The Municipal Art Society wants to Save Brooklyn's Industrial Heritage.
So do we. But how about Queens? You know, the area where industry is being rapidly replaced with luxury high rise condos and local landmarks are routinely demolished? We expect politicians to tweed us, but it would be nice if preservationists didn't go along for the ride in return for a few handouts.
6 comments:
True.....a lot of Queens "preservationists" are content to gratefully accept table scraps (like begging pets) from their "masters" while wagging their tails as if they've just been given a 4 star meal !
We have repeatedly asked the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance to look into the Queens section of the waterfront, both Hunters Point (we will NOT forget the Penna Power Plant, 10-63 Jackson Ave, etc etc) and Old Astoria (where, good God, oh where, do we begin to account for that vandalism?).
To date they act like we don't even exist.
I want to give them a big thank you, and a big thank you to the resident Queens preservation community, and of course, the city-wide preservation community.
Now that pleasantries are over, when do we accuse MAS of discrimination and how to we go after them?
Go Queens! The BK attention, though not unwelcome, is way too little too late, and fraught with complication beyond just the desire to preserve cool old structures.
Three examples:
1) What happened at Greenpoint Terminal? A bogus arrest was made... charges dropped & ... nothing. See Tom Robbins' reporting in the Voice about Bloomberg's reduction in the # of Fire Marshalls. (but hey, there was $$$ to pay the Mets & Yankees for new stadiums.)
2) Re: Domino Sugar Factory, look at the attention the EMPTY structure is getting and compare that to the coverage of the bitter strike that led to its closure. I realize most 'blogs' weren't around then but it seems like most don't even know (or remember). If we want to preserve the WORKING waterfront & other industry, people need to recognize... THE PEOPLE there also.
3) Look at the scrutiny & oversight of the Ikea monstrosity in Red Hook. It's a case study in corporate propoganda and the fealty of a pathetic city council...
which as my Queens friends know, cares not at all about anything except their next career move. The corrupt Democratic machine & real estate rule ALL (with a few token Republicans thrown in.)
wwib
The interactive map sucks and it is inaccurate.
... MWA isnt a preservation org, yet they work quite a bit in queens through their east river campaign. MWA is not longer officially in MAS.
-not an MWA employee
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