The Stuyvesant Town Report: 2020

Thursday, October 15, 2020

The Worst I've Seen

Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, together with the surrounding areas, are the worst I've ever seen. And I have been here for over three decades. The Covid disaster has just exacerbated the situation. A mess everywhere one looks. Inside the complex and outside. Would you want to live here? Yes, there are reasons to do so, but convincing is starting to look purposeless.

Also, at wintertime, there is infrequent heat for many tenants. Unless you use space heaters and/or turn on the stove (against your lease), you may be freezing. Management does not care. If Blackstone gets penalized, the payment is very small. So Blackstone continues on....

Photos: Inside this complex:

Outside:

Much more to tell and experience. (My camera was "attacked" by one of the vendors, but I held on and took more photos.) The various quality-of-life rules are not enforced as they should be, and can be ignored. Outside dogs casually being brought in, electric scooters and delivery bikes, unpicked dog refuse, it's all here. Welcome and have a nice day.

Thursday, June 4, 2020

Relax (at least once in a while)

Sunny now. Even the rain looks and feels nice.

Update #2, June 6:

Beam Living, Stuy Town Management (constantly addressing residents as little children in "woke" phraseology),
our local politicians to include our Mayor (by far the worst NYC mayor I have seen in my lifetime) and, yes, our Governor:

CHUMPS

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New July 1

Impeach Mayor Bill de Blasio

Link above goes to Change.org site.

This idiot must go.

(150,000 signatures have been reached. Now the site is going for 200,000!)

Newest update, July 6th:

Mayor de Blasio's Accomplishments

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New from the NYC Official Site! Posted 8/6

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Mayor de Blasio has no plan for indoor dining

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Governor Cuomo begs New Yorkers to come back. He will even cook for you!

Keith Powers, Our City Council Person.

Votes for Police De-funding and the "progressive" issues that are making this city more and more unlivable. Was a lobbyist for Real Estate in his pre-council win. Never does anything about the quality-of-life violations and (some city ones) he has to see in his own community.

If you are satisfied with what you see in the city (dramatic increase in crime, homelessness, garbage), cheer him on!

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Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association

Not transparent at all.

This organization has so far refused to give the number of paying dues members, pre-virus, despite receiving from our city councilman $30,000 last year and receiving membership fees. They claim they are the largest tenants association in the nation, but are very secretive about membership numbers and where the money they receive is allocated. No tenant organization that I know of is so secretive. Very simple request: Open up the books.

Update 6/18/2020:

This is priceless and tells much about people jumping the gun big time--something that is occurring more these days, as people are ready to damn someone before the full facts are known.... So, I am searching the internet and come across a couple of photos that look very familiar. One is exactly what I posted in November, applying it to a fake interview. Well, I got damned by a Stuy Town reader who felt I was making fun of the pain and suffering this person on the photo felt. I tried to find the post, but I may have not passed it. But I discovered the reality today. The photo, one of at least two, shows an Asian girl opening her mouth to try to catch the snow that's falling down. That's it. No pain, no suffering, just a kid playing. A good lesson to be careful before one jumps the gun.

Friday, March 13, 2020

What, Me Worry?

Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Official Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village Updated News

NEW! Food Assistance Pantry for ST/PCV Residents

If you are a senior and need assistance, this info in Rick's new letter:

"Are you someone who is ‘at risk’ and don’t have a support network of friends or family locally that can help? Please reply to this email {I will find out to make sure what email--STR} or call 212.420.5000, and we will connect you with a volunteer in our community that can help."

And don't worry to the point of panic. All of us are worried to a certain extent, but we also are all in this, so really you are not alone.

Click on the new message to make it larger.

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Blackstone, your landlord, is written about below

Housing Grab - New York Times

and now this:

The Light According to Blackstone

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Here we go again. Our "landlord," (Blackstone in the person of Rick) has sought to minimize or ignore the incidents that occurred a week ago. There has been no public statement about these incidents even though a senior citizen and another person were assaulted/punched/threatened with violence/whatever by a naked resident who may have had issues. Later, there was the incident where this naked man was out in the Oval. Public Safety and the police appeared. Screaming was heard, etc. Not a word from Management about these incidents for over a week. We have been here before where Management has sought to ignore or minimize what is happening here for the sake of the unaware potential renters ($) that Blackstone hopes will come to this place. Wrong move.

Update, 4/30: The two incidents happened on 4/21. Management has been silent, but today there was an email to residents (which I never get, despite telling Resident Services at least twice about my email address). I quote: "Final update on the unfortunate event of last week. The assailant's household has vacated the apartment and terminated the lease. The assailant never returned to the building as requested. Our thoughts remain with those who were involved in this incident."

Only residents of this building got this email. I note the word "final."

Saturday, February 8, 2020

The Way We Look - All Photos Taken February 8, 2020

It may be hard to tell, but smears here are at the Oval and close to the small PS booth:

[Photo removed by me, Feb 11, because I don't want to look at dog piles any more.]

Down below. A different path, same problem. I was passing and saw a pile of unpicked dog shit. A few hours later, something (a club car?) must have driven over it, squashing it. Sorry for the dog dropping photos, but nothing changes, and there is NO Public Safety to escort non-ST or PCV residents out of here. Everyone knows that this place doesn't follow some rules, even Management's own rules. But we do have S'mores and Songs. From Management: "Who says city life can’t come with bonfires and s’mores? Make s’mores at the new fire pits for $5 with profits benefiting The Bowery Mission. A guitarist brings a sing-a-long for some 'Kumbaya moments' with complimentary hot chocolate & coffee."

[Photo removed by me, Feb 11, because I don't want to look at dog piles any more. But these "leavings" are standard to see here in Stuy Town and Peter Cooper Village. Management does nothing.]

All comments to posts have to await approval. Approval does not happen immediately. NOTE: Comments reflect the opinions of the person writing them and should not be assumed to reflect the opinion of the blog.

FALSEHOOD: No one has won against our landlord in court. Our landlord, this case Blackstone, would like nothing better than for residents to think that anything legal is hopeless. Management wants residents to go away on certain issues and be forever quiet. The "fact" that no one has won in court is a FALSEHOOD. I know of an individual who won in court when she proved that her ST apartment had loud noises outside that prevented her from doing her job, which took place in said apartment. Also, please remember that the new rents laws passed in NY and landlords are not pleased. Also, remember that there was a case, about the tax break J-51, where the landlords charged more than they should have. The landlords had to pay up. (Of course, they crafted the situation to their advantage, but that is another issue.) The fact remains that you, as a resident of Stuy Town, have legal recourse, but you need documentation, the more documentation, the better.

Management has two priorities: 1) Making sure money is made, hence upgrading and filling up apartments is their goal. "Amenities" are important in selling the place, though few residents use them. 2) If someone needs medical attention, Public Safety will be there, if alerted.

Quality of life issues are not that important, however. Things like the carpet rule or outsider dogs. These "rules" tend to be ignored, on purpose it seems. So you will see a lot that isn't taken care of properly, and complaints will be met with a creative excuse and a smile.

Though money was always important, it is now more important than ever. Money rules many things, as you will find.

At this point, 30 years into living here and seeing many things, I can state that Management and their reps are BS-ing us. I can't say that loudly enough: We are being BS-ed. I don't see any genuine change, though the "selling" of this place is intense. Few of the "rules" will be enforced, as Management doesn't want to lose customers or potential customers. Where personal integrity is a hallmark of an excellent management style, this integrity is not seen in enforcing some of the rules.

Our Tenants Association is, basically, null and void. Oh, it is still around, but it lacks the will power to confront much of anything. The TA will ask for your dues, however. By now, the TA is a charade.

Life in Stuy Town

I write this on May 3, 2018: Since this year, there have been three suicides in ST/PCV. Aside from silence by almost everyone, there occurred a suicide where sulfuric acid was used and the city had to be called in, including the Fire Dept. As of now, there has been a general state of silence about this suicide, even though other resident lives were at danger. Yes, our councilperson is silent. The TA is silent. Obviously, Management is silent, too.

Added April 29, 2019: Another suicide in ST/PCV. That we know of.

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"We'll be introducing a new process to identify registered dogs thus enabling Public Safety Officers to clearly approach offending dog owners. The registration will hang from the leash handle; clearly identifying the dog as registered.

"If the dog is not registered by May 1; a summons will be issued at the point of contact. If we learn the dog owner is not a resident, they will be escorted off the property."

Rick Hayduk, CEO and General Manager of PCVST. Letter to Barry Shapiro, February 2016.

STR here: I have been around since the inception of this dog policy and I have NEVER seen anyone escorted out of ST or PCV with their non-lanyard dog. But I have seen, many times, a dog owner from outside, and his/her dog, casually walking through ST or PCV.

BICYCLES, MOPEDS, SCOOTERS, ETC.

What is legal?

Something for everyone to read:

Motorized vehicles:

The direct link:

https://dmv.ny.gov/registration/motorized-devices-cannot-be-registered-new-york

And...

Of course, "private property" but "public access" - whatever that means! And if a part of it is public access, do the rules of the city apply to our roads and sidewalks? Or does anything give because this complex is "private property"? Who comes here in case of a fire in one of our buildings? The Stuy Town Fire Brigade?

Hint: Look both ways if you are in the complex. Look on the ground, too!

61.03 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

Banned & Oversize Dog Breeds in Stuy Town

Message from now EX-Landlord Rob Speyer to Stuy Town & Peter Cooper Tenants 11/06

I am writing on behalf of everyone at Tishman Speyer to express how honored we are to become part of your outstanding community. We are a business with deep roots in New York, a true love of our city and a great respect for the neighborhoods that make it special. We are committed to maintaining the unique character and environment that have made Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town such a wonderful place to live for so long. We look forward to providing you an extraordinary level of service and attentiveness that will be the source of pride and satisfaction for the entire community.

Neighborhood Recommendations

New to Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village? Here are some basic recommendations.

Best gym: Don't waste your money on the Oval Fitness Gym. Instead go to the earthy but real Asser Levy Recreational Center, right above 23rd St on Asser Levy Place (near the FDR Drive). $75 for a year's membership; seniors are almost free. Contains seasonal indoor and outdoor swimming pools, ping-pong table, two pool tables. Called by some rich people who wouldn't get caught going there "the prison gym," and you know why.

A Stuy Town favorite is Lenz's on 20 St. between the 20 St. Loop. The way New York used to be. Be careful of unwanted "pepper" in your food, however. Lenz's got a B grade rating and was temporarily closed down due to an order from the Health Department. Bruno's on First Avenue is more upscale, with a greater selection of food items (higher-priced, too), but was closed down temporarily by the Health Department. Stuy Town's own cafe was closed, too! And not because of all the dogs that hover and piss outside.

Gracefully has two locations, but we prefer for its size the one on 1st Ave. Prices are high and reflect the new tenants that are currently renting Stuy Town and Peter Cooper apartments. ("Do you have a credit card?") We like Gracefully's lunch specials, which are somewhat affordable.

I priced the CVS on 1st Ave near 14st. The non-aerosol hairspray was 20 cents above CVS' own website price, and one of the highest in NY. (Yes, I have hair.) You can save at least a dollar or more buying at another place. So beware. Look around for a better deal on all your items.

I love warm Quaker Oats in the morning. Gristedes is not the place to get it, nor is Associated, though their price is less. Look around!