From Green Street.
Miss Heather
A very nice chap (and Viridian resident), Michael, writes:
Hey Miss Heather,
Avid reader, first time tipper. First I gotta say I love the blog – really great stuff. Indispensable if you live in GP. And congrats on the NY Mag article!
I wanted to write you b/c my 2 bikes were stolen from the Viridian garage (110 Green Street) yesterday (I think). They were last seen on Thursday at 11:30pm and were gone this morning around noon. The 2 bikes were: 1) 1980′s Schwinn World Sport – blue frame with black handle bars, fixed and 2) 1980′s Windsor Carrera Sport – gray frame with red handlebars. I’m really bummed about them being stolen… Maybe you or one of your readers will see them around town. If you do please let me know! Thanks again and keep on rockin!
First off, thanks for the incredibly nice words Michael. They are greatly appreciated! You might be interested to know I will be featured on L Magazine’s web site this upcoming week— so keep an eye out! Otherwise, if anyone has seen a bicycle fitting either of the above descriptions please contact Michael via email at: michael (dot) auerbach (at) gmail (dot) com.
Thanks!
UPDATE, October 3, 2010: Michael has gotten one of his bikes back! He writes:
I got 1 back! Saw some dude with the Windsor on green. Said he found it on the end of Huron street and he gave I back to me! Still missing the Schwinn tho! I hope we can get it back!!!
Miss Heather
Given this building is located next door to Greenpoint’s pride and joy, The Viridian, methinks it takes very little deduction to figure out yo whom this missive is directed. In light of the fact some Viridian residents saw fit to use the indoor garden used as a doggie dumping ground I wouldn’t bet against it anyway.
Miss Heather
Yesterday, dear readers, a very special item arrived in yours trulys inbox: an email from a person who lives in none other than the Viridian! I always thought the outside was pretty damned bad. If the following is any indication, the interior isn’t any better.
Anonymous writes:
This blog post writes itself… This is the sign on the ‘tranquility pool’ thing that became a garden. And this sign showed up a few days after they finished with the garden.
Maybe it should’ve started with ‘Listen up you nasty ingrates.’
(nothing else needs to be said)
Miss Heather
When I found this book at the junk shop last weekend I could help but take it to Green Street. A place that was and continues to be “touched” by Magic’s touch. The Viridian (or as I prefer to call it: The Green Street Dorms) continues to amuse. The window treatments at this edifice are particularly provocative. There are not very and as a result I have some insight into the lifestyles of 110 Green Street. A bra-clad woman sitting in a director’s chair here, a bedroom with two sets of bunk beds there; every evening the windows glow with plasma television goodness. I do not want to see these things— but I do. Whatever happened to privacy?
Well, here’s one solution to the problem. But back to Magic and his touch.
Mr. Johnson and his funky bunch have touched Greenpoint…
and some intrepid Garden Spotter has seen fit to return the favor.
Miss Heather
Remember a couple of weeks ago when Jay Lombard of Dog Habitat brought the above little fella (and two of his equally deceased feathered friends) to our attention? He had ascertained that the glass windows of Greenpoint’s favorite nondo, the Viridian, was to blame for their demise; the reflection cast from them was fooling these cedar waxwings— which should be noted are currently migrating south— to fly into them. Well, it is with heavy heart that I inform you 110 Green Street has claimed another victim.
And this time— instead of picking his (or her) fragile little body up— Magic’s funky bunch simply swept him along with all the other “trash” (gracing the western end of their property) onto their neighbor’s lot.
You’re a real class act, Viridian.
Miss Heather
This post is dedicated to the workers busy readying the Viridian for habitation today.
All one of you.
As you can see your creation has gained a measure recognition from the community. Albeit in a semantically flawed manner: your ugly building is, in fact, rental property.
Then again, if it wasn’t so ugly (and over-priced, for that matter) it may very well still be a condominium.
I suppose it really doesn’t matter anymore. But if I may make a suggestion…
running a two by four through the door handles of your building isn’t exactly going to lure prospective tenants.
Miss Heather
(Or: Reader Request Of The Week)
On Friday, April 3, 2009 Richard wrote:
I saw your blog covering all the crappy new construction going up in the city. Could you do a follow-up post with photos that really indicate how poorly these buildings are constructed? I want to see dented garage doors, rust, light fixtures falling off of buildings constructed within the last 10 years. I am no longer local to NYC but I am scavenging the internet in an attempt to gather these kind of images for a project I am working on.
Thanks
I’ll be perfectly frank: ordinarily I bristle at this kind of request. I am the editrix of New York Shitty and in that capacity I determine what gets published and when. What’s more, I am lazy. However when one lives in close proximity to Greenpoint’s favorite “nondo”, The Viridian, finding suitable material for this gentleman’s project is easy enough. Hell, I can knock that out while grabbing a gallon of milk.
First off, even I have to grudgingly concede that Magic Johnson’s funky bunch have done a pretty decent job of making the facade of this building look like it was professionally built and not knocked out by Travis the Chimp. I strongly suspect the fact that I have made light of the lack of quality workmanship on this colossus on more than one occasion probably has something to do with this development. I also imagine one (or two) of their more astute marketing professionals finally deduced that having haphazard hunks of sheet metal hanging in plain view of interested clients coming and going from their sales office may not be conducive to drumming up business. I hope whoever had this startling revelation was compensated generously for his (or her) efforts. But I digress.
Although the front end of the Viridian is looking by all accounts okay (or at least as palatable as possible) nowadays I regret to inform my new friend Richard that the “back end” of this structure (located on Huron Street), well, looks like ass.
The above photograph does not do this craptastic craftsmanship justice. Therefore I decided to shoot a little live footage. Enjoy!
Thank you Richard for putting the fire under my ass to follow-up on my affection for poorly constructed crap. Not only do I think this specimen will “jibe” wonderfully with your project but it gave me some much-needed amusement. How did this come to pass, you ask? Very simple: they’re asking $2,900 a month rent for a two bedroom in this turd.
Ha.
Ha.
Ha.
Miss Heather
Photo Credit: Frontal shot of the Viridian comes courtesy of Kitchen Prof.
On February 19, 2009 K wrote:
…I figure you know about this due to linking alerts for your blog but here we go… or there He went.
Magic’s magic is ummmm… bankrupt!?
Not to wish ill, but let us be reasonable about the reality of where we live and what it can (should?) house.
Maybe they’ll make a skate park for the youth in the drained pool… and turn the sauna into a Public Russian (Polish) Bath House?
Among the numerous ideas my Greenpoint think tank came up with as to what to do with this Modernist monolith (including a scenario which can only be described as post-Apocalyptic class warfare) I really liked the idea of having the pool utilized as a public skateboarding park. The sad fact is the parks in my fair burgh are abysmal. The only thing worse in Greenpoint are arguably the drivers. When I see a child skateboarding on the street I get worried.
Children* should be able to have safe facilities where they can get a little exercise. It is my belief that being physically active allows kids (of all ages) to blow off steam and consequently keeps them out of trouble (and Miss Heather’s hair). Needless to say when I noticed two teenagers opening the front door of the Viridian (as seen above) shoving a prepubescent boy inside and then holding it shut (thus encasing a Greenpoint young ‘un in luxurious captivity) I found it most interesting. In fact, I immediately pulled out my camera to document the most unorthodox use of a former condominium building I have seen to date.
I know Magic Johnson (a dedicated advocate of physical fitness/paid spokesman for Aetna) would be most pleased to know his monument to progress on Green Street is helping our children stay physically active and have a little fun to boot. Perhaps the new sales strategy for 110 Green Street should be…
The Viridian: The Affordable Choice for Luxurious Male Bonding/Hazing Since 2009.
Miss Heather
*Who, by the way, my dislike of is grossly exaggerated. It may take a village to raise a child but it takes only one self-important, pedantic and narcissitic parent to create an asshole.