World Trade Center gets more expensive

From the Daily News:

Taxpayers will have to cough up another $20 million for Ground Zero because of the brutal battle raging between the Port Authority and developer Larry Silverstein.

The agency's board voted on Thursday to pay 14 different consultants to plan and design new blueprints for the World Trade Center site that would scrap two of the builder's iconic towers.

Known as "Plan B," the redesign was ordered two months ago by Gov. Paterson as a way to ensure that public projects on the 16-acre site would still rise if Silverstein withdraws or is booted from downtown.

The seemingly intractable mess between the developer and the PA over what gets built when and who pays for it is now being reviewed by an independent panel that is expected to act later this year.

Swindler no longer allowed to sell homes

From the NY Times:

A Brooklyn developer who took advantage of a faculty-housing exemption to build oversized condominium buildings, then sold the units on the open market, will be barred from selling apartments in New York State, according to an agreement between the developer and the attorney general’s office.

Along with barring him from selling real estate securities, the settlement requires that the developer, Mendel Brach, pay $10.9 million to the residents of the 72-unit development to repair structural defects.

In 2002, Mr. Brach obtained a zoning variance from the city allowing him to build nine-story condominiums on Spencer Street in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, where the normal limit was five stories. Mr. Brach took advantage of a “faculty housing bonus” allowing the extra stories by claiming that the buildings would house faculty members of a local yeshiva.

But the offering plan Mr. Brach sent to the attorney general’s office, which is responsible for approving all new condominium sales, made no mention of selling the units to teachers. The attorney general’s office, unaware of the variance, approved the offering and soon all 72 units were sold on the open market.

When the city learned of the sales, it declined to issue a permanent certificate of occupancy for the apartments, making it all but impossible for the owners to sell, rent or even refinance them.

Advised by the attorney general’s office that suing Mr. Brach would be fruitless because he did not have the money to make the buildings legal, the residents agreed to a mediated resolution. They say they have spent $1 million on legal fees and architects, but continue to live in the buildings, which are too tall for the neighborhood and racked with building code violations.

RKO Keith's of Flushing to be sold

From The Real Deal:

A Midtown-based real estate investment firm is in negotiations to take control of the troubled RKO Keith's Flushing Theater from Boymelgreen Developers by the end of the year.

Ventor Capital has agreed to purchase a $20 million note secured by the Flushing, Queens property located at 135-27 Northern Boulevard from Doral Bank, said Sam Suzuki, a principal with Venator, ultimately giving the company full control of the theater.

Investors affiliated with Venator are active in the Bronx as well, where they are in contract to buy 16 mostly rent-regulated apartment buildings owned by Ocelot Properties, after buying six earlier this year.

The RKO Keith note purchase would be followed by a so-called friendly foreclosure in which Boymelgreen would sign over the deed to the new owner without a protracted court proceeding, Suzuki said.

A Queens paper not bought off by Bloomberg!

Rumblers for the urban jungle

This is a story that needs to be told. On Sunday, the NYPD quietly announced that their fleet of patrol cars are being upgraded with "The Rumbler" a powerful siren that can be heard and felt. Here is now the news media is generally reporting it:

NYPD car sirens to vibrate

Here is what they are not reporting:

The vibrations can be heard and felt up to 200 feet away and can travel right through glass and solid objects. According to its manufacturer Federal Signal Corporation, the siren "have the distinct advantage of penetrating and shaking solid materials allowing vehicle operators and nearby pedestrians to FEEL the sound waves, and perhaps even see their effects through a shaking rearview mirror."

In other words, this ear-splitting noise will be heard and felt by motorists, pedestrians and people in their own homes and apartments at a level that can cause permanent hearing damage (the company even advises operators to wear hearing protection) and seriously disrupt their lives and ability to sleep at night. The NYPD purchased and installed the equipment with no oversight, no public hearings, and with no evident liability for the massive noise pollution they are about to inflict on New Yorkers, all in the name of public safety.

The media and legislators are not asking critical questions and New Yorkers are going to pay for that when the sirens are in widespread use by the police. People assume that noise pollution is an irritant or an annoyance, but noise pollution is a public health issue and it is adversely affecting residents. For people who live near any of the dozens of police precincts around the city and the boroughs, this is going to be an acoustic nightmare.

The NoiseOFF website has a section on The Rumbler to serve as a warning about the unintended consequences on this technology. You can see it here (you can also download the company product sell-sheet to see how this is marketed to police departments nationwide):

NoiseOff

The comments above are my own and you can quote me.

Regards,

Richard Tur
Founder, NoiseOFF.org

P.S., NoiseOFF.org was founded in Astoria, Queens -- the perfect storm of urban noise pollution.

How many different versions of this story will we hear?

The Kim campaign claimed their volunteers were attacked by football-throwing teens a couple of weeks ago. The version of the story keeps changing, however.

First, about a dozen teens yelled, "Kevin Kim sucks!" and "Asian men out!" as they tossed fliers backing Dan Halloran for the 19th District seat.

Then a group of young men sitting on a stoop yelled anti-Asian comments at them. “They yelled out some pretty awful ethnic slurs and one of them threw a football at our team.”

I'd like to see the stoop that a dozen teens could sit on. Seems like "Kevin Kim sucks" and "Asian men out" turned into "awful ethnic slurs" which would be more like one of these.

The latest version says The alleged attack, to which there were no witnesses, claimed the teens were carrying pro-Halloran signs.

So the stoop-sitting Asian-bashing teens just happened to be carrying Halloran signs?

Look guys, if you're going to make up a story, at least stick to one plausible version of it. As an astute commenter on the Queens Campaigner stated:

"As to the Fracas on the streets, they were in an area that is all camered up, and the deli’s are located at 19th avenue and Clintonville Street, 5 blocks from the parkway, and 4 blocks from Francis Lewis Blvd, 17th Avenue and Francis Lewis Blvd, 5 blocks from the parkway, and where just last week that tragic accident occurred... apparently geography is not the Kim’s Campaign strong suit."

Actually, the Crapper figured out that this info could easily have been found by using Google Maps Street View.

Stuy Town tenants victorious

From NY1:

The state's highest court Thursday ruled that the owners of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in Manhattan improperly charged market rents on thousands of apartments.

The court decision could now affect landlords across the city.

In the 4-2 decision, the court said owners Tishman Speyer Properties and BlackRock Realty illegally raised the rent on regulated apartments in the middle-class enclave.

The court found that rents were hiked above market rates, while the owners collected city affordable housing tax breaks for renovations.

The owners, as well as former owner MetLife, may have to refund about $200 million in overcharges and damages to tenants of approximately 4,000 apartments.

Tishman Speyer and Black Rock Realty bought the complexes in 2006 for $5.4 billion, and they are reportedly in deep financial trouble and in danger of defaulting on a $4 billion loan.

Much less construction spending this year

Build biz in $6B plunge
By TOM TOPOUSIS, NY Post

A steep drop in housing and office construction has hit the city's building industry hard, with spending falling off 20 percent -- $6.6 billion less than last year, a report released yesterday found.

Construction spending for 2009 is projected at $25.8 billion, compared with last year's record of $32.4 billion, according to the New York Building Congress analysis.

But the report also found a silver lining, projecting that construction activity will stabilize next year, and will likely even post modest gains in 2011.

Federal lawsuit against Jewish cemetery dismissed

From the Daily News:

One of the oldest Jewish cemeteries in New York City will remain an eyesore and a disgrace to the memories of thousands buried there for the foreseeable future.

A judge has tossed out a lawsuit filed against Bayside Cemetery in Ozone Park charging the operator with failing to maintain the perpetual care of the plots.

Federal Judge Raymond Dearie ruled there is no jurisdiction in federal court for the class-action suit, which was filed more than two years ago.

"As the court has noted from the outset of these proceedings, all agree that Bayside Cemetery's state of decay and disrepair is disheartening and in need of prompt repair," Dearie stated in his decision.

The court papers depict the cemetery - founded in the mid-19th century - as a worthy setting for a horror movie, with human remains exposed in desecrated crypts. The grounds are overgrown with weeds and brush, completely covering many tombstones, rendering paths impassible.

Feds' giant drug bust

From the Wall Street Journal:

Federal agents arrested more than 300 people in a two-day sweep of the methamphetamine-trafficking operations of Mexico's La Familia drug cartel, a fast-growing group the government said has reached deep into the U.S.

Prosecutors in New York, Dallas and dozens of other cities unveiled indictments against some of the senior leadership of La Familia, which means "the family" in Spanish and is one of Mexico's newer cartels.

The sweep and indictments culminated a 44-month operation during which the Justice Department arrested about 1,200 people and seized nearly 12 tons of drugs as well as $32.8 million in U.S. currency, Attorney General Eric Holder said. Officials said they disrupted La Familia cells across the U.S., including distribution hubs in Texas, Kansas, Georgia and New York.

"While this cartel may operate from Mexico, the toxic reach of its operations extends to nearly every state in the country," Mr. Holder said, adding that La Familia was notable for its "sheer level and depravity of violence." In July, after the arrest of several La Familia leaders, authorities in Mexico discovered the bodies of 11 slain Mexican law-enforcement officers.

City Journal reports how cartel influenced law enforcement corruption is crossing the border as well.

Bloomberg may close 25 firehouses next year

From the NY Post:

Up to 25 fire companies could be shuttered next year as City Hall cost cutters battle to extinguish the $5 billion hole burning through the municipal budget.

The closings are just one idea officials are weighing in the face of their yawning budget gap. Each ladder and engine-company shutdown would save about $1 million a year, sources said.

Another possible budget-slashing measure is lowering staffing on 60 engine companies from five firefighters to four.

City officials proposed slashing $16 million from this year's budget with engine-staffing cuts, but fire-union opposition scuttled the plan.

"It is expected that in the current financial climate, it will all be looked at again," an FDNY insider said.

Safety advocates are sounding alarms over the possibility of slashing fire companies and staffing.

"If this happens, it would be crazy," said Councilman James Vacca, chair of the Fire and Criminal Justice Committee.

"You can't put a price on a person's life. We proved by closing engine and ladder companies you are increasing response times. One minute, three minutes, five minute -- this means life and limb."

More NYC people on food stamps now than ever

From the NY Times:

The number of New York City residents receiving food stamps reached 1.6 million in August. The figure has surged nearly 30 percent in less than two years, the largest increase in the city in enrollment in the federal program since the early 1970s.

“From January 2008 through August 2009 food stamp enrollment increased by 354,000 persons, expanding the caseload by nearly 30 percent,” the city’s Independent Budget Office reported on Thursday. “Based on the current average monthly grant, the increase of food stamp recipients over the same period should result in about $680 million annually in additional federal assistance to low-income city residents, a level that’s juiced by the increase in benefits under the stimulus act.”

The magnitude of the surge has been “unprecedented,” the budget office found, noting that the state and city had taken steps in recent years to make it easier for eligible residents to apply for food stamps, but that the recession was probably an even greater explanation in accounting for the increase. The previous peak of food stamp enrollment, 1.46 million, occurred in April 1995.

10 Queens people arrested in mortgage scam

From Times Ledger:

Just one week after federal investigators busted an alleged mortgage fraud scheme that affected several Queens properties, federal prosecutors indicted 41 individuals last Thursday, including 10 Queens residents, for reportedly raking in $64 million in a similar scandal.

Preet Bharara, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, unsealed the charges in eight separate cases that were part of an investigation dubbed “Operation Bad Deeds.”

The suspects, who were charged with various counts including conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, allegedly obtained money for fraudulent mortgages for hundreds of properties by using straw buyers, property flips and equity stripping, according to the U.S. attorney.

“As the U.S. economy struggles, we will continue to have a zero-tolerance policy for those who defraud financial institutions and prey on homeowners on the brink of foreclosure,” Bharara said in a statement.

Ten of the 41 suspects included Queens residents and some of the properties were located in southeast Queens neighborhoods, which lead the state in the number of foreclosures.

Joseph Evans, 47, of Middle Village; Jerry Calonge, 34, of Fresh Meadows; Mark Barnett, 44, of Queens Village; Orette Killikelly, 45, of Jamaica; George Esso, 37, Elton Lord, 47, and Faith Esimai, 64, all of St. Albans; Rafick Bakus, 53, of Ozone Park; Norman Barabash, 64, of Bellerose; and Adeolu Adeniji, 50, of Springfield Gardens were all part of the schemes, the U.S. attorney said.

MTA to spend $1/2 million to stabilize buildings

Bracing for 2nd Ave. Subway
By TOM NAMAKO, NY Post

The MTA will shell out $500,000 to brace two shaky buildings for underground blasting along the Second Avenue Subway construction route, officials said yesterday.

It's cheaper for the agency to pay to stabilize 1768 and 1766 Second Ave. -- near East 92nd Street -- than suffer any more delays on the project, officials said.

The MTA has been using machines to dig the tunnel because the buildings were too wobbly, but soon hope to be able to blast through the underground rock.

Both buildings have a history of structural problems, which some residents blame in part on the prolonged project.

The agency's construction chief, Michael Horodniceanu, said, "We're doing just enough so these are stable for us to proceed with work. Beyond that, the owners will do whatever is needed" to make the buildings sound.

Bloomberg believes in Democracy

From NY1:

"It's sad, there are young men and women for 235 years who have been fighting and dying so that we have the right to vote, and yet you saw in the Democratic primary, especially in the runoff a very low turnout."

How about the fact that there are young men and women for 235 years who have been fighting and dying so that when the people vote in a referendum their vote will not be undone by a despotic billionaire who really wanted to be president but will take a third term as mayor as a consolation prize?

Above: Bloomberg at the Onderdonk House talking about how important it is to preserve the character of our neighborhoods. "And we are doing it" he says.

Heh.

Video by nutrichris on YouTube.

DOI busts Huang supervisor for bribery

From DOI:

ROSE GILL HEARN, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the arrest of JIANGUO GAO, a construction company supervisor charged late yesterday with giving a DOI undercover investigator a $50 bribe to overlook violations at a Flushing, Queens construction site. DOI’s investigation was prompted by a report received yesterday from a City Department of Transportation (“DOT”) inspector that a supervisor at the site had offered the inspector “coffee money” when the inspector was checking to see whether an earlier violation had been cured. The office of Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown is prosecuting the case.

DOI Commissioner Rose Gill Hearn said, “Bribing a City inspector to walk away from a violation is a dangerous move. We rely on inspectors to protect public safety, and attempts to corrupt them will result in arrest and prosecution. City employees who report corruption to DOI, as required, know that the law will be enforced even-handedly. This DOT inspector made the right call.”

GAO, 38, of Queens, is charged with Bribery in the Third Degree, a class D felony, which, upon conviction, is punishable by up to seven years in prison.

According to the criminal complaint, on October 21, 2009, at a construction site at Sanford Avenue and College Point Boulevard, a DOI undercover investigator walked through the site with GAO and noted violations of DOT regulations, specifically a blocked fire hydrant and the absence of a pedestrian path or walkway. GAO then led the investigator across the street, removed a $50 bill from his wallet, and handed it to the investigator, saying in substance that it was for GAO “not to
pay.”

H. Rock Corporation, of 3609 Main Street in Flushing, is building new apartments at the construction site. Workers on the site identified GAO as the job supervisor.

The above screenshot was taken from an online DOB document.

Why do you think the inspector had $50 in "coffee money" in his pocket? And who only offers a $50 bribe? Sheesh...

Vallone eyes Astoria rezone

From the Queens Gazette:

Councilmember Peter F. Vallone Jr. and members of the Department of City Planning have been working closely with Community Board 1, civic groups, the Norwood Neighborhood Association, the Greek American Homeowners Association and the Central Astoria Local Development Corporation [CALDC] to develop a plan that strengthens Astoria’s zoning laws.

The past eight months have been spent defining the rezoning proposal as follows:

•Increase the amount of proposed commercial zoning recognizing existing uses and provide more business location opportunities

•Reduce the maximum allowable building height from 125 feet to 80 feet for any development in proposed high density zones and tightening the boundaries of where these zones are proposed.

•Astoria’s current zoning, mostly consisting of R5 and R6 areas, which allowed for any type of development, will transform into many smaller specifically targeted areas, reflecting existing contexts while supporting appropriately scaled enlargements.

Vallone said, “The rezoning is an effort to prevent people from tearing down existing buildings to construct new buildings that are out of character, while allowing homeowners to improve and expand their property in context with the area.”

Photo from Times Ledger

New MTA chief considering off-peak subway & bus fares

From the NY Times:

The new chairman of New York’s transit system is looking to introduce a pricing policy that would offer passengers discounts to ride late at night and on weekends, an abrupt break from a century-old fare model that could be the city’s biggest transportation revolution since the demise of the token.

A new computerized, scannable fare card would allow New York City Transit to charge passengers different prices depending on the time of day, a practice already in place in London, where Jay H. Walder, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, first worked with the concept.

“We might imagine that we offer discounts at later times, or we offer weekend discounts,” Mr. Walder said in an interview on Wednesday. “Time-of-day pricing might be very attractive.”

The goal would be to encourage use of buses and subways during traditionally quieter hours. And it would bring New York’s subway system in line with local commuter rails, which charge a range of fares.

Kevin Kim's moving adventures

For a guy who claims to be from Bay Terrace, Kevin Kim sure has bounced around...from Manhattan...to Flushing...and to CD 19 just in time to run!

I can't wait for Ruffles to write an exposé on this.

Ceiling on their heads in Hollis

From NY1:

"Over the course of the last five years it's been a nightmare. We've gone with essential services just being neglected to nothing being done at all," said Hollis Court Tenant Association President Marilyn Mays.

Residents say they have pictures documenting the problems that went uncorrected for weeks including partial ceiling collapses, leaks and sewage backups. They also say the boiler for the 54-unit garden apartment complex was broken nearly two weeks before the landlord fixed it Wednesday morning. Many residents also pointed to what they say have been shoddy repairs.

While walking around the complex Wednesday, NY1 spotted some unfinished work and at least two stop work orders that were issued by the New York City Department of Buildings. Residents also furnished NY1 with a copy of a 2007 state order for the landlord to repair their courtyard, which has yet to be done.

"He knows how to go to court and make sure that you pay him, but when you want something done in this complex he ain't coming around," said Hollis Court tenant Pearl Wand.