Breaking News: Whole Foods to Begin Brownfield Cleanup at Third and Third

Breaking News: The proposed Carroll Gardens / Gowanus / Park Slope Whole Foods is proceeding with Environmental Remediation efforts. Letters such as the one scanned below have gone out to various stakeholders and community groups, detailing (somewhat) the efforts being made to participate in New York's Brownfield Cleanup Program. 

According to the letters, mailed from mega-law firm Akerman-Senterfitt (a frequent representative of developers) efforts will start on January 11 and are anticipated to take about three months and no traffic disruptions are anticipated. By participating in this program, the developer is eligible for tax credits to help defray the costs of cleaning up the site.

Will we one day see a Whole Foods? Looks like it!

Staples: How is this Legal?

Everyone knows the Staples on Third Street and Fourth Avenue. Seems like any other Staples ever, no? Shared parking lot (which is VERY tight), rude managers, long lines - it has it all. But, there is something subtle that makes this Staples even worse than the average one. Take a look at this picture:

Notice anything?

How about now?

That's right. Staples hates you. Or, more accurately, Staples hates you if you don't drive.

If you are not a driver, you MUST venture into an active traffic lane to enter the Staples site. They managed to install a sidewalk that connects to the city sidewalk, but then put up a huge fence, so as to make a walk to Staples to pick up some staples a life-threatening activity. Down with Staples!

While Staples certainly deserves some negative press for this choice, more disconcerting for me is the fact that this situation is allowed to exist. How did the City Planning Department's ULURP process not catch this? How does the DOB not red tag the site? How does Transportation Alternatives not make a fuss about this?

Maybe the hipsters who re-painted the Bedford Avenue bike lanes need to head on down to Gowanus with some bolt cutters...

Is the Gowanus Canal Sponge-Worthy?

From the Boerum Hill Blog:

This New Fire Commissioner Sounds Like a Real Guy

Carroll Gardens' own Salvatore Cassano, the new FDNY Commissioner, has been giving some interviews lately where he details his early life, before he made the (regrettable) decision to move to Staten Island. From the New York Times:

Born on Jan. 22, 1945, as the second son in an Italian-American family, he was named after the father of his mother, Madeline. The Cassanos lived in South Brooklyn, in a walk-up on First Place in Carroll Gardens.

“Radiator bursting away,” he said. “There were six of us in a six-room apartment. We shared a bed. I didn’t have my own bed until I got married.”

His father’s family came from Ischia, Italy, in 1909; his mother’s family came from Naples. His grandfather worked as a day laborer; his father, Angelo, was a longshoreman on the docks in Red Hook, where he rose to become a boss of loading and unloading the trucks.

“He was very well-respected,” he said. “He was a tough boss, but he was fair, so I had a good role model to follow.”

As a boy, young Sal went to Public School 142 and Brooklyn Tech and then Boys High School, where he bowled. His parents took their four children to Roman Catholic Mass each Sunday, at St. Mary Star of the Sea. 

“My mom and dad taught us all about family life and how important your family is,” he said.
At 10, he landed his first job, working for his brother-in-law delivering crates of soda in glass bottles, sometimes walking them up six flights on his shoulder.

He rooted for the Dodgers. His godfather was single and had season tickets to Ebbets Field.
“I used to go there three or four times a week when they were home,” he said. The shortstop Pee Wee Reese was his favorite, so he wore his number, 1, on his jersey in baseball and softball leagues he played in.

After school, he worked with his dad on the waterfront, then found work in a bank.

Does that sound like someone who knows what it REALLY means to be from Carroll Gardens, or what?

Third and Bond: Not That Bad?

Large developments seem to take a lot of flack in this neighborhood, and, rightfully so. For the most part, large developments need to maximize square footage to make their investors happy and keep the books in the black, and the built environments in Brownstone Brooklyn are altered by these glass and steel monsters. Basically, you can't make much money building brownstones or row houses today.

Or, to put it more accurately, you can't make as MUCH money as you can by maximizing your FAR. And I don't think that any rationale person would tell someone else that they shouldn't make the most money that they can, which is why cohesive regulations are needed, not protests based on each individual proposed development.

But I digress. The point here is just to point out a development that I feel is fairly neutral for the neighborhood: Third and Bond. Located on (guess!) Third and Bond Streets, this development is not great for the built environment, but doesn't destroy it either. Sure, the buildings are on the lot line, as opposed to set back ten feet, and, sure, they're taller than the surrounding environment. And wow, red paneling, really?

But the scale isn't horrible, they include outdoor space, they are at the lowest point of the neighborhood, so they don't really obstruct any views, and their brick work isn't bad. Definitely area for improvement, and lord knows they took long enough to build, but all in all, I'd grade it a "Not That Bad" for Carroll Gardens.

I Guess Its Really Gone

Saw the last remnants of Harding's Patois being painted over on Smith Street this weekend...

Proposed Expansion of Carroll Gardens Historic District Draws Early Opposition

A very slow-moving application seeking to expand the tiny Carroll Gardens Historic District has been making its way through the Landmarks Preservation Commission and Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association since 2007. As with any landmarking movement, there are two main sides (Glenn Kelly did an excellent job at a recent CGNA meeting of eloquently stating that most people are somewhere in the middle on the issue and will need to be persuaded to take a position on the issue). The Courier Life Publications did a good job summing up the dividing lines on the issue:

"Critics contend that the push to extend the district will be a hassle for homeowners, who will be forced to win the blessing of the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission for all exterior work done on their property. Moreover, the work and materials are thought to be more expensive, and some contend that property taxes might rise on blocks that are landmarked."

"The Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association has taken up the proposal, which initially was introduced in 2007 in response to a spreading wave of residential development, which the group felt threatened to engulf the neighborhood with out-of-scale buildings. A survey the group conducted at the time showed that while many in the neighborhood expressed real concern with new buildings being constructed, many did not understand landmarking, which can add a layer of protection from wildly out of character buildings. “We think it’s worth explaining,” said Glenn Kelly, co-chair of the group’s Land Use Committee."

Although I will refrain from supporting one position or another at this point, I will say that both Mr. Kelly and Mr. Esposito (the owner of Sal's Pizzeria on Court Street, and the founder of CALM, an anti-landmarking group) are correct in most respects, and there could be no better personifications of the diametrically opposed factions than the educated, politically active and historic district resident Mr. Kelly, and the Italian-American business owner Mr. Esposito.

Mr. Kelly is correct in that landmarking is worth explaining, but he and those supporting landmarking fail to consider the reality that many older, long-time residents often do not have liquid funds to do Landmarks-worthy improvements. Likewise, Mr. Esposito is correct in that Landmarks improvements and approvals are lengthy and expensive, but he and those opposing landmarking fail to consider that property values tend to increase in landmarked areas.

An interesting subtext to this that should be considered is that Italians (and especially Sicilians) have an inherent distrust of governmental regulation, which has allowed "friends of friends" to operate as a supplement to governmental authority in many areas. It is not surprising that they would oppose a process which would add an additional layer of regulation to their properties.

Pepaw?

Walking by the Shreeji bodega yesterday morning, I saw that the sign fronting on 1st Place was down and an outline of an old sign was visible. Anyone got any idea what "Pepaw" is? A family name, perhaps?

What does it mean do be a Sal?

Nice little post over at the NY Times City Blog, about the pride in the name Sal, Salvatore and Salvador. The post was spurred by the recent naming of Carroll Garden's own Sal Cassano as the newest FDNY Commissioner. Local pizzeria owner Giovanni Esposito commented on the name:

"[Mr. Esposito] is called John but is both the father and son of Sals, said he felt a slight thrill upon learning of Mr. Cassano’s accomplishment on the 11 o’clock news.

“I felt kind of proud, because he’s an Italian-American, and my father was named Salvatore,” Mr. Esposito said. “You know, I felt good about it inside.”"

Stay proud, cugino.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing a Merry Christmas and a Happy Feast of the Seven Fishes to all the Italians out there!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ode to the G Train

Pretty funny post over at Scallywag & Vagabond entitled "Observations on the G Train". The relevant parts for Carroll Gardens are:

"The platform sign in front of me says Carroll Gardens and by the sight of the slightly vexed yuppies (vexed because they are yuppies supposedly forced to live in this part of town…) I can tell that everyone manages to take showers before they set out in the mornings and even dare to color coordinate the occasional dress or shirt. They stand there before me, lawyers, yoga aficionados and the usual cafe latte drinkers that they all purport to be. Everyone is apparently well behaved, dressed and mindful to never look one another in the eye (an unsaid law in the NY subway system). As soon as the train pulls in they are respectful, obliging and even mindful of not taking up too much space."

Scrooge Visits Brooklyn

For a good laugh, head on over to the Daily News for a really funny Denis Hamill envisioning of Scrooge in Modern Brooklyn. The relevant parts are:

"Scrooge marries Mrs. Dilber because she's with his child. When the baby's born, Ebenezer names him after his old partner, Jacob. 

Then Jake Scrooge 1st has a son, Jake 2nd, who starts working in the old man's shop. Jake Scrooge 2nd does a 20th century inventory and realizes that his father and grandfather are literally giving away the store to the Tiny Tim cripples and Oliver Twist orphans of London. He has a son, Jake 3rd. 

Jake 3rd places Ebenezer and Jacob in a conservatorship, takes over the shop, downsizes, then emigrates to Park Slope, where he buys up most of the rent-stabilized apartment buildings and fathers an in-vitro son, Jacob Scrooge 4th, who opens Le Parc Scrooge Realty on Seventh Ave. during the 1990s real estate boom. 

Scrooge 4th starts gentrifying out all the "old hardcore Brooklynites," converting the working-family-friendly properties to million-dollar condos for Wall Street yuppies, Manhattan movie stars and literati who have declared Brooklyn the new Greenwich Village, a great place to displace working people, for nannies to raise your kids and to rant against Atlantic Yards."

Brownstoner Reviews Frank's

Head on over to Brownstoner for a review of a somewhat surprising Carroll Gardens institution: Frank's Luncheonette. I think they nailed it:

"Five bucks goes a long way here. You can spend it on two eggs, sausage, toast and home fries; a plate of homemade pancakes with ham on the side; a chicken parm hero; or a deluxe burger with bacon (add cheese for another fifty cents). For no additional fee, somebody will probably call you "sweetie," and if you can snag one of the few seats, you'll probably overhear some good jokes -- but they won't sound as good if you retell them without a Brooklyn accent."

While the Brownstone reviewer was kind and honest, hitting the high points, I doubt that the Brownstoner comments will be as kind, if their musings on Vinny's are any indication.

Recycle Your Christmas Tree at Cobble Hill Park

Form the Parks and Recreation Department comes good news for those looking to keep their thumbs green during the holiday season - Mulchfest!:

Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10, 10 am – 2 pm. Wreaths and garlands cannot be accepted. Please remove lights and decorations. No artificial trees!

Cobble Hill Park: Clinton Street and Verandah Place
Prospect Park: Prospect Park West and 3rd Street

Coffey Park: Dwight Street and Verona Place
Red Hook Farm/Added Value: Columbia and Halleck Streets


Trees will not be accepted after the scheduled times.

Sponsored in part by: Cobble Hill Tree Fund, Cobble Hill Association, Friends of Cobble Hill Park, & Boy Scout Troops 213 & 815

CHTreefund.org

State Court Deals a Blow to Atlantic Yards Opposition

News of another legal hurdle cleared by the Atlantic Yards/Ratner Development. Looks like clearing and Eminent Domain will start fairly soon. From the Brooklyn Paper:

"The suit, filed by panoply of elected officials and opposition groups, claimed that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority broke a state law that was passed in the wake of Atlantic Yards to curb abuses by state authorities through stricter transparency and ethics guidelines.

The plaintiffs pointed to the fact that the MTA renegotiated the deal with Ratner this summer, getting just $20 million up front instead of the $100 million originally promised. At the time, the transit agency did not seek new bids for its eight-acre train yard at the heart of the proposed arena, housing and commercial development.

But state Supreme Court judges did not agree with project opponents, ruling last Wednesday that the renegotiated deal did not warrant restarting the bidding process."

Looks like the Ratner/MTA Express will be arriving at Atlantic Terminal. Opposition will of course continue, but with the recent successful bond sales and legal setbacks, it looks like the development will proceed.


For more, head on over to Develop, Don't Destroy Brooklyn.

303 Bond Street Theater Putting on an Interesting Show

A relatively newer performance space in the neighborhood, at 303 Bond Street, and, aptly named, The 303 Bond Street Theater, is putting on an interesting sounding show for the Holiday Season. According to Short and Sweet NYC:

Sex and decadence abound in Brooklyn’s Le Serpent Rouge!, a wonderfully theatrical and somewhat sensational retelling of the story of Adam & Eve through dance by Company XIV. Choreographer Austin McCormick assembles five eclectic performers dressed sometimes only in pasties or a thong (and occasionally less) to reenact the story of man’s fall from grace with a comical, if not feminist edge, and a hip amalgam of pop culture reference.

For more information visit CompanyXIV.com.

Red Hook is Solar Car Ground Zero

Brought to you in an old shipping container in Red Hook comes New York's first electric vehicle (EV) charging station, and this one uses a battery bank that stores solar energy to charge the cars. From In Habitat:

Located on an industrial lot near the Beautiful Earth’s headquarters overlooking downtown Manhattan, the off-grid, modular station is constructed of recycled steel shipping containers and powered solely by 235 watt photovoltaic panels. The car that is currently being charged at the station is a 100% electric BMW MINI E, and is now one of the few cars in the world to run exclusively on solar power. The vehicle has a range of just over 100 miles and takes about 3 hours to charge.

Check out the company running this amazing setup at www.beautifulearthgroup.com.

No car is really "green" and we need to get away from the mentality that our future transportation option are based around the car. Also, EV charging stations in Red Hook, which itself is out of the way for the majority of New Yorkers, will have limited use and application in building a charging station network, which is the real hold up for EVs.

Having said that, this is probably a step in the right direction in demonstrating that solar power is feasible for charging applications and (possibly) as cost-efficient as other powering methods.

Carroll Gardens Native Named New Fire Commisioner

According to both the Daily News and the Village Voice, Carroll Gardens native Sal Cassano (not to be confused with Antonio Cassano, the world-class Barese soccer player) has been named the FDNY's newest Commissioner. Although obviously lacking in housing choices (Commissioner Cassano now resides in Staten Island), he does have an impressive record as the FDNY's Chief of Department. Lets hope that fired deaths keep going down, the 911 dispatching system gets straightened out and budget woes don't force further cuts under Mr. Cassano's watch.

Snowpacalypse In Brooklyn Heights

Shocking! Marty Markowitz Comes to Defense of Brooklyn!

This is going to be hard to process, so hold on to your seats. According to the Brooklyn Eagle, Borough President (and new homeowner) Marty Markowitz has weighed in on the MTA's proposed service cuts, which are necessary to close a $400 million budget gap:

“In Brooklyn, the elimination of the Z subway service [forcing the J line to run local], the closing of the Lawrence Street station overnight along the R line, changes to the G and M lines in Brooklyn and Queens, drastic reductions in regular bus service ... and reductions in Access-a-Ride will add up to a disproportionate burden from Brooklynites.”

I know, take a moment to process that. So shocking to hear Marty stand up for our borough!

CGNA General Meeting - Monday, December 21st (Tonight!)

From the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association:

7:00pm-9:00pm
Hannah Senesh Community Day School Gym
324 Smith St

Agenda:

Dr. Peter Wood, LICH ED Director, Update from 76th Precinct, Updates from local elected officials/representatives

Reports from CGNA Committees: Land Use/Landmarks, Transportation, Health and Hospitals, Parks

Brooklyn Snow Time Lapse Video

HT to the Brooklyn Bugle.

Third Street Block Association Holiday Caroling

Every year, the Third Street Block Association (from Smith Street to the Canal) gets together and sings Christmas/Chanukah/Kwanza/Non-Denominational carols for all on the block. Here is an interesting composition called "Matzah Balls".

UPDATE: Union Market at Old Blockbuster on Court Street

According to the Cobble Hill Blog, Union Market will be (finally) opening their newest location at 288 Court Street this Monday. Although it is sad to see another competitor to local shops such as Caputo's, Esposito's, the Carroll Garden Fish Market and even Good Foods, it is encouraging to see that more options are coming into the neighborhood. Additionally, the vacant (huge) storefront was there for too long and kind of killed that block. Lets hope that Union Market only helps the existing flavor and doesn't snuff it out, or further Slopification.

Update: According to Pardon Me For Asking and Cobble Hill Blog, Union Market's Court Street location will open on Tuesday, December 22nd, due to the weather conditions.

Ironic Ping Pong in Gowanus!

Stop the presses! Ironic sports in a hipster haven! From the Huffington Post:

"On Monday night the Bellhouse in Gowanus is hosting their semi-annual ping pong tournament. The competition is sure to be fierce, but the attitude is definitely all South Brooklyn."

If by South Brooklyn they mean skinny jeans, flannel shirts with ironic Ts underneath and lots of broke-ass imitations of Rivers Cuomo (who himself was doing a broke-ass Buddy Holly/Roy Orbison imitation), then yes, the attitude will be ALL South Brooklyn. However, if you expect to see anyone who knows what the South Brooklyn Casket Company is, good luck.

Amazingly Well Done Video on Brooklyn Heights

Be sure to head on over to the Brooklyn Heights Blog and check out a really well done video that chronicles the history of the Heights, Cadman Plaza, and much more. We will be trying to put together some videos shortly.

Cuts to Community Board Funding Possible?

New York City Community Boards do play an important role in local governance. Although not vested with any real authority, they do allow for concerns of residents to be at least aired. Community Boards do tend to generally be anti-development and don't really follow adopted rules and laws for ULURP proceedings, but providing a voice for community members is a valuable service, as well as disseminating information. From the New York Post:

"The cuts could amount to about 20 percent of each of the board’s budgets, an amount that advocates say could potentially cripple community boards, which represent the most local level of city government, and which advocates fear are under assault, possibly targeted for elimination when a new Charter Revision Commission is convened.

There are 59 community boards in the five boroughs, 18 in Brooklyn, and, this year, each has had a budget of around $200,000, to cover staff, rent and office expenses."

It would really be a shame to see these cuts made, not because the Community Boards need massive budgets, since the service they provide is not essential, but because the amounts are so trivial compared to other items in the budget.

Express F Train Service...but not in Carroll Gardens

Well, mixed news for all those in Carroll Gardens who are concerned about the F train service in Carroll Gardens. Although the MTA is currently studying the feasibility of reimplementing express service along the Culver Line, the main beneficiaries would be those in Southern Brooklyn (NOT South Brooklyn) who have extensive commuting times. According to Courier Life:

"“F express is good for some neighborhoods and not others,” according to Andrew Inglesby, assistant director of MTA Government and Community Relations. “It’s really good for the southern portion [of the borough], but for Carroll Gardens, you have to look at which stations will be express stations.” The express would stop at Jay Street, Seventh Avenue and Church Avenue, where the infrastructure will allow its reinstatement. It would bypass Bergen Street, Carroll Street, Smith/9th Street, 15th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway."

Mr. Inglesby has a good point. Commuting to the city from Carroll Gardens is a breeze, especially when compared to the commute times from farther afield in the borough. Although at times crowded (which an express train will help with), one of the characteristics that makes our area so desirable is the short travel times to Manhattan.

Ratner Raises Some Serious Cash - 500 Large!

Downtown developer Bruce Ratner, whose projects have and will continue to reshape the face of downtown Brooklyn, raised over $500 million two days ago for his controversial Atlantic Yards project. From the New York Times:

The $1 billion basketball arena at the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues is the centerpiece for the 22-acre Atlantic Yards development, which is to include more than 6,000 apartments.
“There was a strong appetite for the bonds,” said Jay Abrams, a bond analyst at FMS Bonds. “The market was comfortable with the ratings the deal received and the security that was pledged.”

Whatever your stance on the Atlantic Yards Development, this is a pretty resounding vote of confidence from financial investors for the future of the development.

Murder on 4th Street

Sad news for the safety of all in Carroll Gardeners.  In what police are terming a home invasion, a 29-year old 4th Street resident was found dead from a gunshot. From the Daily News:

A young rock musician was found dead in his apartment on a quiet Brooklyn street - with a bullet in his heart, cops said Friday. No one has been arrested in the killing of drummer Troy Young, 29, and the motive for the shooting was a mystery. His body was discovered after a friend went to the 76th Precinct to report him missing. Cops said he was shot in the shoulder and the bullet went through his heart.


Just another reminder to be vigilant in these times.

A Familiar Tune from a New Politician

It never ceases to amaze how constituents think that a new politician will change things. In the latest example, New York City Councilman-elect Brad Lander (who I voted for, in the interests of full disclosure) came out with a classic non-statement in the egregious case of the Hannah Senesh's land grab. For more on the background of the case, check out Katia Kelly's Pardon Me For Asking. Here is what Brad had to say, courtesy of the Brooklyn Eagle:

"“The change being proposed is a significant one, which would involve an amendment to the city’s Administrative Code to remove the courtyard requirement on this lot, the disposition of the lot from the DOT to Hannah Senesh, and other land use actions,” said Lander in a statement, adding that he is against any process that would not include community hearings and a vote by Community Board 6."

Brad, the issue is very simple. The additional time you're taking to make up your mind will only allow you more time to get further and further from the wishes of your constituents, and more time to be lobbied by an organization that brings only problems to this neighborhood.

Of course, the most egregious part of it all seems to be that the lot is currently used as a parking lot, and no one has said boo about it.

Responsible Development in CB6

Community Board Six recently (finally) passed it's long-awaited responsible development policy. According to the Courier-Life papers:

 
"Under the policy, all new construction, substantial renovations or additions totalling 10,000 square feet that come before the board for review would be subject to a series of actions called the “large project review process,” which asks applicants for as much information as possible about a project, and requests that a commitment is made to follow responsible development standards."

 

Although ambitious, it is highly doubtful that this policy will ultimately have any teeth. Land-use decisions must be made based solely on the merits of the project and whether or not it complies with local regulations. The nature of the applicant is completely irrelevant, especially because many times, projects change hands after approval.

Gowanus Canal Superfund me now!

To start out, here is the link to the EPA's Gowanus Canal site:

http://www.epa.gov/region02/superfund/npl/gowanus/

Also, check out the Coalition for Responsible Development's site, which has some good info on local thoughts on Superfund Status.

http://carrollgardenspetition.blogspot.com/

Hello World

Hello World (and Carroll Gardens!). This blog is intended to provide a forum for the discussion and dissemination of information regarding Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, and the immediate surrounding area. Occasionally, there will be original content and opinion, but I will attempt to stick to newsworthy items and allow for useful discussion.