Friday, May 4, 2007

Local weeklies on the Iron Triangle plan

Iron Triangle to rise from the ashes in city's new plan

The agency is currently considering proposals from seven developers who responded to their formal request for proposals last year, including Muss Development and TDC, which have been pivotal in the revitalization of Flushing in recent years.

Willets Point master plan unveiled

“I feel like I’ve been given a death sentence, and I’m waiting for the guy to come and take me to be executed,” Antonacci said. “We’re up against the city. We’re going to fight as best as we can, but I think in the long run, we all know we’re through.”

Developing Queens: Eminent Domain Battle Kicks Off As City Unveils Willets Point Plans

“The city has had a long time to sit and make these drawings,” said Daniel Feinstein, of Feinstein Steel Works. “They haven’t taken five minutes to sit and talk to us…Schools are great. Housing is great. A convention center is great. The only thing that’s not great is that they don’t own the land they want to put it on.”

Faced with eviction, biz owners oppose redevelopment

"We can't even get our roads paved. We call 311 and they won't even fill a pothole. It's downright discrimination." "We want to do business here, but we're not getting that respect to do business in the city of New York."

New complex will bring success to 'bleak' Willets Point: Mayor

"What about my dreams? It's turned into a nightmare," Fodera said. "(The city) has caused the blight and the neglect."

1st Look At Willets Point Plan

Integration of housing and business, especially the volume projected for construction in a tight area, is pictured as neater and cleaner than it is likely to be in reality- where, for instance, airplane noise is tremendous.

Shulman booed at public hearing

"You show these pictures of the dirty streets and open potholes. It disgusts me, too," said Charalambos Georgios, a gas station owner. "Whose fault is it? It's my fault? These are New York City streets."

More Details Disclosed Of Willets Point Overhaul

Gotta love the Trib's editorial:

Imminent Eminent Domain

We realize that the plan is still somewhat disjointed, and that it may yet change or even fall apart; but if it does go off as planned the result will be one of the most spectacular city projects enacted in this borough since the park next door was created.

Yes, and we all know how good next door looks.

Photo from Queens Chronicle

12 comments:

georgetheatheist said...

A "business relocation program"?... Where are you going to relocate automobile junk yards? Zip Code 10021?

Anonymous said...

I have a feeling Queens Crap has never actually visited Willets Point, otherwise they would not be quoting all the criminal auto-shops who have been dumping toxic waste into the ground for decades and turned it into an apocalyptic wasteland.

Evicted? They should be lucky aren't imprisoned.

Bring on the development.

Queens Crapper said...

Queens Crap is quite familiar with the Iron Triangle, thank you. Even if what you say is true, there are many businesses there that are not auto bodies. There is a sawdust factory and a spice import business just to name 2 of the larger ones.

Anonymous said...

Donald Manes was pushing for a massive Olympic type venue etc. on this site for years. Now his incompetent accomplice Claire Shulman can complete his job !

Injustice beyond the grave!

Let's see if any (laundered ???) Asian money winds up going into this project!

Does W. Chen have the answer?

Anonymous said...

Obviously the 2nd poster isn't familiar with all the "criminal" politicians who sold out downtown Flushing for over 30 years!

You can make your own list. I've got mine.....it's long!

Anonymous said...

georgetheatheist is correct. And, who cares if the delicate Bloomberg's and Shulman's sensitivities are sooooo wounded by the sight of auto shop, junk yards, construction companies, populated with people who eat sandwiches out of a brown bag and drink beer.

What makes Bloomberg better then these people? Just because he says they are "Little People" and he'll never let them into one of his soooo refined cocktail soirees? His demented attitude toward people demonstrates that he is sooooo little.

The "Blight" is Bloomberg and his maniac quest for more and more money. So he buddies up with his developer scum to take the food from the tables of the families who depend on jobs at Willets Point.

Time to tell the scumbag who's boss!

Anonymous said...

Shulman booed?

The Queen of Queens, our own cultural icon permanently given a place of pride on the front page of the Courier website?

The poster child of Queens that represents all that is good (and bad) of the last decades of the 20th Century from our borough?

My, my, do I detect a generational change?

Anonymous said...

Looks like her "grandkids" are reporting her for child abuse.

Anonymous said...

I see Feinstein Steel works and a gas station owner quoted right in the Crapper's post. It looks as though there are more businesses here than car repair places. The city would like you to think it's "just chop shops" so they can go ahead and illegally use eminent domain to take these people's property.

Anonymous said...

"sawdust factory"

LOL that sounds like a joke from The Simpsons, if that isn't the very definition of CRAP, I don't know what is.

Bring on the new development!

Anonymous said...

The reason Willets Point has potholes is because the city refuses to pave them. The reason local businesses pollute is because the city has failed to enforce the law. The reason why the proposed hotels, convention center, and entertainment venues will fail is because of the damned airplane noise.

The city is guilty of making Willets point a slum. If the politicans want a convention center, they should restore RKO Keith's, or the NYS Towers & Arena in Flushing Meadows.

Anonymous said...

Last post says..."The reason local businesses pollute is because the city has failed to enforce the law." Is this really a defense for committing a crime?!?!?

You are either for the status quo or for change. Bloomberg unveiled the City's vision for change, which would be of much greater benefit for ALL residents of Queens that the current cess pool that is Willets Point today. Treat the businesses fairly re relocation, but promoting the status quo is a backwards mentality.