Welcome to Hudson
This is the sight that greets visitors as they approach Warren Street from the south. Ground floor window openings boarded up; plastic sheeting flapping in the breeze on upper floors, exposing broken windows; missing sidewalk cordoned off with orange plastic fencing. At this major gateway to Hudson's commercial district, 260 Warren Street is an eyesore, and it has been so for at least five years.
The building belongs to Eric Galloway. Initially it was Galloway's "Hudson Preservation Group" that was on record as owning the building; today it's Galvan Partners, LLC. Several years ago, Kevin Walker, when he was Galloway's factotum, tried to coerce the Historic Preservation Commission by threatening to leave the building in its boarded up state if they didn't grant a certificate of appropriateness. The HPC held their ground against proposals to replace the original French doors with stationary plate glass display windows and to replace the original marble lintel, piers, and thresholds with new marble, "because the owner doesn't like old things." When the plans finally reached the point where they were acceptable according to Hudson's preservation law, the HPC granted a certificate of appropriateness. That was more than two years ago. Since then, Galvan Partners seems to have carried out Walker's threat rather than the renovations they proposed.
The reason for drawing attention to 260 Warren Street at this time is that the Board of Estimate and Apportionment has recently proposed selling two city-owned properties to close a gap in the 2013 budget. Both properties--the former Dunn warehouse on the waterfront and the vacant lot at Fourth and State streets--have been of interest to Galloway in the past. Many fear that the City may have Galloway in mind as a potential purchaser for one of the properties. This post is meant to be a reminder, since the mayor has gone on record as saying he thinks Galloway should be given the key to the city, that Hudson's enigmatic and mercurial Daddy Long Legs seems to be motivated by something other than the best interests of our city.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slumlord
ReplyDeleteIn a phrase similar to former President Ronal Reagan,
ReplyDeleteMr. Galway, fix that property!
OK. Can you just see the people carrying the signs.
Oops.
ReplyDeletePrevious msg should read..........
Mr. Galloway, fix that property!
260 Warren has been like this,for the 6 yrs, I lived here.As much as I love my ancient little Sea Capt.house ,built by the Bunker's of Nantucket,Galloway has made my life miserable,to the point I regret ever buying it,and the way this "City" is run,and the taxes I pay,I have come to regret ever moving here. I had an on going fight with ,then Mayor, Scalera from the time I moved in.The garbage behind Galloway's- was creating a rodent invasion. The garbage was piled up in Prison Alley behind Galloway's Bldg. and in his back yard. People were throwing raw garbage on top ,cause they could.It looked like some third world nation Ghetto.Mattresses,furniture,garbage of all desciption.It was blocking the alley.
ReplyDeleteNo Tickets.
First time I spoke to Scalera about this escalating problem ,he told me ,he knew, and "every time I drive by I cringe"..Scalera finally had DPW pick it up, that once.He called me to complain ,that it had cost them $40.00.Never a TICKET to Galloway.It has taken major negotiations with my neighbors ,to cut it out.
Before they dug up the sidewalks ,they were unwalkable,with these dying little trees,poking everyone in the eye,that are now dug up. It was rarely shoveled.If it was,just a narrow path over broken and missing sidewalks.
This is a School Bus Stop, on 23B/ 9G.It forced the kids and pedestrians into a busy,Major TRUCK RTE.,with Semi's and Tractor Trailers,so large,they ripped out my phone line from the pole across the Street,and it took Verizon over a week ,to figure out,that a truck had snapped & dragged my line around the corner to parking lot on Columbia St.
That plastic flapping in the wind was put over windows on Sept 6th 2011.Getting that plastic up ,took a fight with City Hall,in particular, Donald Moore.Galloway's workers ,with no permit were gut demoing the interior.Broken glass and toxic debris and dust was flying out the open and broken windows,on the school children's heads and through out the neighborhood.Broken shards of glass were exposed on street level.Where children went to wait for the bus. NEVER A FINE.
The reason it's sheaded is,it's just plastic ,over broken shards of glass.
The current digging up sidewalk and street started in July,was to take 4 weeks.
ReplyDeleteNo posted permits,just the one I demanded last Sept 2011 for interior demo,that expired March 6th of this year.
Apparently there was no was structural engineer,hired,as they didn't bother to ask Verizon or National Grid where thier lines were,when laying Galloway's sewer,gas,and water.They just dug ,leaving 6ft deep holes,with plastic construction fence dangling 1/3 of the way into street.They dug with apparently no plan or supervision or any inspections, into an over 200 yr old man made,suspended ,then fill, street,that eases N3rd from Warren into Columbia street ,as that was a gully.
I have written about this ad nauseum.I have dealt with Bldg.Dept. and City Hall.I have been given the run around, lied to and threatened.The house behind me has over 25 junked cars in back yard.The owner is now incarcerated,on something unrelated,but this was addressed,way before that.I was given assurances,that it would be taken care of,as only one unregistered vehicle is legal.It is now a wildlife preserve and "smoking" lounge.So Galloway's mess is my view and next door neighbor,and that mess greets each day and night and the junked car emporium, is my view from the back of my home.I lived E10th and Ave." A"
and Lower East Side, in the really bad old days,and it was more pleasant.
So if anyone was wondering why I have a MAJOR PROBLEM,letting Galloway,build homeless shelters with our State and Federal Taxes in our vicinity and buying up for next to nothing and deforming important Hudson's Historic Bldgs.
This is a clue.
Why I think it's utter crap,that the "City is considering selling Dunn Warehouse and corner property ,of State and 4th St.,OUR LAND ,to raise 300k for "thier' budget gap,when they do not fine or get pd. for Bldg.Permits from this Man.They never reimbursed the taxpayers for us fronting 80K +,for demolishing cc Club,for Singletary,which is what is on the other side ,one house down from me.Or fined the guy behind me.And this is just around my house, a half a block from Warren,on the MAIN Gateway to Hudson. God knows what other money, owed to the taxpayers ,that is never collected,by "City".
Yesterday the plastic sheets were flapping in the wind and the building looked more derelict than ever. I don't understand why the building
ReplyDeleteinspector doesn't levy a daily fine until it's cleaned up. It 's a disgrace.
Everyone knows it, everyone sees it and nobody does anything. Mayor Hallenbeck, time to step up.
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ReplyDeleteI have done everything I could.I can't afford to make fighting "City" my full time job ,but CC Pres.Donald Moore publicly,got right on the case with DPW and Rotary Club to reset 7th St. Clock
ReplyDeleteback from Day Light Savings Time,
at re-quest from a new business.
I guess it's a matter of priorities.Or what Ward it's in.
260 Warren has been like this and much worse for at least 6 years.
I had to fight for the safety of school children and pedestrians,and was treated with rude dimissal, from the same CC Pres.Donald Moore at City Hall.