Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Code Red On Green Street
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I’ll be back!
Miss Heather
The Manifold Joys of Gentrification
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I received the following email at 11:48 March 27, 2008:
Are you able to please help me? I am writing to you at 11:45 pm (aka MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT) Thursday night, 27 March. Construction happening RIGHT NOW outside my window is driving me NUTS. I have called 311, but have been advised some sort of non-helpful dodge about the appropriate agency being closed. I think that this CAN’T be legal, but I am SO SLEEPY and sleep-deprived that I am in no position to protest or research.
My bedroom window overlooks the North-facing yard of PS110 (corner of Driggs and Monitor). Some sort of elevator-shaft construction is happening to the building, and as I email screechy earth moving equipment is shuffling dirt from one mound into another. This totally stinks. Can you advise?
(Adding insult to insult is that this cacophony comes on top of what I already endure every day from 7:45 a.m. onwards coming out of Kingsland Ave.’s misguided condo projects).
Best wishes,
Anonymous
The benefactor of Anonymous’s late night torment is (in all probability) NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY CO.
This entity is pre-qualified by the New York City School System too:
What does asbestos abatement and remediation have to do with elevator construction at 11:45 p.m.? Just curious.
Miss Heather
Orient Avenue: Knocking On Scarano’s Back Door
As I mentioned in this post, I played “tour guide” last weekend. Any tour guide worth his/her salt knows where to take a bathroom break: Cooper Park. Second only to the privy at Fermi Playground in Bushwick. The latter is the only bathroom I have patronized that had soap, paper towels and toilet paper in abundance. At the same time. But that is the stuff of another post.
After relieving our respective selves I took my friends to Orient Avenue. We checked out the Munster House at 59, but found its neighbor to the west much more intriguing.
This is 11 Orient Avenue.
This is 11 Orient Avenue on crack. Any questions?
Apparently the Department of Buildings would like to ask a question.
Or two. They have issued summons but have yet to get access to the property.
Per the Department of Buildings complaint #625608:
When we walked by this building on Sunday, March 23, 2008 it was eviscerated. It sported cinder blocks for a front door, rat traps laid with total abandon and garbage dumped atop the few purple tulips which grace its soon to be deceased front yard.
Perhaps the no shoes in our house policy deterred the D.O.B. gaining entrance? Or to be Zen; if a New York City Building Inspector knocks on a pile cinder blocks does it make it sound? Not to his supervisors. So he sticks a notice on the fence instead. Twice.
Miss Heather
P.S.: It should hardly be surprising that this site is going to be razed for yet another Scarano masterpiece. Five stories, no less.
A Study In Contrast
Last weekend on Jackson Street I had the pleasure of discovering one of the most verbose admonishments to remove one’s bicycle from another person’s premises I have ever seen.
The author of this note brings up a very salient point: there are certain legal ramifications to be had if someone injures him/herself on someone’s property. His (or her) argument for this bike’s removal is well thought-out and attempts to employ reason in the hopes the owner of this vehicle will do the right thing. Unfortunately this oft-used form of manipulation usually backfires because a great number of people on this planet are anything but reasonable. Perhaps they should give my new friends at Rude Towing a ring?
It has been my observation that the best inducements are the ones which make it known it is in the offender’s best interest to cease and desist with his/her anti-social behavior. Keep it concise and straight to the point. Like this classic piece of anti-bicycle signage from Calyer Street in Greenpoint.
I have walked by this house on a number of occasions. I have yet to see a bicycle affixed to it or any part of its property in any way, shape or form. It just goes to show Teddy Roosevelt was onto something when he said:
Speak softly and carry a
big sticka chain saw.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Morgan Avenue
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
This of course begs the question as to whether there is a polite approach to towing.
Miss Heather
So It Goes…
as Kurt Vonnegut would say.
Greenpoint lost a much-needed houseware store.
And by all appearances, it would appear a bank is slated to take its place. This will make three banks on one block: CitiBank, Dime Bank and WaMu. Needless to say this achievement will be duly noted on Gentrification Bingo.
Miss Heather
P.S.: Could someone please explain to me why banks have not seen fit to open shop north of Greenpoint Avenue?
Happy Easter From 110 Green Street!
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
HE HAS RISEN!
No, it was not Jesus seeking egress from Hell. It was this guy seeking entrance to 110 Green.
The above photograph was taken today, March 23, at 12:53 p.m. The two gentleman in front of the trailer had just completed lifting the third chap (who can be seen peeking over the scaffolding) on top of the trailer so he could access the work site.
That’s what I call team work!
Miss Heather
P.S.: When Mr. Heather and I walked by there later (1:30 p.m.) they were busy at work.
We also took note that Magic Johnson’s crew saw fit to dump/pump their concrete detritus on Green Street for all to enjoy. Imagine what wonders this will do for our sewer system!
State Funds Allocated For Brownfield Study
Last week I received a press release from the Newtown Creek Alliance announcing that they, the Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center and Riverkeeper have been awarded a New York State Brownfields Opportunity (! — Ed. Note) Area grant in the amount of $625,545. What is a “BOA Grant” you ask? Here is a brief synopsis from the aforementioned press release:
The BOA program, created in 2003 along with the State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program, is an innovative planning program that provides communities with financial assistance to facilitate the collection of basic information about an area blighted with brownfields. The program provides assistance to identify, prepare, create, develop, and assemble information to be included in an application to “nominate†an area as a BOA. The program also provides financial assistance for site assessments performed in designated BOAs.
Designation of an area as a BOA can provide other benefits. For example, projects located within the BOA can receive priority and preference when considered for financial assistance under some State, federal or local programs, and may receive preference in infrastructure improvements. A BOA designation is likely to help attract redevelopment interest because of the community support that underlies a BOA plan.
The funds for studying Newtown Creek will be used in manifold number of ways. Among them are:
…to assess redevelopment opportunities for contaminated sites along the Creek pursuant to intensive community input, emphasizing high-performance, environmentally sustainable industrial uses, parks and wetlands creation, and improved environmental infrastructure. The study will examine the watershed as a whole in an effort to improve the environmental condition of both the land and water. The Newtown Creek study area includes portions of Long Island City, Maspeth, Greenpoint, East Williamsburg, and Bushwick.
Those of you who are interested in getting the full scoop (or simply want to savor sound bites from numerous public officials) click here and you will be directed to the press release on Riverkeeper’s web site. Be advised this item is in PDF format.
Miss Heather
Happy Easter From Greenpoint!
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Watch out for those chocolate bunnies, they’ll get ya!
This cute little guy has a basket full of tasty treats!
As does this dapper fellow on Russell Street. I wonder why these eggs are so big— maybe it has something to do with the sewage treatment plant?
This delectable rabbit is certain to tickle many a sweet tooth today.
Even the blood pressure monitors on Manhattan Avenue are feeling the holiday spirit!
Happy Easter from New York Shitty!
Miss Heather
Just In Time For Easter!
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I found this item at The Garden yesterday as I was doing a little grocery shopping. For the paltry asking price of $3.99 I couldn’t resist picking one up for Mr. Heather.
He can’t open it until tomorrow (after the Easter bunny gives it to him), so in the meantime he’ll have to be content with savoring its rather amusing instructions. Why not be your own bunny, outlay four bucks and get a pooper of your own? Greenpoint can never have enough poop!
The Garden
921 Manhattan Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Those of you who prefer bovines over swine will be pleased as punch to know they also have cow poopers! You can find them by the deli section.
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
