This is a story I've followed with interest, but now feel compelled to write about - you will see how well it fits in this blog about stupidity. Despite the funny picture, the following story will leave you both heartbroken and furious at the same time.West Maspeth, Queens is comprised mostly of industry and modest, well kept homes. It is inhabited by hard working, down to earth people that you don't seem to find in New York anymore. It reminds me very much of the working class railroad towns my family came from in Pennsylvania.
The centerpiece of this neighborhood for over a century has been the historic St. Saviour's Church and its beautiful acre of green property. The church was purchased in secrecy by a developer in 2005 without ever being put on the market. The plan, of course, was to rip down the church and build Queens Crap style housing on the site. The Juniper Park Civic Association (JPCA), a local park and community group joined the local residents to stop the destruction of the land and church and convince the city to buy the property for a park and community center. They have succeeded in preserving the church and property for over a year and a half.
But the city has not acted.
Even worse is the shocking and appalling lack of support that these people received by nearly every official in city government, including the cast of characters depicted above (from left to right):
Councilman Dennis P. "Pinkmo" Gallagher - lobbied for the developer to get a zoning change, harassed the civic's members, disrupted plans for a land swap that even interested the developer, and finally this week sanctioned the cutting down of nearly every tree on the property. He's likely finished as a politician, so he takes one last shot at his arch enemies - the regular decent people who don't give him money, sex, or alcohol. Here's an example of the kind of comments that he and his supporters write about JPCA's members on their slander/threat-blog:
Robert "Ernie" Tierney - chairman of the landmarks commission who said the property was too altered for landmark status - despite the fact that completely rebuilt structures elsewhere have been landmarked
Mayor Mike "Bertberg" - did nothing. Not even a word or an explanation of why this neighborhood isn't included in his 2030 green plan and it's children don't deserve a park. Billions of dollars in surplus, but none for West Maspeth. Thanks Mike.
Two Headed Monster "Herry" Ganoulis - one head is a well paid lobbyist representing the developer. The other head is an (unpaid) commissioner at the TLC with access to all kinds of folks in city hall. This no doubt enhances Herry's lobbying ability. Shockingly this practice is not illegal, but it is most certainly immoral and needs to be outlawed.
Not pictured are do-nothings speaker Christine Quinn (doesn't speak a word about this issue), councilman Melinda Katz, Deputy Mayor Dan Doctoroff, former community ASSistance commissioner Patrick Brennan (who recently joined Parkside), CAU rep Matt Gorton, who, according to the preservationists initially said he would help, then did nothing and denied he had pledged assistance, and last but not least, the Manhattan-snob preservation community which cares more about ugly signs in the village and a rusty railroad track in Chelsea than an entire acre of land in Queens.
Moe is sickened to realize a sad truth - that that city simply does not care about the people of West Maspeth. They are too working class, too "old world" to matter. They are seen as part of the past, not the future. They don't have the money, power or voice to get so much as consideration from six-figure salaried politicians and a billionaire mayor. Their last piece of open space is better used to warehouse hundreds more people and park dozens more SUV's.
But..and PLEASE READ THIS PART ... THERE IS STILL HOPE! The trees are gone, but the property and the church are still there and can still be saved.
PLEASE JOIN local residents, activists, and Councilman Tony Avella (they had to import a real councilman from the other side of Queens) to call for the saving of St. Saviours and to condemn the reckless actions of the developer and "councilman" Dennis Gallagher.
SATURDAY JULY 14
NOON
57-40 58th STREET (CORNER OF RUST ST) IN WEST MASPETH.
Come see the property and the neighborhood. I have been there and I can tell you these people need and deserve both their history and a park. We must not allow the city to turn its back on them.
And here's a deal-sweetner for the mayor: Act FAST to acquire this property and I'll make you into Charlie Brown instead of Bert. Wouldn't you like that?
38 comments:
I couldn't have said it better myself, Moe. That comment about the JPCA board members dropping dead is off the chain. I hope Gallagher is proud of his sick supporters. Pinky's current situation is instant karma. You don't sanction the destruction of sacred land out of spite and get away with it.
Ohhh Bertberg! That's classic. That guy gets me every time.
Seriously though I applaud your efforts. I didn't know about the property previously. It looks gorgeous. I cannot make the rally but am with you in spirit. Good luck.
That is outrageous that the city has igored it's working class. It's disgusting and makes me want to move.
Dennis Gallagher has been sabotaging the negiotiations about this church from the beginning. If he had lent his support, it could be a park by now. The city doesn't like step on a councilman's toes.. it's like some unwritten old world mafia turf rule. Disgusting
How tragic that he's screwed these people, possibly permenently.
I applaud your preservation efforts. I will try to make it tomorrow I don't know the area well, but it looks easy on Google Earth.
Actually the green sticks out like a sore thumb in the satellite photo - you realize it's about all they've got.
God Bless.
You also forgot mention of our great borough president, Helen "photo op" Marshall. She is also the reason that Flushing Meadows is in such great shape.
Amazingly, there weren't enough newspaper photographers around for Helen to show her head at any of these preservation efforts.
Russ
wahhh...... get a life, people!
There were newspaper photogs there, even a TV station, but I guess that's not enough to lure helen away from doing ... .
what the hell DOES she do?
I think Saturday is when Helen gets her hair glued in place..
Hey i see King Bob in the corner counting his money, and wait theres his puppy Christina. Also tell Tony Avella stay in his onw district.
"tell Tony Avella stay in his onw district"
I see Dennis and co. still haven't learned how to write or spell check.
Luis, please go back to the fix-it shop and fix your brain.
hey christina go serve the king
If this is for JCPA Christina, note that there are no Holden people and no JPCA people running this site. I suggest you post your comments on JPCA.com
If you only knew who ran this site you would soil your pants.
Moe
I posted this elsewhere but maybe someone on this blog can help. Can someone please set forth a reasonable plan to preserve this building and property? Why did the building fall into disrepair? Why was it sold twice in recent years? If there was dwindling attendance and community participation in the church, who would support it once it is rebuilt? It looks like a refurbishing would be very expensive. Who would pay for it? Who would pay for the ongoing maintenance?
The land swap was the best idea. Too bad Dennis Gallagher sabotaged the plan.
The building is structurally sound, aside from damage done by the developer when he ripped out windows last fall.
Restoration would be expensive, but some money has already been pledged. Other sources of money might include government grants, corporate donations and private fundraisers. Allocating just a small portion of the Exxon-Mobile settlement could pay for the entire project. City and federal money for the 2030 plan can/should also be allocated.
The parks department would be responsible for the upkeep of the land. That isn't unreasonable given that the people of this neighborhood fund the parks department with their tax dollars, yet their kids have to play in the street.
Also, as I understnd it the plan is to use it as a community facility, not rent it out to a congregation.
GALLAGHER ORDERED THE DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD TREES AT ST. SAVIOUR'S AND THE SPIRITS OF ST. SAVIOUR'S ORDRED THE DESTRUCTION OF GALLAGHER.
ANYONE ELSE WANT TO TRY AND MESS WITH ST. SAVIOUR'S?
These are potentially good ideas, but I would think much easier said than done. Obtaining federal money is highly political and a wildcard. Using money from the 2030 plan would require reducing funding from something else currently in the plan. From where would the money be shifted? Which project would lose money in order to pay for this park and church renovation? I wonder if enough money could be raised through private donations, but given what I have heard about the state of this property and its location (very close to a substantially industrial area) I have doubts.
Also, having the Parks Department be responsible for this property increases costs to the city. Maspeth residents pay taxes for city services and they receive city services. The question is not about Maspeth residents paying taxes but rather are they receiving a fair and proper allocation of services for those taxes. Further, the question is whether a park in this location (substantial industrial area) is the most efficient and valuable provision of city services. I have seen comments from Maspeth residents who believe a park would not be good for this location because it may attract an undesirable element due to its remote location. The commenters say that developing the area for residential use would be better for the neighborhood.
How would the building be used as a community facility? What type of events or activities do you envision taking place there? If there was little community usage as a church, why would there be more community usage as some other type of facility?
-The 2030 plan is in it's infancy - the early planning stages. This would be a minute part of the process. If sacrifice must be made, how about a few cents less for manhattan and a few more for Queens - you know Queens, the boro that ceased to exist after HizDishonor got reelected.
"The question is not about Maspeth residents paying taxes but rather are they receiving a fair and proper allocation of services for those taxes"
Exactly - trying finding any park near here and you will see they are not received a proper allocation.
"Further, the question is whether a park in this location (substantial industrial area) is the most efficient and valuable provision of city services"
If the 2030 plan applies to the entire city, not just the parts the mayor likes to see, then this is one of the few areas without a park within 10 min. Sounds like you have never been there - it is not in the middle of an industrial park, there are lots of homes around it with little or no yards and no parks. More housing is proably the worst thing you could do to this area.
You are reading some very slighted comments on another blog about stupidity.
If it's too polluted to be a park which would only be open during daylight hours, what would be the sense in having people live there 24/7?
Is Pinky now getting donations from oncologists who want their practice to flourish?
There was little community usage as a church because there aren't many episcopalians in Maspeth anymore. That's a demographic shift. But there are still people living there who are not served by a community center. Used as a church, it's exclusionary. Used as a community center, it would be open to all.
As for the money, why can the city afford millions and millions of dollars to convert a rusty railroad track with weeds growing on it into park for Manhattanites, and not take a parcel of open space in Maspeth and convert it
into a park? Why not reopen the Maspeth rail station and improve not only the commutes of people live in Maspeth, but also bring people into a neighborhood to visit the museum and patronize the businesses there? Why is
everyone in favor of housing using closed-minded thinking?
Where does that rail line go to? Could it connect into Hunters Point or Penn St?
Pinkmo like ladies.. yes, and.. Pinkmo like alcohol!
But what Pinkmo like best is getting nice ladies into his office while drinking alcohol.
Pinkmo knows what Pinkmo did!
Hey Moe who are you really? I think if you dont tell us your a middle village idiot.
Chritina wilikinson get a life all you do is run this sites. Whats ur job, a dietican.....Ohh I forgot Holdens puppy
About Moe:
Moe's name is not Christina. Moe's name is not Bob Holden. Moe is not a JPCA member and has not even met any these JPCA people.
Moe finds it perfectly fitting that anyone dumb enough to support a sniveling parasite like Dennis Gallagher would also be dumb enough to assume that everyone who hates him is a member of the same group.
Trust me, one local park group is not big enough for all the people who despise the disturbed, manipulative low-life Dennis P.
Hey Wheres an article about Bob, The real middle village idiot
moe whats ur real name
heil Holden....
Hey wheres The fat Bastard Joe Cimino. Moe do a story on Joe Cimino
"Moe do a story on Joe Cimino"
What's to write? Haven't heard a peep out of Joey in a while. I don't normally ridicule someone unless they do or say something stupid. But don't worry, I'm sure it won't take him long.
Attention Idiots:
Moe will no longer post comments addressed to Bob, Christina, Tony, or anyone else who does not run this blog.
Sincerely,
Moe
"moe whats ur real name"
You wouldn't recognize it if I told you.
What's your name, anonymous? While we're at it, please provide the name of your first grade writing teacher, so I can make sure he/she is fired.
Where is Fat Joe So-mean-o? Is he shellacking his hair? Is he watching the ponies at O'Neills? Is he working on the MVMCA agenda for the next (and last)annual meeting? Does that agenda include another of his sickening sycophant love bouquets to Councilman horn dog?
Fat Man, you've been MIA since July 8th. You talked a fine game in public when you were feeling stout (no pun intended)when you and the pinky army of sissies thought you were riding high. So, you loud mouthed bag of foul wind, why not show your face, or at least type on that pathetic JPP blog? What about the MVMCA website? Why has it been down for so long? What a bloated, phoney coward you turned out to be. And even worse, a fair weathered friend to your deviant perverted master . Good luck, you cowering obese bastard.
Maybe he's gone fishing for the summer?
Didn't the developer agree to keep the church? I thought the ensuing fight was over whether to build on the rest of the property.
Moe, tell me your name I Know everyone.
You don't know Moe. Trust me, you don't.
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