diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/GCubeSiteManagerImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/GCubeSiteManagerImpl.java
index 23a49b8..3d48fe1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/GCubeSiteManagerImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/impl/GCubeSiteManagerImpl.java
@@ -59,17 +59,6 @@ public class GCubeSiteManagerImpl extends SiteManagerUtil {
 	public static final String SITE_DEFAULT_LOGO = "/org/gcube/portal/custom/communitymanager/resources/default_logo.png";
 
 
-	public static List<String> getVirtualGroups() throws PortalException, SystemException {
-		try {
-			ExpandoBridge expandoBridge = ExpandoBridgeFactoryUtil.getExpandoBridge(SiteManagerUtil.getCompany().getCompanyId(), Group.class.getName());
-			String[] groups = (String[]) expandoBridge.getAttributeDefault(CustomAttributeKeys.VIRTUAL_GROUP.getKeyName());	
-			return Arrays.asList(groups);
-		} catch (Exception e) {
-			e.printStackTrace();
-			return null;
-		}		
-	}
-	
 	/**
 	 * 
 	 * @param rootVoName the voName
@@ -231,113 +220,5 @@ public class GCubeSiteManagerImpl extends SiteManagerUtil {
 			siteLayout.addTab(new GCUBELayoutTab("Calendar", GCUBELayoutType.ONE_COL, 
 					new GCUBEPortlet("Calendar", PortletsIdManager.getLRPortletId(PortletsIdManager.LR_CALENDAR)), true));
 		return siteLayout;
-	}
-
-
-	/***
-	 * simple helper method
-	 * @param inputStream
-	 * @return
-	 */
-	private static File writeTempLogo(InputStream inputStream) {
-		try {
-			File temp = File.createTempFile("logoimage", ".png");
-			// write the inputStream to a FileOutputStream
-			FileOutputStream out = new FileOutputStream(temp);
-			int read = 0;
-			byte[] bytes = new byte[1024];
-			while ((read = inputStream.read(bytes)) != -1) 
-				out.write(bytes, 0, read);
-			inputStream.close();
-			out.flush();
-			out.close();
-			return temp;
-		} catch (IOException e) {
-			return null;
-		}
 	}	
-	/**
-	 *  {@inheritDoc}
-	 */
-	public static Boolean readOrganizationCustomAttribute(String username, Organization currOrg, String attrToCheck) {
-		Boolean isEnabled = false;
-		if (username.compareTo("test.user") == 0) {
-			_log.warn("Found test.user maybe you are in dev mode, returning ... ");
-			return true;
-		}
-		try {
-
-			long companyId = SiteManagerUtil.getCompany().getCompanyId();
-			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission");
-			User user = UserLocalServiceUtil.getUserByScreenName(companyId, ScopeHelper.getAdministratorUsername());
-			PermissionChecker permissionChecker = PermissionCheckerFactoryUtil.create(user, false);
-			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
-			_log.trace("Setting Permission ok!");
-
-			User currentUser = SiteManagerUtil.validateUser(username);
-			if (currOrg.getExpandoBridge().getAttribute(attrToCheck) == null || currOrg.getExpandoBridge().getAttribute(attrToCheck).equals("")) {
-				_log.trace("Attribute " + attrToCheck + " must be initialized");
-				setOrgCustomAttribute(username, currOrg, attrToCheck);
-				isEnabled = true;
-			}
-			else {
-				String currVal = (String) currOrg.getExpandoBridge().getAttribute(attrToCheck);
-				isEnabled = (currVal.compareTo("true") == 0);
-			}
-
-			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission back to regular");			
-			permissionChecker = PermissionCheckerFactoryUtil.create(currentUser, false);
-			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
-			_log.trace("Setting Permission ok! returning ...");
-			System.out.println(" returning *********** isEnabled=" + isEnabled);			
-			return isEnabled;
-		} catch (BeanLocatorException ex) {
-			ex.printStackTrace();
-			_log.warn("Could not read the property " + attrToCheck + " from LR DB, maybe you are in dev mode, returning true");
-			return true;
-		}
-		catch (Exception e) { 
-			e.printStackTrace();
-			return false;
-		}
-	}
-	
-	/**
-	 * 
-	 * @param username
-	 * @param attribute2Set
-	 */
-	private static void setOrgCustomAttribute(String username,  Organization currOrg, String attribute2Set) {
-		User currUser = null;
-		if (username.compareTo("test.user") == 0) {
-			_log.warn("Found Test User, returning ... ");
-			return;
-		}
-		try {
-			long companyId = SiteManagerUtil.getCompany().getCompanyId();
-			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission");
-			User user = UserLocalServiceUtil.getUserByScreenName(companyId, ScopeHelper.getAdministratorUsername());
-			PermissionChecker permissionChecker = PermissionCheckerFactoryUtil.create(user, false);
-			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
-			_log.trace("Setting Permission ok!");
-
-			_log.debug("Creating and Setting custom attribute for colName " + attribute2Set + " to " +true);
-			//add the custom attrs
-			currUser = UserLocalServiceUtil.getUserByScreenName(companyId, username);
-
-			if (! currOrg.getExpandoBridge().hasAttribute(attribute2Set)) 	
-				currOrg.getExpandoBridge().addAttribute(attribute2Set);
-
-			currOrg.getExpandoBridge().setAttribute(attribute2Set, "true");
-			_log.trace("setAttribute true");
-
-
-			_log.trace("Setting Thread Permission back to regular");
-			permissionChecker = PermissionCheckerFactoryUtil.create(currUser, false);
-			PermissionThreadLocal.setPermissionChecker(permissionChecker);
-		}
-		catch (Exception e) {
-			e.printStackTrace();
-		} 
-	}
 }