Central Park: Tractor-Trailer Hits Transverse Bridge - Snarls Traffic

Bad Judgement. A wrong turn on Fifth Avenue into the 65th Street Transverse Road Central Park created a traffic headache for hours after a tractor-trailer got stuck after hitting a stone arch bridge. The truck was finally able to break free after the driver let air out of the tires. 
(Photos: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates) Click on images to enlarge  

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

A tractor-trailer traveling across Central Park got stuck when it struck a stone arch vehicle bridge after not obeying posted traffic signs.

Police closed off the 65th Street Transverse in both directions for hours causing massive traffic delays.

The road connects the East side on Manhattan at Fifth Avenue to the West side at Central Park West through the park.  

The driver of the truck was issued a summons for not obeying traffic posted signs.

The truck from Gamer Logistics, out of  El Paso, Texas was transporting electronic components when it was unable to clear the final stone arch vehicle bridge. 

Tight Squeeze. The truck, from Gamer Logistics, out of  El Paso, Texas was transporting electronic components west bound across the park when it was unable to clear the final stone arch vehicle bridge. 

The truck was able to clear two similar bridges before hitting the wooden roof of the last one about ten feet from freedom as it travelled to the westside of the park.

"This happens all the time," said an officer at the scene. "People don't pay attention or they think they can make it." 

"All of (sic) trucks are equipped with satellite tracking which allows our office to monitor the movement of all trucks and assist in routing equipment around weather and traffic delays," the company's website states.  

The vehicle was finally able to break free after air was taken out of the tires.   

In 2012 a truck delivering newspapers was mangled after striking the 96th Street Transverse. 

Some passengers traveling on the crosstown bus reportedly were let off in the middle of the park.  

The driver of the vehicle lets air out of the tires. 

Clearance signs are posted in both directions on the bridges and along Fifth and Central Park West before you enter the park. 

Police on the scene. 

Fifth Avenue. The 65th Street Transverse  Road in Central Park was closed off in both directions for hours causing massive traffic delays.

Girl, 10 Attempted Abduction In Brooklyn Park

Police released a sketch of the suspect wanted in this morning's scary incident involving a ten-year-old girl in Besty Head Park.   (image: DCPI)

Brooklyn

By Geoffrey Croft

A 10 year-old-girl reported to police that she was walking alone through a Brooklyn Park on her way to school at 7:25 this morning when a man tried to grab her.

The girl was cutting through the basketball courts in Besty Head Park on Bristol Street between Blake & Dumont Avenues when the reported attack occurred.   

She told police she screamed and ran towards her home where her mother called police. 

The assailant ran in the opposite direction. 

The attacker is described as a male black, 35, short dreadlocks, bulging eyes, blue shirt, blue jacket and dark colored pants. 

The girl was not physically hurt.

The alleged incident occurred within the confines of the 73 Pct.

Read More:

Brooklyn girl, 10, flees would-be abductor on way to school: cops
New York Daily News - March 24, 2015 - By Rocco Parascandola

MAN APPROACHES,  ATTEMPTS TO TOUCH YOUNG GIRL IN BROWNSVILLE

Eyewitness News -  March 24, 2015 - By Jim Dolan

Police: Man Tried To Grab 10-Year-Old Girl In Brownsville,  Brooklyn Park

CBS - March 24, 2015

Stolen Verdi Square Dog Sculpture Not Likely To Be Reinstalled After Recovery

Tony Matelli's Stray Dog (2000) was stolen on Sunday from Verdi Square at 72nd street and Broadway and was found abandoned in Riverside Park at few hours later.  (Photo: ArtNews)

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

A sculpture depicting a lost labrador seeing-eye dog with a harness that was stolen on Sunday from Verdi Square will not likely be reinstalled, NYC Park Advocates has learned.

Tony Matelli's "Stray Dog" bronze sculpture was installed in December  adjacent to the subway station at 72nd & Amsterdam/Broadway as part of the temporary group exhibition entitled Broadway Morey Boogie. The 100 + pound sculpture was stolen on Sunday, but recovered hours later by the NYPD after it was discovered next to a tree in Riverside Park near 72nd Street. 

The re-sited canine piece is in Parks Department custody and is awaiting return to the Marlborough Gallery which sponsored the show.

Broadway Morey Boogie  was originally intended to be on view until February. It is now slated to stay up until early April to make way for the next Broadway Malls public art exhibition.

The Parks Department says it is "unlikely" that Matelli's work will be reinstalled at Verdi Square, "given the short duration until the conclusion of the show," a parks official stated.
















Read More:

Tony Matelli's Stray Dog Sculpture Stolen From New York Subway Station
Artnews - March 16, 2015 - By Eileen Kinsella

HOT DIGGITY! TONY MATELLI DOG SCULPTURE STOLEN, 
RECOVERED IN NEW YORK
ArtNews - March 16, 2015 - By Hannah Ghorashi

Sky-High Graffiti Bust: Teens Caught On Top Of Flushing Meadows Corona Park Worlds Fair Towers

Five teens were caught by park police after they broke into and climbed 226 feet to the top of the observation deck of the abandoned and severely deteriorated Worlds Fair Astro Towers. The iconic structure closed in 1965.   (Photos: © Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates)  Click on images to enlarge

Queens

By Geoffrey Croft

Five knuckle-headed teens were busted hanging out and doing graffiti 226 feet in the air on the observation deck of the Worlds Fair's iconic Astro Towers NYC Park Advocates has learned. 

Two girls and three boys broke into the towers and made their way to the very top, spray painting tags along the way.  

Two eagle-eyed park cops on patrol in Flushing Meadows Corona Park spotted several figures from about a half mile away walking around the rusted flying saucer-like structures at approximately at 3:30pm on Sunday. 

 Death Staircase.  One the severely deteriorated staircases is missing entire sections of stairs. 

When Park Enforcement Patrol Officers arrived they found a hole in the perimeter fence.   At the base of the circular concrete tower they found the rusty door leading to staircase wide open and a pair of pliers and a broken lock tossed on the ground. 

The KEEP OUT sign on the door had fresh graffiti.

Where the futuristic yellow steel-and-glass enclosed Sky Streak capsule elevators once whisked visitors in seconds to its observation decks high above the World's Fair officers now had to risk their lives going up the severely rusted staircase in order to bring the kids back down to safety. 

When PEP officers arrived at the base of the tower they saw the door leading inside wide open and a pair of pliers and a clipped lock tossed on the ground. 

Numerous fresh pink, teal and black-colored graffiti tags were found in numerous locations as the officers ascended to the top. 

Officers had to use a make-shift ladder made of electrical cords in order to reach the highest peak of observation deck to reach the teens. 

Some of the sky-high graffiti seen on the obsevation deck. 

And at the base. 

Rusted Staircase.

The surprised group were caught red handed with two book bags filled with spray paint,  markers and a camera that contained photos of tags at various locations. 

Park Enforcement Patrol Officers arrested two males, a 14 & 15-year old.

The two were charged with trespassing and possession of a graffiti instrument.  The 14-year-old was busted a few weeks ago for pot possession and had rolling papers on him on Sunday according to law enforcement sources.   

The two were transported to the 110 Pct., given juvenile reports and released to their parents who were not happy.

"Safety is always first," a PEP officer at the scene commented. 

"It's an old building that's falling apart. It is really not safe to be up there, they are putting their lives in danger and if they are partying it makes it a lot worse." 

Breathtaking Views. 

March 7, 2015

Park officers found the front gate of the New York State Pavilion wide open and the lock missing.  They also discovered a hole in another fence on the inside. 

New York State Pavilion.    (Photos: © Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Advocates)  Click on images to enlarge

February 23, 2015

PEP officers caught a vandal wanted by police.  

While on patrol PEP officers caught Bagner Jara, 16, literally red handed spray-painting the tag "zero"  with red paint on the outside of a park bathroom near the Playground for All Children in Flushing Meadows Corona Park. 

When officers approached he jumped on his bike and took off, peddling away.  He was captured by the New York State Pavilion. He had a knapsack with a red spray can and a bag containing nearly 4 grams of marijuanna. 

He is known to tag "Zero" and "Zion" which are prevalent in and around the park. 

Jara was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana and possession of a graffiti instrument.

At the 110 Pct.  His name came up when police ran his name in the NYPD vandal unit data base.   Police charged with a second crime for spray painting the word "zero" on the rear of an abandoned building at 97-05 Alstayne Ave also in the 110 Pct. 

These are Jara's only two arrests. 

Read More:

Teens In Trouble After Climbing To Top Of Old Queens World’s Fair Astro-Towers 

CBS - March 20, 2015 - By Sonia Rincon

TEENS CAUGHT VANDALIZING WORLDS FAIR'S ASTRO TOWER IN QUEENS  

Eyewitness News - March 20, 2015

5 teens busted after climbing tower at New York State Pavilion in Queens with spray paint: officials  

New York Daily News - March 19, 2015 -  By Lisa L. Colangelo   

Two Teens Nabbed for Graffiti at World's Fair Towers

NY1 -  March 19, 2015 

Teens busted atop World’s Fair Tower with graffiti tools

New York Post - March 19, 2015  - By Kirstan Conley

5 Teens Caught Climbing Up & Vandalizing Old World's Fair Astro Towers

Gothamist - March 19, 2015 -  Ben Yakas  

Boy, 14, Attacked By Group With Baseball Bat In Queens Park

Queens

By Geoffrey Croft

A 14-year-old male hispanic was attacked by three other male hispanic teens in Equity Park yesterday evening at approximately 5:50pm.

The victim was stuck in the head with a baseball bat according to police.

The teen was taken to Jamaica Hospital and suffered head trauma injuries. 

The 1.6 acre park is located between 88/89th Avenues & 91st Street in Woodhaven, Queens adjacent to P.S. 60. 

The three assailants  fled southbound on 90th Street. They are described as 14, and 15-years-old, between 5'6 & 5'7.

One of the suspects is known to the victim.

No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing. 

Court Rules Citi-Bike In Petrosino Square Can Stay

Admirers photograph Carole Feuerman’s Survival of Serena an exhibition in the artist space located at the northern part of Petrosino Square on Lafayette Street and Cleveland Pl. between Kenmare & Spring Streets at the intersection of SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown.  (Photos: Geoffrey Croft/NYC Park Adovcates) 

The City surreptitiously installed a 32-dock Citi-Bike docking station (below) in April 2013 which replaced park space that had been dedicated to art installations since 1985, and even though there is an alternative location fro the bikes directly across the street. 

Manhattan

By Geoffrey Croft

In yet another strange ruling from the Supreme Court  Appellate Division First Department involving a parkland alienation case the court ruled that a controversial Citi-Bike docking station in Petrosino Square can stay.

"The trial court erred in failing to acknowledge the distinctions between recreational bicycling and bike-share commuting, which, though similar in instrumentality, serve completely different purposes," Plaintiffs argued. 

The Court did not agree.

The Appellate Division found that the bike share station served a proper park purpose of allowing members of the public to ride and dock a Citi-Bike at Petrosino Square, where they may “enjoy the Park as a respite, a spot for a meal or even as their final destination.”

In other words because the public can theoretically ride a Citi-Bike to the square where they can theoretically use the sitting area the docking station constitutes a "park purpose."  So even though that is clearly NOT the purpose of Citi-Bike nor how the bikes are used there the transportation bike sharing program can stay.

And to add insult to injury, bike riding is prohibited in Petrosino Square according to the Parks Department.    

Section §1-05 Regulated Uses states that, "No bicycle...shall be ridden or otherwise operated in a pedestrian way, park path, sitting area..."

In 2013 Plaintiffs filed suit arguing that the city ignored state "parkland alienation" law and its own regulations when they installed Citi Bike racks in tiny Petrosino Square, a Parks Department owned property on  Lafayette Street in SoHo.   The suit alleged that the Department of Transportation and the Parks Department improperly failed to get necessary approval from the state Legislature to use parkland for a non-park purpose.

During the suit Corporation Council had absurdly tried to argue that the Square belonged to the Department of Transportation. 

Several requests seeking comment from the City's Law Department were not returned.  Attempts to reach Plaintiffs and their lawyer were also unsuccessful. 

"This is not a legitimate park purpose for Petrosino Square. It's an outrageous violation of law," Plaintiff's lawyer Randy Mastro, Gibson Dunn's senior managing partner said last month.



The Citi-Bike docking station was installed in the middle of the night on April  27, 2013. 

Read More:

Court To Hear Citi Bike Petrosino Square Appeal

A Walk In The Park - February 16, 2015 - By Geoffrey Croft 

Petrosino Square Citi-Bike Share Fight Goes To Court

A Walk In The Park - October 15, 2013  - By Geoffrey Croft 

Residents Protest DOT Bike Share's "Illegal" Take Over Of Petrosino Square's Art Space

A Walk In The Park - May 28, 2013 - By Geoffrey Croft 

Parks Dept. vs. DOT In Bike Fight As Soho Residents Blast Bike
Share Station Installed In Artist Exhibit Space In Park
A Walk In The Park -  May 9, 2013 - By Geoffrey Croft

Food Fight In Soho's Petrosino Square

A Walk In The Park - December 3, 2012 - By Geoffey Croft 

Homeless Man In Coma After Being Attacked In Highland Park

Brooklyn

By Geoffry Croft

Illegal drinking in a Brooklyn Park turned horribly violent on Friday night NYC Park Advocates has learned. 

A 45-year-old homeless man is in a coma after being viciously beaten by four other homeless men in Highland Park.

The victim got into a verbal altercation that turned violent according to police who say the men were intoxicated. 

The incident occured at 5:30 p.m. in the park near the northwestern corner of Essex St. & Jamiaca Avenue, 

Four hours later at approximalty 9:45,  911 received call about a person complaining of pain. 

EMS rushed the victim to Brookdale University Hospital where he fell into a coma early Saturday. 

No arrests have been made but four suspects were taken into custody for questioning.   

No charges have been filed.