Jackson Heights Life

This thread has totally gone Godwin with the race card thing.

Everyone agrees we need to move forward productively.  But again, as you say this is NYC.  Feelings will get hurt, and we all have different complaints.  My complaints about the decorations were a throwaway comment that EvaViva made a big deal about...the coughing thing is from a totally different thread!  Don't bring up tangential issues and then blame everyone else when the thread goes astray.

I mainly posted what people said AT THE MEETING about the vendors, crime, littering, etc.  I don't think they were lying...maybe exaggerating in some cases.  It doesn't matter...there are quality of life issues that apply in NYC and everywhere else.

Anyway, I hope folks at the Sheila and Birchwood can get our act together to make a block association.

A sign is a great idea...throw Punjabi, English and Spanish on there as well!

Does anyone know folks from the JBBA or other local business organizations?  Anybody from there on this board?!  We really need to meet with them.  The JBBA website doesn't have anything about working with the community...it seems mostly to be a group for business owners to help each other out.  But maybe they are interested...

http://www.jbbany.com/

thanks chuckster.

i agree that 73rd is dirty. but so is 8th street in the village, 5th avenue in park slope and on and on, none of which are culturally caused....just density-driven. i honestly think that the street vendors are a tiny part of the problem, when compared to the large brick and mortar vendors, from subzi mandi to dynasty deli to duane reade to mcdonald's and subway. the trash has plenty of cigarette packs, lay's bags, soda cans and other things that the vendors don't sell.

and i agree, and have pointed out a number of times over the years here -- much to the angst of some of my neighbors -- that some (not all) of the comments on this topic verge on the racist. we all have our blind spots: as someone who was raised dirt poor and worked up to middle class, mine would have to be what i perceive (correctly or not) as "the entitled class."

no one should be abused. no one should have garbage thrown at their homes. no one should have to deal with horrible living conditions. but no one should move into a place and try to displace those who've been there for years.

The residents of Birchwood and Sheila Terrace are a mix of new residents (maybe one-third) that have moved here in the last five years, and then primarily very long-time residents of all races (including about 20% South Asian).  Many agree that the half-block up for discussion here has become much worse in just the last few years.

Certainly these facts complicate the narrative that often pops up here that anyone who wants "change" is a newcomer trying to displace long-time residents.  If anything it is probably the opposite in this case, i.e. the business interests have prevailed over residential interests on 73rd St for several years running now.  Helen Sears was one of the big supporters of these business interests...folks here might remember the Western Jackson Heights Alliance (maybe I'm forgetting the exact name) that was formed as a counterbalance.  Many of the businesses are quite new.  The density of businesses on the street just becomes greater and greater, and we're about to get more from the shops that will open in the defunct Eagle theater space.

73/74 Street is a thriving commercial area -- centered around a major transit hub (one of the biggest and busiest in the City).  The “money and business interests” here are mostly small, local merchants and entrepreneurs who are trying to make a living (and who may not have the option of a white collar job in Manhattan).  To the extent their businesses are expanding, this will provide jobs and opportunity for people and help keep the neighborhood vital. 

There are numerous other parts of Jackson Heights, further away from the subway, that are entirely residential and are very tranquil, orderly and elegant -- which is one of the great things about the neighborhood.  But I’m not sure it’s reasonable to expect that same level of peace and quiet in a building that’s smack in the middle of the commercial district.

Here's an article from the Queens Chronicle following-up on another meeting between the residents and merchants on 73rd Street.

On 73rd Street, ‘We have to cooperate’