Monday, October 1, 2007

Character...

An anonymous commenter stated recently that the new Pistilli Co-op apartments at Astoria Park  " should be demolished and some real 2 family homes put up there instead, ones that reflect the real character of Astoria, not some marketing scheme ".   Although I disagree with some of what they said as, in the end, it is all a matter of opinion. 

I realized there was an important question to be asked, which is: 

- What determines the character of a neighborhood?

- Is it static, or constantly evolving? 

- Is bringing in something adverse to what the community has been a good or bad thing? 

The more questions I ask, the more I realize that there's no right or wrong answer. A neighborhood is more than its housing, and character is more than just style or tradition. The Riverview apartments have the potential to be their own community, as can the Acropolis complex. Personally, I have always wanted there to be loft apartments in Astoria...and bringing in people who can afford the apartments may also bring in a demand for nicer cafes, stores and the like. 

Logistically, it would seem that the building is creating MORE housing than if two family housing were built in the same location. Is it creating more expensive housing? From the perspective of a renter, yes...most of the mortgage payments plus maintenence is beyond what I can comfortably pay per month. However, the asking price for the units is a bargain compared to the rest of the neighborhood for purchasers. In addition, most of the new two family housing that has been built in Astoria could be considered as equally gaudy as what the Riverview is to it's detractors.

And quite frankly, I am of this opinion: If you've going to criticize something/someone, be specific, be articulate, and be thorough. Otherwise, you end up lacking credibility, which has more impact than all your words combined. Most of the hostile and impassioned words spoken on the subject of the building have been written poorly, vaguely, and inarticulately...which, as I hope, is not a reflection of the people who have written them. Nothing worth writing has been written quickly. I wrote this entry over the course of a workday, and am glad for it. 

Choose your words carefully.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you bookworm, I agree with you. What I don't understand is why are so many people opposed to change? I remember the Eagle building as it sat there rotting with rats and pigeons for years. Now it is a modern condo which gives many an opportunity to live near Manhattan with Queens prices. The idea of 2 family homes may or may not be a good one. The point is that no one had ANY ideas untill this Pistilli developer bought it! As for the length of time it took to build? All I can ask is "Has anyone ever tried to put an extension on their house or added a bathroom?" Thanks to all of those people so adverse to change it takes forever because of all the permits and paper work that needs to be filed. My hat goes off to any developer that takes any abandoned eyesore and turns it into a place where you can hear children laughing and people living the American dream!

Anonymous said...

You know the old saying, what goes around comes around. If it was you building it you would probably not say a word about it. Pistilli is building it so air is filled with envy in Astoria. I have noticed that some people in Astoria take their own personal every day stress and covert it to gossip under someone else's account. People be happy that some one is doing new construction otherwise Astoria would be like a village in Pakistan. Thank Pisttilli for bringing you a European lifestyle in Astoria.