Friday, January 26, 2007

When Less is More

53-02 68th Street in Maspeth - a store that's off the beaten path. Hey, what's that in the backyard?
It looks like a ranch house or something.
Actually, it's an "addition" as per the permit issued by the DOB. Aren't there requirements for yard space?
Interesting how there is a staircase leading to a basement door in the addition.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

A scene right out of the old 5 Points neighborhood (1840s) in Manhattan ("Gangs of New York") where every possible nook and cranny was exploited to warehouse newly arrived immigrants and make money for the rent-gouging landlords!

Anonymous said...

While Manhattan is meant to "flourish". Is Queens meant to be a "dumping-ground" ? We all know the answer to this one.... Mayor Mike and Beep Marshal!

Anonymous said...

Look at that! A new illegal basement apartment in plain site!

Any effort at enforcement or are we to throw 100 years of progressive housing out the window?

Anonymous said...

Hey Columbia students, particularly in the architectual department, you know who you are, the ones taking courses that talks about all the reforms in housing after Jacob Riis?

Come on out to Queens and take a few pictures. Tell your profs the books are out of date - unless you can dig the ones up from 1906, no 1876.

Anonymous said...

Hey, what a good idea!

We are always swamped by all those students in NYU or Columbia journalism looking to do ground breaking papers like 'immigration in Queens,' and 'immigration in Queens,' and 'immigration in Queens,' and ....

Well, break the 30 year mold. Find a juicy topic on Queens Crap and surprise the crap out of your class.

Send a copy to Queens Crap and if it's not the usual crap perhaps the editors might publish it!

Anonymous said...

Hey, you are a bit out of date. They have been doing a lot of papers on 'affordable housing' as of late.

I wonder who dreams those topics up for those kids?

Anonymous said...

I wonder why they don't ask people in Queens how they would like their community profiled? Well, if your fate is to be displaced and uprooted, who cares about ancient history?

Anonymous said...

I believe it was Malcolm X who once refered to the differences between the "field slaves" and the "house servants". Where do you think he would have placed Borough President Marshal?

Anonymous said...

And another flophouse is born.

Anonymous said...

Did someone bribe a fire marshall to get this one approved?