G.G.R.M.M.B.B.R. - Great Gerritsen Round Mau Mau Barrell of Beer Race.
We haven’t done a Gerritsen Beach Property Owners Association roundup in a while because there hasn’t been anything to talk about. So here are the cliff notes.
Kiddie Beach is wrapping up the season, congrats to all.
Racoons - are overwhelming some areas of the beach. Especially the areas with an abandoned lot or home. The city does not acknowledge a raccoon problem nor do they have any actionable plan or advice. The responsibility is on the home owner. However, if you see “rats” in an empty lot or abandoned home the city will come in clean it up a bit and bill it to the property. Call 311.
Hurricane Irene- Rumor is they shut down the Knapp sewer plant which could be to blame for the sewer backups into homes. People were opening sewer caps, sewer manholes to try and get rid of water with no success.
17 Lacon Court (aka Jemal) – The DOB has already issued $13,300 in violations with three more about to go into default judgment. They are on top of the situation but they do not know who the owner is, as their violations notices are being returned. There is A LOT of stuff going on there, expect an update soon.
Dangerous & Damaged Utility Poles – No one is having luck getting action dangerous or damaged utility poles as each company Verizon, ConEd, and NYC passes the blame to each other. Some have reported it reported it to 311, others the 61 precinct, and one has gone to every city office ten times to demand action.
Little League Walkway, Scoreboard, Containers - GBCares sent out a letter on behalf of the Gerritsen Beach Little League asking for $500 monetary donations from organizations to repair the cement walkway, paint the scoreboard, paint the containers, and plant flowers around the flag pole in time for the 9/11 ceremony. Everything is done except the cementing, which is awaiting an architect plans to be filed with nyc parks. GBPOA plans on donating the full amount.
Flag Vandalism - Most of the flags at the Little League were vandalized breaking the poles and brackets those will be replaced.
Seba Traffic Light- No one knows when it is switching on. Seba will be a flashing red (aka a stop light), while Gerritsen will remain green.
9/11 Ceremonies - Marine Park at 5:00pm, Gerritsen Beach Little Leauge 7:00 pm
Halloween - Halloween is coming (again) some members of the GBPOA will be walking the streets. A few plan on attending the 61 & 63 council meetings to demand an actual response.
According to a follow up story from Courier Life, Lacon Court is still a mess.
Residents say the folks running the marina at Lacon Court in Gerritsen Beach are still illegally dumping fill and garbage on the filthy site — which the state ordered to be cleaned up by Nov. 6.
In fact, more than three weeks after the deadline to clean up the decrepit waterfront area passed, residents say the two lots along between Lacon Court and the Plumb Beach Channel are being used for more nefarious purposes.
Currently EVERYTHING about Lacon Court is illegal and forming a dangerous situation.
Right now there are numerous people living squatting in dry-docked boats and house boats that are on the water. They are running loud portable generators for the better part of the day and night. They are also not connected to any type of sewage or septic syetem. Instead, They have a port-a-potty that residents say they have witnessed them dumping on nearby ground to empty.
Residents are worried because the property “flat out filled with skel’s” with people walking in and out every day at every hour.
They also took down a large portion of the required construction fencing and dumped a very large amount of milled asphalt on the property where it could fall into the nearby creek.
Dumping all of solid waste on our community is disgusting and is a blatant disregard for the law. Criminal charges must be filed on the property owner(s) and whomever illegally dumped the material.
The Danza property is filled with vehicles, boats, and construction debris. The boats that Jemal was forced to remove now sit in the former danza property.
We have no idea who owns this property now, since Stephen Jemal was successfully sued by his orginal investment companies. He now owes 18.9 Million to his investment companies. We do suspect that SSJ Development still owns the properties.
Since the summer of 2008 we have been tracking the progress of a court case of two Texas based companies: “Gerritsen Beach Investments Ltd” and “Riviera Investments I Ltd” vs Stephen Jemal. You may know Stephen Jemal and his company SSJ Development,LLC – they own the vacant Lacon Court and Knapp Street properties, and plan to develop into luxury condos. Apparently, these Texas companies were investors that SSJ Development courted to invest in his development of vacant land in our area.
If you remember way back in July of 2008, we broke the original story that Lacon Ct and Knapp street developer Stephen S. Jemal got into a $5.5 million dollar contract dispute with his investment companies. That story ballooned into a major story when Jemal sent a letter threatening to sue GerritsenBeach.net, then the website came under a denial of service attack, which I was able to prove came from an associate of Jemals, and there was a Daily News story covering it.
Anyways, after a few years in Federal court, a judgment has finally been rendered.
The Texas-based companies which were the originally investment companies for Jemal’s properties here in Gerritsen Beach won 7.8 million dollars plus interest, for a loan that Jemal failed to repay.
Jemal also lost a second case to a bank in Philadelphia. The bank loaned Jemal 11.1 million dollars for properties in Cape May County, NJ. According to the complaint, Jemal also failed to pay back this loan. This is currently being contested, but according to the complaint, the Jemals personally guaranteed these loans through a confession of judgment.
As for the fate of the properties in our area, we have not been able to ascertain what is going to happen. Speculation includes that they may be sold off to the highest bidder, given to the investment companies, or even Jemal might get to keep them if he shuffles them around.
In an interesting twist, it seems as though Jemal does not have the ownership he thought he had on Lacon Court. According to the last property owners meeting, the New York State DEC tried to fine Jemal for failure to clean up his docks but couldn’t because he was not listed as the owner. Calls to DEC and Alan Maisel were not returned.
Our neighborhood’s favorite wanna-be developer is up Gerritsen Creek – and apparently can’t afford to buy a paddle!
Two federal courts recently handed down multi-million dollar judgments against developer Stephen Jemal, the man the Daily News said would “re-energize” our waterfront. So much for that plan, huh NYDN?
The judgments include 11.1 million dollars for unpaid loans in connection with properties in Cape May County, NJ handed down in March (which Jemal apparently is still being contested before the Court) and 7.8 million dollars for unpaid loans from private Texas investors in connection with Jemal’s Brooklyn properties, including the much-discussed lots on Knapp Street and Lacon Court.
What these judgments will mean to our community remains to be seen, but one would think that the undeveloped properties in our area may be sold off to the highest bidder.
Hopefully, more to come as I make a few well-placed phone calls.
In clear violation of what someone would call “LAW”, SSJ Development’s properties at Lacon court are untouched, abandoned, vacant, dormant being used as storage for vehicles, boats, non-construction equipment, and dreaded WOODCHIPS!
On top of that, the property’s perimeter fence is not doing well either. It’s in overall bad shape and either destroyed or no existent in most places. Also, The property’s main gate is not even locked or even closed anymore. It’s just wide open allowing whomever inside.
ETO & SSJ Development are Playing Tag with NYPD Harbor and DEP attempting to to dump boats in various parts of the creek.
You may be asking your self what happened those boats that were 1) floating around the creek slamming into everything and 2) the boats at the property?
Well funny story. They seem to be popping up everywhere even after being returned to ETO (Lacon Ct) twice!
The boat that was adrift: First, NYPD Harbor had returned it to after it was originally adrift, then it mysteriously showed up tied up to the DEP pumping station (a pump to pump out bathrooms on boats), Harbor had to returned it again, only to find it tied to the DEP pumping station the next day. Harbor returned it again and is now investigating.
Is the ETO playing tag?
The boat that next to the boat that sank: Tuns out someone removed the boat last week and dumped it to a local marina.
Now there are TWO abandoned boats without registration on the water.
Maybe we should call ETO for help. Isn’t that what they do???
The State Environmental Conservation Officers recently arrested two fishermen in Brooklyn for catching dozens of striped bass that were undersized and in excess of allowable limits, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced.
(Media-Newswire.com) – State Environmental Conservation Officers recently arrested two fishermen in Brooklyn for catching dozens of striped bass that were undersized and in excess of allowable limits, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation ( DEC ) today announced.
While on marine patrol in the Breezy Point area, Environmental Conservation Officers ( ECO ) Jamie Powers and Kevin Thomas spotted activities on a boat that made them suspect poaching and they tracked the vessel back to its dock in Shell Bank Creek off Seba Avenue. There, the ECOs witnessed John Arena of Parksville, Sullivan County, and Mark Sarubbi of Brooklyn, struggling to drag two totes full of striped bass up to a truck.
The officers then approached the men and began counting the catch. The fishermen, who realized their day of “good” fishing had just met its end, watched as the ECOs counted out 46 striped bass – the legal recreational limit for the trip for both men is only 2. The fish weighed a total of 295 pounds and the vast majority of the fish – 40 – were less than the minimum size requirement of 28 inches.
Arena and Sarubbi were arrested and charged with possession of 40 undersized Striped Bass; possession of 44 Striped Bass over the legal recreational harvest limit; possession of 46 untagged Striped Bass; taking Striped Bass for Commercial Purposes without a permit; and failing to possess a valid food fish license. Additional charges are anticipated.
Their arraignment is scheduled for early December. They are facing thousands of dollars in fines and a possible four years in prison. The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The fish were seized and destroyed because Striped Bass are not permitted to be harvested for commercial sale from waters west of East Rockaway Inlet due to the potential level of contaminants in the fish.
Information on illegal harvest of any species of saltwater fish, shellfish or crabs can be reported to the Marine Enforcement Unit at ( 631 ) 444-0460 or by using the toll-free number of 1-877-457-5680.
Granted the 44 striped bass is a bit much and the fisherman accused should know the la but how is it that DEC will crack down on fisherman and not other BIGGER fish?!
In Gerritsen Beach the DEC wastes their time going after people who was their cars on their street because it washes into the creek while SSJ Development, ETO and Stephen Jemal get a free pass, for refusing to clean the docks and the boats that have been sinking!
Yesterday a boat that was docked at Stephen Jemals property was floating around unattended, bumping into docks and other boats. Harbor patrol was able to secure the boat and returned it to a slip on the Jemals property.
Our good friends Stephen Jemal and ETO have been up to no good lately.
First, A boat sank while docked on Stephen Jemals property at the old riveria marina and as a result the gas and oil leaked into the creek. The coast guard was notified and filed a report. Separately, On the same property a sailboat dry docked flipped over and is resting on a utility pole.
Then, the docks that were supposed to be cleared away or face stiff fines from the DEC, have started to float away and have now have ended up at various parts in the creek becoming navigable hazards.
Even more horribly an ETO worker was seriously injured, while working for ETO, receiving 35 stitches in his forehead and is facing personal bankrupcy, due to the resulting medical bills.
Looks like ETO has turned out to be a disaster on the property.
Update 10/29/09 -Â Â Email from Greg Moss Director of ETO:
Your recent article “ETO Creek Disaster” is grossly inaccurate and we would like you to make the necessary edits.
“First, A boat sank while docked on Stephen Jemals property at the old riveria marina, as a result the gas and oil leaked into the creek. The coat guard was notified and filed a report. On the same property a sailboat that flipped over and is resting on a utility pole.”
This boat had nothing to do with the ETO – there must be other people that were given permission to use the property.
“Then, the docks, that were supposed to be cleared away or face fines, have started to float away and have ended up at various parts in the creek becoming navigable hazards.”
We haven’t began or anticipate beginning any work on these docks.
“Even more horribly, an ETO worker was seriously injured, while working for ETO, receiving 35 stitches in his forehead and now no one is helping him out with his medicial bills or taking responsibility for his injury. The worker has called Jemals office with no response.”
This person had no affiliation to the ETO (and you misspelled “medical” in your article.)
I appreciate what you are trying to do here and your website is a great way for the Gerritsen Beach community to stay current with events. However, if you want to be a quality investigative reporter you should really do you homework before publishing anything.
Last night’s Gerritsen Beach Property Owners meeting was interesting to say the least. Â There were some exciting exceptions to the normal boring meeting.
First of course the 61st precinct spoke, reminded us of the ATVs, Quads, speeding but also that fireworks are illegal and that they will not be tolerated. Gerritsen beach is their worst area when it comes to fireworks because of that they have requested sky watch again this year, and everyone, including the captain, will be working the 4-12 tour for the extra man power.
Lew Fidler – Spoke about the flooding courts. Lew is not satisfied with the answer from DOT and DEP regarding the courts. “we are going to get them to the point where they are so sick of answering our questions and point out the problems… they will come in and do the repair they will prevent them from us having to call them“. Anyone who has a specific complaint should call Lews office directly.
Lew got told the crowd that he had provided $200,000 to fix the heating plant in 277. Also he secured funds to continuing the after school programs at 277, also the Parks Department will have $400,000 additionally to expand the tot lot at Seba Avenue Park. Calling the design “Really magnificent” He also secured $22,500 for GBCares and $12,500 Vollies.
Alan Maisel  - Spoke about White Island. How Parks will be putting layers of sand on tops of the island. There is a concern about the waste (it was a landfill) would seep out into the creek due to that pressure. He is currently having meetings with the DEC and Parks along with GBCares to keep the community apprised.
He also spoke about the Lacon Ct property the Knapp street property and jemals responsibilities with the DEC regarding cleaning up the sunken boats, and dock debris. DEC more than likely be ordering Jemal to have them removed.
On a lighter note Alan is now the Chairman of the Solid Waste commission, He told the speaker he was going to throw himself into it.
Some members of GBCares were present at the meeting and expressed concern over how  they feel GerritsenBeach.net is responsible for the current  condition of GBCares. If you don’t know, Currently GBCares as an unintended and indirect result of our post “How Many Wood Chips…” the NYC Parks Department suspended GBCares operations. One of the more important of the programs, their Saturday alternative sentencing/community service program, which maintains Gerritsen Avenue was also shut down. More specifically no gas powered or heavy machinery are now not allowed on the park land, which were essential to operations. Since then GBCares has sent letters requesting approval and is currently waiting for reapproveal. Until they get approval, which may happen within weeks, they are going to play it safe by not using hand tools on the weeds on Gerritsen Avenue.
The “debate” (above) that happened at the meeting was basically GBCares taking issue with anonymous commenting. More specifically they believe that the comments represent my personal opinion and that GerritsenBeach.net allows the comments. One said “It’s really terrible what his website is doing.” Another said “GerritsenBeach.net could be a positive influence but since the entire website cause problems, problems may be what he wants because it might bring in more revenue for him“. Revenue?!  Thats right they believe I am in it for the money. Full disclosure: Last month for the month of June I “earned” $69.66 which is around the average. $70 is not the reason GerritsenBeach.net attends these meetings and asks questions, or gets exposure for local news, or  sheds light on some problems.
In my opinion it comes down to the  right to freedom of the press, and your right as a commenter to comment without fear of retaliation. I have heard numerous times, from different people, some are heads of local organizations, that would love to know who some of you are so they can beat the hell out of you. Which is why I allow anonymous comments.
It seems as though maybe GBCares is refusing to participate in discussions on the website. When someone commented wrongly that GBCares allows criminals into our neighborhood with their program, they were upset that GB.net left the comment up, but more importantly they refused to clear up that issue.
To be perfectly clear, these saturday workers are not violent criminals, just “kids” that usually got a desk tickets.
In my opinion, I see the Gerritsen Beach Property Owners meeting as a forum, I also see GerritsenBeach.net as a forum. Both trying to BETTER the community. I have come to realize that the comments at the Property Owners meeting are sometimes just as harsh, inappropriate, and wrong, just as comments on GerritsenBeach.net.
Just because people can remain anonymous throws people into a tizzy, which consumes them. You really need to get over this. Either use the website to reach the neighborhood or don’t. However you must realize that a good number of people get their “news” from here. Rumors can fly if something is not addressed correctly.
John Douglas sums up the whole situation respectively.
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