Sanitation Dept. crushes beloved green truck that honored late Gowanus mechanic
Andreas Stylianou ran New Millennium Motors on 3rd Avenue and 7th Street in Gowanus for more than 40 years. After Andreas died in a crash in 2019, his wife kept his memory alive by decorating the truck and leaving it parked outside the shop.
For more than 10 years, a little green mini monster truck parked outside a Gowanus auto shop was more than a neighborhood landmark. It was a tribute to the man who built it.
Andreas Stylianou ran New Millennium Motors on 3rd Avenue and 7th Street in Gowanus for more than 40 years.
“People loved him. It wasn't just a repair shop to him, it was more than that,” said his wife, Maria Stylianou.
After Andreas died in a crash in 2019, Maria kept his memory alive by decorating the truck and leaving it parked outside the shop.
But last Wednesday, it was gone.
The city's Department of Sanitation had towed it at 5:30 a.m. and sent it to a scrapyard, where it was crushed.
"To suddenly do this overnight, not give us a chance, not give us a warning, to me it’s no different than a thief," Maria said.
DSNY said the truck was towed because it didn’t have a license plate and VIN, "which is not allowed in any circumstance,” a spokesperson said. "We tagged the vehicle and it was removed six hours later, in accordance with the law."
Neighbors mourned the loss of what many called a beloved community fixture.
"It was like a notable art installment for the community," one resident said. "Very sad to see it go.”
A portion of the street was co-named in Stylianou's honor after his death, a lasting reminder of the man who called this block home for decades.
