Flushing home loaded with homeless people and building violations

 

QNS

The fate of Nanoom House, a nonprofit homeless shelter that serves predominantly Korean-American residents of Murray Hill, rests on the outcome of a court hearing to be held later this month. 

The independently funded shelter — one of only a few in the city that houses mostly Asian American immigrants — is located in a small, three-bedroom house at 34-30 150th Place. 

One look at the shelter’s green colonial exterior and its surroundings — houses, lawns and driveways — and you might think that a small family lives there. But until recently, it typically housed around 30 residents on a short-term basis, many of them non-English speakers who found a sanctuary that catered to their language and cultural needs close to the heart of Flushing.

At the beginning of November, the Department of Buildings (DOB) responded to several 311 complaints from its neighbors. Upon inspection, the agency charged the owners of the building, listed as Sunree Solid Art LLC, with fines stemming from converting the building from its use as a single-family home to a boarding house. 

The inspection found that the shelter contained three rooms on the second floor that did not have the permits to be used for single room occupancy (SRO). In other words, the DOB found that the way that the residents were split up into separate rooms with locks on the doors functioned too closely to discrete apartments, in violation of the building’s status as a single family home.

The building was also charged with violations related to the installation of a second bathroom in the basement without a permit. 

The resulting fines on the shelter, which does not receive city subsidy and relies on volunteer staff, could range from $47,500 to $95,000 based on what happens in its hearing with Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH), scheduled for Jan. 21.

On Nov. 25, the shelter followed up with the DOB to certify that the illegal SRO units had been removed from the property.

Murray Hill building doesn't curb it's own junks.

Hello,
 
This is a property I pass by everyday that is adjacent to the LIRR Murray Hill station. This pictures depicts a thousand words, as they have this poor written sign yet their entire yard is dumped by the tenant.
 
Hopefully this can be published on your blog.

Cease and desist list now in effect

From the Times Ledger:

A cease-and-desist list targeting unwanted real estate solicitations went into effect with the new year, allowing residents of northeast Queens to opt out of receiving fliers and door-to-door visits.

State Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside), who fought to have at least part of an expired cease-and-desist zone restored, reminded residents of Auburndale, Bayside, College Point, Malba, Murray Hill, North Flushing, and Whitestone to add their addresses to the list on the Department of State website.

“There may be 1,033 houses already on the list, but there is always room for more,” Avella said. “The Department of State will continue to accept new submissions and will update the list monthly.”

The cease-and-desist list established by the Department of State emulates a zone covering all of Queens County that was established in 1989 and expired in 2014. At three public hearings, residents and civic associations blasted the real estate industry for tactics they considered aggressive and complained of fliers littering their communities.

According to the Department of State, “no licensed real estate broker or salesperson shall solicit the sale, lease or the listing for sale or lease of residential property from an owner of residential property located in a designated cease-and-desist zone if such owner has filed a cease-and-desist notice with the Department of State indicating that such owner or owners do not desire to sell, lease or list their residential property and do not desire to be solicited to sell, lease or list their residential property.”

The new list will expire in 2022, but the IDC senator is hoping to get a law passed in the state to ban real estate solicitations in Queens indefinitely.

149th Street bridge reopens

State Senator Tony Avella (D-Queens) announced Wednesday that the 149th Street Bridge has finally reopened.

Senator Avella first learned of the news that morning after the Department of Transportation (DOT) informed him that the long-awaited renovation of the crucial overpass would reopen within the hour. Local merchants and small businesses had expressed concern over the lack of access to their shops and inadequate parking while the bridge was closed.

“While I’m happy that the 149th Street Bridge overpass is finally open, it should not have taken this long. At least now the residents, business owners, and customers can travel on this important access road,” said Senator Avella.

The community has worked to help ensure the bridge’s completion for over five years.

149th St Bridge may actually be repaired soon

From the Queens Chronicle:

Officials announced Thursday that the long-awaited reconstruction of the 149th Street Bridge in Flushing will soon begin.

The deck on the newly built but unsafe bridge needs replacing, and that will cost the city $1.6 million, Department of Transportation Queens Borough Commissioner Nicole Garcia said Thursday.

In the meantime, while the city is chipping in those additional costs, it is also suing Gandhi Engineering, the firm responsible for what Garcia referred to as the bridge’s “poor design,” and is hoping to retrieve back $4.2 million.

Perfetto Contracting Co. has been selected as the new contractor, and the preliminary work like applying for permits is set to start Nov. 30, Garcia said.

149th Street bridge still not being repaired

"This is the 2nd construction permit for Unicorn construction, for the 149 street LIRR Bridge in Flushing, and no work or delivery of equipment has even started yet, even with this second permit.

I wonder why nothing has started even after 2 permits.

Q012015190A51 QN 07 07

UNICORN CONSTRUCTION ENT. INC.
149 STREET ROOSEVELT AVENUE LONG ISLAND RAILROAD

7/15/2015 10/12/2015 11:59:59 PM 01

STREET OPENING PERMIT NYCDOT-BRIDGES RECONSTRUCTION" - anonymous

Closed bridge has hurt Murray Hill businesses

From the Queens Courier:

The city’s extended closure of an overpass bridge in Flushing is set to end by 2016, according to a Department of Transportation (DOT) spokesman. But the long wait could continue to hurt local business owners.

LIRR train tracks cut through 149th Street, with an overpass bridge connecting the two sides of the street. The bridge has been closed since 2009, according to residents and business owners in the area.

According to a DOT spokesman, a new bridge was ready to open in 2012, but during a final inspection the department found cracks in the foundation, leading the department to keep the bridge closed.

The lack of a bridge in the area left several businesses on 41st Avenue disconnected from the other side. Traffic withered away as a result, business owners said, and led to a noticeable reduction in customers visiting the stores on 41st Avenue, near the 149th Street overpass bridge.

The city plans on completing a final design in 2014. And in the fall of 2015 the spokesman expects a construction contract to be hashed out. The new overpass bridge should be completed within six months after that.

More mosquito spraying tonight

From the Queens Courier:

On Monday, Sept. 8, there will be West Nile spraying in parts of Queens to help reduce the mosquito population and the risk of the disease.

The spraying will take place between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next morning. In case of bad weather, the application will be delayed until Tuesday, Sept. 9 during the same hours.

The following neighborhoods are being treated due to rising West Nile virus activity with high mosquito populations, according to the city’s Health Department:

Parts of Auburndale, Flushing, Fresh Meadows, Murray Hill Pomonok, and Queensboro Hill (Bordered by 46th Avenue, Holly Avenue and Kissena Boulevard to the north; Main Street and Elder Avenue to west; Long Island Expressway to the south; and Hollis Court Boulevard to the east).

Parts of Astoria, Jackson Heights, Steinway and Woodside (Bordered by 19th Avenue and 81st Street to the north; 45th Street to the west; 25th Avenue and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway West to the south; and Brooklyn-Queens Expressway East, 25th Avenue, 77th Street and Grand Central Parkway to the east).

A Murray Hill video tale

Hello! I bid you well.

My name is Julian Kim and I am a filmmaker who grew up in Flushing, Queens.

I would like to share my latest work with you entitled "Flushing Web Series".

It's funny how this whole thing started. I was walking down Roosevelt Ave one Monday to take the 7 train, but Monday morning's trash day. So you can only imagine what the smell is like: with all the crap and garbage from various restaurants lined up right up against the curb mixed in with their sad attempt to cover the smell up by pouring hot diluted soap water... The commutes on Monday mornings always are the worst. I grew up in Flushing my entire life but I still can't get used to the smell.

So I realized then how much I hated Flushing. I hated everything about Flushing and everything about Queens. Starting with the smell, loud music, hobos, and how crowded it gets with obnoxious people who either walk really slow or walk straight toward you for that annoying shoulder-to-shoulder collision. Oh, and all those dead animals on display for people to eat...

But at the same time, I realized this is also my hometown. Yes, it sucks (a lot) but every corner here in Flushing has a story of its own. Every piece of garbage probably has a story, too!

I wanted to highlight parts of Flushing and this would be my humble attempt. And I also humbly ask if you would just take your time to watch it and share your thoughts on your blog and Facebook page! You can be real and honest - I just would love to hear back from fellow Queens natives about the whole series!

Thanks and hope you have a good one!

--
Julian Kim
Creative Director ➶
swallowtailstudios.com || facebook
(516) 312-7525

149th Street bridge should be repaired some time next year

From the Queens Tribune:

While the long-defunct 149th Street Bridge has caused headaches for Queens residents for years, the saga may be reaching its end.

The Dept. of Transportation said it plans to begin construction next fall for the 149th Street Bridge, which has been in need of major repairs for the last few years. While the bridge originally closed in 2010, it has yet to reopen due to problems with the previous work that was done.

The 149th Street Bridge, which stretches over the railroad, closed in May 2010 for demolition and reconstruction, with a scheduled reopening for November 2011. Numerous delays stalled the project’s completion, with the DOT discovering cracks in the cement of the new bridge in May 2012. The bridge was not safe for vehicular traffic and remained closed as a result, opening to pedestrian traffic only in June 2012.

For the next two years, the DOT remained silent on the bridge, until June 6, 2014, when it confirmed that the bridge has to be torn down and rebuilt again. The agency is pursuing litigation against the firm responsible for the bridge’s initial design.

Flushing’s elected officials recently met with Queens Borough Commissioner Dalila Hall to discuss the reconstruction’s progress. According to the DOT, the new design should be finalized by the end of the year, with a slated completion scheduled for November 2015.

A giant waste of time and money

From the Queens Chronicle:

Residents and business owners who have been waiting since 2010 for the reopening of the 149th Street bridge between Roosevelt and 41st avenues in Murray Hill still have a long wait ahead of them, according to elected officials, who announced last week that shoddy workmanship is forcing the city to demolish the structure and start over.

Among those meeting behind closed doors at Queens Borough Hall last Friday were state Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Flushing), Assemblyman Ron Kim (D-Flushing), Councilman Peter Koo (D-Flushing) and New York City DOT Queens Borough Commissioner Dalila Hall. The elected officials then held a press conference outside.

Stavisky reported that about a dozen representatives from the city, including those involved in the legal and engineering aspects of the project, were also there.

The bridge, which was originally built in 1924, runs over the Long Island Rail Road tracks. It was considered “in fair condition” when it was inspected in 2007 and, three years later, in March 2010, was closed for reconstruction. It was expected to reopen in May 2012.

Pointing to a photograph of the barricades on the bridge, Kim said, “Every time I see this, I get frustrated,” blaming “bureaucratic failure” for the multiple delays.

In May 2012, the bridge, which cost around $7 million, was inspected by the Department of Transportation, that found cracks making it unsafe to carry vehicles. The pedestrian sidewalk was reopened in June of that year.

According to Kim, it was determined that there is a “need to demolish and rebuild” the bridge. The project is in the “re-design” phase, to be followed by the bidding process.

The city is suing the contractor, Gandhi Engineering.

Murray Hill fire death

From the Daily News:

A 63-year-old man died after a fire ripped through the basement of a Queens apartment building early Friday, authorities said.

The blaze began at 5:59 a.m. in the structure at 159th St. at 43rd Ave. in Murray Hill, police said. The victim was pulled from the flames with severe burns and trauma, police said.

From the Queens Chronicle:

The victim, whose identity was not immediately announced because his family had not yet been notified, was found with severe trauma and burns to his body inside of 43-06 159 St. after the authorities responded to a fire there a little after 6 a.m., police said. Emergency Medical Services took the man to New York Hospital Queens, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

From the NY Post:

A 63-year-old man appeared to have been badly beaten before he was pulled from a suspicious Flushing blaze and pronounced dead Friday, authorities said.

Looking at the previous complaints on this address, it appears there was an illegal conversion in the cellar where the body was found. Considering a beating was involved, goodness knows what else was going on in that cellar.

Are high rents driving out Murray Hill businesses?

"Murray Hill Plaza...Duane Reade closing...followed by 2 other stores...reason according to DR employee: 'landlord'. One other store is already gone." - The Flushing Phantom

How is this legal to sell in NYC?

Ingredients listed on the label of a red bean paste filled donut from New York Cake Bakery in Murray Hill...

All trumps
Almonds Flour
Full strength flour
Soft-Silk Flour
S-500
Cake Mix
Corn Flour
Honey
Brown Sugar
Sugar
Corn Syrup
Strawberry Jam
Raspberry Jam
Margarine
Butter
Egg
Cheese
Milk
Dry Milk
Cream Butter
Mayonnaise
Oil
Whip Cream
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Yeast
Chocolate
Fudge
Chocolate Chip
Cocoa Powder
Cinnamon Powder
Apricot Filling
Almond Paste
Red Bean Paste
White Bean Paste
Coffee
Vanilla Flavor
Orange Flavor
Almond
Pecan
Raisin
Walnut
Chestnut
Sesame Seed
Peanut Butter
Ketchup
Tuna
Sausage
Corn
Salt
Ham

Seriously? WTF is S-500? Pretty sure there was no ham, tuna, ketchup or sausage in the pastry.

Dead end press conference

State Senator Tony Avella is planning to hold a press conference this Friday, February 22 at 12 noon at 149th Street bet 41st Ave and Roosevelt Ave at the LIRR Bridge "dead end" barricade.  Please contact his office if you can attend at 718-357-3094.

Murray Hill home invasion

From the Times Ledger:

Police responded to a call early Friday morning of an armed robbery in a Murray Hill home. Police said three victims were in the basement apartment of a house on 164th Street just before 2 a.m. when a suspect entered the home brandishing a gun.

Two individuals fled the scene, and three were detained in connection with the incident, according to police. As of press time, two people were in custody, the police said.

The three victims were taken to Booth Memorial Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

Imagine something sinister happening in a basement apartment. From the looks of it, more like a cellar apartment...

LPC considers Voelker Orth Museum

The Landmarks Preserv- ation Commis- sion is holding public hearings on the proposed desig- nations of the Voelker Orth Museum, located at 149-19 38th Avenue in Flushing, Queens. The hearing will take place at the Commission's offices located at 1 Centre Street, 9th Floor North, beginning at 9 a.m. Attached please find a statement of significance for the designation.

Voelker Orth Museum, Bird Sanctuary and Victorian Garden
149-19 38th Avenue, Flushing, Queens

Built c.1891; altered c.1899-1909

The large, picturesque house and garden at 149-19 38th Avenue was built c.1890-91 as
part of the Murray Hill section, just east of the village of Flushing. Local developer Frederick Dunton was on the board of the Long Island Railroad, and probably influenced the construction of a new Murray Hill railroad station in 1889 that spurred development in the area. Four lots on the corner of Lincoln Street (now 38th Avenue) and Wilson Avenue (now 149th Place) were purchased by James Bouton, a local shopkeeper. He owned the property for approximately ten years, during which time he constructed this house.

Conrad Voelker, a German immigrant who published several German language newspapers, bought the house in 1899, and made a series of alterations up through 1909.

Voelker lived in the house until his death in 1930. After that, the house was occupied by his daughter Theresa, who had married police surgeon, Dr. Rudolph Orth. Their daughter Elizabetha Orth continued to live in the house until she died in 1995, leaving provisions and money in her will to establish the house as a museum of local history and nature, hence the name Voelker-Orth.

The large, two-story house has an irregular roof line, composed of a pitched section, a flat section and two jerkinhead gables. Its many handsome details include imbricated shingles, eye-brow dormers, projecting bay windows and porches with wood-shingled roofs as well as decorative leaded-glass windows. It also has a large adjoining open area, currently being developed as a “Victorian garden.” The Voelker-Orth house is one of the few large late nineteenth century houses surviving in the neighborhood, representing a building type once very common in Flushing.

The Voelker-Orth house was recently restored to its 1909 appearance, and is open to the public as a house museum and garden.

The crappification of Leonard Square

Ah, the spread of Queens Crap spares nothing. Not even a little plot of land called Leonard Square in the Murray Hill district of Flushing.

This odd-shaped piece of territory is formed by the intersection of Roosevelt Avenue and Northern Blvd. It honors Corporal William A. Leonard (1889-1918), a Flushing native who lost his life fighting in World War I.

I'm sending two photos showing the change to this small plot. One was taken in February 1969 by someone in my family. The other was taken in recent times and appears on the Bridge & Tunnel website.

The older photo shows handsome stonework used to support railings surrounding the plot. I can only assume that under the snow was grass. A nice mature tree lends shade to the benches around the perimeter.

The new photo shows a virtual desert. There isn't a blade of grass, and no mature trees. A few scraggly trees are potted in small square plots. The lovely stonework is gone.

Perhaps you can argue that it was a good thing to remove the railings and open up the square, but why did they have to make it look so barren and soulless?

Bobster

More skeeter spraying for Queens

The city's Health Department will spray parts of Queens and Staten Island for mosquitoes starting Tuesday to reduce the risk of West Nile virus.

On Tuesday, the following areas of Queens will be sprayed:

South Flushing
Murray Hill
Auburndale
Fresh Meadows
Kissena Park
Pomonok
Queensboro Hill

On Wednesday and Thursday the following parts of Queens will be sprayed:

Cambria Heights
Saint Albans
Springfield Gardens
Laurelton

Photo from NY1

More skeeter spraying for College Point

Health Dept to Spray Queens for Mosquitoes

NEW YORK (AP) -- Queens [is] going to be sprayed with pesticide to combat mosquitoes and cut the risk of West Nile virus.

The city health department says the spraying will take place Monday in Queens... between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following morning.

The mosquito-borne virus generally causes flu-like symptoms. It has been detected in several boroughs this year. But no human cases have been identified.

The areas to be sprayed in Queens are College Point, Malba, Whitestone, Linden Hill, Flushing and Murray Hill...