Open Thread Wednesday

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • fultonferryres

    One of the managers at Juliana’s cut down the live tree in front of the restaurant. Not cool, and very illegal.

  • Banet

    Was there a stated reason for doing so?

  • fultonferryres

    Allegedly because it was blocking his sign, but that is hearsay.

  • af

    Mind your business.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    Report it to 311.

  • Herman on Henry

    I agree.

  • blackbear

    I agree with above… mind your business.

  • KXrVrii1

    Why isn’t it their business if it indeed was a city tree and cut down illegally?

  • WillowWill

    Hi, need urgent help! Anyone has any recommendation for a sidewalk repair contractor?? Thank you!

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    The Lorax is fictional; in real life it’s up to us to advocate for trees and wildlife. We need answers!

    1. Whose tree was it?
    2. Was there indeed anything wrong with it?
    3. Who ordered it cut down?
    4. What’s with all this “mind your own business” blowback from multiple commenters??

  • KXrVrii1

    Maybe the owners are connected, you know, the old NY Italian sort of “connected.” ;-)

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    As said above, the tree is in the public domain therefor my business.

  • Local_Montague_Man

    Is the “mind your business” thing real or a joke? I can’t tell. If real it is pretty funny. The threatening overtones are fantastic! Mind your business or else….please elaborate

  • B.

    I agree, Local. If there’s proof that Juliana’s manager cut down the tree, then the police need to be called in. Trees belong to New Yorkers, not to the person or establishment they sit across from.

    Remember the kerfuffle on Seeley Street this spring when a glorious, thriving old backyard tree was first trimmed illegally and then drilled and poisoned by the next-door neighbor, who wanted more sunlight for his solar panels. From what I understand, although the man hasn’t moved in yet due to the extensiveness of his renovations, he has an order of protection to keep Windsor Terrace at bay. Not that he needs it, but it shows what a craven, entitled twit he is.

    It was the Seeley Street residents who filmed him several times and then called 911 so that the police could catch him pouring Roundup into the drilled holes. We don’t take kindly to people who kill trees. And we don’t like it when people tell us to mind our own business.

  • Local_Montague_Man

    I agree. What bothers me more is the “mind your business” bullying attempt. If the action had legal and moral ground to stand on please explain. “Mind your business” is a lazy thuggish attempt to sweep something under the rug through an intimidation tactic.

    I love trees, but to your point I didn’t really care about this until we were told to “mind our business”. The saying implies actions have consequences, yes they do.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    A good friend recently introduced me to a contractor who did work on her place. I can’t personally endorse except to say he’s very friendly, not even sure if he does sidewalks, but you could ask: Brian (?) Djokovic; 718-551-6931; 718-541-2584; bdjokovic@nyc.rr.com

  • Still Here

    The tree was planted by the city, and it was healthy honey locust but could have used a minor pruning.

  • A Neighbor

    Removing a street tree without a permit is punishable by a fine of up to $15,000 and one year imprisonment (NYAdminCode §18-129.). The Parks Dept takes it very seriously. Report it, via 311!

  • Herman on Henry

    People really should mind their own business. Particularly without knowing the details. It’s a tree. Who cares? The best part is a new one can be planted. Plenty of trees in the park to make up for it.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    A explained above, it is our business, an I do care about the unauthorized removal of a tree. Expect charges to be pressed soon!

  • Herman on Henry

    Again, it’s really none of our business. No matter what you think. Or my business. The owner/manager of Jullian’s has to deal with the consequences. As they should. If you’re going to pick your battles in the neighborhood, then the quality of life impacted by the park is the battle to fight. Not one tree being taken down. A new tree can always be planted. A bunch of nosey bodies in the neighborhood.

  • WSG

    I resent this remark. I have been dealing with this kind of prejudice for nearly all of my 65 years and it is hurtful. If a similar comment were made about Jews or Blacks, it would rightly be condemned and not go unanswered.
    Shame on you.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    This argument about it not being our business is really weak and sounds suspicious. Some of us can care about the trees among other neighborhood issues (whether that includes the impact of the park upon our quality of life is up for [lively] debate); meanwhile, if these allegations hold up, the removal of the tree is illegal and worthy of further scrutiny.

    Please stop telling us to “mind our business”. Trees matter.

  • Herman on Henry

    Mind your business. Nothing to do with us. Just because you care does not make it our business.

  • AEB

    Astounding–some people on this thread telling the group, the community, not to care about a public amenity.

    The tree doesn’t or didn’t belong to the pizza owners–it is city property. It is–or was–there for public enjoyment. We are that public.

  • Herman on Henry

    I never said not to care. I’m saying it’s none of our business. It’s between the restaurant and whoever oversee trees in NYC. They will get whatever consequences come. But that doesn’t mean we are entitled to all the details of the matter. Particularly when the tree in question likely has no direct impact to anybody posting on this thread. Just a stupid uproar over a single tree removal. A new tree can always be planted. That’s the beauty of it.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    You’re right, it’s our business because it’s a PUBLIC tree.

  • NeighboorHood

    “Suspicious” indeed. I was thinking, look at all these anonymous posters turning up using the exact same phrase “mind your own business”. Not a very convincing arguement!
    As we say in The Resistance…”Whose streets? Our streets!”

  • Louie The Electrician Miller

    Hi I’m back in the neighborhood….

  • B.

    Your comment, Herman, reminds me of the Real Estate question in the Times also this spring from a man who objected to the city’s having planted trees on his stretch of Prospect Park Southwest and asking if he could chop it down. Plenty of trees across the street, he opined.