New York Shitty Day Starter: Dogate

(Literally)

Lest I have not made it clear already OSA North Brooklyn has a suspicious provenance, has been less than forthcoming about their mission (to put it politely) and how they are spending the money our elected officials (READ: our tax dollars) have donated to them.

I cannot for the life of me understand why a “community advocacy” group affiliated with the Parks Department can raise money by having concerts and make a nice penny selling concession rights shilling alcoholic beverages at McCarren and East River State Park…

aussiewine

when the patrons of McGolrick Park are admonished to abstain: in English and Polish.

nodrinking

I suppose the “open container law” applies to some citizens more than others. Or as long as folks are swilling booze sanctioned by/profiting the city (or OSA)? Remember, the President of Brooklyn Brewery is one of their founding members) I suppose it’s A-OK? Can you say hypocrisy? This whole set-up reeks of graft.

OSA outlays money to hang advertisements on private property, facing public property (in this case East State River Park)…

OSAadvertNYS

and cries “poverty” when it comes a new fence at the McCarren Park Dog Run. McGolrick gets a new fence and McCarren gets Sternberg’s leftovers. I could not understand why this came to pass— McCarren needs help. BIG TIME. Then I remembered that I am (for all intents and purposes) an honest person. I put on my “tweeder” thinking cap and re-read this exchange.

The following missive put it all together:

patronage

This has nothing to do the the betterment of the community. It is patronage mutual backslapping, plain and simple. McGolrick gets $13,000 and McCarren gets a paltry $500. The latter phat wad of cash was to be divided between “the two leaders” volunteers who are going to weld together the remains of Sternberg’s fence at McCarren; they get $200 each, and $100 for “little bro helper”. “Little bro helper”, for those of you who are not in the know, is Ms. Thayer’s little brother whose sole qualifications are:

  1. Being Ms. Thayer’s little brother.
  2. Taking a welding class.

If a Parks employee/OSA Executive has sent an email indicating her own brother should be compensated $100 for doing no work whatsoever how many more of her friends are on the dole? Just a question.

On that note, I strongly encourage you, dear readers, to revisit the post mentioned at the beginning of this post. I have made some very interesting corrections/amendments— including what appears to be the “Pete Best” of the original OSAnb group. Contrary to what Mr. Short wrote, Adam Perlmutter was not one of the original founders of OSAnb. But this document seems to attest otherwise. Hmm…

Miss Heather

UPDATE, 7/30/09: Be sure to read the comments. Suffice it to say it keeps getting more and more interesting!

UPDATE, 8/3/09: The Greenpoint Gazette has this take about the fencing situation. Choice quote:

…Currently, the fencing surrounding the McCarren Park dog run is a combination of chain-link fence, temporary wire barriers and historical black iron fencing the iron fencing makes up nearly three quarters of the hodge-podge partition. Recently the Park’s Department decided to standardize the fences in Sternberg Park as well, and in doing so uprooted a portion of black iron fencing, which will in turn be installed in McCarren, to match the already existing iron fencing stock.

Actually Diana Reyna gave $40,000 to Sternberg to buy a new fence. It IS an election year after all.

Greenpoint Loses One Of Its Own

155greenpointave

Many of you are undoubtedly familiar with delightfully old school storefront at 155 Greenpoint Avenue: H. Temkin Carpets & Linoleum.

noel

If so, you will undoubtedly recognize this lovely lass: she frequented the windows of this establishment.*

noelRIP

Her name was Noel and after “14-15” years of gracing the Garden Spot with her stately presence, I am sad to report she is no longer with us. Per Noel’s “person”, Allan**, she had cancer and went into a steep decline the last two weeks of her life. He did assure me, however, that he did everything in his power to make sure her last days were as painless and comfortable as possible.

Goodbye, Noel. You will be missed.

Miss Heather

*Who, Allen attests, “knew” when a funeral was going to happen next door. How, you ask? Very simple: on the day of any given funeral Noel could be found in the window, laying on her back “playing dead”.

**Who is an amazingly nice and very interesting guy. As you can see.

From The New York Shitty Inbox: Ad Hoc Rock

Last Sunday afternoon I happened to find myself in Williamsburg. As I was approaching Kent Avenue I began to hear music. LOUD MUSIC.

What the fuck?

I asked myself. Sure enough, when I reached East River State Park I found my answer: they were having a concert event. I don’t think I have ever seen this park crawling with as many people as I did that day. Naturally I got the hell out of dodge STAT.

It’s not that I do not like music or concerts. I do. I simply do not like large crowds of people. I prefer my entertainment to be on a more intimate  scale. “Unplugged”, if you will. Which brings me to the following.

guitar park 01NYS

guitar park 02NYS

guitar park 03NYS

guitar park 04NYS

guitar park 05NYS

Tony (who took the above photographs) writes:

On the way to the farmer’s market we found quite a post-video-game-rock-out mess at the little park on Driggs & McGuinness.

A lot of Polish dudes sleep on cardboard inside there, but I doubt these have anything to do with them.

I most emphatically disagree. For all we know among this gaggle of Garden Spot guydom is the next Eddie Van Halen, Ted Nugent, Randy Rhaods, or— if we’re really lucky— Pete Townshend!

Miss Heather

Construction Site Du Jour: 211 Huron Street

July 28, 2009 ·
Filed under: 11222, Abjectecture, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

You know how the saying goes:

All’s well that ends well.

Well, I would like to update this adage with a distinctly Greenpointian twist:

Anything that starts out this badly will probably end up being even worse.

Which brings me to this.

SPLAT

I have seen a lot of shoddy construction work in my day. So much so that I have become somewhat oblivious to it. That is until I beheld 211 Huron Street. This site is in a class all its own.

site

This is without argument one of the most fascinating construction fences I have ever seen.*

door

The use of a residential door gives it a “cozy” feel lacking in this day and age of mega-development and glass boxes. If you lived here, you’d be homeless by now!

signs

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign— but these missives pass muster as such only in the most academic sense of the word. It should be noted, however, that although they do not score points for relaying information they do create an interesting montage!

cement

As you can see no expense has been spared on cement. In fact, they even went to the trouble of repaving part of the street. I have no doubt this will work wonders for our already beleaguered sewage system.

panes

Need a place to store your stuff? That’s what your next door neighbor’s property is for!

The more eagle-eyed among you probably noticed there are no permits whatsoever to be found at 211 Huron Street. This is because they have no valid permits (those expired in April**). Not that this formality appears to have deterred them from working anyway.

splat2

Whoops.

Miss Heather

*Note the absence of a sidewalk shed. It would appear they really need one.
**What is slated to be built here is as follows:

211huron

Don’t believe me? Click here and see for yourself!

TOMORROW: Smackdown!

smackdown

Tomorrow, July 28, starting at 7:00 p.m. the Williamsburg Northside Preschool will be hosting “The Ultimate Verbal Smackdown”. What will this “forum for 33rd council districts” entail? I’ll let NAG’s Neighborhood Watch give you the 411:

In a match held only once this century, seven City Council candidates will grapple with the issues important to North Brooklynites to help voters decide who will best be able to serve Greenpoint and Williamsburg in the City Council. Candidates will attempt their best verbal wrestling moves, although any metal chairs present will be for sitting and the only sleeper holds allowed are those that require a firm grasp of zoning law.

The Ultimate Verbal Smackdown forum will focus on the major issues facing North Brooklyn: affordable housing, open space, transportation, public safety, environment, quality-of-life, education and youth. The forum will be moderated by Susan Albrecht, Co-Chair of NAG…

It will probably be of interest to a number of people reading this that NAG is also taking submissions for a “people’s choice” question. You can tender your submission(s) and learn more about this event by clicking here.

ULTIMATE VERBAL SMACKDOWN
Tuesday, July 28, 2009;  7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Willamsburg Northside Preschool
152 North 5th Street
Brooklyn, New York 11211

Let the mayhem begin!

Miss Heather

Has Anyone Seen Moose?

moose

Speaking as a pet owner my heart sinks when I find fliers like this (which is located at the intersection of Herbert Street and Graham Avenue in Greenpoint). The previous having been written who cannot help but love a cat named Moose! If you have seen this cute fella or know of his whereabouts please contact his “people” at the above telephone number. Thanks!

Miss Heather

P.S.: Also MIA in the Garden Spot is a cat named Lester. Here’s the flier I found about him from the intersection of Norman Avenue and Newel Street.

Lester

Greenpoint Gentrification Watch: The Garden Spot

July 27, 2009 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

How do you know your neighborhood is getting tony? It’s not Manhattan-esque rent, shops that charge $200 for a pair of shorts or forty story glass towers. It is this.

planter

This veritable I.M.Peie of potty planterdom hails from Russell Street.

Miss Heather

OSA Chief Faces Criticism: Rebuttal

Last week was a hectic one for yours truly. Pet-sitting, work, Photoshop phreakiness, life: the list goes on and on. But at long last I have the time and energy to share my thoughts about the following which hails from Brooklyn11211.

brooklyn11211

If you point and click your way to this post (which can be done by clicking on the above image) you will learn that Brooklyn11211 is addressing the recent reporting by Aaron Short of the Williamsburg Courier. What was of particular interest to yours truly is the embedded link for “Its (sic) not a sell out”; this directs the reader to the (admittedly rather vitriolic) post I wrote last Thursday.

BDE31609My colleague down south is right: the fact the Executive Director Open Space Alliance North Brooklyn (henceforth referred to as OSAnb) gets just over half her salary from the city is not a “sell out”. It’s a buy out. There is a difference. Prior to being put on the city’s payroll Ms. Thayer was one of the most vociferous parks advocates Williamspoint had. As I understand it, she was a real pain the city’s butt. So they made a move that was downright Machiavellian in its brilliance: they hired her. It’s much more difficult to bite the hand if it is (in part) feeding you.*

Do I think Ms. Thayer sees it this way? No. I believe she believes (just as Brooklyn11211 does) that by being a Parks Department employee and the Executive Director of OSAnb she can and will be an “inside player/spokesperson” on the behalf of our community. I, on the other hand, do not.

Before I proceed I want to make it clear my opinion is not informed by a degree in architecture or landscape design; experience in public administration (although I have considerable experience with facilities management) or by being a Williamspoint “power player”. It is grounded purely by observing human nature.

I do not blame Stephanie for not “thumbing her nose at the Mayor”, e.g.; limiting attendance to the Bushwick Inlet Park “groundbreaking”. Just like the rest of us she has bills to pay. To be overtly critical of her employer will jeopardize the roof over her head. Who in his (or her) right mind, in these times, would do such a thing? (All I can’t understand is why Steve Hindy was given a shovel— but we’ll get to that in a bit.)

But this doesn’t make the conflict of interest any less troubling. The fact of the matter is one person cannot serve two masters. In this respect I find the 51%/49% breakdown of her salary very instructive; as a Parks employee she is, in fact, working for us. The taxpayers.

It’s the other 49% I worry about. Aaron Short writes in this article:

After a long day of contemplating North Brooklyn’s open space problems and navigating the intricacies of city bureaucracy, a community leader could be forgiven for wanting an ice cold beer. And as neighborhood power players expressed their doubts about the purity of the organization’s motives, now might be a good time to grab one.

Fortunately, Open Space Alliance (OSA) Chairman Steve Hindy, also the owner of the Brooklyn Brewery, doesn’t have to go very far. He originally founded the Open Space Alliance (OSA) with Adam Perlmutter and Joe Vance in 2002 as a way to buy the Bushwick Inlet (North 12th and Kent streets) for public use. (Not the case: OSA incorporated in January of 2003. Here’s a jpeg of their paperwork. It lists the founders as follows: Joe Vance, Steve Hindy and Norm Brodsky. For the curious— or incredibly bored— here’s a jpeg of their Registration Statement on file with the State Attorney General’s office. It too dates to January 2003— and lists Joe Vance and Steve Hindy but now Adam Perlmutter is listed as OSA’s Secretary. Fascinating. — Ed. Note.)

Those plans stalled that year when Motiva, the company that owned the site, was reluctant to sell. So, Hindy and the board turned their attention to raising money to maintain McCarren and McGolrick parks and create new open space in North Brooklyn on street ends along the Williamsburg waterfront…

Let’s deconstruct this. You have a lawyer (Perlmutter) who is on record in this article from NY1, dated April 4, 2005:

…But protestors say the incentives come with no guarantees.

It’s not enough to just tinker with this plan, said City Councilman David Yassky. We’ve got to just start over and get a much better plan; one that’s for the neighborhood, not the developers.

So far, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and the local Community Board have voted down the plan, while the City Planning Commission voted last month to approve it. Now it’s moved on to the City Council, and all sides want to be heard.

Without rezoning we will have power plants, transfer stations and industrial uses that will forever close the door for our community to recapture its waterfront, said community activist (and hired representative of Greenpoint Landing LLCwhich would very much like to develop the Greenpoint waterfront*— be sure to watch NY1’s video to hear him say just this— it’s a HOOT!) Adam Perlmutter.

In the clarity that is four years hindsight I suspect most of us agree that David Yassky, Perlmutter, and Markowitz have done little for “the neighborhood”— but plenty for developers. As for Joe Vance, entrusting an architect to be a community advocate in neighborhood facing a radical residential re-zone is sort of like asking the fox to guard the hen house. From the New York City Campaign Finance Board Database:

joevance

And last, but hardly least, Steve Hindy:

HINDY

As you can see Mister Hindy, a resident of south Brooklyn, President of Brooklyn Brewery and “co-founder of OSAnb”, has seen fit to donate $100 to Evan Thies’s campaign. Which brings me to the following (as gleaned from the aforementioned article from the Williamsburg Courier)…

“So far OSA is not on a track yet, said one CB 1 member who wished to remain anonymous. “They’re negotiating contract deals for concerts and that’s not what an open space organization should be doing. This was always my fear as they were setting up the organization.”

Julie Lawrence, a longtime Williamsburg resident and Neighbors Allied for Good Growth organizing committee member, believes that the relationship between OSA and the Parks Department has benefited the city (and businesses, including the Brooklyn Brewery, which are have received or currently have concession rights at the aforementioned events — Ed. Note) more than the community.

“It’s not about raising money for the parks. It’s about raising income for the city,” said Lawrence.

The nonprofit has not released an annual report or formed bylaws, (Not true: Ed. Note. You can read them by clicking here.) despite bringing in donations and revenues of several hundred thousand dollars per year and retaining two full time staff.** According to figures released from OSA board members, the largest contributor to OSA last year was Assemblymember Joseph Lentol (D, Williamsburg), who allocated $50,000 in state funds***

Councilmember David Yassky (Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights), also chipped in $10,000*** and Borough President Marty Markowitz’s office contributed $400,000 through OSA for renovations to Rodney Park.***

In terms of expenditures, the largest expense has been the stage built for the Pool Parties series that OSA co-sponsors with JellyNYC, a music promotion company. Last year, it cost $600,000 to put on shows at McCarren Park Pool, though the state and OSA will split expenses for the summer’s Pool Party series on the East River.****

OSA also pays for the salary of two full-time employees: Executive Director Stephanie Thayer, who makes $80,000 per year, and Julia Morrow, an assistant director as well as contributes to maintenance costs such as the resodding of park ball fields and refilling garbage bags and soap in comfort stations.

“We won’t spend money until receiving input from the community committee”, said Thayer, (BULLSHIT-***– Ed. Note.) who added that they are currently working on their first annual report. “We recorded a long list of complaints at last fall’s OSA general meeting.”

The primary role of the OSA Board is to raise money. Board members are expected to contribute about $3,000 each, making for a total of $35,000 per year, and help host fundraisers, such as a recent soiree held at a Williamsburg apartment tower that netted $1,300 $13,000.

“We’re working to build the board,” said Hindy, who would like to add eight more board members to the current 12. “I think the effectiveness of OSA will depend on the extent that the community supports it.”

What do you mean by “community”, Mister Hindy? The people who actually live here (the last I checked the median income for a family of four in Greenpoint was ~$36,000 a year) or business owners who can outlay $3,000 a year in dues? Methinks the type of “community support” you seek is a plutocracy.

Which brings me back to Brooklyn11211‘s post. He wrote in closing:

Happily, we have other groups that can fill the advocate role – and keep the City (and OSA) honest (NAG).

parksandrecTHUMBFirst off, why should we, as citizens, have to belong to/rely upon a community group to keep our civil servants honest? When I write this I mean no disrespect whatsoever for NAG— they are doing some great stuff. Rather, what I find most curious (and disquieting) is the omission of any mention of Community Board 1 in Brooklyn11211‘s post. Given that one of the writers for this blog is on CB1.

CB1’s members are ostensibly the representatives of this community. As you will notice in the screencap to the left they have a “Parks & Recreation Committee” and Evan Thies (who is running for City Councilman in the 33rd District) is member. I wonder what they have to say about all of this?

I for one would love to know. If anyone from Community Board 1 is reading this and would like to give his (or her) take on the previous please email me at missheather (at) thatgreenpointblog (dot) com. Whatever you tell me will remain anonymous.

Miss Heather

*Per the Village Voice article entitled “Super-sized Williamsburg on the Way” dated April 26, 2005:

“There is no way that you can say that 40-story towers have anything to do with the existing character of the neighborhood,” complained Stephanie Thayer, a member of the North Brooklyn Alliance, which has been battling to scale back the development.

And yet, four years later, she poses next to the developer poised to build a 40 story tower in Greenpoint and the City Councilman who enabled it. Because they gave chump change to make a mural.

**Why isn’t this org. being audited?

***These figures have since been revised. Upward. Check out the Williamsburg Courier for the 411.

****Which brings me to a tale of two dog runs. A donation was made with the expectation it would be shared. It didn’t work out that way. Although once promised— and much discussed—- the money was used for one. If McGolrick can get $13,000 for a new fence why has been McCarren been relegated to getting sloppy seconds from Sternberg? And $500 to be given to volunteers as “thanks” for assembling said fence— which has not, in fact, been assembled. One such volunteer is the Executive Director of OSA’s brother. His qualification(s): taking a welding class.


Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: If Anyone From The Department Of Buildings Is Reading This

July 26, 2009 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

CLOSED

If you want access to 239 Banker Street (AKA: The Sweater Lofts) today is your big day!

239banker72609

As of 4:40 this afternoon, Sunday, July 26, they were working.

freightelevator

As you can see the freight elevator is open!

plansNYS

What’s more, they were even thoughtful enough to post plans in said elevator for the edification of passersby. (Click on the above jpeg to see the “floor plans” for this “hotel” in their replete glory).

Hope this has been helpful,

Miss Heather

Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: Ready For Rain

July 23, 2009 ·
Filed under: 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

meter

From Manhattan Avenue.

Miss Heather

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