Monday, September 17, 2018

City using strongarm tactics at Willets Point


From the Queens Chronicle:

Wais Mohibi doesn’t like to go down without a fight.

With his partner Jamie Sabeti, he owns A&B Repair Shop & Discount Muffler at 38th Avenue and 126th Street, the lone holdout in an otherwise barren section of Willets Point.

The Bloomberg administration made deals with other businesses in the area, so the properties could be cleared to make way for a since-killed plan to build a 1.4 million-square-foot mega-mall. Many of the businesses were given money and moved to the Bronx but ended up evicted from their new home.

Mohibi and his partner didn’t end up taking an offer.

“I fought with the city,” he told the Chronicle. “They wanted me out.”

Because the business stayed, its lease with the previous owner of their lot was still in effect and they had to start paying their rent to the city.

Mohibi said he doesn’t regret the decision to stay, and not take a relocation deal, but noted that it hasn’t been painless.

“We had a loss of business,” he said.

Not helping his company is its lack of accessible water — which is often a necessary part of auto work.

“[The city] cut off the water,” Mohibi explained. The issue is compounded by the fact that there is no meter the business can use to gauge its electricity usage, a problem he said was also created after the city took over the lease.

Because of the lack of services, Mohibi and Sabeti stopped paying rent to the city about a year ago, according to Ira Cooper, their attorney.

The de Blasio administration is suing them.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

WHY DONT THEY JUST BUILD SOMETHING ALREADY. I JOG OVER THE FLUSHING BRIDGE AND WHEN I LOOK OVER THAT AREA AND SEE A PILE OF TRASH IT MAKES ME CRINGE.THIS AREA IS BECOMING LIKE THE NEW WORLD TRADE CENTER SITE WHICH TOOK MORE THAN A DECADE TO REDEVELOP. HURRY IT UP !!

Anonymous said...

Why is the City so desperate to get rid of Willets Point? Is this yet another aspect of DeBlasio's war against drivers, making sure they have no where convenient to get their car repaired?

Jokes on him, now these car repair guys have moved to every streetcorner instead. Horrible for residents, but much more convenient for repair.

kapimap said...

The junkyard employees so many men with families. Many of these folks are illegal,ex convicts, etc working 60 hrs a week.

Ducking wasteland looks like the south Bronx in the 70s. The city should make this area a homeless and jobless mecca. Train the I'm employees to make a life for themselves.

Anonymous said...

In this part of Queens there are street mechanics everywhere. Over by the gas station at the corner of 113th & Roosevelt there are like 5 shops.

Anonymous said...

First off - This was not all "junk yards" and there were very legitimate business that hired legally, not criminals, and the work week was not more than 4o hrs without overtime pay.

That said - the city thought that the land in this area was some kind of "Pot O' Gold" which was why they fraudulently and relentlessly (to this day) smeared the reputations and validity of the businesses located at Willets Point as well as led a campaign to get rid of the businesses and their owners.

The land is SWAMP, they cannot build much there because the land is not feasible for more that 3 stories of concrete/brick and mortar, needless to say the land at Willets Point has not bees able to sustain a sewer system for decades without it collapsing. Its the same reason why the streets are pot holed/poorly paved ( which is the responsibilty of the "city").

If the property owner in this case were a private citizen the city would have his/her face all over the news relating the criminal actions of not supplying running water and metered electric to its tenant. But since this is the "city" and the "city" wants the property the "city" sees no fault in what they have been doing to this tenant.

Thomas Jefferson is noted for stating "No One Is Above The Law" - its time the "city" was taken to task on their own breach of the law regarding tenants rights...

TommyR said...

The Iron Triangle served a quiet purpose, provided employment, and was convenient and affordable. Only those insane potholes needed fixing. Of course it always seems as if the City can never leave well enough alone...

Anonymous said...

keep up the fight...Willet's pointers. Don't let the bullies win.

M. How said...

Anonymous said... "
The land is SWAMP, they cannot build much there because the land is not feasible for more than 3 stories of concrete/brick and mortar, needless to say, the land at Willets Point has not been able to sustain a sewer system for decades without it collapsing. It is the same reason why the streets are potholed/poorly paved ( which is the responsibility of the "city")."

So the City's proposal to build affordable apartments/highrise on this property was a complete sham since it would not accommodate the weight of a 20 story building or even sustain a sewer system.

Now I fully understand why they want to put in a parking lot. Not only will the City capture a tremendous amount of rent from Delta Airlines but that is really all the property can safely be used for.

Too bad the City is not a private landlord. These evicted businesses could sue the City and never have to work another day. It would be better than winning the lottery.

Thank you Mayor Deblazio and all your henchmen for your unmitigated gall, total theft of hardworking people's livelihoods, unmatched dishonesty, and loss of considerable tax revenue.

We award you and your crooked cronies with 5 Pinnochios each -- all well-deserved.