Happy Easter

Never let it be said that our landlord doesn't try his best to spruce up the place for the Easter and Passover holidays.

Property Update Fixes Things a Bit... and GrowNYC Admits Not All Stuy Town Greenmarket Customers are from PCVST!

In case you don't receive official email from PCVST, the latest property update states that the greenmarket will be back April 21 and not the earlier date given.  But apparently the greenmarket will be leaving at the late December date already mentioned.  The final sentence gets in the "for PCVST residents and guests," but will anyone be checking?  It's also good to know that the writer of this update reads the Stuy Town blogs.

Please disregard erroneous reports on other websites and blogs which posted an earlier date. We look forward to having many of our favorite farmers back, as well as a few new ones! The market continues to be a special amenity - for PCVST residents and guests.


DNAinfo.com New York had a write-up about the greenmarket, including a mention of this blog, and responses from Dan Garodnick and CWCapital. 

There was also a response from Michael Hurwitz, director of the greenmarket program for GrowNYC, who said, quoting the aritcle, that "he saw no reason to mention that the market is restricted to Stuy Town residents."

"We didn’t really see the need to do so, since it's really in the smack dab of the complex," Hurwitz said. "The majority of the customers are from the complex."

Hurwtiz should have kept shut after the first sentence, as his second one admits that a minority of the customers at the Stuy Town greenmarket are NOT from the complex!!!

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According to the update, Playground 10 (the Ice Rink playground) should be opening today, March 30th.

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More noise!  You will be glad to know that....

  

Management will be replacing aged standpiping in the stairwells of PCVST buildings over the coming months, which may result in some loud noise and vibration. Standpiping runs vertically through the stairwells to supply the fire suppression hose stations. Work will typically take place on weekdays between 9am to 5pm and notices will be posted in building lobbies in advance of work scheduled in individual buildings. Next week, Monday through Wednesday, April 1-3, the following buildings are scheduled for standpiping work: 440 East 23rd Street, 535 E14th Street, and 620 E20th Street. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Greenmarket Coming Back for Longer Period of Time

Well, it seems CWCapital needs some kind of extra lure for prospective sucker market-paying renters, so with several amenities gone due to the aftereffects of Hurricane Sandy, the company probably felt a necessity to bring the Greenmarket back earlier than ever (April 7th) and leaving later than ever (December 22nd).

The GrowNYC site gives the details:

http://www.grownyc.org/greenmarket-site/manhattan/stuyvesant-town-greenmarket

Do note that the site says NOTHING about the Greenmarket being open only to "residents and their guests." Instead, the market is "the place to be on Sunday mornings."  The official PCVST website also doesn't have any mention of the legal parameters for the Greenmarket. Thanks, Councilman Dan Garodnick!

From StuyTown Report post, April 21st, 2012:

As readers may know by now, the Green (Farmers) Market is returning to Stuyvesant Town in its previous location at the southern edge of the Oval grounds.  According to this week's Town & Village newspaper, the market "will go from being an event that's been open to the public to one that's for residents and their guests only."  Our councilman Dan Garodnick, who promised last year to work with management to place the Green Market in an area that would meet what was then considered proper zoning regulations, sent a letter to Amanda Burden, Director of the Department of City Planning, stating that "he considered the matter closed after working with CW Capital to find a way to bring the greenmarket back without its use being considered commercial activity."  Garodnick has had talks with both the Dept. of City Planning and the Department of Buildings, and has come to the conclusion, according to T&V,  that the zoning laws prevent "open commercial use" of residential property, but that "limited commercial activity in residential areas that are designed to serve as an 'accessory use' for residents and their guest only" are allowed. 

Our Little Dictator: "There are certain times we should infringe on your freedom."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Sunday: Sometimes government does know best. And in those cases, Americans should just cede their rights.

“I do think there are certain times we should infringe on your freedom,” Mr. Bloomberg said, during an appearance on NBC. He made the statement during discussion of his soda ban — just shot down by the courts — and insistence that his fight to control sugary drink portion sizes in the city would go forth.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/mar/25/nyc-mayor-bloomberg-government-has-right-infringe-/#ixzz2OYdMx7NX

 

And just a reminder:

 

 

Pit Bulls in Stuy Town

 

 Pit bull attacking 6-year old girl on the street the Bronx, last Sunday afternoon. Grandmother is with the girl, while pedestrian tries to help.

So today, while walking out of Stuy Town in the morning, I see two guys walking one pit bull/pit bull-mix each into Stuy Town from across First Avenue.  One bull had its jaws tight over a rubber ball, as if that were a hambone to be chewed on.  These guys are using Stuy Town as a urinal and crap depository for their dogs. Pit bulls and pit bull mixes are illegal in the complex.

Question: Does Public Safety ever do regular footpatrols around Stuy Town/Peter Cooper Village?  (These used for a brief while during Rose Management days.)  Why is it that Public Safety never sees the infractions that go on around here that residents see?  And why are there pit bulls and mixes registered legally in Stuy Town?  What's up, fellas?

Spring is Almost Here

Spring in the air, and Stuy Town is still full of Christmas cheer with a star atop the pine tree and a string of lightbulbs swirled around the branches. Clearly, this place is understaffed.  Do you want to buy it?

And let us see how long it will take for Playground 10 to re-open.  Last year it took months due to the damage the rink created, something not mentioned in the glowing reports about the rink in recent issues of Town & Village.

For His 4th Term, Bloomberg Plans to Introduce Geki-sema Housing to Manhattan

Speaking to reporters this morning, Mayor Bloomberg has announced plans to introduce "Geki-sema" housing in Manhattan in his fourth term. "We have a considerable influx of young students and professionals into Manhattan and realize that even the micro-units we introduced last year are not enough to provide affordable housing.  Geki-sema housing is working in Japan, so I've taken the initiative, with the cooperation of the City Council, to make New York once again the beacon of light in America for a new way of living. This is the future, and New York will be at the forefront."

Readers can check out Geki-sema housing at this link.

When questioned as to whether the tiny Geki-sema units are inhumane, the Mayor responded: "Some people want big apartments, and some people don't.  Besides, we are getting an increasing Asian population in the city, and these rooms can accommodate them perfectly."

Meanwhile, Stuy Town Reporter has learned that CWCapital is investigating the possibility of creating such Geki-sema units in forthcoming refurbished apartments.  The possibility of housing ten or more NYU students in a single one-bedroom apartment has its obvious advantages. Price per unit/per person being considered: an affordable $2,000.

As in the case of the micro-units that Bloomberg introduced last year, the City Council is currently drawing up new regulations that will waive the zoning prohibition of the construction of tiny units in apartments. In fact, one source claims that zoning rules may be completely re-written.