Grand Army Plaza

Originally uploaded by Allen Sellars.

Amidst luxury condo developments springing up seemingly everywhere, pete_c writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards:

“I love the idea of seeing, from way down Eastern Parkway, the Museum and the new Meier building bracketing GAP… But…”

“… new development (is) happening seemingly everywhere that practically ignores the realities of the ‘other half’ … when you see so many other new ‘luxury’ buildings under development, slowly moving into older, poorer, *blacker* nabes, I think you need to start asking questions about who really owns this city.”

Stuart replies: “One of the absolute most revealing things on this subject was printed in the NY Times over the weekend, and, as it was the last paragraph of an article, I doubt many took note. The article is about the unsustainable growth that is projected for the next 20 years in NYC:”

Robert D. Yaro, president of the Regional Plan Association, said that with nearby suburbs nearly saturated, the city was no longer at as much of a competitive disadvantage. Still, he said, “New York’s got to find a place to put another 1.2 to 1.5 million New Yorkers,” adding, “One way to keep these forecasts from happening is to make it prohibitively expensive to live and work here.”

“I will unpack that for all the free-marketeers on this board: The municipal government is encouraging development at outrageous prices as a way to stem the tide of growth due to influx of poor people.“

“I know that’s not what he says exactly, and I know it sounds like a conspiracy, but then again, what else can you call the collusion of developers and the municipal government, especially when things happen like the developer’s own lawyer is supposed to be in charge of an environmental review?”

(Stuart is referring to the revelation that the state hired a lawyer to “independently” review Forest City Ratner’s Atlantic Yards project when the same lawyer had already worked for Ratner on the project.)

LINK: [Prospect Heights Message Boards]

new year’s germans

Originally uploaded by xoxoryan.

Last Friday afternoon, the gate was down on Half Wine Bar, one of the first wave of “new” businesses to open Vanderbilt Ave., which just 2 or 3 short years ago was an underrented, undertrafficked, tumbleweed-strewn spoke off Grand Army Plaza.

So then we got reports in the message boards that there’s a sign on the door: it’s closed for “re-staffing” … that’s pretty much the same message we saw on the door of Flatbush Ave.’s City Lighting, just weeks before that ambitious venture was gutted and converted into the world’s most garish burrito bar.

A lot of people are hoping Half comes back soon, as it’s a pretty comfortable space that never quite found an identity… wine bar? lunch spot? coffee shop? “lifestyle store”? (come on, they never actually billed themselves as that, did they??)

Word on the street is that this came as a surprise to a lot of people… alafairnadia writes in the message boards: “I heard from one of my many nabe sources that Half didn’t even bother to inform their (former) employees about the restaffing. they allowed them to find out from the nice sign. pleasant, eh?”

LINK: Half Closed for Restaffing [Prospect Heights Message Boards]

PICTURED: One of the last known photos to be taken at Half Wine Bar. Featuring Germans.

Attention Landlords ("Sherita")

Originally uploaded by dailyheights.com.

Who is Sherita? An ostrich? A Dr. Seuss character?

… and where is my Home Heating Oil? Why is my apartment so drafty? Does my landlord know about this place? Is the price still right?

Photo taken on the corner of Atlantic Ave. and Classon Ave., 1 block from the Lefferts Hotel.

snowbike 1

Originally uploaded by Dope on the Slope.

We spoke with jodi miller who posted the following story on a Brooklyn bike list:

“I received a summons in December for riding my bicycle on the wide sidewalk of Flatbush Avenue for one block to get to a store so I wouldn’t have to deal with the crazy traffic that runs onto Flatbush off of Grand Army Plaza. The summons was for violation of NYC Administrative Code 19-176(b) …”

“In case you ever receive a similar summons, I looked up the Administrative Code provision and it says: A person who violates this subdivision may be issued a notice of violation and shall be liable of not more than one hundred dollars which may be recovered in a proceeding before the environmental control board.“

“I went into Criminal Court … and argued to the Judicial Hearing Officer that the court did not have jurisdiction over the case because the penalty could only be recovered in a proceeding before the ECB. The judge agreed and dismissed the case.”

“If the NYPD is going to use public resources to issue these citations, they should at least follow the city’s laws in doing so. However, I am not going to be the one to tell them that they are doing it wrong.”

Walk your bike?? Prospect Heights Message Boards

Atlantic Yards

Originally uploaded by Barking Lemon.

BrooklynSwordStyle writes in the Prospect Heights Message Boards: “…I live right next to the Atlantic Yards tracks, and every time there is a big snow, they roll out a jet engine to clear it. Not a snow blower–a big-ass jet engine mounted on a railcar that they run up and down the tracks.”

“They start generally between 1AM and 3AM and run it for a good hour at least.”

“It’s a freaking jet engine running top speed for an hour!”

“There has got to be a more efficient, and less rage inducing way to clear snow from from the tracks. Once again, I’m a tired, angry man after losing a good night’s sleep to that infernal device. And Mrs. BrooklynSwordStyle, who works from home, has informed me that they are at it again right now.”

“If you think I’m exaggerating, I assure you I am not. It really is a jet turbine mounted on a truck that rolls up and down the rails.“

Cover your ears: Prospect Heights Message Boards

Feb 2006 Blizzard 6

Originally uploaded by Megan the Librarian.

Fess
up.

[Prospect
Heights
Message
Boards]

Notice at a Changeroom in the Fulton Mall

Originally uploaded by Bob’s Your Uncle.

I walked down to Fulton Mall the other day. Beyond the mind-numbing procession of cell phone huts, electronics retailers, sneaker shops, and junk jewelry stores, there were a few interesting finds, including Beat Street Records, and a roving barbershop-on-wheels.

Of course, the ubiquitous Developers, who won’t rest until every authentic experience is converted into “An Experience”, think Fulton Mall is the next frontier. Check out this piece in The Brooklyn Papers:

“… planners believe the mall’s future calls for transforming it into a buzzing, 24-hour destination — thanks to a Soho-like residential conversion of dozens of vacant offices above existing retail spaces.”

“Some of the spaces are truly beautiful … But many have been boarded up for 40 or 50 years. Some of the vacant offices have no infrastructure at all.”

Michael Burke, director of the Downtown Brooklyn Council: “I think everyone wants to keep the current, hip-hop, urban market, but we want to bring in new markets, too.”

“Once a way station along the Underground Railroad … it later became known for stately brick buildings and upscale department stores. Now, it’s known for cellphone stores.”

Blizzard 2006

Originally uploaded by martha1arlene.

Super Cool: 86%
So Not Cool: 16%

Click here to view current poll status (and comments) in the Prospect Heights Message Boards:

daniel: “Cool…except when you can’t get a taxi home to Brooklyn from the city. Bastard taxi drivers, one after the other, denied us a ride. One, after we were already in the cab, suggested that we take a subway instead. I caxlled 311 with their medallion numbers, but was told that they wouldn’t do anything unless I was willing to appear in court. Lame.”

nybt: “Who’s got the over/under on the number of days ’til the snow is gone?! Not consulting any weather info, i’m going with 4 days ’til bare sidewalks…”

VOTE: Prospect Heights Message Boards

store sign

Originally uploaded by sonjashield.

lovemynabe writes in the
message boards: “Just counted 11 empty storefronts on Flatbush Avenue between 5th Avenue and 8th Avenue. Is this a sign of a slow ecomony or is it that landlords are asking too much for rent?”

Read comments: message boards

Atlantic Yards on Google Earth (2)

Originally uploaded by dailyheights.com.

Jon Keegan writes:

“Hey…I worked up a Google Earth placemark of the Atlantic Yards project, with 3D buildings so you can see how monstrous it is…”

“Get the word out!”

Discuss: Prospect Heights Message Boards

The Accidental Gentrifier

Originally uploaded by dailyheights.com.

MissNY writes in the
Prospect Heights Message Boards:

“I cannot stress the importance of visiting a potential apartment building repeatedly, and at various times during the day. Also, speak with tenants about things like repairs…security, etc.”

“I live in one of the gracious twin grey buildings on Underhill across from ‘Associated’ (bodega).”

“Had I spoken with my neighbors & visited the building at various times of the day prior to moving into my apartment I would have learned that:”

*People loiter in the halls, use & sell drugs until all hours of the morning.

*The hallways are always dirty, garbage & miscellaneous food items are deposited there.

*Garbage is thrown out of windows.

*Mailboxes are vandalized.

*Repairs are only made after repeatedly calling & yelling at management personnel. (I’ve been informed that there is a three-year waiting list for repairs.)

*Homeless people are allowed to take up residence in the garbage/recycling areas.

*Arsonists repeatedly set fire to various parts of the building, resulting in our elevator being out of service for several months.

“I don’t remember this being the Brooklyn I grew up in…”

READ: Tips to Avoid Living in Squalid Conditions [Prospect Heights Message Boards]

have_you_seen_olga

Originally uploaded by dailyheights.com.

Flyer found adrift in Grand Army Plaza near the entrance to Prospect Park on Feb. 2, 2006.

“Answers to the name of ‘Olga.’ “

Have you seen her?

My Name is Michael

Originally uploaded by dailyheights.com.

Spinningpinwheel writes:

“Came home to find this letter taped to my door a while back. I’d put in up in the message boards but I haven’t figured out Flickr and besides, there’s really nothing at all to discuss. It’s all here. Totally amazing.”