Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Protest at former 5 Pointz site

From the Observer:

Building and Construction Trades Council President Gary LaBarbera and Queens Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer, along with several hundred union workers, blasted a developer—whom LaBarbera called a “piece of shit”—who they say broke a promise to use union workers at its Long Island City construction site.

According to Van Bramer, Jerry Wolkoff, co-owner of G&M Realty agreed to several community givebacks during the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process, including a commitment to build and staff the site, the 5Pointz warehouse at 45-46 Davis St. with 100 percent union labor. In exchange the city granted G&M the ability to build 400 additional units—but Van Bramer says Wolkoff has since backtracked on the agreement.

44 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yeah...Van Bramer made a flash appearance, then got the fuck out of there in a flash. He was obliged to suck up to the unions for political support.

The whining elephant eared dwarf claimed that he was "lied to" by Wolkoff. Hmmmm....this is the same Wolkoff he took ten plus grand from in campaign contributions. Van Bramer is the big liar here....talking through the side of his mouth...his words carefully strained through his scum stained teeth.

Van Bramer is your original piece of shit...worse than what the union guys called Wolkoff. He lusts for power. Becoming mayor gives him an erection.
He will do anything to court campaign donations in the process.

He even refused to recuse himself from voting for Wolkoff's project in the city council, even though he got paid by Wolkoff.
Better watch out. If those rough contractor, iron workers, carpenters, etc. union members ever get your real number, Jimmy, they'll bugger you out of town with an I beam.

Now, let's see if councilman Jimmy will pursue taking away Wolkoff's zoning variance in the city council.
I doubt it if he wants to score more real estate developers' money to run for mayor.

Bend over Jimmy is just talking from two sides of his scurvy mouth.
Politics is his business. Climbing the ladder up is his desire. You cannot become mayor of NYC without dropping to your knees for REBNY! Every other mayoral candidate, except Bloomberg, has done so.

Anonymous said...

Van Bramer looked like a befuddled deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle.
Word is getting around that he is being backed by the NYC real estate industry.
To combat this, he has been making pit stop guest appearances at endangered historic sites such as the Elks Club, etc.
He has got to combat the whispering campaign , among voters, that this "earnest" looking lad is really a traitor to his constituency.
His pals are developers. He does not represent us voters. Vote the twerp out!
Make sure that his mayoral lust is nipped in the bud.

Anonymous said...

I saw union members who came as far as from Long Beach.
Will Van Bramer seek to cancel Wolkoff's variance...or was he just waving his Glenda wand around and will continue to be funded by developers? Otherwise all of this was just one big show for the councilman. Pass the popcorn, please!

Anonymous said...

Please!!!!
Councilman Jimmy was warned, well in advance, about Wolkoff's anti union stance.
His building project , at the former Pilgrim State mental facility on Long Island , was plagued with big Jerry Wolkoff using mostly non Union workers.
The unions were after his ass there.
So, what was Jimmy B's response here in LIC?
He voted for the Wolkoff variance anyway.

Your councilman is a crooked lying, two faced dog!
Dump him!

I hope you , or one of your staff, is enjoying reading this.

Anonymous said...

WE TOLD YOU SO....YEARS AGO!
Now enjoy the reaming!

Wolkoff has a well documented (in the news media) history of butt fucking the communities that he owns property in.
And Van Bramer was his butt boy in this treacherous turnabout.

Jimmy Van B screamed that his parents were avid union supporters.

It looks like their offspring fell far from their tree.

This political nerd is working both sides of the fence.
He has got to have real estate money to run for mayor. He has also got to have labor union support.
Two faced Jimmy is working both camps.

Anonymous said...

Jimmy made a quick exit to avoid all of the rough trade that surrounded him.

Anonymous said...

Jimmy's big squeak!
The mouse that roared....the rat that betrayed LIC!

an an anonymous union member said...

Wait a minute folks...Van Bramer DID NOT organize this rally.
He had to show up just to pretend that he supports labor unions.
If he did he would not have voted in favor of the notorious Wolkoff's variance.
Because of that vote, Wolkoff is allowed to build two 40+ stories instead of the usual 20 as of right.
It is a mild statement to make that the councilman was Wolkoff's enabler.
Jimmy is a REBNY mole. He is in politics for EVERYTHING that he can squeeze out of it!

Anonymous said...

What happens if the building falls on the #7 train while it's going up?
Using unskilled , perhaps, illegal immigrants as workers , does not speak well of safety.
Union workers are skilled. Wolkoff is cheap so he builds on the cheap not caring about any consequences.
The area has already been polluted with dust and irritants of unknown origin.
The former Neptune Water Meter site was full of PCBs and other chemicals.
DEP was just making a show at inspecting the site. No doubt, they were also well paid off.

Anonymous said...

Wolkoff got his real estate seed money..... to go from, as he stated in Brooklyn federal court.....as a "floor waxer", from his wife.
His wife was hooked up with Las Vegas mobster (???????) Jack Entretter.

Jerry Rotondi said...

Wolkoff earned about 8 air inflated rats and one pig.
I'd say that was the union's grand academy award to Wolkoff for being one of the sleaziest developers in the biz!
What a spectacle. Van Bramer must be planning a vacation.
Valium and Imodium will help in the meantime, Jimmy!
I wonder which shade of red that Jimmy is turning, as his COS tells him about these Queens Crap postings. I like his blazing purple magenta hue the best.

Anonymous said...

So, councilman......WILL YOU...be requesting that Wolkoff's variance gets revoked?
Or are you just blowing smoke up the voters' of your district's asses, as usual?
Actions matter, NOT your words about Wolkoff's broken promise.
We are ALL watching you, Jimmy boy! Do you want your political career to end here?

Anonymous said...

The real estate industry makes so much money they can afford to donate big bucks to every politician with even the slightest power over their projects- they know they'll get a good return on that money, even if only one or two of their "pay offs" pay off. In the meantime, every god damn one of the entities (and I'm including Federal, State, City, and Authority projects) operates with an arrogance that's mind-boggeling after they secure their go-ahead. In industry parlance: dirty cheating rat-bastids.

Anonymous said...

I don't quite understand this. Why should they use Unions?
Sometime non-Union is cheaper and can keep the costs down.

Anonymous said...

So where are all these people during elections? Turnout is so low that it's not a surprise nothing changes, or when it does, it's overdevelopment at the top (waterfront luxury high-rises) and bottom (new and conversion homeless shelters) They never show up for CB, council meetings, and so on, where the decisions are allegedly made. Not sure any of that would matter at this point - none of us are allowed to see the true inner workings of the new Tammany Hall, in fact I'd say Queens Crap is the best investigative reporting out there right now!

Anonymous said...

THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR SOME TIME. JUST A BUNCH OF DISGRUNTLED ARTISTS WHO ARE TRYING TO DEFAME THE OWNER OF 5 POINTZ AND HIS FAMILY. ADD TO THAT THE ALMIGHTY POWERFUL 'MOB' WHO DISGUISES THEMSELVES AS UNIONS.

Anonymous said...

"rough trade" ....lol lulz

Anonymous said...

Disgruntled artists?
Uh....Van Bramer's trolls must have lost their breakfast on their shoes and are busy counterposting. Either that or Wolkoff's trolls are behind this.
Uh....it's THE PUBLIC THAT IS IN CONSTANT DANGER OF WOLKOFF USING NON UNION WORKERS.

Two yearsi ago I, a #7 train passenger, had to visit Beth Israel's ER because of a rasping cough I had suddenly developed passing the demolition site of 5 Pointz.
Wolkoff's workers were not wetting down the soil properly. Who the fuck knows what crap (asbestos, etc.) was airborne.
And councilman Jimmy sat there with both thumbs up his ass when people were complaining.
Now Jimmy is suddenly up in arms?

That phony fag had better wise up if he intends to become mayor! Fat chance there, no matter who he sucks up to.

Anonymous said...

I'll bet that Stephanie Winston (of Harry Winston Jewelers fame) regrets marrying into the sleazy Wolkoff family.
That's right! David....son of Jerry...Wolkoff married a Winston. Poor wife of his must have her gentle nature sullied with this low brow family.
Stephanie Winston Wolkoff must be regretting her marital union.

Anonymous said...

The Democratic Queens machine is the most powerful MAFIA around.
Van Bramer does their bidding as they , in turn, do the bidding of REBNY!
If you want to get anywhere,politically speaking, then you got to suck the cocks of the great NYC real estate industry.
In this case it is the Real Estate Board of New York...aka REBNY!

As far as defaming the Wolkoff family...they have done a superb job of it themselves.
Google their Pilgrim State job for further proof.

Anonymous said...

I, for, one , am extremely glad that this has been going on for some time.
So has the Wolkoff's total disregard for public safety.
Good to know that these protesters are great Americans who are sticking to their guns!

Railroad REBNY stooges like Van Bramer out of town!

Queensites better start learning to make smarter choices of else get it from both ends....the developers and the council members who are supposed to be representing them.
In reality, most pols represent themselves and their desire to climb higher in position and money.

The northeast has its own major REBNY suck up.
His name is Paul Vallone! Dump this bastard or see your quality of life keep on diminishing as it has under his phony leadership!

Anonymous said...

Oops....somebody had to use all caps to express shouting anger.
Must have struck a nerve. The FBI needs to look into political corruption , the mob, and the building industry's ties.

Anonymous said...

Attending community board meetings mean squat.
If the CBs are not outright crooked , like CB7, their votes are PURELY ADVISORY AND COUNT FOR NOTHING!
It matters not about low voter turnout. It matters more to have savvy voters.
Most Queens voters bleat like a heard of sheep and have less brains than their wooly counterparts.
At least you can knit a good sweater from wool.
You cannot put together a collective IQ of 90 with ten Queens voters being summed up together.
You are getting fucked because you are dumb and are afraid of your politicians.
Speak up. Speak loudly! Speak often! Nothing will change unless YOU BECOME the element of change!
Sit on your ass and you will be royally screwed!

Anonymous said...

Agreed! More powerful than any "mob" are your mobster politicians!
You either pay to play of your nabe is ignored.
No thank you! I will not bend over for Van Bramer to get into "the game"!
My ass hurts already, having been repeatedly gang raped by my own politicians!
Ouch! Hand me the cocoa butter.

(sarc) said...

And as I understand it, the union leadership supports the democratic elected officials one hundred percent.

These leaders help especially with large contributions from the pockets of its membership.

These unions are looking forward to some good paying jobs upgrading conditions at all of the new homeless shelters...

Anonymous said...

STILL....AND UNDERSTAND THE REAL ISSUE HERE.
THE SITE IS CONTAMINATED AND DANGEROUS DUE TO WOLKOFF USING UNSKILLED LABOR.
NOW....DO YOU COPY? COMPREHEND? GET IT?
Yeah....the unions want jobs. Yes.....the job of building will cost more.
That is not our concern. Safety comes first.
Let Wolkoff stop being the greedy seedy SOB that he has been proven to be.
Make less of a profit.

Maybe "big" Jerry Wolkoff bought the property in the early 70s for about a million bucks. That area was prime shit then.
With the zoning variance , it's now worth about $200,000,000 with two 40 story buildings on it.

Wherever the Wolkoff's go, they crap on the nabes they build in.
Reminder.
Google his Pilgrim State Job and get a real education.

Anonymous said...

Thanks (sarc).
We already know that. Van Bramer needs Wolkoff's money to run for mayor but he also needs union support.
Quite a dilemma being stuck in the middle.Uh...unless Jimmy like being the meat in a sandwich.
So he took $10,500 in campaign contributions from Wolkoff and now he makes a quick appearance to support the labor unions.
I'd say that's par for the course of any shady ambitious pol.
Cover your ass from both ends.
The people who are really going to get stuck with a big bill of increased taxes , overcrowding, a collapsing transit system that cannot handle the mega building....in other words is YOU!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Union fat cats....yeah!
Remember Brian Mc Laughlin...former assemblyman, head of the all powerful NYC Central Labor Council?
He wound up in federal prison....recently released.

Yup....Union gangsters, politicians, real gangsters (mafia type) all cut from the same cloth!
But a gnawing fact remains....WOLKOFF CARES ZILCH FOR PUBLIC SAFETY!

How many undocumented third world workers are on his job....dangerously adjacent to the #7 line?
Hmmmmm....are you a rider?

At least Union workers are more accountable than some illegal Mexicans, Guatamalans, etc.

Anonymous said...

Stop,blaming the artists.
They are not behind Wolkoff's disregard for human life.
In fact, an artist resident in one of Wolkoff's illegal art studios (on the 5 Pointz site)
died as a result of her 40 plunge to the sidewalk below...when one of his poorly maintained exterior staircases suddenly collapsed as she stepped onto it!
Her name was Nicole. Rest in peace, dear Nicole!

Flushing Phantom said...

It appears that Jerry Wolkoff is the Tommy Huang of western Queens!

Anonymous said...

Are Wolkoff and Scotto friends?
Who am I talking about?
Do your own research. Calling Preet!

former law enforcement said...

C'mon you smart FBI guys and gals. A lot of good tips are dropped here on Queens Crap.
I believe one actually led to a conviction. Make your bones in the service of your country. Get a raise and promotion too.
Must be another ambitious agent out there reading this stuff.
Preet deserves a medal for ridding the public of such scum buns like Silver and and Skelos.

Anonymous said...

C'mon you smart FBI guys and gals. A lot of good tips are dropped here on Queens Crap.
I believe one actually led to a conviction. Make your bones in the service of your country. Get a raise and promotion too.
Must be another ambitious agent out there reading this stuff.
Preet deserves a medal for ridding the public of such scum buns like Silver and and Skelos.

Anonymous said...

Take a look at the landscape of Van Bramer's district.
HE IS responsible for it.
YOU ARE responsible for electing this big eared turd!
Funny, even with his big ears he listens to nobody but his REBNY handlers.

Anonymous said...

Between Van Bramer and Dromm, you've got the lavender hill mob running this section of Queens.
Oh, well....the queens of Queens..... with a single agenda in mind.

Anonymous said...

Every building that remains unrented will become shelters.
The landlords need the cash. If they cannot gouge a renter they gouge NYC. We taxpayers get the bill.
Even in posh Douglaston there is one apartment building where the landlord owner has section 8 tenants filling vacant apartments.
Van Bramer can go through all his liberal motions, then he retreats to his Sunnyside Gardens historic district safe haven.
Not so safe. His apartment was burglarized . Wasn't it? No doubt by some third worlders.

Anonymous said...

LOL!
Did the burglars enter through the back door?

Anonymous said...

LOL! Luvit!
Jimmy Van Backdoor.
Is he a "top" or a "bottom"?

Anonymous said...

So...Mr. Councilman...
ARE YOU GOING TO PUSH FOR REVOKING WOLKOFF'S ZONING VARIANCE....
OR ARE YOU JUST BULL SHITTING ABOUT CARING?

Talk is cheap. Action is scarce.
How does Jimmy choose between the unions and his real estate pals?
Look up his campaign donations.


ON RECORD.....$10,500 FROM THE WOLKOFF FAMILY! Then he votes "yes" to approve Wolkoff's building plans in the city council.
Now he screams for Union labor. Uh....somebody is a lying, two faced, piece of crap....along with Wolkoff!

Actually Councilman Jimmy is worse. He got PAID OFF to vote for the Wolkoff variance.
I was trying to be polite and not call it a bribe.

Anonymous said...

Mealy mouthed Jimmy whined away and claimed to be supporting the labor unions. Just a photo op for Jimmy.
So, AFTER BEING WARNED, about Wolkoff's chickanery 3 years ago,
he went ahead and plugged for Wolkoff and his mega project.
JVB was in FULL knowledge of how Wolkoff screwed the unions with his Pilgrim State job.
JVB is a self serving, mendicant train wreck who must have his political climb curtailed!
Make sure that this lowly slob NEVER becomes mayor!
I's rather be fucked by a Porcupine!

Anonymous said...

IS VAN BRAMER GOING TO GO BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL AND ASK THAT THE VARIANCE BE REVOKED BECAUSE WOLKOFF LIED ABOUT USING UNION LABOR?
Don't hold your breath! Prove us wrong, Jimmy! The real proof of your "integrity" is to act on this. Anything else is waffling!

Anonymous said...

Jimmy is going to do what he wants. He needs developer money to run for mayor.
Look at how his district has already been raped by developers.
Jimmy just counts his money and tucks it into his mayoral campaign war chest.
Whatever he says he lies and will act for his own needs. You will continue to be betrayed by this dismal, crooked jerk wad!

Anonymous said...

Van Bramer is going to run for mayor? Seriously?

I think I've finally found a candidate that would get me to vote for DeBlasio instead.

Anonymous said...

Of course JVB intends to run for mayor. Why else is he kissing REBNY's ass?
He wants to be the first openly gay mayor of NYC.
The thought of him being called "hizzoner" gives the geek an erection bigger than his flapping Dumbo ears!
Hey Jimmy, how many blow jobs are you gonna give to developer donors to write checks for thousands for your campaign?
What a hustling slut he is! No morals. No scruples! Just an angry old Queen of Queens.