237 79th Street (via Facebook).
It looks like the notorious 79th Street raccoon house, built in a simpler time before air conditioner sleeves became architectural ornamentation, will soon be no more. Continue reading »
May 022013
Aug 012012
It wasn’t long after neighbors learned that a vacant raccoon-infested house on 79th Street would be demolished that Democrat City Councilman Vincent Gentile, and Republican State Senator Marty Golden both began to take credit for it. And not in the “caring means sharing” kind of way either.
In an article posted yesterday on Brooklyn Paper’s website, Will Bredderman writes that just “moments after the city’s Housing, Preservation, and Development announced its plans to condemn the derelict house between Third Avenue and Ridge Boulevard, Golden (R–Bay Ridge) put out a press release claiming responsibility for the decision.”
The statement put out by Golden’s office, which made the claim that they have worked “over the years to see that this property is regularly inspected and conditions are checked by the Health and Buildings Departments,” lead Councilman Gentile – who says he has recently spent time tracking down the property’s owner, to fire off a statement of his own. Continue reading »
Jul 172012
“It’s still good, it’s still good!” (Image Source: Bobolink via Flickr)
Some call him “controversial.” Others, notorious.
No matter how contentious a label you pin on neglectful Bay Ridge landlord Mousa Khalil, you can be sure to find others who agree with you, as reported by Will Bredderman in a pleasingly pointed piece for the Brooklyn Paper.
As owner of the Ovington Avenue property that collapsed on Sunday night, Khalil – and his real estate holdings – have once again been thrust into the local media spotlight.
Of course Khalil’s investments have incurred the scorn of neighbors for years. And locals claim that Khalil – who currently owns more than 20 parcels in Bay Ridge – has been buying up properties only to let them fall apart for at least as long. Continue reading »