By Tommy Hallissey
The 201-unit building at 86-25 Van Wyck Expressway was owned by the Trump family for more than 30 years. Rumors of a sale had swirled since January.
The tenants were notified of the sale through a letter from Robert Trump, brother of Donald, dated April 30. It read: “Please be advised that the Trump family has this day sold and conveyed the building you live in and assigned your interest in your lease to Briar Wyck Apartments LLC.”
In the letter, there was no mention of who the new owner actually is, but many of the tenants in the complex believe it is Ruben Schron, who owns the sprawling Fresh Meadows Complex on 188th Street.
He is referred to only as the “purchaser.” Distraught tenants had not received any communication from the new owner as of late last week.
An official of the Trump firm in Brooklyn said the apartment building had been sold to Briar Wyck Apartments LLC.
Robert Trump said in a letter to the tenants that “during the negotiations, a very important issue for my family was that the purchaser be a good 'caretaker' for the housing amassed by my father, Fred C. Trump.
“As they assured us, they take the responsibility to operate and maintain this portfolio very seriously. They intend to continue to operate it in the same excellent manner that we have for all these years.”
The tenants are not the only ones affected by the change of ownership. Four days later the workers at the apartment building received an unsigned letter from an entity called Boro Apartment Maintenance LLC. It said the union contracts had been assigned to Boro Apartment Maintenance LLC. The letter asked two employees to voluntarily retire.
There was no information as to how Briar Wyck Apartments LLC was related to Boro Apartment Maintenance. Phone calls to Briar Wyck Apartments LLC were not returned.
“On behalf of the new owner, we are authorized to offer to all employees of Briar Wyck Apartments who voluntarily terminate their employment a cash payment equal to one week salary for every full year of employment, up to a maximum of 26 weeks,” the letter said.
“The purpose of this program is to avoid any layoffs as Briar Wyck Apartments is scheduled for a reduction of staff of two porters.”
If no one voluntarily retires dismissal will be based upon seniority. A doorman, a member of Local 32, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the union is attempting to find work in other building for the soon to be displaced porters.
But tenants of the Briar Wyck contend that the building cannot handle a decrease in porters. They said that there would be a direct correlation between a cutback in porters and a decline in services for the building.
Last Thursday night the tenants of the Briar Wyck held an emergency meeting to discuss their anxiety over new ownership. To address tenants' concerns, Florence Fisher, executive director of the Queens Community Civic Corporation, led the meeting.
There was widespread speculation at the meeting that the new owner was Schron, who tenants feared would cut back on services and raise rents by requesting capital improvements.
“My greatest fear is this place would become a dump with shortness of staff,” said Miguel Rodriguez, who has been in the building 11 years when it was less desirable than today.
One of the biggest concerns for the tenants is that the building will go co-op, leaving them with the option to buy or leave. “What they are trying to do is make us leave,” said Loretta Campbell.
Reach reporter Tommy Hallissey by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718 229-0300 x 155
