Long Island City’s Waterfront Crab House suffers serious fire damage

Oh man, this is sad. I saw this from my window two night’s ago and had hoped it wasn’t severe. Look forward to getting the C-house back!

Sorry, I’m not crazy about the Crabhouse. The food is wretched. Too bad about the fire though.

OK, wretched is maybe a little harsh. But their sauce is terrible. Seafood is nothing you couldn’t get at Red Lobster. The best part is the decor. It’s the kind of place I’ll eat at if I’m just along for the ride, but I’d never go their if I had the choice.

Sorry about the fire, but I don’t like the way they treated the Water Taxi Beach patrons.

I love this place. The seafood is great, but don’t overlook the beef either – as good as any I’ve had.

I wish the owner the best in bringin this place back – hopefully soon.

No. 11, amen to that. If WTB can’t or refuses to control the worst of its customers this year, it should be shut down, just like any other bar or restaurant would. It’s a shame that the owners allow this great place to be highjacked by a mob with no respect for the community.

I’m sorry, I’m a regular at WTB and I have not notice any “mob” or “savages”. just young people having a good time. I think the crab house was jealous and din’t like the competition.

14, pissing on stoops and sidewalk, destroying planters, yelling at the top of their lungs inthe street at 3Am? I call people who do that savages.

Residents of LIC: Fire could’ve been worse. NYC is planning to close Engine Co. 258 which is quartered out of the 47th Avenue firehouse near Vernon Blvd. It’s not “official” yet because they dont have to give the community more than 30 days notice and they don’t plan to. The Ladder Co. will stay open but a Ladder Co. forces entry, vents, and searches, it does not operate hoselines or respond to EMS calls prior to an ambulance arriving. When it is official, the firehouse will be reaching out to the community, just be prepared.

If this company is closed, residents of Hunters Point will be waiting for an engine company from Greenpoint & McGuinness in B’klyn, or 37th Av& 12th St up past queensbridge to respond to their emergency.

Puking and pissing on stoops- what do those water taxi beach savages think this neighborhood is- Williamsburg?

The waterfront eurotrash dance party isn’t my cup of tea, but I’ll miss the WTB once they’ve built “affordable” housing for folks who make $150k/year over the top of it..

#20: we’ll be neighbors! i can’t wait.

23, please don’t encourage WTB customers any further.

#18 it’s no surprise that no one here is concerned about the firehouse closing. Maybe when their asses are burned to a crisp, they’ll realize how important the issue is.

There’s a good article in this week’s Queens Tribune about the Crabhouse situation. They didn’t post it on their site, but I have it on mine if you’re interested: Historic Crabhouse closes after fire.

Hey, 26. I really was insulted by your comment, and this is coming from someone who has often agreed with what you have to say about the chaotic development in LIC. I find it pretty incredible that you don’t believe there are plenty of people in LIC who care deeply about our neighborhood as much as anyone else. How childish of you! What you did was make a sweeping generalization about the people’s attitudes here, which is frightfully ill-formed. I think you need to get acquainted with the people here because it’s obvious you’ve missed the mark widely on this one.

31, so after I posted my comment in 30 above, you still had to give us your moronic observations as well? Right, people in LIC don’t want a firehouse in their neighborhood. How can you be so idiotic?

The city confirmed when the new budget came out, that on July 1st, 11 companies will be closing, and on January 1st, 5 more will close. A list came out of which companies are to close, but the city will not confirm it because they dont want to give the communities time to fight it. There will not be official documentation until June 1st when the law requires the city to inform the community board.

They are selecting companies in double houses (meaning Engine & Ladder Co) so as to not use the term “closing firehouses”. They think the average citizen is an ignorant moron and will not care that the company is gone because technically there are “firemen in the firehouse”.
The city wont confirm it at this time but please get the word out so on June 1st, the community is organized and it doesn’t come as a surprise.

just to let everyone know the staff at the crabhouse are alright seeing how evberyone’s talking about the fire it will be back stronger then ever.. oh one more thing thank’s to everyone who had to turn such a terrible thing in to talking about how they treated the people oh i am sorry the animal’s from the wtb if you people knew the real deal of what was going on you people would not be sticking up for these people at the wtb … i am sorry there was one person who understood he called them savage’s..

I’d hate for there to be a fire in LIC and the drawbridge is up so that the firefighters from Greenpoint can’t get here if the LIC firehouse closed.

What is wrong with people… The Crabhouse has been been a family establishment for over 30 years… As far as the Beach people go I am very close to the waitress that worked outside in the summer that had to put up with being cursed at, watching them urinate in the street and harrassing the customers at the tables… unless you’ve seen them in action drunk stumbling all over the place you really shouldn’t voice an opinion… they are loud and obnoxious…. families don’t expect to see this when they bring their children out to dinner…
I personally can’t wait for the Crabhouse to reopen…. he will welcome his staff back with open arms…. so many people are without jobs…. I for one am glad it can be rebuilt and all Tony’s memories didn’t burn …. He’s a good man that has helped many over the years….

I too am glad this is getting out in the open. I remember when WTB opened, anyone who complained about the behavior of their customers was shouted down and called intolerant or being against change in the neighborhood. Why the police or our community leaders have turned the other way and allowed that business to get away with unleashing a drunken, out of control mob on the neighborhood is unbelievable. I know people in the area who are terrified of being outside when they roam the streets, without a police officer in sight. I dread that place opening up again this spring and fear that problems there could escalate if something isn’t done to better manage their customers.

I was very sorry to hear this,as long as nobody was hurt you will come bouncing back.

I wish you all well ,you have your loyal customers,we will just wait,please give my best to everybody .

Jeffrey [ The English Guy]

Tell Bobby now he no excuse in not going to Florida for a Weeks!!!!!!!!!!

How many people who complain on this and related boards, have actually done something besides calling 311 and/or shooting out complaint e-mails, concerning the problems with the “savages” from WTB ? I hear all of this bitching and moaning, but who can actually step forward and say that they have taken concrete steps to try to alleviate the problem? If anyone has; why haven’t they posted it to encourage others to join the effort?

You can file an official complaint with the State Liquor Authority, write to the District Attorney’s office, flood the 108th with calls whenever these problems arise. Go en masse to the 108th Community Council & CB2 meetings. Everytime you see a cop on the street; stop him or her and complain. Get a neighborhood petition going. Contact all of the city and state representatives. Organize, organize, organize!! Hey, it’s not like this is rocket science!

This should have been nipped in the bud, long ago. Like I’ve always said; if you do nothing, you’ll get nothing, nor will you solve anything.

Now, let’s see who will be the first to attack and insult me. If you can’t discuss this rationally, then don’t bother posting.

Water Taxi Beach is a unique and good place (in theory). You want to get rid of the problem, not the business itself. A large gathering of those concerned (preferably as an organization because that carries more weight, than a bunch of individuals) should go down and speak to the owner in person. It would help if you go with realistic suggestions. That might help to get the ball rolling. It’s always best to work with cooperation, than to go up against resistance.

By the way, the Crabhouse is an institution, and they’ve been serving up good food and good atmosphere, for a long time.

Charlie.

The police at the 108th are very well aware of the problem, as many people have phoned them. Clearly, they need to beef up their patrols when WTB and PS 1 have events, especially on steamy summer nights when the animals go crazy.

If the city can flood the streets with cops for parades, street fairs, fireworks displays or antiwar marches attended by mostly law-abiding and not intoxicated people, then you would think an event that attracts a mob of spoiled drunk kids looking for trouble would get at least one or two cop from our precinct on the the street.

My Wife and I go to the restaurant all the time. I am saddened that this happened and past by tonight and could not believe the damage. I hope everything turns out for the good and the restaraunt opens soon. I hope no one got hurt because that is the main thing. My company has private functions and will miss the good foods. The staff are always nice to everyone and i wish the best for them to find a job for now. times are bad right now and i hope the same staff that are alwas there get welcomed back when remodeled..