When "Stop Work" Means Jack
The Park Slope Courier has a story this week about another developer gone wild (anyone smell a tv show?) in the South Slope–and we’ve got the first-hand photos to back it up. In a nutshell, the demolition company working on 226-230 16th Street had already received multiple violations prior to February 15th, when a brick…
The Park Slope Courier has a story this week about another developer gone wild (anyone smell a tv show?) in the South Slope–and we’ve got the first-hand photos to back it up. In a nutshell, the demolition company working on 226-230 16th Street had already received multiple violations prior to February 15th, when a brick wall collpased, injuring two workers. DOB then issued a stop work order. The next afternoon, the demo was back in full-swing, causing more complaints to the DOB. By the time the stop work order was lifted on February 21, a significant amount of demo and clearing had already been done. When asked, the DOB first pointed to how overworked their inspectors are and then passed the buck to the NYPD, which it says is responsible for enforcing stop work orders. The longer we live in Brooklyn, however, the more and more we realize how much corruption there must be in the police department.
16th Street Demo Continued [PS Courier] GMAP P*Shark
Careless builders/developers should be forced to live next to sloppy construction. Maybe if their homes were undermined and put in jeopardy by developers who build like it is the wild west they’d be more likely to build ACCORDING to the letter of the law. Living next to some of the construction going on in NY is absolute hell. Don’t know that there is much difference between the drug dealers and a certain breed of irresponsible developer.
Frankly, I think one of the problems contributing to the current climate of the law being unenforceable by the DOB or the police is that there are just too many building permits being given out at the same time. More DOB inspectors is a good idea but it would take hundreds! Personally I can’t wait untill the economy tanks and the building feeding frenzy stops.
If you only knew the POWER of the dark side!
MGM Demolition is the Death Star. Princess Iceburg, you’re far too trusting.
When the police arrive at these building sites, often there is so much prior bad history between the builders and the neighbors it is impossible for them to make sense of the situation. Your typical beat cop doesn’t have the time or patients to wade through all the “facts”. I think they show up just to keep the peace, the same way they treat many domestic disputes. They really don’t want to arrest anyone. The reason this works for the builder is that the neighbors, feeling like they are being personally attacked, are usually steaming angry and need to be cooled out, while the builders don’t have the same emotional connection. I think the police see the neighbors as the one’s who are causing the trouble. At best they see it as a civil matter.
People, take the law into your own hands.
YOU ARE THE PEOPLE, and the validity of our legal system is the consent of YOU THE PEOPLE.
If it bothers you that much, get off your lazy asses and form your own police force.
You see a drug deal going down? Waste ’em.
I agree- It’s incredible what horrible quality of life violations New Yorkers will accept in the name of being ‘cosmopolitan’ as if the reason I live here is to have drug dealers around the corner screaming all night.
I hear what you are saying David, and I have heard those
Frankly, it’s not the dealing or abuse that concerns me, it’s the attendant crime – violence on the part of dealers in arguments over turf or payment or “respect”, along with muggings and theft by addicts trying to scrounge up some cash for their next hit.
Since the topic has gone back let me say that BB IMHO your last paragraph says it all – well almost b/c you ignore the CITIZENS.
Let me reiterate how difficult it is to gain a conviction for drug dealing in this county (BTW I am not commenting on any specific case). While for sure the police could do better in both addressing this problem and collecting better evidence – you would be amazed at the number of people who simply dont think (street corner) drug dealing is a big deal and either wont sit on a jury or will refuse to convict (no matter the evidence) if they do.
In fact on my block when I tried to have some guy arrested for dealing, more than a few people (usually not native NYrs) tell me that I shouldnt involve the police that it is part of NYC life and that they dont want to live in some boring suburban like town.
You can even sometimes hear similar sentiments expressed in boards like this – as if NY wouldnt be ‘cool’ if it didnt have drug dealing, grafitti and the fear of crime.
I don’t know if I’m one of the “literalists” but I never thought you meant all cops were corrupt. I thought you meant the cops did nothing about this work site was because SOME cops were paid off — without any evidence that corruption was at work *in this case* other than bribes over the drug trade in your neighborhood.
It’s your right, of course–and for all I know you’re correct. But to me it’s a heavy charge to lay on the basis of, in your own words, your “feeling.”
But, whatever. I disagree with you but I still love the site. I’ll shut up now.