Unions say there were more jobs for them under Bloomberg

From the Observer:

More than 100 unionized construction workers, labor brass and members of community activist groups rallied with 10 workers who claimed unsafe and abusive conditions led them to walk off the job at affordable housing projects—projects receiving city subsidies under Mayor Bill de Blasio’s ambitious affordable housing plan.

The rally included Iron Workers and District Council of Painters members as well as liberal minority groups like New York Communities for Change, and kicked off outside the Bronx County Courthouse before marching to two nearby city-subsidized building sites employing the controversial subcontractor U.S. Crane and Rigging. The demonstration marked the latest development in an ongoing conflict between the organized building trades and Mr. de Blasio over the mayor’s claims that requiring union wages and benefits would make many below-market housing projects financially unfeasible.

“De Blasio has turned his back on the working people, that’s the way we see it,” Eddie Jorge, an organizer for the Iron Workers union, told the Observer—arguing that more subsidized projects under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg used union labor than under the current administration.

The workers, most of them not fluent in English, claimed to have worked on several U.S Crane and Rigging jobs on affordable residential projects around the city. Those who spoke with the Observer described round-the-clock shifts without breaks for food or rest, insults from supervisors, insufficient safety equipment, not being fully compensated for hours worked and threats that the company would respond to complaints with termination or suspension.

Styrofoam is back

From Crains:

A state judge has overturned New York City's ban on plastic foam containers, finding the nearly 30,000 tons of dirty meat trays and to-go cups now sent to landfills can be recycled in a cost-effective way, according to a decision made public Tuesday.

The ban went into effect July 1 after lawmakers voted in 2013 to approve it unless a yearlong inquiry found the foam could be effectively recycled. An industry group of manufacturers, recyclers and restaurant-owners then sued, arguing that the ban was based on politics, not policy and that recycling was feasible.

The environmental initiative was spearheaded by former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, an independent, and supported by current Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat.

But state Supreme Court Judge Margaret Chan ruled that Department of Sanitation Commissioner Katheryn Garcia didn't properly take into account industry estimates of the market and recycling opportunities generated during the yearlong review period when she decided that plastic foam couldn't be recycled economically and in an environmentally friendly way.

Ms. Garcia didn't "clearly state the basis of her conclusions when the evidence contrary to her findings were clearly before her," Ms. Chan wrote, noting industry estimates that 21 companies would buy used containers from the city. She also noted the city would save $400,000 annually if 40 percent of its wasted plastic foam wasn't sent to landfills, though as much as 75 percent could be recycled following machinery improvements.

City wants money back from crooked Queens contractors

From the Daily News:

The housing authority paid $8 million to a Queens scaffolding company it now says was run by a couple of crooks operating right under their noses.

And now they want it all back.

Two weeks ago, NYCHA lawyers sued Metropolitan Bridge & Scaffolds Corp., demanding repayment of everything the firm has pocketed since it first won a contract to put up sidewalk sheds across the city in 2009.

The actions of Metropolitan and its principals are now the subject of an inquiry by the city Investigation Department, according to sources familiar with the matter.

NYCHA picked Metropolitan as the lowest responsible bidder a mere three months after the two men who founded the firm were busted on bribery charges.

Yet another bright idea!

From Curbed:

The New York Post reports that the MTA is seeking to revamp a section of disused railroad tracks in Long Island City, and has asking for community input on a park that could look somewhat similar to the High Line.

An MTA spokesman confirmed that the agency has released a Request For Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for the area as it explores all the options of what to do with this parcel of land. When this short stretch of railway, which the MTA calls the Montauk Cutoff, was in use, it "connect[ed] the LIRR's Lower Montauk Branch, which runs along the Newtown Creek, to the Sunnyside and Arch Street Yards to the north," according to the RFEI. But since the Cutoff isn't being used by the MTA anymore, they want to find a way to reuse it:

Specifically, the MTA is seeking expressions of interest from businesses, nonprofits, community groups, and individuals with innovative adaptive reuse concepts, and detailed implementation and operating plans for those concepts. These concepts can include, but are not limited to, public open space, urban farming, or museum or sculpture garden space.

But there are some conditions for groups who want to submit plans; namely, they must be able to provide access points for any plans that include public space; they must plan to bring utilities, like electricity and water, to the site; and they must plan for site maintenance. It's obviously too early to tell what may come of this RFEI, but there's no arguing that a park could be a boon for the area. Mitch Waxman, a neighborhood activist who leads tours of the nearby Newtown Creek, told the Post, "This could be a magnificent bit of green infrastructure."

Why would you want an elevated park among polluting factories? (Unless you plan to convert the land into condos and want a draw to make idiot yuppies spend millions to live there?)

Another proud Queens moment

From the LIC Post:

A 25-year-old man, who was allegedly drunk, drove his car for a mile on the LIRR tracks in Long Island City Sunday before his vehicle struck a third rail and burst into flames, according to MTA Police.

Ronny Mora of Corona entered onto the LIRR at the Borden Avenue railroad crossing shortly after 11 pm and continued to drive on the tracks going east for about three quarters of a mile—past the LIRR’s Hunterspoint Avenue Station, according to police.

Police said Mora abandoned his car as it smoldered and finally caught fire. He then walked back to the crossing where he told LIRR employees that he was “sorry” he had left his vehicle on the tracks.

Throw the bums out!

From NY Post:

A Gallup Poll released Friday found that three-quarters of Americans believe government corruption is widespread. That’s up by 9 percentage points since 2009, when only 66 percent of American adults said that federal, state and local officials were not to be trusted.

The results mirror New Yorkers’ attitudes about Albany in a new Quinnipiac University poll. A majority of voters in the state — 56 percent — say they want to throw all elected state official out of office so untainted lawmakers can take over.

Yet we'll re-elect the same trash again come Election Day. Yay!

Dragon boat capsizes off College Point

From CBS 2:

Nineteen people were rescued after their dragon boat overturned in College Point, Queens Sunday afternoon.
The incident took place at around 2 p.m. near 110th Street and 14th Avenue.
There were no serious injuries, the FDNY said.
As 1010 WINS’ Gary Baumgarten reported, one of the racers on the boat had proposed to his girlfriend before the boat capsized.

Perhaps that's a sign?

That's some alteration!

You may recall this Middle Village house from a November 2013 post entitled "Expanding the Farmhouse". I promised to follow up on this "alt-2" project when the final product was revealed. Well, here goes:

Interesting alcove above the front door. It's purpose? Dunno.

Yes, I can see how this would be classified as a minor alteration.

Katz as Katz can

Hello Crapmeister:

Check out this Katz propaganda from her latest Weekly Update from Queens Borough Hall. "Officiating" at the swearing-in of new citizens at King Manor on 9/17. See photo above.

She gratuitously left out the names of 5 people behind her, left to right:

1. The Master of Ceremonies of the entire event, Bryan Christian, Field Office Director, Queens Field Office, US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

2. Queens Field Office Section Chief, Ingrid Stochmal.

3. Queens Field Office Section Chief, Brian Meier.

4. Judge Eric Vitaliano, US Federal Court, Eastern District, who administered the Oath of Allegiance to the new citizens and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Katz in handing out the certificates of naturalization..

5. Nadezhda Williams, the new Executive Director of King Manor.

Katz mentioned the same old same old about the diversity of Queens. She told the gathering of her Ukrainian roots and the highlight of her Keynote Address was her mentioning that she was 50 years old and how hard it was to deliver her 4-year old son. "I'll never go through that again!" - anonymous

More Jamaica issues to add to the pile

From Cleanup Jamaica Queens:

Yeah, we just got the Queens International Night Market on Saturdays thru October and we have some development happening and in the works, so the future for Jamaica is 50-50 maybe, but the present is one big heap of garbage shit.

Coming back from a bike ride in nice, clean, civilized Long Beach, I encountered all this shit from the LIRR Sutphin Station and it AIN'T PRETTY.

Pushcart parking problem

"Hello there. I wrote to you some time ago about the parking of many cars with expired out of state (Illinois) license plates on the streets of Auburndale. Well they are still here, taking up space, still with expired Illinois plates, likely uninsured, as you can see in the pictures. But newer to the area is this covered push cart. It's parked on 35th Ave, by 172nd street, the address is 172-06 35th Ave. It's a push cart, not a vehicle with license plates. I'm not sure what function it serves to whoever it belongs to. But it doesn't belong on a public street. Why is it allowed to be stored there? Sometimes it's chained to the stop sign, other times it's not. Directly across the street on 35th Ave is a very busy public school, this is a high traffic area at drop off and pick up times. 311 has been called, the response is nothing was found. 311 has become a terrible joke which cost the taxpayers bundles of money to operate. Or is it the local police precinct? Likely both.

Thanks Queens Crap!" - anonymous

Drone footage of Queens locations

Broadway-Flushing rally roundup

There's lots to read:

Op-Ed Queens Tribune

Article Queens Tribune

Queens Examiner

Queens Chronicle

Times Ledger

Queens Courier

NY1

Apex of destruction

Among the streets of northeastern Forest hills, the two-block Apex Place is unique for defying the boring rectangular grid. The road is a remnant of the ancient North Hempstead Plank Road that connected Maspeth and Newtown with Flushing. As is often the case, old streets have old homes. On the corner of 63rd Road and Apex Place a charming colonial revival home owned for many decades by Lewis and Luba Meiselman. Lewis died in 1997 and his son Barry paid the taxes for another decade. In 2014, he sold the property to Artur and Alexandra Yakutelov through Dom Realty. This realtor has a long record of selling old homes to buyers who knock them down in favor of tract mansions. Don't get me wrong. Some of the new mansions look fabulous and worthy of the AIA Guide but most look like shit.

The new owners don't have the taste to maintain a colonial revival and applied in April 2015 to expand and renovate the home under architect Chang Hwa Tan. As for Barry, he lives in tony Scarsdale so why should he care what happens to his parents' historic house? This story isn't so different from the fate of historic 90-11 56th Avenue in Elmhurst, where the heirs of longtime resident Vera D. McCarthy sold it to a Chinese developer.

Little old home that has seen so much change
To become another shitty brick box
With a tall brick fence and shiny chrome gates
Your old owner died and his children don't care
For the beauty of a house
On a former colonial lane

-Former Forest Hills resident

Ron Kim nabs purse snatcher

From Eyewitness News:

A New York State assemblyman from Queens was walking down the street when he saw a woman being robbed.

The assemblyman played high school football in the Bronx and college football upstate, and it served him well Thursday.

"It was a crazy day," State Assemblyman Ron Kim said.

It was a crazy day for two-term Assemblyman Kim who found himself redefining the term constituent service, detaining a would-be purse snatcher on a busy Flushing sidewalk.

Moments earlier, he'd turned the corner as a woman with an infant was trying to chase the man down.

"I have a nine month old baby and all I could think was my wife walking the streets every single day and it happening to her," Assem. Kim said.

The man ducked into an office building, and for a moment Kim lost him and got on the phone to call 911.

But then, a Good Samaritan spotted the suspect, now wearing different clothes, and he charged up Main Street.

The assemblyman was still on the phone with police as he tackled him.

Another Meng in legal trouble

Meng (L) and Deng (R)

From the Queens Chronicle:

A Pennsylvania grand jury has recommended criminal charges against 37 people — including the brother of Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-Flushing) — in connection with the alleged fraternity hazing death of an Oakland Gardens teenager in 2013.

Chun Hsien “Michael” Deng was a student at Baruch College when he collapsed during what law enforcement sources have called a brutal ritual in which he was required to run blindfolded with a 30-pound backpack while being tackled and beaten by members of the Pi Delta Psi Fraternity.

Five Baruch students face charges of murder, according to numerous published and broadcast reports.

The Associated Press, New York Post and other sources report that Andy Meng, who was serving as national president of the fraternity in December 2013, has been charged with lesser felonies in connection with his alleged role in an attempted coverup.

The exact charges against Meng were not available from the office of Monroe County District Attorney E. David Christine Jr., which did not respond to messages left by the Chronicle.

Center Blvd may get ferry dock

From LIC Post:

The Long Island City ferry dock is likely to be located on northwest corner of Center Boulevard, according to representatives from the Economic Development Corp who spoke at a joint Hunters Point Parks Conservancy/Hunters Point Civic Association meeting at the Irish Center last night.

The EDC is currently working on expanding the East River ferry service and aims to introduce a new line by 2017 that will run from Hallets Cove in Astoria to Roosevelt Island, to Long Island City, to East 34th Street and Wall Street in Manhattan.

The Long Island City ferry dock will be in addition to the existing dock at Hunters Point South.

James Wong, director of ferries for the EDC, said the agency is currently evaluating the Center Boulevard site and another on 44th Drive (north of Anable Basin by Water’s Edge), but that the Center Boulevard is likely to be selected.

Another vibrant and diverse terrorist

From the Queens Courier:

A 22-year-old man who claimed to be “ready to die” for the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS or ISIL) was arrested at his Queens home by federal agents Thursday morning for allegedly making efforts to support the Mideast terrorist group.

Ali Saleh, whose exact address was not disclosed, allegedly made multiple unsuccessful attempts to travel to the area under ISIS control. His first failed attempt reportedly came when he booked a reservation for a flight from John F. Kennedy Airport to Istanbul, which he did not make.

“I’m ready to die for the Caliphate, prison is nothing,” he allegedly tweeted days before the scheduled flight.

In July of this year, prosecutors said, Saleh made additional attempts to travel to the Middle East and support ISIS, initially booking a flight from JFK to Cairo, Egypt. He allegedly used his Twitter account to reach out to an ISIS supporter known to instruct followers on how to travel to Libya, where ISIS is also present.

Daylighting of intersections proposed by City Council

From the Daily News:

The city could have 200 fewer parking spots at dangerous intersections under a City council bill being introduced Thursday.

Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez wants to ax up to eight parking spots on 25 perilous crosswalks in across the boroughs.

“You improve the visibility for drivers and you also create better conditions for cyclists and pedestrians to cross in those intersections,” Rodriguez, chair of the council transportation committee, said.

Disappearing parking spots has been a sore spot for drivers as the city pushes Mayor de Blasio’s Vision Zero street safety program and new Citi Bike stations.

CIP bridge springs a leak

Arthur Pace

From the Times Ledger:

A Whitestone man is calling out the city Department of Environmental Protection for not aggressively handling water leak problems at his home.

Arthur Pace, 53, said that in March, his wife was in the backyard of their home at 146-45 13th Ave. when she heard water spewing out of the abutment that supports the bridge onto the Cross Island Parkway. The backyard is near the bridge.

She called 311 and was referred to the Fire Department, which came and said the DEP would have to fix the problem.

Between March and the middle of August, Pace has called 311 eight times. He said that although the DEP has sent workers to address the problem, they did not do much to fix it except for shutting off the valves on either side of the bridge.

Water was running into Pace’s driveway and the saturated soil caused cracks in the sidewalk. He also noted that cars often use the middle lane instead of the exit lane to miss the water. And people have been walking in the streets to avoid the sidewalks.

Two weeks ago, DEP workers came to the home, but they said the contractor was busy in the Bronx, Pace said.