Destroys Historic Building

By Katie McFadden

Just as the smoke cleared out from the Canadian wildfires, Rockaway had some smoke of its own. A piece of Rockaway’s history was heavily damaged when a fire broke out at the abandoned T9 warehouse in Fort Tilden in the early morning hours of Friday, June 9.

A building that withstood both World Wars may have met its fate. T9 holds a place in Rockaway’s history as part of historic Fort Tilden. The building, toward the back of Fort Tilden, near the parking lot, was originally used as a locomotive repair center, servicing the railway that once ran through the base, and was later used as a motor pool for the U.S. Army and then the National Park Service. Fort Tilden, as a whole, was created in 1917 amid WWI and was deactivated as an Army base in 1974, when it was turned over to NPS.

T9 had gone unutilized for decades until MoMa PS1 brought new life to it for their Rockaway! art exhibit after Hurricane Sandy. In 2014, the building was used to house singer Patti Smith’s “Resilience of a Dreamer” which featured a bed draped with curtains hanging from the building’s tall ceilings. It was again used in 2018 by MoMa for Yayoi Kusama’s “Narcissus Garden,” housing dozens of reflective silver spheres. In recent years, it had mostly been a home for local “art” with the floors to ceiling donned in ever-changing graffiti. Now the walls are donned with burn marks after Friday’s massive fire.

A call came in at 4:51 a.m. on Friday for a two-alarm blaze at the three-story building. More than 24 units showed up and three tower ladders worked on putting the fire out, a task that was made more challenging by the building’s secluded location. According to the FDNY, by 7:17 a.m., the fire was declared under control. It is not clear what condition the building is in, but photos seem to show the structure is now unsafe. It is unclear if it will need to be demolished. The Rockaway Times reached out to the National Park Service, which oversees Fort Tilden, for more information, and got a simple response of, “FDNY and US Park Police are currently investigating the fire.”

Councilwoman Joann Ariola suspects someone is responsible for starting the fire. In a statement she said, "Fires don't start themselves. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation, but there have been several reports of squatters making use of the building in the past, and I don't think it is a stretch to connect the dots on this. I urge the National Park Service and Park Police to increase patrols in the area to keep an eye out for people seeking to squat in the abandoned buildings around the fort, especially during these busy summer months, when so many people come to visit the park."

She also thanked the FDNY and volunteer fire services for their quick response to the fire. "I would also like to thank the many members of the FDNY and local volunteers who responded to the fire and brought it under control quickly,” Ariola said. “Without their effort, this could have easily spread to the surrounding brush, and could have been a much worse situation."

Assault At Pickles Lands Staff in Jail

By Katie McFadden

Some staff from Pickles & Pies are in a pickle. Two staff members were arrested on the morning of Saturday, June 11, following an altercation with a drunk customer that left him on life support.

According to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Saber Abuhamra, 34, and Jorge Hernandez, 23, were charged with assault and strangulation after they allegedly attacked a customer.

According to a story in the New York Daily News, witnesses and Abuhamra’s lawyer claim James Keena, 31, was deeply intoxicated when he allegedly caused a scene over fries that weren’t crispy enough at the Beach 116th deli. The staff claims they acted in self-defense, as Abuhamra says he came out to try to calm Keena down, when he says Keena told him he had a gun. Keena was not found with a weapon.

According to the DA’s office, between 4:50 a.m. and 5:15 a.m., Hernandez punched Keena and pushed him, causing him to hit his head on a counter. He then put his arm around Keena’s neck and held him while Abuhamra punched and kicked him in the head and stomach. This allegedly continued for several minutes until Keena lost consciousness and began seizing and shaking. Keena was taken to the hospital in critical condition and placed on life support because he was unable to breathe on his own. The store was closed for several hours following the incident as police investigated. They allegedly found that Pickles’ video system had been ripped out of the wall.

“This is yet another instance where a seemingly minor dispute escalated into serious physical violence. We will hold these defendants accountable,” District Attorney Katz said.

Note, a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

THURSDAY, JUNE 15, 2023

Contact The Elected

Congressman Gregory Meeks

67-12 Rockaway Beach Boulevard

Arverne, NY 11692

Phone: (347) 230-4032

Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato 9516 Rockaway Beach Blvd Rockaway Beach, NY 11693

Email: amatos@nyassembly.gov

718-945-9550

City Councilwoman Selvena Brooks-Powers

1931 Mott Avenue, Suite 410

Far Rockaway, NY 11691 • 718-471-7014

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CALL OR TEXT: 917- 566 -2809

Sponsored by Wise Clock Cafe & OddFellows Ice Cream Co.

City Councilwoman Joann Ariola

114-12 Beach Channel Drive, suite #1 Rockaway Park, NY 11694

Email: district32@council.nyc.gov 718-318-6411

State Senator James Sanders Jr.

1931 Mott Avenue – Suite 305 Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Email: sanders@nysenate.gov 718-327-7017

Assemblyman Khaleel Anderson

19-31 Mott Avenue, Suite 301 Far Rockaway, NY 11691

Email: Andersonk@nyassembly.gov 718-327-1845

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