Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Activist climbs tree City Hall for community gardens by Suzannah B. Troy
Reminder "TREES" that lived their entire lives in Washington Square Park were ripped out and taken away for NYU and Mike Bloomberg's unwanted "improvements".
The New York Times covered activist protesting at City Hall demanding Mike Bloomberg promise to save all community gardens.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvJI76uYIBo
Here is the link for the YouTube above -- I do not know why it won't work directly from the blog but the link will work!
I am next. I am climbing up the same tree and I am not coming down until Mike Bloomberg fires his campaign staff and reimburses the City of New York, Christine Quinn and her staff tell us the people how much tax payer money has been spent on their defense attorneys and democracy is returned to NYC....
FYI: Best Tree Activist book -- completely inspire you and will make your heart grow!!! Read, embrace the book, hug a tree!!!!!!! Love and hugs, Suzannah
George Bliss Hudson Bicycles W. Village by Suzannah B. Troy
Today in The New York Post -- Page 6 I saw a beautiful photo of Kate Winslet with a hottie male model jogging along side her as she road her tric made by George Bliss. Her beautiful child was along for the ride. Apparently these bikes are all the rage with glamourous Moms here in NYC.
George and me reunited -- George and Orvis (I was in love with Orvis now in doggie Heaven) lived across the street from my windows on 12th Street over 20 something years ago! Go to my blog engine and YouTube and type George Bliss or Hub Station to see more postings!
Joanie Schwarz a beautiful talented photographer checks out Hudson Urban Bicycles formally known as Hub Station! Here photos are beautiful. Click on the link and see the photo of the baby! Oh, I want the baby and a custom George Bliss tric to bicycle with the kids!!!!!
Hudson Urban Bicycles formally known as Hub Station Soho is back! For George Bliss admirers check my past postings and YouTubes on him!!!!!!
He has amazing bicycles and unique customs from Denmark and other countries across that big Ocean or he could build you a custom!
You can get repairs, you can rent, you can store your bicycle there, your can urbanize and accessorize your bike!
Come to Charles and Washington Street --- actually 139 Charles Street ---
212-965-9334 http://hudsonurbanbicycles.com/
Ben Shaoul inside poop on Penthouse post by Suzannah B. Troy
Dear Blog Readers: Click on this link and read the article by David Seifman of The New York Post Article on Ben Shaoul and the penthouse.
Note: Since posting The New York Times has come out with a piece and a stand out quote by housing activist lawyer! If only we could remove more zone busters....and force developers to un-do their dirty work.
A soource says the article is sh/t!
For the inside poop and scoop please read below!!!!!
I got this email from a source who knows.....
The Post article is shit. Apparently, they thought it sufficient to speak with Marvin Mitzner, high powered real estate/zoning attorney for the owners of the buildings, the Shaouls, without quoting any tenants. We thought the Times would write something this time but...
Here is the real story. Yes, it is a partial symbolic victory that the seventh floors (so-called penthouses) must be removed but the BSA has acted irresponsibly by allowing the variance after initially ruling in 2008 that the vertical enlargements contravene strict enforcement of Multiple Dwelling Law fire and safety requirements. Briefly, MDL 211 allows tenements to add a 6th floor or go to 75 ft. so long as the fire and safety provisions (found in Articles 3 and 5 of MDL) are met, that is, provided the non-fireproof building is fire-proofed. When the tenants of 515 E. 5th St. and 514-516 E. 6th St. brought their appeal to the BSA (Board) opposing the DOB's allowance of the construction of two extra floors the Board agreed and issued a unanimous ruling revoking all permits. The owners then appealed to Supreme Court. That Judge tabled her decision and told the owner's they had not exhausted their administrative remedies, i.e. they could seek their own variance at the BSA. The owners then went back to the BSA to do so but only on 514-516 E. 6th Street leaving the 5th St. building in limbo. In fact, the Supreme Court judge should not have heard the cases together since the BSA had issued two separate rulings for the 5th and 6th St. buildings.
Corporation Counsel then gave the Board (BSA) a loophole through a strained interpretation of MDL 310 which discusses the BSA's legal authority to issue MDL variances. Tenants argued that according to MDL 310(c) the BSA lacks legal authority to issue MDL variances because the building has been altered pursuant to plans filed after 1961. But Corporation Counsel and the Board agreed with the owners that 310(a) pertained allowing the Board to issue variances because the building was in existence in 1948 (regardless of the fact that it was thereafter altered). In other words, who cares about the alteration so long as the building existed before that. Of course, an alteration presumes the existence of a building. Otherwise, what would be altered. This means that the plain language of the law should not have allowed the variance at all.
The facts of the case are also at issue. The owners claimed to have provided "alternative" fire and safety provisions equal to or better than those required by the MDL but these claims have not been vetted in any way. The Board simply accepted the owner's claims at face value. The MDL explicity requires a 3 hr. fire rated enclosed central stairwell. This should have necessitated the removal of all highly flammable wood studding and plaster lathing from the interior stair walls, the installation of four layers of fire-proof gypsum board drywall, two on each side of the stair walls (apt. and stair sides), the removal of wood studding from floors, a stairwell at least 3 ft. wide in all places, etc. That's why these vertical enlargements have not been tried all over the city. To strictly comply would be impossible in an occupied building because it most certainly would require a complete gutting of the building interior and total reconfiguration of apts. The BSA has now ruled that simply by saying you have fire-proofed a building and adding a sprinkler system owners may circumvent these MDL restrictions, in place since 1929.
This is a terrible precedent. Many other buildings may now go through the same ordeal perhaps not in this immediate area due to the reduced FAR under the new zoning but wherever possible owners will be looking at opportunities to add a sixth floor on their tenements simply by adding a sprinkler system, MDL be damned.
The tenants' point of view is that the owners should not be rewarded for making a bad investment based upon a plan which involved needed displacement of long-time rent regulated tenants. They should not have spent exhorbitant amounts of money on these properties thinking that they could add luxury apt. square footage on top, behind, and below (at least in the case of 515 E. 5th), then use the conditions caused by construction to drive out long-time rent regulated tenants so that noone would be left to oppose their plans. Ultimately, they then lease these new units to young NYU students, long term tourists, or Wall Street traders who make noise 24/7 and could care less about the aggrieved original tenants.
So, first the DOB ignored its mandate by allowing the projects and issuing permits and now the Board has reversed itself and given a green light to similar projects despite any claims they make make to the contrary.
But, they could not ignore all the MDL provisions, for instance those prohibiting the addition of a seventh floor without putting in an elevator. That is why they have said remove the seventh floor (penthouses). Other than that, they have given these owners and all developers seeking to do the same thing the rest of the pie. They said you may now add an additional story to all your old law tenements simply by adding a sprinkler system. This is not a responsible exercise of their duties.
According the the Post article the owners shall now seek a similar variance re 515 E. 5th Street requiring more legal battles from beleaguered tenants. Any community would be greatly appreciated.
P.S. It should also be said that the tenants at 515 E. 5th St. won a previous case before the BSA regarding the "Sliver Law" (Zoning Resolution 23-692) barring vertical enlargements beyond 60 ft where the Resolution applies. Yet, even though neither BSA ruling affecting that building has been reversed the DOB has consistently ignored tenant entreaties to enforce the resolutions. The sixth and seventh floors have been continuously occupied since Sep. 2007 despite the BSA rulings and despite the owner's failure to obtain the Certificate of Occupancy now required by the major alteration. There are open DOB violations to this effect but the DOB refuses to issue vacate orders. Three other apts. in the building are constructed contrary to approved DOB plans (3+ bdrms. instead of the approved 1 bdrm.) leading to overcrowding and persistent noise problems. The DOB has also issued violations for these including administrative violations for falsely claiming correction (these carry a criminal penalty). These latter violations were dismissed when the owners' representative swore under oath and submitted questionable documents at an Environmental Control Board hearing in Sept. 2009. They asserted that it was not they but their tenants who constructed the additional full walls in one of these apts. and that this happened not once, but twice. All efforts to get the DOB and ECB to do something have been ignored. The District Attorney's office seems uninterested in pursuing a clear case of misrepresentation of the facts (tenants have full hearing transcripts from the ECB through a FOIL request).
Ben Shaoul is rumored to be shady and less than ethical -- just google his name and also try other spellings like Ben Shaul -- there may be even other spellings.....
plenty should pop up....
Bloomberg Staffers EXPOSED by Suzannah B. Troy
So corrupt and more is to be exposed. Wolfson is such a sell-out dirt bag and how many city council members that voted to extend term limits were and are getting kick backs oops campaign donations from developers? Way too many...With Wolfson just underscores what a greedy guy he is and he was originally anti-Mike but Mike bought him and now we the tax payers pay Wolfson's 6 figure salary that Mike should pay out of pocket. THE BIGGEST JOKE IN TOWN -- THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST COMMITTEE.
Above 2 links to The New York Daily News exposing kick backs aka campaign donations from real estate developers and the one directly above ends exposing Christine Quinn -- no Jane Jacobs.
Again Mike Bloomberg blurs the lines between his private and public empire. He had an advertisement on the steps at Grand Central that said "Think Bloomberg". Orwellian. Time to look back and go over how many city council members got kick backs/campaign donations from developers including Christine Quinn and also research the developments. Sounds like it is time for firing staff at city hall and maybe some arrests. Impeach Mike Bloomberg and Christine Quinn. Deputy Goldsmith said no more hiring buddies hardee har...what a joke.
And click here to read another article and this on Wolfson having investments in a company developing The Nets Arena. Just remember Wolfson is the sell-out behind the most humiliating expensive win in NYC history and helped Mike Bloomberg and Christine Quinn to flush democracy down the toilet.
Wolfson disliked Bloomberg as well but Mike bought him like he bought the election and than put him on the payroll at city hall with a six figure salary along with many other campaign staffers on the tax payers back. It shows Wolfson's greed and why he wants to be where he is willing to compromise his integrity and sell out. Almost all of the Bloomberg gang and city council that wanted to extend term limits were and are in bed with developers. In fact these city council members were exposed receiving kick backs oops campaign donations. It is all so corrupt, financially and politically incestuous and no paper wants to cover Steve Rattner, his pension fund scandals, the name of his new firm, if and when he gets banned by the SEC and his shunting Mike's money to the Cayman Islands.
. Wolfson huge sell out -- political whore -- sorry to insult whores exposed and I bet more to come...
More corruption will be exposed stay tuned....
Oh dear...here is more corruption already this morning and it is not even 7AM!
Oh dear...here is more corruption already this morning and it is not even 7AM!
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2010
Mike Bloomberg's money manger -- Steve Rattner pleads 5th but the NY Post not telling much so here is my comment
The article leaves out the fact Rattner stepped down from his job as Car Czar he said to spend more time with his family here in NYC. Is Mike Bloomberg his family? Everyone else believes he was forced to step down because of the pension fund scandals which would splish splash all the way to the White House. Denial is the new crack cocaine. Rattner wrote a book on rescuing the auto industry and he hopes to still plug the book with the help of his other bf the owner of The NY Times who I believe he also money manages. Rattner believed Quadrangle would take the fall -- not him so he shifted 5 bill of Mike money out to create a new firm. What is the name of this new firm? He was wrong Quadrangle disavowed him. In a pathetic bio on Bloomberg by Joyce Purnick also a gal w/ a book that gets the full support of the NYTimes she points out Rattner urged Mike to run for a 3rd term. Gee I wonder why? It was a huge conflict of interest for Rattner's company to be involved in pensions and is Steve Rattner a whiz or someone who just doesn't respect limits and the rules? Rattner has shifted a small amount of Mike's billions for charity to the Cayman Islands and Mike and Steve are less than forth coming on this just like everything else. Impeach Mike Bloomberg and the SEC needs to ban Rattner.
Click on the link for Cayman Islands -- “QAM Select Investors (Offshore) Ltd. -- when Rattner tried to set Quadrangle up for the fall he shifted 5 billion of Mike Bloomberg's money out. Did he shift it to QAM -- is that the new company he created to handle Mike Bloomberg's money?
Click on the link for Cayman Islands -- “QAM Select Investors (Offshore) Ltd. -- when Rattner tried to set Quadrangle up for the fall he shifted 5 billion of Mike Bloomberg's money out. Did he shift it to QAM -- is that the new company he created to handle Mike Bloomberg's money?
