Sunday, May 6, 2012

Schumer shills for Kaufman-Astoria


NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - New York Sen. Chuck Schumer is asking the feds to make it easier for New York City to build a movie studio that would rival Hollywood.

The federal government is holding up the final approval for Kaufman Astoria Studios to build an architecturally flashy movie lot gate — a la Hollywood — at 36th Street and 35th Avenue in Astoria, Queens. It would transform one block of the street into New York’s only modern-day outdoor movie studio.

“One thing that California has over us is that it has an outdoor movie studio,” Schumer told WCBS 880′s Rich Lamb. “We don’t have any outdoor movie studios in New York City.”

The outdoor studio could accommodate rain machines, snow machines and sets, and Schumer said that the outdoor studio could serve as a catalyst which could transform New York’s film and TV industry for decades.


Why does this have to be done on public property? Doesn't the studio have enough money - and property - at this point to build an outdoor studio without gobbling up city streets?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

The community repeatedly tried to meet with Jimmy you know who and you know how far that got.

Tell us about the big plans -you know, the 14 story hotel etc etc.

Anonymous said...

Has chuck schumer ever held a job outside of city,state,federal government? And that includes his wife Iris ?

Anonymous said...

Hey Chuck. How's the wife?

Anonymous said...

It's a good idea as long as the studio buys the property including the street to make it private and not by condemnation.

Anonymous said...

i can't wait to visit the "HOSS AND PONDEROSA WESTERN SET " on 37th Avenue,Astoria.

Joe said...

And what good does this do ?
The studio wont do squat for the local people aside extra traffic bringing in sets made down south, Mexico its.
Regular people cant get jobs because its all "closed" or "father and son" IATSE work. Productions & movie shoots alway bring in there own cooks, kitchens. When they dont to get the tax write off productions must use catering from the "mayors list" ---all in Manhattan.

If anything all LIC will get in this is more transplant queer writers and movie people from California jacking up rents and prices.
I worked on SNL and NBC trust me on this !
These people have NO INTENTION on giving locals jobs. Its what they call "family" "beautyful people only" Sets are no longer made locally, ask any scenic artist about the bullshit and backstabbing going on.

Anonymous said...

“One thing that California has over us is that it has an outdoor movie studio,”

No Chuck you jackass. Not "a" studio but dozens in the 30 mile Hollywood zone alone. California studios have the climate & 100s of acres space aquired over 70 years ago. California also has the road structure to support them. (it a state built around the automobile)

Building a 800 million dollar studio you can only use 90 good days a year (if it doesnt rain) makes no sense. Its a producers worst nightmare to shut a set down and have to pay 60 IA people and have no product.

BTW Thomas Edison had the first outdoor movie studio---it was IN BROOKLYN! He had the same problems with weather back then

Anonymous said...

Yeah why not! Yet no money for a historical cemetery , and especially not for an old CYO lot to convert it into fields for community kids, no money for the upkeep of existing fields. But money to condem and steal for the rich to get richer? Why not!

Anonymous said...

There is a lot of available private commercial real estate that can be purchased in Astoria. Let them buy that. If we lose a public street to a private developer we will never get it back.

Look at all the articles on "property" in QC: The politicians are always on the side of developers grabbing small private lots or public land.

The politicians are never on the side of communities seeking the government's power be used for parks and landmarks.