Queens bashing ads to be removed

The advertisements on the No. 7 Line subway, which some residents say bash the outer boroughs, especially Queens, are being taken down this week as their one-month run wraps up, said Mark Billfield, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Public Storage, Inc.
Billfield said that although the ads were not being removed because of recent complaints, the company had sent a letter to Councilmember Eric Gioia, who had slammed the billboards last week.
&#8220If anything, our posters are meant to poke fun at the excessive prices of self-storage in Manhattan, and certainly not as a cultural critique of the outer boroughs,” a representative of Public Storage wrote.
&#8220It's not only insulting, but it's inaccurate,” Gioia said of the ads stating that &#8220Finally, a reason to leave Manhattan,” and showing low rates for storage facilities in Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx.
Gioia had offered to give Ronald Havner, Jr., the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Public Storage, a personal tour of the borough this week, after spotting advertisements on the No. 7 Line subway, but Billfield would not comment on whether the CEO planned to take the Councilmember up on his offer.
Gioia said that his wife had also spotted the ads while riding the subway and she was offended by the apparent borough bashing.
Not all of the No. 7 Line riders, however, felt as outraged as the Gioias.
&#8220It's a fair statement,” said Amira Roland, 22, a life-long resident of Corona. &#8220[Queens] is overcrowded. I'm not offended at all.”
Millie Espinoza, who has lived in Woodside for two years, said that she thought that the ad was aimed at luring the rich Manhattan residents to the outer borough storage facilities, so she did not mind that the orange and white poster snubbed Queens.
&#8220People will use any gimmick to attract you,” she said.
However, 17-year-old Lwiza Castillo, a Long Island City native, did take offense.
&#8220They &#8220[Public Storage] are just ignorant,” she said, describing new developments and construction along the Queens waterfront. &#8220 I know [Queens] is great.”