Published September 11, 2021
On Thursday, before NineDot’s contractor accosted Council Member Phil Wong and his staff, culminating in one staff member being subjected to a racist slur, then allegedly tackled to the ground where he struck his head on the pavement and spent the night in the hospital, the contractor was violating Wednesday’s partial Stop Work Order by installing a concrete vault and backfilling it. The Department of Buildings confirmed the work was not permitted and responded by issuing a full Class 1 Aggravated Stop Work Order.
After residents reported the illegal work, Council Member Wong and his staff did exactly what they were elected to do. They responded, documented the work from a public sidewalk, and ensured accountability.
While some continue debating who touched whom despite the video evidence, the larger point remains: the contractor should not have been working that day. If the contractor and his workers believed someone was doing something improper by lawfully recording from a public sidewalk, they should have called 911 instead of running out of the construction site and taking matters into their own hands. The contractor apparently thought this work could continue unnoticed. They were wrong.
Let’s also not forget that a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment prepared for the property’s former owner identified recognized environmental concerns on the site. Soil that was illegally excavated now sits uncovered across from a school, raising serious questions that deserve answers.
We appreciate Council Member Wong and his office for keeping a close watch on this project. We call on all appropriate authorities to hold this contractor accountable, not only for the illegal work that resulted in a Class 1 Aggravated Stop Work Order, but also to fully investigate the alleged assault and the racist slur that preceded it. This kind of conduct has no place in our community.
It is also time for government and developers to start listening to neighborhoods instead of forcing projects on communities over their overwhelming objections.
NineDot should do the right thing and relocate this facility to a more appropriate site.
This never should have been approved by Dept of Buildings Why is an industrial business in commercial zoning?
Can someone please tell me more about GA Industries. Who they are. Where they are located. What certifications they have to do this work. Their website is blank. And they are not the GA Industries that manufactures valves and fittings. What does the NYS DPS know about them? Do they have the required safety, environmental and historic preservation training required for such a project? And who are the environmental and construction inspectors for this site? And when was a pre-construction meeting held with community leaders and stakeholders? NYS DPS and Nine Dot must the answers. I hope.
Sue the the construction worker, sue the construction company, sue the vendor, sue City of New York for allowing this project and behavior, sue NineDot, press charges and have the construction worker arrested. Have a massive legacy media turnout with shame on you journalists broadcast this incident on the 5 O’clock news for everyone to see. Let’s see who wins. I bet my money on us and our community. What will you do and how will you contribute to help us?
No proper shoring or any signs of bracing... Saving in labor risking their workers lives.
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When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.Definitely press charges file a lawsuit including the owner of the company
Wishing him a full and speedy recovery
Hope he’ll be well soon
Bullying is for chumps Violence shouldn’t be part of Political discourse, and yet here we are.
So it wasn't you Phil Wong ?
1. Immediately halt construction. 2. File a lawsuit against the contractor. 3. Press charges. Not in any particular order.
Anyone have contacts at TV stations to get broader coverage. How can this dangerous building be approved so close to a vet, a daycare, a playroom and a grammar school. Plus right in a residential area. Isn’t there an industrial area in Maspeth? Scary
Phil Wong press charges for Assault
Today we learned there are people in this neighborhood who:
* claim to be opposed to a battery farm, yet:
* think it's ok that a stop work order on the site was violated
* blame a council staffer who was legally documenting the violation of said stop work order for being assaulted
* defend a contractor that made a racist comment toward him.
Talk about Things That Are Dumb.
Today, something very disturbing happened at the
NineDot Energy BESS site in Middle Village. A staffer for CM
Phil Wong was legally recording through a window in the fence, when a worker for the contractor rushed out to block him, made racist remarks and then tackled him.
Meanwhile, the site had a stop work order that was being violated. We are calling on Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, NYC Buildings, Governor Kathy Hochul and Con Edison to stop this project and sanction this horrible company.
Obviously the contractor has something to hide. What does the Mayors Office say? The cat thing is definitely an ethnic slight. Is that contractor 11 or 12 years old? Geez
To start why would you try to stop someone from taking a photo of a work spot that has a viewing window? They probably weren't supposed to be working. The aggression seems to come when this worker put his body in front of the viewing window.
Did he say he smelled cat ?
Non Union?
It’s too hot for this nonsense
Wong or Chow???
Get a drone a lot safer
Due to the heat all work around electric, gas and oil lines are to stop. If the contractor was following the mandate this wouldn’t of happened
Use a drone !!!
Curious, if there ever was a police response to  this assault
Phaythe Ross
He's famous now
Wow…hiding something for sure.
David Rojas Then tell us.
If you don't handle the big business that are already taking advantage of the neighborhood and violating laws daily since 1933...ehat do you expect??? Other big businesses will want to come to the neighborhood because they know they can violate laws and NYPD will do nothing!
Get ICE to clean it up. Problem solved.
Shut it down. Worse place possible for it . . . right next to a school. A disaster waiting to happen 🤦♀️
You should have them arrested. By law, anything you can see from a public sidewalk, you can video. And yelling at you and by laying hands on you and pushing you away is both assault and battery.
It's disgusting that these bastards build this crap in a residential area and right next door to an animal hospital. Idiot mayor does care. Not a bit. His priorities are messed up. Thank you Mr wong.
When does the city stop this crap ?
When this POS city pushes residents too far , this is what will happen and needs to happen! You can’t resolve shit by talking! We need to take physical action!
If this company is fine with hiring workers that violate stop work orders, imagine what else they will do
Councilman. Push to sue no?
FIND EM' FIRE EM' I CAN SMELL THE LONG ISLAND ON EM THRU THE SCREEN
Disgusting on so many levels. Racism and racist slurs are never acceptable. Shame on NineDot Energy!
