Bill DeBlasio's Smith Street Protest Against Scarano

A quick update. I went to the corner of Smith and 2nd Place to check out the protest against Scarano. There were about 30 to 40 people at the subway station.
I have to hand it to Bill DeBlasio. He sure knows a media opportunity when he sees one. Here he was, with a portable little lectern complete with New York City Council emblem. Very official. He made an impassionate speech about the unique nature of Carroll Gardens. He stated that he has met with the developer of the site and told him in no uncertain terms that he needs to get rid of Robert Scarano as the project architect if he wants to build here. He gave examples of Scarano's terrible record and violations with the Buildings Department. All true. Scarano is a snake of course.
But the entire protest in my opinion was a well orchestrated way for Bill, the Council Superman to get some brownie points as a protector of Brownstone Brooklyn. I am sure some people bought it. However, it was very funny to see a group against the Atlantic Yards Project holding up big signs stating that " Bill De Blasio Loves Ratner" and "Bill DeBlasio Loves The Atlantic Yards Project."
It was perfect. Bill talking behind his little collapsable lectern with big posters over his head exposing him as a pro-development, pro-Ratner Politico. It was surely not the media event he was looking for.

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Protesting Architect Scarano!

Architect Robert Scarano probably wished he had stayed out of Carroll Gardens. After building two horror boxes close to the Gowanus canal, he has angered the neighborhood and Councilman Bill DeBlasio so much that both are asking the Buildings Department to strip Scarano of his architecture licence. To see some great pictures of his ugly construction in our neighborhood, check out this great blog: FOUNDINBROOKLYN

Please come today and protest like its 1968!
Event Announcement from Bill de Blasio

Join Councilmember Bill de Blasio and Stand up Against Illegal Construction! Wednesday June 4, 2007 In front of Robert Scarano's latest project 360 Smith Street, Brooklyn. What we want: We want Robert Scarano and any other architect, developer or contractor working in this city to know they must be held accountable for their actions. Anyone who violates zoning codes, building codes and practices unsafe construction is not wanted in our neighborhood! The New York City Department of Buildings has already relieved Scarano of his self-certification. Now we are calling on the New York State Department of Education to strip Robert Scarano of his architecture license. Power in Numbers! We must show that we will no longer tolerate this abuse!

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Scarano Sleeze Factor!

For anyone to understand why Carroll Gardeners are so against Architect Robert Scarano, here is some background info about his antics. This is from a 2006 newspaper article from The Brooklyn Paper. Thought you may be interested.
November 18, 2006 / News / Not Just Nets / Around Brooklyn


And it’s all legal!
Scarano uses sleight of hand, plywood to beat zoning laws
By Dana Rubinstein
The Brooklyn Paper

A plywood stage inside this bedroom shaved enough square footage off architect Robert Scarano’s oversized condo to get city approval.

Brooklyn architect Robert Scarano is the consummate survivor.
The city’s investigation into his eyebrow-raising building practices — which led him to surrender the right to certify his own buildings in August — may have crimped his style, but it hasn’t stopped him from turning a profit.
“The Washington” in Prospect Heights, Scarano’s chichi seven-story, 45-unit building on Washington and Underhill avenues, is nearly sold out, even though some of the apartments have been jury-rigged to reduce total square footage and meet city zoning requirements.
By order of the Department of Buildings, Scarano has converted a number of the building’s high-ceilinged rooms into five-foot-tall crawl spaces with the installation of plywood platforms. (So-called “mezzanines” under five feet tall don’t have to be included in the building’s overall square footage.)
The result, said one potential buyer, is an awkward, unusable space in an otherwise luxurious building that boasts a Zen garden and private gym.
“Imagine you can’t walk into a room, but instead have to hop onto a platform,” he said. “I’m six feet tall and would slam my head against the ceiling.”
To read more, click here: And It's All Legal

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Anthem For French Immigrants!

Who is French, what is France and where is France going? French immigrant rapper Diam takes a brutal look at what it means to be an immigrant in the France of Sarkozy. I thought it may be interesting to see for my American readers since the discussion is going on right now in the States. The video is pretty powerful


To read more about singer Diam and her song Ma France à moi
Rapper with attitude updates 'Frenchness'
Rapper with attitude updates 'Frenchness'

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EEEEKKKK! Marty Markowitz's Building Has Bed Bugs!

I could not help but laugh when I read this little tidbit about our very entertaining and annoying Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz. It seems that his apartment building has a nasty outbreak of bed bugs. Of course my little mind went on overdrive. What if Marty infested the Queen Mary cruise ship with bed bugs? After all, he just spent 6 days, all expenses payed, aboard that luxury liner. A free cruise just for being Brooklyn's B.P.
Now that would be funny, no?


From The Daily Intelligencer
New Yotk Magazine June 5,07
It's not news that bedbugs are resurgent in New York, infesting all sorts of apartments in all parts of the city. But now we know the little critters might be heading for our leaders: Several residents of Marty Markowitz's Prospect Park West apartment house confirm that the borough president's building has an outbreak of the bugs. One resident spotted her own infestation two years ago and hired an exterminator; two months ago, another fled her apartment because of the bugs. Flyers appeared in the building last month carrying pictures of the tiny culprits and reminding residents of scheduled exterminator visits on the first Saturday of each month. Markowitz's spokeswoman says the beep's apartment has so far been spared. But he's still being safe. "I'm going to go along with my building's plans to fumigate to prevent my unit and others from getting them," he told us via the rep. Good luck, Marty. The borough is counting on you. —Eric V. Copage

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Excuse Me!

Want to know what is a perfect occupation for a rainy Monday? Go to the Brooklyn Court Building on Adams Street and report for jury duty. I bet my daughter would disagree since she is there right now, probably going crazy. She brought her Faulkner book along, but honestly, she is probably bored out of her mind just about now. I, on the other hand, think this is all very exciting. Someone wants my young'un to help decide a case? I wish I were a fly on the wall!
I will keep you posted.

12:45 Pm Update
Well, College daughter is on her way home already. Turns out they want her. She was picked for a civil case within five minutes of entering the court house. The case has something to do with an accident and back pain. The usual frivolous lawsuit of course. The lawyers and the judge asked her if she could be impartial if the plaintiff could not speak English and needed an interpreter. Dutifully, she told them that she would have no problem since her mother was a first generation immigrant. How terribly exciting!

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Monday, Funny Monday!

What happens to lower back tattoos as you age? What to use to make them go away? Saturday Night Live has the answer!

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