Citizen
The recent repurposing of an Upper West Side hotel from a dormitory for musical theater students into an asylum seeker shelter is not going without incident.
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Since the Stratford Arms building (117 West 70th Street) began welcoming new residents, there have been numerous noise complaints, unregistered bikes parked in the area, and most recently, a violent reaction to police attempting to confiscate the bikes in an incident that was caught on video.
Police say that on Thursday, August 31, officers were on the scene responding to a community complaint about various mopeds, scooters, and bikes parked in the area of the building on West 70th Street. While officers were attempting to confiscate the vehicles, the NYPD report says that 20-year-old migrant Baibaia Rodriguez was arrested after trying to stop the officers from taking a bike. The initial report says that she “hit an officer with an open hand” and “refused to be cuffed after she was taken into custody.”
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Police ended up seizing four mopeds, one motorcycle, nine bicycles and one scooter.
Police Activity @CitizenApp
2025 Broadway Aug 31 10:22:47 PM EDT
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office gave us a copy of the complaint stating that at 10:13 p.m. on Thursday, Police Lieutenant Stephen Schoefer “felt an individual’s open hand hit his right shoulder from behind.” Rodriguez, who police believe lives in the building, was charged with resisting arrest, attempted assault in the third degree, and disorderly conduct. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office agreed to release her on her own recognizance with charges that were not bail-eligible and with a court date of October 19.
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The Stratford Arms building was formerly a dormitory for the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA). Mayor Eric Adams announced in early June that it would become an asylum seeker shelter, and since then, the NY Post has reported on complaints of excess noise, prostitution and unregistered bikes – which led longtime resident Joe Germanotta (Lady Gaga’s dad) to create the West 70th Street Tenants Association in order to petition City Hall to take better control of the situation.
There are unregistered small motorcycles all over the UWS, why just concentrate on this group?
First thing you should learn when you come to a new country is to obey the law. This is not about being right or left. Is about common sense and civility.
The people who were BORN here ignore the law!
Motorcycles and mopeds unregistered, no lights, running red lights, riding on sidewalks, against traffic, spitting/drinking/smoking/eating where prohibited, blasting music or phones in public and on shared transportation, not paying fares, etc.
Some “cultures” are incompatible with a civil society.
We don’t need to arrest them, but in today’s age of data tracking, start taking away their priviledges.
These are real humans and by labeling as migrant is absolutely offensive
Oh, give it a rest, Mother Theresa.
Get help
THE GALL! They are here illegally. Don’t give me the “asylum” BS. Instead of laying low under the radar they are getting in the face of cops?? Taking away illegal scooters which is already a big UWS issue. Anyone here in a migrant shelter who is arrested should IMMEDIATELY be deported. PERIOD.
Wow.
Just wow.
They are not here illegally, no matter how much you wish it.
Concentrate on your broader scooter point.
The NYPD is NOT ice, we don’t live in the Soviet Union, no matter what some rightwingers claim.
There will be a 20th Precinct “Build the Block” Sector B (70th – 79th Streets, Park to River) to address this and some other of our neighborhood issues. The Community Policing Officers will be there and want to hear from you! If you would like information about the meeting, Date, time and location, email: buildtheblocksectorb@gmail.com
Ah this explains why the islands between Broadway and Amsterdam has become a Moped hangout spot!
We don’t have all the details but some people are already asking for hangings. Label them witches (migrants) and burn them at the stake. One or five people housed at the hotel get riled up because, maybe, their only means of livelihood are being carted away and now ALL the “migrants” are painted with the same brush.
Lady Gaga’s dad should check his family’s coming to America journal & see if there were any migrants in his past. Just saying that people should be a bit more understanding and stop demonizing recent arrivals to this country wholesale.
You don’t get to hit cops. Period. If you are seeking asylum in another country, you especially don’t get to hit cops OR break laws.
This behavior is completely surprising and unexpected
On SW corner of Bway/70th st., the 70th Street “new-neighbors” set up an a moped repair shop on the sidewalk (repairing the illegal mopeds), a barber shop (taking a stool and chair from Stratford Arrms) and a take out food restaurant (from coolers).
It only took 2 calls to the 20th Precinct (the desk person insisted complaints be made to 311 until she understood that she has a responsibility to forward complaints to officers), and stopping officers on the street a few times to complain. THE 20TH PRECINCT IGNORED COMPLAINTS FOR AT LEAST 2 WEEKS. (I’m surprised the cop wasn’t slapped by an UWS resident reminding them to do their jobs! )
On a positive note, unlike the Cafe Luxembourg, they simply kept their “free-rent” businesses on the sidewalk instead of taking up 10 residential parking spaces to run their businesses.
Keep the upper west side safe! think of our children and elderly…. WE DO NOT DESERVE THIS. Protect our neighborhood please! Will vote for local and official leaders who put Americans first.
Protect our police! We want more police presence on the upper west side! Illegal migrants need to respect our laws. We do not offer free hand outs. This is a bigger issue and swift strong action must be taken. We need to prioritize American citizens.