Tuesday, July 4, 2017

Kew Gardens business has problems with MTA


From CBS 2:

A business owner in Queens blames the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and a company hired to oversee repairs for a loss in customers.

There are growing fears among store owners and residents that the problems will lead to stores shutting down.

Anil Argawal says for the past week, he’s had no electricity in half of his store, and it’s led to fruits and vegetables going bad.

He says it’s cost him thousands of dollars in lost business.

“I’m totally devastated, I’m totally ruined,” he said.

Argawal and his brother own the market on Lefferts Boulevard right off Austin Street in Kew Gardens. The property, along with others, is on a bridge above the Long Island Rail Road tracks — owned by the MTA.

The agency hired management company Zee N Kay to oversee repair work.

Agarwal says the repairs have taken too long to make. The management company disagrees.

“We have fulfilled each and every one of our obligations,” Kunal Kapoor from Zee N Kay said.

Last Thursday, an electrician the company hired started to fix a panel because the electricity had been tripping. But four days later, an MTA Fire Marshal issued a stop work order — saying the agency needed to approve all electrical plans beforehand.

“Typically, LIRR takes several months to get back to you and we couldn’t wait that long,” Kapoor said.

Merchants say they feel repairs are dragged out because of possible plans in the future by the MTA to shut down stores on the historic bridge.


Locals have come up with a solution to the bridge problem. Will the MTA listen?

6 comments:

JQ LLC said...

One savvy guy theorized how there might be plans for condos. Look no further than what's going on at the former Marx Brothers Park in the Upper East Side. The MTA used that park area as a site for their way behind schedule 2nd ave subway and now the area is being marked for development of a 72 story tower involving the creepy machinations of Speaker Missy and intervention of the state assembly.

I hate to be the bearer of bad predictions, but those stores are done and it's a shame because those are good businesses, the pizzeria there is one of the best. They will probably destroy that block/bridge and turn it into a overpass with some lame commissioned art on it. Of course it will probably be shut down for 3 years while it's constructed like that one reported here at college point.

Anonymous said...

Get in the back of the line.... EVERYONE has problems with the mta!

Gary W said...

JQ is right, these people are fucked. Here is a New York Times article from 1993 notice the usual suspects quoted in it. Our limp dick senior senator, and council women Ronald McDonald. 23 years ago they were talking about this piece of shit bridge!! And nothing has been done!


http://www.nytimes.com/1993/01/10/nyregion/kew-gardens-sighs-for-its-bridge-of-stores.html

Why the fuck do they still hold an elected office!?!


Listen Queens Crappers, have an exit strategy to a Blue state before it's too late!


Anonymous said...

Business owners-- cut your losses and relocate as fast as you can. The writing has been on the wall for years regarding this antique "bridge" that will need to be rebuilt, will take a decade, involve 9 government agencies and cost millions that the MTA and city doesn't have.

Anonymous said...

Wow, this goes beyond incompetence to actual malice.

Gary W said...

Sorry meant Red State