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The Crap-O-Sphere ("Crappy")
Artwork by Jerry Rotondi
The official mascot of Queens Crap
The Crap-O-Sphere ("Crappy")
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Willets Point United Against Eminent Domain Abuse
Artwork by Jerry Rotondi
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Blog Archive
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2015
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June
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- Shulman back to her old tricks again
- Big Bad Bill doesn't impress anyone in Albany
- Elmhurst perv alert
- Flag vandalism suspected in Rockaway
- Baby seal causes a stir in Bayside
- de Blasio: Tweeding is just fine
- Transit infrastructure can't keep up with population
- Bird strikes up despite goose slaughter
- Richards to take over zoning committee
- City disapproves of FEMA's flood maps
- Speaker gives lulu to council member accused of se...
- Fraudulent contractor busted
- Big Bush Park getting big upgrade
- Albany allows 421-A changes
- Illegal park party bust
- Blissville ready for its first park
- You'll just have to hold it
- Borough hall garage is a-comin' down
- What a victory!
- And the tweeding continues...
- Willets Point business owners got nothing but brok...
- Excavation continues at the Steinway Mansion
- CB7 gives ok to tow pound
- Astoria or LIC may get a pool in the East River
- Tons of NYCHA apartments sit empty
- College Point being overdeveloped into oblivion
- City wants to further upzone LIC
- City to try to move people out of illegal "3/4 homes"
- Illegal gas hookup found at Astoria complex
- Subway crime is on the rise
- Pols promote app that violates zoning regulations
- Squeaky wheel in Brooklyn gets DOB attention
- New law makes it easier to feed meters
- More police in new budget
- Queens women to be honored with a planted ruin
- Huge development in the works for downtown Jamaica
- Future Darwin Award Winner
- DOT hogging up municipal parking spaces
- Piledriver perched perilously close to Steinway Ma...
- Realtor pushing for hotel by Newtown Creek
- MTA encourages illegal parking
- Taking matters into their own hands
- People fed up with junk-filled property
- Astoria landlord accused of tenant harassment
- Bad zoning - is it a racial thing?
- NYPD cracks down on Jamaica trucks
- LPC has new procedure for reducing calendar backlog
- HPD rep lies to Woodhaven group
- Glendale birds fall victim to carelessness
- Lots of parks, but not enough PEP officers
- City pays $3600 to house 3 people in one room
- Bayside residents unhappy with high school proposal
- Contractor damaged property adjacent to Steinway M...
- Weprin delays departure, affects election procedure
- Slumlord busted for tenant harassment
- 100-year old felled tree may return to Astoria
- Contract for juvie home rejected by comptroller
- Sunnyside wants small business saved
- Roosevelt Island-Cornell tech campus megaproject k...
- Knockdown Center gets limited liquor license
- Vibrant and diverse terrorist sympathizer
- Truckin' along in Jamaica
- Proposal to gate entrances to FMCP at night
- Almost 300 units coming to LIC paint building
- Ridgewood Playground needs some work
- Worker didn't have to die
- Council Members in favor of term limits - for comm...
- Dirty sidewalk violations can't be fought
- 1000 new cops won't decrease response times
- Fake Buddhist monks live in Flushing
- Bad traffic situation in Sunnyside
- Authorities seek Queens bank robber
- First responders helped 3 animals yesterday
- Sewer project will shave off guy's living room
- Don't eat the shellfish!
- Sinkhole suddenly appears in Bayside
- Astoria playground potties need an overhaul
- Free tampons are a priority for Ferreras
- Bogus parking permits at housing projects
- Coney Island's wooden boardwalk is now in Italy
- Lancman wants clarification of safety law
- Most Council Democrats support admitted terrorist
- Dumbasses are shooting paintballs at people in Whi...
- City halts fire escape removal
- Bill threatens to take away business licenses of s...
- Banks everywhere but no small businesses
- Halloran releases manifesto before reporting to pr...
- DOT & DEP point fingers at each other as pothole r...
- City Council plans to go after AirBnB
- Not all of Alley Pond Park is treated equally
- Monserrate having trouble paying restitution
- Katz perfects the art of shameless self-promotion
- DOE doesn't want Parkway Hospital for a school
- Mayor's budget is no good, but the council will pa...
- Fear over rent hike in Kew Gardens Hills
- DBlasio still plans to develop NYCHA property
- FDNY disagrees with DOB's fire escape removal permit
- "Summer All Out" campaign will target high crime a...
- Majestic High Bridge reopens to the public
- Report details major rent squeeze
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June
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Include address of property and any other information you have about it.
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41 comments:
Melinda Katz, President, Borough of Queens
Queens Borough Hall
120-55 Queens Boulevard
Kew Gardens, NY 11424
718.286.3000
info@queensbp.org
Dear Ms Katz:
The Friends of Steinway Mansion are deeply concerned over the possible disturbance of Native-American and First Nation artifacts and possible remains.
For more information: http://www.astorialic.org/…/Steinway-Mansion-Archaeological…
The internet and press have been filled with disturbing images of activity around the Steinway Mansion:
https://www.facebook.com/steinwaymansion/posts/827206087363047
The Borough of Queens has called itself “The Worlds Borough.” Need we remind you that there were cultures and peoples that were here in the past which should be treated with the same respect and dignity as those here today?
Before your constituents you face a question: What is More Important, the Dignity of People, or the Dollars of Development?
We urge you to call a press conference to announce a Stop Work Order to investigate the Steinway Mound to see if there is any possible trace of our shared historic legacy that has escaped the wood chipper and back hoe.
We strongly suggest that an independent committee of scholars (led by representatives of Native Peoples) oversee the effort.
Thank you
The Friends of Steinway Mansion
Copies delivered to:
American Indian Community House, AICH
2nd Floor
254 W. 29th St.
New York, NY 10001
Delaware Tribe of Indians
Oklahoma Headquarters
5100 Tuxedo Blvd.
Bartlesville, OK 74006
Nanticoke-Lenni-Lenape
18 E. Commerce St.
Bridgeton, NJ
Delaware Nation
PO Box 825
Anadarko, OK 73005
Musee Delaware Nation
RR#1
Muncey, Ontario
N0L IYD
Canada
David Martine - Artistic Director/Curator
Shinnecock Museum
Curatorial Research Fellow
American Indian Artists Inc. (AMERINDA)
How Did We Get Here? Part 1
"[Astoria Councilman Peter Vallone Jr] admitted he is uncertain the city will be open to purchasing the property since it is a lot of money, but he vowed to at least try. “Even though this house is landmarked, we don’t know if the next owner will be as open,” he said. “I don’t want this to be the last time the public sets foot in this house.” Queens Ledger, Oct 13, 2010
http://queensledger.com/…/9894834-A-piece-of-Astoria-histor…
Umm...Peter...did not have to be the "last time."
We tried again and again to meet with you at your office. Your scheduler placed us on your calendar. Time and again, no Peter.
During this critical period you walled yourself off from us, perhaps the best source of help within your community. We wanted to discuss a full range of options and were armed with names and contact info of people that were ready to talk to you. Everyone wanted you to be aware of, and to explore with you, all options. Instead, you marginalized any other perspectives.
Were you were fixated on the city buying a park, rather than exploring options for saving a mansion? Well, what was Plan B?
WAS there a Plan B?
Lets look at this further.
The Steinway Mansion is even on Wikipedia.
http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PermitsInProcessIssuedByBinServlet?requestid=3&allbin=4596101
No permits issued... work without a permit?
Address for inquiry above 18-25 42 St., vacant lot.
Wiki & DOB BIS show different address, 18-33 41 St, that it is a NYC Landmark house.
Friends of Steinway Mansion? LOL!
Ineffective friends as is evidenced. As the old adage says, "With friends like these, who needs enemies"?
Isn't it a little too late to be friendly towards the mansion? Friends of this, and friends of that. Aren't we all a little tired to see all these so called friends of preservation losing one battle after another. What historic preservation needs is friends with money or dedicated soldiers willing to sacrifice their time and if need be their precious reputations.
GAHS was always so fearful of remaining on the right side of the political fence to risk any early knock down drag out fight to preserve Steinway. Only at the eleventh hour do the Friends seek to muster the troops. Too late. Face your Waterloo, folks. I'm off to the island of Elba for a nice vacation.
Here we go again, another loss for Queens.
The die is cast. Snake eyes! Hopefully, the tower of the mansion won't suffer any damage from all the vibrations of the excavations.
Pete junior Vallone shows some "sympathy" at the last minute when he knows nothing can be done.
That is a safe position for this career politician to be taking, considering his family law firm specializes in lobbying for developers.
Drumming up some good estates to manage is also part of the dynasty's game.
Being in Wikepedia don't mean squat. It ain't the Britanica.
What's happening at Steinway is the product of Queens' ongoing political corruption.
Donald Manes wrote the gospel on it. All of his disciples follow it to the letter, including crocodile tears Melinda Katz.
She is sooooh concerned about historic preservation. My ass! She sucked her way to the top by betraying Queens and taking wheelbarrow loads of campaign contributions from developers. Why bother to appeal to her for aid RE Steinway at this late date?
Take it like a man! The firing squad is ready. No blindfold, please! Steinway is kaput! Next case.
List all the addresses, phone numbers, etc. you want.
None of our electeds really cares. Neither do any of the city departments. They have been given their orders to let Steinway go!
Maybe Mike Halberian's spirit will walk the grounds.
This is like beating a dead horse. Another RKO Keith's in the making. Another dead horse.
We have not heard a word from Dr. Jack Eichenbaum, our "esteemed" borough historian.
Maybe the Koreans will open up another Spa Castle, using the mansion as a clubhouse.
Hey, that sounds a lot better than a bunch of warehouses.
Unless you are dealing with a federal Indian reservation, Native Americans, First Nations, Indiginous Peoples...whatever is politically correct to call them these days....are usually the least effective voices in preserving their own culture. They are promptly ignored UNLESS they file a cease and desist lawsuit. Immediate legal action is what's required now. All else is Buffalo chips! Money talks. Bullshit walks!
Maybe GAHS or Friends of Steinway could hustle up a pro bono lawyer and file. I'll have a beard down to my toes 'til then.
Artifacts? I see a concrete block and some twisted metal.
That's the way borough hall will see it.
Hitler once asked, "Is Paris burning"? Cultural genocide is occurring here....right here in Queens!
Melinda Katz speak with forked tongue.
One tip wags for historic preservation. The other tip is deeply rooted up some mega developer's sphincter.
When preservationists can afford to buy political allies with campaign contributions. Only then will their weak voices be heard.
Face it folks. Preservation is not a high priority with most Queens residents. Good schools, public safety, convenient transportation, etc.
is what matters most to them. One, two, three strikes....you're out!
I once climbed the mansion's tower and stood on the roof, then walked a circle. What a view!
Thanks for being such a great host, Mr. Halberian. I will never forget that.
Rest in peace, Mike.
NYC could have purchased the mansion for pittance. They spend millions on dog runs.
Shame on you Councilman Vallone. You turned your back on this one.
The buck stops in your office. That's the bottom line. No excuses , please.
The papers filied by Caliendo were very interesting.
We heard the following from the Friends:
There was a big problem in finding them in the BIS database
The space the mansion sits on was invaded by those tie bars for the wall. They were forced by LPC to change them which opens the real idea that the warehouses now may be structurally unsound.
The plans called for piecemeal nibbling of the mansion's fabric - stopped by LPC.
The fact that this man is still on Community Board 1, is getting awards, and is on the board of Rufus King says a lot about Queens.
The fact that its now broadcast to the ends of the city says a lot about the future of the Queens power structure.
The next stop might be filing something with the AIA Queens - or perhaps if that fails, going up the ladder.
Costa Says:
Join us for a free educational musical performance tomorrow. Astoria families will have the opportunity to enjoy The Little Orchestra Society's interactive classical music performance "Things that Go Bang." All are welcome to attend this free event at IS 10 on tomorrow at 6:30. This performance is perfect for children ages 3-7 and their families. Children will have a great time learning the basics of percussion in this musical extravaganza, which teaches concertgoers that percussion sounds and instruments can be found anywhere, including your own kitchen.
I am proud to sponsor this performance to help expose our children to music and arts in their community.
THERE IS THAT DAMN 'PROUD' SHIT AGAIN. DON'T THESE GUYS SPEAK HUMAN ANYMORE?
Hey Costa, thanks for the bone - but its not the Steinway Arts Center. Its like closing Astoria Park for warehouses and telling the kids' parents to let them play in an alley.
Face it folks. Preservation is not a high priority with most Queens residents. Good schools, public safety, convenient transportation, etc. is what matters most to them. One, two, three strikes....you're out!
well its seems they can't even do that well either. all the pols seem to do is self-promoting garbage.
Vallone is to blame along with all of the other counsel people involved -- follow the money that is for sure -- and he wants to be judge -- shame on people that vote him in -- he is a crook just like his whole family -- the Vallone's turn their back on everything --
I see illegal excavation: note the equipment perched on the edge of an un-shored trench: DoB monitoring this?
Pete junior Vallone shows some "sympathy" at the last minute when he knows nothing can be done.
That is a safe position for this career politician to be taking, considering his family law firm specializes in lobbying for developers.
BEING LOOKED INTO.
GAHS was always so fearful of remaining on the right side of the political fence to risk any early knock down drag out fight to preserve Steinway.
www.facebook.com/steinwaymansion.
uh-huh.
Ineffective friends as is evidenced. As the old adage says, "With friends like these, who needs enemies"? Aren't we all a little tired to see all these so called friends of preservation losing one battle after another. What historic preservation needs is friends with money or dedicated soldiers willing to sacrifice their time and if need be their precious reputations. Only at the eleventh hour do the Friends seek to muster the troops. Too late. Face your Waterloo, folks. I'm off to the island of Elba for a nice vacation.
--
My good sir, all you need to do is to win one battle, the last battle. You only need to muster troops in the 11th hour.
When you return from your little rest you will see battle standards from horizon to horizon. We will be waiting for you at Waterloo.
And history will not only be preserved, but made.
Jack Eichenbaum? Jack Eichenbaum, the Queens official Historian?
Yes where is Jack Eichenbaum? Hiding under the sofa with King Manor Executive Director Mary Anne Mrozinski and King Manor Board Vice Chaitman Richard Werber?
Jack, are you wandering along Roosevelt Avenue describing food carts to your tour sign-ups?
Why isn't your ass on the front lines here with L'affair Steinway?
You are Indeed THE Borough HISTORIAN.
Here's the bully pulpit. Go to it man!
Forget about Jack.
"My good sir"...LOL!
Somebody thinks that the use of quaint 19th century English syntax makes him a "gentleman" or something. It is precisely this tone of antiquated thought processes that make the Steinway travesty possible. Yeah, talk down to the proletariat. That puts you in the know of how to fight a real battle from the very beginning. And the Duke of Wellington sounds like an armchair commander too.
Dontchaluvit when some boob thinks that rhetoric can substitute for cannon balls? LOL! Supremely laughable!
GAHS on Facebook don't mean squat.
If there was a dollar for every comment, they could have hired a lawyer long ago to stop this shit!
Talk is cheap. Money is scarce. Everybody looks bigger than they are online.
Even a flea looks like a giant under a magnifying lens.
This...uh...."last battle" to be won....where does it take place? Pull up those lawn chairs and bring the Martinnis.
Give up watching your favorite novella for this one. Afterwards, we'll meet at some Steinway street hookah lounge to muse over the loss at the fray, of this fabled 11th hour rally.
C'mon....nothing but legal action can win this final assault. Mere words, unless in the mouth of an attorney, are just cheap rumblings.
Bravado vs bayonets? Who wins? Hmmmm. Sharpen up,those words. LOL,
Why the assault on GAHS?
Because GAHS is also part of the problem. Everyone expects Vallone to not give a crap.
He remained silent and did nothing. That's politics. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Developers feed Vallone.
GAHS plays their own brand of politics. They usually remain well behaved so as not to jeapordize their funding stream.
They will mouth off, occasionally, within acceptable boundaries.
There you have it. EVERYBODY is afraid of losing something. Voters are fearful of their elected official's wrath, should they speak out.
Because GAHS is also part of the problem. Everyone expects Vallone to not give a crap.
He remained silent and did nothing. That's politics. Don't bite the hand that feeds you. Developers feed Vallone.
GAHS plays their own brand of politics. They usually remain well behaved so as not to jeapordize their funding stream.
They will mouth off, occasionally, within acceptable boundaries.
There you have it. EVERYBODY is afraid of losing something. Voters are fearful of their elected official's wrath, should they speak out.
A TRAINWRECK OF NONSENSICAL BABBLE.
Train wreck of nonsensical babble?
Sounds to me that somebody smart has GAHS's number.
Talk big and do nothing concrete.
They should have been pushing to find a good buyer for the mansion from the get go.
GAHS knew full well that they could not get any political support to save Steinway long ago.
So what did they do? Twiddle their thumbs and coined Friends of Steinway.
Face the music. That Facebook crap will not do the job of saving it either.
It is too late now GAHS! You could have been at the front ten years back when Halberian was looking to sell his mansion.
Now both are gone.
What will the next critical issue that GAHS will not take any action on until the eleventh hour?
Bottom line:
This happened on your turf under your watch....GAHS. That will make history.
That " TRAINWRECK" sure struck a big nerve somewhere.
Maybe GAHS is feeling a little guilty about what they could have all done about Steinway if they had the Moxie to do it?
Hmmmmmm...express the usual outrage but do not make any enemies that could cut off some grant money....especially at
Queens Council on The Arts or borough hall. Just look at who funds their exhibits, lectures , walking tours.
A you got it. I just received GAHS's latest mailing. Bottom line of mailing:
Supported by Queens Council on The Arts. And who supports the council? Borough hall! I rest my case.
This is a captive organization that maintains an archive like most hysterical societies. If they fail to meet their rent, where do the priceless artifacts wind up? It's hard to be a revolutionary and have a rich treasure trove to protect.
It is only groups which have no holdings who do not have to suck up to any vested interests.
Historical societies are as much of a problem as shady politicians and crooked developers. They are ham strung into obeying the prevailing positions of borough government.
In short, they will pull their punches if there is a serious threat that speaking up will cause their funders to pull their money.
That's simple enough to comprehend, amigos. No?
Is that pompous wind bag still with GAHS?
Georgie Porgie, the Library Guy,
Cooked the books? Did he try?
When the audit came out that day
Georgie Porgie was thrown away.
Is Mr. B.S that pompous guy you mean?
Naw, if its pompous you gatta mean Mr G. S.
Let's not single out anyone as being pompous.
GAHS could have done more than it has not done.
The buck stops there.
I guess that GAHS has thrown in the towel with following any more posts.
Yawn, how tired Mr. B.S. Must be getting. Give up, bub? Naturally!
10-4.....over and out.
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