The Village Voice: Runnin' Scared

Gregg Singer Chopping Landmarked P.S. 64 Now!

posted: 11:50 AM, July 25, 2006 by Sarah Ferguson

We almost mistook him for an extra on the set of Fred Durst's new movie, The Education of Charlie Banks, which was filming in front of the old P.S. 64 on East 9th Street in the East Village on Monday. In fact, developer Gregg Singer was on the block to check on the demo crew he hired to begin hacking off the former school's now landmarked facade.

"We're going to start chopping it today," Singer told the Voice, as workers began rehanging the scaffolding on the 10th Street side of the building.

Of course, Singer made the same threat a month ago. But on Tuesday morning, workers could be seen drilling into P.S. 64's ornate dormer windows and terra cotta trim.

Destruction in progress (Photos: Brian Fenwick)

"It's a shame. The city forced me to do it," Singer told the Voice. Singer continues to insist he has "no choice" but to strip the facade so he can go to court and try to overturn last month's landmarks designation and then proceed with his plan to put up a 19-story dorm at the site. Legally he can still demo the facade because of an alteration permit approved by the buildings department three years ago.

That permit expires in October, and Singer says he needs to get started now in order to have the century-old former elementary school denuded of its historic trimmings by then.

"My investors wanted me to start a month ago, but I put them off thinking we could work something out with the city," Singer told the Voice. "I thought there was a chance the city was acting in good faith, but they're full of shit."

Owner Gregg Singer, at right, shows his handiwork to the press. (Photo: Brian Fenwick)

No matter that last week, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled the city was well within its rights when it denied Singer a permit to put up his dorm because he does not have any colleges on board to lease the place. Singer says he'll appeal that ruling, too.

"It's all politics. Eventually a school is going to step up and get on board," Singer told the Voice. "Maybe we'll have to wait until this mayor gets out of office, but somebody is going to approve this. I don't care if it takes 10 years."

Singer also blasted the mayor's office and City Council rep Rosie Mendez for not working with him to come up with an alternative plan to develop the building, which is zoned for community facility use.

Since P.S. 64 was landmarked on June 20, Singer says he's only had one sit-down with Mendez and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. "We discussed some ideas, but they never got back to us," said Singer, who complained that Mendez blew off a second meeting scheduled for last week. "If they cared, they would say, Gregg, let's work something out. But they won't say what they want it to be. Why aren't they making a deal with me?"

Mendez confirmed that Singer presented her and Velazquez with at least one alternative to the dorm, which she declined to discuss because of a confidentiality agreement Singer signed with the city. (Singer is currently suing Mayor Bloomberg and various city agencies for $100 million over his stymied dorm plan, which has made negotiations touchy. )

Mendez blamed her recent knee surgery and the congresswoman's busy schedule in Washington for delaying further talks with Singer, but said they'd been working "as expeditiously as possible."

"We told him we needed time to discuss his proposal between ourselves and also with the community," said Mendez, who's been on pain meds for the last two weeks.

"They've had eight years to come up with a plan," counters Singer, who bought the former school at auction in 1998, when it was still home to the CHARAS/El Bohio community center. "How long am I supposed to wait? It can't remain a vacant eyesore forever."

Singer further accused the Mayor and Mendez of trying to run out the clock on his alteration permit. "They think they can string this along until my permit expires so they can force me to give up the building. But I'm not giving it back unless they pay market value for it. This is not Russia."

So is there anything that might get him to call off the wrecking crew now? While Singer wouldn't get specific about what he offered Mendez, on Monday he laid out two options (other than a dorm) that he'd consider to save P.S. 64's face:

"Either we make it a homeless and drug treatment center with government funding to do it long-term, or they let me add a few floors and turn it into condos, and I'll give the community some space at below-market rent."

"I don't really want residential because it pays the least money," Singer added, noting that he could make more running the building as a shelter than he could selling it off as high-end condos—if the city would even consider forgoing the community facility use restriction to allow such a scheme.

City Hall officials won't say what, if anything, is on the table now, citing that confidentiality agreement. "It all comes down to the mayor," Singer insisted. "If the mayor really cared about this community, we would have worked something out a long time ago. They have to put something in writing and get real.

"When I get something in writing, I'll stop chopping," he added.

Community advocates suggested a different equation. "If he chops it, then nobody's going to talk to him," countered Michael Rosen of the East Village Community Coalition, which fought to landmark P.S. 64. "Who in the city is going to give him a license to run it as a shelter now? I cannot imagine any college or university that is going to want to touch something that's poxed. The community is never going to forget this. He's only hurting himself."

Fred Durst, filming outside P.S. 64 as workers began stripping the facade (Photo: Sarah Ferguson)

Jason Ritter, starring in Durst's movie, outside the school (Photo: Sarah Ferguson)

It all seemed like a bad movie to actor Jason Ritter (son of the late John Ritter), who plays a schoolyard bully in Durst's indie flick. Glancing up at P.S. 64's dilapidated but still elegant French Renaissance facade, Ritter seemed shocked its new owner would consider trashing it. "No way, really?" he asked, when told of the real life battle underway on East 9th Street. "Why would anyone do that?"

categories: Citystate

Comments

It doesn't matter what Developer Gregg Singer thinks about the city's actions regarding P.S. 64. What matters is that Mr. Singer is destroying an architectural gem, plain and simple. Mr. Singer's actions are repusive, and history will not look kindly on him. There is absolutely no excuse for Singer's behavior, regardless of the city's actions. The city's architectural heritage belongs to all the city, not Singer and not government officials. And he's destorying a part of it. Alphabet City residents need to rise up and put a stop to these actions immediately.

Posted by: Avenue B Forever! at July 25, 2006 2:10 PM

There is a word for Singer, a word they used to use in the 60's to describe him and his ilk: PIGS. They want all the oil, all the money, all the food, all the land, all the air. Too much is never enough for these people; they will never be satisfied until New York is one big boring shopping mall for the rich. It is boorish, arrogant, unfeeling assholes like Singer, whose only God is Mammon, who have ruined this country, and are ruining the LES. Just long are we going to tolerate this shit?

Posted by: Ignatz Farquad at July 25, 2006 3:08 PM

To Mr. Farquad: I would suggest you move to either Cuba or North Korea, the last two Communist nations. Singer is a businessman. He purchased the property to develop it. If you and the rest of your cohorts don't want it developed, I suggest you buy it from him at fair market value.

Posted by: Mike the Laborer at July 25, 2006 4:08 PM

WRONG, Mike. Singer got that building in a sweetheart deal from Giuliani in a blatant example of Corporate Welfare. There is nothing Free Market about Gregg Singer or many of the "developers" in this country who rely on tax abatements, interest free loans, and backroom deals at taxpayers' expense.

Posted by: Michael The True American at July 25, 2006 4:35 PM

awesome! can't wait for another condo..
errr, dorm building.

psst, when's the sales office opening?

Posted by: at July 25, 2006 4:39 PM

Hey Mike,

What on earth are you doing on this blog? Are you a cop? This is the Village Voice blog, not the New York Post blog.

Posted by: Margo at July 25, 2006 4:42 PM

Interesting to hear from Mike the PR agent that Vietnam and China are no longer Communist nations. Hope he lets them know.

Giuliani had a vendetta against the Latin Kings and refused to sell the old PS 64 to the CHARAS group under the same terms that similar buildings rehabilitated under similar circumstances were sold to similar groups.

Instead, Rudy fronted Singer with a big mortgage to "buy" the building, with a small down payment, in defiance of community wishes. Singer knew what he was getting into, but was willing to take the risk since any real financial loss would be, and still is, negligible. Plus, Singer's contempt of the local community is grossly obvious, as was Rudy's.

The school and the property were developed and maintained with taxpayer money; it "belongs" to the people of New York, it was their dime. It's abandonment was the choice of the City government, not the choice of the community. Snatching the building and handing it over to a private developer connected to the government is nothing short of the legalized theft so common among the apparatchiks of Communist regimes. Paying attention, Mike the PR agent?

What I find interesting is the City's position on not retracting the demolition permit. I imagine it has to do with ex post facto rulings, but I bet the takings clause would probably allow it.

Posted by: ReadMore at July 25, 2006 4:54 PM

"Architectural Gem"? Perhaps to the aesthetic sensibilites of the numerous rats that call it home. Oh wait it also housed some absurdly tangential claim/s to fame. My fellow neighbors not every building is the sadly demised Penn Station.
Perhaps if he would only make a bri...um donation to one of the preservation groups all would be OK. [but I guess no on feels non-profits accepting payments for approval is wrong; if it is their cause that benefits.]

Posted by: Nomdplume at July 25, 2006 5:46 PM

I'm deeply saddened by Greggs' Singer decision to trash our precious School building Ps 64. His decision clearly shows his complete disregard to Loisaida and what the people want. He is a perfect example of an inscrupulous speculator who wants to capitalize on the sweat tears and blood of a community. His actions denotes callous indifference to the historical value of New York Citys' History. He is quick to accuse and put the blame on Council Member Rosie Mendez Mayor Bloomberg and Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez for not working with him to develop a satisfactory plan in eight years. When his current actions speak louder than words. The fact he sued the City for 100 million dollars when he payed less than 5 million says it all. His only concern has been and is only to make a "killing," or profit in this transaction. He's never cared an iota for what the community wants and needs. He is another money hungry opportunist blind with greed. Who cares that we put over 250 000 dollars to save the building when the City walked away and abandoned the building? Who cares that we turned this building into an Art mecca with affordable rehearsal space for all for the entire City? Who cares that Yip Harburg gave all immigrants and the world "over the rainbow," and attended PS 64? Who cares that our Saint Brigets historic Irish Parish on east 8th st. is on the verge of being destroyed to make way for another high rise condo?
I'll tell you who cares Singer! The same people who fought to save PS 64 after it was abandoned and left for dead by the City. The same people who fought against the drugs and prostitution in our neighborhood. The same people who created artistic venues in Loisaida like the Nuyorican Poets Cafe, Tu Casa Studio, El Teatro Ambulante and many others. The same people who saved the Orpheum Theater the Amphi Theater in FDR Drive and over thirty five tenement buildings including Synagoges and Yashiva schools. The same people who provided many different trades and educational training programs for Adults and our Latino youth. Thats who cares Gregg Singer, and continues to care. Unlike you Singer who has gone on record to say you do not care. All the Gregg Singers of the world come to our neighborhoods to destroy and deface our community's noble historic character to make a buck. Gregg Singer speaks with a forque tonque. He said his family built housing for needy people at the same time he was saying he only came to make a buck and doesn't care what the community wants or needs. He said he was going to teach Charas what a real community organization was all about. Eight years later his inability to deliver has created a monster for us all. Market rate thats what he wants and nothing less will do for him. Shame on you Singer. Shame on you for trying to pass yourself off as a true concerned American citizen perserving the fabric of our society and history. Gregg Singer knew fully well this building is a symbol of the people of Loisaida. He's the one who turned this building into a vendetta between Armando Perez our former Distirct leader who mysteriously was murdered. We Puerto Ricans have done more for our City perserving the rich history of the Jews, Irish, Italians, Blacks, than you can and will ever do. I pray the City will now finally see this for what it is. One of Guliani's biggest blonders that is nothing more than a big festering thorn in the Majors side. The City needs to revock and recind his contract and return the building to it's rightfull owners. The same people who saved it when no one else wanted it. Why should the City let out side greedy speculators benefit from our hard earned sweat blood and tears. It's a travesty of justice that needs to be corrected. Mr. Singer will never be able to develope this building for what he wants, to make a market rate buck and nothing more. It's not about the money it's about the community and the people who live here. Singers arrogance defys not only the community but the City as well. He must be defied if nothing more for the sake of perserving righteousness and City honor. If the City allows Singer to destroy PS 64 they will be allowing all the Gregg Singers to destroy whatever building they deem worthy.

Posted by: Texcoco at July 25, 2006 7:18 PM

Wow, this guy Singer is an asshole.

Posted by: joey at July 25, 2006 9:13 PM

is Gregg Singer gay, the reason I ask (as a gay man) is it's important that he's challenged in places he thinks he won't be (such as gay bars, etc).....also, I find it alarming that he trashes a community (the lower east side) which has meant so much for so many people, including queer people, it's time his own community (if it's the case) held him accountable

Posted by: GreggSingerGay? at July 25, 2006 9:23 PM

This community is in desperate need of luxury housing; I think Singer might as well get the dorm deal so he can put his real plans in motion.

If Mr. Singer is very careful chipping off the priceless Indiana limestone details, he can sell these irreplaceable artifacts to Evan Blum, another pillar of virtue in this community.

Posted by: Frank Language at July 25, 2006 10:22 PM

What's really at issue here is Mr. Singer himself. Mr. Singer is a mediocre man. He looks at PS64 and sees that which he could never create. He sees devoted craftsmanship and enduring strength. It threatens him and so he is moved to destroy it, knowing full well that what he puts there in its stead will be yet another prefab monument to all things mediocre, a temple to his kind. Men like him will not cease to destroy the old world standards until everything that could be held up in comparison to their meager accomplishments is erased from existence. Somewhere, perhaps in a far off Miami resort, an enriched Mr. Singer will throw the party and all will admire him, and all will be mediocre and none the wiser for it. Pity these men, Mr. Singer, these hapless elected officials he has greased, and all the self-serving degenerates that have defiled our fragile democracy. They will never know community. They will never know pride.

Posted by: Vincent at July 26, 2006 2:36 AM

It is sad that Ghouliani was Mayor and that the Charas-El Bohio folks weren't able to hold onto the building, but the level of poison-pill attacks all these years against Singer probably does make him hate the East Village / Loisaida coalition, leading to acts of revenge and destruction.

Half of this coalition wants this site to remain under-developed to maintain their Christadora views of the river, and the other half didn't have it together enough all those years ago to legally secure the building in the first place. Nor were the Loisaida renovators open to all members of the community as it changed to get full community support. So, there was desructive and exclusive cronyism around City Hall and East 9th Street, and everyone suffers (except the river views remain for the neighboring condo).

Then when the latter half of the coalition lost important round one to the Ghouliani cronies in the 1990s, they dug their heels in, refusing to accept the changed situation and refusing any positive engagement. Folks started name calling and threatening.

Some crazies even recommended tossing feces into the site, and some called the respected (Jewish) preservation architects of the site 'Nazis' through anonymous hate mail. This on top of the fact that Blinder-Bell designed an award-winning holocaust memorial in Germany.

Singer's taking down the facade is revenge for the personalized bitter attacks against him with a tinge of greed mixed in, but it also signals his seriousness. Everyone involved in this battle is and has been acting small to the detriment of the community for almost ten years, and now the architectural heritage of the building suffers for it. The time to get talking is now.

As a community member I suffer by 1/3 of 9th and 10th Streets being blighted by an abandoned, uncared for site and scaffolding for many years. There is litter, broken glass, and it is unsafe to have no residents or businesses on such a large swath of streetscape. 10th Street especially has a large number of large institutions on the block, like NYCHA buildings, that make the entire block unaccountable to people who might want to use it to go to a store or park, or use the bus stops. There is no frontage for most of the block. This can't be good for safety.
We don't need more big block, unaccountable institutions on 10th Street between C and B. We need stores. We need local arts spaces, studios, rehearsal space, meeting venues, performance spaces. This brings economic development, jobs, and much needed artistic and community space. It would also bring street life and social integration to 10th Street, which needs it.

It is time to realize that the situation has changed and has been changing. The politics of mutual destruction are only working for destruction and decay. Please, let's calm the rhetoric, accept and respect each and every stakeholder, and get negotiating.

We obviously need to broaden this dialogue. The local politicians are and have been too dug in (and parochial-acting) to handle this. Velazquez and Mendez should do the right thing and ask for broader mediation. Perhaps Bette Middler who has done so much for our city and its gardens -- Bette might you be moved by Yip Harburg's musical heritage? Let's name the Arts Center after him and put a theatre in there named for her. Perhaps Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer? He has performed well with reforming and professionalizing the cronyistic Commmunity Boards. Perhaps Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum? President Bill Clinton? President Jimmy Carter, whose Carter Center advocates respectful negotiation? Considering CB3's politics, bringing in someone who brokered Arab-Israeli peace is the kind of person we need!

We need someone to step forward and mediate this using mutual respect. A young Mario Cuomo made his career by showing leadership in a nimby/anti-public-housing conflict in Queens, mediating a solution around 30-40 years ago. But that someone needs to be invited to the community and accepted and respected by all stakeholders in this conflict. Someone with Congresswoman Velazaquez' stature along with Councilwoman Mendez can invite in a respected mediator.

We need to put the recriminations behind us, accept the situations as they are, and radically engage all sides in a broad based conversation and dialogues. (If action-oriented dialogue fails, we can always go back to name-calling, lawsuits, architectural vandalism, and tossing poops.)

Posted by: anonymous coward at July 26, 2006 5:38 AM

Short of civil disobedience, the only way to stop this is for city officials to act immediately. Contact the offices listed below. Sample email below if you choose not to phone.

- Councilwoman Rosie Mendez, rosie.mendez@council.nyc.ny.us, 212-677-1077
- Council Speaker Christine Quinn, 212-564-7757, www.nyccouncil.info/rightnow/contactspkr.cfm
- Scott Stringer, Manhattan Borough President, bp@manhattanbp.org, 212-669-8300
- David McWater, Chair, Manhattan Community Board 3, boardchair@cb3manhattan.org, 212-533-5300
- Susan Stetzer, District Manager, Manhattan Community Board 3, sstetzer@cb3manhattan.org (same number as above)
- Mayor Michael Bloomberg, www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html

�Please do everything in your power to stop the destruction of P.S. 64 currently underway in the East Village. The city�s architectural heritage belongs to all of us, and Gregg Singer�s short-sighted actions must be stopped. Please work with Singer to determine an appropriate fate for the building that does not include its destruction.

[Your name and address]�

Posted by: Avenue B Forever! at July 26, 2006 10:45 AM

Working for an architect who deals with the Landmarks Preservation Commission has really given me an insight into these anal retentive, whiny pricks who love nothing better than to cite historical preservation when denying a permit for even the most benign of work.

Mr. Singer may have (probabaly did at that) aquire this building by less than honest means but he now is the one who has the right to develop it. Crying that he is going to destroy the historic nature of the building is the rallying call of the myopic. I'm all for preserving some historic integrity of our city but not at the expense of progress.

Also, I think his ripping off of the facade detailing is wrong in this instance but I agree with him in principal. His building, his right to do it. If these people wanted the building preserved (at least partially intact), they should have reached an accord with Mr. Singer instead of trying to force him to adhere to their strict interpretation of historic relevance. A compromise would have been the best solution. Maybe Singer didn't want to compromise, but trying to force the issue is bound to leave you feeling bitter in light of recent events.

Posted by: preservationisthater at July 26, 2006 11:00 AM

I'm no fan of Giuliani, never was, never will be, but a vendetta against the Latin Kings? The Latin Kings are a CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE! A drug dealing street gang. Why the hell would the City even entertain selling them a City property?

To Mike the True American: I never suggested that Singer paid fair market value for the property, but the fact remains he owns it now. It's his property. If you want to control it, I simply suggested you buy it from him.

Posted by: Mike the Laborer at July 26, 2006 1:35 PM

Those saying that as building owner, Gregg Singer has the right to do with the building as he chooses ignore historic preservation case law (eg, Pennsylvania Central Transportation Co. v. New York City). The courts have ruled time and again that owners of landmarked building may not inappropriately alter the exterior or, in some instances, the interior of their buildings. Such buildings are a part of a city�s architectural heritage and ownership of the building does not include the right to alter the building in a manner that destroys its architectural uniqueness. The City may have acted in a more intelligent manner regarding this specific building, but let�s be clear about the rights of building owners to alter landmarked buildings.

Posted by: Avenue B Forever! at July 26, 2006 2:12 PM

The problem with landmarking is that NIMBYists and anti-development extremists have co-opted the Landmarks Preservation Committee and corrupted its intent as an excuse to block ANYTHING from being built.

If the Landmarks Preservation Committee had been around 300+ years ago, we'd all be living in teepees and log cabins.

Posted by: Mike the Laborer at July 26, 2006 4:00 PM

Those members of the Latin Kings who helped form CHARAS (and not all of CHARAS were former gang members) rejected violence and found a better way to support their community. I admire their courage in turning away from their criminal pasts, ousting the drug dealers and hookers who first invested the former PS64, and then returning the building to the people who paid for it--the community. It seems to have cost Armando Perez his life.

I'm not religious, but this looks to me like a fine example true Christianity. Of course, Christians were long considered a CRIMINAL ENTERPRISE, weren’t they? Authoritarians have no tolerance for people who preach equality and justice. And nothing more thoroughly repudiates Giuliani's record of venality. Perhaps this was, and is, the source of his hatred.

The community paid for PS64 in dollars and cents; CHARAS paid for it in guts and sweat. Singer paid virtually nothing through the type of backroom, insider corruption so favored by criminal regimes.

So how many times to the people of the East Village have to "pay" for PS64 before it is considered theirs? Answer: until they have enough political power to prevent city hall from stealing it yet again. Perhaps that time is now. We’ll see.

Posted by: ReadMore at July 26, 2006 5:08 PM

I have lived in the neighborhood for many years. And what upsets me when I hear stories such as this is that when these historic buildings are torn down and new faceless highrises are built in there place I feel like the neighborhoods character is being sucked away and it becomes another genric boring ugly highrise.

I know I'm being overly optimistic but I would really like to see the right thing being done in this situation, I would really love for this building to be restored to it's former glory and used as either a community center or some type of arts center or even an outreach center or hell even some kind of city gov't offices!

I don't know if this is true or not but in regards to the other neighborhood battle St.Bridget's church, I read on curbed.com that a "angel" brought it and is planing to restore it and make it into an arts center. Have any of the other Ave B neighbors heard or read this as well?

Posted by: ? at July 26, 2006 5:29 PM

as a long-time resident (since 1969 on avenue c) of charas' immediate neighborhood -- i think we are just being cooked

real estate rules the city ("it's a hot market"), the middle class is disappearing and the east village lifestyle is under siege

is it any wonder that some of us look upon the "bad old days (rampant drugs, etc.) with a little nostalgia?

Posted by: eve cusson at July 27, 2006 9:06 AM

Again, I don't understand why Gregg Singer is choosing to destroy the architectural detailing rather than sell it to Evan Blum or another architectural salvage house.

By the way, St. Brigid's church, just a block away, has 19th-century stained glass windows made by Tiffany and Company; even when something is deemed worthless, it can contain a treasure.

Posted by: Frank Language at July 27, 2006 10:29 AM

This is a perfect time for demo workers to start destroying St. Brigid's church; the following comes from Clayton Patterson:

"I went to the site after I got this message. The construction workers are putting up a protective walkway scaffold around the church. There is an 8 foot by 8 foot hole broken through the back wall of the church. A front
window is broken out. They are cutting up the wooden structures inside There are a couple of police cars. A few people standing around. Not much else. The lawyer is in court trying to get a stop work order.

"Church was built n 1848. An LES landmark.

"thanks
Clayton "

Re:

"Polisih construction crews have started the demolition of the church.
Our attorney is supposed to t file for an oder to get a storpped. Keep you posted!!!"

Posted by: Frank Language at July 27, 2006 10:48 AM

From wikipedia.com:

"The Latin Kings started out as a social organization for the advancement of the Puerto Rican community in the Chicago area in the 1940s. The organization spread nationally, and by the 1970s it came to be dominated by individuals engaged in criminal activity, in particular, narcotics trafficking...

...Today, the Latin Kings are associated with the People Nation and is one of the most violent street gangs in the United States...

...Violent behavior is the hallmark of the Latin Kings; they are also involved in the sale of drugs, weapons trafficking, and providing protection. As a result of the many ALKN gang leaders who have been incarcerated, the leadership of this gang still has the ability to orchestrate rules and policies from within the prison system. The Almighty Latin King Nation is one of the largest and most violent criminal organizations in the U.S."

Posted by: Mike the Laborer at July 27, 2006 11:42 AM

The whole story is more problematic. Yes, Guiliani gave it to Singer for a song. A political payback, most likely. But what happened after is no different. How is it possible that after seven years of Singer's ownership, and a week or so after the DOB approved his permit for demolition that suddenly it became a landmark case. Could it be political payback from Mags Lopez stumping for Bloomie in return for Bloomies support for her retarded sidekick Rosie.

The people I know in the community are pissed because they want their community center and it was sold. They should be mad at the city and their council person for letting it happen in the first place. But fact is, they are never going to get it back. He owns the building.

You can not accuse him of doing anything but what is his fiduciary responsibility to his investors. What would anyone suggest if you were one of equity owners of this property? Should they suffer? Seven years ago they put up their money to buy a building from the city of New York?

When urban planning trumps property rights, I would suggest that everyone think about what they would do if the LPC told you that you could not replace your stove or re-finish your floors?

Posted by: Long time non- rent stablized east village tenant at July 27, 2006 1:11 PM

To Frank Language: Why is the nationality of the construction workers (as you cite that they are Polish) germain to the discussion?

Posted by: Mike the Laborer at July 27, 2006 1:36 PM

The remark about "Polsih [sic] construction crews" did not originate with me and was a quote from someone who had e-mailed Clayton Patterson. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

By the way, my mother is Polish (off the boat), so I don't find references to Polish ethnicity offensive, do you?

Posted by: Frank Language at July 27, 2006 9:35 PM

So tomorrow (Monday) are we going to throw money at Mr. Singer when we rally to have him stop chopping P.S. 64? All he wants is money, you know.

Posted by: Frank Language at July 30, 2006 10:30 PM

Gregg Singer is a brilliant businessman. The only reason he acts this way is because he has a small cock.

Posted by: Angie Vanuyes at August 2, 2006 9:50 PM

He'd better get a toupee in a hurray-I remember him from years back with so much more hair-he must have lost his hair from all of this stress

Posted by: Heddy Lighthourn at August 2, 2006 10:36 PM

It looks like Singer has won - but damn, he's been spending money out the ass since he bought the building. I bet he has three types of antacid in his medicine chest.

I wonder if he's into yoga or meditation to keep him so serene; by the way, there was a yoga class being held at CHARAS before he evicted all the community people. (Oh - and he's always had that bald spot. He's going to look like Moe from the Three Stooges pretty soon.)

Posted by: Frank Language at August 4, 2006 12:36 AM

Why are you all getting off the subject, talking about Gregg Singer's "cock" size and "bald spot?" He is a businessman, doing what he needs to do. Maybe you are all "scorned lovers" who he dumped-or maybe an ex wife-leave the guy alone-yes, he an unfeeling sob but I'd go to bed with him

Posted by: Serena Clafin at August 6, 2006 7:22 PM