On a dead end off Bond Street
along the Gowanus Canal,
A lone cabbie
Is detailing his wheels.
along the Gowanus Canal,
A lone cabbie
Is detailing his wheels.
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Tuesday, September 30, 2008
"Short Films On The Waterfront"
2nd Annual
Red Hook Film Festival
October 11th and 12th
1pm to 6pm
Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition
For screening schedule and details click here.
I just checked out the list of movies that will be screened at this upcoming festival and I seriously want to see all of them. The festival director and programmer is Nathan Kensinger, fellow blogger and amazing photographer of Brooklyn's waterfront and industrial past.
Should be a great event.
Monday, September 29, 2008
I must admit, I haven't been to Trader Joe's yet though it is just a few block away from my house. First, I don't really like crowds, secondly, I don't like waiting in line. I have no problem letting a few days go by before attempting a first shopping expedition.
After the first reports of the opening celebration, I have heard the first grumblings, too.
Friends happened to be at the corner of Court Street and Atlantic Avenue at 9:30PM this Saturday and were amazed by a line of huge trucks all idling along Atlantic Avenue. There was trash and a lot of blue plastic restocking bins on the sidewalk. My friends were a bit taken aback by the scene, but confessed that they had never really thought about the fact that Trader Joe's won't have a loading dock.
Then yesterday, a friend and faithful reader sent me a photo of the intersection, cluttered by the same blue bins. Here is his observation:
Hi KatiaJust out of curiosity, I would love to know what impact this has on the residents in those new apartment buildings next door and across the street.
You may be interested by this picture of Trader Joe's modifying the
neighborhood. Just cases and cartons at this time as it did just open yesterday,
but soon trash and rats, I guess.
PS 58 PTA Flea Market
Message from PS 58 PTA Fundraising Chair Peter Becker
The PS 58 PTA is excited to announce its 1st Flea Market on Saturday,
October 4th from 10-4 pm. You can shop for bargains, sift through boxes of
junk and uncover lost treasures and oddities on Carroll Street between Smith
and Court, adjacent to Carroll Park. We've got lots of vendors from both
outside the school and PS 58 families. We have great subway access, 1/2
block from the Carroll stop F/G trains. Though rain is not forecast, we'll
have a rain date the following day, Sunday October 5th, same time and
location. For more information contact: pbecker3@nyc.rr.com with "Flea" in
the title. Stop by for this day long mega stoop sale!
October 4th from 10-4 pm. You can shop for bargains, sift through boxes of
junk and uncover lost treasures and oddities on Carroll Street between Smith
and Court, adjacent to Carroll Park. We've got lots of vendors from both
outside the school and PS 58 families. We have great subway access, 1/2
block from the Carroll stop F/G trains. Though rain is not forecast, we'll
have a rain date the following day, Sunday October 5th, same time and
location. For more information contact: pbecker3@nyc.rr.com with "Flea" in
the title. Stop by for this day long mega stoop sale!
Need I add anything? Oh yes! Put the date on your calendar!
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Sunday, September 28, 2008
I am sure you have or will receive this email sooner or later, but I thought I would post it here. It is written by Council Member David Yassky. He is warning Brooklynites not only of the new economic reality that will dictate some serious budget cuts but is preparing residents for the real possibility of higher real estate taxes. Yikes!
From: David Yassky <david@councilmemberyassky.comSent: Thu, 25 Sep 2008 3:33 pm
Subject: Where We Stand
Dear Friend-
The full impact of the Wall Street earthquake will not be known for some time, but it is already clear that New York’s leaders must begin planning now for a significantly weaker City economy.
The pain will be real. Mayor Bloomberg has already ordered City agencies—including police and schools— to implement $1.5 billion in cutbacks, and has signaled that he is likely to propose an increase in the property tax rate. These are prudent steps to address the short term crisis. The real challenge will be responding to the wholesale restructuring of the City’s core industry.
First, we must work to strengthen policies aimed at diversifying our economy. For example, I recently proposed an expansion of the City’s tax credit for film and TV production. The original credit, which I sponsored three years ago, has spurred a doubling of film production, creating some 6,000 new jobs. We must take advantage of similar growth opportunities in biotechnology and green manufacturing.
Second, we must intensify efforts to create a more efficient and entrepreneurial City government. Earlier this month, I called on the Department of Sanitation to sell advertising space on the City’s 25,000 trash cans. Today, the City adorns its trash cans with the names of local politicians (including me). Let’s use this space to generate revenue rather than political support. Now, we need a hundred more ideas to generate revenue and eliminate wasteful spending.
Finally, we must recognize that New York’s position at the center of the financial world is at risk. Merrill Lynch will soon be a North Carolina bank; the surviving parts of Lehman Brothers will be absorbed by a British firm; Bear Stearns has disappeared; and AIG has been taken over by Washington. To be sure, a new order will emerge, and the next generation of financial giants is likely to be found among the many smaller, nimble firms already operating here in New York. But our government must do its part by making sure the City remains a preeminent place to do business.
I have great confidence in the leadership of Mayor Bloomberg as we enter these uncharted waters, but I have no illusions about the difficulty of the choices we face. I spoke last night at a residents’ meeting in a large new apartment building in Downtown Brooklyn. When I explained the City’s financial situation, a young father said, “So we’ll be paying more taxes for less service?” I agreed, and he did not look happy. But as I was leaving, he stopped me to thank me for my work and asked, “What can we do to help?”
That’s the spirit.
Sincerely,
David Yassky
Council Member, 33rd District
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Saturday, October 4th
10 AM-4PM
At the corner of Court and 4th Place
If you can't get Upstate to pick that perfect pumpkin to carve this fall, why not stay right here in Carroll Gardens and stop by Mazzone's Annual Pumpkin Fest?
The nice folks at the best neighborhood hardware store always put together a great Halloween event for young neighborhood families.
So mark your calendar and be!
Friday, September 26, 2008
To the young man who was way up there in the sky
Changing the street lantern's bulb,
I hope that your daughter likes these photos
Of her dad at work.
And thanks for the light.
It is shining brightly tonight.
Changing the street lantern's bulb,
I hope that your daughter likes these photos
Of her dad at work.
And thanks for the light.
It is shining brightly tonight.
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Toll Crew Answering Questions
Toll literature being distributed
Union entourage
LIUNA Member
More unionized construction workers
Resident Steve Miller Speaking Against
F.R.O.G.G. member Marlene DonnellySpeaking Against
Celia Cacase long time residentagainst project
John Hatheway, architectillustrating the real height impact of Toll's project
The public hearing on the Toll Brothers' Gowanus project before C.B.6's Landmark/Land Use Committee last night was a drawn out affair. The presentation led by Toll VP David Von Spreckelsen, was slick as one would expect. Literature and charts were distributed, a power point presentation was projected on a screen and an environmental consultant made the clean-up of the site's contaminants sound almost routine. No big deal...we do this kind of thing every day...
Then there were the union guys from LIUNA. Their orange T-shirts said: "Building In America. Feel The Power! " They were all for the project. Rah, Rah Rah!
But then there were members of the community who, except for Buddy Scotto of course, had some grave misgivings about the project.
Formost in residents' mind was the toxic nature of the site. Then there were the concerns over the strain on local infrastructure. Questions were raised about the impact study done as part of the U.L.U.R.P. process. Did the study take into account the other development projects that will be completed roughly at the same time and which will add even more school aged children and subway riders.
Carroll Garden architects John Hatheway and Chris McVoy gave a very impressive presentation on the impact 12 story buildings will have on the neighborhood. Calling the development " way too tall, way too dense" Mr. McVoy stated that the application for the zoning change needed by Toll was premature. John Hatheway talked about the fact that the project would be visible from quite a distance. He felt that there had been misrepresentation of the building and that the developer's renderings look 'a lot more palatable than in reality.'
After about three hours, Roy Sloane, CB6 Board Land Use/ Landmark Commitee member, made a very powerful statement explaining why he would be voting against the spot zoning variance. He argued that allowing private developers to build before a general rezoning of the Gowanus area would seriously impede the clean-up of the canal. He felt that"the government would be all too happy to be off the hook." The board has an obligation to the community to make absolutely sure that the pollutants are cleaned up, he told his fellow board members.
He introduced a motion to deny the Toll Brothers the three asked for variences .
Of the 15 Land Use/Landmark Committee members, 6 voted for the motion, 4 voted against the motion, and 5 abstained, which counts as a vote against.
....which means that the hearing will continue next month.
Abstaining? What the....!
As I was leaving the meeting, an acquaintance passed me by and said: "I wish the board would grow some balls."
I know how she felt.
Related Reading:
Gowanus? Love Canal? NO! It's the Clap Canal! on Found In Brooklyn
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Yesterday, Dr. Hugh Gilgoff, Medical Director of Long Island College Hospital Pediatric Care Unit left a comment on a post I wrote about the potential closing of the hospital's pediatric unit. I am reprinting it here as a post because I feel very strongly that the community needs to support the dedicated medical staff that has served us so incredibly well. Please take a minute to follow the link below and voice your opposition to Continuum's ongoing dismantling of our local hospital.
From all of us at LICH - the nurses, the staff, and us doctors - we thank you for helping us in this fight. We have dedicated our lives to helping children and we need help in order to continue helping you and your family.
Please do whatever you can to help sway the state to stop this Manhattan group from taking away vital services to our wonderful Brooklyn community. See lichmedicalstaff.org for more ways to help.
Please also know that we have already begun planning on ways to continue providing the same top quality healthcare should the state fail to stop the closure of pediatrics.
Specifically, we will continue to operate as your pediatricians and healthcare providers here in the community - we will just find a new space! But the closure of the pediatric emergency room and the lack of space and support for our pediatric specialists will without a doubt create a void in our communities pediatric healthcare.Thank you for your support.
Dr. Hugh Gilgoff,
Medical Director, Pediatric Ambulatory Care.
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Developer Bill Stein
Bill Stein with supporter Buddy Scotto
According to Bill Stein, developer of Oliver House at 360 Smith Street, his foundation is completed. That is at least what his legal council, Deirdre Carson and structural engineer Neil Wexler of Wexler Associates stated in front of the Board Of Standards and Appeals yesterday morning.
Mr. Stein's construction site was served with a Stop Work Order immediately following the passing of the Zoning Text Amendment by the City Council back in July.
In order to continue the project, Stein has two choices: He either conforms to the new zoning regulations and puts up a 55 foot building instead of the 70 foot one that he intended, or he tries to convince the B.S.A. that his foundation was complete before the Stop Work Order went into effect. And for good measure, he will plead financial hardship if they don't give him what he wants.
Stein of course chose to appeal, which brought him in front of the five members of the B.S.A. yesterday morning.
Mr. Wexler, Stein's engineer, explained that due to its location over a subway tunnel, 360 Smith is an unusual site with two different building foundations: One foundation is made up of a "complex pile foundation" located on only one side of the building. The second, according to Wexler, is supported on the original subway foundation. In other words, the 60 year old subway tunnel that had been reinforced with cement when it was built, is to act as a 'super foundation' for most of Oliver House.
All Stein needs to do, according to Wexler is to put a mat foundation over the subway tunnel, but that cannot be considered 'a foundation element.' Rather, this mat is 'designed specifically to protect the subway roof of the tunnel structure.'
In other words, according to Wexler, Stein's foundation is done.
B.D.A. Chair Meenakshi Srinivasan asked if additional excavation needed to be done since that would need to be taken into consideration. In response, Wexler stated: " No more excavation for foundation purposes."
During the public comment session, many Carroll Gardeners took the stand to ague that Stein had ample notice that the neighborhood was working to have the wide-streets loophole closed.
They suggested to the Board that Stein's original application was made under a flawed version of the zoning law. Now that the mistake has been fixed, Stein should have to conform.
The Board scheduled another hearing on the matter for October 28th. Additional information will be accepted till October14.
Related Reading:
Revisiting Mr. Stein's 360 Smith Street / 131 Second Place Oliver House Site
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Bond Street looking towards the Gowanus canal
Tonight
Public Hearing
CB6 Land Use Committee Meeting
Public Hearing On Toll Brothers' Project
At PS 32 In The Auditorium
317 Hoyt Street
At 6 PM
Public Hearing On Toll Brothers' Project
At PS 32 In The Auditorium
317 Hoyt Street
At 6 PM
The Toll Brothers, the development firm which has its sight set on developing a huge parcel of land along the shores of the heavily polluted Gowanus Canal, had applied for a zoning change a few month back. In order to build their planned condo development, the City Planning Department has to agree to rezone the lot from industrial to residential in advance of an overall rezoning of the Gowanus area planned by the city. The Toll Brothers just released their Environmental Impact Statement and the City Planning Department certified the developers application.
This development will change the Gowanus area forever and will open the door to out-of-scale development. In addition, there are serious concerns about the proposed clean-up of the canal. Will it be extensive enough to truly make it safe to live along the canal? For decades, industrial waste was dumped into the waters and the surrounding area is heavily polluted.
It is important for the community to be involved in the rezoning process.
For more on the subject , go to FOUND IN BROOKLYN
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Back in the 1980's, the city erroneously labeled the 'Place' blocks here in Carroll Gardens as wide streets, therefore allowing higher and bulkier construction on those beautiful brownstone blocks. Developers seized this opportunity to build up and out and of course, to make more profit. The result in most cases were condo buildings that were out of context with the rest of the neighborhood.
After many months of unbelievable hard work, a group of very dedicated residents from C.O.R.D. and The Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association have been able to convince the city to correct this zoning loophole. In July, the City Council voted for the Wide Street Text Amendment.
Immediately, stop work orders were issued to the construction sites that were within the area covered by the text amendment.
Bill Stein, the developer of Oliver House will have his case heard by the Board of Standards and Appeals today. Two applications are calendared. The first one is to prove that the foundation of his development is substantially completed. The second one is to prove that he will suffer financial hardship if he is forced to build according to the amended zoning.
Oh, I feel so very bad for Mr. Stein. Personally, I believe that the developer will make a healthy profit even if he needs to scale the project back. Of course, for him, more is better...but that could also be interpreted as greed.
If the Board of Standards and Appeals should decide in Stein's favor tomorrow they will wrong the Carroll Gardens community once more. It has already been determined by the city that the old zoning which Stein wants to have applied had been an oversight. Now that the Place Blocks have been downzoned, Stein should be forced to conform.
No matter what happens, I am proud of my fellow Carroll Gardeners for all the work that they have done.
Thanks Rita, Lucy, John, Glenn, Maria, Vince, Triada, Maryann and so many more....
The hearing is open to the public. I hope many of you can come.
BSA/Board of Standards and Appeals.
September 24, 2008 10:00 AM
BSA/Board of Standards and Appeals.
September 24, 2008 10:00 AM
40 Rector Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 10006
Related Reading:
Revisiting Mr. Stein's 360 Smith Street / 131 Second Place Oliver House Site
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
photo credit: seeareelem on flickrAn email is being circulated on several list servers regarding Long Island College Hospital's proposed closing of their pediatric unit. It is a response to an announcement made at the Community Board 6 meeting.
According to the Daily News:
Brooklyn's Long Island College Hospital will close by the end of the year if the state does not approve a plan to shutter its money-losing units, the head of the institution said Monday night.
"I cannot go through the rest of the year without relief," said Stanley Brezenoff, president of the hospital's corporate parent, Continuum Health Partners.
Speaking at a packed Community Board 6 meeting last night, Brezenoff said he has asked the state Health Department for permission to shut down the pediatric and dentistry departments.
The latest cost-cutting measures come after the hospital asked for the state's okay in July to close its maternity ward.
"Sometimes an amputation is necessary," Brezenoff said.
( click here to read entire article)
Dear Friends,
Please take a minute to call Continuum Health Partners' - Stanley Brezenoff @ 212-420-2000 and John Wren @ 212-415-3776 to register your protest about the closure of LICH pediatrics. They are proposing closure of all in-patient and out-patient pediatric services there.
Our next closest hospitals are Brooklyn Hospital and Methodist Hospital, both with already overburdened emergency rooms.
LICH has a special pediatric emergency room that segregates the children from the
adults. It's quite good.
This has to be approved by the Department of Health, so it might be useful to contact them as well: http://www.nyc. gov/html/ mail/html/ maildoh.html
Thanks for your support in "thinking globally and acting locally."
Dinah Gieske
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Look at what I found ! An old postcard of the Thrifty Beverage Center on Court Street, circa 1960's.
Back then, the telephone number was the same, but without area code.
The address was 252 instead of today's 256, but then of course, the store was still in the old building on the same site.
The selection of beer was as impressive as today.
And the prices? Hmmmm, they were a lot lower though I had a hard time deciphering the signs in the postcard photo.
Can you?
* Post update
I am just sitting here with my blogger friend Lisanne of Found In Brooklyn. She just told me that she posted the exact postcard on her blog a while back. She found it with her grandmother's possessions when she had to empty her apartment.
Here is her post. Check it out here.
* Post update
I am just sitting here with my blogger friend Lisanne of Found In Brooklyn. She just told me that she posted the exact postcard on her blog a while back. She found it with her grandmother's possessions when she had to empty her apartment.
Here is her post. Check it out here.
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Monday, September 22, 2008
Smith Street looking towards Atlantic
Corner of Carroll Street and Smith Street looking towards Atlantic
Smith Street towards First Place
Waiting to merge into Smith Street on First Place
Smith Street Towards 2nd PlaceHonking their horns in frustration, drivers on Smith Street inch forward through our neighborhood every day. Gridlock always used to occur at rush hour. Not any longer. These days, our streets are clogged at any hour of the day. Have you noticed it too?
Just look at the photos I took at the intersection of First Place and Smith Street here in Carroll Gardens. It must have been around 11 AM.
Chaos, I tell you, dear Reader, utter chaos.
Now I know that traffic all over the city is horrible, but you see, it never used to be this bad here.
And there are more drivers and cars coming as a result of the construction boom here. Oh, what fun.....
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
Next to an Italian social club on Court Street, the most amazing flowers happily grow ten to twelve feet in a side garden, amongst much smaller annuals and a Madonna protected under a white cupola. It is an amazing sight."May I take a picture of your plants?" I asked the two gentlemen who were leaning against the fence of the Van Westerhout Cittadini Molesi Cultural & Social Club, Inc..
" Sure, go right ahead." was their reply. However, neither one of them knew the answer to my second question.
"No, we don't know what kind of plants those are. You need to ask the gardener."
When the gardener stepped out of his magical garden, he proudly told me that these towering plants were Castor Oil Plants.
"Yes, yes." he assured me. " Castor oil, you know, it's used by doctors."
Yes indeed. Ricinus communis is a natural laxative and a lubricant and so much more.
From Answers.com:
"The castor seed, or bean, is the source of numerous economically important products as one of the world's most important industrial oils, and was one of the earliest commercial products. Castor beans have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 4000 B.C. According to the Ebers Papyrus, an Egyptian medical text from 1500 B.C., Egyptian doctors used castor oil to protect the eyes from irritation. The oil from the bean was used thousands of years ago in facial oils and in wick lamps for lighting. Castor oil has been used medicinally in the United States since the days of the pioneers. Traveling medicine men in the late 1800s peddled castor oil, often mixed with as much as 40% alcohol, as a heroic cure for everything from constipation to heartburn. It was also used to induce labor. At the present time, castor oil is used internally as a laxative and externally as a castor oil pack or poultice."
But what's that? A by product of the castor bean is ricin? Here is more on this plant:
"The active poison in the castor bean is ricin, a deadly water-soluble protein called a lectin. The ricin is left in the meal or cake after the oil is extracted from the bean, so castor oil does not contain any of the poison. The seed is only toxic if the outer shell is broken or chewed. Humans and horses are most susceptible to ricin, although all pets and livestock should be kept away from the castor seed. It has been estimated that gram for gram, ricin is 6,000 times more deadly than cyanide and 12,000 times more deadly than rattlesnake venom. A dose of only 70 grams, or one two-millionth of an ounce (roughly equivalent to the weight of a single grain of table salt) is enough to kill a 160-pound person. Even small particles in open sores or in the eyes may be fatal. As few as four ingested seeds can kill an adult human. Lesser amounts may result in vomiting, severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, increased heart rate, profuse sweating, and convulsions. Signs of toxicity occur about 18–24 hours after ingestion. Ricin seems to cause clumping (agglutination) and breakdown (hemolysis) of red blood cells, hemorrhaging in the digestive tract, and damage to the liver and kidneys."
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