St. Saviour's developer bankrupt, likely headed to prison

From The Real Deal:

It’s collection time for accused fraudster Tomer Dafna.

More than two years after the investor and developer was indicted for participating in a mortgage fraud scheme, the industry players Dafna borrowed money from are coming out of the woodwork to recover funds they claim they’re owed.

Two of Dafna’s creditors filed a petition for his involuntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy last week, citing $1.3 million in claims, court records show. But that number could balloon to more than $20 million if the parties behind numerous lawsuits and outstanding judgments against Dafna become creditors.

The case against Dafna and his co-defendants is ongoing. Each man faces a $1 million fine and up to 30 years in prison if convicted.

In the meantime, private lenders are coming after Dafna to recoup funds they say he never repaid.

For those who don't recognize the name, Tomer Dafna was a co-owner of the St. Saviour's property in Maspeth. Karma is not always instant but it is most certainly a bitch, ain't it?

St. Saviour's owners neglecting property

Oops! Maspeth Development, LLC, (aka Scott Kushnick and Tomer Dafna) is in deep doo-doo after wind and rain knocked this fence down at the St. Saviour's site Friday evening. A car parked here sustained damage and a police report was filed. Although they apparently came by last night to make a repair, it looks as though the rest of the fence is unstable. Can you say "lawsuit"?

Thank you, Bloomberg administration, with special props to the NYC Department of Buildings, for generally not giving a shit about the safety and quality-of-life of the people who live around this site, either. Not to mention our neighborhood history and landmarks.

Isn't it also great that Councilman Dennis Gallagher became close friends with the owners of this site? Look at what their neglect has brought to the community. Great job, Pinky! Keep up the great work.

Beginning of the end for St. Saviour's

Looks like a demo company located around the corner from St. Saviour's is planning to knock the place down. Always Fast, who illegally demolished the parsonage last month, frequently gets smacked with violations, at least once attempted to knock down the wrong building, and has a tendency to generally piss people off, has been chosen by foreign developers Scott Kushnick and Tomer Dafna to destroy the Richard Upjohn designed church, built in 1847 and founded by forefathers of Maspeth. A special thank you to Mayor Bloomberg and DOB Commissioner Patricia Lancaster for allowing them to get away with anything short of murder at this site. Oh wait, they did kill baby birds and trees. My bad.

Let's sit back and watch while our elected officials, community board 5 and all the citywide preservation groups who claim they are in favor of saving St. Saviour's rally together to save this place. I'm sure it will happen. God knows how much they care.

LPC withheld critical info from Queens community group

(This is a revised press release received this afternoon.)

The photo at left is St. Saviour's Church in 1924. The following is a press release from the Juniper Park Civic Association:


Old Maspeth, Queens Church Property Could Reveal Historic & Revolutionary War Artifacts

ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL RECOGNIZED BY CITY AND STATE

Councilman wants to create housing project on site.

(February 13, 2007) In two shocking revelations, both the NYS Office of Historic Preservation and the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) have admitted that the St. Saviour’s site contains the potential for recovery of archaeologically significant materials, including human remains.

Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA) has long argued that the St. Saviour’s site is likely to contain historical artifacts and possibly burials. Both LPC and SHPO ignored those claims and quickly rejected the property.

Archaeologist Linda Stone recently uncovered 2 key pieces of information during her research that prove that the LPC & SHPO knew that our claims were valid, yet withheld this evidence while repeatedly rejecting our applications for landmark designation and listing on the state historic register.

Amanda Sutphin, an archaeologist for LPC, wrote in an Environmental Review letter dated August 3, 2006: “LPC review of archeological sensitivity models and historic maps indicates that there is potential for the recovery of remains from 19th Century occupation for the … borough, block and lot locations within the study area … Also, the question of the presence or absence of human burials on this portion of the property needs further investigation and resolution.”

A map obtained by Ms. Stone from the New York State Historic Preservation Office shows that the St. Saviour’s site sits within an area deemed by the state to have high archaeological potential. (The church is located under the "M" in Maspeth.)

Ms. Stone stated in a recent report to JPCA: “With the currently available information, it is not possible to eliminate the possibility of finding human remains. In addition to the previously mentioned potential buried resources, the property may also contain remains associated with Revolutionary War activity.”

This information further supports JPCA’s belief that St. Saviour’s and its surrounding land embodies the history of Queens’ oldest settlement, and therefore must be saved from development. Two questions remain: Why did these 2 governmental agencies withhold this information from the public and why did they reject applications for designation when the case is clear that the buildings and land together comprise an intact cultural landscape that must be preserved for future generations?

In addition, a photo recently given to JPCA by a former parishioner shows that the site was used for recreation back in the 19th century. A group of tennis players dressed in white sits in the foreground, with a priest believed to be Father Griffin standing to their left. A tennis net is set up to their right. And behind them is St. Saviour’s Church, designed by Richard Upjohn, before any alterations had taken place.

“This photo shows all that this property once was, and the potential it has to be a crown jewel of Maspeth once again,” said Christina Wilkinson, Chair of JPCA’s Committee to Save St. Saviour’s.

JPCA has asked the city to take over the entire site and convert the buildings into a community center and museum and the grounds into a park as part of the Mayor’s 2030 plan. Last month, at a meeting held at the Clinton Diner, 30 immediate neighbors of St. Saviour’s were unanimous in their sentiments, and signed a petition asking for the city to save the entire site. Additionally, more than 1000 signatures now appear on JPCA’s online petition asking the mayor to do the same thing.

Despite the findings of historians, archeologists, city and state officials, and the wishes of civic associations and residents, Councilman Dennis P. Gallagher (R-Middle Village) is working with the developer, Maspeth Development LLC, a foreign based company headed by Tomer Dafna, to permit a housing complex of at least 70 units. Gallagher’s plan is to save the small church and lobby for a zoning change for the developer to build on the remaining 1.5 acres.

“If Councilman Gallagher’s plan succeeds we will lose our heritage, artifacts, and destroy sacred & historically significant ground forever,” said Robert Holden, president of the Juniper Park Civic Association.

“As of now, the church and land are for sale, and this is the perfect opportunity for Mayor Bloomberg to show that he is serious about having every city resident within 10 minutes walking distance of a park,” said Holden. “Every year the city finds it has billions of dollars in income it didn’t expect. It’s time to spend some of that money in Maspeth and save a piece of our rapidly disappearing history.”

Photos from Juniper Park Civic Association