C R Y D E R P O I N T 6 July Tony Sr. Says “So Long” The Cryder crew took Tony out for dinner in honor of his retirement. Photo by Bill Newell. Back row, l-r: Arnold Guzman, Tony Budney, Sr., Mitch Strong, Joe Gymbecki, Ian Hinds. Front row, l-r: Jimmy Bay, Tony Budney, Jr., Bob Cinar Photo by Bill Newell By Jill Davis It’s been verified and validated, confirmed and corroborated…Tony Budney Sr.’s last day at Cryder Point will be July 17. As one of the few concierges who has worked in all three buildings, there aren’t many people here who don’t know Tony. He came to Cryder Point in 2005 and spent his first nine years alternating shifts between the 21 and 41 buildings and has been the daytime doorman in the 01 building for the past two-plus years. I sat down with Tony to get his perspective on his years here, what his plans are, and other stuff. The first thing I was curious about was why he’s decided to retire now. “I want to enjoy life. I’ll get to spend more time with my grandson A.J..” Tony would also like to do some traveling. “I want to drive up and down the east coast. I have a cousin in Tampa and brother-in-law in North Carolina.” Most everyone knows that Tony is a former NYPD detective (I think that’s part of the reason we all feel so safe when he’s around!). Naturally I asked about his leaving that job too, and it turns out he pulled quite a surprise when he decided to leave the police force after 19+ years. “Nobody knew I was going to do it. Nobody; not my wife, not my kids, nobody.” He literally submitted his retirement papers on a Tuesday and was gone that Friday. Pretty slick. I had made the assumption that Cryder Point was Tony’s next gig after the NYPD, but I was wrong. “I worked in security at St. John’s University 6 cryder point courier | July 2016 | WWW.QNS.COM for two-and-a-half years after leaving the police department. I’d have kept that job, but then we moved to New Jersey.” New Jersey? “We had a house on the Jersey Shore,” Tony explained. “But nobody liked it. My wife didn’t like it. My kids hated it, hated it! It’s really different over there.” How long did they live there? “We moved there in September and moved out in February.” So much for the shore, and back to Queens they came, first to College Point and eventually to Whitestone. Tony grew up in Whitestone since he was two years old, and the family is close, so it was a natural move. “My sister still lives in the house where we grew up, right near the post office on 150th Street.” Tony lives nearby with his wife, Mary, daughter Laura and son Tony Jr. (For anyone who might not know, Tony Jr.is following in Dad’s footsteps as the evening concierge in the 01 Building.) Tony Sr. and grandson A.J. enjoy some dessert
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