NY Post Highlights Rathole/Future Hot-Sheet Hotel at 205 Parkside

The NY Post has stepped in to follow up on the work done by The Q at Parkside and our blog to point out 205 Parkside owner Moses Fried's horrible history as a building owner. As the Q at Parkside revealed, the building was recently been approved to be converted into an "apartment hotel." Fried's history belies any credibility and we should expect that, if the hotel opens next year as scheduled, to see it become a haven for prostitution and drugs.

As reporter Selim Algar wrote, "The 81-year-old magnate, who owns properties across New York and Florida, has been criticized for his ownership of other properties in New York City, including one that was closed for violations discovered after a prostitution raid, and one shuttered for use and safety violations. A third property has been hit with a whopping 45 violations."

Fried claimed in the article that he was hoping to market the apartments to Brooklyn College students and Kings County Hospital employees but... what else is he going to say? Would he tell a reporter (or the Department of Buildings) that he is going to turn a blind eye to crime and profit from his barely credible deniability? It is what he does at all of his other properties until the City shutters them and I expect nothing different at 205 Parkside. It is a pity that the DOB does not consider a developer's history when reviewing an application. The presumption of good faith that an applicant gets should not apply when a man with a history of opening whorehouses applies to open a hotel.

Q at Parkside blogger ClarksonFlatbed and CB9 President Pearl Miles have arranged a meeting with Fried and his architect. If you would like to find out more about the meeting, join the meeting, or have questions you want raised, leave a comment on his blog and he will get back to you with details.

On a personal note, I got quoted in the article saying, "[PLG is] beyond that" when what I meant was "better than that." I end up sounding very much like the whining gentrifier that every story like this needs. It is an unfortunate to have that quote published from a considerably longer interview.

Comments

[babs]

Ah, yes, the joys of the press - not to worry, Charles, we know you're better than that! And if Fried were serious, the building could be really successful as housing for Kings County/SUNY Downstate residents and interns - they are always looking for housing. Brooklyn College as well. Fingers crossed that for once he's not lying.

[Seth]

An apartment hotel would not be more profitable than renovating and renting the apartments to real tenants.

It's difficult to understand his motivation, beyond the general agreement that the guy is not a class act.

[babs]

Has anyone noticed squatters in this building? There seems to be an upswing in this sort of activity lately - spent all day yesterday at the 71st precinct because of one person and his crew, who were squatting/stripping appliance, plumbing, etc./sellingdrugs and g-d knows what out of two vacant houses near me. Perhaps they had been driven out of this building by the resumption of activity there. We all need to be alert to suspicious activity on our blocks!

[carrie]

Last year, I reported squatters at 205 Parkside (via 311) but when the DOB investigated, they said there were no signs of residents... which is a total joke because people were clearly living there before and after. I'm not sure about now, though.

[babs]

It is really hard to get any sort of charges pressed against this kind of activity. The owner of the property has to confirm that he did not "invite" these guests, and, in the eyes of the police, a poorly-secured vacant building is an invitation. The real danger, of course, is that they not occupy the premises for over 30 days, at which point they do acquire some protection from eviction.