4 THE QUEENS COURIER • OCTOBER 14, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
Middle VIllage pop-up parties raise concerns among local residents, pols
BY JULIA MORO
EDITORIALQNS.COM
QNS
Several complaints have been reported
to 311 this past weekend about a vacant
storefront formerly belonging to the
Midville Hardware store being used as a
location for pop-up parties.
Th ese parties may violate the legal occupancy
of the building, according to the
Department of Buildings (DOB) Press
Secretary Andrew Rudansky. Th e building,
located at 73-02 Metropolitan Ave.,
is meant to be used as a store, with apartments
on the second fl oor.
Rudansky said that the DOB would have
to inspect the property during one of these
reported parties to determine any potential
legal violations.
“We are working with our fellow city
agencies to investigate this issue further,”
Rudansky said. “If we fi nd that the property
is occupied contrary to the Certifi cate
of Occupancy, we can take enforcement
actions against the property owner.”
In New York City, a building must be
used as per the legal Certifi cate of Occupancy,
which for this building is a store
and two apartment units, according to
Rudansky. Th e DOB could impose fi nancial
penalties or issue vacate orders if the
building is not being used as listed in the
Certifi cate of Occupancy.
Councilman Robert Holden said he is
working with DOB, the 104th Precinct and
State Liquor Authority to put a stop to the
pop-up parties.
“These dangerous gatherings have
brought violence into our district,
including a recent shooting, and they
must be stopped immediately,” Holden
said. “We are aware of other pop-up
party venues in the district, especially on
Metropolitan Avenue and Myrtle Avenue,
and are working to shut them down, as
well. Residential areas are not appropriate
locations for these fl y-by-night events that
intrude upon our quality of life. I will not
allow this dangerous, disturbing, illegal
activity to continue.”
A spokesperson for the NYPD said that
the 104th Precinct has been working to
investigate the parties further.
“Th e commanding offi cer of the 104th
Precinct is aware of loud parties at the
location and is working with his NCO
team to conduct directed patrols at the
location and address the condition,” the
spokesperson said.
Kevin Ryan, a spokesperson for Holden’s
offi ce, said that they are looking into
whether the landlord has a liquor license.
Holden’s offi ce is also trying to determine if
the business is checking vaccination cards
at the parties, as required for every business
in New York City.
“Th at might be another way to shut them
down,” Ryan said. “We would rather work
with them, but we’ll see.”
NYC Parks continues initiative to remove derelict boats from Jamaica Bay
BY BILL PARRY
BPARRYSCHNEPSMEDIA.COM
QNS
In the ongoing battle to clean up Jamaica
Bay, Councilman Eric Ulrich announced
his offi ce has secured $65,000 in funding
to remove derelict boats in the waters off
Howard Beach and Broad Channel in the
continuation of an initiative he started last
year.Th
e funds were allocated to the city’s
Parks Department through the NYC
Cleanup Initiative to remove abandoned
vessels from the bay.
“Th ough we made progress last year,
many derelict boats remain in Jamaica Bay.
Th ey’re not only unsightly and dangerous —
they pose a serious environmental hazard
to the local ecosystem,” Ulrich said. “I’m
proud that my fi nal budget as a councilman
includes this important funding to
target the most problematic areas in this
local treasure.”
Ulrich thanked NYC Parks and the
Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers for their commitment
to restoring the pristine conditions
on the bay and along its shoreline. Many
vessel owners simply abandon their boats
when they can no longer aff ord to maintain
them, leaving them to drift into and
throughout Jamaica Bay.
Over the past several years, NYC Parks
has removed dozens of abandoned boats
from the waters and marshland, but the
agency estimates more than 100 vessels
remain in the city’s waterways.
“Th ese vessels present both environmental
and public safety hazards,” NYC Parks
Chief of Waterfront & Marine Operations
Nate Grove said. “In the event of a heavy
storm, they can also result in hazards
to on-water navigation and damage
personal property. We encourage all boaters
to maintain current insurance on their
vessels and to call 311 if they are seeking
options on how to dispose of their vessel.”
Currently, no agency at the federal, state
or city level is tasked with addressing the
problem of derelict boats, according to
Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers President Dan
Mundy.
“Councilman Ulrich has once again funded
a targeted removal eff ort that will allow for
these vessels to be hauled away, eliminating
their impact to the bay — which can include
oil and fuel spillages, destruction to the wetlands,
and an aesthetic impact to the beautiful
shorelines of this National Park,” Mundy said.
“We need a funded citywide agency eff ort to
address this in the long term, but for the immediate
future, it is great to see this type of
commitment from the councilman to address
and act on this problem.”
Community Board 10 Chairwoman
Betty Bratton applauded the initiative.
“Th e process to get such vessels removed
is diffi cult and their removal is necessary
in order to keep hazardous chemicals out
of our waterways and to maintain safe
navigation by other vessels, especially in
narrow parts of our canals,” Bratton said.
NYC Parks identifi es vessels for removal
and prior to being towed by a tug boat, in
many cases, the abandoned boat needs to
be patched to ensure it doesn’t sink.
“Imagine driving along a highway littered
with broken-down vehicles spread
willy-nilly across the roadway, yet this is
the situation around Jamaica Bay and its
canals,” New Hamilton Beach Civic Association
President Roger Gendron said.
“While the abandoned and sunken boats
throughout the area are an eyesore, the environmental
impacts may not be measured
for quite some time.”
Screenshot via Google Maps
Several complaints have been reported to 311 this past weekend about a vacant storefront being used as a location for pop-up parties.
Photo courtesy of Ulrich’s offi ce
Councilman Eric Ulrich allocated funding to continue the eff orts to remove abandoned boats from
Jamaica Bay.
/WWW.QNS.COM
