Liz Crowley supports sex, drugs and broken down buses...

So Miss Heather decided to cross the Creek this week and attend a CB5 committee meeting. The Knockdown Center happened to be under discussion. What a hoot!

Concerns about this facility being a nightclub are raised by the chair.

“We will not be a club”, Tyler Myers says. Then he sees fit to enlighten his audience as to what an “arts center” is. As defined by Wikipedia:

“art centre or arts center is distinct from an art gallery or art museum. An arts centre is a functional community centre with a specific remit to encourage arts practice and to provide facilities such as theatre space, gallery space, venues for musical performance, workshop areas, educational facilities, technical equipment, etc.[1]

In the United States, “art centers” are generally either establishments geared toward exposing, generating, and making accessible art making to arts-interested individuals, or buildings that rent primarily to artists, galleries, or companies involved in art making.

I want to thank Mr. Myers for informing me, an artist, third generation, as to what an artists’ center is. I clearly have missed out on many a dance party.

Per Mr. Myers, a liquor license is normal for an “arts center” then he cites MOMA, The “Met”, Lincoln Center, etc., as examples. Um, the last I checked all of these are in Manhattan.

Now we’re back to sustaining and maintaining this beautiful building. E.g.; if you do not let us have this, we’ll throw our toys out of the pram and tear it down.

Parking lots are discussed. Rather good to know since this is not located anywhere near mass transit.

Transportation is covered! They have a magical blue bus with California plates which transports the hipsters to and fro:

Looks safe, right?

Perhaps the Argentos, investors in this endeavor— and my community— would be so kind to explain about how the following will (further) uplift the Maspeth community?



Can’t honestly say I have ever seen this at MOMA…



or this at Lincoln Center, for that matter. Perhaps I am going at the wrong time?

Heh... And now the pièce de résistance:


A foreign business corporation based in Nevada? HUH?

All these factors culminated in this at the full board meeting this past Wednesday:


Followed by a unanimous rejection by the board, which cited the fact that the owner has no business applying for a liquor license when he doesn't have a valid Certificate of Occupancy.

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE is opposed to this nightmare except those with a vested interest in it and Miss Dizzy Lizzy Crowley, who thinks it's worth it to allow the community to be trashed in return for 30 jobs which may or may not be created. The Forum is on it:

In relation to the Knockdown Center itself, Crowley, speaking at a recent Community Board 5 meeting, called the business is an “innovative” place that could give the area’s economy a boost.

“They’re building good economic development and could generate jobs locally,” Crowley said at the meeting.

She also noted during the meeting that one of the investors in Knockdown, Gina Argento, owns Broadway Stages – a company that employs about 1,500 people at its spot in Brooklyn. Gina Argento has also supported Crowley, donating $2,500 to the councilwoman in March 2013, and another $2,000 in 2011. Her brother, Anthony Argento, also a founder of Broadway Stages, donated $2,000 to Crowley in 2011 as well.

Fun times!