Giving Graffiti The Brush Off

The effort to rid Queens of a widespread graffiti problem is continuing throughout the borough, most recently in Woodhaven.
The mayors Community Assistance Unit (CAU), in conjunction with Councilman Dennis Gallagher and the Environmental Development Corporation (EDC), got together to tackle the building complex at the Sports Authority store located on Woodhaven Boulevard just off Metropolitan Avenue.
"This is a problem that we will continue to stay on top of," Councilman Gallagher said. "The combined efforts of elected officials and the CAU is what really makes this work."
Clinton Langston, a removal specialist with the EDC, explained to The Queens Courier that this particular site was extremely difficult to clean up due to the size of the buildings and the extent to which they had been tagged. Langston said that in order to effectively clean the buildings, they must first be primed with a remover that eats away at the pigment. After about 45 minutes the remover is washed away with a high pressure washer and the building is left almost graffiti free.
Joann Ariola, director of the CAU for Queens South, has been involved with many such projects.
"The objective of this intensive effort is to prove to these vandals that we will keep on top of them,"Ariola said. "It is the intent of this administration to demonstrate to everyone that every time they tag a property we will be right behind them to undo their destruction."
In addition to city agencys involvement, Councilman Gallagher explained to The Queens Courier that there is an extensive network of community groups whose participation is integral in making the operation a success. "The Glendale Civilian Observation Patrol is covering the area in private vehicles and staking out properties known to be targets. These citizens are doing an outstanding job of monitoring popular strike sites and reporting back through the proper channels."
The Glendale group is just one of several in Queens who volunteer their time to serve their communities.
"We are trying to get the message out to these criminals that we are actively watching them," said Kerry Steinmuller, a staffer at Gallaghers office. She has been responsible for coordinating efforts with the councilmans office, CAU and EDC. "Its a great thing for people to see that we are not going to tolerate this type of damage and that they can depend on their elected officials and the mayors office to take care of business."
The graffiti initiative is an ongoing project and it is hoped that the concentrated attention will act as an effective deterrent to vandals.