Posts Tagged ‘ 113 Franklin Street ’

Live From The 94th Precinct Community Council Meeting

Jan
11

As some of you are undoubtedly aware last night both the month meeting of our Community Board and that of the 94th Precinct Community Council came to pass. I opted to attend the Community Council meeting. I’m glad I did: not only did Deputy Inspector Hurson give a presentation of 2011′s crime statistics (which featured a sobering number of vehicular/pedestrian accidents, as you will see) but after a slow start the question & Answer session got downright contentious. The fly in the audience’s proverbial ointment was (among other things) loud/unruly bars. Without further ado here is footage (which as of 4:14 p.m. is WORKING!!!) of the proceedings. Enjoy!

Part I: General Announcements, D.I. Hurson Announces the “Cop of the Month”

1. Minutes are waived.
2. Deputy Inspector Hurson notes that while Bedford Avenue was rather festive on New Year’s Eve (and some of the merrymakers were perhaps a little too merry) matters did not get out of hand.
3. D.I. Hurson announces the “Cop of the Month”: Officer Wikira. Officer Wikira detained a man stuffing a woman’s purse into a mailbox. Shortly thereafter a robbery was reported involving the man in question. He, having just served twelve years for similar such offenses, was arrested and sentenced to five years.

Part II: D.I. Hurson Gives a Presentation Regarding the 94th Precinct’s Crime Statistics For 2011

1. The 94th is the 9th best precinct in the city.
2. While most crimes were down (for example, burglaries were down 35%), felony assaults were up 26%.
3. Overall crime was down 10%
4. D.I. Hurson makes note of an auto theft ring the 94th recently busted. Apparently this outfit was shipping automobiles to the Middle East. Wow.
5. Arguably the most disturbing statistic offered were vehicular/pedestrian accidents. 77 of these came to pass last year. This is a 63% increase over 2010 (which had 47). Bicyclist/motorist accidents, conversely, were down. Albeit slightly: 67 in 2011 versus 79 in 2010. This is a 15% decrease.

Part III: Deputy Inspector Hurson Gives a Rundown of Recent Criminal Activity

1. D.I. Hurson gives an overview of recent crimes among them:

  • Another MARCH operating came to pass January 6th. The establishments “visited” were The Cove, Veronica Peoples Club and The Place. While the Department of Health did serve some violations, nothing major was found.
  • There were two shootings. One came to pass at 255 Nassau Avenue December 4th; the other was a self-inflicted gun shot wound in front of the White Castle on Metropolitan Avenue. The lattermost individual, having arrived at Woodhull Hospital for treatment, was arrested.

Part IV: The Q & A Session Commences

1. The matter of the The Production Lounge (which is located at 113 Franklin Street)— or more specifically the noise emanating from it on “Polish Hip Hop Night” (which came to pass January 7th)— is brought to the table. A local landlord kicks off this discussion. This gets rather contentious quickly.

Part V: Q & A Session Continues, The Production Lounge and Noise Issues in General are Discussed

1. A neighbor of Veronica Peoples Club speaks about noise issues.

2. Attendees are advised to tender any and all noise complaints to our local Community Board.

Part VI: Q & A Session Continues

1. Complaints about zoning (and lack of planning as being a facilitator for the proliferation of bars) are raised. Greenpoint is likened to a “frat party” and the East Village by one citizen.

2. Questions are raised about how noise complaints are handled. D.I. Hurson cites Coco66 as example as how noise complaints were used as the pretext for a MARCH operation which resulted in this establishment’s closure.

Part VII: Q & A Session Continues

1. The owner/operator of a local music studio complains about the noise emanating from 113 Franklin Street.

2. A resident of the Cooper Park Houses tenders the most fascinating (and disturbing) item of the meeting: apparently an Access-a-ride driver is purchasing drugs at said complex several times a day. Usually frequently while driving said vehicle.

3. More noise concerns are posited, specifically about the air conditioning unit gracing Mrs. Kim’s.

4. The issue of “vacation rentals” is raised.

Part VIII: Q & A Session Continues

1. Discussion continues regarding “vacation rentals”

2. Questions about how to report stolen vehicles are raised.

Part IX: Q & A Session Concludes

1. A Leonard Street residents raises concerns about traffic enforcement. Specifically in regards to speeding motorists.

Until next month…

UPDATE, 5:22 p.m.: On a related note, there was a pedestrian fatality on Borinquen Place this morning. You get the full story by clicking here.

Posted by  
0 Comments

From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Letter Campaign & Benefit

Nov
05

This item was brought to my attention by the event’s organizer: a lady named Kathleen. She writes:

Hey!

Just saw your post on Pablo. Thank you for posting that :)
A buddy and I are throwing a benefit for our friend two weeks from today.

Pablo Airaldi Benefit Show
November 19, 2010 starting at 9:00 p.m.
Price of admission (all proceeds of which will be donated to Mr. Airaldi’s legal defense fund): $10.00
The Production Lounge
113 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222

You can get the full rundown at this event’s page on Facebook.

Otherwise I have received a brief update from Christina. She writes:

I just spoke to him.  Basically he has a lawyer in Indiana trying to turn over his plea from 2001 for this exact reason but it a conservative state and there is no guarantee how this will go down.  He informed me that his next hearing is on November 29th at Varick St.  He asked me to get together the petitions and letters to the defense of his character prior to that date.  When you can, maybe we can ask people who are acquainted with him, are fans of Greenpoint Bikes, or are sympathetic to his case to write letters stating who they are and why he should remain in this country.  They can leave them with me or at the bike shop.  On the 29th anyone who wants to come down to Varick St. and show their support for his case is urged to join us at 9 am.  I am sure there will be more details before then but for now that’s all I know.

To be continued…

UPDATE, 6:50 p.m.: You can follow Mr. Airaldi’s story (and his upcoming hearing) via this newly erected Facebook page.*

Miss Heather

*Thanks Kathleen!

Posted by  
1 Comment

Notes From The 94th Precinct Community Council Meeting

Sep
23

Yours truly didn’t feel like going— but she went anyway. I’m glad I did! For starters (and by Greenpoint standards, anyway) the meeting was pretty mellow. This is a good thing since I was not really in the mood for some of the angrier and uglier rhetoric that can (and does) come to pass at these meetings. This is not to suggest there wasn’t anger: there most assuredly was. The difference was the people (ladies all) who aired their ire were (as a friend noted) so darned nice about it! Bicyclists, illegal sidewalk vendors, impertinent youths and liquor licenses all get the treatment at the hands (or would that be mouths) of these ladies. One such lass made an observation so piquant that she has henceforth earned my undying admiration. But I am getting ahead of myself. Without further ado here is footage from last night’s meeting— along with synopses and a bit of analysis from yours truly. Enjoy!

Part I: D. I. Fulton gives opening statements/props and a general rundown of crime trends.

The Rundown:

  • Grand larceny auto and burglaries are up, everything else is down.
  • Vehicle accidents are down 4.1%
  • D. I. Fulton explains that since the crime stats for the 94th are so low that one or two burglaries can skew the crime statistics upward.
  • A spate of robberies via a man riding a bicycle centering (roughly) around “Woodpoint Road and Conselyea Street”. This individual has since been apprehended and identified in a line-up by two victims. NOTE: this chap’s activities came to pass between (once again: roughly) 1:00 and 2:00 a.m. in the morning and his victims were women in their 20′s.
  • D. I. Fulton talks about burglaries.

Part II: D. I. Fulton speaks about car break-ins and the public speaks!

  • Arrests are up 24.7%
  • A case of Greenpoint roof theft
  • D. I. Fulton advises runners patronizing McCarren Park to mind their personal property.
  • One citizen applauds the 94th for apprehending a man who exposed himself to her and her daughter— and physically threatened them at North 7 Street and Bedford Avenue.
  • Same said citizen complains about illegal street vendors.

Part III: The Public Speaks, continued

  • Illegal vendors, continued
  • A general discourse on unruly behavior in general on Bedford Avenue and Williamsburg in general.
  • A Greenpoint resident queries D. I. Fulton about vehicle theft: there were 13 over the summer and 109 total.

Parts IV & V: The Public Speaks, continued

The aforementioned Greenpoint resident complains about Five Leaves’s use of the sidewalk (allegedly after permitted hours for a “sidewalk cafe”) and follows is a general discussion:

  • A burglary on Bedford Avenue
  • A lady from the Lions Club gives the 94th props

  • Bicyclists
  • Street closures and parties, e.g.; do they require permits?
  • Other things including— but not limited to— one of the most awesome observations (or dare I hope: promises) I have ever heard at a 94th Precinct Community Council Meeting. Go to 2:31 and hear it for yourself!
  • There are 97 liquor licenses pending (including a renewal for the Production Lounge*). D.I. Fulton explains this as “growing pains”.
  • Parties
  • Complaints about 311 dropping calls

Closing observations/thoughts:

  1. Once again and all things considered: this meeting was pretty tame.
  2. Nonetheless there was plenty of anger to go around. This mostly centered around aspects of the “new” Williamsburg being a tourist attraction and/or a watering hole of choice. Which brings me to…
  3. the subject of liquor licenses. If the ostensible function of our Community Board is to be the voice of the people and/or institute some semblance of “community standards” their determinations should be more binding. What’s the point of having due process if the SLA (State Liquor Authority) simply looks at their recommendation— let’s say, to deny a liquor and/or Cabaret license— and they issue the license (undoubtedly greased along by lobbyists/parties with deep pockets) anyway? Just a thought.
  4. The previous Op Ed(s) having been written (and to close on a note of levity), I am taking a serious shine to the notion of some exchange program between Greenburg/Williamspoint grannies and ‘noobs in the ‘hood.** I have no doubt the previous can show middle America a few things about partying (take this, for example.) Our friends (far) beyond the Hudson could use some good ol’ north Brooklyn flavor! It builds character.

Miss Heather

*Which inasmuch as much as yours truly can ascertain is STILL operating a monthly strip club. CASE IN POINT:

**I mean this with all due respect. I have grown to absolutely adore Greenpoint grandmas over the years. I simply wish others had the pleasure of enjoying their company. It isn’t so much about “Go back to Ohio”, so to speak, as it is “Get thee to Ohio”— and get us some respect!

Posted by  
0 Comments

Now At The Production Lounge: Body Heat

Jul
28

Okay, I am a little behind the game on this one (apparently the first round came to pass last weekend) but when I saw these fliers at Save Rite Wine & Liquor I simply HAD to share the good news. Exactly what is “Body Heat”, you ask? The other side of this flier should clarify matters.

You can always leave it to our friends at the Production Lounge to keep things classy in the Garden Spot!

Miss Heather

Posted by  
0 Comments

Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: We Do It All!

Jan
22

Yesterday I really needed a laugh and thanks to the Production Lounge (where the above sign is located) I got one. We’re not talking a paltry chuckle either. We’re talking bent-over-gasping-for-air fits of maniacal cackling. There a measure of truth in advertising at play here: gun fire, noise complaints, monthly strip parties with lap dances— and now Bar Mitzvahs and Sweet Sixteen Parties! The Production Lounge really does do it all!

My advice: if you decide to have little Timmy’s b’rith at this establishment it might be best to bundle up your bundle of joy in some Kevlar. And oh yeah, toting along a bottle or two of hand sanitizer may not be such a bad idea either.

Miss Heather

Posted by  
2 Comments

A Greenpoint Public Service Announcement: More About The Adonis Lounge

Dec
27

Some of you might recall ten days ago I shared the good news about the Adonis Lounge. In this post I posited the following:

If the address of this establishment, 113 Franklin Street, sounds vaguely familiar that’s because it is the location of the Production Lounge. Perhaps they have decided to diversify from hip-hop to himbos?

Well, certain events have come to pass (which, it should be noted started after I noticed a number highly unusual search query hits for this site— “Greenpoint handjob” being by far the finest) and I am pleased to announce I have an answer to the aforementioned question: yes. In fact, it appears to be a monthly affair and has been going on since (at least) November.

Per GoingNYC:

Adonis Lounge is a Private Male strip club for Gay Men held once a month in The GreenPoint (!!! Ed. Note) area Of Brooklyn NY , It will feature some of the hottest male strippers around plus there will be a lap dance area and VIP room for ones enjoyment ! Men must be 21 and up to attend  and be on the list for this November 19 event ( past events will not count ) write (excised).

This just keeps getting curiouser and curiouser…

Miss Heather

Posted by  
6 Comments

TONIGHT IN GREENPOINT: Lap Dances & Champagne Room

Dec
17

Those of you who prefer twigs and berries to mistletoe this holiday season will be delighted to know that tonight the “Adonis Lounge” will be hosting a private party featuring fifteen of New York’s “hottest Men”, lap dances, champagne room and full bar and “full stage show”. If the address of this establishment, 113 Franklin Street, sounds vaguely familiar that’s because it is the location of the Production Lounge. Perhaps they have decided to diversify from hip-hop to himbos?

Adonis Lounge
Thursday, December 17, 2009; doors open at 8:00 p.m.
The Production Lounge
113 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, New York 11222

Get your stripper rolls ready, ladies and gents. It’s going to be a bumpy (and grindy) night!

Miss Heather

UPDATE, December 18, 2009: If my inbox and what I have been told in person today is any indication, both 311 and the 94th Precinct received a lot of angry phone calls last night. In one such case regarding the latter the desk Sargent advised the caller that this was, in fact, illegal but they (the police department) could do nothing about it. The he advised him/her to call 311.

Posted by  
2 Comments

Street Art Photo Du Jour: Back In The Spotlight

Mar
01

Not only is the Production Lounge back in the spotlight courtesy of New York’s Finest but it would also appear someone has incorporated it into a rather nifty piece of street art. Nice job Ellis!

Miss Heather

Posted by  
0 Comments

From The New York Shitty Inbox: A Message From Lentol’s Office

Feb
25

Those of you who have contacted Joseph Lentol’s office regarding the recent shooting at the Production Lounge should find the following of interest. It is an email a I received from his office apprising me of what actions he is taking to ensure this does not happen again. Happy reading.

Dear Miss Heather,

My name is Amy Cleary and I work for Assemblyman Joe Lentol.  I just wanted to give you and your readers an update that is being done with regard to the recent shooting at Production Lounge.  We have spoken with many of our constituents who live near this location and listened to their accounts of that eventing.  Any time you hear about people waking up to bullet holes six feet from where they sleep it is absolutely horrifying.  We have written to the state liquor authority to ensure that there is a full investigation of this matter. We have also met with the police.  The 94th precinct assures us that they are meeting with the owner and taking every step possible to prevent this from happening again, guns have no place near people’s homes.  We intend to follow this matter closely and support the police in any way that we can. Thank you for your attention to this issue.

Sincerely,

Amy Cleary

So there have you. I have said it before and I’ll say it again: when it comes to constituent services Joe Lentol is tops!

Miss Heather

P.S.: On a related note some of you might have noticed that Yelp has scrubbed a number of the reviews for the Production Lounge. Hmm. In any case if anyone out there has screencaps of the now-excised entries let me know via comments. I would very much like to have them. Thanks!

Posted by  
3 Comments

A Red Herring In Greenpoint

Feb
24


One of the more compelling questions raised at last week’s meeting of the 94th Precinct Community Council was why Franklin Street currently has seven drinking establishments with an eighth one forthcoming. In other words, the citizens present wanted to know why are so many drinking establishments have been sanctioned to inhabit such a small area. When queried, D.I. Fulton did not have answer— not should he; he is a police officer, not an expert on liquor licensing. The following email from Phil DePaolo, however, might shed some light on this phenomenon:

I just can’t help felling extreme sadness after watching these videos from the above link about the problem with quality of life issues in Greenpoint and Williamsburg.

During the rezoning I spoke to many residents of Hell’s Kitchen and the Lower East Side who were having many of the problems we face today. I was warned that this would happen to us. But to the City, our local council members and some community groups infrastructure and “quality of life issues” I felt were very important were considered non issues and my concerns fell on deaf ears.

Now we see how bars have transformed our community. Small businesses that served local residents have been forced out of their storefronts unable to meet high commercial rents that landlords know bars can afford. And since new bars often attract their clientele from outside the neighborhood, there is no local market cap on their number or viability. New bars attract non-local patrons, those patrons attract more outsiders and more new bars pop up to meet the  boundless demand as the entire neighborhood becomes a scene, a lively scene, but also noisy, congested and sometimes dangerous to our community.

Neighborhoods thrive on responsible development and bars are a useful part of that development. But the bar scene has gotten out of hand. It is forcing on us an unbalanced, non-local and precarious economic base that compromises the quality of life for residents and depreciates the business value of current bars. Our neighborhood ­ residents and businesses and bar owners alike ­needs a cap on the number of bars per block. I proposed this during the rezoning.

The State Liquor Authority has loosened its interpretation of how many bars are allowed by right within a 500 foot radius.  It used to be that opening a bar within 500 feet of any 3 full liquor licenses required a special hearing at the SLA, consultation with the local community board and evidence of public benefit. The new interpretation will allow many more bars to slip in without that special hearing, consultation or evidence.

The new interpretation of the SLA’s 500 foot rule is that there must be 3 or more licenses of the same class. However, community boards do not have information regarding the classes of existing licenses to be able to make informed decisions.

The State Liquor Authority awards liquor licenses to bars in New York City without regard for local economic diversity or residential quality of life. These local concerns should lie within the purview of local governance, not an unaccountable state authority. To return local concerns to local governance, The New York Community Council will ask every City Council candidate to take a clear stand ­in writing, ­on developing new City Council zoning laws to restrict the proliferation of bars in our community, promote economic diversity and preserve the quality of residential life.

The bar problem may not seem as deep an issue as affordable housing or quality education, but it is an issue that affects residents personally and immediately, the kind of issue that brings residents to the voting booth.

Our neighborhood, long prized for its diversity of peoples, cultures and arts, has many challenges: rampant poverty, homelessness, violence and drugs, rampant gentrification, displacement of long term residents and businesses and now a bar scene that is out of control. Isn’t it time we took in hand the future of our neighborhood? We must ask City Council candidates, where do you stand on zoning limits for new bars?

So there have you. We, as citizens, have been effectively by-passed from having any voice regarding our own community’s future. As a result large venues/tourist attractions like Studio B (which, per Gothamist will be coming back with a vengeance. Soon.) and The Production Lounge (backed by lobbyists and/or unheard of amounts of money) are reshaping our community in a manner which best suits their interests, namely: making it a playground for others. When these “tourists” leave we are the ones who have to live with the consequences of their actions be it garbage, noise, traffic, a smashed window, posting an apology for said broken window, or having bullets fired outside (or inside) your home.

Contrary to what good ol’ Joe alleges (because has no other proverbial leg to stand on) this is not a race issue: it is a quality of life issue. An issue that has arisen time and time again in this, my community when nightclubs have operated with total disregard to the well-being of their neighbors. A neighborhood which I care very much about: Greenpoint.

Those of you who are amenable to having 11222 become another 11211 (or are simply apathetic) should ignore the rest of this post. Those of you who are interested taking our neighborhood back (or at least having your voice heard) can raise holy (but polite and non-threatening, please) hell with your elected officials. Here’s a few to kick things off:

State Assemblyman Joseph Lentol
619 Lorimer Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 383 – 7474
lentolj (at) assembly (dot) state (dot) ny (dot) ny (dot) us

Councilman David Yassky
114 Court Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201
(718) 875 – 5200
yassky (at) council (dot) nyc (dot) ny (dot) us

Community Board 1
435 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn , New York, 11211
(718) 389 – 0009
Fax: (718) 389 – 0098
Email: bk01 (at) cb (dot) nyc (dot) gov

And last— but hardly least— you can complain to the New York State Liquor Authority. The people who have in large part created this problem in the first place.

Miss Heather

Photo Credit: Algul Siento

Posted by  
8 Comments

NYS Flickr Pool

Natalie: Hunts Point BronxDamascuspairPhoto In Exchange for a SmokeThe Big Man (2)picturing art

Links

myBlogRoll v0.2 by tipis