Saturday, March 9, 2013

Chinatown SRO vacated by FDNY


From the Daily News:

Dozens of Chinatown tenants were evacuated Thursday from a single-room-occupancy building on the Bowery notorious for its makeshift cubicle dwellings.

Officials said they issued a vacate order for the top floor of the four-story building after firefighters responded to a complaint about living conditions at 81 Bowery.

The action left tenants homeless and concerned — and not for the first time. The building was evacuated in 2008 under similar circumstances and nine months passed before its inhabitants could return.

Firefighters and Buildings Department inspectors found “numerous life hazards” Thursday amid rows of rooms separated by thin partitions — many without ceilings, a Fire Department spokesman said.

“There were about 40 separate rooms with 40 people,” said the spokesman, citing “possible tampering with gas and pipes” and blocked exits and sprinklers.

13 comments:

Suzannah B. Troy artist said...

So 311 a waste, DOB paid off, call the FDNY?

Anonymous said...

This is just one of hundreds of locations scattered around the city that need to be shut down. Why the delay?

Anonymous said...

Send them on their way ...back home. Who owns this building by the way?

Anonymous said...

Here in my nabe, North Flushing there are many SRO's but the DOB never gets in the homes to inspect. The DOB just leaves a form letter (LS4) taped to the door after two attempts. My neighbors have given up and just tolerate the decrease in our quality of life It's the defeatist attitude that really bothers me. I call 311 time to time but I don't expect much action.
Just my 2 cents...

Anonymous said...

Chinatown? I thought that was downtown Flooshing.

Anonymous said...

Instead of a form letter, why don't they issue them a legal notice that informs them of the allegations against them and their property, and instruct them to comply with a full inspection within a reasonable amount of time , or face legal action, fines etc.

The Flushing Phantom said...

Advice to that North Flushing resident:

Send the owner of the illegal SRO a certified return receipt letter and, similarly, copy the FDNY, DOB, community board and all elected officials down the line.

Then copy ALL media outlets including Queens Crap.
Or, are you afraid to get that involved?

The alternative is to just bear it.
You've got to learn to use the tools sitting there in your drawer.

Anonymous said...

Hey dumbasses, just get the fuck out of Flushing already, it is a shithole and is going to get much, much worse.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said "Hey dumbasses, just get the fuck out of Flushing already, it is a shithole and is going to get much, much worse."
All of Flushing is not a shithole. I live in North Flushing and the last time I looked it was beautiful between 156th Street all the way to Francis Lewis Blvd. It has taken a changed for the worst in the last twenty years but still out shines most of the surrounding nabes.

Anonymous said...

The DOB just leaves a form letter (LS4) taped to the door after two attempts. My neighbors have given up and just tolerate the decrease in our quality of life.

Look there are too many of these situations and no one agency with teeth to effectively shut down these dangerous dwellings. Mayor Bloomberg is all of illegals - the serfs of the rich and these are the folks scrunched up against your single family home making your life miserable. So this will get worse as Queens is the dumping ground for those in Mahattan getting shut down! My recourse is to leave outright and I will!

Anonymous said...

"The Flushing Phantom said...
Advice to that North Flushing resident"
Thanks for the advice. I have used the DOB many times but they only once got in to inspect. The owner is on to the rules that require a warrant to gain access to the illegal dwelling.
When we got lucky a FOB (Fresh Off the Boat) illegal tenant let the DOB in. The house was given a Vacate order but all fines were dismissed in court. He took down all the partitions and removed the bathrooms and kitchen only to re-install them a short time later.
Now the basement and attic are full again. IMO the DOB is useless but I will try your method next.

The Flushing Phantom said...

You didn't do the full job like I advised. Get one of those persistent TV troubleshooters to come out.

Did you get your civic association on your side?
Are you a member of one? Do you pay your dues?

Sorry to be so blunt, but you sound to me like you pulled your punches instead of going for a KO.

Dedication (yeah it's tiring) not online complaining does the trick.
Photograph the comings and goings of the tenants.

I know some people who live in North Flushing who busted up a human trafficking ring doing exactly as I suggested you might try to do. They kept on it like white on rice.

If it's your nabe you pull out all stops to cure a problem.

Enough said!

Anonymous said...

GTF out of Flushing? Don't really need to!

Maybe where you live is a shit hole (Astoria?) but Northeast Flushing ain't, nor will it become one.

Do not confuse the downtown hub with nabes like Broadway North or Auburndale.

You're talking through your ass hat, fella!