Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Troubled Sixth Avenue

We all have been aware of the summer problems in Troy and even more aware of the problems that have plagued 6th Avenue on the Boulevard between 101st and 102nd Sts. It has been a real replay of the Hatfield and the McCoy’s for quite a while now.

The problem had been largely ignored by the Police Dept. per complaints at the Neighborhood Assn. meeting until the situation boiled over a few weeks back and 8 arrests were made out of one big brawl. NOT amazing was only one arrest was a person who actually lived on the block. Much of the crisis was coming from outside interference, but not all.

To try and rectify the problem, Nina Glandz, (co-chair Friends of the combined North Lansingburgh and South Lansingburgh Neighborhood Assn.) took it upon herself to hold 2 separate meetings with the group. The first was held with the Parents only at the North Central Community Police Station. Most of the parents on the block attended as well as Chief Kaiser, the Street Crime Unit (Officers Adam Mason, Chad Klein and Marty Furciniti), Chuck McDonald (the Community Officer for that district) and Dominick Comitale. Also in attendance was Councilman Mark McGrath, Pastor Willie Bacote, Jeff Pirro and myself.

The parents sat in a circle and one by one in rotation; they spoke of their problems as a group and individual either with each other or the situation. A lot of frustration was aired and problems alleviated and hopefully friendships that did not exist before extended. Plans were made to meet with each other and discuss how they were doing on each others porches and a BBQ get together. All left feeling much better.

A week or so after that, Nina held a meeting with the children and Teenagers at Pastor Willie’s Church at 101st & 6th, who was in attendance there but no one from the Police Dept., and she spoke and they conversed about their behavior that led to the problems and what they do that so irritates others that live on the block. The lights seemed to go off in the heads of those gathered. All left this meeting feeling better about themselves and each other also. Lately it has been a Model block with no need to call the Police.

THIS is Community, THIS is how problems should be solved before they blow up into something bigger than could be imagined and the Police need to intervene.

OK, just so WHO is Nina Glandz? Besides being the Co-chair of the Neighborhood Assn. she is a resident who lives on Florence Place. You can see her regularly, out sweeping and cleaning and picking up the street. Originally she came as a Guest to my Bed and Breakfast when her daughter was coming to this area to go to college. She fell in love with Troy and came to live, first renting an apt. and then later purchasing the home on Florence Place. Within the first 6 months of moving to Florence Place some very unusual things happened including a murder right behind her house in the alley, things that just aren’t acceptable mostly based in the problems of Absentee Landlords.

Nina at that point decided to jump in head first to improving the Community and the quality of life issues in her area and has been working her butt off since. If we all could put just half of this effort into our neighborhood blocks and areas, my God what a transformation in Troy we would see.

Let’s give an A+ to Nina and a huge THANK YOU, to the energy she put into solving a problem and making a problem block as trouble-free as possible.

Let her know how you feel, because THAT’S THE WAY WE ARE!

20 comments:

  1. Yes, Nina has been a tireless champion for our neighborhood. I applaud her and quite frankly I would like to know where she gets all the energy to do all she does. WOW! I have a lot of respect for Nina. I too fell in love with Troy my very first visit, so I can understand Nina's passion. I have only been living here since 2004, but I love this city so much. Many times I have threatened to sell my house and move, but deep down I don't want to, so that is why I haven't. I love my beautiful home here in North Central and as a whole I love Troy.

    Let me just say this to all of you people responsible for the businesses that come here. Please STOP bringing in more rite aid type stores. Just how many rite aids do you think we need here??? We do not need anymore walgreens, cvs's and the like. You are turning Troy into megapharmacy city. I wouldn't have been half as pissed about the old freihofer and riverside club being torn down if it was replaced by a Barnes & Nobles or Borders bookstore which helps raise the bar for a city, but rite aid??? On prime riverfront property? You have got to be kidding me.

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  2. Terrific job and kudos to Nina. She cannot and should not do it alone. The entire Lansingburgh Neighborhood needs to be transformed. It has become an area of Absentee Landlord's and a great place for violence and drugs. Very sad. With election time fast approaching we will be seeing all the politicians attending the Community Police Meetings and every other meeting and promises will be made but never carried through. Also, a hundred kudos to Tina who has made a difference for many, many years. Hats off to Tina Urzan!!!!

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  3. Tina Urzan, Thila Bell, are two of the most dedicated community leaders I will ever meet. It is these two women that inspire others to become a part of where we live. Troy can be a beautiful city but it is going to take vigilance and dedication. This city has many assets, the Mayor first and for most, the Council members, the special units in our police force, especially our community police and our Community Leaders. Its a City worth fighting the Devil for, because at times it seems like he has a strong hold on this special place. If you are not part of a community group join one and get involved your voice is so important...

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  4. I agree with Afro-Latina about the businesses being brought into Troy. Yes, we do have too many Rite-Aids and other useless big box pharmacy stores. Thankfully the city actually did something right for once and bent over backwards to get Dinosaur Barbecue into the old Castaway's/Fresno's lot. Granted that Dinosaur is getting a sweet deal on taxes and such to bring their franchise here but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to get a quality store/eatery into Troy. The next thing the city should do is use eminent domain to take over some of the lousy absentee rental homes and build condos or attractive businesses there. Rehabilitation usually involves demolition initially.

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  5. Hi Paul. The only thing I would debate is that rehabilitation usually involves demolition initially. I would say yes and no to that. I have seen many buildings torn down in the short time I have lived in Troy. I think that Troy officials takes demolishing buildings too lightly. Yes, there are some that should be torn down, but many could have been saved. The wrecking ball has been working overtime all over Troy. If Troy residents would educate themselves on restoration you would be surprised what can be saved. Tearing down buildings also costs money, so what not lean on the side of saving something that can be saved.

    I'm not really crazy about eminent domain, but Troy officials do need to get tougher about getting rid of slumlords. That and putting to a stop other cities shipping people up here who are already on welfare or have drug problems. These two problems solved and you will see Troy change for the better FO REAL.

    To Troy officials....PLEASE, PLEASE no more megapharmacies. Let us start raising our sights higher. Barnes & Nobles or Borders book store, Whole Foods store, Trader Joes, Panera Bread, A.C Moore, Joannes Fabric store. How about an Asian market? We need variety of stores, not just one type of store. Lets get a movie theater in here too.

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  6. As a new business owner recently moved to Troy (Upstate Photographers, at 353 Broadway) I can attest to both the positives and negatives of having a business here. Our studio was vandalized three times in a one week period, forcing us to spend a couple thousand hard earned dollars on a video serveillance sustem and replacing broken glass.

    We love Troy, but the wild west atmosphere after 10:30pm or so needs to be solved, or this town is going to find it increasingly tough to attract and keep new businesses.

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  7. hats off to nina, what a wonderful woman. and amazing hey, the police ignoring the situation, and not DOING THEIR JOBS!!to all you home owner's in north central, you have to rid the slumlord's who rent to thugs! maybe one day you can envision your area as it once was..good luck!

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  8. troy has more public housing per,capital then the bronx and thats were there all coming from! welfare is another problem over 50% here! thats why u cant get the downtown stores filled there is no middle class, The mayors right rejecting money for the homeless were overwhelmed w/them!!

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  9. saveing the building isn always the right decision take a 3 unit w/3-4 BD,rm.on the tax map it brings in 3,000, now lets see were this money spent!! 3 familys on welfare! free rent!!troys public school dist, has 10 more kids,free child care,now lets account for the percentage of those 10 kids who will end up at RCJ jail, 50% HOWS THAT 3,000 look NOW!!!

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  10. IM a landlord of troy W/ 25 building i posted the last 2 comments id like for one day to get one call other then social services just one,Dose that tell you why we dont need any more funding for the homeless here, thank u mayor u made the right choice!!

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  11. hi landlord, you will never get a decent working family to rent not until the other landlord's toughen up too, but they would rather have that almighty dollar the greed keeps them going, also may you never ever be homeless! if you ever get in that situation, live in your houses your trying to rent, and see why nobody wants to live there.25 buidings hey, that is an awful lot of upkeep.you must be one busy person, maintaning your buildings and all..

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  12. Ya, We have the same things going on down in Rensselaer way, but I don't think we have the communication thing going yet. Thanks for being an inspiration to all.

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  13. Un parte grande de la problema es que los ninos malvados en el barrio tienen solo la madre.
    No hay el padre en la casa o la vida del nino.

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  14. CITY POLICE WE HAVE ILLEAGALS LIVING ON 1ST ST,THEY DONT HAVE GREEN CARD AND SLEEP 6 IN A 2 BD, RM 323 IS THE ADDRESS, IS ANYTHING EVER GOING TO BE DONE!! HELP!!! OUR COMMUNITY PLEASE MAJOR!!!

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  15. fire chief troy, u have several apartments that our 3bd,rm but u turned them into 5 bd,rm w/8 students in them. overcroweding? you thing? if a fire ever occurs in any of your propertys u should go to jail. shame on u this is illeagal code enforcement!

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  16. despert people do despert things, and all we currently have in troy are despert people, welfare,public housing,infulx of down state people due to our lax of process in welfare so we get all the grime,no middle class in troy 10% higher ed,,less then 2% and white population is down 45% from 30 yrs, ago,

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  17. What does a person's color have to do with anything ?

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  18. YOU ASK WHAT DOSE COLOR HAVE TO DO W/IT. CHECK THE NUMBERS IN RCJ NOW AND 30YRS, AGO AND GET BACK TO ME!!!!!!! NUMBERS DONT LIE!!!!!

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  19. Im a landlord w/25 building I stared in 1975 troy needs inspections so code can have easy access ive posted several comments and im sure this one needs attention asap I also started several programs for landlords so please get involved

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  20. Hi Thanks for the comment and it sounds like you are a Landlord that takes care of your buildings, Great! So you are aware, we DO have a Landlord Training Course for Landlords who live IN their homes, and those who don't. You do not need to be a Citizen of the City to attend, it is FREE, usually a small diner is available as the time is around Suppertime. It was developed by concerned Residents of the City who attended the "Community Leadership Institute" program in conjuction with TRIP, in Brooklyn, NY. The City and RPI joined us and helped fund it and a Manual was developed as well as the classes that are given approx. 3x's a year. It is WELL attended. Presenters involved are Code, Planning, Community Police as well as other speakers.They address all issues that anyone who wants to be a successful Landlord would need to know. All of your contact people are there and ways to reach them in the Manual you are given. I encourage you and anyone else who would like to attend to call TRIP at 518-272-8289, they are located on River St. in Troy. Register for the next upcoming class. Folks who have been Landlords for years have expressed delight on how thorough the program is. There are Certificates of Completion after the program.

    Thank you for continuing to read the BLOG, we need more interested Citizens!

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