The Word On The Street: M.A.N.A.

This is hands-down some of the best graffiti I have ever encountered. In fact I liked it so much I made it into a postcard which can be purchased here. Cheers!

New York Shitty Street Art Du Jour: Hysterical Men

October 23, 2019 ·
Filed under: 11206, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Street Art 

Taken October 21, 2019.

The Brooklyn “Renaissance”

The Brooklyn Renaissance

Ever wondered what Brooklyn real estate pundits and their minions talk about during a $125.00 a head breakfast? Well, gentle readers, the wait is over. Thanks to an anonymous tipster I have a twenty page transcript of yesterday’s “Brooklyn Renaissance” breakfast at Industry City. It is quite something. “Innovation Alley”, anyone?

UPDATE, October 1st, 12:43 PM: For those of you who may be interested in listening to an audio transcript of these proceedings, here you go!

The Word On The Street: Olive Street Consolation

Olive Street Consolation nys

Taken August 22, 2015.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Community Board 1 Brooklyn SLA Committee Meeting

Agenda SLA Committee CB1 BK 8 2015 nys

In all my years of authoring this site, I do not recall there ever being a meeting of any kind conducted by our local Community Board in the summer. I guess there’s a first time for everything. As you can see, gentle readers, the SLA Committee has quite a hefty agenda on their plate!

THIS WEEK: Community Board 1 Combined Public Hearing & Board Meeting

Combined_Public_Hearing_&_Board_Meeting_Notice_2-10-2015_Page_1 nys

Combined_Public_Hearing_&_Board_Meeting_Notice_2-10-2015_Page_2 nys

Yes, gentle readers, it is yours truly’s favorite time of the month. This of course being Community Board 1’s monthly Combined Public Hearing & Board meeting! As you can see there is quite an array of liquor license applications and renewals. I have highlighted the one I found most interesting. Let’s take a closer look at this one, shall we?

Brooklynbargebar

It would appear an eating and drinking establishment, “Brooklyn Barge Bar, is has designs for gracing our community’s waterfront. Well, in a manner of speaking. Something about the address struck me as being odd. So today I headed over to West Street to see what gives.

gptsaveatwest

thievin

notice

Sure enough, a notice is posted.

rear of premises on barge in water

This seems clear enough— except for one minor detail.

Google map 91 West

91 West Street (AKA: 36 – 44 Greenpoint Avenue) is a fair distance from the water in question. This begs a number of questions. We’ll keep it simple:

Why?

As the previous map clearly illustrates the building in question is roughly a block away from the waterfront.

visualaide1

However, the westernmost remnant of Milton Street, albeit in demapped form (in other words it is private— not public— property), still exists.

miltonstreetdemapped

It is not only accessible to the public (as illustrated above by visitors to our community enjoying a photo op), but it provides direct access to the waterfront. This would strike me as being a better means of ingress and egress from the proposed establishment— so why 91 West Street?

A few things to consider:

  1. In order to apply for a Liquor License though Community Board 1 (whose rather lengthy application can be seen here) one must provide a valid Certificate of Occupancy. 91 West Street does not have one.
  2. More importantly, the license must be filed specifically for the space wherein liquor will be served. This is ostensibly not 91 West Street. It is merely providing access to the Barge Bar.
  3. Having seen my fair share of liquor license chicanery over the years I have to wonder what would happen if the Barge Bar is issued a liquor license— will the next step be applying for a modification to said license incorporating 91 West Street? Provided of course they get the C of O business sorted out? Let’s just say I would not rule this out.
  4. Exactly how many people does this establishment intend to accommodate? I do not know. However, it if exceeds 74 people then a place of Assembly Permit (whose fire code requirements are rather stringent) come into play.

Hmm.

So many questions. I can only hope members of our Community Board and perhaps the public sees fit to ask them. Closing on a (somewhat) related note (our waterfront), some of you may have noticed I highlighted Noble Street in the screencap I took from Google Maps.

Noble Streett

Noble Street is indicated as terminating on the waterfront. This is, of course, because it does— and has for quite some time.

BK1186mapNOBLE

greenpoint.1949FNY nys

endofnoblegooglemaps

However, as you can clearly see, there is a gate gracing this (apparently) public street. This is hardly news. In fact our former City Councilman, David Yassky, took up the matter.

BKpaperGATESOFWRATH

The fence on Java Kent has long since been removed— but the one on Noble still stands.

Brooklyn 1886 Plate 11 - Antique Maps, Reproduction Prints and Gifts from WardMaps nys

Perhaps it is time to resume this matter with our elected officials (NOTE: Rami Metal is presently Councilman Levin’s Chief of Staff) and Open Space advocates? I mean, if we can theoretically have a for profit enterprise on/in our waterfront, why can’t the public be granted access to public property (a street)? This only strikes me as being fair…

Image Credits: The nifty 1886 Brooklyn Map hails from WardMaps.com. The 1949 Hagstrom Map comes via Kevin Walsh’s very own Forgotten NY!

Urban Artifact, Part II: Pucker Up

January 21, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11206, East Williamsburg, East Williamsburg Brooklyn, Urban Artifact 

Feral Thong nys

Thumbs Up nys

Pucker Up nys

From Johnson Avenue.

The Word On The Street, Part III: Flushing Avenue

Flushing Avenue nys

Taken January 21, 2015.

New York Shitty Photo Du Jour: Kiss

Kiss nys

Taken January 21, 2015.

The Word On The Street, Part II: Buggin

Buggin nys

Taken January 21, 2015.

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