years to get into this complex, it was so good to live here and to raise a family here. Don't believe differently. They, the new masters, are lying to you. They want you to believe that the noise and the pollution was always here, because "it's New York." Don't believe their lies.

Not the first time, I was chased around this complex in the morning because of the noise and smell of continual zambonis running around and trying to clean the filth that is here. I was chased by the continual noise of leaf-blowers, with their attachments that spew dirt and dust while trying to clear the area of debris. And they (Management) is full of excuses. If you call, you will hear these excuses over and over again, unless you are persistent, then they will get annoyed at you.

Take it from me, and from the residents who have lived here for years, it was never like this.

They value "Peace and Quiet." Don't believe them. They are just selling to the masses outside. If I am chased around the complex, looking for a restful place to read or meditate or whatever, then the probability is you are too.

I wish I could move, get out of here. Financially, right now it is not doable.

But, believe me, this place is nasty. And it seems to be getting worse.

Sunday - September 17 - A Disaster?

Okay, several things happening. I don't want to post individually on the main page, so I'm putting all this together. You can make larger by just clicking on the photo.

I took my morning walk and this is what I saw:

This is a shot of my floor. The rugs are a disaster, as you can see. No matter how many times the floor is cleaned, the markings still come up. This is what I see every day when I leave my apartment.

I walk along the 20th Street Loop. It is already past 9am, closing in on 10am. (The "garbage" is still there at 11am.) This is what I see:

Now I'm at the jewel of this complex -- Peter Cooper Village:

Relief! Some nice flowers along the 1st Avenue entrance:

But, as I head back, I spot that Ess-a-Bagel uses motorized bikes to deliver. I knew this, of course, but this is a nice photo. (Looking at the photo, what else do I see? A fire-hydrant covered by the bikes.)

What else do I spot as I head inside? All over the new big signs telling riders not to ride their bikes inside the Oval is this new sign:

Yes, you are on camera and your life, photo-wise, is in somebody's hands. These signs can be debated legally, but, right now, whatever.

It's humid, so I go to Oval Study to work. (Yes, I periodically belong, as I have no AC in my apartment.) What do I find there? No ventilation! Inside, it is like a locker room, if not worse. So I drudge over to Abigail, the company that is responsible for Oval Study. The explanation? "You are the first person..." And: "I will inform somebody on Monday."

Monday!!

So I head back to my apartment. The front door which greets me every day:

Perhaps it's best to go to Chinatown today?

New BIG Signs Come to the Oval, But...

Here are some of the signs. You can't miss them. Impossible. Almost intrusive.

I figured that this was a good idea, as some are not seeing the original much smaller signs, or so they say. Plus, it is a shaming sign, so large....  So I waited a few minutes.... Two moving bicycles go by and the people head to Oval Cafe. I decided hell's bells, I may as well ask them why they passed the BIG signs that are now at all points of the Oval. I was nice and just doing my STR duty.

The response: Aside from one of them, the male, getting instantly belligerent, the response was because they, the bicyclists, are "defiant." A few other words were spoken, which I won't get into. ;-)

Anyway, I decided to walk around and check out the other signs. I saw two speeding bicyclists around the Oval, one of whom was a delivery person. The BIG signs were ignored.

Okay, so I'm about to head home and what do I spot? A woman leaving the Oval Fountain area...with her dog.

BIG signs, but I guess they are not working right now.

September 12 - Polls Open for City Council

To use old Brooklyn talk, they are called "bums." Not all, but a lot of the politicians running for local office, and, for me, the ones who are running to replace Dan Garodnick in this district. I've had it with hearing and spamming from most of them. Yeah, I know the line. You are a smooth talker and have a response to everything, from "Yes, I agree with you" to "I'll look into it." I'm more than tired of politicians saying what the people want to hear.

Money for this, money for that. Quality education, affordable housing, the subways running well--we have all heard the talk and the talk keeps on coming. "A chicken in every pot" still works, it seems.

To remind people, it was the City Council who voted a hefty pay raise for themselves. They and the people who come after them are not going to give away that perk. You, as a citizen, are paying for it. Some citizens can well afford it, as they have lots of money, but some can't. If the news reports are right, a lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck, with no "nest egg" to keep them afloat even for a month.

Politicians realize this, but still they will smooth talk you and let you hear what you want to hear.

But take a look around. Is this what you like? If you have no complaints, you are wonderful and the kind of tenant a landlord would want.

But if you look around and see Quality of Life problems, if you see high-rise condos going up and up, if you see New York disappearing for the usual high-price non-NYC box, if you see the REBNY rule, if you see no solid TA, then you may have an issue.

Out of all the local candidates to replace Garodnick, I see only Barry Shapiro as someone who can fight for tenant rights around here. He has tried to deal with some of the issues and has posted on various blogs about them. I'm sure that Barry Shapiro has differences with me, but that is not why I would want him to win. I am assuming that mountains will not be moved, but a serious attempt will be made to move them. The other ones who are running are posers to me.

Maybe I am wrong, but that's the way it appears to me.

Small Favors

TG, that we have those carts that residents can use!