January 2009 Archives

The Lux Weekender: Laundry 101

Stuyvesant Town and Mac-Gray invite you to their "Laundry 101" seminar.Stuyvesant Town would like to invite you to their "Laundry 101" seminar sponsored by Mac-Gray. The seven minute seminar is designed to help residents get over the hurdle of using the new Mac-Gray energy efficient washing machines and dryers.

Scheduled topics include:

- How much water to wash with, two teaspoons or three?
- Removing brown, tar-like water stains with excessive bleach.
- How to shrink your jeans three sizes in twenty minutes.
- What to do when your credit card information is stolen from laundry card vending machines.
- How to avoid back injuries from reaching into the floor level washer doors.
- And more!

Mac-Gray employees will be on hand to answer frequently asked question like, 'why do the washing machines flash random numbers when broken,' and 'what alternative uses are there for the dryers since they are never operational." The cost of this exciting seminar is $25 per person and will take place in all laundry rooms Saturday evening at 5PM.
By Lux Living on January 31, 2009 | 19 Comments
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Stuy Town Leasing Agents Heckled by Residents

Stuy Town leasing agents are heckled by residents.Stuyvesant Town's desperate leasing agents have a new problem to deal with on the financially troubled complex, hecklers. It seems it's becoming routine for residents at 447 East 14th Street to correct the "facts" of the leasing agents giving tours of the model apartment in the building.

"They stopped taking the elevator with me," said one resident we spoke with who asked to remain anonymous. "I was in an elevator one day with an agent who was telling her prospects what a quiet place Stuyvesant Town is. I laughed out loud by accident and they all looked at me. I said, 'sure if your definition of quiet is living next to six college kids who party on weekends until 5AM.' All the color drained from the leasing agent's face."

Another resident recalls the day when one of the elevators was broken and the leasing agent and her potential victims were stranded in the lobby. "I said to the agent, 'make sure you show them how convenient it is to have your bike stolen from the carriage room,' as I pointed to doorstop in place granting access to anyone who walks by the supposedly secure room. I finished with, 'at least the mountains of garbage slow them down on the way out.' The agent looked like a deer caught in headlights."

Last night Lux Living witnessed the heckling first hand when a guy shouted "don't do it!" at a leasing agent and a gaggle of girls leaving 447 East 14th Street. The leasing agent ignored him and rushed the group away while the ladies asked, "did he just say 'don't do it?'"

"Maybe if they didn't outright lie to the people they are showing the apartments to I wouldn't say anything," said another tenant who resides in the building. "But when they are standing in front of a broken elevator and they say 'this rarely happens' it makes me want to kill! The elevators in the building frequently break down, skip floors, and display random floor numbers. I pointed out the fliers on the wall that referred to the broken elevator and told the couple to do their research online."
By Lux Living on January 30, 2009 | 19 Comments
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Margarita Madness at Oval Lounge

Stuyvesant Town's Oval Lounge to host Margarita Madness night!What's going on over at Stuy Town's Oval Lounge today? Another ruptured sewer pipe? No, just more of Tishman Speyer's outside-of-the-box thinking! A Sty Spy passed the hopeless hangout this morning and noticed a large puddle of golden liquid consuming the patio area. The spy asked a staff member who was randomly throwing salt around what the deal was. The employee told the spy they were preparing for a private party tonight.

"Our entertainment budget has been cut so we weren't allowed to print invitations for tonight's Margarita Madness party," he said. "My manager said to pour tequila all over the patio, throw salt at it, and people will just get it."

The employee also said that only market rate tenants paying more than $4,000 a month in rent could attend. There is a $40 cover charge.
By Lux Living on January 29, 2009 | 18 Comments
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Good Morning! Break a Hip!

Stuyvesant Town's ice skating ponds are a threat to elderly residents.Perhaps Stuyvesant Town's bloody garbage can is filled with the broken hips of elderly residents who fell on the ice skating pond that greeted them at their front door this morning. How can that be, you ask, when Stuy Town employees begin their rigorous shoveling/plowing routine at 4AM? Don't question the enchantment Rosebud.
By Lux Living on January 28, 2009 | 6 Comments

Bitterness Spreads Through 19 Stuyvesant Oval

More Stuy Town trash.A second resident at 19 Stuyvesant Oval has sent us a photo of the large pile of ignored refuse consuming the building. We wouldn't stash a corpse in this mess let alone pay rent to live in it.
By Lux Living on January 28, 2009 | 6 Comments
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19 Stuyvesant Oval's Majestic Views

Stuy Town residents swim in their filth thanks to Tishman Speyer's staff cutbacks.More Stuy Town garbage.A resident of 19 Stuyvesant Oval sent us some glamor shots of the recycling area in her Stuy Town building. The photos were taken at various times throughout the day today and demonstrate the attention for detail Tishman Speyer has for their doomed residential real estate venture.
By Lux Living on January 28, 2009 | 7 Comments
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Lux Living Inbox Rant: Convertible Roach Motel

Stuy Town hallways are full of roaches."I live at 447 East 14th Street. I've been in my apartment for 8 years and in all that time I have seen maybe one roach. Within the past year we had 4 girls move into one of those "convertible" apartments and ever since our kitchen has become Wild Kingdom. They (the girls, not the roaches) drag large trash bags through the hall, into the elevator, and down to the recycling area which means that 30 gallon bag sits in their apartment until it's full. One morning one of the girls was leaving her apartment and had her arm elbow deep in a box of Cheerios, spilling them in the hall as she stuffed her beak. Who raised these animals?

Needless to say they have caused a nasty roach problem. It's gotten SO bad that not only is my kitchen a nightly "hot spot" I now have them greeting me at the front door. What the f*ck?? Here's the before and after shots of me killing my doorman."
By Lux Living on January 28, 2009 | 6 Comments
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Stuy Town Management Disposes of...Something.

A Stuy Town employee throws away a bloody garbage bag.Is this how Stuyvesant Town management is disposing of their ex-employees? A Sty Spy sent us this photo taken the other day of a Stuy Town garbage can oozing fresh blood. The spy saw a Stuy Town employee leave the management office and quickly dispose of a large bag that soon began to spill blood onto the overly salted sidewalk. We wonder if the can is filled with chunks of fired employees or portions of rent stabilized tenants.
By Lux Living on January 28, 2009 | 26 Comments
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2 Bedroom Stuy Town Apts on Craig's List - $2650!

Has the vacancy rate in Stuyvesant Town gotten so bad their leasing office now relies on Craig's List ads, complete with excessive capitalization and signature bad spelling, to put asses in seats? Though the ad for the 2 "bedroom" apartment doesn't mention Stuy Town by name, it does include their exaggerated 3D renderings. We're surprised they didn't offer "ski supplies" and a free hummer.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$2650 / 2br - SSPPEECCTTAACCUULLAARR FLEX 2 --- no fee's IT'S LIKE HEAVEN!!! (East Village)
Reply to: hous-1009693487@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2009-01-27, 11:55AM EST


(646) 427-9494 or rentals@blackstonenyc.com

** NO FEE/NO DEPOSIT **
ALL UTILITIES ARE PAID FOR!
(1 MONTHS RENT AND YOU ARE IN!)
AMAZING CONDO FINISHES A MUST SEE

http://newyork.craigslist.org/mnh/nfb/1009693487.html

Continue reading 2 Bedroom Stuy Town Apts on Craig's List - $2650!.
By Lux Living on January 27, 2009 | 22 Comments
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Tishman Speyer - The Intentional Slum Lord?

Is Tishman Speyer the intentional slum lord?Via Curbed:

"STUY TOWN--With analysts making a parlor game out of predicting when landlord Tishman Speyer will burn through its Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village cash reserve, one Curbed tipster floats the following intriguing angle: "Tishman Speyer's financial problems may be the key to unlocking its rent regulated units. The theory runs like this: As the New York Observer noted, a major burden for Tishman Speyer is its debt service (along with its high legal bills and vacancy rate). It would appear that unless it can rent more apartments at market rates, it will be difficult for it to continue to operate the complex. Thus, it must either reduce vacancy rates or raise regulated rents. Interestingly, under New York State Law, the Division of Housing and Community Renewal can authorize rent adjustments for owner "hardship."
 
Cutting to the chase, where operating expenses exceed 95% of gross rental income, the owner can apply for an upward adjustment of regulated rent if they have owned the building for three years. DHCR regulations provide that certain forms of "bona fida" debt service can be counted in the "operating costs" on which the increases depend.

Long story short, while Tishman Speyer finds itself over a barrel due to its mortgage obligations, it could be in a perfect position to obtain rent increases on its regulated units. Where rents are already close to the luxury deregulation cut off, this might allow Tishman to deregulate the apartments entirely. All of this would allow them to raise rents, possibly significantly, without having to force out existing tenants. Would I be cynical in suggesting that this was the plan all along?" Yes! But tantalizing, nonetheless."
By Lux Living on January 27, 2009 | 27 Comments
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"I See Dead Penis W/ Chicken Feet"

Is Haley Joel Osment the creator of Stuy Town's new penis mascot?Today we learned from Curbed via EV Grieve via TMZ that Sixth Sense star and NYU student, Haley Joel Osment, has been drawing penises on snowy cars in the East Village in his spare time. Could he be the creator of Stuyvesant Town's mascot Penis W/ Chicken Feet?
By Lux Living on January 26, 2009 | 13 Comments
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Neighborhood Blogging and Tenant Backlash

Recently three articles have come out in the New York Times about real estate / neighborhood blogging that we found interesting even though, curiously, Lux Living wasn't mentioned in any of them.

The first one was a piece called You Talkin' to Me? which covered the many neighborhood blogs popping up such as Brownstoner.com and Brooklynian.com. The second was a piece published yesterday called And The Blog Goes On which covered the gossipy / informational real estate blogs such as our friends at Curbed.com.

Today the New York Times ran a more serious piece titled Tenants Encouraged to Socialize, but Not Criticize, which discusses a backlash against tenants who criticize their landlords online.

"Mr. Griffiths, an information technology consultant, and his wife, Katy -- who is pregnant -- had to move in November when Rockrose declined to renew their lease at its EastCoast waterfront development in Long Island City, Queens.

A Rockrose employee, he said, told him it was because he had posted critical comments about the building on the Internet."

Have we arrived at the point where freedom of speech doesn't exist anymore? Do landlords have the right to boot tenants who publicly call them on their shortcomings? Certainly this type of bad blood doesn't benefit the landlord. After all, who would want to rent an apartment in a poorly maintained building knowing that, if you are critical of the management, you'll risk eviction? Perhaps this is why Stuyvesant Town's vacancy rate nears 20%.  
By Lux Living on January 26, 2009 | 4 Comments

Waterside Plaza Offers Stuy Town Relief

Via ApartmentRatings.com

"From: -Anonymous-
Date posted: 1/25/2009
Years at this apartment: 2004 - 2009
User Response is available. 5 responses
Photos are available. 1 photo
 
I went to Waterside yesterday to look an apartment because I am just so fed up with ST. Rental Office showed me 3 One bedrooms in just one building. They were ALL renovated with stainless steel appliances. They were all available immediately, but I said my lease expires March 1, she said "no problem" if you signed today we would hold the apt till March 1st. Ok, here are the apartments.

1) On 5th floor facing North and East. Very nice view. $2,595.00 For a 2 year lease!!!!
2) On the 15th floor facing South. Nice view as well. $2,700.00
3) On the 34th floor!!!! facing North/North East. OMG!!! BREATHTAKING VIEWS of all of Manhattan from 26th street - up and Brooklyn. SICK VIEW!!!

$2.895.00 ok, so the apartments are slightly smaller, and a little further from everything, but the VIEWS!!!! and the RENT!!!!!! All those prices would have locked us into a 2 year lease!!!! I am now paying $3,100 for a One Bed in Stuy Town. I just can't help but to walk right out side and be on the L Train in 2 minutes. Any advice?"

Original Post [ApartmentRatings.com]
By Lux Living on January 26, 2009 | 7 Comments
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Stuy Town Kids Loathe Their Space Too

Stuyvesant Town's Oval Kids sits empty along with the other fake amenities.A Sty Spy sent us this photo of Stuyvesant Town's Oval Kids taken Friday afternoon around noon. The faux amenity that hoped to "entertain and educate" Stuy Town's kiddies sits vacant, much like the other landmarks of disconnect.

Of course this is probably a good thing as the idea of ANY Stuyvesant Town employee educating a child is a frightening thought. "Now Sally, what do we do when a resident calls to schedule a maintenance request? That's right! Loudly sigh and hang up the phone!"
By Lux Living on January 26, 2009 | 9 Comments
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Lux Living Inbox Rant: Bed Bug Outbreak

Stuyvesant Town sees an increase in bed bug activity."There seems to be an outbreak of bed bugs at 15 and 17 Stuyvesant Oval. The furniture seems to be accumulating more and more. I've been in line for over 30 minutes to get a hold of management to deal with the situation but no luck!!! I guess those call centers are very busy at this time! The furniture keeps growing and placed where everyone walks by on the 15 Stuyvesant side near the entrance to the storage room, laundry, and trash receptacles, so everyone can share in the fun with their bed bugs. Lux living with bed bugs, what a deal."
By Lux Living on January 26, 2009 | 15 Comments
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Stuy Town Mascot Lives On

Stuyvesant Town's mascot, Penis W/ Chicken Feet, sees another day.Fans of Stuyvesant Town's mascot, Penis W/ Chicken Feet, will be happy to know his ghost continues to haunt the nearby management office. PWCF first graced us with his peckish presence back in early December only to be half-heartedly buffed by a maintenance worker soon after his discovery.

It should be no surprise he was first spotted near the management office, as a Sty Spy pointed out "...a d*ck's neighbor is always an a***hole."
By Lux Living on January 26, 2009 | 1 Comment
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Free Legal Housing Workshop

From: Your Tenants Association On Behalf Of Your Tenants Association
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2009 2:46 PM
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Free Legal Workshop for Non-Renewal of Rent Regulated Leases

Free Legal Housing Workshop
Non-Primary Residence Cases - Lease Renewal Denial
Thursday 1/29 - 6:30 PM - JHS 104 330 East 21st St, btw 1st and 2nd
 
Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town tenants are invited to join Council Member Dan Garodnick and The Urban Justice Center on January 29 for a free housing workshop on how to defend yourself if you are accused of not using your rent-stabilized apartment as a primary residence.

The clinic, "Litigating a Non-Primary Residence Case," will be part of a series of housing clinics sponsored by Council Member Garodnick. Attorneys from the Urban Justice Center will conduct the clinic, and will also be available immediately following the workshop for one-on-one consultations with tenants.

"Litigating a Non-Primary Residence Case" will take place on January 29 at JHS 104, located at 330 East 21st Street, between First and Second Avenues, beginning at 6:30 p.m. For more information, contact the office of Council Member Garodnick at (212) 818-0580.

This event is co-sponsored by the ST/PCV Tenants Association, Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Senator Tom Duane and Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh.
By Lux Living on January 25, 2009
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Comment of the Week

"I too just left a voice message with Lance Cohen. For what it's worth, early this morning - 4am actually - I couldn't take the back up beeps any longer and I went downstairs in the Ave C loop to speak with the driver of the snow machine. I told him that's it 4 o'clock in the morning and for the past 2 nights they've been running their machinery with the BACK UP BEEPERS BLARING. He told me to "speak to management".....there's nothing he could do physically on the vehicle to disable the beeping.

I then went into the work station where the snow removal team keeps there equipment...Avenue C loop between 285 and 283 Avenue C. The workers inside were sympathetic to my (OUR) plight but they said that during a "snow emergency" they are required to work any time TS says they have to report. They told me that they were afraid if they spoke up (they're supposedly Teamster Union members) that their jobs would be in jeopardy! They agreed with me that it was ridiculous to have to do this at 4am...but they had no choice.

Dan Garodnick is probably in Washington today..he's practically useless when it comes to representing tenants concerns... So anyhow ..call the management office at 212-420-5000 ..hit "0" and ask to speak to either Lance Cohen or maybe somebody else in management. Call Sabina Maillot at Town and Village newspaper! I hope potential renters are reading these messages. Beware before you sign that lease!"

- mvw, in response to "Lux Living Inbox Rant: Noisy Neighbors Threaten Violence"
By Lux Living on January 25, 2009 | 4 Comments
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Vacant Security Booth Becomes Oval "Love Hut"

Stuy Town's college kids have turned the lush parks into a Caligula-like playground.Thanks to Stuyvesant Town's recent staff cutbacks which included the letting go of 57 security officers, the heart of the complex known as the Oval has become a seedy cruise spot for Stuy Town's college aged residents. Tenants have been complaining that NYU and New School students have been meeting at the Oval and having anonymous sex and, in one case, used the vacant security booth as an impromptu love hut.

Long time resident Alison McMenemy says she's seen the raunchy action first hand and avoids walking her daughter through the Oval. "The girls that hang out by the fountain are a bunch of vile skags," she says. "They're skinny, greasy looking and if it weren't for their obsessive cell phone use I would assume they were homeless. One night I was walking by the fountain with my 5 year old daughter and I saw one of them giving some hand action to a dopey guy on the bench. This was at 7 o' clock at night!"

"It's disgusting over there," says Frank Newcourt who lives in a building by the Oval. "These kids are all over each other, kissing, groping, fondling. There are condom wrappers everywhere and one night I slipped on a Coney Island Whitefish. I couldn't bring myself to wear those shoes again, I had to throw them out."

The sexy shenanigans have gotten so bad that a Stuy Town couple caught two NYU students having sex in a vacant security booth. "My husband I just had dinner at the French Bee and were on our way home when we saw the security booth rocking. We thought we might be witnessing a mugging so we slowly approached the booth and opened the door. Sure enough there were two students in there, naked as Jay birds, going at it. The girl shouted 'Do you mind?!' and slammed the door. Is the Oval Love Hut a new amenity?"

Residents have been calling the management office to complain about the Caligula-like atmosphere in the park but since the staff cutbacks there's nobody left to answer the phones. "I'm pretty liberal, I grew up in the '60s," says Mary Donovan, also a Stuy Town resident. "But I don't want to open my kitchen window on a Monday morning and watch a three way on the grass...especially before I've had my coffee."
By Lux Living on January 23, 2009 | 4 Comments
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Stuy Town Mgmt. Office Becomes Less Hostile

I'm drinking a soy latte I get a double shot-te' It goes into my body and you know I'm satisfied!We now know why Tishman Speyer says resident complaints have recently decreased...there's nobody left to answer the damn phones! A Sty Spy just sent us this e-mail:

"...don't know if you've heard, but TS laid off almost everyone in the management office this week.  They came in to work and were told they no longer had jobs and could go home now. Some got severance of 4 months.  There is only a skeleton crew left. Sounds like TS is in dire financial straits. Should be interesting to see what happens now."

At least they won't have to worry about working past 3PM anymore. Wah waaah.
By Lux Living on January 23, 2009 | 34 Comments

Tish-Spy's Financial Albatross

Stuyvesant Town is quickly becoming Tishman Speyer's Albatross.Via the New York Observer:

"Jerry and Rob Speyer's record-setting $5.4 billion purchase of Stuyvesant Town and Cooper Village has become a money vacuum, as the high cost of debt service and relatively low rent income is expected to eat away a remaining $127.7 million in cash reserves in about six months.

Property cash flow is not expected improve from 2008 based on the borrowers restated budget for 2009. As a result, according to Fitch's calculations and the 2009 budget, the borrower has approximately six months of reserves remaining to cover the trust portion of the total debt on the property."

Report: Speyers Need To Pour More Cash Into Stuy Town [NY Observer]
By Lux Living on January 23, 2009 | 22 Comments
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Lux Living Inbox Rant: Sneaky Admin Fees

"...I received my security interest check a week or two ago of $31.09. I just got my tax return statement from them via citibank with details and I was appalled to find that Tishman Speyer took $61.48 as an administration fee. I should have gotten $92.57. Highway robbery! My 1099 might have the 92 number and no way should I have to pay tax on the whole amount, I will be consulting my accountant."
By Lux Living on January 22, 2009 | 7 Comments
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Tish-Spy's General Reserve Balance "Completely Depleted"

Via Reuters

"Fitch Comments on the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village Loan

Fitch Ratings has reviewed updated financials, including a 2009 budget and the year-end 2008 rent roll, for the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village loan. Although the property's performance remains consistent, the cash flow generated from the property continues to require significant reserves to cover debt service obligations. As of Jan. 15, 2009 the General Reserve balance has been completely depleted and the Debt Service Reserve balance has decreased to $127.7 million from $400 million at issuance. Property cash flow is not expected improve from 2008 based on the borrowers restated budget for 2009. As a result, according to Fitch's calculations and the 2009 budget, the borrower has approximately six months of reserves remaining to cover the trust portion of the total debt on the property. Should the loan default, Fitch expects the servicer to advance debt service on the trust portion.

The securitized balance of the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village Loan consists of five pari passu pieces of a $3 billion A-Note. There is an additional $1.5 billion of mezzanine debt outside the trust. Fitch rates four of the five notes, ranging from $202.3 million to $1.5 billion.

Fitch reviewed the transactions on October 29, 2008 and lowered the shadow rating of the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village loan to below investment grade as a result of slower than anticipated conversion of rent stabilized units to market."

Fitch Comments on the Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village Loan [Reuters]

By Lux Living on January 22, 2009 | 6 Comments
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Lux Living Inbox Rant: Tub Crud

Stuy Town resident has raw sewage backup in his tub."I thought you might be interested in this photo I just took of the sewage backwash I find in my tub almost every night recently.  Water and crud creep up from the drain, the water eventually recedes, leaving the sewage to dry and cake on to my tub.   This has been a cyclical problem in my apartment for each of the 6 years I've lived here.  All the plumbers ever do is snake the drain, which clearly isn't solving the bigger problem here."
By Lux Living on January 22, 2009 | 9 Comments
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Lost and Found

Lost and Found: Snow PlowLost: Snow Plow
Last Seen: Avenue C Loop
Details: Large, red snow plow. Last seen on Dodge pickup truck, (also missing), blocking snow covered wheel chair ramp. If found please call (212) 420-5000.
By Lux Living on January 22, 2009 | 4 Comments
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Let the Venting Begin!

The "Saturday Tenant Committee" launched a new website yesterday. The group formed recently after deeming ST / PCV's Tenant's Association ineffective. Their website reads:

"Whether you are a market rate or rent stabilized tenant in STPCV, we ask you to come together with us as a community to improve the quality of life for all of us. We are committed to creating and maintaining a meaningful and effective dialogue among tenants, management and our elected officials. We will be timely and responsive."

The website, complete with bulletin board, looks to replace the Tenant's Association's website / bulletin board which was taken offline a few months ago and has yet to return.

www.stpcvcommunity.org
By Lux Living on January 22, 2009 | 6 Comments

319 Avenue C Temperature Check

319 Avenue C in Stuy Town is a crisp 62 degrees.A Pottersville Stuy Town resident at 319 Avenue C sent us a photo he took this morning of the thermometer in his apartment. That "new technology" Tishman Speyer installed to regulate the heat is working excellent! He woke up to a crisp 62 degree apartment.

FYI: By law, building owners must provide all tenants with the following levels of heat and hot water:

Heat (During the heating season, October 1 through May 31)

- Between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., heat must register at least 68 degrees Fahrenheit when the outside temperature falls below 55 degrees;

- Between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., heat must register at least 55 degrees Fahrenheit when the outside temperature falls below 40 degrees.

- Hot Water (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)

- Hot water must register at or above a constant temperature of 120 degrees at the tap.

- If a tub or shower is equipped with an anti-scald valve that prevents the hot water temperature from exceeding 120 degrees, the minimum hot water temperature for that tub or shower is 110 degrees. 
By Lux Living on January 21, 2009 | 20 Comments
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Fake Walls Continue to Haunt Tish-Spy

Tishman Speyer's dangerous fake walls continue to haunt Stuy Town.With Lux Living's exhaustive coverage of Tishman Speyer's illegal pressure walls this past summer, we'd be surprised if there was anyone in ST / PCV who didn't know the dangers of the dreary den dividers. But just in case!

Stuy Town / Tishman Speyer lured in younger tenants by allowing them to subdivide their Pottersville Stuy Town apartments into smaller rooms thus allowing the tenants to have three or four lux roommates, making the rent almost affordable. Unfortunately the fake walls created a tenement-like, TB friendly environment that blocked sufficient amounts of air and light from entering the apartment in addition to being a fire hazard to first responders.

Tish-Spy quickly halted wall construction and ripped out the existing walls leaving many new tenants to share their one bedroom apartment with three or four lux roommates, though they did get these nifty midtown hotel business conference partitions. Tenants were left to foot the bill for both the first fake wall and it's more expensive replacement which took months to redesign and install. It's no wonder Tishman Speyer spokesman, Bud Perrone, kept his trap shut when this writer asked him about the "wallgate" debacle.

Via Salon.com

"The [Bronx] case highlights the persistent fire hazard of using temporary walls for illegal apartment conversions -- a common problem in a city where rents are high and space is always in demand.

Across the city, such makeshift warrens can be found in neighborhoods popular with college students, recent graduates on their first jobs and immigrants. A lock is often slapped on the extra rooms so they can be rented for extra money.

"Illegal walls can put tenants and first responders' lives in danger. Owners and tenants must obtain a permit to safely install a wall," said agency spokeswoman Kate Lindquist, whose department gets thousands of complaints annually related to illegal conversions.

In one example, tenants at Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town, a massive rent-regulated complex in Manhattan, complained to city fire and buildings officials about owner Tishman Speyer Properties advertising "convertible" apartments.

The firm purchased the complex in 2006 for a record $5.4 billion, setting off fears among tenants and some public officials that it was hoping to make a profit by seeking to charge market rates for the rent-stabilized apartments.

Jim Roth of the tenants association said he remembered the deadly fire in the Bronx when the association filed the complaint. "I thought, can they do this? The answer was no, not without a permit," he said.

City officials told the company it couldn't advertise apartments with the suggestion that it was OK to add so-called pressurized walls, and that permits were needed for any changes. Since then, Tishman Speyer has obtained permits, and it declined to comment further."

Temporary walls turn NYC apartments into firetraps [Salon]
By Lux Living on January 21, 2009 | 12 Comments
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Mac-Gray Washers Make Unlikely Luck Charms

Stuyvesant Town's broken washing machines make unlikely good luck charms!Stuy Town residents at 15 Stuyvesant Oval have found a new use for the broken Mac-Gray washing machines in their building - good luck charm! The problematic machines now provide winning lottery, Keno, and BINGO numbers to residents who rub their dark windows for good luck. And the tenants couldn't be happier!

"I went to do laundry one day and was hoping I could fit a T-Shirt and two pairs of socks into that wretched washer," says Mary Ellen Dupree, a resident at 15 Stuyvesant Oval. "Once again five of the six machines were broken and they were all blinking "b 16" for some reason. I didn't think anything of it until I was at the senior center later, playing BINGO with my grandmother - as suggested by Oval Concierge. I was having a horrible time of course and then I thought about the "b 16" so I played it and I won $20! I played the number all night long and made $500! I felt bad for some of the old ladies who won't be making their rents this month but hey, it's not my fault. That's what happens when you let your keeper chat on the cell phone instead of watching you get tanked on Grasshoppers and gamble."

Henry Allisair tells us of his run in with the unlikely luck charms. "I put the new shirt I bought from Mr. Pink into the washer when the door locked and stayed so for two hours," he says. "I kicked the machine several times and put my cigarette out on it as the NYU kids suggested but the door wouldn't open. After the third hour I was on my knees crying and pounding on the glass, when suddenly a bunch of numbers scrolled across the screen. 23-1-29-24-3. I ran across the street to play Take Five and I won $5,000! I bought new shirts...and had them dry-cleaned."

Residents say they can't explain why the machines give the gift of numbers when abused but are thankful for the lotto luck they bring. "The machine took $22 dollars from my laundry card one night so I unplugged it and tipped it over," says a tenant who asked to remain anonymous. "I was jumping up and down on the glass door when the words "JUMBO BUCKS" flashed across the screen. I bought a JUMBO BUCKS scratch ticket on my way to work that night and won $100,000! I called the management office the next day, terminated my lease and told that smug bitch on the phone to 'suck it' when she asked me why I was moving out of my $5,500 a month, one bedroom apartment that sporadically has heat and gas. Thank you Mac-Gray for your lousy machines! I'm finally free!"
By Lux Living on January 20, 2009 | 17 Comments
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Lux Living Inbox Rant: Noisy Neighbors Threaten Violence

"I am thankfully about to end a 1.5 year stay at stuytown's 430 E 20th Street building! Among several complaints my biggest is about the noisy, inconsiderate neighbors who have been living here since July/August.

There are 4 or 5 of them living in a 2 bedroom apartment. You can hear them shouting and cursing nearly all hours of the day. Every Friday and Saturday night from about 8pm until 4am, they play music really loud and shout/curse at each other. I've called the security office on at least 10 different occasions. Other times I've heard the guards come up because tenants in other apartments have called. Each time, the officer tells them to keep it down, so they turn down their music, and then 5 minutes after the guard leaves, they crank it back up. Of course, the wild shouting ("woooooo" and "yeah", mostly) continues.

Sometimes they go out around midnight but when they come back at 3am, the music/shouting continues. Stuy town has done NOTHING to prevent this. Wouldn't you think that if a security guard has to come tell these guys to shut up every weekend that they would get some kind of serious warning?

One day I made the mistake of coming out of my apartment while they were BS'ing the guard that they would "keep it down" and that they were "leaving in 10 minutes." I told the guard that these guys say the same thing every Friday and Saturday night after which an arguing match broke out between me and the 10 people who were in their apartment at the time. They left the apartment then but when they came back at 3am they continually banged on the walls and screamed loudly. The next morning the banging and screaming continued at 9am. I don't think they realize that I can hear everything they say since their voices are so loud but I heard them saying that they were going to harm my boyfriend and I.
 
Out of concern for my boyfriend and roommates (and myself), I decided to go over there and actually apologize to these idiots for calling security on them!!! I didn't trust stuytown's security enough to feel safe from my neighbors. That was about a month ago and after I move out I'm going to call the resident services office and report these guys, but I highly doubt that anything will be done about it even after I tell them that as a woman I was frightened of their angry threats to "kick my ass" that I heard through the thin wall that we share. I just hope that a family with children doesn't move into my apartment after we leave (due to the $800 rent increase since we first signed the lease in August 2007)."

Lux Living suggests that residents with similar problems keep a list of the dates and times security is called including the responding officer's name. If the problem persists, call Donalda Habersham at management so she can send the noisy neighbor one of her useless form letters. It's important to remain calm with management otherwise they label you a "problem tenant" and ignore your complaints.
By Lux Living on January 19, 2009 | 28 Comments
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Oval Concierge Organizes Schizophrenic Outings

Stuyvesant Town's Oval Concierge invites you to join them for a pub crawl, some antique shopping and a trip to Williamsburg!Stuyvesant Town's Oval Concierge, the "amenity" known for using e-mail blasts to bastardize the English language, wants to wish you a Happy New Year....15 days later. What's taken them so long? Did Abigail Michaels' grammatically challenged bunch need two weeks of help from their Word-A-Day calendar? Anyway, they are very proud of this newsletter which hopes to send you on some "new adventures in travel and dining out."

In their signature 7th grade writing style, the gang has compiled a unique list of "events" for its members in..."New York City, a metropolitan area that is constantly evolving and producing new things every day of the year." It just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it?

The hopeless to-do list includes an East Village pub crawl, some antique shopping, and a trip to Williamsburg on the L train. Stuy Town's under-25, antique hungry, hipster demographic must be way excited!?!

At least there's no mention of a Coney Island clam dig like last month. F'ckn brrr!

Partial list of events after the jump.
Continue reading Oval Concierge Organizes Schizophrenic Outings.
By Lux Living on January 19, 2009 | 13 Comments
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Comment of the Week

"Mrs Barry living in PCV has four young grandchildren that each year make and send her and other ST/PCV relatives presents. These have been traditionally sent by UPS.

Shortly before Christmas, a neighbor reported to her that packages belonging to her had been found in the stairwell cut open, things taken and discarded.

While the gifts from the daughter and son-in-law were worth a modest amount , there was little if any monetary value to the children's gifts, mostly arts and crafts type creations.

But being all alone in her NY Apt, Grandma looks forward with delight to these gifts.

Is it a coincidence that the Apartment next door is being renovated (early demolition stage)? Grandma believes the culprits are workers in that apartment.

For 40 years she has lived in that apartment and never a theft of packages. When was reported to security they tried to pin it on a food delivery worker, nah, it couldn't be Tishman Speyer's workers.D

To which Grandma replied, no one is ordering food on this floor at 2 pm in the afternoon. She is confident because she knows her neighbors."

- Pro Tenants, in response to "Security Praised For Job Well Done"
By Lux Living on January 18, 2009 | 20 Comments
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Security Praised For Job Well Done

Stuyvesant Town's security cameras fail to capture criminal activity.Just kidding. A resident at 653 East 14th Street posted this note in the lobby warning people of petty crime in the Stuy Town building. Though there are 87,402 security cameras in Stuyvesant Town / Peter Cooper Village they fail to catch thieves stealing packages, personal property and bicycles from the buildings. And unlike the doormen in real luxury buildings, the ubiquitous security cameras can't tell a legitimate guest from a drug dealer.

Free iPod to the first person who calls me racist or mentions the Tenant's Association in the comments! 
By Lux Living on January 16, 2009 | 26 Comments
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New York Post Leaks Lawsuit

New York Post leaks lawsuit.ST/ PCV's local newspaper, Town & Village, reports today the New York Post leaked details of a pending $40 million dollar class action lawsuit soon to be be filed against landlord Tishman Speyer by Stuy Town residents after the paper obtained a "draft" of the lawsuit.

The New York Post published two versions of the article on January 10th which said Tishman Speyer would be served the following day. So far no such lawsuit has been filed.

Correction from Soni Fink:

"In reporting on the New York Post's erroneous January 11th story, asserting that the Stuy Town-Peter Cooper Tenants Association's would be filing a class action suit against Tishman Speyer, our local newspaper, Town & Village, made a boo boo of its own. It quoted TA board member Soni Fink as saying "the Association has no plan to file a suit any other day, either."  Not so, she says.  "While I did reply 'Not that I know of'' to the question as to whether a suit would be filed, as T&V correctly reported, the phrase 'any other day either' covers months and years ahead.  I certainly didn't knowingly commit the TA to never filing a suit of any kind against anyone for any reason.  If awkward wording of my reply implied that, I apologize to T&V and the TA."

- Soni Fink
By Lux Living on January 15, 2009 | 41 Comments
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TA to Tish-Spy - You "Betrayed" Tenants

Town & Village reported today that the Stuyvesant Town / Peter Cooper Village Tenant's Association sent a "scathing" letter to Rob and Jerry Speyer of Tishman Speyer. Lux Living obtained a copy of the letter in which the TA accuses the landlords of engaging in "an all out campaign against rent-stabilized tenants, the very people who made this "such a wonderful place to live for so long" and have pursued policies with respect to non rent-stabilized apartments that are contrary to your stated commitment to preserve the unique character of the community."

"Mr. Jerry Speyer
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Tishman Speyer
45 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10111

Mr. Rob Speyer
President
Tishman Speyer
45 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10111

Gentlemen:

Two years ago, when Tishman Speyer purchased the Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village properties, Rob Speyer sent a letter to all residents stating that Tishman Speyer is "committed to maintaining the unique character and environment that have made Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town such a wonderful place to live for so long."  Of course, what made Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village such a wonderful place to live was that it was a community of families, a place where people raised their children who, in many instances, stayed in the community to raise their own children.

Unfortunately, the story of your stewardship over the past two years is one of betrayal of that commitment.  You have engaged in an all out campaign against rent-stabilized tenants, the very people who made this "such a wonderful place to live for so long" and have pursued policies with respect to non rent-stabilized apartments that are contrary to your stated commitment to preserve the unique character of the community.

Scores of apartments have been rented to local colleges and universities for use as dormitories for student populations that, predictably, regularly turn over.  Many other apartments have been illegally subdivided and rented to recent college graduates who cannot afford the exorbitant rents other than by living dormitory-style with multiple roommates.  You have driven young families who could become the core of the community in the future from the community by imposing exorbitant rent increases on top of already excessive initial rents.  Remarkably, you have done this even in the face of extraordinarily high vacancy rates, and when Tishman Speyer has been offering incentives to existing tenants to bring in new tenants and offering new tenants incentives such as a free month's rent and no security deposit.  Rather than preserving the unique character and environment of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village as a stable community where families put down deep roots, the policies pursued by Tishman Speyer regarding non rent-stabilized apartments have begun to transform the community into one that is increasingly transient.

Fortunately, it is not too late to reverse this trend and for Tishman Speyer to fulfill the commitment made by Rob Speyer "to maintain the unique character and environment" of this community, which has always been stable and family-oriented.  This can be accomplished by moderating the initial rents for non rent-stabilized apartments and by agreeing to offer renewals on such apartments on terms that are no less favorable than what is being offered to new tenants.  We would also propose that Tishman Speyer agree to limit future rent increases for non rent-stabilized apartments to no more than the increases authorized for rent-stabilized tenants by the Rent Guidelines Board.

We believe these proposals are realistic and will go a long way towards preserving the "unique character and environment" of the community while at the same time affording Tishman Speyer the opportunity to earn a reasonable return on its investment in the property.  We urge you to consider them seriously."
By Lux Living on January 15, 2009 | 59 Comments
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Stuy Town Residents Make Their Own Heat

Stuyvesant Town residents keep warm by running their ovens, using heating pads, and lighting fires in their bathtubs.A few months ago Tishman Speyer implemented a "new technology" within Stuyvesant Town to regulate heat throughout the apartment complex. For years Stuyvesant Town residents have suffered from Goldilocks  Syndrome - their apartments were either too hot or too cold. A nameless Tishman Speyer spokesperson wouldn't elaborate on the mysterious technology but did say it would make residents more comfortable in their homes. Unfortunately this is not the case.

Stuy Town tenants say that since this "new technology" was put in place the heating problems are now worse than they were before. "I work from home and there is no heat throughout the day," a resident of 653 East 14th Street. "I have to work in the kitchen with the oven running and let me tell you, if the fumes weren't getting me so high, I'd be a terror over at the management office."

Another tenant tells us her apartment is so hot she has to run her air conditioner throughout the winter. "It's sweltering in here. I'd open the windows to get some fresh air but they keep digging up the sidewalk and the tar fumes are murder on my Asthma so I am stuck running the AC all day. The one neighbor left on my floor thinks I'm a loon. I guess I must be since I continue to live in this dump."

Other residents are finding rather unique ways to moderate the temperature in their Stuy Town apartments and doing so with a sense of humor. "You have to make the most of it. I can't use the shower because it's clogged with that dirt that pours from the faucet. After ten days of shoveling the tub I gave up hope that maintenance would fix it so I turned it into a fire pit. Keeps the apartment super warm and the kids can make 'S'mores!"

"Thank god for heating pads," says a resident of 8 Stuyvesant Oval. "I have a five month old daughter at home and I have to keep her between two heating pads so she'll stay warm. Then I catch my husband making a panini in the crib! I can't take much more of this. We're looking for another apartment."

Two weeks ago Lux Living reported on the number of tenants who are forced to use space heaters to keep warm. One elderly resident on a limited income says she has to make do with a space heater purchased from a flea market on Avenue A. "The cord is broken so I don't fuss with it. I make my grandson turn it off for a little while when he visits me on Sundays," she says.

The heat in Stuyvesant Town's apartments is so infrequent that when it does come on the pipes bang ferociously as Town & Village recently reported. "It's terrible. Every morning at 5AM it sounds like my apartment is under attack from sniper fire," says a resident at 449 East 14th Street. "Tishman Speyer keeps trying to fix things that aren't broken like the heat and the washing machines but all they do is make them worse. The last time I called management to report the noisy pipes they sent up two men who planted cabbages around my radiator. I didn't know what to say." 
By Lux Living on January 15, 2009 | 13 Comments
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Apartments Try to Stay Afloat

Tishman Speyer is quickly running out of money on Stuy Town.Via the WSJ:

"...in New York, aggressive revenue projections and poor underwriting have dragged some recently sold large properties into trouble.

For instance, the $222.5 million loan taken by Rockpoint Group and Stellar Management to purchase the Riverton Apartments was transferred to special servicing in August as the buyers warned of an imminent default of the loan. By December, they had fallen behind in their mortgage payments. The 1,228-unit rent-controlled complex in Harlem is converting to market-rent units at a much slower pace than expected, according to a Moody's Investors Service report.

At the time of the loan securitization in 2007, reserves of $48.3 million were set aside for any shortfalls in debt service and property renovation. By September, the reserves had fallen to $10.8 million.

Similarly, at the Peter Cooper Village-Stuyvesant Town property on Manhattan's East Side, only 37% of the units were converted to market rents as of September, compared with 28.5% at the time of the loan securitization, according to Moody's. In 2006, at the time of the purchase by Tishman Speyer and Blackrock Realty Advisors, nearly half of the apartments were expected to be converted by 2008. The loan's $590 million reserve had dwindled to $200 million by September, which is expected to be depleted by the end of the third quarter of this year."

Apartments Try to Stay Afloat [WSJ]
By Lux Living on January 14, 2009 | 15 Comments
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Lux Living Inbox Rant - Beetle Bites

With all of the lead paint chips and cockroaches, you'd think Stuy Town residents have enough alternative snack options to keep them full. But today we learn that in addition to rats, mice, roaches, and stoles, Stuyvesant Town residents now have to keep an eye out for a new pest in their food...beetles!

Stuyvesant Town's latest plague - beetles!"To add to the fun going on at Avenue C (graffiti, dangerous powerplants, brown water, arctic temperatures) there is a major beetle infestation. I live in a *lux* market rate 2-bedroom on 14th and C and while the problem has been in check since we moved in over the summer, it now has reached a breaking point. I was snacking on some chocolate chips out of the bag last night when all of a sudden I pulled out a chip with a small, dark brown beetle on it. WTF. I emptied the bag into a clear baggie and was shocked to see dozens and dozens of small beetles crawling around. I had just purchased the bag the day before! It had been sitting closed with a rubber band in my *lux* wood cabinets in the kitchen for a day! I explored my kitchen cabinets and they were everywhere. The horror.

One could certainly speculate that the beetles came in vis-a-vis the lux wood of the cabinets, which was probably sourced from a third world country somewhere where beetles are actually on the menu. Or, more likely, the management company is too lazy/cheap to seal the cracks that are found all over the apartment: between the floor molding, the parquet floors, the space where the wall meets the floor, etc. I guess we'll just have to settle for holiday tree chipping parties and broken intercom systems as our improvements and not the things in dire need of fixing:  rusty old pipes from the 1940s and old wood harboring beetle colonies.

Some background: When I moved in the very first day there were scads of those little beetles crawling in and out of a corner of the apartment. I thought it odd and when an exterminator came, they told me that they COULD NOT exterminate without proof. Instead, they just placed traps down. I had to catch some, then call again, wait a few days for an appointment and leave permission to enter. When I got home it didn't seem as though anything was touched. Weird. I called the cheapo management company and they told me that the exterminator couldn't spray since my small dog was there. Great. It took a total of three appointments to get them to finally spray. And of course the beetles - those resilient little suckers - came back days later."
By Lux Living on January 13, 2009 | 12 Comments
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TA Turns Lazarus - Rises from Dead, Sends E-Mail

Last night the Tenant's Association sent this e-mail from "the other side" to ST / PCV residents to keep them up to date on Tish-Spy's submetering project. The TA asks residents to send their comments regarding the project to the Public Service Commission though fail to provide any contact information for the PSC...heavy sigh...

Too bad the TA doesn't have a website.

"From: Your Tenants Association [mailto:members@stpcvta.ccsend.com] On Behalf Of Your Tenants Association
Sent: Monday, January 12, 2009 5:56 PM
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Submetering Project Update

Submetering Update

Is Submetering Good for ST/PCV Tenants?
 
As you have probably heard, Tishman Speyer has filed an application to submeter Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village.  Is the Tenants Association for it or against it?

We can't quarrel with the goal of this $30 million submetering project-- to reduce overall energy usage by at least 20% through energy efficiency measures that include a central energy management system, advanced meter/submetering, common area lighting, low-flow equipment, Energy Star appliances and ventilation upgrades.
 
While the goal is commendable and we are all aware of the need to conserve energy and protect our environment, your Tenant's Association, which supports sustainability, is determined that a green program will not be imposed on the backs and in the pocketbooks of our residents. We will not support an energy program if Tishman Speyer plans to file an application for a Major Capital Improvement and attempt to recoup their costs. We would aggressively fight any such effort,  particularly in the light of the $10 million incentive our landlord will receive from the New York State Energy Development Authority.
 
At the present time, the Tenants Association is pushing for more information about the project and process and will work to make certain that  ample public meetings on submetering are scheduled at which you can ask your questions.  In the meantime, we will need tenants to send their comments to the Public Service Commission.  Since the deadline for comments has not yet been determined, we will get back to you in the near future with specific "talking points" you can make and information on where and how to send in your comments."
By Lux Living on January 13, 2009 | 25 Comments
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Tish-Spy ST / PCV Job Postings - Leasing Agent

Stuyvesant Town is looking for a few smug Leasing Agents to add to their brood.We are looking for a mildly experienced and extremely energetic full time Leasing Agent to sit on display all day in the Peter Cooper Village/Stuyvesant Town leasing office on First Avenue. The Leasing Agent is responsible for meeting with clients, feeding them a whole bunch of BS while touring the model apartment, and telling them anything they want to hear to "seal the deal." Candidates must also be available to work weekends, nights, and holidays.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Memorize a fake list of statistics and tell potential tenants how luxurious Stuy Town / Peter Cooper Village are as you step over dead rats during the interview process.

- Accompany prospective tenants to model apartments. Must be able to quickly explain why the apartments look drastically different from the online renderings.

- Effectively communicate value proposition to all clients by telling them about the costly "amenities" ST / PCV offers them. Do not discuss the many better deals available throughout the city.

- Following up with clients, 12, 20 times a week begging them to sign a lease.

- Review trade journals and attend staff and association meetings at Oval Lounge to keep informed of marketing conditions, property values, and legislation, which would affect real estate industry. No beer bottle throwing please.

QUALIFICATIONS:

- Superiority complex a must!

- Must poses the skills of a used car sales man / snake oil salesman and have the ability to "seal the deal." Gun permit a plus!

- Leasing Agent should be under 25.

- Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel and Access and Outlook!

- Must be able to keep your poker face while current tenants dispute your facts on the model tours.

- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate your desperation effectively, both verbally and in writing.

Or so this Tishman Speyer job posting for a Leasing Agent should read.
By Lux Living on January 13, 2009 | 4 Comments
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Killing Me Softly with His Glue

Stuyvesant Town attempts to control rat infestation with glue boards.Nothing is more luxurious than finding a half-dead, squealing mouse stuck on a barbaric glue trap in a glamorous Stuy Town hallway!  First there was the rat sighting on the 12th floor of One Stuyvesant Oval, then the maimed mouse at 447 East 14th Street, and now the vermin infestation has grown so out-of-control that management put out primitive sticky traps that don't exactly go with the luxury carpeting, especially after a fresh catch.

"It's like a scene from the movie WILLARD," complained tenant Millie Cohen. "I'm constantly dodging mice almost every time I step out of my apartment, even if it's just to drop my trash down the chute!"  Yet Mrs. Cohen also has a soft spot. "I feel sorry for the little creatures having to suffer such a slow, painful death. I'm thinking about reporting Tishman Speyer to PETA."

Dr. Harold Wilkenson told us, "Our family has lived on this floor for over thirty years, and never saw a mouse in our apartment, much less in the public hallway until Tishman Speyer took over. I hope we don't come down with Bubonic plaque."

But Dolores Porter has decided to put the increasing rodent population to good use. "Well, my son uses the scurrying mice for paintball practice, and has developed pretty good aim," she said proudly.  "It also warms him up on those many days when our apartment has no heat." Fortunately, there are no vacant apartments on this floor, otherwise the leasing agent might have some 'splainin to do.
By girl on January 13, 2009 | 11 Comments
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Brown Water Welcomes Market Rate Tenant

Stuyvesant Town residents continue to experience brown water issues.To prove that market rate tenants in Stuyvesant Town don't get preferential treatment, lawsuit ladened Tishman Speyer welcomed this new resident with their signature bubblin' crude! The newly disgusted tenant at 6 Stuyvesant Oval was treated to Tish-Spy's sludgy sloppy seconds only one day after moving into to his $3000 + a month apartment. If only the leasing office's tour guides ran the tap water during their presentations at the model apartment at 447 East 14th Street, then at least the new tenants would know to buy Mr. Bubble and hazmat suits for their new digs.
By Lux Living on January 11, 2009 | 10 Comments
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Oval Amenities / Essentials Update

Should anyone actually care, the Oval Amenities / Essentials have new operating hours for 2009. Stop by and say 'Hi' to the bored staff that hangs out in the glass peep booths all week long. Surely they are not getting paid enough for that public humiliation.

New Hours for Oval Essentials in '09                  

Please be advised that Oval Lounge & Oval Kids will have different operating hours for 2009.                   
Oval Kids will now be open from 9am-8pm, Monday to Friday and 9am-4pm on weekends.
Oval Lounge will now be open from 1-10pm, Monday to Friday and 11am-6pm on weekends.
Oval Film will continue to operate from 6-10pm, Monday to Friday and 1-6pm on weekends.
Oval Study will continue to operate from 9am-10pm, Monday to Friday and 9am-6pm on weekends.
By Lux Living on January 11, 2009 | 4 Comments
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Is Tishman Speyer Having a Brittney-esque Meltdown

Is Tishman Speyer having a Brittney-esque meltdown?Tishman Speyer spokesman, Bud Perrone, sure has his work cut out for him these days. It seems you can't pick up a newspaper or visit a website without finding some new Tishman Speyer controversy.

In the past week alone we learned the real estate pirates are involved in a nasty eviction with Cipriani over the Rainbow Grill at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

Then there is the 40 million dollar class-action lawsuit being brought against the company by Stuyvesant Town residents who claim Tish-Spy and the three law firms they hired have tried to illegally force them out of their apartments so they can be flipped to market rate.

Former property manager John Scott Walsh also filed a lawsuit accusing Tish-Spy of "unfavorable and discriminatory treatment" of tenants as it pushed to reach internal "quotas for getting back rent-stabilized apartments . . ." He claims he was fired for balking at executing those efforts.

All of this legal drama follows several articles stating that Tishman Speyer will soon know if their red brick albatross will be profitable any time soon. "They painted hallways, replaced elevators, tore out old carpeting, gussied up the park-like landscaping, installed computer lounges and movie halls and put on holiday lights and topiary extravaganzas around the fountain in Sty Town. Basically, they did all they could to overhaul the onetime low-income housing project installed by Robert Moses and get out from under the rent control that tied Met Life's feet together," stated this writer.

What will the next week hold for Tishman Speyer? Will Rob Speyer shave his head and fight off' paps with an umbrella? Will Jerry Speyer be photographed exiting his Escalade sans pants? It's anyone's guess but the one thing we are sure of is that Bud Perrone will mumble something  like, "We don't think fake reports about a pantless Jerry Speyer are entertaining or helpful for our residents"
By Lux Living on January 11, 2009 | 7 Comments
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Stuy Town Residents Sue Tish-Spy over Eviction Spree

TIshman Speyer will be slapped with a class action lawsuit tomorrow for eviction spree.File under about f*cking time! Via today's New York Post we learn that mega slumlord Tishman Speyer is about to be sued by Stuy Town residents over unfair evictions:

"Rent-stabilized tenants of Manhattan's Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village are filing a $40 million class-action lawsuit tomorrow against owner Tishman Speyer for trying to evict them unfairly, according to a draft copy of the suit obtained by The Post.

Meanwhile, a separate $1 million lawsuit filed Jan. 2 by a former Tishman Speyer property manager accuses the firm of "unfavorable and discriminatory treatment" of tenants as it pushed to reach internal "quotas for getting back rent-stabilized apartments . . . " He claims he was fired for balking at executing those efforts."

There goes the last of that dwindling cash reserve!

In one of the ST / PCV Tenant's Association's last public appearances, it was revealed that Tishman Speyer was caught evicting 339 legal rent stabilized tenants. During the meeting last October, State Senator Tom Duane, Assemblymember Brian Kavanagh, Council member Dan Garodnick, and Congressmember Carolyn Maloney announced legislation they will be introducing requiring landlords to pay attorney's fees and/or expenses incurred by tenants wrongly accused of breaking rent-stabilization regulations.

Update: The New York Post has had two versions of this story on their website in 12 hours, below are both. You can choose your alternate ending, like the movie Clue!

Via the New York Post

STUYVESANT TOWN OWNER SUED OVER 'EVICTION SPREE'
By KATHIANNE BONIELLO and SARAH RYLEY

Rent-stabilized tenants of Manhattan's Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village are filing a $40 million class-action lawsuit tomorrow against owner Tishman Speyer for trying to evict them unfairly, according to a draft copy of the suit obtained by The Post.

Meanwhile, a separate $1 million lawsuit filed Jan. 2 by a former Tishman Speyer property manager accuses the firm of "unfavorable and discriminatory treatment" of tenants as it pushed to reach internal "quotas for getting back rent-stabilized apartments . . . " He claims he was fired for balking at executing those efforts.

Since its October 2006, $5.4 billion purchase of the East Side property from MetLife, Tishman Speyer has hired three law firms and a host of private eyes in a bid to evict tenants it believes have other primary homes - a violation of rent-stabilization laws.

The eviction efforts have been too broad, says the lawsuit to be filed tomorrow in Manhattan Supreme Court by the Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association and five tenants.

The mere threat of eviction and a pricey court battle has forced some tenants to flee, said tenants' lawyer Jack Lester. "The pressure becomes so much they move out even if it is their primary residence."

Tishman Speyer denied being too aggressive in eviction efforts. "We do our homework without violating our residents' privacy," the firm said.

Or you can read the new, sexy version of the story, also via the New York Post.

STUY TOWN OWNER SUED OVER LOW-RENT 'EVICTION SPREE'
By KATHIANNE BONIELLO and SARAH RYLEY

Rent-stabilized tenants of Manhattan's Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village will file a $40 million class-action lawsuit tomorrow, accusing owner Tishman Speyer of trying to evict them unfairly, according to a draft copy of the suit obtained by The Post.

Meanwhile, a separate $1 million suit filed Jan. 2 by former Tishman Speyer property manager John Scott Walsh accuses the firm of "unfavorable and discriminatory treatment" of tenants as it pushed to reach internal "quotas for getting back rent-stabilized apartments . . ."

He claims he was fired for balking at executing those efforts.

But Tishman said in a counter-claim denying the accusations that Walsh got the boot because of "several complaints of lewd conduct . . . including his reported habit of 'adjusting himself' in front of his subordinates," according to court papers.

Since its October 2006, $5.4 billion purchase of the East Side property from MetLife, Tishman Speyer has hired three law firms and a host of private eyes in a bid to evict tenants it believes have other primary homes - a violation of rent-stabilization laws.

The eviction efforts have been too broad, says the suit to be filed tomorrow in Manhattan Supreme Court by the Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village Tenants Association and five tenants.

Tishman Speyer denied being too aggressive in eviction efforts. "We do our homework without violating our residents' privacy," the firm said.

Walsh could not be reached for comment.

By Lux Living on January 10, 2009 | 33 Comments
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Abigail Michaels Gives Coherent Interview

Abigail Michaels gives coherent interview to the New York Times.Abigail Newman and Michael Fazio of Abigail Michaels Concierge gave a pretty coherent interview to the New York Times with regards to changes the concierge service is seeing in this dismal economy, (no Stuy Town mention, smart move!). But we're confused. AM is smart enough to hire a publicist to land them major press placements and television appearances on The View and The Today Show but then they hire high school kids to write this junk on behalf of their Oval Concierge? Who are you Abigail Michaels?
By Lux Living on January 10, 2009 | 5 Comments
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Tish-Spy ST / PCV Job Postings - Carpentry Supervisor

Tishman Speyer seeks Carpentry Supervisor, must know how to shout.RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Oversee all Carpentry work in Peter Cooper Village/ Stuyvesant Town as it pertains to the properties resident generated work orders and make sure the work begins at 5AM sharp. 
- Responsible for passing off illegal pressure walls as legitimate construction.
- Have the ability to shout work orders very loud.
- Responsible for coordinating ST / PCV's undocumented laborers.
- Prepare reports for bi-weekly Operations meetings usually as Mc Swiggins.
- Responsible for Off-hour Emergency Shift coverage, supervisor must be accessible by phone or Blackberry Email 24/7 in case of emergency on property though you need not answer it.
- Coordinate with outside and in-house contractors as to when it is the best time to steal bikes and property.
- Working overtime when needed on market rate apartments.

QUALIFICATIONS:

- Must know how to speak.
- Must work slowly.
- Must have experience working 5AM-11AM.
- Experience making small talk on a walkie talkie a huge plus.
- Experience inflating giant rats not necessary, plenty of real rats on hand.

Or so this Tishman Speyer job posting for a Carpentry Supervisor should read.
By Lux Living on January 10, 2009
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Tish-Spy Dishes Out More Eviction Notices

Tishman Speyer give the Rainbow Room until Monday to get out.And Stuy Town residents think their eviction process is harsh? The Tish-Spy pirates are giving Cipriani until Monday to vacate the 64th and 65th floors of 30 Rockefeller Plaza where the Rainbow Grill and Rainbow Room are located. Tishman Speyer recently jacked the rent from $4 million to $8.7 million a year. Judging by the laughable rents they are hoping to charge at both Stuyvesant Town and now Rockefeller Plaza, it's clear Tishman Speyer hasn't watched the news in a while.

NYC's storied Rainbow Room gets eviction notice [Newsday]
By Lux Living on January 10, 2009 | 12 Comments
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More Brilliant Stuy Town Landscaping

Catching wind of the bets we placed as to when the 'death watch trees' would actually die, Tishman Speyer had them moved to a new, private location where they can rot in peace. Because you wouldn't want to actually plant them in the ground or anything...ass bandits.

Stuy Town kills more trees at the cost of their investors.

death-tree-2.jpg

death-tree-3.jpg
By Lux Living on January 9, 2009 | 5 Comments
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ST / PCV / DEP Issue Useless Brown Statement

SSDD...the brackish water is safe to drink....run your faucets indefinitely.

Via Stuy Town's Resident website:

"Updated statement on discolored water by DEP:

Due to a broken water main, brown water conditions may be affecting Peter Cooper Village residents. The Department of Environmental Protection will replace this main within the next week. Although discolored water presents no health risks, the DEP recommends that the faucet is allowed to run until the water is clear.

If you are experiencing discolored water and would like updates, you can call 311 or visit www.nyc.gov/html/dep/html/advisories/discolored_water_statement.shtml."
By Lux Living on January 9, 2009 | 3 Comments
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Submetering Date Gets Closer

Tishman Speyer wants to submeter Stuyvesant Town's heat.Reminder: Stuy Town residents have until January 12th, 2009 to contact the Public Service Commission regarding Tish-Spy's submetering plans:

Previously: Public Comment Period Open on Submetering
By Lux Living on January 9, 2009 | 17 Comments
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Lux Living Inbox Rant: 4 Days of Brown Water Fever

The newest amenity that Stuy Town residents loathe? Brown water that gives them fevers!:

"4 days of fever, still can't take a bath. I just contacted the Clean Water Action Group in Washington. I told them "between the city and our slumlord we can rarely take a bath or drink from the tap." I asked how they are getting away with this. She is going to have someone give me a call.
 
Also I made contact with someone at a local agency. He is ordering an inspection of the water towers here. TURNS OUT THERE WAS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE CITY AGAIN. HE GOT A FEW CALLS YESTERDAY.

I JUST LEFT A MESSAGE WITH AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE M.D. IS THAT THE RIGHT SPECIALIST FOR DIAGNOSING ENVIRONMENTAL ILLNESS? I CANNOT TAKE ANYMORE OF THIS. I AM TOO SICK/TOO LONG. HAS ANYONE ELSE GOTTEN SICK THAT YOU KNOW OF. THIS IS THE 7TH 103 FEVER SINCE THIS CITY WATER STARTED. I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY ARE NOT BLOWING DOWN THE LINE EITHER.

Anyone who has been ill or just stressed from the constant negligence of TS causing brown hot water can call Ralph Sacardi at (718) 595-6373."
By Lux Living on January 9, 2009 | 2 Comments
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Let the Death Watch Begin

Stuy Town tree death watch begins!Apparently Tishman Speyer aren't as worried about their finances as their investors are. Stuy Town's landscaping obsessed slumlord trucked in more trees to plant just in time for this weekend's ice storm! Let's hope these expensive trees they casually dumped at 281 Avenue C don't meet the fate of their friends.
By Lux Living on January 9, 2009 | 1 Comment
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Brown Water Hits Twitter

Via Cnet

Stuy Town's mysterious brown water hits Twitter.

"Similar claims of mysterious brown tap water rolled in from Urlesque blogger Kelly Reeves, Dodgeball founder Dennis Crowley, Gawker Media finance guy Scott Kidder, as well as a handful of people I don't know who follow my Twitter account.

The dozen or so responses indicated that the tainted tap water had proliferated around Manhattan's East Side, with most of it in the downtown East Village, but with a few scattered claims in the Murray Hill and Upper East Side neighborhoods, further north.

One neighbor sent me a Twitter direct-message informing me that his landlord had said a water main was getting flushed out. Another response came from a woman who said she'd heard that some underground utilities work was responsible for the screwup that caused it.

Either way, within a few hours, the brown water was gone, for one reason or another. According to real-estate blog Curbed later on Thursday, this issue seems to hit the Stuyvesant Town neighborhood, due north of the East Village, every once in a while--and city authorities always assure us that it's safe to drink. Um, right."

In which Twitter tells me what my landlord can't [cnet]

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By Lux Living on January 9, 2009
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Residents to Tish Spy - Less Cabbage, Bok Choy, More Security

Via Town & Village
January 9, 2009

Stuyvesant Town security stops responding to tenant's needs.

By Lux Living on January 8, 2009 | 10 Comments
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Residents Make Noise About Ongoing Pipe Racket

Via Town & Village
January 8, 2009

Tishman Speyer fails to address Stuy Town pipe racket.
Click to enlarge.
By Lux Living on January 8, 2009 | 5 Comments
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Tishman's Troubles Affecting Tenants?

Via Town & Village
January 8th, 2009

Tishman's troubles affecting Stuy Town tenants?

By Lux Living on January 8, 2009 | 3 Comments
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Commercial Property Loses Shelter

Via WSJ:

With commercial-mortgage delinquencies rising, investors are watching bond issues used to finance the Tishman Speyer-led $5.4 billion acquisition of the Peter CooperVillage and Stuyvesant Town apartment complex in New York.""Delinquency rates among the most recent vintages are already surging ahead of those of older vintages. This speaks to the weakening in underwriting quality that occurred in recent years," Mr. Parkus says.

Commercial-mortgage experts say this doesn't bode well for the thousands of loans that also were made with optimistic assumptions. For example, investors are closely watching CMBS issues that were used to finance the $5.4 billion acquisition of a sprawling Manhattan apartment complex in 2006 by a venture led by developer Tishman Speyer Properties and BlackRock Realty Advisors.

Moody's Investors Service recently downgraded some classes of those bonds. If there is a debt-service shortfall, the investors in the property would have to put up more cash or face the possibility of foreclosure. Tishman, which declined to comment, has said the partners are confident in the investment and would put more capital into the project if needed."

Commercial Property Loses Shelter [WSJ]
By Lux Living on January 8, 2009 | 11 Comments
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Weak Financial Performance Lands Stuy Town on "Watchlist"

Stuy Town's financial problems land them on "watchlist".Via The Real Deal

"Nine high-profile New York City apartment portfolios comprised of 188 buildings, with mostly rent-stabilized tenants, do not generate enough revenue to cover their monthly loan payments, according to recent mortgage research reports. 

The owners of the nine portfolios, representing 19,457 rental apartments in Manhattan and Queens, cannot cover mortgage payments with net income, according to December reports from commercial mortgage research firm Trepp. Since the owners, which include powerhouse real estate investment firms such as Tishman Speyer Properties and Apollo Real Estate Advisors, cannot make mortgage payments with revenues, they have dipped into interest reserves, the data showed.

The largest portfolio is Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village, which Tishman Speyer bought for a record $5.4 billion in 2006. By September 2008, the company had spent $224.4 million of a $400 million interest reserve fund, the Trepp report on their loan said.

A partnership between Manhattan-based real estate investors Apollo Real Estate Advisors and Vantage Properties is the owner of four of the nine portfolios.

Two of the portfolios the partnership bought were recently added to servicer watchlists because of weak financial performance, according to the Trepp reports. Servicers are financial firms that manage the mortgage-backed securities."

Financial woes plague multi-family portfolios [The Real Deal]
By Lux Living on January 7, 2009 | 6 Comments
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Free Illegal Parking on Avenue C Loop

Stuyvesant Town construction equiptment is abandoned in front of a fire hydrant on Avenue C.Want free, illegal parking in front of your Stuy Town building? Well then trade that Ford Taurus in for a bumble bee colored piece of construction equipment and you're golden! A peeved Stuy Town tenant writes:

"I live in 283 Avenue C and for that past 2 months there have been 3 small bulldozers parked in the loop (on the no parking side). Initially I thought, great they're getting ready for the winter to help plow the snow. However they have not moved at all for the last two months and they never get ticketed. Today, a fourth was added, with little regard to the fire hydrant its now blocking."

Poor Avenue C, graffiti, dangerous power plants, brown water...no wonder why Tishman Speyer is scouring the internet for a slightly more competent Assistant Property Manager. Such a wasteland!
By Lux Living on January 7, 2009 | 17 Comments
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Which Tish Spy Employee is Getting the Boot?

A monkey in a fez will replace senior management at Stuyvesant Town.A Sty Spy tipped us off to this job posting on SelectLeader.com for an "experienced Assistant Property Manager to supervise and coordinate the daily operations of assigned residential buildings at our Peter Cooper Village and Stuyvesant Town Residential Community. Ideal candidates must have 1-3 years experience..." 1-3 years? Way to raise the bar!

Who will this "ideal candidate" be replacing? George "Push Harder" Hatzmann? Lance "No compensation for 12 day gas outage" Cohen? Chris "Non-Existent" Shehadeh? Quite frankly they are all disposable and a monkey in a fez could do a better job.
By Lux Living on January 6, 2009 | 25 Comments
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Stuy Town Rats Have New Digs

Stuyvesant Town's "Holiday" trees make the perfect home for rats!Thanks to the ever growing pile of discarded "Holiday" trees, Stuyvesant Town's thriving rat population temporarily has a new place to call home! In preparation for next week's "Mulchfest" Stuy Town management has encouraged residents to create this funeral pire from their beloved and over-priced "Holiday" trees in the playground 10. (Yes, they sell you trees and then you give them back in the form of free mulch, nice racket!)

Residents and rats don't be fooled. There is nothing festive about "Mulchfest"...unless your idea of fun is a bunch of old men reaking of Georgi vodka pitching trees and rats into a wood chipper wondering what became of their lives while small children watch in horror.

Cell phone snap.

Photos submitted by various Sty Spies.
By Lux Living on January 6, 2009 | 3 Comments
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Schlep Your Own "Holiday" Tree

Stuy Town encourages residents to drag their "Holiday" trees across the complex for Mulchfest.For over sixty years Stuyvesant Town's management has asked residents to discard their...Christmas trees...by the curb in front of their buildings. This Xeroxed flier posted in the hallways encourages residents to schlep their trees across the complex for "Mulchfest!" Sounds like a hoot! Wait, no snacks and beverages? Quit slacking Manny!

A residents tells us, "...I betcha those people paying $4k a month for their apartments are just thrilled at the prospect of having to drag their own tree to the playground. Another Tishman Speyer Amenity?"

Amenity? No. More tacky cost cutting? We have a winner!!!
By Lux Living on January 5, 2009 | 23 Comments
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Stuy Town's Rapid Deterioration

Stuy Town is rapidly deteriorating under Tishman Speyer's management.

If only Tishman Speyer invested money in Stuy Town's infrastructure instead of planting 49,183,527 dead trees the place might not look like a crumbling mess! Time for new sidewalks already? Oh, wait, are these sidewalks organic?

Tishman Speyer alows Bruno Ravioli's store front to crumble.Like the Rainbow Room, Bruno Ravioli is feeling the Tishman curse as well. It must be hard to justify the high cost of food to your customers while your crumbling storefront knocks them unconscious. Maybe the ply wood patch and daffodil yellow spray paint might cheer them up when they come to. Blue tape makes a great bandage!

Stuy Town's new leasing office is a leaky mess.Tishman Speyer did manage to disguise the new leasing office as a chain mesh desk accessory from Staples but unfortunately the whole place leaks. Can Stuy Town's 20% vacancy rate can be blamed on violent tides washing away the mildly interested moms who use the place to change dirty diapers?

Photos submitted by a Sty Spy.
By Lux Living on January 5, 2009 | 7 Comments
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Tishman Speyer Again Referred to as "Pirates"

Tishman Speyer now referred to as "pirates."A little over a week ago Lux Living referred to mega-slum lord Tishman Speyer as "rogue pirates" and it seems the catchy title has caught on! A Sty Spy tipped us off to another article about the Rainbow Room in Gadling which Tishman Speyer is once again referred to as "pirates."

Please read the article for yourself. The idea of Jerry and Rob wearing eye patches just made us throw up in our mouths a little.

Rainbow Room loses pot of gold [Gadling]
Rainbow Room to close grill, citing economy [MSNBC]
A Look Back at the Rainbow Room's Faded Romance [Gawker]
By Lux Living on January 5, 2009 | 13 Comments
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Lux Living Maintenance

Dear Lux Living Readers,

The Lux Living blog will be undergoing an upgrade this afternoon so the site may be temporarily offline throughout the day. The upgrade will allow users to create profiles, upload user photos / icons, and follow comments throughout the site among other things. Once we have completed the upgrade we will post a full list of the new features and information on how to use them.

The site will be fully functional by tonight.

Thank you for reading Lux Living!

Lux Living  
By Lux Living on January 4, 2009 | 10 Comments

Tishman Speyer's College Kids Ring in the New Year

Stuy Town's college kids partied hard this New Year's Eve.NYU and New School students did their landlord proud this New Year's Eve with their pot smoking, Jäger-chugging, vomit spraying antics much to the dismay of the grown-up tenants. Tishman Speyer has packed 300+ college students into Stuyvesant Town forcing the adult residents to endure their late night partying.

"I called security four times because these damn kids kept going into the hallways to smoke pot. My 6 year old daughter kept asking me what that funny smell was," a resident tells us.

The hallways seem to be a popular gathering ground for the socially inept post-teens. "They were in the hall until 4AM drinking, smoking, eating, groping each other" says a resident of 8 Stuyvesant Oval. "I've lived in New York my entire life and I have never rang in the New Year in a hallway. Losers."

And the fun didn't stop there! Another resident living near the Oval sent us this photo of one of the many piles of vomit Tishman Speyer's college kadets left sprayed about the complex. "It's disgusting. I'm sure this is standard procedure on Long Island but could they just pretend they weren't raised by animals?"
By Lux Living on January 4, 2009 | 1 Comment
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What's Stuy Town's Horrible Secret?

Oh, but there are so many! Even people in Washington, DC are skeptical of Stuyvesant Town:

"I'm looking at Manhattan apartments and was blown away by the deals I can get on Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Villiage. This is making me a little suspicious about why those places aren't renting out for $500-$1000 more than they are. But given the back story and the mortgage markets I also wouldn't be surprised if it's legit and just getting hit by the economy. Is there some horrible secret keeping New Yorkers out of that neighborhood? Is it just not cool enough?"

Quite the contrary...there's no damn heat!

NYC Apartments: stuyvesant town/peter cooper
By Lux Living on January 3, 2009 | 13 Comments

Tishman Speyer's Greed Consumes Rainbow Room Too

Via The New York Observer

Tishman Speyer wants $8.7 mill from Rainbow Room.John Higgins, the Chief Operating Officer of Cipriani, said The Rainbow Room is closing it's doors due to the "current economic crisis"...and by that he meant Tishman Speyer wants to jack their rent from $4 million to $8.7 million a year.

Ciprianis Push for Rainbow Room Landmarking [NYO]
Renowned Rainbow Room Can't Afford to Serve Food [NBC]
By Lux Living on January 3, 2009 | 6 Comments
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Stuy Town Cars Treated Like Garbage Too

Via Town & Village
January 1, 2009

Is it possible that Stuy Town residents pay twice the amount per square footage for a parking space than they do for their heatless apartments? Of course it is! This is Stuyvesant Town where mega-slumlord Tishman Speyer thinks their residents are willing to pay top dollar for bottom shelf. Admittedly, it's not that shocking to learn they neglect the garages just as much as the apartment buildings. Oil, crud, rotting food...wait, is this the hallways or the garages?

Stuyvesant Town poorly maintains their parking garages.
By Lux Living on January 2, 2009 | 7 Comments
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Residents Continue to Loathe Their Space Online

The Stuyvesant Town ReportTown & Village profiled another Stuyvesant Town blogger this week who, like most Stuy Town residents, is very unhappy with the way semi-new owner Tishman Speyer "manages" the place. A Tishman Speyer rep declined to comment on The Stuyvesant Town Report blog but seriously, what's to say when your tenants publicly, and rightfully shame you on a daily basis?

Click to enlarge.








By Lux Living on January 2, 2009 | 5 Comments
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"Holiday" Bushes Begone!

Via Gothamist

Like legal, rent-stabilized tenants, Stuy Town "holiday" trees get the boot.Photograph of discarded Christmas trees by Marianne O'Leary on Flickr
By Lux Living on January 2, 2009 | 3 Comments

Stuy Town Residents Risk Keeping Warm

Stuyvesant Town residents are forced to use dangerous space heaters to keep warm.Residents in Stuyvesant Town, Tishman Speyer's financially failing complex, have resorted to buying space heaters to keep warm this winter. Nameless Tishman Speyer "spokespeople" said they have recently implemented "new technology" to help regulate heat in the 80 acre faux-lux complex, but like everything else Tishman Speyer handles, the project is a disaster. Residents have been complaining of excessive heat or no heat at all in their apartments, that is, when the pipes are not violently rattling at all hours of the night.

A Stuy Town resident sent us photos of the space heater she is using to keep her family warm. Let's hope she keeps the oxygen tank faaar away!
Continue reading Stuy Town Residents Risk Keeping Warm.
By Lux Living on January 1, 2009 | 35 Comments
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