Open Thread Wednesday

Kudos to the nice lady who, on her own and armed with a can of white spray paint, covered much of the graffiti on the Heights Cinema building. She said she couldn’t stand looking at it everyday and I couldn’t agree more. I thanked her for being so community minded. As the building is abandoned right now, before being converted into condos, it is fairly obvious that the owners would do nothing to get rid of the mess. We need more like her.

Curses to the idiots who overturned all of the litter baskets and garbage cans during the night on Henry St between Orange and Pineapple leaving a real mess. This isn’t the first time either. Another quality of life issue that shows what’s going on lately.

It’s in storage at a shipyard on Staten Island. We’re hoping to get it placed on or near the Promenade. Stay tuned.

I’ve only been in the area less than a decade…can any long time residents shed some light on whether “lately” is accurate when referring to petty disturbances such as spray paint tagging and upsetting garbage bins?

I find it hard to believe there was some period since the 19th century when these kinds of things never happened. Surely teenagers have always lived in and near the neighborhood, and we know for a fact that citywide crime used to be significantly worse, like in the 70s…

And in keeping with my tradition of good humor I’d like to point out the possibility that this lady is a gang member whose tag is a square block of white, and that she’s simply established a territorial claim to the abandoned cinema. Beware!

Anyone else tired of all the multiple robo calls from Uber?

It is pretty clear to me, at least, that these quality-of-life crimes have escalated in the last couple of years.

Saying that things were worse in the 70s is pretty small consolation.

I’d like to think I’m not naive enough to bring up the 70s in an attempt to console; rather, I’m naturally skeptical of any “good old days” claims, as they tend to be contradicted by facts.

As you have only been here a decade, you can’t possibly know what it was like. There is nothing like to add to this except to say that graffiti was far more prevalent in 70s and 80s than it was in the 60s and 90s. Sandwiched right in between! It does seem to be making a return.

Yep, Graffiti was about 1000 time worse 70’s – 80’s and the garbage cans would have bene set on fire or blown up with an M-80.

UBER fest – How do y’all feel about UBER and the bill to limit the number of cars to 201 put forth to the City Council by Mr Levin, backed by the Mayor but not by our Comptroller. I don’t use UBER but do not see this move as anything other than a way of protecting yellow cab medallion OWNERs, (certainly not their drivers). The congestion issue seems far fetched.

Lately there’s been three instances of fighting outside my apartment on Henry and joralemon . In one instance, a man and a woman were violently beating each other. All three instances were frightening and police where nowhere to be seen. Hopefully this kind of behavior isn’t on the rise.

It would be a genuine advance in our understanding of the impact of vehicular pollution if the DEP were to consider the subtraction of the number of cars on NYC streets as a positive step. Wouldn’t adding another 201 cars fall in the negative column vis-a-vis air quality?

The reason ALL this is going on is police activity has been greatly dialed back. This is a function of several major serious factors/conditions

First, its who is mayor and his priorities

Second, its the average self absorbed Heights resident. For example how many Heights people REGULARLY show up at the monthly POLICE COMMUNITY COUNCIL MEETING? Do any of you even know when it
is or where?

Third, how many of you have phoned 911 when you see something.
(The trick is to call 911 then call the precinct 718 875 681, then call 911 back to see a) if the darlings at 911 have the call in the system and b) if the information you gave is in the system correctly in unmangled form

How many of you have called police community affairs 718 875 6850 voice 6521 fax and given feedback that you view the current situation as very serious…

Its a lot of other factors, its the decline of older residents who viewed the Heights as a final destination they were willing to defend, and the rise of the Current wave of, the Heights is a stepping stone to something better or the Heights is a diappointing place I had to take when I couldnt get some-thing in Manhattan, type Tennant.

It ALSO the fact that the increasing number of bad guys are assured that unlike the 70’s the average Heights resident is DISARMED.

I called the police last night. There was two disorderly types at 106 Montague at 11:00 PM one was high as a kite blasting his boom box.
The other individual had been aggressively pan handling/making provok itive/person remarks for his amusement for two hours prior to that. I’d seen enough. I called 911, then the precinct then I called back 911 and made sure it was in the system right. OK then I waited to see what would happen. Police showed up A HALF HOUR LATER!! Of course, everyone knew to be good boys then.And by this time several of the cluster of darlings has declined. This is just the reality under this character and with a lazy, self absorbed Heights resident we have now.

I agree about the activists. It’s quite annoying to have to wave them off almost everyday. I always pretend to be on the phone when I have to walk by. They’re always on my block too (Montague across from Starbucks). It’s funny to say but I’m quite used to them ha! Yes the neighborhood has changed, tourists, activists, panhandlers etc… are annoying but its the Heights.

I lived on Remsen, right in front of St. Francis for 20 years. All the noise in the world was happening outside my window but I slept throughout because it was just something to get used to. However I do understand you. I mean for what we pay in rent (or if you own) the least you can get is some peace but hey….watcha’ gonna do?

Sounds like it’s probably time for you to find a new neighborhood where you don’t hate the lazy, self-adsorbed residents so much. I’m sure you’ll be missed (not so much by anyone on this blog – your dry cleaner maybe?).