The Word On The Street: Manhattan Avenue

Manhattan Avenue nys

Taken February 12, 2015.

Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: The Word On The Street

Save The Internet nys

Taken February 10, 2015.

BREAKING: 249 Norman Get’s DOB’d

February 10, 2015 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Wow, WTF 

DOBBIS249norman

As I write this post the Department of Buildings is vacating 249 Norman Avenue (a loft conversion located between Monitor and North Henry Street). The Red Cross has been brought in to assist residents with temporary shelter, etc. This is all I know at this time.

To be continued…?

P.S.: On a somewhat-related note (this being the Department of Buildings) it would appear the Manhattan District Attorney’s office along with the Department of Investigation and NYPD has announced arrests and criminal charges regarding the bribing of Department of Buildings and Housing Preservation And Development personnel. Not surprisingly, it would appear some of the properties involved are in Greenpoint, Williamsburg and Bushwick. See for yourself. Here’s a teaser:

…bribes in the form of approximately $200,000 for home mortgage payments, a Nissan Rogue SUV, a GMC Terrain SUV, and a Royal Caribbean cruise, as well as cash for airline tickets, home renovations, and other personal expenses…

Reading is truly believing, folks…

From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: Snow Man

Taken by Scoboco.

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!

The Word On The Street: BEWARE

BEWAREnys

Beware 1 nys

Beware 2 nys

Taken February 8, 2015.

From The New York Shitty Photo Pool: Brooklyn

As captured by Mike Sierra— albeit in warmer days. In 2012.

Canal Street Photos Du Jour: Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?

February 4, 2015 ·
Filed under: 10013, Chinatown, Chinatown Manhattan, Culture War, Fuck This Shit, Wow 

Canal Street 1 600

Need Money For Chanel nys

Because, as we all know, making light of the homeless situation on New York City (without actually being forced to witness it firsthand) is what tourists want to experience…

New York Shitty Pay Phone Du Jour: First Avenue

February 4, 2015 ·
Filed under: 10003, 10009, East Village, East Village Manhattan, The Word On The Street 

1st Avenue

Taken February 4, 2015.

Urban Artifact, Part II: Jersey Street

Locks nys

As discovered while enjoying a sojourn around parts lower Manhattan today. The weather being amenable, I decided to check out a few of my favorite alleys. While not technically an alley, the incredibly petite Jersey Street does possess its own unique charm.

1 Jersey Street NYS

CASE IN POINT: 1 Jersey Street.

People Live Here 1 nys

One has to admire the thought and execution that went into this…

People Live Here 2 nys

and this. Well done!

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