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 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

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.

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

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?

Janet