A plea for help along the 14th Street and 1st Avenue corridor

Photo by Stacie Joy

The above notice has appeared on a building window along the long-troubled 14th Street corridor near First Avenue. 

"We all feel for the homeless & addicted," the sign reads, before criticizing local elected officials and the 9th Precinct over what its author describes as dangerous conditions outside the building and around the corner. 

The flyer asks readers to contact Assemblymember Keith Powers and State Sen. Brian Kavanagh. (Kavanagh’s name is misspelled on the sign.) Someone also wrote "Please don’t tear down" across the top. 

As previously reported, the area drew renewed attention after a June 2024 stabbing spree left one man dead and two others wounded during a Sunday afternoon attack. Alejandro Piedra was sentenced in May to 18 years to life in state prison for the attacks.

Meanwhile, as the notice makes clear, some residents continue to feel unsafe around the intersection.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Where is the $1 million NYPD mobile command unit that Mayor Adams promised for the troubled 14th Street and 1st Avenue corridor?

From the archives: A documentary short about the intersection of 14th Street and 1st Avenue

Given all the attention in recent weeks about the long-problematic intersection of 14th Street and First Avenue (background here), we're revisiting this EVG post from May 24, 2012...

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Karen Loew, who lives near 14th Street and First Avenue, passed along the above video ... which explores the chaotic crossroads in "Intersection: Babel." It premiered last Thursday at the LABA Festival at the 14th Street Y.

The video includes interviews with people on the street as well as community leaders to explain what is unique (and not!) about 14th and First. Per the description, "'Intersection: Babel' is a documentary short looking at a place that's all about leaving it."

Among other things, the video explores the hazardous transportation environment here... from the crisscrossing M14s and M15s (and placement of the bus stops) ... the access road to Stuy Town at the northeast corner ... the tricky left turn for autos (and pedestrians) from eastbound 14th onto northbound First ... the L entrance/exit that's pretty much in the intersection on the southeast corner...

Monsignor Kevin J. Nelan of the Immaculate Conception Parish says it's like "a mini Times Square." City Councilmember Dan Garodnick says that there's "a lot of activity but not a lot of personality" here.

Agreed!

Directed and produced by Karen Loew.
Videography and editing by Cory Antiel.
Dance by Julie Gayer Kris.

Residents voice concerns about quality-of-life issues on 14th Street and 1st Avenue

There has reportedly been an increase in the number of residential complaints about a variety of activities on 14th Street and First Avenue.

The intersection was a focal point of discussion during a recent 13th Precinct Community Council meeting. (The 13th Precinct has jurisdiction starting on the north side of 14th Street.)

Town & Village covered the meeting. From their report:

The intersection at East 14th Street and First Avenue has recently become a hub for the homeless as well as unsavory characters who’ve been loitering, making neighborhood residents feel unsafe, a number of neighbors have been saying.

StuyTown Property Services general manager Rick Hayduk told the precinct commanding officer, Steven Hellman, that management has gotten an uptick in calls about the area.

“We wanted to heighten awareness about First and 14th because there’s been an increase in vagrants,” Hayduk said.

Residents have also voiced complaints to [City Council Member Keith] Powers’ office about aggressive panhandlers on the north side of East 14th Street across First Avenue from Stuyvesant Town and in front of the Papaya Dog and near the vendors at the corner.

There was a report of a stabbing outside Community Grocery & Candy on Jan. 11. Two men had reportedly gotten into an argument inside the store, and it turned violent out on the sidewalk.

Here now, a documentary short about the intersection of 14th Street and First Avenue

Karen Loew, who lives near 14th Street and First Avenue, passed along the above video ... which explores the chaotic crossroads in "Intersection: Babel." It premiered last Thursday at the LABA Festival at the 14th Street Y.

The video includes interviews with people on the street as well as community leaders to explain what is unique (and not!) about 14th and First. Per the description, "'Intersection: Babel' is a documentary short looking at a place that's all about leaving it."

Among other things, the video explores the hazardous transportation environment here... from the crisscrossing M14s and M15s (and placement of the bus stops) ... the access road to Stuy Town at the northeast corner ... the tricky left turn for autos (and pedestrians) from eastbound 14th onto northbound First ... the L entrance/exit that's pretty much in the intersection on the southeast corner...

Monsignor Kevin J. Nelan of the Immaculate Conception Parish says it's like "a mini Times Square." City Councilmember Dan Garodnick says that there's "a lot of activity but not a lot of personality" here.

Agreed!

Directed and produced by Karen Loew.
Videography and editing by Cory Antiel.
Dance by Julie Gayer Kris.