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Author Topic: dirty & Stinky 73th street  (Read 12372 times)

Offline jimbo in jhts

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #15 on: August 08, 2011, 02:48:16 PM »
Used to live on 73rd between 35th & 37th...finally had teh good sense to sell and move to 78th street.  It is like a different world.  People who come to shop on 73rd street have bno respect for the nieghborhood.  Trash, litter, half eaten food was always strewn about.  Not to mention double parked cars, and honking cars.  Something has to be done for the sake of the people who live there.  If you see people throw something on the street, don't hesitate to tell them :  " Oh I think you might have dropped something."  Maybe the sarecasm will be lost but it might help.
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Offline lovebug11768

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #16 on: August 08, 2011, 06:00:55 PM »
I have to agree that this area of Jackson Heights brings down the whole neighborhood because of its smell and trash. A co-worker and I were talking about this area the other day and how neither of us walk west of 75th Street because of how gross it is. I don't understand why the shopkeepers and pedestrians in this area have no problems with the garbage, litter, half-eaten curry boxes, and pigeon sh*t that is caked to the sidewalk.
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Offline Birch-Ed

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #17 on: August 11, 2011, 11:03:37 AM »
Quote from: jimbo in jhts on August 08, 2011, 02:48:16 PM
Used to live on 73rd between 35th & 37th...finally had teh good sense to sell and move to 78th street. 

I used to live on 73rd street also in the Birchwood House, but I sold and moved a bit further than yourself.  Growing up in Jackson Heights and living my adult life there, I just couldn't take what had happened to 73rd Street and the surrounding areas. 
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Offline Lilybell

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #18 on: August 11, 2011, 12:43:51 PM »
Quote
I used to live on 73rd street also in the Birchwood House, but I sold and moved a bit further than yourself.  Growing up in Jackson Heights and living my adult life there, I just couldn't take what had happened to 73rd Street and the surrounding areas.

I'm in Washington Plaza (73rd/35th) and my windows face 73rd.  I wish I had done more research before I moved - I love my building but I would have chosen an apartment that faced the courtyard or 74th.  Now I wonder if the real estate agent purposely showed the place to me early on a Sunday morning when it's a little quieter.  It is so loud - I've gotten used to it for the most part but once in a while the incessant honking really gets to me.  I have to sleep with a white noise machine.  At least the street is not so trash-filled near 35th.

And don't get me started on Mr. Softee. He sat ouside my window for an hour the other night and it was almost 10pm.  Someone went down and argued with him and he finally left.  
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Offline Birch-Ed

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #19 on: August 11, 2011, 12:52:10 PM »
Quote from: Lilybell on August 11, 2011, 12:43:51 PM
I'm in Washington Plaza (73rd/35th) and my windows face 73rd.  I wish I had done more research before I moved - I love my building but I would have chosen an apartment that faced the courtyard or 74th.  Now I wonder if the real estate agent purposely showed the place to me early on a Sunday morning when it's a little quieter.  It is so loud - I've gotten used to it for the most part but once in a while the incessant honking really gets to me.  I have to sleep with a white noise machine.  At least the street is not so trash-filled near 35th.

And don't get me started on Mr. Softee. He sat ouside my window for an hour the other night and it was almost 10pm.  Someone went down and argued with him and he finally left.  

I have always loved Jackson Heights, but reading your post....I certainly do not miss it what so ever.
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Offline mkn567

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #20 on: August 11, 2011, 03:23:44 PM »
I think it may also be fair to question the schedule of the sanitation department. I've made the mistake in the past of attributing the lack of cleanliness to the residents of the effected area, but to follow that reasoning to its full conclusion is to believe that one group of people produce "more" trash than another, which i think is generally absurd.

It's not unheard of that certain areas get better, and more punctual, service than others. Since immigrant neighborhoods are way less vocal and in touch or trusting of their local politicians, they are the first ones neglected by sanitation and police departments.

Less cops, fewer trash cans, fewer trash pick-ups...what do you think is going to happen?
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Offline hoodsy

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #21 on: August 13, 2011, 01:07:47 AM »
If 73st affects your delicate sensibilities so much, why don't you just avoid it.  I'm sick of all the wimps and wimpettes who bitch about every little thing in this neighborhood that doesn't live up to their yuppie notions of orderliness and propriety.  You all need to get funked up!  73st is vibrant and alive and real and colorful and human.  One of you mentions how shocked you are when you have guests who are exposed to the horrors of this street. Me, I always make a point of bringing my guests straight smack into it.  And they love it, smells and all.   Sure it could be cleaner and less smelly at times.  But urban life is urban life.  So stop bitching and learn to enjoy and tolerate life, in all its scents and sights and sounds.  There are plenty of places to live a bland and santized life.  Jackson heights, thankfully, is not one of them. 
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Offline AmazingJason

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #22 on: August 13, 2011, 02:19:39 PM »
I'm a little surprised at this thread. I'm born and raised in JH, and lived most of the my life a block from 73rd Street, but I've never thought of the area as being that bad in terms of sanitation. Perhaps I've gotten used to it. Here are some of my thoughts:

1) The smells that waft from 73rd Street from 35th Ave. and up are primarily from the regular trash that's put outside buildings twice a week. There's really not much you can do about it. The streets are narrow and the block is densely populated (tons of trash).

2) I do have a complaint: the trash cans that are constantly overflowed. But that's because people are putting residential trash in those cans all the time. Also it's people in the neighborhood that are creating trash by littering.

3) The fact is that it's an extremely vibrant and crowded shopping area with ethnic markets, restaurants and food trucks. There's no parking lot for visitors here. There's going to some measure of trash and noise around, and I don't see what's the big deal really. If the noise really bothers you, then get a pair of earplugs. I've been using them forever for the car honking, etc.
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Offline francis

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #23 on: August 13, 2011, 11:00:11 PM »
I agree. They both should be pedestrian zones. I don't know however if that would remedy the garbage. I noticed this morning  that most of the merchants on 37Th Ave. do not clean in the front of their stores and many people flagrantly litter. What you need here is enforcement. Despit the effort of the garden club people who do the plantings in the tree surrounds, the majority were not cleaned this morning by any of the merchants. I just don't get it. It takes two minutes to do and makes a positive impact. Here you have people planting and doing periodic cleaning to make their store look inviting.
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Offline lovebug11768

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #24 on: August 15, 2011, 06:33:14 PM »
Quote from: hoodsy on August 13, 2011, 01:07:47 AM
If 73st affects your delicate sensibilities so much, why don't you just avoid it.  I'm sick of all the wimps and wimpettes who bitch about every little thing in this neighborhood that doesn't live up to their yuppie notions of orderliness and propriety.  You all need to get funked up!  73st is vibrant and alive and real and colorful and human.  One of you mentions how shocked you are when you have guests who are exposed to the horrors of this street. Me, I always make a point of bringing my guests straight smack into it.  And they love it, smells and all.   Sure it could be cleaner and less smelly at times.  But urban life is urban life.  So stop bitching and learn to enjoy and tolerate life, in all its scents and sights and sounds.  There are plenty of places to live a bland and santized life.  Jackson heights, thankfully, is not one of them. 

I do avoid it. So do other people. I tell people who are visiting me to avoid it as well. I don't see what having a  street full of litter, rotting left overs, smelly garbage, and pigeon sh*t has to do with "alive and real and colorful". And having a clean street that is well maintained and cared for has nothing to do with being "bland and sanitized". It has to do with basic hygiene and taking pride in your neighborhood.
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Offline koku

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #25 on: August 15, 2011, 09:39:31 PM »
Quote from: hoodsy on August 13, 2011, 01:07:47 AM
If 73st affects your delicate sensibilities so much, why don't you just avoid it.  I'm sick of all the wimps and wimpettes who bitch about every little thing in this neighborhood that doesn't live up to their yuppie notions of orderliness and propriety.  You all need to get funked up!  73st is vibrant and alive and real and colorful and human.  One of you mentions how shocked you are when you have guests who are exposed to the horrors of this street. Me, I always make a point of bringing my guests straight smack into it.  And they love it, smells and all.   Sure it could be cleaner and less smelly at times.  But urban life is urban life.  So stop bitching and learn to enjoy and tolerate life, in all its scents and sights and sounds.  There are plenty of places to live a bland and santized life.  Jackson heights, thankfully, is not one of them. 

Hoodys, you have to realize that appreciating the diversity is one thing and respecting the public place is another thing.  After observing what is happening in 73rd st for years, it is clear that merchants and shoppers on 73rd St between 35th ave and 37th ave DO NOT RESPECT the public street AT ALL.  I understand that they have different standard in terms of cleaness but they have to realize that the street is shared by people from other cultures and they can't force their standard to the public street.   
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Offline amadan

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #26 on: August 16, 2011, 06:30:07 AM »
Quote from: hoodsy on August 13, 2011, 01:07:47 AM
If 73st affects your delicate sensibilities so much, why don't you just avoid it.  I'm sick of all the wimps and wimpettes who bitch about every little thing in this neighborhood that doesn't live up to their yuppie notions of orderliness and propriety.  You all need to get funked up!  73st is vibrant and alive and real and colorful and human.  One of you mentions how shocked you are when you have guests who are exposed to the horrors of this street. Me, I always make a point of bringing my guests straight smack into it.  And they love it, smells and all.   Sure it could be cleaner and less smelly at times.  But urban life is urban life.  So stop bitching and learn to enjoy and tolerate life, in all its scents and sights and sounds.  There are plenty of places to live a bland and santized life.  Jackson heights, thankfully, is not one of them. 

I agree with koku and lovebug. Plus i would like to suggest that unless you actually live on 73rd street and deal   the noise and garbage pollution on a daily basis, you are not really in a position to give those of us who do crap about our "yuppie notions of orderliness and propriety." Urban life doesn't have to be a health hazard. Nor does it mean finding alternate routes to and from the subway to avoid the filth.
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Offline NYC Peromyscus

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #27 on: August 19, 2011, 07:23:59 AM »
"Seasons Greetings" everyone!

There are now Christmas decorations on 73rd St b/w 37th Ave and B'way.  I'm not sure why...maybe somebody couldn't find tacky decorations for Eid il Fitr (they do exist...I have seen them in Muslim countries during Ramadan).  Somebody paid for these, and presumably they could put some of that money and energy into cleaning up the street.

IMO, there are focal building that are relatively new and cause much more filth than the rest:

Haat Bazaar and the Bangladesh Plaza next to it.

Haat Bazaar specializes in cheap produce that is about to go bad (thus the low price)...they are constantly blocking the sidewalks with deliveries, their own produce stands turned around to prop open doors, and rotten produce.  The sidewalk is black and slick from the accumulated decomposition.  They also do much more business than that little store can handle (it has produce, halal meat, a restaurant, and dry goods), and will be a problem until they move to an appropriate place.

Bangladesh Plaza is a lot of little businesses, and no one bothers to keep the front of the building clean as do other, larger businesses.  The fire hydrant in front is a popular hang-out until the early morning, and for some reason people throw trash around the hydrant as if it were a garbage can.

The Sheila Terrace is apparently having a meeting with Dromm's office and CB3 in their lobby today at 5:30 PM.  I probably can't go, but maybe some plans for approaching the issue will come out of it.
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Offline Chuckster

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #28 on: August 25, 2011, 03:05:35 PM »
Quote from: NYC Peromyscus on August 19, 2011, 07:23:59 AM
The Sheila Terrace is apparently having a meeting with Dromm's office and CB3 in their lobby today at 5:30 PM.  I probably can't go, but maybe some plans for approaching the issue will come out of it.

Here's a follow-up article on that meeting from the Queens Chronicle:

Jackson Hts. co-op angry at neighbors


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The Chuckster has spoken!

Offline taggie

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Re: dirty & Stinky 73th street
« Reply #29 on: August 25, 2011, 04:08:34 PM »
I am glad that this situation on 73rd Street is getting attention from local officials. And as to the notion of authenticity with the
mess and the behavior, this is farcical. There are shopping districts in so many areas that are enticing with smells, not repugnant,
and that allow you to walk easily down the street if you are not shopping then. Travel my friend. Then come back and see how
we can improve this problem on 73rd st. so all can prosper. It's entirely solvable.
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