Facing a spike in the number of women entering the city’s teeming shelter system, the de Blasio administration said Friday it was transforming an old Queens hotel into housing for homeless women.
The 200-bed, women’s only shelter will be at the site of the old Verve Hotel in Long Island City, and is the second shelter the city has opened this year.
It’s the 25th shelter to open since de Blasio has taken office.
Administration officials said it is necessary because they have seen a 9% spike in the number of single women entering the system.
I like how the Daily News calls it the "old Verve Hotel" to mask the fact that it isn't. So riddle me this, how much money is the city shelling out in order to get the new owner of a luxury hotel (all of which are supposedly doing well) to agree to convert it to a shelter?
And which lucky lady will get the hot tub?
21 comments:
How much money? They make more money making this a homeless shelter than hotel - especially since there is overbuilding of hotels. When you see overbuilding think of Harlem. So bullshit story - a ton of 'upscale' housing soon filled with anything to pay off the construction debt.
Queens Plaza is soon to be a soulless dorm for the Manhattan proles which as much cheer as a Soviet era housing block.
Once again our pols are totally outclassed by business people.
Can we please get statistics on this homeless issue, I don't mean just counts. I mean who are these people. Are they the chronic unemployed, mentally ill, chronic drug users. Are they even from New York or did they just plop down here in NYC homeless from other states/cities or other countries. Are they here illegally in this country. It would be good to know these statistics to get a handle on this so-called problem. It is really as bad as they say or are the powers to be creating it. The Democrats love to play the “Fear Card” as much as the Republicans like to do when it suits their agenda.
Ironic In a totally other bullshit article (http://commercialobserver.com/2015/09/melinda-katz-leads-her-borough-through-high-times-with-a-little-bite/) about that horrible Queens Borough President Melinda Katz, she stated “Hotels are good to a large extent, because if we are building hotels it means that people actually are coming here. Part of what we want to make sure is as new businesses open up, including the hotels, that they are actually hiring from the community.”
But obviously all these hotels DO NOT mean people are actually coming, well homeless people yeah, as this latest hotel and a luxury one at that has proven by being turned into a women’s shelter.
This seems to be a pattern in NYC these days: build a hotel (usually where it is: a) not needed, or b) already overdeveloped)... make a ton of money while the hotel is hot, new and trendy... wait a while... if it gets slow or fails - sell it to the city as a homeless shelter, and make another ton of money...
Anybody want to go partners with me?
Jeez!
The top hotel in Queens, eh?
Wonder what tax breaks the Verve has and will they be carried over once it isn't a hotel?
More and more homeless shelters are coming to Queens thanks to the boy mayor.
Ive been saying this since the begining of the "luxury hotel craze". This is a rouse. The hotel owners and the city have a plan. All these hotels will eventually become the nee housing projects spread out across the city. Giving room for all that waterfront property to be developed into "luxury highrises". Be warned.
What the hell is up with all these plans for hotels in Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Woodside, Jamaica? What tourists stay in these areas? It makes no sense whatsoever. As for them being homeless shelters in the near future how do the builders make money? They sell them to the city? How does that work?
The only way to stop this homeless crisis is to repeal that idiotic law passed years ago that made NYC responsible to house any loser who asks for it. It must be repealed immediately! We all need to pressure our local representatives on this issue!
both our mayor and JVB are pos's -- this has to be approved by the constitutents and again it was NOT -- money under the table again -- instead of going out to Fire Island and enjoying himself stay in his neighborhood for awhile instead of being photo-oped again for causing a stir in the area -
Not to worry Al- they are soon to come to some of the McMansions of Malba Gardens as well.
There's money in them there hotels!!!
The POTUS and the Mayor are birds of a feather.
Pres Obama is helping the mayor and all the hotel real estate investor friends by sending us all the illegal "migrants", "refugees" , "asylum seekers"' and "undocumented".
It is all part of the "FUNDAMENTAL TRANSFORMATION" of a once great nation...
Let's hope the shelter being an all women's shelter does not attract the pimps, drugs and prostitutes that once plagued the area and our neighborhood. There should be a police booth planted at the corner of the shelter with cameras linked to the 108 police precinct. We can assume that some of these women are bona fide homeless, some will be prostitutes, drug abusers and mentally ill. The review on trip advisor for this hotel were good, full to capacity during the US open. Seems the owner is politically connected, big time donor to DiBlasio and the Jimmy Van Bramer treasure chests. There is something not right here. How much is the rent? Are they renting each room at $2500 per month to house these women times x 200 rms = $500,000 per month X 12 months a year = $6,000,000.00 per yr? Why run a hotel and have empty rooms when you have gauranteed rent paid by tax payer? I'm a native New Yorker and remember the city in the 1970's, 1980's and see it tilting that way once again in this administration. No fiscal responsibility, spending our tax dollars to appease a specific electoral group, setting the stage to be reelected. I live and own a home in Long island City and just get a sense that the neighborhood after much progress is going backwards.
We cannot be a Sanctuary City while are residents that live here are being priced out of our communities by desperate hordes that lower housing standards.
God almighty! Another one! There is no end to this or to de blasio's destruction. Unbelievable.
W.G., ...You are catching on quick. Welcome to the homeless shelter fight. ALL of the DHS shelters are run by political connected pricks. They do not care about the homeless, just the $$$.
What about transgender homeless? Will they be allowed in??
Anonymous who wrote why so many hotels in Queens... Because it looks like tourists or business people can't afford or get bookings in expensive Manhattan hotels. I see and have spoken to one person on the subways and the were staying at a hotel around Queens Borough Plaza train station. The hotel was a few blocks away. You can see tourists with their black carry ons all over especially on the 7 train.
@WG
I recall in the late 80's rather large gatherings of rouge covered thigh high booted vinyl mini skirted street walkers walking up to cars plying their trade.
This decision should bring it back.
Better hookers than homeless. Homeless hookers, on the other hand.....
hw about all the people around there that are paying about $4,000.00 a month in rent -- I am sure they are not happy about this at all -- but wait this is JVB district --
You can see tourists with their black carry ons all over especially on the 7 train.
Yea, i see them too - perfect for a crowded 7 train - suitcases on wheels. big suitcases on wheels.
What is needed is families, not transients, not tourists, not immigrants in the shadows, hipster kids 4 to a one bedroom, or airbnb.
Bring the hookers and dive bars back !!
They were far more interesting, didn't bother anybody, kept rents affordable and hipsters and useless tourists who only spend $$ in Manhattan out.
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