Greenpoint
Cafe Cito Bogota
New York Shitty Photo du Jour: Music
Taken April 5, 2012.
Bushwick Photo du Jour: Suydam Street
Taken April 5, 2012.
Bushwick Street Art du Jour: Eyes On The Street
From Starr Street.
For Sale On Scholes Street: Mysteries
Filed under: 11206, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Street Art
Taken April 5, 2012.
Williamsburg Street Art du Jour: Shared Among Friends
Filed under: 11211, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, Culture War, Street Art, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
From Wythe Avenue.
New York Shitty Day Starter: Should We Stay Or Should We Go?
Filed under: 11222, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Wow, WTF
A commenter, hav, writes on March 29, 2012 (regarding this post about 239 Banker Street):
non-surprisingly someone decided to complain to the DOB which ordered the building to vacate yesterday. As of today there are some interesting developments but nothing solidified yet. It is however looking like the building has a strong possibility of getting covered by the NYC Loft Law which will protect tenants from being vacated.
Here’s the deal: while complaints have been placed, this building has most assuredly NOT been vacated. I know this because I saw another person move in March 30th. His (or her) personal effects included the box at top left.
Nonetheless, I perused the Department of Buildings Building Information System anyway.
Nary a Vacate Order was to be found— but there are plenty of complaints!
Let’s go to the latest: 3407084
So now we have to look at Complaint #3403837 for “closure”.
Hmm.
Given all the previous, I find the following missive (as found on the Broadway stop of the G train and thus out of the 33rd City Council District’s— and 239 Banker Street’s— jurisdiction) fascinating to say the least:
Those of you who have questions (as I do) as to why 239 Banker Street has, once again, been allowed to be illegally employed as residential property despite this— or simply have questions about the loft law should make it a point to attend. Be sure to ask our City Councilman why he is conducting a “loft law” workshop outside his own district while you’re at there!
Panel Discussion on the State of the Loft Law
Co-Conductors: Assemblyman Vito Lopez and Steve Levin, City Councilman, 33rd District (which includes 239 Banker Street)
Invited guests: The Department of Buildings & New York City Loft Board
Date: April 24, 2012 at 7:00 p.m.
Location: Our Lady of Pompeii, Community Room
225 Seigel Street
Brooklyn, New York 11206
Otherwise those who find all the previous disconcerting can send Mr. Levin an email via his web page.
New York Shitty Day Starter: Eyes On The Street
Filed under: 11206, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn
From Meserole Street.
The Word On The Street, Part II: Blink
Filed under: 11206, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, The Word On The Street
From Morgan Avenue.
New York Shitty Street Art du Jour: Purple Heart
Filed under: 11206, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Street Art
From Moore Street.
Urban Artifact: Evergreen Place
Filed under: 11206, Bushwick, Bushwick Brooklyn, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Urban Artifact
Yours truly has seen a number of objects inserted into this crevasse. I have never seen fit to investigate them as they were usually partially consumed food items. Today’s article, a trophy, was a game-changer. My curiosity got the best of me and I grabbed it. I’m glad I did!
As you can see this is a second place trophy for a “lowered car” (more commonly known as “low riders”) in the “foreign” category. But what truly makes this a prize (in more ways than one) is the sponsor of said event.
Yup. Given I spent a great deal of my childhood in the Southwest— and watching Cheech and Chong movies— I found myself embarking upon a flight of artistic fancy. You see, when I think of low riders (and I have seen a great many. My personal favorite being a Pinto station wagon on Sunset Boulevard. It was painted a metallic shade of fuschia and sported a full wet bar in the hatchback and bud vases replete with roses.) I think of Mr. Cheech and Mr. Chong.
More specifically of this, their motor vehicle:
Pay particular attention to the customized license plates.* This is a detail I missed watching these fine films as a youth. In the 20/20 clarity that is adult hindsight it solicit fits of sophomoric laughter from yours trulys person— and served to deliver me further down the rabbit hole of my own depraved imagination.
Why hasn’t someone created a second place trophy for this act?
I asked myself. Again and again. I mean, the gift-giving (and general mayhem) potential of such an item is endless. This is of course because the recipient of said sinecure will wonder, no doubt endlessly, who is “first place”. Thus a new art project for yours truly has been born— and it was all due to a trophy I found secreted in a building in Bushwick!
To be continued…
*After some investigating I have learned that apparently such plates once graced a motor vehicle in Southern California. An AMC Gremlin no less! Priceless.
Photo Credits: The Cheech & Chong film still comes courtesy of layitlow.com!
NYS Flickr Pool
