Troy Record Article from Today's Paper

It's a pretty scary thought

By James V. Franco

If it were the first time, Mayor Harry Tutunjian's explanation for closing down the Sanctuary for Independent Media on the day a controversial exhibit opened to the public could be considered plausible. But it's not the first time strong arm code enforcement tactics have been used under questionable circumstances. About two years ago, I watched as they tore down the marquee on the Cine Art. The city said it was unsafe and could fall on someone. That struck me as odd since two guys whacked away at it with sledge hammers for a few hours and then had to use a torch to cut the steel beams, cantilevered into the building, that were, until the acetylene hit them, doing a pretty good job of holding it up. This happened about a month after authorities raided the place and found sordid activities taking place there. The business was closed down, rightly so, but the owner has since done a ton of work on the building's inside but can't get the necessary permits to open the building up, not as a theater, but as a novelty store. Like it or not, it's a legal way to make a living, but he can't get the permits. Then, resident Jim deSeve requested the resignation of three employees for allegedly engaging in shady politicking using city resources on city time, the city cited him for having graffiti on his building. There were questions whether he was in violation of anything, how long the graffiti had been on his building and why they decided to go after him shortly after he called for the resignations. And then, Bud DeBonis set up his law practice in Lansingburgh and everything was going fine until the Democratic majority on the City Council, who don't getting along too well with Tutunjian and his administration, hired him as their attorney. Shortly thereafter, code enforcement shut him down for not having an adequate number of parking spots. And now, a day after a number of city and county employees picket the Sanctuary and the day it plans to open to the public an exhibit that entails a video game featuring a suicide bomber blowing up President Bush, code enforcement says no crowds can assemble there. Assembling crowds is what the Sanctuary for Independent Media is all about so without any crowds, the place is pretty much shut down. Think back to Jack Cox, and the raids conducted by code enforcement on his President Street junk yard. Cox always claimed they were harassing him in order to get his riverfront property. While Cox brought most of his problems on himself, he did, after years of fighting, ultimately agree to sell his land to the city for $400,000. Tutunjian and his administration made a big issue about aggressive code enforcement and concentrating on quality of life issues when they rolled into office and created the Action Team. I've seen them work. They are aggressive, and that is not a bad thing. But it does make me question how they let the Sanctuary slide by for 14 months, allowing them to assemble crowds when there is such a clear and present "life safety issue," as they say. The mayor claims "the ball was dropped" and promises an investigation into why and/or who dropped the ball on not closing the place down because the doors are two inches too small. According to Sanctuary Director Steve Pierce, it might be because the media center folks already made a ton of repairs and were working with code enforcement to get their building, an old church on Sixth Avenue, up to snuff. That was until they Sanctuary decided to host the video game art exhibit. I don't necessarily agree that it is art and I honestly think the artist is using shock value to bring attention to himself. But that doesn't mean the city has the right to close down the building or use city resources against things or people they don't necessary like or agree with. Actually, that is a pretty scary thought. And, if as I suspect, the artist was just trying to draw attention to himself, shutting down the building helped him towards that end. James V. Franco is The Record's city editor. His column runs Thursdays.