Be afraid. Be VERY afraid!

From the NY Post:

Monday’s poolside fundraiser took place at the home of developer Carl Mattone and was co-hosted by Councilman Eric Ulrich (R-Queens), lobbyist William Driscoll and architect Gerry Caliendo.

This is bad. Queens is gonna get f*cked royally.

 JQ LLC here; the DSA is not running a candidate for mayor, but Adams did clarify and also revealed what votes and donor lucre he is pandering for to beat "Eric Sliwa" and it's the same real estate and corporate oligarchs who mobilized super pacs to counter and cripple DSA candidates that were running for council seats. 

 Adams is such a narcissist, I bet he mistakes everyone's names for "Eric"

Bad Architect

 

 

According to a Crap reader who sent this incredible PDF

This crook is still on the community board. You got to be kidding me. 

 

 

 

District Attorney candidate Melinda Katz appointed current Caliendo architect for City Planning Commissioner

nyc.gov

Oudeshram Raj Rampershad, is a lifelong resident of Richmond Hill, Queens. He was appointed to the New York City Planning Commission in 2018 by Queens Borough President Melinda Katz.
Prior to his appointment, Raj was the chairperson of the Queens Community Board 9 for three years, from March 2015 to March 2018 and had served on the board since 2005. Throughout his time on the board he served on the Land Use Committee and as chair he oversaw the day to day operations of the board which involved working with multiple city agencies, local Civic groups, and residents. It was through that experience that he developed a deep appreciation for the importance of conducting city business in a transparent, respectful, consistent, and open-minded manner, both with fellow board members and the public.
Mr. Rampershad is currently a Senior Project Manager at the Gerald J. Caliendo architectural firm, based in Briarwood, Queens. Since 2001, his duties there have included managing multiple projects throughout New York City, as well as analyzing and applying building and zoning regulations to those projects. Prior to that he worked at a family owned business located in Ozone Park, Queens for over two decades. Raj is a graduate of Richmond Hill High School and has an Associates degrees in architectural Technology from New York City Technical College and received his bachelor's degree in Architecture from Pratt Institute.

 Not much of a conflict of interest there.
 

Seven story aparment building development will squeeze onto Astoria block.

YIMBY

Permits have been filed for a 70-foot tall residential building at 25-22 30th Drive in Astoria, Queens. Located between Crescent Street and 29th Street, the interior lot is two city blocks west of the 30 Avenue subway station, serviced by the N and W trains. Salvatore Lucchese is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed seven-story project will yield 27,452 square feet, with 21,927 square feet designated for residential space. It will have 31 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 707 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar, 10 on-site parking spaces, and six off-site parking spaces.

Gerald Caliendo of Caliendo Architects is responsible for the design.

Yeah you know those guys, QC readers. And it's the little house on the right.

 I have an analogy for this: One of my favorite scenes from the Simpsons is where Stan Lee shows up to Comic Book Guy's shop and bothers a kid who was about to purchase a batmobile for his batman doll. Stan yanks the car away and takes a doll of The Thing and forces it into the car, telling the kid it will fit perfectly. Stan did manage to squeeze it in but the toy car is ruined.

When the kid whined that he broke it, Stan replies "broke, or made it better"

That is the mindset of these developers and the city departments responsible for approving these parasitic buildings.

Locust Manor getting a Caliendo special

From QNS:

A south Queens neighborhood will soon see a building with more 80 new units of affordable housing rise in the area.

The Meridian housing development will bring 82 mixed-income units to Locust Manor, a small neighborhood situated between Rochdale Village and Laurelton.

The governor’s office announced the $9.7 million project as part of a $200 million long-term plan to build or preserve more than 2,800 affordable apartments across New York state.

Located at 127-10 Locust Manor Lane, The Meridian will be constructed on formerly vacant land in a largely residential neighborhood by D & F Development Group LLC. The site is located near the Locust Manor station on the Long Island Rail Road, located at Farmers Boulevard and Bedell Street, and commercial and retail establishments.

The gross rents (rent plus utilities) for each unit will range from $835 a month and higher based on income eligibility and household size, according to a NYS Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) agency spokesperson. The building will stand 14 stories tall and is designed by Briarwood-based Gerald J. Caliendo Architect, P.C.

Ridgewood rising

From the Queens Tribune:

Eastone Capital has recently made strides towards the development of a five-story, mixed-use building on Forest Avenue in Ridgewood that will include residential units and a gym.

The property—located at 62-41 Forest Ave., near Metropolitan Avenue and between Harman Street and Greene Avenue in Ridgewood—will have more than 30 residential units, according to the city Department of Buildings (DOB).

According to the city Department of Planning, the community facility could be anything that provides educational, health, recreational, religious or other essential services. The developer has announced that the community facility portion would house an ambulatory diagnostic center.

The first floor of the building will also feature a gym and 901-square-foot outdoor recreational area. Above that, the residential square footage will be divided among 30 units, for an average size of approximately 1,060 square feet per unit.

According to the DOB, the site will have 15 parking spaces, a mechanical area and eight off-street parking spots. There will also be 23 bicycle parking spaces in a 270-square-foot area.

Briarwood’s Gerald Caliendo Architects is designing the project, which is located in one of the quieter neighborhoods of western Queens. The site is two blocks from Grover Cleveland High School and Christ the King High School, one block from PS 71 elementary school and a 10-minute walk to the M train stop on Forest Avenue. It is close to the Metropolitan Avenue shopping strip and is approximately one mile from Wycoff [sic] Heights Medical Center.

The site most definitely is not 2 blocks from Christ the King High School. Since this strange story featured photos from March, we decided to include some taken this past week for your enjoyment. Not out of context at all!

Another Caliendo special is underway

From QNS.com:

Plans for an oddly shaped five-story, mixed-use building on the edge of Ridgewood were approved last month by the Department of Buildings (DOB).

Diagrams show that half of the proposed U-shaped building — located at 62-41 Forest Ave., formerly part of the long-defunct Boss Motors car dealership — will be five stories, while the other half only rises four stories; and the dividing line cuts through the lot diagonally.

his division of stories is necessary because the plot of land sits in two distinct zones that, in examining the building plans, seem to be the result of a mapped, yet unbuilt portion of Greene Avenue. This swath cuts through the property on a bias.

As a result, the portion of the building closest to the neighboring Walgreens pharmacy is in an R6B zone with a C2-4 overlay, which allows for the five stories. The other portion of the building further away from the pharmacy is in an R5B zone, only allowing for four stories.

According to the plans, the proposed building will come with a cellar, 44 dwelling units, and 23 parking spaces — 15 parking spaces and eight accessory off street parking spots — along with 23 bicycle parking spots.

You may remember this property from a 2014 post and a 2013 post right here on QC.

Constantinides complicit in destruction of Dulcken House

From Greater Astoria Historical Society on Facebook:

Costa Constantinides declined comment on the Dulcken House in a NY1 piece: "his spokesperson said the decision is out of his jurisdiction."

But...IN THE MINUTES OF the Community Board 1, Queens meeting dated Feb 21, 2017, page 2, "A constituent stated the some of the buildings in the district should be Landmarked.... The Councilman recommended the constituent ... contact his office."

Caliendo Gerald J AIA, who is trying to destroy the Dulcken House by another development project is the Land Use and Zoning Co-Chair of Community Board 1, Queens whose members are appointed by - Costa Constantinides. Gerry was appointed to Queens Community Board #1 in Astoria in 1977. He chaired the Land Use Committee for over 10 years and remains an active member of the Community Board to the present day, a period of over 35 years.

Mr. Caliendo is President of King Manor Museum whose mission statement reads "Our goal is to make history relevant and immediate, and to foster an awareness of the roots of the present and a deeper appreciation of history as an on-going process."

Hydrant slides to the left

The hydrant in front of the Gerry Caliendo warehouse that replaced the St. Saviour's site has been moved to accommodate a driveway/loading dock. Who paid to move it is anyone's guess. It's going to be fun watching the tractor trailers pull out into two-way oncoming traffic in the middle of Rust Street.

Queens Chamber of Commerce awards Steinway Mansion crappification

From George the Atheist:

The Queens Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Building Awards dinner and networking event on Dec. 7 at Terrace on the Park in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. Michael Stoler, president of New York Real Estate TV and managing director of Madison Realty Capital, delivered the keynote address. Chamber President Mayra DiRico and Executive Director Tom Grech PRESENTED AWARDS TO INDIVIDUALS AND FIRMS WHOSE DEVELOPMENTS ACROSS QUEENS HAD A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THE BOROUGH. - Queens Courier, December 15 edition

Proudly beaming with ear-to-ear shit-eating photo grins: (left to right) Steinway Mansion "Park" architect Gerald Caliendo with Steinway Mansion "Park" owners Salvatore Lucchese and Philip Loria.

Queens Crap contest: What's wrong here?

Take a hard look at the top and bottom photos here.

This is a Gerry Caliendo warehouse at the former site of St. Saviour's Church in Maspeth.

The winner receives 2 additional years of whatever Queens Machine party hack already represents you in Albany (exception made for residents in AD30).

Steinway Mansion getting hemmed in

From the Queens Chronicle:

Paperwork dated March 28, 2014 says another proposed detail is a perimeter wall of 34 feet in height.

There are also DOB applications, most filed on July 30 of last year, to demolish existing structures on 11 sites in the mansion’s vicinity and construct two-story buildings; most have a representative from Caliendo Architects and either Loria or Lucchese listed. In some cases, such as at 18-30 42 St., 18-36 42 St. and 18-27 41 St., the same Steinway Mansion owners are not listed, but someone appearing to be of the Loria or Lucchese family is.

The owners listed for the proposed new buildings record the same address as that listed on the paperwork for the Steinway Mansion, while the business names are not identical.

The Friends of Steinway Mansion, which advocates for placing the building at the heart of a potential cultural district, speculated on its Facebook page that the warehouses could be rented.

Lucille Hartmann, district manager of Community Board 1, said that they have been receiving calls from residents asking, “What’s going on?” but stressed that the board knows nothing. She noted that as the mansion, while beloved, is a private property, owners are under no obligation to share with the public.

Trib honors Caliendo

From the Queens Tribune:

Gerald Caliendo’s architecture business started with four employees, but has since grown into one of the premier establishments in the industry.

Caliendo was one of the honorees of the Queens Tribune’s third annual Business Achievement awards, held on Monday at Queens College.

The company, Gerald Caliendo Architects, started in 1994 in Briarwood, looking to get established in the architect business.

Since then, it has grown to about 45 employees and work on projects citywide.

In an interview with the Queens Tribune, Caliendo partially credits that growth to working with Phil Agusta, former commissioner of the Boards of Standards and Appeals.

He said that working alongside Agusta enabled him to learn the ins and outs of zoning and variance laws, something other businesses know little to nothing about.

You can click the tag below containing his name to see his proud Queens Crap history.

This is my favorite Gerry story of all time.

Steinway Mansion owner won't comment on plans

From the Queens Chronicle:

Bob Singleton, of the Greater Astoria Historical Society and the friends group, said he wouldn’t comment before hearing from the owners, one of whom is Philip Loria of an Astoria-based law firm, but noted there is a great love for the structure.

Last May, when they bought the mansion, he said they don’t plan to tear it down.

“We want to create a win-win for everyone,” Loria said.

After multiple attempts to contact Loria, an employee at Loria & Associates said Wednesday that he does not plan to comment on the matter for a while.

Oh you want plans? Well, take a look. It ain't pretty.

Build first, get permission later

From the Queens Chronicle:

Architect Gerald Caliendo on Thursday told Queens Borough President Melinda Katz that the owner of a South Ozone Park home needed a variance on the property so that he could receive a certificate of occupancy from the city.

“There is a two-story building directly behind it,” Caliendo said during a land use public hearing. “So it is still in context with the neighborhood.”

He said the second floor of the house at 106-02 Sutter Ave. was constructed by a previous owner and is against the current zoning laws for the area.

The owner of the house never received a variance for the addition, Caliendo said.

Community Board 10 unanimously voted in favor of allowing the variance back in April.

Rego Park getting a Caliendo special

From Brownstoner Queens:

Blvd Construction Management recently filed applications and excavation permits with the Department of Buildings at 98-28 – 98-32 Queens Boulevard, between 65th Road and 66th Avenue in Rego Park. The application is for an eight-story, 68-unit residential building. There’s a proposed 46,769 square feet of residential space, 10,805 square feet of retail space, and 9,108 square feet for a community facility: a grand total of 66,683 square feet. The design is by the architect Gerald J Caliendo.

Gerry's involved? Oh, well then I'm sure the design will be tasteful.

From chemicals to condos

From Brownstoner Queens:

The developers Sithonia LLC recently filed a building application to erect a 40,999-square-foot residential build at 14-33 31st Avenue, between 14th and 21st Streets. The location in question is nestled right between Astoria and Long Island City, and just a few blocks from the waterfront. New York IMBY first spotted the DOB application, which also specifies that there will be 56 apartments total. It does not look like the developers will include any commercial space. The architect of record is Gerald J. Caliendo.

The L. B. Russell Chemical Plant formerly occupied this lot, meaning that site remediation efforts are probably in store. The DOB issued demolition permits for the one-story warehouse in October of last year.

Unlucky horseshoe building for Forest Avenue

Here is a photo of current conditions at the lot located at 62-41 Forest Avenue in Ridgewood. There has been some controversy over it because the developer withdrew plans approved by the BSA for a 4-story, 30-unit building, and got approval from DOB for a 5-story, 44-unit building without going back to the BSA. The BSA has apparently told the DOB that a new formal decision with community board and borough president review for this Gerry Caliendo special is not required, but the BSA does need to sign off on the project - to make sure that it "conforms" with the original BSA decision. How a 5 floor building can comply with a decision for a 4 floor building is curious, but that's how things work in BSA la-la land.

Anyway, a diagram of this mess has been posted on DOB's website. And it's quite a doozy. It's a horseshoe-shaped building, but part of it is 4 stories and part of it is 5 stories, and the dividing line is diagonal, no less. I'm sorry if my description doesn't do this pile of dung justice.

All this overdevelopment where there was a vacant lot, and where it's quite a hike to get to the subway. Now there's smart planning!

See previously: Concerned about overdevelopment in Ridgewood

Concerned about overdevelopment in Ridgewood

"Hello Queens Crapper,

My name is Jack. I am a young South Carolina transplant who has been living in Greater Ridgewood for almost 2 years now. I have grown extremely fond of Ridgewood and what it contributes to Queens as a borough. I am disheartened lately by the rumors of Ridgewood's up-and-comming status. There is a condo I recently noticed on 60th Lane between 71 Ave and Myrtle. It is hideous and frightening. On Fresh Pond Road near Metropolitan there appears to be another condo going up. I was wondering if you knew of any grass-roots actions I could take to better fortify Greater Ridgewood. I would cry to see the lovely pre-war houses and buildings replaced by new construction buildings (like those seen around Myrtle-Wyckoff).

At any rate, I support your blog. Thank you."

-Jack

Grass roots actions? Well, I suppose you could join a civic organization. But then again, that doesn't seem to help for a number of reasons.

So, Jack, my advice to you is to become an independent researcher. You can't beat them at their game unless you know their rules and how they cheat. See below for an example:


This e-mail was sent to Queens CB5 and BCC'd to yours truly:

"There is a proposed project on Forest Avenue which I believe requires a variance, but it looks as though the developer is trying to do an end run around CB5 and BSA.

The address is 62-41 Forest Avenue. Plans have been filed for a 5-story building containing 44 dwelling units, with retail stores and an “ambulatory diagnostic center” on the ground floor.

The zoning for this lot is split between R6B & R5B, and also has a C2-4 overlay. The permits have been disapproved by buildings dating back to 2011, when they only planned to have 30 apartments.

The reason why I believe this requires CB5 and BSA approval is because they are building in a mapped street. My friend, Paul Graziano, an urban planning consultant, explained to me that any project built in a mapped street must go before BSA. [See section titled: General City Law Waivers - ed.]

I could not find any reference to this street having been de-mapped in the past few years, and it appears on the most recent version of DCP’s zoning maps:



Thank you."

- Christina Wilkinson

____________________________________________

Ah, she forgot to mention that this is yet another Gerald Caliendo special...

All it takes is a computer and NYC.gov to find most of the information that you need. I also have plenty of resources at my disposal - architects, urban planners, historians and just people who know their stuff - if you need help. A camera also is useful. Send in your stuff. I'll be happy to post it and do some of the legwork.

Have fun in the voting booth tomorrow!

This was the Vetter house in Richmond Hill. Its last use was as the Simonson Funeral Home.
The Richmond Hill Historical Society stored its collections there prior to 2007.
Despite preservationist efforts, the house was torn down in 2007.
In its place, a Gerald Caliendo special. Mr. Caliendo sits on Community Board 1 thanks to Peter Vallone, who received $12,275 in campaign contributions from him. And this building, as well as the rest of Victorian Richmond Hill, was denied landmark status during the tenure of Melinda Katz as Chair of Land Use of the City Council.

Remember, the 2 main functions of the borough president are community board appointments and land use.