I Don't Know Which Look Is Worse! Do You?

The ugly house at 251 Columbia Street was demolished several years ago, likely in 2018 or 2019.  What has followed is a prime example of what we're up against with City Hall's lack of attention to important matters and details.  Yet again, HUDseen must state the obvious:  NO ONE AT CITY HALL IS PAYING ATTENTION!

For the past 5 years or more, the "vacant" property has been an eyesore of its own, covered in black plastic sheeting weighted down by cinder blocks and "protected" by orange plastic netting.  Actually, calling it an eyesore is being charitable. The plastic cover was the owner's idea of weed control, which worked pretty well.  It also kept Code Enforcement at bay.

City Hall has always loved the plastic and cinder block look (or just ignored it), including 2nd ward council member Mohammad Rony, who lives across the street and down a few houses.  He welcomed the modern look to his neighborhood and accepted it as a complement to all the other ugliness surrounding him and his neighbors, including the never-ending project that is the mosque across the street and at the corner of 3rd.  Rony's ward cohort in uselessness on the Common Council, Dewan Sarowar (whose last name Henry Haddad had serious difficulty pronouncing last night during roll call at the SAFETY committee's 3rd meeting with Dewan at his side -- it was f'ng hilarious), claims to live one block away in a house that he does not own while his wife and child(ren) live in Greenport in a house he and his wife have owned for ten years.  Dewan, too, has had no problem with the vacant plastic and cinder eyesore that is 251 Columbia, including the lovely sidewalk in front of it, one of the worst in his ward and the entire city. (It's difficult to say if Sarowar -- pronounced S-A-R-O-W-A-R -- ever walks around his ward other than to attend mosque services in the basement of the house at 3rd & Long Alley that was supposed to be replaced by a true mosque years ago).  Dewan, too, loves the black plastic and cinder block look. Hell, he probably dreams about it (in Greenport). Who the hell doesn't? 

Yesterday, the property was walled off with a permanent fence that replaced the tattered orange netting.  Too bad for us all. 

Do you remember when a house and a trailer existed at 251 Columbia?

2016

Do you remember when the wide and deep vacant property known as 251 Columbia didn't look like shit?  That didn't last long at all. Too much greenery! Not enough blackery!

2019

And, as of yesterday, after 5 years or more, this is what you can no longer readily see, admire, feel and walk past.  Too bad for your eyes, sucker!

2023, a few years after the plastic appeared.
Notice the sidewalk.  It is particularly attractive 
and safe in the summer and fall!

Which would you rather see and live near?  Which would be best for the city in general?  None of the above?  

Oh, by the way, you may be shocked to know that the owner of 251 Columbia does not live in Hudson and likely never has.  Guess where he lives.  Why, it's Brooklyn, of course!  And, apparently, he has no plans to put a house on his property.  Ever.  And City Hall, including Deewan S-A-R-O-W-A-R and Mohammed Rony, doesn't give a shit what the owner does or doesn't do with 251 Columbia.  Or if he ever puts a house there.  After all, long fences (walls?) along city sidewalks make great neighbors, don't they?

If you care about the future of Hudson, you have to be concerned with the direction we are headed.  It's certainly not up or forward, is it?

Last night's SAFETY Committee meeting lasted more than one hour (where, once again, parking was the primary topic). Other than helping Henry pronounce his last name correctly by uttering it to him to allow the meeting to start, I didn't hear Dewan S-A-R-O-W-A-R utter one fucking word during the entire meeting.  He kept his winter jacket and wool hat on the entire time, never looking like he didn't want to get out of the room.  Thank goodness he was warm and comfortable, though!  More importantly, which direction did Dewan drive when the meeting was over and he headed "home"?  Did he pass by the lovely new fortification in his ward protecting 251 Columbia from Mohawk Indian war raids?  Did he notice the new look in his ward and neighborhood?  Or did Dewan head north into Greenport to hang his hat, far from the new and improved 251 Columbia?

Last question.  How many DAYS will it take before that wall in front of 251 Columbia is tagged by a graffitist or three?  I'm thinking 15 days tops!  Let's hope so!  What a canvas!

Mid-January.  Welcome to historic
Hudson, visitors!

At least one year and counting