Post Update: I just wanted to post an update to my original comments below. I should clarify that when I wrote the post I assumed that Target had no permission to do this to the sidewalk in front of its new store. But, upon discussing it with others, I should amend this post to say that I have no information supporting that assumption. While I am not familiar with cases where a business has received permission to alter the sidewalk in front of its store, until I know for sure I should not jump to the conclusion, and nor should any readers, that Target acted without receiving permission from the City. If Target took this action after getting the OK from the City, then that changes everything—and my issue would be with the City granting that permission. Also, I objected to this based on the photos I saw. As a neighborhood blogger, I should and will visit the site myself and see if there is any worthwhile reason for this construction. It just could be that Target absolutely needed this part of the sidewalk unobstructed in order to conduct its business, for example. I view Target as an excellent addition to our neighborhood—one that will provide a lot of easy access to a wide assortment of products we probably don't currently have in Central Forest Hills, so I want to be as fair as possible to this new store. I think my original post was a little hasty and unfair until we know the full story.
We have a history on Austin Street of builders cementing over these tree pits, even cementing over LIVING TREES believe it or not (hey, it happened at the still-in-limbo construction site next to the Bareburger), so forgive me for being a little, perhaps, over-sensitive to this issue.
This is truly bizarre behavior for a business just entering our neighborhood and, I'm sorry to say, is the height of corporate arrogance. The squares you see in the sidewalk below used to be home to beautiful trees, something we citizens of New York City can always use more of, not less of. The soon-to-open Target apparently took it upon itself to just brick these spots over to fit with their new store's design. They don't own the sidewalk, and they certainly have no right to assume we will be ok with them taking away the precious spaces we have reserved for our sidewalk trees. It's disgraceful behavior which I hope was the result of just an oversight between Target and the builders of its new store and not actually planned. In any case, it needs to be rectified immediately. (It also makes their co-retailer, Starbucks, look very, very bad.)
Thanks to Michael Perlman for the photos.
We have a history on Austin Street of builders cementing over these tree pits, even cementing over LIVING TREES believe it or not (hey, it happened at the still-in-limbo construction site next to the Bareburger), so forgive me for being a little, perhaps, over-sensitive to this issue.
This is truly bizarre behavior for a business just entering our neighborhood and, I'm sorry to say, is the height of corporate arrogance. The squares you see in the sidewalk below used to be home to beautiful trees, something we citizens of New York City can always use more of, not less of. The soon-to-open Target apparently took it upon itself to just brick these spots over to fit with their new store's design. They don't own the sidewalk, and they certainly have no right to assume we will be ok with them taking away the precious spaces we have reserved for our sidewalk trees. It's disgraceful behavior which I hope was the result of just an oversight between Target and the builders of its new store and not actually planned. In any case, it needs to be rectified immediately. (It also makes their co-retailer, Starbucks, look very, very bad.)
Thanks to Michael Perlman for the photos.
Target thinks they are in a mall environment. These are our streets and public sidewalks and our community benefited from those trees. It's the height of corporate irresponsibility and demonstrates a lack of concern on behalf of Target and their property owners. Let's start a petition and bombard Target's corporate website!
ReplyDeleteDid they cut down the trees? As a property owner, I'm forbidden to touch the trees in front of my house. I recall a story last year of well intended individuals receiving tickets for trimming shrubs in a city park. If they did cut down trees, how did they get away with it?
ReplyDeleteLooks like it will be a beautiful weekend for picketing? Anyone???
ReplyDeleteThis is disturbing. Anyone have an email contact at Target we can write to to request this be rectified with new trees?
ReplyDeleteTarget must/ is obliged to/ needs to...FIX THAT !
ReplyDeleteShameful and arrogant, you're completely right. I'm not even sure I want to hear their justification. It'll probably just make me angrier.
ReplyDeleteWhat a disgrace!
ReplyDeleteWhile Target doesn't own the sidewalk, they could very well be responsible for its management and maintenance and therefore liable for injuries that occur on those portions of the sidewalk that are directly in front of their store.
ReplyDeleteThey may have viewed the tree wells as trip hazards and simply decided that filling them in with brick and making them level with the surrounding sidewalk was safer and more cost effective than potential future litigation.
Not saying I agree with the tree removal - just trying to provide some insight as to why it may've been done.
This was clearly not an oversight!! They already laid brick over it. They probably felt the trees would detract from window displays or some nonsense. They are not used to this kind of atmosphere. They are mostly part of the big box suburban strip malls. I find this appalling and was disappointed when I heard they were moving in. So many people on here were thrilled that they could buy toilet paper in a more convenient place - well go be thrilled by their big box retail attitude and forget about the trees since this is what you wanted!!
ReplyDeleteI emailed several of Target's leadership (https://corporate.target.com/press/leadership) to say I would urge everyone in the neighborhood to boycott until they replace the trees. Everybody should weigh in similarly:
ReplyDeletejohn.mulligan@target.com,
brian.cornell@target.com,
Laysha.Ward@target.com,
Janna.Potts@target.com
There is a penalty of $1000 for even TRIMMING a street tree (such as the one in front of my house). I suggest someone call the Parks Dept. or whichever dept is in charge of street trees. You can probably report it on 311.
ReplyDeleteThey need the space to line up their shopping carts by day and put out their trash by night.
ReplyDeleteThe chopped down the trees and then pulverized the stumps before laying the bricks.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I read the addendum before reading the post. Honestly, people.., I think we'll all manage to live just fine without a tree or two in front of Target. The reaction was a tad melodramatic. Petitions? Picketing? Boycott? I don't understand that kind of vitriol for a tree on a sidewalk. Frankly, most of the sidewalk trees in our area are just in the way, and narrow the walking space in some places to where two people can't pass each other without going around the tree and walking in the road.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, some people think reducing Target to "a place to buy toilet paper" is an effective argument. It's not. Not a single person who approved of the Target in the previous threads said "Finally, a place to buy toilet paper!"yet this person keeps trotting out the same tired trope, even though he/she was the ONLY person to ever bring up toilet paper. There are MANY household items at Target that we can't find in the immediate area (God knows I've tried, but our retail situation is fairly dire except for the big drugstores) or are more affordable at Target, and not all of us either drive or have the time/energy to make the trip to Grand Ave. and back lugging stuff through turnstiles and up/down stairs. Right now our only alternative is the nasty knockoff crap at that awful Value Depot, which conned us all into thinking they were shutting down months ago. So get over it already.
Preach!
DeleteTrees produce oxygen, hello??? How are children supposed to grow properly without enough oxygen????? You can have your crappy retail items, but I'll choose childrens lives over poorly made tshirts. Every. Single. Time.
DeleteSincerely,
Concerned SJW
Oh, honey. The removal of one small tree in a neighborhood full of trees is not going to endanger the lives of THE CHIIIIIILDREN!!!!! and cut off their oxygen supply. Good God. Such melodrama. Every time someone wants to justify an overreaction to something small, they inevitably drag in THE CHIIIIIILDREN!!!!!
DeleteHA! Oh how I wish we could trade in all the neighborhood children for trees instead! :)
DeleteAnother theory ... this could be a temporary sidewalk alteration while the store undergoes construction (which might have damaged the trees if they were in the way), and they may re-plant prior to the grand opening
ReplyDeletePlease don't rush to make such sweeping statements as "Not a single person who approved of the Target in the previous threads said "Finally, a place to buy toilet paper!" Laurie, go back and read Drake's post from January 12 on things he looks forward to for the new year. He states: "Target Express: Yes, my toilet paper supply is running low again. And, no, I don't look forward to schlepping a supersized pack home on the subway again." Please don't use this blog as a way to try and tell people off Laurie, or at the very least, get your facts straight!
ReplyDeleteOh, SO SORRY. *One* person brought up toilet paper, yet regardless of all the other reasons many other people brought up for why Target is a good addition to the neighborhood, the same person (you, I assume?) kept bringing up toilet paper over and over again, like "If you can't find another place to buy toilet paper in Forest Hills, you're an idiot!" And frankly everyone on this blog tells people off. Including, oddly enough, YOU.
DeleteContractors must, according to NYC law, put a barricade around any city tree that is adjacent to a construction site. Or risk a fine.
ReplyDeleteThe Parks Department is investigating the situation.
ReplyDeleteHaving TARGET far outweighs the removal of a few scrawny looking trees. The sidewalks on Austin can be very crowded at times and these tree cut outs in the pavement can be dangerous. It's amusing about the Oxygen slant on all this especially when within a few miles radious of Austin ST shopping area are public parks with 1/2 million trees.
ReplyDeleteThis is a "quality of life" issue. The oxygen from trees helps to purify the air...Think of all the gas exhaust fumes on Austin St. It is shocking to see two more trees cut-down! One would expect Target(past sponsor of free Fridays for a major NYC museum) would plant more trees, and keep the aesthetic image they sought to cultivate, by keeping the special"green"character of our neighborhood.
DeleteThe trees were cut down last year as they were dead before Target even got the property....surprised no one remembers :)
ReplyDeleteThe bricks though...that's the new development, no idea on that one
So this story should be about the bricking and permanent removal of trees, not blaming Target though.
Well, they weren't dead when Target touted the upcoming store -- they're featured fairly prominently in this rendering from Target's own marketing materials: https://corporate.target.com/article/2015/08/flexible-format-stores-new-york
DeleteThose 3 trees were chopped down last month and the stumps pulverized a few days later.
ReplyDeleteLawful or not, this is wrong. And it sets the wrong precedent -- that one business's profits trump the welfare of all.
ReplyDeleteBig Corporations trampling on our community and harming the environment. What about sustainability?
ReplyDeleteThe Target brand is all about harming the environment. It imports thousands of cheap, Made in China junk, without which it couldn't exist. I'd rather pay more for a few quality free trade items than dozens of mass produced, low quality (but prettily designed) junk. But of course you bargain hunters won't agree.
DeleteSidewalk trees are fine as long as they are maintained. How many trees can you name on Austin & 71st Ave that are healthy, pruned, and have no weeds or litter in their tree pits? Parks Dept plants trees then walk away expecting shopkeepers and ACE to maintain...never going to happen, unfortunately. Blame the City!
ReplyDeleteAnother issue is flooding. These pits help absorb water runoff during heavy rains. That water will now flow into the street where flooding has been a big problem in the past.
ReplyDelete