Welcome Back, Rose Associates!

As of Oct. 22, CW Capital announced that Rose Associates would take over the property management of Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village. Rose Associates managed the property for over three years when it was owned by MetLife, so both officials and tenants feel hopeful that they will be able to maintain the complex successfully.
The property was previously being managed by Tishman-Speyer, even though they defaulted on the mortgage of ST/PCV in January. Now that the question of the physical upkeep of the buildings and grounds is answered, everyone can focus on the large question: what should be done with all these dogs?

Ps. Just kidding of course. The main issue will be the property's upcoming foreclosure sale (and by "upcoming" I mean "three-times-delayed"). Still, some residents would have you believe that the issue of dogs running around in the grass is still more important.

Angry Stuy Town Bloggers

In a loud, outspoken city like New York, where nobody is afraid to say (or post), what they really mean, it is no surprise to find plenty of opinionated blogs. For Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village, two voices are distinctly heard.
First, The Stuyvesant Town Report, follows the story of Stuy Town after Tishman-Speyer got a hold of it. The blog mostly focuses on the foreclosure and upcoming co-op/condo issues, but occasionally talks about other issues, such as dogs or NYU students.
Second is the LuxLiving Twitter. This used to be its own blog, but has recently downsized to a Twitter account, for reasons unknown. LuxLiving tweets about a variety of issues and keeps its followers in touch with all the latest articles about Stuy Town and PCV.
Although both sources can sometimes be too negative and dramatic, they are well-informed and surprisingly up-to-date on all the latest in their hyperlocal beat. Now, if only they would reveal their real names...

East Village Walkathon

About 400 teachers, students and their families gathered on Sunday, Oct. 17 for the First Annual Walkathon event, hosted by the Epiphany School Foundation.

Walkers began at 9:30 a.m. at the Epiphany School and marched alongside the East River, down to the Williamsburg Bridge and back.

The walkathon was created to celebrate 122 years of Catholic education as well as raise money for the school and renovation for its playground. The event raised over $36,000, which greatly surpassed their $25,000 goal.

Sidenote: Above are two pictures of the kids walking along the East River. One could be a great photo to represent the event, the other is just adorable.

TA and other Stuy Town Leaders gather in the Oval

Due to all the controversy surrounding Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village lately, the ST/PCA Tenant's Association certainly has a lot going on. Many residents are feeling uneasy and skeptical after the property owners, Tishman-Speyer, defaulted on its mortgage and renters found themselves at the mercy of the senior lender, CW Capital.

Saturday, Oct. 16 the leaders of the TA and Councilmember Dan Garodnick met with concerned residents to speak one-on-one about CWC's upcoming foreclosure sale and other issues.

From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m., Garodnick and TA leaders answered questions about CWC, the property and what residents can expect after ST/PCV is sold. He answered each question as accurately as possible, while conceding that there is no guarantee either way for what will happen to the complex. Still, he stressed a positive outlook.

“We are making sure you are rewarded for long-term residency,” Garodnick said. “We want whatever works best for the tenants.”

TA leaders were also available to answer questions. Steven Newmark, a member of the TA for four years, wanted to help explain the details of the foreclosure and what it means specifically for residents, which can be difficult to understand.

The TA also wanted to reach out to residents that were perhaps not familiar with the association. By wearing bright yellow t-shirts, members of the TA got the attention of many curious residents and were even walking around the Stuy Town Oval, trying to meet as many residents as possible.

Although some residents asked for general explanations, others were concerned about specifics. One man asked if CWC had an obligation to auction off the property within a certain amount of time. Garodnick said that although he expects the sale will happen as quickly as possible, only CWC has the power to make those decisions.

Another concerned resident, Howard Freimark, asked TA President Alvin Doyle many questions that, according to him, he had wondered about for years. For example, he wondered if Stuy Town residents would be responsible for any legal fees that accumulate during the foreclosure and sale process. Doyle responded by saying he understood the concern, but again, there is no guarantee for what will happen.

Along with answering questions for tenants, the TA wanted to remind everyone of the upcoming tenants’ meeting on Saturday, Oct. 30 at 1 p.m. The event, which will take place at Mason Hall at Baruch College on East 23^rd Street, will feature a variety of speakers. Along with Garodnick, residents will hear from Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, State Senator Tom Duane, updates from the TA legal team and financial advisors and many, many more.

For more information about this meeting or to make reservations for the event (which is strongly recommended because the last tenants’ meeting was so packed, that about 200 residents were actually turned away), call the TA message center at 1-866-290-9036 or visit http://stpcvta.org/octobermeeting.

Followers = Expectations

Oh welcome, DTown Fall 2010 class -

The good news is that I actually have followers on this dang thing (and Twatter aaaand Fbook).
The bad news is I can't be lame anymore. #boof