From indiejourno.com:
For the last couple of months, Norwood Gardens, Astoria resident Helen Carter has been waking up on weekends to find broken liquor bottles in her backyard. Donnelly Marks, another Norwood resident filled an entire bag with trash found on her block even as she walked her dog one Saturday morning.
The long time Astoria residents have been noting with increasing dismay the deteriorating quality of life in the quiet Astoria neighborhood of Norwood Gardens- thanks to a huge influx of bars and drunken visitors on 30th Avenue between 36th and 37th Street.
“People treat the street as their own private trash cans,” said Marks, referring to the bar-goers on 30th Avenue. “They empty their ashtrays on the street, dump trash, and broken bottles. People who come here don’t have any investment in the community,” she said
Over the last two years, Astoria’ 30th Avenue has seen a huge spike in the number of outdoor cafes, bars and restaurants. While the neighbors have welcomed the commercial activity in the area, they are annoyed by increasing noise levels in the area and the inconsiderate party-goers.
“They are waking working families at 3 and 4 a.m. with their street brawls,” said Marks, who lives off the busy commercial avenue. “They rev their engines, speed day and night and are destroying our private property, she said, adding a resident’s dog had been run over by a speeding SUV.
During the first six months of the year, noise in Community Board 1, which includes Astoria and parts of Long Island City, sparked more than 3,400 complaints to the city’s 311 line.
But more than the noisy bars, the lack of parking spaces and the party goers, residents say they are just asking for a little consideration from the revelers even as they mourn the loss of their neighborhood’s character.
11 comments:
(wa-hoo, [crack the whip] this is fun!)
Myth
Meanwhile, Frank Arcabascio of the 30th Avenue Area Merchants Association says noise and activity go hand in hand. “I feel for the residents, I really do,” said Arcabascio, who runs a hairdressing salon on 30th Avenue, “But when you have a busy street, you get trash,” he said. “You have to make an effort to address the issue, sure, but when you have a vibrant street, this is what you get,” he said.
REALITY
HOW MANY MERCHANTS, DO, AS WE SUSPECT, LIVE IN THE SUBURBS OR AT LEAST OUTSIDE ASTORIA AND FAR AWAY FROM THIS MESS?
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME SOMEONE GETS SCREWED FRONT OF THEIR KIDS IN THEIR FRONT YARD, OR THEIR WIFE HAS TO CLEAN UP CONDOMS THE NEXT MORNING FROM THIER SIDEWALK?
MERCHANTS THAT USED TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY – AND SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY – AND ITS PEOPLE!!! – NO LONGER SEEM TO BELIEVE THERE IS ANY NEED TO DO SO.
AND THE PRESS AND POLITICANS AND COMMUNITY BOARD THAT ARE IN A POSITION TO PUT PRESSURE ON THEM IS FOCUSED ON – MORE DEVELOPMENT WHICH JUST ADDS TO THE MISERY.
ASTORIA IS AN APPALACHIAN STRIP MINE WHOSE FATE IS DERTERMINED ELSEWHERE – AND WHERE THE WEALTH (AND BENEFITS) SEEMS TO FLOW TO LANDLORDS AND MERCHANTS AND NOT THE COMMUNITY
(WHO, AS ALWAYS SEEMS TO BE THE CASE WHEN DEVELOPMENT IS INVOLVED)
FOOTS THE BILL.
HOW MUCH TAXPAYER MONEY SUPPORTS THE LOCAL MERCHANT GROUPS?
HOW DO THEY HELP THE LOCAL COMMUNITY?
HOW MUCH DO THEY DONATE TO COMMUNITY PROGRAMS LIKE THEY USED TO?
Myth
“There has been a dramatic increase in the number of establishments that serve liquor,” acknowledged Edwin Negron of the NYPD Community Affairs Unit that handles Precinct 114.
REALITY
THE COMMUNITY BUSINESS DISTRICTS NO LONGER SERVES THE COMMUNITY AS WELL AS IT ONCE DID, BUT REAL ESTATE INTERESTS AND MERCHANTS WHO SEEM TO LIVE OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY, AND,
IN THIS CASE, AN OUTSIDE POPULATION
(GRIM BALKAN TYPES DURING THE DAY, GREEK KIDS IN THE CLUBS AT NIGHT, AND CORONA/ELMHURST KIDS SUPPORTING GHETTO MERCHANDISE IN THE STORES).
YOU GET THE KIDS COMING IN FROM GREAT NECK AND WHITESTONE PISSING IN SOMEONE ELSES NEIGHBORHOOD AT 3 AM.
THIS STRIP USED TO HAVE A BALANCE OF STORES THAT WERE ACTUALLY USEFUL TO THE COMMUNITY – NOW IT’S BECOMING A SOLID WALL OF CAFES
(WITH THE WALLS OFF - AIR CONDITIONING THE OUTDOORS - THUMBING THEIR NOSE AT A WEAK POWER GRID - BLOCKING SIDEWALKS, MAKING NOISE - DIRT - ETC ETC)
Myth
When I came here,” recalls Maloney, “it was called Doctor’s Row, because everybody worked in hospitals and what is now Mt.Sinai, Queens. No matter what the time, people walked around. It was extremely safe then,” she said, adding wistfully “It was such a pretty block.”
REALITY
YOUR COMMUNITY (AND ITS LEADERSHIP) SEEMS TO NO LONGER SERVE YOUR INTERESTS – ABSENTEE LANDLORDS MAKES IT LOOK RUN DOWN,
AND A TRANSIENT POPULATION OF IMMIGRANTS (TWEEDER PROGRAMS)
AND EMMIGRANTS (WHO FROM THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY THINKS BIKE LANES AND GAY MARRIAGE ARE ANYWHERE ON THE RADAR OF PRESSING ISSUES?)
ADD TO THE REVOLVING DOOR FRENZY OF A SPIRALLING DECLINE.
Myth
“The challenge is to balance this [commercial activity] with the right of homeowners to peace and quiet,” said Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. (D-Astoria). “I plan to work with the homeowners and merchants to carve out a balanced solution,” he said.
REALITY
PETER, HOW MANY STORES VOTE?
HOW MANY STORES ARE CITIZENS?
AND WHO APPOINTES THE COMMUNITY BOARD THE ALL TOO OFTEN ROUTINELY DISMISSES COMPLAINTS, FROM HOOKAH SMOKE TO NOISE TO ETC ETC?
Myth
This piece originally appeared in Queens Chronicle
REALITY
THE SAME QUEENS CHRONICLE THAT HAS A LARGE PICTURE (NO TEXT WHO READS?) OF JUNIOR AND THAT MYSTERY MAN, MIKE (SOMEONE FROM THE STATE ASSEMLY?) AND 5 PEOPLE PROTESTING THE W LINE CUTBACKS,
AND WHO FAILS TO DISUCSS THE RESULTING NEED TO CUTBACK ON DEVELOPMENT?
You do not live on long island. This is a city not s suburb. If you dont like it, leave.
Actually, we do live on Long Island. Just because we don't live in Nassau or Suffolk Counties, why are we expected to have to live like pigs, especially when we haven't up until Bloomberg came to power?
BTW, sad to inform all those who live or used to live in Astoria,"Mr. Steinway", Julian "Julie" Wager died. RIP Good Friend
Only the beginning, we are going back to the 1970s. The city will never recover in out lifetimes
More like 1870s. This city was never this bad - we have absolutely no concern for our welfare by the very people whose job it is to make things better.
All they care about is the buck, and how to milk every cent from us.
Our community has a long memory...and we are going nowhere.
AND EMMIGRANTS (WHO FROM THE COMMUNITY ACTUALLY THINKS BIKE LANES AND GAY MARRIAGE ARE ANYWHERE ON THE RADAR OF PRESSING ISSUES?)
The machine, that is who. Any real concerns, however, as schools, hospitals, illegal conversions are simply ignored.
The mess created on 30th ave is kids from Long Island and European macho guys throwing garbage all over the sidewalk not to mention the Greek property owners who care about nothing but making a buck.
Talking about Bike lanes which is off topic makes you sound ridiculous because bike lanes are all over the country in every city.
Also with Gay marriage which should be two individuals business to share legal rights, I thought conservatives were for not getting involved in others affairs? Yeah right.
(The mess created on 30th ave is kids from Long Island and European macho guys throwing garbage all over the sidewalk not to mention the Greek property owners who care about nothing but making a buck.)
1.Yes, unlike our politcans and local press, you state something that is obvious.
However, you miss the real issue: the politicans and local press are ignoring the needs of the community, and the local business district is thumbing its nose at the community.
I guess the only way we can get their attention is to put up a 15 story building.
We have a big problem with this. You sould too.
(Talking about Bike lanes which is off topic makes you sound ridiculous because bike lanes are all over the country in every city.)
2. Most people in the community dont give too shits about bike lanes - considering all the real issues in that community, taking away a part of the street and giving it to a handful of advocates [who ignore laws like running red lights or delivery boys routinely threatening to knock over old ladies] is about as confusing and strange as the points raised in 1 above)
(Also with Gay marriage which should be two individuals business to share legal rights, I thought conservatives were for not getting involved in others affairs? Yeah right.)
3. Ditto to point 2 - it is very low on the scale of people's interest - having their kids get a good education, or getting something back for their taxes that should go to benefit their family is though - something that gay adovocates just dont seem to have on their radar. Surprise.
Besides, there is the little issue of religion that you probibally think you have the right to change to suit your views just because the machine decided to bring you in under the tent.
Good luck.
Left Astoria over a year ago -- I saw the signs. Miss it even less now. But it's a shame that it's gotten increasingly harder for hard-working, tax-paying, productive residents to enjoy their lives.
At what point does someone have enough, when they're finally fed up with a system that demands more than it gives back? That's pretty much up to each person to decide.
We didn't want to rent anymore, and couldn't afford anything reasonable in Astoria. (And our combined income is respectable.) Not to mention the ongoing infrastructural problems: a blackout, filthy water, shit smells, exploding manholes. That's not going to be fixed in my lifetime, so why continue to support it?
I also found paying tax money to an autocratic city government unconscionable. Fuck Bloomberg.
So we lit out for the Burbs. Found a decent, affordable co-op, and because we don't get double-taxed from NYC, actually have more money in our pockets.
It can be done. But if you value living in the city more than the increasing hassle and cost, then good for you.
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