In January, the former Wyndham Garden Hotel in Queens, New York was purchased by Bayrock Capital for $24 million.
The new owners had no intention of offering upscale accommodations to tourists; instead, they agreed with the Department of Homeless Services to transform the property into housing for undocumented immigrants.
This move has not been well-received in a city already grappling with an influx of illegal residents.
Numerous complaints have been lodged by neighbors with the police and Department of Homeland Security, citing disturbances and safety concerns.
The area in front of the shelter has become a gathering place for minors as young as six or seven, leading to reports of disruptive behavior and even physical altercations.
Despite the presence of security guards, little action has been taken to address these issues.
Many local residents are frustrated and calling for the shelter’s closure, but their pleas have so far gone unheeded by the city authorities.
Neighbors can’t help but talk about this fight club.
The residents of a Queens apartment building say they’ve hardly had a moment’s peace since January when a 128-room hotel in Long Island City was transformed into a city-run migrant shelter.
Children living in the seven-story building loiter outside the front entrance in large, unsupervised groups practically every evening, claim residents next door at 911 44th Drive. From 8 p.m. until well past midnight, the kids fight and chase each other around, shouting, screaming — and disrupting neighbors’ sleep.
Several videos have been captured by neighbors and are available at the Post, mostly used as evidence when filing complaints.
The situation is extremely distressing, with gangs of teenage boys seen bullying younger children, putting them in headlocks, and assaulting them on the sidewalk.
The noise of yelling and screaming persists until late into the night, causing significant disturbance.
Reporters were prompted to ask obvious questions regarding parental supervision and responsibility for these children, to which it seems that nobody is taking charge.
Some of the teenagers involved are notably large, almost the size of young adults.
As a result, many female residents in the neighborhood are fearful of walking past the shelter after dark due to concerns about potential attacks.
Notably, there has been a rise in petty crimes and theft coinciding with this “fight club” activity.
Cars left on the street overnight are at a higher risk of vandalism or break-ins.
