New Dev Casa Vizcaya causing damage to neighbor’s property? You don’t say.
The houses alongside the Casa Vizcaya development site, 10-40 46th Rd, LIC
The new development Casa Vizcaya is feeling some heat right now, thanks to alleged damage caused to the adjacent property, a townhouse owned by Kenny Greenberg and Diane Hendry. The Daily News reports:
“The Buildings Department recently slapped the project with a stop-work order “for failure to protect adjacent property” according to the agency’s Web site.”
“We’re defending our house,” said Greenberg, who has lived in the two-story house for nearly 20 years and owns a nearby neon company. “This has emotionally beaten us down for two years.”
“The couple’s complaints against the development include bulging walls, broken windows, water damage and cracks. They now have to replace the east wall of their home, which will force them to relocate temporarily.”
Living in Long Island City these days, it’s not an uncommon story. I’m sure many of us can relate to the headache of living near a building in construction - myself I am surrounded by almost ten within a 1 block radius, and about 4 within a baseball’s throw of my house. LIC certainly has it’s charms, and as has been noted before, Sunday is one of them. The day the construction stops. Unless of course, they have a permit, or are pretending like they do.
Anyway, lots of these old townhouses can’t take the repeated impact of the construction vibration. It really should be incumbent upon developers to take care when sandwiching a new condo building between semi-fragile townhouses where longtime LIC community residents live. Hopefully, they will. (Don’t worry, no one’s holding their breath over here.)
Incidentally, the couple who owns the townhouse was featured in this video short about the LIC community.
They community Board actually did get involved Monday or Tuesday, and are responsible for the Daily News article as well as putting in a complaint to DOB which shut down the site. The real problem is, there were 84,000.00 building permits issued in 2006 with only 207 DOB inspectors in place. And since everyone is complaining…. some with extreme serious life threating concerns, and scads of “Cry Wolf” situations, the DOB just can’t be expected to keep up. I blame this on the Bloomberg administration for unleashing such a building mess. The city has the nerve to increase the DOT work force by double what is was last year, and they can’t hire more inspectors? That says to me that raising revenue is more important then safety.
Diane
I live near a building in construction and have definitely noticed more cracks in my apartment. The constant jackhammering and endless banging really takes a toll. On the humans too. The developers should ABSOLUTELY be banned from working on the weekends at all. That’s just inhumane. Especially to the people in THIS neighborhood who have to put up with so much of it all at once.
LIC is being sold like a commodity, by government, brokers, developers, banks, magazine press etc. As the “The happening spot” “The Art’s Mecca” “The fastest commute” “The hippest area” New condo buyers come along and…are swayed by the sales pitch. And they don’t seem to think about the hard facts that could effect them down the line. Condo buyers can loose their view, buy a faulty building that they could get kicked out of. Look at City lights! Those folks have to spend 8 million dollars to fix their building. Won’t buyers get tired of the constant jackhammering and endless banging? The big ope sky’s you see, will not be what the buyer gets unless your on the water front, facing forward.
this is a problem of developer inexperience and the lack of safeguards NYC has against issuing permits to novices.
Lot of generalizations here. Its a shame that this happened, but overall development is a good thing for LIC.
It’s true #6, the development is not inherently evil. but the general attitude of developers is to be concerned more about the bottom line than the community. so it requires everyone to get in there and make sure we keep the balance. the townhouses and the people living in them are just as important as the new condos changing the face of LIC.
citylights comment by #4 (regency) is wrong.
Has anyone ever walked by this place? I was telling myself one day, “Why would a developer wanna build here with all these townhouses (if you can call them that) next to them. It looks so out of place.” I guess the developer figured it out and has had massive price drops in the recent weeks compared to other developments.
Diane to blame Bloomberg is unfair. He doubled the size of the buildings inspection staff, which was drastically reduced in the 1990s. They are simply overwhelmed by the amount of work that they face. We have gone through a period where NY as well as the rest of the country has gone through a period a unprecedented development. Bloomberg or any government should not have a role in trying to restrict development. The should make sure that it is being done legally responsibly and safely, but market forces should dictate what gets built. There is a treamendous need for housing in this city. Construction is a loud, dangerous complicted and expensive affair, however doing anything that discourages economic growth and creation of housing stock would be a huge mistake. In this particular case the developers seem to be committed to doing the right thing.
A few points. Diane implicated the administration for its inability to protect the existing neighborhood in the face of large scale development. We are not against development. The idea that market forces alone should dictate what gets built is not true. It’s not all about money. Quality of life means something and protecting ourself from physical harm and financial loss means something too. I don’t see anything in the Constitution Preamble that overtly promotes or protects corporate profit - especially at the expense of the small owner. To me it’s about a fair chance for us to survive and have our life and our home restored.
The statement that the developer is committed to doing the right thing has unfortunately not proven itself thus far to be true. We have been going through this for two years. We have been patient and cooperative and have even helped the developer establish local connections and relationships. We have maintained cordial relations with the developer and prior contractor. DOB initiated its action on its own several weeks ago and demanded paperwork that as of a week ago had not been provided. DOB threatened then to stop work in two days back then. We still maintained our patience and our naive belief that the developer would begin to do the right thing. But admittedly we are happy that DOB finally is forcing them to do something.
Despite what one of the partners now states in the News article, we have now been threatened with a law suit. We have been told that we caused the damage. We have been told that we started a war.
So I have to respectfully disagree with the comments of #10.
Last question. Are we the only ones willing to be non-anonymous here?
Look you got a raw deal here. Let’s not lose sight of that. I hope the developer does right by you, and I’m sorry that you had to go through this ordeal. Will stand up and defend you in every respect on that front. However, it think that calls for coordinated planning of projects, or curbs on growth of our city and country are unwarented. The surest way to screw something up is to get the government involved in it.
There is nothing in the Constitution that protects corporate profit , but there certainly is plenty in there about the government not being able deprive any person of the legal use of their property. If a person or corporation purchases land and there are no restrictions to the use of said land why should anyone step in to dictate to that land owner what they should do on that property? Corporations as well as people are profit driven. Our entire economy is built on that. You can’t pick and choose when to have a free market economy based on when it is convenient.
#12 I agree that having government involved can have ramifications. So why do we have it?
I love LIC
I’ve lived on 46th Rd for 17 years and lived in LIC for 20. It’s hard not to be upset with what is happening to my neighborhood. But after 4 years of living among construction it certainly doesn’t seem to be letting up. What infuriates me is the lack of caring to the history of the area. Old buildings are being torn down left and right. Buildings that housed middle class families, artists and the elderly. Are any of these replacement “luxury condos” being built with that faction of the community in mind? And then when upstanding folks who are homewners that care about LIC are basically dumped on by these developers then something just has to be done. I’ve walked by a beautifully restored home everyday of the year to watch the cracks on the facade get larger and larger. I know what kind of ground Casa Vazcaya is sitting on and its not exactly sound. Why was a building with a underground basement allowed to be built there? This is what causes damage to historical homes. The lack of caring and concern for a neighborhood it has invaded.
Janet
It’s only going to get worse guys. Construction costs are crazy high and they’re only going to get higher. And then on top of that the banks are tightening on credit and pertinent to LIC, the abatement incentives are ending. Which means developers are going to cut even more corners and have even more disregard than they do already. I agree with you LIQcity, it should be incumbent upon the developers to take care when building, but the reality is they’re just not incentivized to do so. If they act like they do, it’s usually just political lip service. It will take a strong gov’t and community response to hold these guys to task. Maybe someone should start a local watchdog group.
I really don’t like the tone of most of this entreprecapitalispeculativeloper doubletalk. Few contributors to this “conversation” seem to address the issue and some of these diatribes defending the developers’ rights to build where and how they like, just like our arrogant government’s occupation of Iraq, are floating and bloating with other stuff and seem to think Kenny and Diane should just accept this bullshit ‘cos it’s the way things go now. GOBBLEDEEGOOK ! What the heck are you talking about…developers are not ” incentivized” to respect adjacent properties, #16 ,and what corporate manual did you dig up that ridiculous jargon from?? Have you been hibernating under a rock, or have you got an ounce of intelligence or awareness of what’s been happening to America’s infrastructure in the last decade or more??? Did you hear the news of the Minneapolis bridge collapse, or were you floating in a pool at Club Med ??? Perhaps when a crane collapses on your assets you’ll wake up to the Unlimited Stupidity & Arrogance of this country’s sports mentality of winning at all costs and start thinking “outside the box” in which #11 is trapped with their “profit driven” philosophy. Having studied to be an architect and knowing many, I find it incredulous that Radusky exempts himself from anything to do with construction ( as quoted in the News) .That’s like a chef delivering the flame to the table.What nonsense!! Architects, along with the engineers, have been trusted with the supervision of the safe and reliable construction of their designs for thousands of years!!And how can a construction manager with one month’s experience of this job deny the impact of two years ‘building on a high water table on Kenny and Dianes’ home next door? Who are these people? They’re invaders…like this country, and until they are cut down to size, ( yes, requiring local government, one reason we have it ) then there will be more wall collapses, explosions, cracks and sinkings, just like we read and hear about most of the time.
#12. “You can’t pick and choose when to have a free market economy based on when it is convenient.” That is, unless you’re Bear Stearns.
#17 you are all over the place, and not necessarily disagreeing with the comments you are also attacking.
Not sure I understand 17 or 18.
Not sure I understand #20.
I think #17 and #18 are pretty clear!
Not sure I understand #23
Hi , my name’s #24 and I’m your blogger tonite and I’d like to help you misunderstand the menu.
who are you people? jeesus. this is a serious topic. wake up!
Yes, some people who have lived in LIC for 20+ years liked the dumpy neighborhood with nothing going on. But they live in NYC, and when a prime, desirable location for living loses its manufacturing and industrial base, you can’t selfishly expect a waterfront area a stone’s throw from midtown to just stay a dump when it can be transformed into a gorgeous, active, exciting residential location. Criticize this builder for not being more careful with respect to adjacent houses, but stop your whining about building luxury condos that are turning a non-descript nothing area into a desirable place.
#27 makes perfect sense to me.
#26, Be honest, you really don’t give a rat’s ass what the builders do in HP. Who cares if your “dumpy” neighbor’s living room wall comes crashing down on them, as long as you get your “gorgeous, active, exciting” neighborhood.
#28 makes no sense at all.
Thankyou # 28. I am so tired of people calling LIC a shitty neighborhood before they came here. What arrogance.
#30 - How would you describe LIC 15-20 years ago? And please refrain from using foul language.
I have pictures. A dump is accurate. Vegatation was growing wild, old tires and trash discarded near the waterfront abandoned cars, etc. This is what amazes me. For years this land sat idle and no one cared, but not that people are doing things with it now everyone has an opinion. Why didn’t you organize a neighborhood clean up or something like what is being done for Gantry park now back then? The new residents are picking up the slack that the city leaves.
#30-This is how I would describe it. Safe, affordable, and QUIET.
Janet
Janet - it was “affordable” because it was a dump and most people didn’t want to live there. If you want “QUIET”, you shouldn’t be living in New York City. It is safer now than it was back then. It is pretty selfish for anyone to think that LIC should just stay the way it was 15 years ago when it can be turned into one of the best areas in all of NYC.
It was not a “dump”. It was a quiet little neighborhood much the way the “Old New York” was. We even had a grocery store! It is not safer. What about the stabbing on Vernon Blvd. last summer? And the horrible beating in the parking lot of Taxi Beach. There are neighborhoods in NYC that are quiet, in that they aren’t pummeled with the noise of construction all day long. I am not trying to live in the past, I would love for LIC to be the best area in NYC. For me it always has been. There just needs to be more restrictions to keep things from moving so fast.
Janet
For years now, the pro-condo crowd has continually belittled the opinions of those raising legitimate concerns about the feverish pace of development in LIC and the effects it has had on the quality of life for many neighbors. Like #34, they argue from intimidation, essentially implying that anyone who has lived in LIC before they arrived on our East River shores was an uncouth savage for living in a grimy neighborhood without a tower in sight, save the Schwartz Chemical building, which, of course, they promptly dispatched. I suppose they somehow expect much more gratitude for their condescension and resent that some of their new neighbors don’t share their zeal for the dizzying changes they helped usher into LIC.
Let’s be clear, the old-timers aren’t opposed to change in the neighborhood. I don’t know anyone who isn’t glad that the city finally is paying attention to this long ignored neighborhood and cleared wrecked cars and other crap from the waterfront. (And, by the way, the cops would have arrested anyone they caught wandering on the East River waterfront, so neighborhood clean-up be damned!) The old-timers just object to HOW the changes are occurring. Is it too much to expect that developers and the city do a more intelligent job of managing new construction and all of its annoyances without driving people crazy in the process? Why isn’t that part of their job?
I have been a friend of Diane’s since we were kids in High School. Both she and Kenny are two of the most reasonable, accommodating and intelligent people you’ll ever have the pleasure to meet. They care deeply about others and have always been active in their community. I know they have put a tremendous amount of backbreaking work and love into their home over the past 20 years.
I’m not familiar with your local government, but where I live - Meridian Township, Michigan - we have very strict zoning laws. We also have regular township meetings attended by citizens who speak out and their voices are heard. Expanding our Walmart to a Super Walmart was recently rejected following public outcry at a meeting.
There is a lot to complain about with regard to government; however, we need to remember that we are the people, we elect these officials, we can run for office, and our voices are heard when we join together and speak rationally (and loudly, if necessary).
And #16, with regard to being a good neighbor, the incentive is that you’ve done the right thing and can sleep at night with a clear conscience.
Finally, I agree with Kenny – what’s up with all you anonymous people?
Linda
Thank you #36. Well put!
No. 37, Linda, nice comments. What’s most distressing to me after reading many of the posts on liqcity is that “reasonable, accommodating, and intelligent” are increasingly rare qualities not held in especially high regard by many people in NYC these days. The city, and LIC in particular, is just not the same place anymore.
Linda Livezey , do you think that you are any less anonymous by filling in a name? Please post your full name, address, telephone, social security number, mothers madien name and date of birth so that we can verify who you are.
LIC is definitely not the same anymore. the virus has arrived. we lived so peacefully for so long. ok, so we were light on restaurants - do you have any idea how much awesome food and shit there is in every single neighboring hood? and other places easily accessible by that 7 train - it goes the other way too you know.
#40, Do you realize how ridiculous you sound and appear? Linda gives here FULL name AND township where she lives. If it was so important to you to actually establish that she is a living, breathing, concerned human being, you would be able to find her rather than disqualify her existence.
We should be building community, not bashing it. Why does LIC continue to miss the topics at hand and turn discussion into who is wright, who is wrong, who is a yuppie, a guppie, a hipster a condo brat etc. There are 2 things in life. Conflict and discussion.
So that being said I hope that the developer will take full responsibility for correcting damage that has been done to the above discussed property. And despite this unfortunate incident….the developer continues to display behavior, and truthfulness in a way that encourages building community.
Does anyone here remember the wonderful, hard-working husband and wife team that had the muffin shop on Vernon down the block from DHL (which is no longer there as well) when the overpass was still there? They had a painting of the train overpass with a winged angel landing on the street hanging in the shop that was the perfect touch.
I used to live down the block in the 1980’s towards the river almost towards the corner (next to a one story artist loft which is not there now) and have fond memories of the neighborhood, my neighbors and the general sense of old New York history here, but I’ve been living in Astoria for the last 18 years and have not been connected here until recently we decided to bike ride to the old neighborhood and may I say, am very, very sad this has happened here on such an enormous, uncaring scale. I don’t really care to go into my true feelings since I am very upset this has happened and I don’t wish to upset anyone here since there seems to be enough of that but I was just wondering if they are still in business. They made the WORLD”S BEST MUFFINS and they opened early in the morning so people could have them warm for breakfast. The best was the orange muffins.
I will say though, to remove the overpass trestle over the old train tracks was a huge mistake. It seems the main defining landmark of the neighborhood was needlessly removed from it’s rightful place. It could have been preserved and the grassy park still could have been placed over the tracks as it has.
I’m very sorry this is happening to my old neighborhood (and to your new one).
Steve
#26 You are dead wrong and it is obvious you were not born and raised here. But you were indeed born and raised with a silver spoon in your mouth.
The manufacturing base was PUSHED OUT and was FORCED to move elsewhere or went out of business due to the Pataki administration and their unbridled GREED. Historically, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx were built to accommodate work locations and their employees in close proximity to one another. That is the definition of mixed use, so you don’t have to travel a far distance to your job. This is how our city fathers planned it and for 300 years it was working fine. Ironically, many people are calling for a return to this same concept across the country and all across the world since it will cut down on the damage to the environment, energy use and global warming, all things that you and others in this neighborhood care nothing about since it is littered with out of town SVU’s now that you drive through the mid-town tunnel everyday to go to your law and brokerage offices instead of taking the train.
Not only are people criticizing these incompetant builders they are critizing you as well for proliferating this inconsiderate nonsense.
Calling MY neighborhood an “non-descript nothing” is being a spineless coward.
You are a fool and we all are laughing at the fools now.
I completely agree with you. There’s clearly a pell mell, careless aspect to the development in Hunter’s Point these days with no obvious coordinated planning of all these big projects at any level of government. I think the Community Board –someone — needs to get their finger out and get more actively involved to protect public safety and the quality of life for residents in the area.