SJU acts like a bad neighbor (again)

St. John’s University is once again at loggerheads with its neighbors, this time for shutting off access to Utopia Parkway without prior notice.

“We notified the community of the closure in a letter dated Thursday, May 22, and sent it out before noon that day,” said St. John’s spokesman Dominic Scianna.

St. John’s Street Closure Angers Area Residents

Scianna stated that the gate was closed at the suggestion of the contractor, Structure Tone Inc.

In response to criticisms regarding the fire hazard created by closing the gate, representatives from St. John’s met with community members and the FDNY on Wednesday afternoon.

Due to short notice, the DEP was unable to respond to questions regarding whether St. John’s needs a permit to undertake construction on 82nd Avenue between 172nd and 175th Streets.

Scianna said that residents could use the service road of the Grand Central Parkway instead of 82nd Avenue.

The DOB did not return calls.

Cold War-inspired architecture

Here's a great Queenscape photo for you. 69-08 and 69-10 37th Road in Woodside. A total of 8 dwelling units. There used to be a 2-story business here.
The exposed meters lend an artistic touch to the place.
And around the corner...
it feels like the Cold War all over again!

Greenpoint-Williamsburg duped on parks promise

Three years ago, city officials promised to deliver Greenpoint and Williamsburg residents the new parkland while pushing through a controversial rezoning plan to bring high-rise housing to their waterfront.

But today, while much of an anticipated 10,000 units of new condos and apartments are up or in the works, hardly any of the pledged open space has yet to be delivered to the former industrial area – or is even under construction.

CITY BREAKS PARKS PLEDGE

Queens reporting 50 years ago

Crappy was doing some remodeling this weekend on the new digs and found some old newspaper pages underneath many layers of floor covering. This is what was happening in Queens in September 1958 as reported by the Daily News.

I can't imagine why the nurse and the wife were upset...

Civic Queen of Queens? Was there a swimsuit competition?

Final straw for crane accidents is next one

In an emotional two-hour meeting [Saturday], the city's acting buildings commissioner warned the construction industry that "if there's any more crane accidents, he's shutting the whole city down," sources at the emergency summit said.

'1 MORE AND WE SHUT CITY DOWN'

Acting Department of Buildings boss Robert LiMandri told the closed-door confab at the agency's downtown headquarters that officials were also considering a new commission to regulate crane operations, the sources said.

The city is also weighing third-party inspections of crane equipment before it's set up at sites, said the sources.

[Saturday's] meeting, attended by about 80 developers, construction managers and union leaders, came as new revelations emerged about the shockingly poor condition of the giant crane that suddenly snapped Friday and killed two workers.