"Dear Crappy,It's spring. Are your windows open? I wish mine were. I haven't been able to open the windows in my new apartment in Astoria at 32nd Street and Broadway since I moved in because one of the local souvlaki vendors (and not the "famous" one) fills my street with charcoal smoke every day from lunchtime until 2am. I've submitted complaints to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene each day for two weeks and only get an automated response telling me that all food carts are inspected once a year. DoH, working for you!
Not only do they fill the neighborhood with unbearable smoke (especially for those of us with respiratory conditions), but they block metered parking spaces next to the intersection at Broadway with orange cones to save a parking spot for their disgusting, beat-up and spraypainted black supply van that comes by each day around 4:30pm, just when folks are starting to come home and look for parking.
The smoke, the disregard for local residents, and not to mention the annoying drunks parading around all night eating their souvlaki are driving me crazy. DoH doesn't respond to complaints, the community board doesn't respond to complaints. What's the point of living here if I can't even open my windows?Attached are photos I took of the smoke and parking cones." - anonymous
25 comments:
Notify the EPA, they have no pollution reducing equipment in use.
That sucks for sure, but that guy has been there for a very long time. Probably more than 20 years. So to say he needs to go, is kind of like getting an apartment over a night club and complaining it's loud. Just saying, do your research before you rent a place.
Aside from the burning charcoal, which is illegal, it looks like the oversized cart is blocking the sidewalk. I believe there has to be at least 10-15 feet clearance between the building and the cart. Call your community board!
The Marino Brothers Grocery store makes smoked mozzarella in a garbage pail on 163rd St. between 29th Ave and Bayside Lane several times a week - it's a truly disgusting smell!!!
A lot of illegal points here. You can't save parking spots. You can't be within 15 feet of a crosswalk. You can't burn charcoal. You can't be within 15 feet of a building.
The ice cream truck in the background is illegally parked too, blocking the crosswalk. NYPD, DOT, DOH, and Consumer Affairs, are all not doing their jobs. Notify your community board. They should be working on this too!
Possible violation -- too near the crosswalk? or -- 12-foot sidewalk space for pedestrians?
§17-307(d) Vending unapproved items.
§17-311 Failure to display mobile food vending license, mobile food vending unit
permit, or mobile food vending unit decal, plate or insignia.
§17-314(a) Failure to permit regular inspections.
§17-314(b) Failure to give supplier/depot/commissary information.
§17-314(c) Sale of unauthorized foods without written approval.
§17-314.1 Sale, loan, lease or transfer of license, permit or decal, plate or insignia.
§17-315(a) Vendor on sidewalk that allows less than 12 feet as pedestrian path; or unit
not at, or abutting curb.
§17-315(e) Vendor within bus stop, within 10 feet of any driveway, any subway
entrance or exit, or any crosswalk at any intersection.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/about/healthcode/health-code-chapter6.pdf
" I haven't been able to open the windows in my new apartment..."
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We haven't been able to open the windows in our home because of the airplane noises.
GOOD Luck,the laws are on the books but every agency responsible refuses to enforce the laws.
Hipsters love shit like this.
I here a one bedroom apartment there can cost between $1,500 to $2000. What a bargain !
This issue has always been a problem in Astoria, from people living above hookah lounges to that infamous Strand Smokehouse that not only has the community smelling like a grill at 11 AM but tosses around beer kegs in back courtyards at 4 AM.
Add to this bars opening in midblock with aggressive unruly patrons, bars that now open without walls the pump music into otherwise quiet blocks with families, and that nightmare of the World Cup that stopped traffic on major shopping streets, and its clear that we have a pattern developing.
The destruction of a community whose purposed is now defined to make as much money as possible for landlords.
And nothing else.
People are being pushed out of Astoria - both long term residents and young families. Long term people homes of 2 or 3 stories can now be replaced by ugly 5 story confections.
The received wisdom is that Astoria is a hot market that young people want to move to.
The reality is that it is becoming fraternity row. A great party community that makes landlords lots of money, but increasingly filled with apolitical kids that are into little more than food porn from a dizzy array of opening and closing cafes and restaurants that are driving out business that an area actually needs.
The kids are great at wearing out a place and then moving on, but don't really give two shits for the neighborhood, and its people and do nothing for its long term future except attract more development as shit does flies.
In other words, a politicians dream.
No longer concerns about quality of life, uncouth semi-literate property owners that skirt regulations on housing and taxes, and get appointed to the community board for their efforts, seems to be the order of the day.
Take note Bayside: the Vallones played a big hand in ruing what was once a solid community. They will be back in Astoria to complete its destruction.
Whoa! For a minute I thought you were talkin' about smokin' some "boo"!
Fugghettabout it! Astoria is gone, just like Flushing.
Time to move on or move away. This is the Vallone legacy. Yet the section where the Don Pete "senior" Vallone lives is a fine residential area where he isn't bothered with souvlaki carts or the loud sounds emanating from Euro trash bars. Amen! Rest in peace.
I live on this block - this cart hasn't been here for 20 years, but it's been there for a while. Also annoying is walking home, turning the corner and being blocked off by 15 people to the point I have to walk into the street AROUND the cart. Nevermind the mess the drunks who buy from them leave here.
Smoked Mozzarella a disgusting smell? What was the last time you bathed?
That was supposed to be signed Cheech & Chong.
My fucking IPad's new operating system decided to over ride my intention and put its two cents in.
These corrective measures are for dumb people who cannot spell. I also hate spellcheck!
Those souvlaki stands have been there for many years, there part of the neighborhood ur NOT.
Actually, he is. He moved from the Mount Sinai area.
What did you expect when you moved to Astoria? Young people who 10 years ago wouldn't be caught dead living in Queens are now flocking there because somehow the perception is that it is "trendy". A foodies' delight for the time being, and when they move on, what will be left?
Sorry my calculation of 20 years was off. I didn't write down when he arrived. It is a damn long time though. I grew up on the Broadway stop and I can't remember a time when that guy wasn't there.
The King of Souvlaki on 31st and 31st ave has to be worse. Sometimes it looks like block is on fire there is so much smoke. I wouldn't want to live near that either. Thats why I don't.
By the way if you gotta park move the cones! They know damn well that what they are doing is illegal. If they have anything at all to say tell them to call the police.
This is one of the reasons people are leaving NYC, on top of having to pay high rents, high tolls, high taxes. It's simply not worth it.
The Capital One Bank on the nearby corner puts up with this?
Capital Bank? Like Investors Bank, Alma Bank, Quantic Bank, Fist Cental Bank, Astoria is filled with obscure banks controlled by developers and politicians that process sub-primes and handle its extensive and pervasive cash economy.
It seems as if a good portion of the movers and shakers in Astoria still live somewhere on the other side of the 12th century.Look on the positive side, at least they don't dig a hole in a wall somewhere and place their valuables - tho most of the customers in those banks look like they could.
Every corner in Astoria that does not have a nail salon, Greek cafe or Thai noodle shop, or gym has a bank.
Was in Brooklyn the other day and was shocked there was not a bank on every corner. But they did have businesses actually useful to a community.
These roach mobiles, chestnuts or kabob roasting over coals have been here forever its part of New York City culture ESPECIALLY ASTORIA. Hell we already lost the East Village to this gentrification & yuppie bullshit !!
If you dont like hotspots like Astoria go back to Iowa, Michigan whatever. I support my local roach mobiles and family bushiness(whats left of them anyway. -Screw McDonalds, Pizza Hut and especially these yahoo's that "parachute in" uninvited then bitch and wanna change things! Hey, If you dont like it MOVE to Salt Lake City or Tulsa where they roll the streets up 6PM !!
-Joe
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