Guess What? Oysters may save the canal, but can't survive yet

The recent wacky ideas for New York Harbor proposed by architects included Oysters in and around the Gowanus (and off of the Bay Ridge Flats). Oysters are like little livers, all around the world's near-shore waters. They clean, they scrub, no wonder they aren't kosher! Oysters do have a long history in Hew York Harbor, but recent results of efforts to reintroduce them have been mixed.

Still, the idea of oysters in the canal (once other cleanup efforts have commenced) has always been an interesting idea for me. That is, until I read John Waldman's Heartbeats in the Muck, page 155, where he relays his experience with oysters in the canal:

"Our expectations that young oysters would be seen are tempered by the generally poor results Longstretch has recorded elsewhere around the harbor with his project - none worse than in the Gowanus Canal. When he hung a sack of live oysters off a bulkhead there, not only were they dead upon his return two weeks later, by the shells had shrunk as well, perhaps because of acidity in the contaminated canal. Careful inspections of the large dead oyster shells now reveals many embryonic forms-apparent oyster spat-and we are excited until on closer examination all turn out to be slipper limpets. Oyster spat, once in place, are attached for life. But the shell of the limpet, a snail-like but highly flattened creature, slips sideways when pushed."

Wow. As Biggie said...

That's it! I have had it with these motherf**king sharks in this motherf**king canal!

A recent article in the Metro contained a little quote that shocked me a little. Seems like I would have heard about this.

"...the city is more attuned to nature than it was in the 1950s when a shark swam into Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal. Startled by the sudden appearance of the large fish, cops shot it."

In my time we've seen seals and Sludgy the whale in the canal, but no large sharks. Sure, a stray sand shark or two probably make their way in from time to time, but one large enough to be spotted and shot? Wow. This deserved a little more research. The New York Times also corroborates this assertion, stating:

"In 1952, a large shark was photographed swimming up the canal; the police shot it."

Well. Not much more information there than in the Metro article. In a variation on a theme, New York Magazine says that:

"In 1952, a shark made its way in. (The cops shot it.)"

Wow. Those par ens make all the difference. But where can we find more of an answer?

I turned to John Waldman's book "Heartbeats in the Muck", a book devoted to New York Harbor.

On page 50, he tells of the sharks that once abounded in New York Harbor: "...the regular presence until the middle of the ninteenth century of the sharks along Manhattan's commercial waterfront, particularly the East River. Not little sharks, but eight- and twelve-footers, drawn to the shallows by the raw refuse of the markets and common enough that one market worker, well known for overpowering sharks witht he customary tug-of-war gear of handheld rope tied to a chain, landed seven in one day."

Cool. So sharks were all over the harbor. But what about the Gowanus Canal? From Page 111:

"Without doubt the most noteworthy biological event within the canal's industrial history was the appearance of a large shark in 1950. Ali showed me a scrapbook about the canal that included a photograph of the shark from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Fittingly, it is a dismal scene - policemens bullets spray the water near the creature as hundreds of people watch along the bulkheads."

This is great for so many reasons. Could you imagine the hysteria that abounded in the 1950s at sharks? So misunderstood, as they continue to be to this day, that the police thought it would be a public hazard to keep the fish alive?

Just another piece of the Gowanus Canal's long and storied history!


Images from the South Street Seaport Museum, Seaport magazine, Brooklyn Daily Eagle and Heartbeats in the Muck

More Union Protests in Front of 360 Smith This Morning

To chants of: "Let's go home, there are rats in the building!"

Lazy, inflamatory journalism by the Brooklyn Paper

In a recent article reporting on the impending condo conversion of the Cobble Hill Towers, they really pandered to the lowest common denominator.

"Tenants in the landmark building will be offered the chance to buy their apartments at insiders price such as $230,000 for a studio and $595,000 for a three-bedroom apartment. Owners would then be free to set their own re-sale prices, though residents in the rent-stabilized apartments will not see any changes if they want to go on renting.

Still, the plan will result in the building’s transformation from moderate-income rentals to luxury (ed - emphasis added) condos. As a result, it has frightened residents, who are unsure whether they’ll be able to buy, even at the insider prices."

Why does the conversion to condos automatically make the units luxury? A condominium is simply another form of ownership. By using this adjective, the Brooklyn Paper is seeking in incite fears of "them" moving in. Used to be that "them" meant Puerto Ricans. The Brooklyn Paper is simply trying to stoke fears of long-time residents regarding condo conversions and their perceived impact on affordability, but the fact remains that the average condo price is cheaper than the average single-family home, significantly increasing affordability for most who would otherwise be renting.

The fact remains that if a renter becomes an owner (at below market prices, I might add), not only may they benefit in the long run, but the unit will most likely stay identical whether they buy or not. The only change would be the form of ownership!

In the Land of the Blind, the Department of Buildings is King

Although the fight against the proposed expansion of the Hannah Senesh school into their Carroll Gardens Courtyard is seemingly over, there remains a hanging chad in the room. Back in January, the Brooklyn Paper reported that the Department of Buildings had in fact, attempted to inspect the Hannah Senesh courtyard for violating New York City Administrative Code Section 19-132 which states that "It shall be unlawful for any person, directly or indirectly, to use any portion of a sidewalk or courtyard, established by law, between the building line and the curb line for the parking, storage, display or sale of motor vehicles."

An argument can certainly be made that the school is simply perpetuating a non-conforming situation which was inherited from the District Office before it. The only fallacy in that logic is that in order for a non-conformity to be legally protected, it needed to be legal at the time it began. The relevant NYC Administrative Code section predates the use of the Courtyard by roughly a century.

Unfortunately for those in Carroll Gardens, and for lovers of logic everywhere, the DOB sent inspectors out to look for a violation...on December 30th, 2009; a date when all schools, public and private, were closed. Shockingly, no violation was found on that date. Unfortunately for us, the DOB and Hannah Senesh, every single day that school has been in session SINCE that date, vehicles have been parked in the Courtyard. If only there were some proof, in the form of an animated gif, or perhaps a video compilation set to some funky, smooth sounds, maybe the DOB would be able to find them in violation...

A Neighborhing Test Case FOR Landmarking

When last we heard from John Quadrozzi, he was complaining about how Superfund designation of the Gowanus Canal had forced him to move his company to another spot (along the canal's plume) which is better suited for his business. Now it seems that the Landmarks Preservation Commission is calling him out on not maintaining some townhouses he owns on Degraw and Clinton.

He sounds like just the type of property owner John Esposito and CALM are looking for in Carroll Gardens! From the Daily News:

""It took me over a year and buckets of money to convince them [a wall] might collapse," said Quadrozzi, who bought the buildings in 2000.

The walls of the 1852 brownstone are badly cracked and there are holes in the adjacent stable's roof; city officials have warned Quadrozzi to quickly fix the hazards.

"There is an ongoing risk of progressive collapse that may endanger the public," a Buildings Department inspector wrote to Quadrozzi in January."

Just the other day I commented that the scaffolding had been there a LONG time, and someone in the know told me that ownership complications and multiple investors had stalled the restoration project. Let's see what happens.

Photo from the Daily News

"I Guess it Would be Sad if Your Son Were Going to be Crucified"

This year's procession of Santa Maria Addolorata on Good Friday was a rousing success (as these things go). Below is a video I made with pictures and audio samples (turn your volume up!) of the procession, which was better attended than I could have ever imagined. Neighborhood old-timers and youngsters alike came out to march, to see and be seen and just to see what was going on.


Additional video here.

Was it 360 Smith or Not?

Yesterday there was a Union rally on 2nd Place and Smith by the Carpenters' Union, whose members also  drywall and sheetrock. At first, we thought it was regarding 360 Smith Street, but then received an e-mail from the 76th Precienct stating that the rally was unrelated to 360 Smith Street and was, in fact, against a brownstone on 2nd Place.

Well, yesterday Pardon Me for Asking (and, subsequently, the Brooklyn Paper), reported that in fact, it WAS against the labor practices at 360 Smith Street. I'm inclined to believe the police, but the rally was right in front of 360 Smith.

Also, as noted yesterday, although we are staunchly pro-union, the Union seems to have very weak grounds here. $42 an hour for sheetrocking? I might pay that if it included all materials! That price is outrageously high, for a job that does not require much skill or training. Maybe if it were making crown molding or hanging a curtain wall...

A Carroll Gardens Condo Convertor

The Brooklyn Eagle has a little story about how a Carroll Gardens architect has found success as a developer. Although it's not uncommon for architectural firms to invest in their projects (see: SHoP), it isn't frequently seen in our neighborhood.

"“The demand is there for well-designed conversions, particularly, and they sell quite well,” he told the Eagle. 

“And that fits with our philosophy. We care about the design and the neighborhood is one that appreciates that.” Noting that he looks for “underutilized” properties, he admits he finds them in “motley” ways.

“We looked where we live and at what we loved and by luck and good fortune we found projects we wanted to do,” he said."

It's a little ironic that the before photo included in the article is was of one of the uglier buildings in the area (seriously, how small can you make the windows?), but developer is such an ugly word.

Union Protests Outside of 360 Smith

Update: According to the 76th Precinct: "The demonstration is not connected to the 360 Smith Street site. The union is protesting low wages being paid to the workers of a drywall company working in a brownstone on 2nd Place."

This blog is staunchly pro-union (in most cases). This morning there was a protest outside of 360 Smith Street by the Carpenters' Union. As with all unions, I'm sure that they are starved for work. One can't see much carpentry work being done on the site, but this could be a negotiations tactic for upcoming work. The Carpenters' Union has been hit especially hard with the development freeze around the city, so one can understand why they are grasping at any jobs that they might potentially have.

More details as they become available.

Marty just doesn't get it

Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz is a hell of a nice guy from what we can all tell. he's open, energetic and entertaining. However, sometimes his stances could use some rethinking. Witness his objections to the Prospect Park Bike Lane. With word coming that DOT Commissioner Janet Shadik-Khan will plow ahead with the bike lane, Marty is supporting the minority of Brooklynites that own a car, and protesting the bike lane, with some help from CBS.

""We all don't live on 42nd Street and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan. We don't all have on every corner a subway stop, a bus. We don't. So it has to be is a balanced approach responsive to the conditions in each borough," he said.

Markowitz was upset by a plan to install a bike lane along Prospect Park West that would affect traffic in an already congested area. One lane of traffic would be eliminated for a bike lane and the parking lane would be moved over one lane, reducing the number of traffic lanes on the street to two, according to Markowitz."

No Marty, we don't all live on 42nd Street. But most of us, who you represent, do not own cars.

Wonder if he has ever tried to cross PPW?

Where will hipsters leave their projects now?

The 76th Precinct has decided to crack down on those who leave their abandoned or decrepit bikes chained to city property, perhaps with the vague idea that they will eventually reclaim them. From the Brooklyn Eagle:

"The initiative was sparked by complaints from residents weary of seeing tangled heaps of rubber and metal at corners like Smith and President streets, according to Officer Vincent Marrone, a community affairs officer with the 76th Precinct, which encompasses Carroll Gardens.

Cops said they are in the investigatory phase of the crackdown, and will be canvassing the neighborhood in the coming days to find trouble spots. In the short term, education will be key, as the precinct will attempt to inform cyclists that it is illegal to lock their bikes to street signs."

Bloomberg's Grand Plan Misses Mark

The Times recently highlighted an NYU study that examined the overall effect of Mayor Bloomberg and City Planning Commissioner Amanda Burden's rezonings that have taken place recently. And there have been a LOT of them.

"The report considered 76 rezoning measures and is said to be the first statistical analysis of the city’s current strategy. It said that on 86 percent of the lots that were rezoned, building capacity was reduced or limited, or limits were placed on the kind of structure that could be built.

On the remaining 14 percent of rezoned lots, rules were eased to allow for greater density. Despite the thrust of the rezoning of most of the lots, the cumulative effect of the changes was to add 1.7 percent to residential capacity." 

So, what the Bloomberg administration has accomplished here is to reduce the value of property in those neighborhoods who had loud advocates for no development, but to increase exponentially the value of those areas who were not organized enough to lobby for lower-density development (or who were smart enough not to). The overall effect has NOT been the increase in units or development that was Bloomberg's stated goal, but instead a net neutral effect on housing in the city.

How is housing ever supposed to become affordable if supply stays the same while demand increases?

Negative Consequences to Superfund Designation?

Cleaning the canal is not without some casualties. The first of many to surely come is Quadrozzi Concrete. From Concrete Products:

"Quadrozzi Concrete President John Quadrozzi, Jr., has rallied against EPA involvement as a nearby resident, longtime supporter of the community, and Gowanus Canal Community Development Corp. and Southwest Brooklyn Development Corp. board member. The groups question the cleanup timeline and prospects for equitable cost-sharing among parties deemed responsible for the pollution--some of it predating the Clean Water Act of 1972.

The Superfund designation and longer-term prospects for the gentrifying Carrol Gardens neighborhood around the canal have prompted Quadrozzi Concrete to look downstream to Gowanus Bay. The producer is planning an advanced ready-mixed operation with abundant environmental and green building features at an affiliated company’s Gowanus Bay Terminal, comprising 13 upland and 33 marine acres."

One wonders why Quadrozzi is choosing now as a time to leave the area. The environmental damage done by Quadrozzi and other heavy industrial operations will be discovered and they will be forced to pay for it, whether or not they continue to occupy the site.

Just a guess, but it seems that this could have been a long time coming, and the Superfund designation is a convenient excuse. Their newer site is closer to Hamilton Avenue and the waterfront, allowing for shorter operational spans for their mixing vehicles (quick travel times to Manhattan are critical to the concrete business).

Also, once the sites are mitigated, Quadrozzi stands to make a pretty penny on their land. Not a bad outcome for them at all.

JOE'S S_PERETTE: If you don't go, you don't know.

I'm embarrassed to say that it took me close to twenty-five years before walking into Joe's Superette on Smith Street for the first time.  Carroll Gardens had always been a neighborhood peppered with Italian groceries, and I guess I assumed that Joe's was just another one of those shops where you could pick up your can of beans or a package of spaghetti on your way home.  And it is - so feel free to do just that - but I'm going to venture to say that beans and spaghetti are not what's keeping Owner Leo Coladonato in business. 

So there's this thing called a rice ball.  These are why you go to Joe's.

In the tiny kitchen towards the back of his dusty store, Leo has been making his signature golf-sized rice balls every day since 1976.  "As you can see," he says, and pats his stomach, "I've been snacking on them since then as well."  You can't blame him.  They are the best, most underpublicized rice balls around and thanks to his regular customers ("Gimme a dozen prosciutto!" they bark), he manages to sell about a hundred a day to walk-ins while the bigger orders (think Superbowl platters) are delivered around the city. 

"When I started making them, everyone was doing the gigantic ones... so I did miniatures," Leo says.  Served hot from the fryer and wrapped in a french fry paper tray, you've got three kinds of gooey goodness to choose from: arancine (chopped meat and tomato sauce), suppli (rice and mozzarella croquette), and the infamous prosciutto and ricotta - a recipe inspired by the calzones his mother used to make as a kid.  The calzones were an Italian specialty of Mola di Bari in Apulia where he was born.  "It's not really prosciutto," he admits.  "It's boiled ham.  But in Italian, ham is called prosciutto... so I say prosciutto.  It sounds nicer than ham ball."  For 65 cents a piece, I'll let Leo call it whatever he wants. 

Behind the counter, scotch-taped photographs of customers and customers' kids decorate his deli case window (as does a signed picture of Bensonhurst native, Steve Schirripa, the actor who played "Bobby Baccalierri" on The Sopranos).  "I've been coming here my whole life," one guy tells me after putting his order in. ("Mix 'em up!" I hear him say).  "I used to live in the neighborhood with my family... but it got too expensive and we had to leave.  Now I'm in Staten Island.  You can't stop me from making the trip for these rice balls, though.  No one makes 'em better." 

JOE'S S_PERETTE (look for the missing "U" on the sign because it's not getting replaced anytime soon...) is open 7 days a week, excluding Christmas and New Years.

349 Smith Street bet/ 1st Place and Carroll Street
718-855-6463