From the Neighborhood Retail Alliance:As EDC proceeds in its extra-legal efforts to condemn the property of Willets Point businesses, one landowner stands out-Carlos Canal, the owner of Flushing Towing. Canal's saga dramatizes just how underhanded EDC can be when it comes to dealing with those businesses threatened by condemnation.
You see, Canal actually wanted to make a deal and move to the College Point Corporate Park-as was reported locally:
"In a meeting with Community Board 7 members Tuesday night, the city Economic Development Corp. announced that it plans to move five Willets Point businesses to the College Point Corporate Park. According to the EDC plans, Feinstein Ironworks, T. Mina Building Supply Co., Sambucci Bros. Auto Salvage, Mets Metals and Flushing Towing would be moved to the Corporate Park and occupy space on two parcels of city-owned land. The EDC said it hopes to begin the public approval process on the proposal Feb. 19."
And that's what did happen. Canal's relocation to College Point went through ULURP and he, along with larger entities like Sambucci and Feinstein Iron Works, were prepared to move-until something very strange happened. According to Canal, the final phase of the approval process came at the Queens Borough Board where CB 7's Chair, Fire Marshal Gene Kelty, pitched a fit about the Flushing Towing move.
As Canal puts it, Kelty screamed at him telling the Hispanic immigrant that College Point wasn't the place for him-and perhaps he should consider a more appropriate Corona or Jamaica location. The insinuation, made right in front of EDC, was a clear one-we don't want your kind here. The Flushing Times has the sanitized version: "The original plan for moving the businesses, introduced in February 2009, would also have relocated Flushing Towing and Mets Metals, which were slated to move to the north end of the corporate park. The businesses were dropped from the proposal after they hit snags with CB 7 and the EDC. CB 7 Chairman Eugene Kelty said in May that those two companies’ futures would be hashed out at a later date."
Honest Abe, Kelty is not-and his comments about a later date obfuscate the fact that Kelty was not going to allow Canal to come into his neighborhood-and incredibly EDC and BP Marshall acquiesced to the kind of behavior that should have gotten Kelty referred to the Human Rights Commission.
Currently, Canal is in limbo-with the eminent domain hearing on Wednesday focusing directly on his property located in the fictitious Phase I. Canal, told to find his own alternative site, did find a slightly larger and more expensive location. When he asked EDC, however, for the same $400/sq. ft. that the corporation ponied up for Feinstein, he was shot down-further indication of how the current condemnation process is rife with favoritism and inequity.
In essence then, EDC lied to Canal-and took him through a two year sham relocation process. But Canal shouldn't feel too bad. EDC has lied to the city council, lied to the court, and lied to almost every other land owner that wasn't singled out for favored nation status-lying to Canal is part of a systematic pattern of dishonesty that will be challenged in court. It's just too bad that only one elected official can be counted on to stand up to the agency's outrageous conduct.
Not only that, you may recall that the EDC shamelessly wrote an Op-Ed piece in his name and had it published in the Daily News in days leading up to the Council vote in order to build support for the project and show they were working with the owners.
Eminent domain hearing is tomorrow, folks. Remember it was promised to only be used as a "last resort" by everyone from Claire Shulman to the mayor. Yet that is not what's happening. Interesting how the Queens Tribune has an article talking about all the support that the project, and therefore the condemnation, has among the tweeders.
If you support the "Willets Point project" (whatever the hell that is), you support eminent domain abuse. You are anti-American. Period. End of story. There is a "better and greater use" for everyone's property, and they may be coming for you next.
30 comments:
Kelty is a fire marshal?
Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't fire marshals the only ones in the FDNY permitted to carry side arms?
Does he?
With Kelty's well known penchant for throwing hissy-fits...is it wise that he should be toting a gun (if he is)?
The CB 7 "Snag" was the amount Canal was to pay Kelty and Apelian.
Laws?
Laws?
We don't need no stinkin' laws!
Oh yeah!!! Unless they apply to YOU!
Gene Kelty is not a Fire Marshal. His brother might be.
The Queens Tribune just wants to get the ads for the high-class whores occupying the future penthouses.
The Queens Tribune just wants to get the ads for the high-class whores occupying the future penthouses.
Not that there's anything wrong with that...
OH IT FIRE MARSHAL GENE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOhk1172w4s&feature=related
Racist fat drunk, should be removed. He is a fire marshall, thats why he allows meetings to get overcrowded, with no heat in a senior center.
Piece of shit Mic.
The Op-Ed piece in the Daily News - " I'm glad I sold my Willets Point Property to the City" is actually what got Mr Canale in trouble. He lied about his business operations during the CPCP Task Force Meetings with the EDC. Everything he said he was doing & intended to do (in the article) when relocated, was totally opposite of what he said to the Task Force, because most of it is not allowed in the Special District, maybe he should have been honest instead of dishonest & deceiving. He even lied about how he is currently operating, as you can see if you go to his place of business. He said he has 3 small tow trucks, when he in fact has 2 large tow trucks & a large flat bed truck. One of his tow trucks is always illegally parked in a Residential zone - 126 st & 23 ave in College Point, I guess he lied when he said he would tell his cousin who drives the truck not to do it any more, but that was almost a year ago & it still appears there- once a dishonest person, always one & his nationality has nothing to do with it.
Canal's relocation from Willets Point to College Point was approved unanimously by CB7; approved by Helen Marshall; approved by the City Planning Commission, including a finding that his relocation has "no impact"; and approved by the City Council, including a finding that his relocation has "no impact".
Nevertheless, EDC refuses to follow through with Canal's relocation. Sambucci, Feinstein and Mina are relocated, but Canal – the Latino – is instead served condemnation papers by the City. Quite obvious discrimination, and EDC will be held to account for it.
The 3 relocated companies are honest clean operations, who were very open. The fact that Carlos Canal is Latino has nothing to do with his current situation, he is a lying, dishonest person who runs a dirty opertion. Which in America there are many people like him from diverse backgrounds & walks of life. To use his heritage as an excuse is degrading, he should have a backbone, man up, clean up his act, abide by the law and admit the reason he is in this situation is because of his lies, instead of being dishonest once again & making people believe it's because of his race, he should be ashamed of himself.
"the reason he is in this situation" ---
The only "situation" Canal is in, is that his relocation has been APPROVED through ULURP by each and every decision-maker (including findings of "No Impact" attributable to his relocation), but EDC refuses to actually relocate him.
Decision-makers duly evaluated Canal's business during the process of APPROVING the ULURP application. The application was approved. Canal is to be relocated. Case closed.
It is not a coincidence that Canal is the Latino, and his purported relocation was a fraud perpetrated by EDC. Canal was taken advantage of at every turn by EDC, which even had Canal appearing on radio programs and conducting door-to-door surveys in support of the proposed development. The thanks Canal gets is to have the Council's intent to relocate his business shoved aside by EDC.
And EDC will do this to many more businesses, before all is said and done. EDC is deceitful and rapacious.
This story is only going to expand, as the discriminatory nature of the entire proposed Willets Point development becomes an issue in condemnation proceedings. It is exactly what justice Sandra Day O'Connor warned about, in her written dissent in the Kelo case.
His his business is totally different than what he was approved for & actually will be doing, so the approval really doesn't matter. He even said he puts up signs, buys wrecked cars, and resells them. He said he does car repairs, all which changes the classification of his TOWING business ( oh....previously when asked he said he didn't do this this type of work ) and a far cry from just being a towing co. Where HE said he just tows cars that he brings to repair shops & if a car is towed to his shop people pick them up a couple of hours later. He was asked if he was using stackers to store cars......he said " Oh, no " .......guess what- he lied- he indeed was using stackers to store the cars he said he don't store. So, these are only a few of his lies. He misrepresented himself & was well aware of it.
Canal being taken advantage of at every turn by EDC has nothing to do with CB-7 & isn't a reason to insult people & call them names.
Look, Canal was promised to be moved. CB7 approved the move. Then CB7 turns around, lies to the guy that there wasn't a hearing in a trailer in the CP Corporate Park, when there was (he wasn't the only one that was lied to that night) then very racistly tells the borough board that he should wind up in someone else's backyard. Well, if he is indeed a problem, CB7, he's your problem. And he wouldn't be your problem if you hadn't voted yes to the mayor's plan in the first place.
"Yes Means No: Deconstructing the Willets Point Vote of community Board 7" needs to be updated with this latest tidbit corruption.
I have to agree. EDC wanted to show that they were working with the smaller minority-owned businesses in the area as well as the large, wealthy business owners. They put on a production to get the city council vote, now the lone hispanic business they offered a deal to gets the shaft. Maybe CB7 knew this, which is why they voted yes. God knows what is going on behind the scenes.
The guy's business "is totally different", but EDC was well aware of the precise nature of his business. Moreover, CB7, Helen Marshall, CPC and the Council had every opportunity to check out his business prior their votes to APPROVE his relocation. Indeed, CB7 did inspect his business, then proceeded to UNANIMOUSLY APPROVE his relocation to College Point.
So there can be no claim now, that decision-makers were somehow unaware of the nature of Canal's business.
He is owed a final vote at the Borough Board. He should sue to get it. And when it occurs, Kelty and any CB7 representative who would act on his behalf must recuse themselves.
Canal can get the College Point property which has been approved for him. He has very good leverage against EDC and must exploit it fully.
STILL DOESN'T TAKE AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT ONCE AGAIN SOMEONE ON CB 7 , THIS TIME KELTY MADE INAPPROPRIATE COMMENTS TO AND ABOUT SOMEONE. THIS TIME KELTY'S COMMENT CAN BE TAKEN AS WHAT IT WAS, A RACIST ONE.
IF CANAL LIED, THAT IS WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID. NOT THE DEMEANING RACIST CRAP THAT CAME OUT OF KELT'S BIG FAT DRUNK MOUTH.
Yes.....was meant for a towing company - the lies surfaced after the Op-Ed article was brought up...after the fact & he was questioned about what he said in the article - he denied everything he said in the article.....then surprise - he was presented with the article, which proved on the spot he was dishonest. So, his approval was based on lies & a business run differently than he originally stated he had.....which in my opinion would void the original approval. So, stating - he was approved, he was approved over & over means nothing -- he was approved as a simple tow company, not the repair shop, the car storage facility, the auto salvage company or the car sales /dealer & who knows what else. Case closed.....you can't change the truth !!
I pointed out back when the Op-Ed was published that Carlos Canal did not write it. The man barely speaks English. It was authored by the EDC in order to make it look as though they were working with Hispanic businesses. You can't be that obtuse that you didn't pick up on that.
You can't be that obtuse that you didn't pick up on that.
Sez who?
Canal should never allowed his name as the author of an article he had nothing to do with the content of, as a business owner he should have had someone translate it & his laywer authorize it, that' s no one's fault but his own. I heard Canal being dishonest about his business operations & I did hear him be told he was being dishonest. I never heard Kelty or anyone else as a matter of fact say anything Racist or inappropriate. Someone is using the race card for their own agenda & it's inappropriate !
@ Queens Crapper - Why don't you identify yourself at these CPCP Task force meetings ? If you sit in on them you should be out in the open, or maybe not allowed there, although people have an idea who you are..A.L.
CB-7 didn't approve the move they approved the disposition of the city owned property to the EDC. As far as I see it EDC should be blamed.
Why the hell would I sit in a CB7 meeting? I live nowhere near there.
I think someone needs to get their paranoia in check.
@ Queens Crapper- Paranoia ? Since you don't live any where near there, why involve yourself with a blog concerning an area, as you say you live nowhere near ?
I saw the picture you posted from the meeting, did you get it from Anthony ?
By the way, I don't know why you think people would be paranoid about you, I have no reason to be paranoid and have nothing against you, I enjoy your blog.
Don't know who Anthony is. I know a lot of people in Flushing and none of them have that name.
The blog concerns all of Queens, hence the title. I don't need to be everywhere as I have a number of contributors. Glad you are enjoying it.
Anthony is a freelance photographer, I don't want to put his last name here, he was the only one who took pics that night & he was sitting around the area that picture you have was taken from.
Crappy thank you for your blog, We do not care who you are and realize that unfortunately, We under CB 7 confines have the worst and most corrupt community board in the City!
Not just Queens! Hence all the CB 7 stories. Keep up the spectacular work.
A NEW CB7
I didn't get that photo from a professional photographer, just someone who attended the meeting.
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