We are two tenant associations who joined together to defend ourselves against a corporate real estate investment hydra that seeks to expel us from our homes in order to maximize their profits.

Sunday, January 24, 2016

After the Blizzard


Its Sunday. Day after the big storm. Lucky for most of us it hit on the weekend. Still no gas to cook with, which was sorely missed on the 2nd biggest snow on record to hit NYC. You had to get your take out early in the day, before the Governor Coumo shut everything down. Getting very expensive all this take out month after month. Its 2pm as I write this post and the side walk in front of 118 East 4th St still has not been cleared. All the rest of the block has been cleared. Same thing last winter with all the snow we had. Sidewalks ignored.


This is looking out the front door.



This the large glass canopy over the door. It was installed by the previous owner Ben Shaoul. There was no work permit assocciated with it, posted on line with the DOB at the time. Its just attached to the brick with screws. Who knows how long it will remain up with all the freeze and thaws and the heavy snow left in place.






This in front on 118 East 4th St. 2PM Sunday after the storm. By law the owner Jared Kushner had until 11AM to clear the sidewalk.




One can see the sidewalk cleared on either side of 118 East 4th St. There was a rumor going round the building that we actually had a new Super living in 118. We are not allowed to call him for repairs, but must contact Mgmt. Requests to Westminster Mgmt are always an exercise in futility. With all the snow still on the sidewalk, it seems the rumor of a Super in the building is untrue. On the lighter side. With all the snow covering the meager units for trash disposal perhaps we will have fewer rats for a day or two.


Wednesday, January 6, 2016

New Year No Gas


We are sailing into the new year without gas to cook with. Westminster Mgmt slid a note under our doors requesting us to be here on Monday the 4th for an inspection from Con Edison. We all juggled our schedules or gave a key to a neighbor if we could not be here. The note said that Con Ed needed access to all apartments. Monday arrives and Con Edison only looks at 3 apartments, and makes a lot of noise in the basement. They say it will be 2 more weeks until there is some movement towards turning the gas back on.




We were hit with a blast of winter on monday night. The heat that Westminster provides is anemic at best. The chill in the air  inside the apartments of 118 East 4th St. on Tuesday morning was rather brutal. 




The heat was pumped up sometime during the day on Tuesday. The amped up heat is a welcome relief from the freezing conditions outside. One problem however. There is no moderation. Its been blasting at full strength for almost 2 days. Stupid amount of heat. We don't really need cooking gas now. We can all cook on the red hot radiators. There is no Super living on site here. No Super within miles of the building. So the over worked boiler will presumably go unmonitored and unadjusted. Perhaps another visit from the NYFD will make the proper adjustments usually performed by a Super before things go off the rails.