A subdivision that should be a crime

"This is the property that is adjacent to the 4 properties developed by Tommy Huang’s son in Weeks Woodland. They’re selling it as two subdivided plots of land - one will have to destroy the house and the other will have to dig up the swimming pool? Anyway it’s such a shame it’s being sold like this!

ML# 2914967 and ML# 2914969" - anonymous

Happy Valentine's Day from Tommy Huang

From today's BSA calendar:

252-12-BZ
Akerman Senterfitt, LLP
39-39 223rd Street & 223-01/15/19 Mia Drive, Queens
Variance (§72-21) to legalize four single family homes which do not comply with the rear yard requirements, ZR §23-47. R1-2 zoning district. Community Board #11Q

You can read the entire backstory on these houses here.

What Tommy Huang did in Bayside

"Hi, My name is Wray Gillette. I thought I would share with you some more "Queens Crap"... It appears there was absolutely no enforcement of the CODES that are/were in place. If they are not going to be enforced, why have them?

This disaster was caused by one man... Tommy Huang. Have you heard of him. If not Google him. I hope he rots in jail. It is not just the fact that he tore ddown the house that my parents designed and built., but the crap he put back up, with SO MANY CODE VIOLATIONS. The aerial shot show it pretty well. They need to be town down and a single family home placed back on the property once again.

I have retired after a 30 year career with the US Coast Guard. I now live in Florida, but as they say.. my ROOTS are/were in Bayside. I hope you can prevent this for happening to other people. CODE ENFORCEMENT IS ESSENTIAL."

Former mayoral hack's project has safety issues

As previously reported, a new hotel is being constructed in Fresh Meadows on 186th Street, much to the chagrin of the neighborhood. It seems they had a little accident at the site recently:

(Here are the rest of the complaints.)

Quite a few violations at this construction site. Not surprising considering that former Mayoral Community Affairs Unit representative George Frangoulis, pictured above, chatting with cops, is managing the project. He also represented Tommy Huang at one point.

Klein Farm finally sold

From the Times Ledger:

Fresh Meadows’ Klein Farm has been sold to tenants who recently accepted responsibility for illegally cutting down trees on the historic property.

Ziming Shen’s Fresh Meadows Children’s Farm LLC bought the farm, at 194-15 73rd Ave., last week for $5.6 million from Audrey Realty Corp., a firm headed by Henry Huang, son of notorious developer Thomas Huang.

Shen was hit with $1,600 in fines by the city after his daycare center, Preschool for America, which leased the farm, altered the driveway and cut down trees without the necessary permits.

The farm sits in the Fresh Meadows Special Planned Community Preservation District, meaning any significant changes to the property have to be approved by the City Planning Commission.

Outraged neighbors and community leaders first noticed the trees being cut down last fall and reported the arborcide to the city Department of Buildings.

The property was the borough’s last family-owned, working farm before the Huangs bought it in 2003 for $4.3 million. They then unsuccessfully tried to develop the farm into 22 two-family homes.

Neither Huang nor Shen returned requests for comment.

Squatters invade unfinished Huang houses

From the Queens Chronicle:

Pat Martin’s troubles began 12 years ago and they’ve only gotten worse.

The Bayside homeowner has the bad luck of living next door to a Tommy Huang building project gone wrong, and despite pleas to the city for help, there’s little she can do about it.

Huang is a Flushing developer who with his wife and son was banned last year by the state from real estate construction or sales for five years over various offenses in Queens. They pleaded guilty to felony securities fraud.

In 2012, Huang purchased a single-family ranch house at 39-39 223 St., next door to Martin. He tore it down and replaced it with one house on 223rd Street and three on the side of the property, along with a new access road that was given the name Mia Drive.

According to several neighbors in the pricey neighborhood and area elected officials, they have never seen a building project done in such a shoddy manner. The street overlooks Little Neck Bay.

Workmen excavated too close to Martin’s property, causing a retaining wall to collapse. Her property lost 3 feet of land, fencing, lighting and the irrigation system. A court case was recently settled, which Martin could not discuss, but it was drawn out for years and legal fees mounted.

There has been a stop-work order on the property since 2007 and Huang cannot get certificates of occupancy for the houses.

The first-floor windows are boarded up but that hasn’t stopped vandals from ransacking one of the houses and holding parties in others, Martin said. She believes people are living in the houses from time to time and there is power because she sees lights on at night.

Last Friday, however, was the last straw for the beleaguered Baysider. Police were called to the site by a neighbor who saw activity on the property. Martin said several partygoers ran onto her property to escape. She screamed and they took off.

A look at the RKO Keith's of Flushing over time

Klein Farm tenant takes responsibility for arboricide

From the Times Ledger:

Tenants of the historic Klein farm in Fresh Meadows accepted responsibility for cutting down trees and altering the driveway of the property without permits at a hearing Tuesday.

A stop-work order and a violation had been issued to the property’s owner, Audrey Realty, by the city Department of Buildings in December for “illegal tree removal, work without a permit” and “substantial modification of existing landscaping in a special district,” according to the DOB.

Ziming Shen, who owns the Preschool of America that occupies the farm, at 194-15 73rd Ave., attended the Environmental Control Board hearing instead of the property’s owner, Henry Huang, son of notorious Queens developer Thomas Huang.

Shen acknowledged that at least two trees had been cut down and the driveway had been altered, but insisted it was to ensure the safety of the children who attended the facility.

“We tried to do our best. We don’t know exactly what kind of special zoning it is,” he said. “We want to provide a safe environment for our children and parents.”

It was not known how many trees were removed.

The Klein farm, Queens’ last family-owned working farm, sits in the Fresh Meadows Special Planned Community Preservation District, meaning no substantial changes can be made to the property without the consent of the City Planning Commission.

Shen contended the trees were cut down because of damage Superstorm Sandy had caused and because one tree was hollow inside and infested with raccoons.

One of Shen’s employees, Stephanie Zhu, gave testimony at the hearing and said she tried to get in touch with city agencies to get permission to cut down the trees at the direction of Shen’s wife, Joanne Fan.

She claimed she spoke to someone at DOB on the phone as well as the city Parks Department, who told her she did not need their permission. She said she also sent letters to the two agencies requesting permission to cut down the trees. She said she did not follow up in person, but received an e-mail response from a Parks official.

But she did not attempt to contact the City Planning Commission, which would be the proper authority to contact, said Vivian Currie, the attorney representing DOB.

Huang fined for Klein Farm tree massacre

From the Queens Chronicle:

Summonses have been issued to Audrey Realty Corp., owners of Klein farm at 194-15 73 Ave., for two separate violations following the illegal removal of trees.

According to the Department of Buildings, the first hearing, which will be held at the Queens Business Center at 144-06 94 Ave. in Jamaica, is set for Jan. 28 and addresses a violation for working without a permit, citing the illegal tree removal and extension of a driveway. The standard fine is for $800 with a default of $4,000.

The second hearing, which is for a zoning violation for modification of the landscape, is scheduled for Feb. 4. An $800 fine is also set with a default of $4,000. Both hearings can be avoided if the owners admit to the violations and pay the fines by Jan. 21 and Jan. 27, respectively.

Huang on the hook for replacing mature trees?

From the Queens Chronicle:

The Department of Buildings and the city Planning Commission decided this week that removal of trees in a Fresh Meadows Special Planned Community Preservation District constitutes substantial modification.

The word “substantial” had been debated for a week before the DOB took action against the owner of the former Klein farm for cutting down several large shade trees on the 2.5-acre property at 194-15 73 Ave.

An Environmental Control Board violation was issued Wednesday for the significant modification of an existing landscape at the site in violation of zoning, according to DOB spokeswoman Kelly Magee. The ticket cites illegal removal of trees.

No date has been set for the ECB hearing and possible fines were expected to be determined later this week.

The site is owned by Audrey Realty, a firm of convicted developer Thomas Huang. Henry Huang, his son, denied knowledge of the tree removal last week.

Marie Adam Ovide, Community Board 8 district manager, said Huang may be forced to plant large trees to replace those felled.

Huang will get away with it because DOB and CPC are fighting

From the Queens Chronicle:

Aside from strong community resistance, the projects could not be implemented because the property is in the Fresh Meadows Special Planned Community Preservation District.

No changes can be made in the district without approval from the city Planning Commission. Then, the developer must also go through a lengthy and expensive Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.

A spokesman for the CPC deferred to the Department of Buildings, which enforces illegal changes made in a special district.

According to the DOB website there are three complaints that have not yet been resolved. They deal with illegal removal of the trees and expansion of the driveway with permits. A DOB spokesman was unable to answer why a fine has not been issued to Audrey Realty, an arm of Huang’s operation.

But Florence Fisher, president of the Mid Queens Community Council and a member of Community Board 8, said she was informed that no action has been taken because the DOB and CPC are arguing over the meaning of “substantial changes” to the property. “Trees give off oxygen and we need them,” Fisher said, adding that it’s time for the city to make an amendment to the law and include trees.

Klein Farm stripped of trees

Here is what the Klein Farm property in Fresh Meadows looked like last summer. Notice the trees next to both driveways:




The DOB listing for the Klein Farm clearly states that it is in a special planned community preservation district.

In such a district, the following applies:


Here's what the farm looks like now:


DOB was notified when the tree-cutting was happening, but they didn't see a problem.

I guess this falling-down gate is also acceptable.

What a joke. The Huangs strike again!

The history of Tommy Huang

From the Queens Chronicle:

Tommy Huang, the controversial developer from Flushing, has been in the news for more than three decades — known for building and damaging properties throughout Queens and probably more than anything, destroying the RKO Keith’s Theatre.

Although Huang made several attempts to ruin the Keith’s, it was a longstanding oil leak for which he was criminally charged in 1997.

Huang emigrated from Taiwan in 1969 with his wife, Alice Liu, a daughter of the wealthy owner of Taiwan’s Haw di-I Foods and Bull Head Barbecue Sauce. He broke ground in Flushing in 1979 on a five-family house.

The developer went on to construct high-rises around Queens Boulevard and five others in Flushing. He was first applauded for helping to rebuild Flushing, but controversy soon erupted.

In 1982, Huang wanted to buy a site off Main Street to build a 16-story condominium. After a bank refused to sell it to him, a Molotov cocktail was thrown into a restaurant there, destroying several properties. Soon after, Huang increased his bid on the location and the property was sold. He said he did not know anything about the bomb.

Who's protecting Tommy Huang?

From the Epoch Times:

Epoch Times spoke with two real estate owners whose properties were allegedly damaged by Huang’s practices.

Neither would speak on record, yet both were concerned about what will happen to the Huang buildings still standing. What will happen, they each asked, when families move into homes built with potentially dangerous foundations?

Considering the hundreds of developments Huang has done in Queens since 1979, it’s a frightening prospect.

Tony Sclafani, spokesman for the DOB, said the department issued more than two dozen violations at the Queens Boulevard site, and issued several thousand dollars in fines. They have also had inspectors at the site and others owned by Huang.

Yet, the fundamental problem, according to Sclafani, is “the department does not have the authority to refuse the issuance of a permit based solely on past work history.”

Sen. Avella pointed out that Huang must be getting protection somehow. “Obviously, somebody has been protecting him. I don’t know who. Because I have been after the Department of Buildings for a decade to shut him down,” Avella said.

The history of Tommy Huang

From The Real Deal:

Huang left his native Taiwan in 1974 at age 20 and settled in Flushing, Queens. A few years later, he married Alice Liu, heiress to Taiwan’s Haw Di-I Foods and Bull Head Barbecue Sauce fortunes and cousin to City Comptroller John Liu, a Democrat who is running for mayor.

While studying business at Queens College, Huang saw opportunity in Flushing’s many vacant properties and decided to go into the real estate business.

“I could not believe it,’’ Huang told the New York Times in 1997 of the empty land he saw around him. “How come nobody wants to buy it?’’

With the help of his wealthy father-in-law, Huang built seven high-rises and hundreds of houses. By the late 1980s, he had been credited with helping to revive downtown Flushing with projects such as the Golden Shopping Mall and Main Street Tower, a nine-story office building. In 1986, Huang paid $3.4 million for the dilapidated RKO Keith’s movie theater on Northern Boulevard in Flushing. Huang closed the landmark and began work on the site, with plans to develop it into a major shopping center.

Soon, Huang caught the eye of the Democratic political machine, which at the time was led by then-Queens Borough President Donald Manes. Working with Manes to encourage business development, Huang solidified his ties with the Queens political establishment, which helped him evolve into one of the most powerful real estate developers in the borough.

“They were grooming Tommy to be the fair-haired boy,” said Jerry Rotondi, a member of the Committee to Save the RKO Keith’s and a long-time critic of Huang.

“He was the symbol of the revitalization,” State Senator Leonard Stavisky told the New York Times in 1997. “But it was wrong to entrust so much of it to Tommy Huang.’’

It’s been suggested that Huang’s political ties with the city comptroller and others could partially explain the city’s inaction.

When a lifetime ban isn't for a lifetime

From the NY Post:

A Queens couple pleaded guilty today for building and selling residential property, in violation of a lifetime ban they agreed to 14 years ago.

Thomas Huang, 59 and his wife Alice, 60, will pay $4.8 million to the state Attorney General's Office by Sept. 18 in exchange for avoiding up to four years in prison for their involvement in building the Broadway Towers in Elmhurst.

Despite the 1999 agreement to a lifetime condo and co-op ban, prosecutors today said the couple would have been OK to develop and sell condos and co-ops units, if they had reapplied for that right to the state AG’s office. ??????

The lifetime ban was the settlement of a state AG’s lawsuit, which had accused the couple of failing to use rental money they collected on important maintenance in buildings they owned.

Huang sued for fatal wall collapse

Crappy:

I just got the following information today that I would like to share with you. I had been waiting to see, if, and when, a lawsuit was going to be filed by the common law wife and family of the deceased and injured at Huang's Queens Blvd. site.

This is from the NYS Supreme Court:


No lawsuit was filed against the DOB or the City.

And, we know that the Queens DA did not indict anyone.

Happy Holidays

Anonymous

CB11 says no to Huang variance

From Bayside Patch:

Community Board 11 unanimously voted down a variance Monday night for a controversial development in Bayside.

Controversial developer Tommy Huang had asked the board to grant a variance that would allow him to complete four homes being built in Bayside.

One of the homes is located at 39-39 223rd St., while the other three are at 39-01, 39-15 and 39-19 Mia Drive. Huang, who was convicted in 1999 of creating an oil spill in the basement of the historical RKO Keith’s Theatre in Flushing, did not attend the hearing.

The board unanimously voted to not grant the variance.

CB11 to vote on Huang project

From the Times Ledger:

Community Board 11 will vote during its November meeting on whether or not a controversial developer can finish four homes currently being constructed in Bayside, the board said.

According to CB 11 officials, the board will vote Nov. 5 following a public on whether or not to grant a variance to Tommy Huang, ultimately allowing him to complete properties being built at 39-39 223rd St. and 39-01, 39-15 and 39-19 Mia Drive near the Cross Island Parkway in Bayside.

The properties have been mostly finished and the developer has asked for a variance to complete the work.

The community board’s East Flushing/North Bayside Committee, chaired by Christine Haider, has advised against the variance’s approval, citing violations at the property, according to District Manager Susan Seinfeld.

In past discussions with the developer concerning the Bayside properties, CB 11 officials have spoken out against Huang, citing his history as reasons why he should not be building in the community.

The violations date as far back as 2004 and stem from accusations of unsafe working conditions, according to the DOB.

Tommy Huang appeals Mia Drive BSA decision

Well folks, here we go.

It's not Tommy's fault that someone at the Queens Topographic Bureau "mistakenly" stated that his Mia Drive property was a through lot when it really wasn't. Therefore, BSA should allow him to build.

Rumor has it that Queens Borough President Helen Marshall will support his appeal, although CB11 is not expected to when it votes later this month.

Mia Drive Variance Application
Mia Drive site plan

Here are previous stories about the property:

BSA helps Huang

Board decides Huang created his own hardship

Huang stalls out in Bayside

Bayside's had enough of Huang