Hanging out in Queens

[marylander1940]

On 4/18/2023 at 9:53 PM, Colton said:

What is the point of this thread?

A morbid joke on suicide and a NYC borough!

[samhexum]

On 4/19/2023 at 6:54 AM, cany10011 said:

I’d love to visit Flushing for their superior chinese restaurants but it is a chore taking the 7. Going to Flushing is a foodie adventure.

 

On 4/19/2023 at 11:33 AM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Totally agree and love eating through that neighborhood.  The Korean fare is legit.

 

On 5/1/2023 at 2:44 PM, pubic_assistance said:

When you want amazing Korean food, you always head to Queens.

A new campaign spearheaded by the Asian American Federation (AAF) is spotlighting Murray Hill in Queens as the go-to New York City destination for authentic Korean food. 

AAF launched the “Find Your Seoul” campaign with a kickoff event and luncheon in Murray Hill this past weekend.

Murray Hill in Queens has grown to become the home of NYC’s largest Korean community and features some of the city’s most authentic Korean food. The “Find Your Seoul in NYC” campaign aims to promote Murray Hill as a destination for the city’s most authentic Korean food and help New Yorkers discover a diversity of Korean food beyond Korean barbecue and beyond Manhattan. 

[pubic_assistance]

9 minutes ago, samhexum said:

Murray Hill in Queens has grown to become the home of NYC’s largest Korean community and features some of the city’s most authentic Korean food.

I didn't even know there was a Murray Hill in Queens ! ( The East 30's in Manhattan is also called Murray Hill ).

My favorite Korean restaurant is in Woodside

SIK GAEK – Korean BBQ & Seafood

SIKGAEKWOODSIDE.COM

 

[samhexum]

36 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

I didn't even know there was a Murray Hill in Queens ! ( The East 30's in Manhattan is also called Murray Hill ).  It's along Northern Blvd, east of Main St. and west of Francis Lewis Blvd (approximately).

My favorite Korean restaurant is in Woodside

SIK GAEK – Korean BBQ & Seafood

SIKGAEKWOODSIDE.COM

 

Tabletop BBQ at Sik Gaek

By QNS News Team

May 11, 2013

 

“Oh, that’s probably too much food,” the server warns in a refreshing moment of honesty. “Most dishes are intended to serve three to four.”

He then reaches under the table for an invisible switch, and flames appear.

The restaurant is Sik Gaek, and the booths are tucked under tin awnings reminiscent of a back alley in a bustling Asian city, the walls plastered with karaoke posters. Next to each table sit enormous plastic red buckets where diners discard shells, bones and shrimp tails. This is Korean barbecue at its very best. It’s a whole different ballgame than the American version.

Soon the waiter returns and begins frying a couple of eggs in a skillet to be set aside as one of many garnishes. Next, a technicolor parade of small plates arrives, none of them ordered by the table. These are customary complimentary dishes often enjoyed as appetizers or used as toppings with the main course. There are bowls of flaming red kimchi—one of pickled mushrooms and vegetables, garlic cloves and jalapenos—and yet another steaming dish of what appears to be an egg soufflé. The Korean rice cakes are a favorite at Sik Gaek. The thin strips of fish cakes glistening with a glowing red sriracha glaze actually resemble long, chewy gnocchi. Lush leaves of bibb lettuce serve as jade wraps for the delicacies to come.

 

And now, the barbecue begins. Paper thin strips of bulgogi—sesame, soy and garlic marinated short ribs—sizzle and curl as they brown on the grill. A gargantuan, ice cube-studded platter covers the end of the table and brims over with piles of clams, sea snails, prawns, scallops, mussels and even shells full of crab meat, veggies and mozzarella cheese. It’s all slowly grilled on the tabletop.

Bold diners will want to try Sik Gaek’s famous plate, the seafood hot pot—a rice bowl placed over the grill and filled with fresh seafood, including a live octopus, that is slowly steamed over the heat. Skeptics may want to check out the YouTube clip with Anthony Bourdain and David Chang.

Whether you are adventurous or timid, the menu is ideally suited for sharing among friends who can agree on a few dishes. Even the spicy ramen soup is intended to feed a small family. Start off with a few orders and add more as you go along to gradually build a tableside grilled feast.

From steamed fresh lobster to beef short rib stew, monkfish and mackerel to prawns and scallops, each order arrives in heaping platters. Although health codes prevent guests from taking home unconsumed raw meats, don’t waste those untouched gems. Ask nicely, and your server will have the kitchen steam or grill your leftovers and package it to take home.

Sik Gaek
49-11 Roosevelt Ave, Woodside
718-205-4555
Open daily from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m.

https://qns.com/2013/05/tabletop-bbq-at-sik-gaek/

[cany10011]

13 minutes ago, samhexum said:

Tabletop BBQ at Sik Gaek

By QNS News Team

May 11, 2013

 

“Oh, that’s probably too much food,” the server warns in a refreshing moment of honesty. “Most dishes are intended to serve three to four.”

He then reaches under the table for an invisible switch, and flames appear.

The restaurant is Sik Gaek, and the booths are tucked under tin awnings reminiscent of a back alley in a bustling Asian city, the walls plastered with karaoke posters. Next to each table sit enormous plastic red buckets where diners discard shells, bones and shrimp tails. This is Korean barbecue at its very best. It’s a whole different ballgame than the American version.

Soon the waiter returns and begins frying a couple of eggs in a skillet to be set aside as one of many garnishes. Next, a technicolor parade of small plates arrives, none of them ordered by the table. These are customary complimentary dishes often enjoyed as appetizers or used as toppings with the main course. There are bowls of flaming red kimchi—one of pickled mushrooms and vegetables, garlic cloves and jalapenos—and yet another steaming dish of what appears to be an egg soufflé. The Korean rice cakes are a favorite at Sik Gaek. The thin strips of fish cakes glistening with a glowing red sriracha glaze actually resemble long, chewy gnocchi. Lush leaves of bibb lettuce serve as jade wraps for the delicacies to come.

 

And now, the barbecue begins. Paper thin strips of bulgogi—sesame, soy and garlic marinated short ribs—sizzle and curl as they brown on the grill. A gargantuan, ice cube-studded platter covers the end of the table and brims over with piles of clams, sea snails, prawns, scallops, mussels and even shells full of crab meat, veggies and mozzarella cheese. It’s all slowly grilled on the tabletop.

Bold diners will want to try Sik Gaek’s famous plate, the seafood hot pot—a rice bowl placed over the grill and filled with fresh seafood, including a live octopus, that is slowly steamed over the heat. Skeptics may want to check out the YouTube clip with Anthony Bourdain and David Chang.

Whether you are adventurous or timid, the menu is ideally suited for sharing among friends who can agree on a few dishes. Even the spicy ramen soup is intended to feed a small family. Start off with a few orders and add more as you go along to gradually build a tableside grilled feast.

From steamed fresh lobster to beef short rib stew, monkfish and mackerel to prawns and scallops, each order arrives in heaping platters. Although health codes prevent guests from taking home unconsumed raw meats, don’t waste those untouched gems. Ask nicely, and your server will have the kitchen steam or grill your leftovers and package it to take home.

Sik Gaek
49-11 Roosevelt Ave, Woodside
718-205-4555
Open daily from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m.

https://qns.com/2013/05/tabletop-bbq-at-sik-gaek/

I'm salivating as a part time vegan....

[pubic_assistance]

They also have live octopus sashimi that's a real hit with your female friends who are guaranteed to scream as it wiggles to get out of your mouth and it's little suckers hang on for dear life while you chew it up and swallow

Edited June 27, 2023 by pubic_assistance

[CuriousByNature]

7 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

They also have live octopus sashimi that's a real hit with your female friends who are guaranteed to scream as it wiggles to get out of your mouth and it's little suckers hang on for dear life while you chew it up and swallow

I heard a story about a person in South Korea who died while trying to eat live squid at a restaurant - what a way to go.  Death by cephalopod.

[pubic_assistance]

6 hours ago, CuriousByNature said:

I heard a story about a person in South Korea who died while trying to eat live squid at a restaurant - what a way to go.  Death by cephalopod.

In this case...it's live squid sashimi ...so chopped into pieces. But apparently the nerve endings continue to move and the suckers cling-on even after detaching from the brain..so the effect on your dining experience is unique.

 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

On 6/26/2023 at 5:16 PM, augustus said:

@samhexum I can see that the first cannabis shop has just opened in Queens.   🤔

First?  Queens has had smoke/cannabis shops and delivery services since late 2021.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

23 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

I didn't even know there was a Murray Hill in Queens ! ( The East 30's in Manhattan is also called Murray Hill ).

My favorite Korean restaurant is in Woodside

SIK GAEK – Korean BBQ & Seafood

SIKGAEKWOODSIDE.COM

 

I don't see Murray Hill taking the crown away from Flushing anytime soon, but good on them for the addition.  When it comes to food, more choice is always better

Korean is possibly my favorite type of food and being in Queens, you're never too far from authentic, delicious choices. 

[samhexum]

On 6/26/2023 at 5:16 PM, augustus said:

@samhexum I can see that the first cannabis shop has just opened in Queens.   🤔

Roll up! Legal cannabis dispensary in Jamaica using former police car to deliver weed

I think they should go all out and have their drivers wear faux uniforms.

[samhexum]

Actor Michael Rapaport declares Sal, Kris & Charlie’s in Astoria the best deli in the city

When Rapaport visited his favorite sandwich spot this past week, he posted to Tik Tok, captioning his video, “Sal & Kris is the BEST OF THE BEST in NYC. Period.”

“Alright, I’m gonna make this short and quick. Listen, I don’t do sandwich reviews, because there’s only one place in New York City. You want a true-blue New York hero? Sal & Kris’s Astoria, Queens,” Rapaport raved.

“If you’ve never had a sandwich from Sal & Kris in Astoria, Queens, you’ve never really had a New York sandwich, trust me,” Rapaport said. “Forget all the rest, classic New York hero– Sal & Kris, Astoria, Queens. This place ain’t for vegetarians, alright, it’s the real deal, New York.”

Located at 33-12 23rd Ave. Sal, Kris & Charlie’s Deli is well-known for its massive, 14-inch-long heroes. (that's a lot of meat, though if those are 'gay porn' inches, it's probably more like 9 1/2 - 10) The spot was previously reviewed by the New York Times in 2018, which highlighted the “supersized sandwiches” beloved by many. 

[samhexum]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:44 PM, pubic_assistance said:

Zum Stammtisch is really the only remaining restaurant in NYC that serves good German food.

HEAD OVER FOR DINNER AFTER...

The Kiwanis Club of Glendale is continuing its annual tradition of hosting a summer street fair along the busy stretch of Myrtle Avenue between Fresh Pond Road and Forest Avenue on Sunday, July 23.

Vendors and local businesses will provide fairgoers with prizes, free giveaway items and key community-building conversations. There will also be various games, activities and entertainment for kids to enjoy during the fair, which is scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

AND/OR...

The Myrtle Avenue Business Improvement District will also host its Ridgewood Farmstand event on Cypress Avenue between Myrtle and Putnam avenues from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 22. The farmstand is also available every weekend in the summer.

[samhexum]

Top things to eat, see and do in Flushing

https://qns.com/2023/07/top-things-to-eat-see-and-do-in-flushing/

Home to the second largest Chinatown in New York City, Flushing is popular for its quick-bite bakeries, including Apollo Bakery, Taipan Bakery and Fay Da Bakery. Among the most popular bites on the menus are hot roast pork buns, Portuguese custard tarts, and curry puffs. 

The theme of Asian-inspired cuisine, however, does not stop there and continues to “a dizzying number” of food stalls that can be found in the popular neighborhood spots like New York Food Court, New World Mall, The Shops at Skyview Center, Hong Kong Supermarket, Queens Crossing, and Tangram. The collection of spots offers everything from traditional noodles and dumplings to fish-head dishes and rich desserts.

Flushing Tangram opened its long-anticipated Food Hall on Jan. 12, featuring specially selected vendors of international cuisine.  Xi’an Famous Foods, a chain based in New York City that serves authentic Western Chinese dishes, is opening a location at Tangram. 

Besides the bites, Flushing is also home to elegant tea houses in the heart of the neighborhood, including local businesses like Prince Tea House and Fang Gourmet Tea. Some visitors, however, may be more accustomed to bubble tea, a growing trend that originated in Taiwan and can now be found easily throughout the world at malls or branches of international companies, such as Coco, Kung Fu, and Happy Lemon, all of which can be found in Flushing.

On 6/27/2023 at 2:34 PM, pubic_assistance said:

I didn't even know there was a Murray Hill in Queens!

“Greater Flushing is a wonder to explore,” MacKay said. “Head to the Murray Hill section for an array of authentic Korean BBQ dishes at Hahm Ji Bach or visit the Hindu Temple Society of North America, whose Temple Canteen is a well-kept secret for delicious dosas.”

Hahm Ji Bach, located at 40-11 149th Pl. in Murray Hill 

Other places of significant popularity include Asian Jewels for seafood and dim sum, Gyu-Kaku for Japanese BBQ, Kum Gang San for Korean food, Leaf Bar & Lounge for craft cocktails and small Taiwanese plates, OK Canaan for more Taiwanese dishes, and Pho for a wide range of Vietnamese dishes.

While this diversity in food reflects the neighborhood’s multicultural spirit, the same is also true for Flushing’s many tourist attractions that capture the area’s rich history.

“History buffs can visit several landmarks, many of which are within walking distance from one another,” MacKay said.

Flushing is home to the Lewis H. Latimer House Museum, which is named for the African-American inventor known for his work on the telephone and light bulb with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, respectively.

Other popular spots include the Kingsland Homestead, the Queens Historical Society headquarters, as well as the Voelker Orth Museum, known for its Victorian garden and bird sanctuary. 

Nothing, however, comes quite close to the John Bowne House, the oldest and “most historic” building in all of Queens known for helping establish religious freedom in the United States in 1662 after New Netherland Director Peter Stuyvesant arrested John Bowne, a quaker who eventually appealed the arrest to the Dutch West India Company and won. Not to brag or anything, but guess who graduated second in his class from John Bowne H.S.?

John Bowne House, located at 37-01 Bowne St. in Flushing. 

“As the country’s birthplace of religious freedom, Flushing is home to spiritual centers representing almost every faith,” MacKay said.

Aside from the Bowne House, crowds also visit historical religious places like St. George’s Episcopal Church on Main Street, the Free Synagogue of Flushing, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation’s northeast regional headquarters, the Gurudwara Sikh Center of New York, the Muslim Center of New York and the Conservative Jewish Temple Gates of Prayer.

The historical sites, however, do not stop there and continue with Flushing Town Hall, known as “a dynamic cultural venue” for its performing and visual arts programs that range from theater and jazz or classical music to dance and puppetry. 

Aside from various productions at its 308-seat theater, however, Flushing Town Hall’s significance runs much deeper as a Romanesque Revival building dating back to as early as the Civil War.

Flushing Town Hall, located at 137-35 Northern Blvd. 

“Built in 1862, Civil War conscripts were sworn into the Union Army in the upstairs assembly hall,” MacKay said. “In the late 19th century, an extension was added and the venue started hosting opera and traveling theater. For a time, the legendary P.T. Barnum was its impresario and Tom Thumb was its star performer.”

Currently, visitors can enjoy Flushing Town Hall’s “Monthly Jazz Jam” that happens on the first Wednesday of every month under the direction of saxophonist Carol Sudhalter and the house band.

Arguably the largest source of entertainment, however, will come late next month with the U.S. Open Tournament at Flushing’s USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which welcomed a record-setting 776,000 fans last year and looks to repeat that during this year’s tournament.

Just like the neighborhood it sits in, the stadium complex offers a diverse range of cuisines for tennis fans to enjoy, including American, Asian, Indian, Italian, Latin, and Mediterranean bites, as well as gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and kosher options. 

Ultimately, visitors may opt to venture to these Flushing sites on the 7 Train from countless Manhattan hotels, they can instead stay in one of Flushing’s hotels, including the Fairfield Inn or The Parc Hotel on College Point Boulevard, Four Points by Sheraton on Farrington Street, Hotel Indigo on Flushing Street, Hyatt Place Flushing or the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel on 39th Avenue, and the Renaissance New York Flushing Hotel at Tangram on 37th Avenue.

Edited July 26, 2023 by samhexum
for absolutely NO @%!*ing reason at all!

[CuriousByNature]

I've never had the opportunity to explore Queens.  But whenever I think of it I think of Flushing, and whenever I think of Flushing....

[samhexum]

12 minutes ago, CuriousByNature said:

I've never had the opportunity to explore Queens.  But whenever I think of it I think of Flushing, and whenever I think of Flushing....

Who would have guessed?

[+ nycman]

2 hours ago, samhexum said:

Top things to eat, see and do in Flushing

https://qns.com/2023/07/top-things-to-eat-see-and-do-in-flushing/

Home to the second largest Chinatown in New York City, Flushing is popular for its quick-bite bakeries, including Apollo Bakery, Taipan Bakery and Fay Da Bakery. Among the most popular bites on the menus are hot roast pork buns, Portuguese custard tarts, and curry puffs. 

The theme of Asian-inspired cuisine, however, does not stop there and continues to “a dizzying number” of food stalls that can be found in the popular neighborhood spots like New York Food Court, New World Mall, The Shops at Skyview Center, Hong Kong Supermarket, Queens Crossing, and Tangram. The collection of spots offers everything from traditional noodles and dumplings to fish-head dishes and rich desserts.

Flushing Tangram opened its long-anticipated Food Hall on Jan. 12, featuring specially selected vendors of international cuisine.  Xi’an Famous Foods, a chain based in New York City that serves authentic Western Chinese dishes, is opening a location at Tangram. 

Besides the bites, Flushing is also home to elegant tea houses in the heart of the neighborhood, including local businesses like Prince Tea House and Fang Gourmet Tea. Some visitors, however, may be more accustomed to bubble tea, a growing trend that originated in Taiwan and can now be found easily throughout the world at malls or branches of international companies, such as Coco, Kung Fu, and Happy Lemon, all of which can be found in Flushing.

“Greater Flushing is a wonder to explore,” MacKay said. “Head to the Murray Hill section for an array of authentic Korean BBQ dishes at Hahm Ji Bach or visit the Hindu Temple Society of North America, whose Temple Canteen is a well-kept secret for delicious dosas.”

Hahm Ji Bach, located at 40-11 149th Pl. in Murray Hill 

Other places of significant popularity include Asian Jewels for seafood and dim sum, Gyu-Kaku for Japanese BBQ, Kum Gang San for Korean food, Leaf Bar & Lounge for craft cocktails and small Taiwanese plates, OK Canaan for more Taiwanese dishes, and Pho for a wide range of Vietnamese dishes.

While this diversity in food reflects the neighborhood’s multicultural spirit, the same is also true for Flushing’s many tourist attractions that capture the area’s rich history.

“History buffs can visit several landmarks, many of which are within walking distance from one another,” MacKay said.

Flushing is home to the Lewis H. Latimer House Museum, which is named for the African-American inventor known for his work on the telephone and light bulb with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison, respectively.

Other popular spots include the Kingsland Homestead, the Queens Historical Society headquarters, as well as the Voelker Orth Museum, known for its Victorian garden and bird sanctuary. 

Nothing, however, comes quite close to the John Bowne House, the oldest and “most historic” building in all of Queens known for helping establish religious freedom in the United States in 1662 after New Netherland Director Peter Stuyvesant arrested John Bowne, a quaker who eventually appealed the arrest to the Dutch West India Company and won. Not to brag or anything, but guess who graduated second in his class from John Bowne H.S.?

John Bowne House, located at 37-01 Bowne St. in Flushing. 

“As the country’s birthplace of religious freedom, Flushing is home to spiritual centers representing almost every faith,” MacKay said.

Aside from the Bowne House, crowds also visit historical religious places like St. George’s Episcopal Church on Main Street, the Free Synagogue of Flushing, the Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation’s northeast regional headquarters, the Gurudwara Sikh Center of New York, the Muslim Center of New York and the Conservative Jewish Temple Gates of Prayer.

The historical sites, however, do not stop there and continue with Flushing Town Hall, known as “a dynamic cultural venue” for its performing and visual arts programs that range from theater and jazz or classical music to dance and puppetry. 

Aside from various productions at its 308-seat theater, however, Flushing Town Hall’s significance runs much deeper as a Romanesque Revival building dating back to as early as the Civil War.

Flushing Town Hall, located at 137-35 Northern Blvd. 

“Built in 1862, Civil War conscripts were sworn into the Union Army in the upstairs assembly hall,” MacKay said. “In the late 19th century, an extension was added and the venue started hosting opera and traveling theater. For a time, the legendary P.T. Barnum was its impresario and Tom Thumb was its star performer.”

Currently, visitors can enjoy Flushing Town Hall’s “Monthly Jazz Jam” that happens on the first Wednesday of every month under the direction of saxophonist Carol Sudhalter and the house band.

Arguably the largest source of entertainment, however, will come late next month with the U.S. Open Tournament at Flushing’s USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, which welcomed a record-setting 776,000 fans last year and looks to repeat that during this year’s tournament.

Just like the neighborhood it sits in, the stadium complex offers a diverse range of cuisines for tennis fans to enjoy, including American, Asian, Indian, Italian, Latin, and Mediterranean bites, as well as gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and kosher options. 

Ultimately, visitors may opt to venture to these Flushing sites on the 7 Train from countless Manhattan hotels, they can instead stay in one of Flushing’s hotels, including the Fairfield Inn or The Parc Hotel on College Point Boulevard, Four Points by Sheraton on Farrington Street, Hotel Indigo on Flushing Street, Hyatt Place Flushing or the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel on 39th Avenue, and the Renaissance New York Flushing Hotel at Tangram on 37th Avenue.

That’s all great…it’s still Queens. 

grin

[samhexum]

1 hour ago, nycman said:

That’s all great…it’s still Queens. 

grin

 

Tootles & French Wine Bar elevates Astoria’s dining scene

The top Italian establishments in western Queens

 

[+ nycman]

4 hours ago, samhexum said:

 

Tootles & French Wine Bar elevates Astoria’s dining scene

The top Italian establishments in western Queens

 

You’re trying to hurt me…aren’t you?

grin

[samhexum]

On 6/10/2023 at 6:47 PM, samhexum said:

The NYPD shut down an alleged brothel at 63-02 Roosevelt Ave. in Woodside last week following an undercover sting operation where two women in their 60s were arrested for prostitution.

 

'Market of Sweethearts' This NYC avenue is overrun by brazen brothels operating in broad daylight

A dozen brothels have set up shop along Roosevelt Avenue near Junction Boulevard.

Well, they ARE hanging out in Queens!

Edited July 29, 2023 by samhexum
for absolutely NO @%!*ing reason at all!

[samhexum]

Queens Chamber of Commerce announces inaugural Best Barbeque Competition

Members of the public are encouraged to nominate and vote for their favorite eatery as part of Queens’ Best Barbeque Competition, which will take place in August and September.

The Queens Chamber of Commerce, the oldest and largest business association in Queens, is attempting to settle the barbecue debate with this inaugural competition. Traditional barbecue, Korean-style, Asado-style, Churrasco-style and all other types of barbecue are all eligible for nomination.

“Restaurants across Queens consistently serve up some of the most iconic foods from a variety of cultures and countries, and our barbeque establishments are no different. From traditional style barbeque to Korean and other types, we have access to a multitude of cuisines to satisfy all kinds of palates,” said Tom Grech, president and CEO of the Queens Chamber of Commerce. “I look forward to visiting the winning restaurant, and trying some of their delicious offerings.”

Nominations will open on Monday, Aug. 7 and close Wednesday, Aug. 23. Public voting will take place from Monday, Aug. 28, to Friday, Sept. 8.

You can nominate your favorite restaurant in Queens beginning by visiting bit.ly/QueensBestBBQ.

[mike carey]

As our estimable fellow poster might well say, 'But it's still in Queens!'

Far be it from me to comment on any such assessment.

[samhexum]

Councilman Robert Holden and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. introduced two pieces of legislation during a recent New York City Council meeting on Thursday, Aug 3.  

One proposed bill, known as Intro 1146, will ban the use of plywood to board up abandoned and foreclosed properties not sealed or continuously guarded. Property owners will also still be required to close any points of entry, but by any other means than the use of plywood. 

The second bill, Intro 1147, will require property owners to post a $5,000 bond to the Department of Finance when their buildings are undergoing foreclosure. According to the bill, the bond is sent to the commissioner of finance to address housing maintenance, building, and sanitation violations during vacancy or foreclosure. The bond will be returned to the property owner upon request, but if they fail to pay, they are subject to a daily fine of $200. 

“These eyesores have no place in our communities, as they contribute to neighborhood blight and attract criminal activities,” said Holden. “We can prevent deterioration, curb blight and maintain the value of our neighborhoods. I look forward to working with Borough President Richards to restoring the visual appeal of our communities and creating a safer environment for all residents.”

Both proposed bills aim to hold property owners accountable for managing any abandoned and foreclosed properties.

“Zombie buildings are eyesores and detriments to their communities that impact our neighbors’ quality of life,” said Richards. “These common sense bills will help address numerous issues that these zombie buildings create and I look forward to working with Council Member Holden to further address these concerns.”

Holden represents Glendale, Maspeth, Middle Village, Ridgewood, Woodhaven and Woodside in the City Council.

 

I think these are common sense measures that are LONG overdue.

[samhexum]

Massive $937 Kew Gardens Interchange reconstruction project lands second transportation infrastructure award  

now THAT'S a headline you don't see everyday! 

A highway construction project completed for under $1000?  Sacre bleu!

Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Aug. 4 that the $937 million Kew Gardens Interchange reconstruction project that was completed by the State Department of Transportation last winter was recognized with an award at the 2023 America’s Transportation Awards competition.

The Kew Gardens Interchange project was named a winner of the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials region in the “Best Use of Technology & Innovation, Large Project” category. This year, 36 state transportation departments participated in the competition, nominating 81 total projects.

The award-winning project revamped one of the metropolitan area’s most heavily traveled corridors, creating faster travel times, safer merging and exiting, and more reliable connections for the hundreds of thousands of commuters, travelers, and local businesses who use it daily to reach JFK and LaGuardia airports and other key destinations throughout the region.

[samhexum]

On 7/26/2023 at 5:13 PM, nycman said:

That’s all great…it’s still Queens. 

grin

 

On 8/3/2023 at 12:24 AM, mike carey said:

As our estimable fellow poster might well say, 'But it's still in Queens!'

Far be it from me to comment on any such assessment.

Queens residents pay more than the U.S. average on essential household bills: report

I guess when you live in the place everyone wants to be, you have to pay a premium.