The Trouble with Scaffolding

A scaffolding was erected in front on 118 and 120 East 4th St. in early July. They have painted the fire escapes on the front of the buildings. That was finished in a few short days, but the scaffold has remained in place for more than a month.

This is the scaffolding being erected the second week of July.

This tree and another were savaged, maimed, and butchered by the workers that assembled the scaffold. The Parks Dept. is the only agency that has the authority to prune the city's trees. This violation was reported to the Parks Dept.

Garbage began to accumulate quickly, and putrefy in the hot July sun.

This accumulation of garbage and debris is a violation and was reported.

Most days the ladder to the fire escape is down. It is often left like this and obviously compromises the safety of the tenants. Any common criminal strolling down East 4th St. has free access to our homes. Fortune East/Magnum Real Estate seem to have little regard for the safety and security of its tenants.

Trip Wire

On the roof of 118 East 4th St. there is a wire stretched across the space where the fire escape joins with the roof. Its easy enough to step over it. If you see it. In the case of some emergency in the night, in the darkness, this trip wire would obviously be quite a serious danger. This trip wire could become a Death trip.

This is the view of the wire from the fire escape looking towards the roof.

As one can see in this photo, even on a bright sunny day the wire can be difficult to spot. If someone were to trip going in this direction, they could quite literally fall 7 floors to the hard stones that cover the back yard alley.

This trip wire, this potential Death trip is a threat not just to the tenants, but also to any emergency responders such as the Police or Fire Fighters.

There has been good cause to worry about the accelerated possibility of an emergency. Especially with Fire. See the next post.

Illegal BBQs Here There and Everywhere

It seems illegal BBQs have run amok here on the roof tops of 118, 120 and 122 East 4th St. One hates to but into the neighbor's business..... but when they are playing with FIRE, literally, and illegally....

These regulations regarding the use of BBQ grills in NYC are from the FDNY website. Perhaps a visit to our local Fire Dept on Great Jones St to inquire about an inspection is merited. 

118-120 E. Fourth St. now (slightly) less expensive to buy

118-120 E. Fourth St. now (slightly) less expensive to buy

Rich vs Poor

While our landlord, building code violator Ben Shaoul, has (along with Magnum Real Estate partner Marc Ravner) turned one townhouse into a $10.7M six-bedroom, nine-bath home for one family, Mayor Bloomberg wants to change current regulations in order to squeeze the non-wealthy, non-celebrity tenants into tiny 275 square foot "micro" units. It is so obscene. And maybe this is why there is a shortage of housing in New York City.

   RICH vs POOR

Rent-Stabilzied Story in the Huffington Post

The Yellow Swath

Some new photographs have emerged concerning the "Vandalism" inside 120 East 4th St.
I'll quote the photographer.

"we still have no idea who did this, if it was a resident or visitor, some of us loved it, some of us didn't. Went from ground floor to roof stairwell.   

Management seemed to blame it on old tenants with a threatening letter to oust folks when caught. They seem to get so upset with creativity, and not with violations and lousy service....Hmmmmm

The last shot is the fellow coming to paint over it.... back to gray.

Too creative for that bunch who love fake molding and battleship gray. Up for 3 weeks....."

I think it looks like Gazelles leaping through the building. A bit of that old EV Spirit. Now its back to the strident doleful, Orwellian grey.