Category: Elmhurst

NY1 Noticias: Más de 60 inquilinos vivían ilegalmente en edificio incendiado

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Por personal de NY1 Noticias

Publicado por NY1 Noticias el 22 de diciembre de 2020

Fuentes oficiales le confirmaron a NY1 Noticias que se descubrió un accelerante de fuego en el lugar del incendio que dejó a tres muertos y varios heridos en el edificio 90-31 de la avenida 48, en Elmhurst, este fin de semana.

La noticia dejó a algunos vecinos indignados ante la situación: “Pues que está muy mal, las autoridades, pero yo creo que las autoridades tendrían que mirar más a fondo esos detalles para que no se pierdan vidas como se perdieron ahora”.

  • Encuentran acelerante en escena de incendio en Queens que dejó tres muertos

Las autoridades también recuperaron un video que captó a un hombre entrando al edificio antes del incendio y saliendo justo antes de que la propiedad estallara en llamas.

Además, datos del Departamento de Edificios muestran que -desde el 2001- el gobierno de la ciudad ha estado recibiendo quejas sobre la división ilegal de los apartamentos en esta propiedad.

  • FDNY: incendio en Elmhurst deja 3 muertos y varios heridos

Desde entonces, las denuncias por la alteración y el alquiler del inmueble han sido constantes.

La más reciente fue presentada este año, donde denuncian que en el edificio de tres pisos vivían más de 60 personas.

Sofía Salas, es residente de Elmhurst y comenta al respecto: “Porque se aprovechan, se aprovechan de la situación, de la necesidad del ser humano que no hay dónde vivir, no hay”.

Una portavoz del Departamento de Edificios aseguró que la agencia había emitido una orden de desalojo parcial en febrero de 2018 después de encontrar 6 unidades de habitación individual convertidas ilegalmente en el sótano.

El edificio acumuló más de $217,000 en multas.

Daniel Dromm, el concejal por Elmhurst, nos dijo que para evitar la alteración de edificios presentará un nuevo proyecto de ley.

La legislación buscará que el Departamento de Edificios pueda acceder a los apartamentos que hayan acumulado varias quejas y miles de dólares en violaciones sin la necesidad de una orden judicialpara entrar al inmueble.

“El Departamento de Edificios es difícil para ellos para entrar a un apartamento. El problema es que ellos, aunque ellos saben que la situación existe, ellos tienen un tiempo difícil para entrar o para reinspect”, comena Dromm.

El concejal Dromm agregó que introducirá esta legislación a principios del año entrante.

Leer más aquí.

Queens Chronicle: Troubled building burns, killing three

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A body is taken down in an FDNY cherry picker after a fire in Elmhurst killed three people on Saturday morning.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL SHAIN

By Michael Shain

Originally published in the Queens Chronicle on December 21, 2020.

Fire marshals are investigating a blaze that killed three men in Elmhurst early Saturday morning, including reports that several men were trapped inside by locked gates.

The fire department believes there were eight people in the house at 90-31 48 Ave., a property that had been illegally subdivided, according to Department of Buildings records.

Two died on the second floor and one was on the third. A body had to be slid out the window onto an FDNY cherrypicker because the staircases were no longer passable after the roof collapsed. One fireman was injured when he fell through the floor.

The New York Post reported that FDNY investigators believe it was an electrical fire.

Gustavo Escubero, a former super of the building, said a new landlord showed up in January and tried to force people out, cutting gas and water. He said most of the tenants left but around 10 stayed.

Escubero lived in a studio apartment on the first floor, while the rest of the space was divided into 10 rooms. When the utilities were turned off, he moved two doors down.

He said one victim probably couldn’t get out because the previous landlord put bars up in front of the sliding doors that led to the second floor balcony.

“The previous landlord, he divided up all the rooms, very very small rooms,” Escubero said. “No windows, very narrow, he broke apartment building rules. The basement and the floors had 10 people on each one.”

The site was hit with more than 20 violations in the last decade. Two years ago, there was a fine for converting the building from a one- to two-family house into one that would accommodate four or more families, DOB records show.

Escubero said one of the men who died lived right next to the window but the previous owner didn’t give him the key to the sliding door.

“They would just sit there and look out the window when they needed fresh air … I would ask him, doesn’t it give you claustrophobia to not be able to leave and he said yes, of course,” he said. “Someone died because of that window.”

He added, “The situation got bad but the truth is these people just didn’t want to leave.”

Councilman Danny Dromm (D-Jackson Heights) said his hearts goes out to the residents of the building.

“It is outrageous that the property owner raked up $217,000 in fines for illegally subdividing most of the property and reportedly ignored a partial vacate order,” he said in a statement. “Elmhurst has been plagued by unscrupulous landlords who habitually flout the law to fatten their wallets.”

Dromm said he will meet with city agencies and colleagues to address the issue.

“I will do all that is in my power to ensure that the property owner is held accountable for his malfeasance,” Dromm said. “Slumlords, you have been put on notice.”

A neighbor, who wouldn’t give a name, said the bank had foreclosed on the property and that it’d been sold to a new owner last January.

City records show the building was sold to an LLC for $1.2 million.

Read more here.

Impacto Latino: Consiguen fondos para mantener limpios barrios latinos

  By , , , , , Small Businesses

El Concejal Daniel Dromm, representante del Distrito 25, informó que, ha asegurado la financiación para mantener limpios los barrios con gran presencia de latinos.

Por Ximena Hidalgo Ayala

Publicado originalmente en Impacto Latino el 10 de septiembre de 2020.

El Concejal Daniel Dromm, representante del Distrito 25 que incluye Jackson Heights y parte de Elmhurst, en el condado de Queens, envió un despacho de prensa en el cual informa que, ha asegurado la financiación para mantener limpios estos barrios con gran presencia de latinos.

Como resultado de esta importante gestión, el Distrito 25 ahora tendrá servicios de limpieza adicionales, incluyendo el barrido de calles y la recolección de basura.

El Concejal Dromm, quien preside el Comité de Finanzas del Consejo de la Ciudad de Nueva York, ha logrado que se apruebe una asignación de miles de dólares en fondos para el año fiscal 2021, destinados a mantener limpias las calles y veredas de Jackson Heights y Elmhurst.

Dromm asignó ciento sesenta mil dólares a la Asociación de Programas de Empleo Comunitario para Personas sin Hogar, Inc. (ACE) por ciento veintiocho horas de servicios de limpieza suplementarios cada semana.

Los empleados de ACE ahora limpiarán con regularidad las calles y veredas de estas comunidades, quitando periódicamente volantes pegados de los postes y vaciando los contenedores de basura de la ciudad para evitar que se desborden.

ACE ha reanudado los servicios de limpieza en Jackson Heights y Elmhurst mientras usa equipo de protección personal y se adhiere a las prácticas de distanciamiento social, para mantener seguros a los trabajadores y residentes locales.

El concejal, quien es totalmente bilingüe, entre otras cosas afirmó: “Estos miles de dólares en fondos significan un Jackson Heights y Elmhurst más limpios para todos. Estamos en medio de una crisis financiera. La restauración de estos dólares no fue fácil. Luché mucho y duro para asegurar que mi distrito reciba los fondos que necesitamos para continuar con estos importantes servicios. Quiero agradecer a ACE por su impecable trabajo que mantiene limpias nuestras calles y aceras”.

Los empleados de ACE limpiarán a lo largo de la avenida Roosevelt y la avenida 37, desde la calle 69 hasta la calle 81; desde la calle 73 hasta la calle 77 entre la Ave. Roosevelt y la Ave. 37; Broadway desde la calle 72 hasta la avenida Elmhurst y la Plaza de la Diversidad.

El Concejal Dromm también aseguró treinta mil dólares que permitirán al Departamento de Sanidad de la Ciudad de Nueva York, realizar recolecciones de basura adicionales los fines de semana a lo largo de Broadway desde la calle 69 hasta Queens Boulevard en Elmhurst y recolecciones adicionales, los sábados a lo largo de la Ave. 37 y Roosevel en Jackson Heights.

“Estas recolecciones adicionales ayudarán a reducir el desbordamiento de los contenedores de basura en los concurridos corredores comerciales de mi distrito durante las horas en las que hay mucho tráfico”, añadió Dromm. “Los contenedores de basura desbordados no solo son antiestéticos: atraen ratas, enferman a nuestras mascotas y la vida silvestre y contribuyen a la contaminación del agua. No se puede negar que la basura esparcida tiene un impacto adverso en nuestro medio ambiente y salud pública. La administración de Blasio ha hecho recortes significativos en el presupuesto del Departamento de Saneamiento, creando una necesidad urgente de estos dólares. La conclusión es la siguiente: mis electores necesitan y merecen un vecindario limpio. Los fondos que obtuve con éxito lo hacen realidad”.

Adicionalmente este importante logro respalda la labor de la Asociación de Programas de Empleo Comunitario para Personas sin Hogar, Inc. (ACE), que fue fundada en 1992 y trabaja con personas sin hogar en toda la ciudad de Nueva York, ofreciéndoles capacitación laboral, experiencia laboral y una red de apoyo de por vida, para ayudar a los participantes de sus programas, a lograr sus metas y lograr independencia económica.

Actualmente ACE ha crecido y sirve a más de seiscientas personas anualmente ayudándoles a incorporarse a la fuerza laboral de la ciudad. Adicionalmente les ofrece educación básica para adultos y preparación para el trabajo / capacitación en habilidades para la vida en su programa de rehabilitación vocacional, Project Comeback; servicios de apoyo de por vida y oportunidades para el crecimiento profesional en su programa de cuidados posteriores.

También les ayuda a lograr acceso a viviendas asequibles a través de una de sus iniciativas más recientes, Project Home. Desde 1992, han ayudado a más de tres mil neoyorquinos a superar la falta de vivienda, el encarcelamiento y la adicción, para encontrar trabajos de tiempo completo y comenzar una nueva vida.

Esperamos que logros como este, que ataca una crisis grave como la de la basura y simultáneamente incluye iniciativas que abordan directamente el no menos grave problema de la mendicidad, sirvan de ejemplo y se extiendan, para beneficio de toda la ciudad de Nueva York.

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ITV Gold: Interview with Council Member Daniel Dromm – COVID-19 & Systemic Racism – Elmhurst & Jackson Heights

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Originally published by ITV Gold on September 2, 2020

Council Member Daniel Dromm Addresses South Asian & Indo-Caribbean Communities – COVID-19 & Systemic Racism – District 25th, New York City Council.

ITV Gold is the longest running South Asian TV station in the U.S. and is part of the largest Indian American media house, Parikh Worldwide Media.

Read more here.

Maramara Studio: Eating at Little Thailand, New York ชุมชนชาวไทยใน New York

  By , , , , , , Small Businesses

Originally published by Maramara Studio on September 2, 2020

Eating at Little Thailand, New York

We want to invite anyone who watches this video to come to “Little Thailand” which is located in Queens, New York. There are many restaurant and businesses here in Jackson Height, Woodside Ave and Elmhurst that are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. So the City of New York, City Council, Rockwell Group, Dineout, New York Department of Transportation, Juttana Moo Nabon and Thai Community USA are working together to bring the life back to the area.

In this video, we featured 10 restaurants that are owned by Thai people. You can come here with the expectation of having authenthic Thai dishes.

Please come and support us at Little Thailand.

Friday – Saturday, Street closed between 75th -77th, Woodside Ave, New York.

ในวีดีโอนี้นะคะ เราจะพาเพื่อนๆ ไปเที่ยว ไปกินอาหารใน Litlle Thailand กันค่ะ ซึ่งเป็นชุมชนชาวไทยที่อาศัยอยู่ใน New York กันค่ะ ในวีดีโอนี้เราพาเพื่อนไปกินอาหาร 10 ร้านที่เจ้าของนั้นเป็นคนไทยหมดเลยค่ะ จุดประสงค์ก็คืออยากจะเชิญชวนเพื่อนๆให้มาช่วยกันสนับสนุนธุรกิจของชาวไทยใน Queens กันค่ะ เพราะว่า Queens เนี่ยถือว่าเป็นจุดที่ได้รับผลกระทบจาก Corona Virus มากทึ่สุดใน New York เลยค่ะ

ออกมาช่วยกันทำให้ ธุรกิจของคนไทยด้วยกัน ดำเนินอยู่รอดต่อไป กันเถอะค่ะ #ชุมชนคนไทย #supportThairestaurant #Maramarastudio #NewYork

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Queens Gazette: Elmhurst Hospital Makes Crain’s 2020 List Of ‘Notable In Health Care’

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Originally published in the Queens Gazette on August 20, 2020.

The following have been named to Crain’s 2020 “Notable in Health Care” list:

  • NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Nurse Executive and Senior Vice President Natalia Cineas, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
  • Ambulatory Care Chief Andrew Wallach, MD
  • NYC Care Executive Director Marielle Kress
  • MetroPlus Health President and Chief Executive Officer Talya Schwartz
  • NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Emergency Department team
  • NYC Health + Hospitals/Community Care hotel isolation team

This year the publication is recognizing women, men, and select teams, as opposed to the previous year’s focus on women. Dr. Cineas is recognized for overseeing the system’s 9,000 nurses, and her efforts to recruit and deploy nearly 5,000 additional nurses throughout the system to help maintain safe patient-to-nurse ratios during the peak of the virus in New York City. Dr. Wallach is recognized for his work in improving quality access to ambulatory care services, and for his leadership in combating COVID-19, which included nearly tripling testing capacity system-wide and helping to lead the city’s testing and contact tracing efforts. Marielle Kress is recognized for leading efforts to help thousands of uninsured New Yorkers gain quality health care through NYC Care, regardless of their immigration status or ability to pay. Dr. Schwartz is recognized for leading MetroPlus Health for more than 500,000 members and rapidly initiating outreach and support efforts to serve the plan’s membership during the pandemic.

Also on the list is NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst’s Emergency Department team for their heroic response to the COVID-19 peak in Queens, and NYC Health + Hospitals/Community Care COVID-19 Isolation Hotel Program team are recognized for creating clinical hotel space to help low-acuity patients with COVID-19 safely separate during their recovery while receiving on-site care.

“Congratulations to NYC Health + Hospitals and the entire Elmhurst Hospital team on this well-deserved recognition,” said NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm (D-Elmhurst, Jackson Heights). “These first responders and essential workers are our heroes. They have worked night and day under extremely challenging conditions to protect our City throughout the pandemic. I salute them for their lifesaving work and am thrilled that they are receiving these accolades from Crain’s. We will never forget the sacrifices they made, and continue to make to keep us healthy and safe.”

Crain’s 2020 “Notable in Health Care” list honors healthcare executives, researchers and clinicians who have profoundly impacted New York City through their professional, civic and philanthropic achievements well as health care heroes on the frontline of the pandemic.

The publication’s annual list recognizes healthcare executives, researchers and clinicians who have profoundly impacted New York City through their professional, civic and philanthropic achievements.

Read more here.

NY1 Noticias: Funcionarios electos critican respuesta -y falta de preparación de Con Edison- ante daños tormenta Isaías

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By Spectrum Noticias NY1

Originally published by NY1 Noticias on August 11, 2020.

Desastrosa. Así calificaron algunos funcionarios electos la respuesta de Con Edison a la reparación de los daños causados por la tormenta tropical Isaias en Queens.

Las demoras han dejado a vecinos vulnerables sin electricidad por días.

“Estamos hablando de que Con Ed le ha hecho daño a personas, familias. Son 74 mil clientes que no tienen electricidad y están a oscuras con esta humedad y calor”, dijo Sharon Lee, presidenta interina del condado de Queens.

Por eso, exigen a la compañía que reembolse a sus clientes afectados la factura eléctrica correspondiente al mes de agosto.

Sobre todo si se tiene en cuenta que las tarifas han subido un 13.5 por ciento en los últimos tres años y el contexto de crisis económica actual.

“Las cuentas son muy altas y la gente tiene que pagar mucho dinero para la electricidad yo creo que es la responsable de Con Ed para ‘refund’”, dijo por su lado el conejal Daniel Dromm.

En calles de Jackson Heights y East Elmhurst, árboles y cables continúan caídos y los daños son visibles en casas y vehículos.

Estos legisladores piden a Con Edison más preparación en caso de tormentas. Denuncian que los retrasos en las reparaciones han puesto en riesgo la salud de neoyorquinos en plena ola de calor y con la pandemia del coronavirus de fondo.

“Fue una situación de vida o muerte porque mucha gente está dependiendo en la electricidad para sobrevivir”, agregó el concejal.

Es que dos días después de la tormenta tropical Isaias solo el 59 por ciento de electricidad había sido restaurada cuando lugares como Brooklyn y Staten Island tenían más del 80 por ciento.

“Usualmente Queens es el último condado para tener ayuda cuando nosotros necesitamos ayuda especialmente en un emergencia como esta”, dijo Dromm.

Por su parte Con Edison asegura que está trabajando las 24 horas para restaurar el servicio a sus clientes y que están analizando su gestión de las incidencias de estos días para mejorar su respuesta en el futuro.

Leer más aquí.

NY1: Shuttered Hospitals in Queens Limited Access to Health Care Amid Pandemic

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By Lydia Hu

Originally published by NY1 on August 6, 2020.

The scene is hard to forget: the long lines of sick people waiting to be treated at city-run Elmhurst Hospital during the peak of the coronavirus crisis.

“People spent days in the Elmhurst waiting room and they were terrified,” said Amanda Dunker, a senior policy associate with Community Service Society. “People shouldn’t have to go through that.”

In a recent report, she points out that Elmhurst Hospital is the only medical safety net left in western Queens after four other hospitals shut down over the last 20 years.

St. Joseph’s Hospital closed in 2004 amid financial difficulties. Today, the building serves as a substance abuse recovery center. Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills shuttered in 2008. St. John’s Hospital in Elmhurst and Mary Immaculate in Jamaica closed the following year. St. John’s is now a mixed-use residential development and Mary Immaculate is being converted into apartments.

State Sen. Toby Stavisky says the hospitals suffered because they largely served economically struggling patients.

“The real problem is that they weren’t being reimbursed, they had a lot of Medicaid-eligible patients, and there was slow reimbursement, and some people had no insurance at all and they were treated,” said Stavisky.

The closures cost the borough more than 600 hospital beds, leaving it with 1.7 beds for every 1,000 residents, the worst ratio in the city. In Manhattan, there are 5.8 beds for every 1,000 residents, according to state data.

“The closure of the beds absolutely had an impact on what we saw at Elmhurst because there is no place to go, so where do you go? You have to go to Elmhurst hospital,” said Councilman Daniel Dromm.

Both Stavisky and Dromm’s districts include Elmhurst Hospital and the shuttered St. John’s. They say the solution will take money. Stavisky supports a millionaire’s tax to raise money for health care. Dromm wants more federal funding for primary care providers and federally qualified health centers.

And Dunker says more funding from state sources, like the Indigent Care Pool, could be redirected to safety-net hospitals.

“We couldn’t have been completely prepared for COVID, it’s just too big a problem,” Dunker explained. “But a lot of the suffering and trauma that a lot of the people just survived because of COVID could have been avoidable if we had had more rational planning for where those health care resources went.”

Read more here.

Queens Gazette: Greenmarket At Elmhurst Hospital Is Back

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By the Queens Gazette Staff

Originally published in the Queens Gazette on July 8, 2020.

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst announced on July 1 the availability of GrowNYC’s hospital-based Greenmarket. Back for its tenth season, the seasonal market will be open every Tuesday from 8 am to 4 pm through November 24.

“NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is intently focused on improving public health through diet and exercise, so we’re extremely proud to partner with GrowNYC to ensure easy access to fresh produce for our patients, staff, and the community,” said Israel Rocha, Vice President of NYC Health + Hospitals and CEO of Elmhurst and Queens Hospitals.

“Diets rich in fresh fruit and vegetables can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes,” said Dr. Jasmin Moshirpur, Regional Medical Director for Elmhurst and Queens Hospitals and Dean for Queens Affiliate at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. “We are glad that the market has returned for yet another season and happy to be able to direct our patients to a great community resource for healthier food options.”

“The Elmhurst Greenmarket is back and better than ever,” said NYC Council Member Daniel Dromm (DJackson Heights, Elmhurst). “Access to fresh fruit, vegetables and other locally-sourced goods is key to maintaining public health. I am delighted that the Greenmarket is once again serving residents of my district. I urge my constituents to stop by and take advantage of this excellent resource. This is a great way to improve your diet and to support New York farmers and other food suppliers.”

With its selection of locally-grown produce as well as breads, baked goods, and other fresh items, the Greenmarket has become a neighborhood favorite. In light of the COVID-19 crisis, GrowNYC has implemented new safety measures (including but not limited to):

Requiring face masks inside the market space.

Customers must maintain a 6-foot distance between themselves and Greenmarket staff and other customers.

Limiting parties to 1-2 people.

Greenmarket employees handle items and assist shoppers with selecting purchases.

For more information on the Elmhurst Greenmarket, visit GrowNYC.org.

For more information on programs and services at NYC Health + Hospitals/ Elmhurst, call 718-334-4000 or visit : www.nychealthandhospitals.org/elmhurst.

Read more here.

NY Post: Retailers price-gouging coronavirus products could owe city nearly $4 million

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Trump Pharmacy, in Jackson Heights, caught charging $22 for a 19-ounce can of Lysol.
J.C.Rice

By Sara Dorn

Originally published by the New York Post on May 23, 2020.

Greedy retailers attempting to profit off the pandemic by overcharging customers for hot coronavirus commodities have racked up a hefty bill with the city Department of Consumer and Worker Protection, the agency said.

Summons given to Trump Pharmacy.

From March 5 through Wednesday, inspectors issued 7,600 price-gouging violations in stores from Manhattan to Queens selling goods like cleaning spray, cold and flu medication, hand sanitizer and protective masks and gloves at up to a 150 percent markup.

With fines running as high as $500, the violators could owe the city nearly $4 million.

Trump Pharmacy — no relation to the president — in Jackson Heights is facing an $11,000 penalty for hawking cans of disinfectant spray for up to $24, according to one complainant.

“I asked the man behind the counter if they had Lysol disinfectant spray. He reached down into a box behind the counter and produced a 19 oz. can of Lysol disinfectant spray and stated that the price was $24.00,” George Ptacek wrote to Councilman Daniel Dromm.

When city inspectors visited on Thursday, they found a $22 can, a 16-count pack of Dayquil Cold and Flu for $14.99, a 12-ounce pack of Nyquil for $17.99, and a box of 20 Mucinex DM for $22.95. No one at the business could be reached for comment.

It’s among 10,100 businesses New Yorkers have complained about for price-gouging since the pandemic began.

Overpriced gloves at Flannery Home Center in the Bronx.J.C.Rice

The agency has filed lawsuits against seven retailers who refuse to comply, even after they were issued violations.

Metro Drugs on Third Avenue is facing a $37,500 suit for 75 price-gouging violations, including selling 20 N95 masks for $400 to an inspector on March 7. When the DCWP went back on March 11, Metro Drugs had knocked the price in half, but still well above the “normal market fluctuations” the DCWP requires businesses to follow.

The store claims to have finally ditched the dirty dealing.

“No, no not at all,” said Vinnie Ognibene, assistant director of pharmacy, when asked if the store was still selling N95s. “All of that was from back in middle March. That’s old news, unfortunately.”

NY Post photo composite

PANDEMIC PROFIT

These businesses were cited by the city for price-gouging:

  • Trump Pharmacy, 85-26 37th Ave., Jackson Heights: 19 oz can of Lysol, $24
  • Metro Drugs 3rd Ave. Corp., 931 Lexington Ave., Upper East Side: 20-pack of N95s, $400
  • Hong Kong Supermarket, 157 Hester St., Lower East Side: 24-pack of CVS-brand hand wipes, $38
  • Thomas Drugs, Inc., 171 Columbus Ave., Upper West Side: 20-count Mucinex DM, $21.99
  • Flannery Home Store, 3395 E. Tremont Ave., Schuylerville: 33-ounce bottle of hand sanitizer, $45

Read more here.