As we've been documenting, workers have started the demolition process at 112-120 E. 11th St., where a 300-room hotel is coming for Marriott's Moxy brand.
There's another protest now planned tomorrow evening here between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue. Here are details via the EVG inbox...
Please join GVSHP, union and labor groups, preservationists and neighbors this Wednesday, October 19 at 5:30 pm in front on 112-120 East 11th Street to protest the city’s approval of demolition of these five 19th century Beaux-Arts tenements which formerly housed long-term tenants in affordable housing. These five buildings were ruled “landmark-eligible” by the city in 2008, and yet this summer when they faced the threat of demolition and GVSHP urged they be protected, the city refused, claiming they no longer qualified for landmark status.
What changed? Nothing about the buildings – only the ownership. The buildings had been purchased by the Lightstone Group, whose head was a major campaign contributor to and political ally of Mayor de Blasio, whom he had recently appointed to the city’s Economic Development Corporation.
In spite of the Mayor’s purported dedication to affordable housing, he is allowing the buildings to be demolished to make way for a ‘millennials’-oriented Moxy Hotel. And in spite of the Mayor’s purported commitment to organized labor, the developer has been using companies on the project with a history of wage theft, unsafe practices, and mistreatment of workers, and the demolition and construction as well as the planned hotel will use non-union labor. As a result, organized labor is joining us in our campaign against this development, which we also protested this August.
Previously on EV Grieve:
At the rally outside 112-120 E. 11th St.
Protest reminder about 112-120 E. 11th St.; plus concerns over asbestos removal
6-building complex on East 10th Street and East 11th Street sells for $127 million
Report: 300-room hotel planned for East 11th Street
Preservationists say city ignored pitch to designate part of 11th Street as a historic district
Permits filed to demolish 5 buildings on 11th Street to make way for new hotel (58 comments)
New building permits filed for 13-story Moxy Hotel on East 11th Street across from Webster Hall
There will be several eating-drinking choices at the incoming Moxy hotel on 11th Street
Chipping away 112-120 E. 11th St. to make way for a Moxy hotel
15 comments:
The regular knife fights and violent crowds spilling out of Webster Hell will be great for business.
Great there s another rally, many couldn't make the previous one that was in the day time.
This situation deserve the same attention Rivington House has rightfully garnered.
The Mayor's donor and appointee to the EDC is involved in this. Tear down 5, 5?!! buildings for a hotel when he is acting like he is for housing makes no sense.
This is yet another scandal the mayor should be held accountable for. This type of favors for contributions is the most corrupt you can get in politics. There is a concerted effort to move all affordable housing (poor and working class) away from our homes in Manhattan to the other boroughs. When raising rents did not work fast enough then razing buildings became the next step. Our homes, neighborhoods and city for sale to the highest bidder. I encourage anyone that can to come to this event, hopefully some press will be there and more attention can be brought to this housing crisis for the non-rich.
I am sure the silver-tongued Mayor will have a convincing explanation for the city's position that does not involve campaign contributions.
What's the purpose of this rally? If the demolition has begun what do they hope to establish? That DeBlasio, like every other mayor and for that matter every public official (including our ?beloved Rosie M.) is in the hands of the real estate lobby? It's a nice way to let out rage, but what do they expect that demolition will stop as will the asbestos removal and the buildings return as apartments?
Not using union labor is probably a good thing. Just have to look at how long union labor takes to do ANYTHING. For me, these developers, the politicians and the unions are all as bad as each other.
This is flogging a dead horse. The building of this Hotel is a fait accompli a rally well NYPD will be happy with the OT babysitting this mouse roaring event.
The feces keeps piling up for MayorBill, doesn't it. If you talk the talk, you have to walk the walk. It's great to talk about the housing crisis but what are yopu really doing about it? Right! Making it worse. One'n-Done-Bill.
Some question the reason for putting up a stink about these buildings. The reason is to bring attention and document in the most public way what is happening to this neighborhood, our city the bullshit the mayor is saying about more affordable housing. These building show how easy it is for any developer which has contributed to this mayor or any other mayor's election campaign can do whatever they want. City planning is dead in regards to maintaining a separation of residential housing from nightlife and the influx of huge hotels in those areas. Don't bother to show if you think this is a waste of your time but remember the next building to be demolished for such purposes could be yours or on your block.
Another feel good--meaningless exercise. What is to be done? as comrade Lenin said? Ask our Council Person Rosie M. what her position was on this destruction of affordable housing. If she hasn't shown any interest in opposing it then she needs to be put on notice that she will have opposition when she runs again. Same thing for the always ready but not so effective Deborah Glick. The only way to effect change is to change the politicians. We then have a window of about 4 years before they are corrupted. Remember something like 97 per cent of incumbents are returned to office. With all the radical talk on EVG and in the neighborhood there is no political will.
this seems pretty moot, as the demolition has been ongoing for a while. doubt there's much of the insides left at this point.
This is why I don't vote. I know alot of people will be offended by this but everything I love has been or is being destroyed and its coming faster. What I will do is put my feelings into my songs and art. That is my personalized vote. And tho my music will not be promoted, I will still sing, and tho they won't give me a big wall, I will still paint.
Has it been mentioned anywhere that Marriott is a family-owned corporation? (I'm teasing with this, because they're a family of Mormons.)
@10:13pm: If you don't want to vote, that's your choice, but you have to realize you are thereby part of the problem. The most important votes you could cast would be in the local primaries & elections.
If people cared more about (and paid more attention to) who gets in on the "lowest" levels, then eventually we'd have better representation down the line, when those "lower level" elected officials try to climb the political ladder.
When you wonder why your choice for mayor, etc. is so lousy, it's b/c nobody bothers with what I call "entry level" elections. At the September primary this year (yes, there was one!), I voted at about 7pm but was only the 42nd voter of the day in my district. The people at the sign-in desk said that overall, less than 7% of eligible voters bothered to vote in that primary. So if you're part of the 93% that didn't vote, I don't want to hear about why we have such crappy elected officials in NYC.
Political rot starts at the bottom, and the chance to stop it is in the voting booth.
@4:11 pm. PREACH. It's important for everyone to follow, understand, listen, and participate. Local elections, "low level" elections are vital.
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