Last fall, the new Urban Investigative Reporting class went looking for a worthwhile project to tackle in combination with a small, local media outlet. The idea was that students would conduct an in-depth probe on a topic that ethnic or non-profit publications wanted to cover — but lacked the time and resources to handle.
Jordan Moss, former editor of the Norwood News in the north Bronx, immediately offered a suggestion: Have the class examine how a wealthy Bronx real estate kingpin had managed to prosper despite the notoriously poor conditions in many buildings with which he was associated. Moss had a special interest in the topic stemming from his paper’s detailed coverage of a tragic fire in one of those buildings, a 2002 blaze that killed an 8-year-old boy and maimed his brother.
The story the students came up with is contained in the current issue of City Limits magazine. Titled “The Phantom Landlord,” it’s a multi-part tale of wealthy real estate operator Frank Palazzolo and the severely troubled housing empire he headed.
To get the story, says former Village Voice and Daily News reporter Tom Robbins, who taught the class, students had to get a quick footing in the complex world of real estate finance and learn how to decipher deeds, mortgages, and court records. “Students learned to dig,” Robbins said. “They spent days and evenings knocking on doors, talking to tenants, community activists, bankers, and city officials.” They also traveled to Palazzolo’s Westchester headquarters to get an interview. (He wasn’t interested.)
The student investigative team included Lisha Arino, Roxanna Asgarian, Tamy Cozier, Juan Alberto De Jesus, Paul DeBenedetto, Brendaliss Gonzalez, Judy Le, Michael McCutcheon, Hannah Miet, Annais Morales, Laura Ratliff, Nicholas Rizzi, Daniel Rosenblum, and Jacqueline Vergara.
Robbins is seeking other good leads for one or more projects for next fall’s class. To reach him, send an email to tom.robbins@journalism.cuny.edu.
Listen to Tom Robbins on the Brian Lehrer Show.