16
March 13 - March 26, 2014
Letters Independence Plaza problems To The Editor: Publisher
Jennifer Goodstein Editor
Josh Rogers Arts Editor
Scott Stiffler Reporter
Sam Spokony Sr. V.P. of Sales & Marketing
Francesco Regini Retail ad manager
Colin Gregory
Account Executives
Allison Greaker Alex Morris Mike O’Brien Andrew Regier Rebecca Rosenthal Julio Tumbaco Art / Production Director
Troy Masters Senior Designer
Michael Shirey Graphic Designer
Andrew Gooss Photographers
Milo Hess Jefferson Siegel Publisher EMERITUS
John W. Sutter
Re “I.P.N. Tenants Say Low- Rent Apartments Get Few Repairs” (news article, Feb. 27 – March 12): Thank you for your article. In addition to the problems with repairs, we also have problems with cleaning and building maintenance. As your article pointed out, voucher tenants pay the same rents as market rate tenants. The market rate tenants pay the prevailing rate of other rental buildings in this part of Manhattan. In theory we should be entitled to the same level of services — specifically luxury services. This is not the case. We do not have a concierge. We have only one security guard for each 39-story building. Our stairwells have not been painted in 35 years. We have only a skeleton cleaning staff – equal to or less than the cleaning staff when we were a Mitchell-Lama rental. We have generally dirty conditions. Lighting fixtures in the corridor were not installed properly. Management refuses to make repairs. Management refuses to shampoo the rug in the corridor. Instead of properly repairing walls in the corridor – management is installing unsightly trap doors. Complaints are ignored – even ridiculed. Housing Preservation and Development, a city agency, administers the voucher pay-
· Since as the article states anyone of us are only just a few paychecks away from being homeless and especially with all the crazy weather this year I hope the city continues to support the homeless everyone deserves a warm place to place to sleep. I really felt bad for Marty who had his car and possessions stolen. Excellent reporting. NYC Community Media, LLC 515 Canal ST, UNIT 1C New york, NY 10013 Phone: (212) 229-1890 Fax: (212) 229-2790 www.downtownexpress.com news@downtownexpress.com Downtown Express is published every week by Community Media LLC, 515 Canal St., Unit 1C, New York, N.Y. 10013 (212) 229-1890. The entire contents of the newspaper, including advertising, are copyrighted and no part may be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher - © 2012 Community Media LLC. PUBLISHER’S LIABILITY FOR ERROR The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue.
Member of the New York Press Association
Member of the National Newspaper Association
© 2012 Community Media, LLC
Robert Gluckstadt
Spring Studios responds To The Editor: Re “Spring Studios apologizes to Tribeca for late night event”(news article,Feb. 27 – March 12): We at Spring Studios sincerely regret that the post-Super Bowl event went over time. It was unintended, we apologize for it and it will not happen again. However, we are troubled by the tone and characterizations in your coverage of the event. Specifically: •Spring Studios notified Community Board 1 staff in advance of all of their events. •This event, as planned, was permissible under the terms of the stipulations. We at Spring Studios have been in the process of a soft opening as a result of construction delays and an extended community board approval process. We believe we have been forthright and open with our neighbors and have worked diligently to address concerns as is evidenced by the agreed to stipulations. Those stipulations and license were approved
by the full board unanimously. Many of the stipulations were never intended to be implemented until construction has been completed and the liquor license is in effect. Nevertheless, we have endeavored to adhere to every stipulation as soon as physically possible. For example, as soon as construction was sufficiently completed on Varick St., all invited guests to Spring’s programming have entered the building through the Varick St. entrance. Also, in accordance with the stipulations, our community cleaning crew is already working in the neighborhood picking up litter. We continue to work towards our community service goals by meeting with the Chinese-American Planning Council to implement a youth internship program; to meet with Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and the Jewish Community Project to consider the possibility of hosting cultural events and High Holiday services. There will be no more programming during this soft opening so all future events at Spring will occur with all stipulations fully implemented. Spring is currently employing dozens of local artists and photographers, will employ over 300 people at well-paying jobs. We believe that Spring’s philosophy as well as the stipulations that we agreed to provide a framework that will serve to create an extremely positive and mutually beneficial relationship between Spring and the entire Downtown community.
Bradford J. Gonzalez-Sussman Consultant, Spring Studios
Posted To Effort to reduce W.T.C.’s homeless population postponed (Posted Feb. 27):
Published by
ments to the landlord on behalf of the federal government. Complaints to H.P.D. officials have not been fruitful.
kcwilliams “High electric bills have Gateway Plaza tenants hot” (Posted March 6):
What I don’t understand is how my “heating” bills are way higher than my A/C bills. Yes, I use the A/C in the summer ALL NIGHT when I sleep for several months. I do not use the heat even close to that extent; rather I bundle up in leggies, socks and a hoodie and sleep under 3 comforters. My highest bill this past summer was $194. My Jan bill is $303. And I’m freezing. In addition, the bills are impossible to decipher. anon I lived in Battery Park City from 1986 - 2003, spending 1987-1991 as a tenant at Gateway Plaza. Even back then, the cold air would leak in through the windows, even to such an extent as to ice up ON THE INSIDE. And the heating units
were inadequate even back then — sounds like you current tenants are still relying on the original vintage electric heating units. And for all this, you pay several thousands of dollars in RENT a month. Wise up — buy your own apartment instead of just flushing your money down the toilet like this! LeftNYCLongAgo I.P.N. tenants say low-rent apartments get few repairs (Posted Feb. 27):
I live in 40 Harrison Street, another of Gluck’s 3 IPN towers. Maintenance is “sometimes” prompt regarding, for example, plumbing problems and backed up showers and sinks. However, when it comes to the cleanliness and maintenance of hallways, carpeting, and trash rooms almost next to nothing is ever repaired. The fake wood molding in the hallways, only 2-3 years old is falling apartment due to shoddy installation and materials. And on our floor there is a hole in the wall of the trash room next to the garbage shoot that neighbors have called maintenance a dozen or more times about. Nothing has been done. The consequence is that the entire hallway often smells of sour garbage, on warm days the smell becomes overbearing. This situation has gone unaddressed by Gluck for the past six months. Next stop, the NYC Health Department! Seth Rogan
Although I was quoted accurately as saying I had no problem with maintenance at IPN, what I meant was that I appreciate the skill of the workers who do the repairs. I should have added that, like many tenants, I often get frustrated with management’s 800 phone service. But most of my discussion with the reporter centered on other issues, none of which he included: the bitter cold lobby for months on end, making life miserable for the desk attendants and tenants; the disruption caused by the constant construction; the transformation of once-beautiful apartments into cramped units (studios into one-bedrooms, one-bedrooms into two bedrooms, etc.) to squeeze out yet more profit; the deliberate elimination of affordable housing in a city that is desperate for more… Nathan Weber The new tenants come and go and pay big time for an apartment. I witnessed new tenants making remarks about the voucher tenants in the building. What nerve!!! Tribeca would of never existed if it wasn’t for the working class ORIGINAL Tenants who live at IPN. Larry Gluck had all the politians in his pocket thats why we lost the fight. We should have been stabilized a long time ago!!! Shame on you Mike Bloomberg!! mad as hell