metulj writes: “There was a mighty stench of death wafting all over Plaza St East, and it had nothing to do with the construction starting at Union Temple…”
“A leaf-and-lawn sized trash bag was left inside the fence of Plaza right in front of #50. It started smelling like total rot. Police were called. What was it? A chopped up underworld figure? A sack of heads?”
“No. It was about 50 dead pigeons. Police left said bag stinking like shit-covered death. Calls to 311 ensued.”
dina writes in: “Today at the site of the Union Temple parking lot, workers were driving metal rods into the sidewalk. On asking what they were doing, I was told they are guarding off the site in preparation to build a foundation for a 16-story apartment building. Is this the famed Richard Meier building? Does anyone know anything about this?”
metulj: “Yup. There goes my bedroom view of the library and probably the park as well.”
Previously on Daily Heights: “Developers originally and laughably sold this condo project to us as ‘not luxury.’ However, Deb’s conversation yesterday with a “boasting” spokesperson for Richard Meier revealed that ‘It will be the most luxurious building in Brooklyn.’ Local agents speculate a 2-bedroom unit will go for about $1 million.”
Not a day goes by that I don’t regret missing the era of Hot Bird in Brooklyn.
Must read: Aaron Naparstek’s lengthy treatise on Bollards, the hardened steel, concrete or stone posts buried into the pavement of city streets and sidewalks:
“In Northern European cities, you see bollards all over the place. They are used to make sure that if a motor vehicle accidentally jumps up on to a sidewalk, pedestrians are protected. Bollards are a kind of urban preventative medicine. They stop crashes before they happen.”
“We have bollards in New York City. But … rather than using them to protect people, we use them to protect things — fire hydrants, pay phones and important buildings into which we believe terrorists might want to drive car bombs.”
“…There is often a sense in New York City that motor vehicle traffic is akin to a natural phenomenon… we’ve become conditioned to motor vehicle carnage as the natural order of things … It’s no wonder. In the same week that the Reyes family was run over there were at least three incidents of vehicles jumping up onto the sidewalk and doing serious damage to people and property in Park Slope, Brooklyn, my neighborhood.”
“Bollards are cheap and easy. Even some of the most run-down and industrial parts of East Berlin have pedestrian bollards … We could afford this if we wanted. We could show they are successful and worth it …”
“This sad state of affairs on NYC’s streets is slowly beginning to change. Last year, a group of Park Slope advocates, myself included, teamed up with the Prospect Heights Parents Association and Transportation Alternatives and successfully lobbied DOT to install protective bollards around the intimidating traffic island in the middle of Flatbush Avenue between Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Public Library.
“It’s not ideal. The traffic signals are still timed in such a way that they trap pedestrians on the island in the middle of Flatbush. They could have done much better.”
LINK: Making NYC’s Streets Safe for Hydrants & Pay Phones [naparstek.com]
Freddy’s Karaoke is back! Tony sent this in just under the wire:
“People often ask ‘Is karaoke Japanese for “Empty Audience” or “Empty Orchestra”? You’ll have to judge for yourself. Karaoke Big Ass Ham (KBAH) is the low-tech sing-along night at Freddy’s Bar and Backroom at 485 Dean Street in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Sign up and you can win a canned ham, or maybe a hand crafted iron-on T-shirt…
“…KBAH has a low-tech philosophy, using an MP3 laptop and printed lyrics.”
“Karaoke Big Ass Ham happens every third Wednesday night of the month from 9:00 until 12:00pm … Your Host Bill Carney guides you through the lo-fi singing safari. He also figures out who gets a prize, so be nice to him. This month we’re giving away a canned ham or a pumpkin as prizes. Scare up the nerve and join us tonight! Go to our web site for a list of songs and pictures from last year.
Discuss Karaoke: Prospect Heights Message Boards
Image: set speed
Thanks to set speed aka onehansonplace.com for giving us the link to his coverage the Atlantic Yards public hearing last night (Tuesday, Oct. 18):
“Billed as one of the few chances the tax-paying public has at speaking to the Empire State Development Corp., tonight’s public hearing … (was) not without many dull moments … the partisan crowd was split into anti-Ratner community members and pro-project construction workers…”
“… Marty Markowitz spoke, then councilman David Yassky, then Letitia James… Impassioned community members spoke of the need for the impact review to be held on a larger scale…”
“Then came the brusque member of the sheetmetal workers union and another construction worker, both of whom were yelling into the mic, much to the jolly of their fellow blue-collar brethren. One speaker pleaded with the crowd, saying that Ratner actually paid union wages, while other surrounding Brooklyn projects used low-cost workers, specifically naming the developer of 176 Johnson St., a.k.a. Toy Factory Lofts and Two Trees in Dumbo…” Read more…
Discuss: Prospect Heights Message Boards
One of the most unfathomable DOT decisions in recent Prospect Heights history — leaving aside for a moment the virtually useless and largely ornamental expansion of the “pedestrian island” where Flatbush Avenue meets Grand Army Plaza — is the decision to renovate a massive stretch of the Eastern Parkway median and yet somehow neglect the last few blocks from Brooklyn Museum up to Grand Army Plaza. That stretch, pretty much the public face of Prospect Heights to the millions of outsiders who come to visit the Museum, zoo, botanical garden and library.
As Robert Witherwax wrote: “Those of us who traverse this god-forsaken path every day, on foot, by wheel, or with paws, know that it is in DESPERATE need of repair between Washington and Plaza … the intersection at Washington is DANGEROUS, and that the median is a shameful welcome mat to put out for the millions of guests coming to our neighborhood, and our cultural institutions.”
So the money finally came through, and yesterday in front of the Brooklyn Museum, Mayor Bloomberg and Congressman Owens jointly announce their funding of the $5.9 million dollar project to renovate the Eastern Parkway median and the Washington Avenue/Eastern Parkway intersection.
This is good, right? If you don’t own a car, yes. We’ve heard that part of the plan involves taking away parking spots from Eastern Parkway, a move that could force more Prospect Heights residents to garage their cars in expensive and scarce lot space. [Update: This may be a scurrilous rumor… EasternPkwy reports: “The plan will actually ADD spots, on the eastern end of the block, since the currently zebra-striped area will become actual median (about 8 car lengths on both sides of the street). Still undetermined are the number and location of bus stops, and whether we will have loading/unloading zones at other points along the strip, which may mean no parking during the day…”]
Also, as Ben says: “I was disappointed to see that construction will not start until the fall of 2007 – 2 years from now – and will not be completed until 2009.”
While insiders say some parts of the project might begin and finish earlier than the 07-09 window, one can’t help but wonder why Bloomberg chose to make this announcement now, just 3 weeks before an election… FLUTE points out the need for time to design the project, do bidding and awarding of contracts, and so on: “A year for that is not entirely unlikely … But I do agree, the timing of the announcement is a bit suspect. I guess those are the benefits of being Mayor.”
Tessa writes on NYC Metblogs: “…The guy put his foot in my door and would not let me close it, demanding his tip. I tried to close it, my heart beating faster realizing I’m a single female who lives in a studio with all my neighbors out already for the night. I think by the third time, he realized it too, pushed his way into my apartment and demanded I give him money.
“I gave him all the cash I had which amounted to only about $10 … I immediately closed my door, shaking violently (still currently at this moment), locking all three locks and then got on the phone to Fresh Direct…”
Read more: Tessa on NYC Metblogs
