Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: Mixed Signals

June 8, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11222, Bloomblight, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic 

So what do you think this space will be:

  1. A supermarket?
  2. A medical clinic?
  3. An auto supply store?
  4. All the above?

Please tender your votes via comments.

Miss Heather

P.S.: I’m hoping for “the above”.

Found On Scarano’s Shoebox: Toddler?

As many of you have probably observed as you have read this blog yours truly has a “thing” for derelict construction sites (such as the above eyesore which comes courtesy of north Brooklyn’s good friend, Robert Scarano). I also spend a great deal of time documenting street art. So you can imagine my delight when I discovered the following.

A work by Dan Witz on said rusting hulk. I wasn’t the only one who was tickled by this toddler. A woman who had just exited the BQE and was waiting at the light shouted:

The kid’s cute, isn’t he?

To wit I replied:

Yes, he is. That’s about the best thing that can be said for this building.

She laughed and we parted ways.

Perhaps this is the beginning of a trend, e.g,; derelict sites replacing milk cartons as awareness raisers for lost children? I suppose only time will tell.

Miss Heather

Now On Union Avenue: CALL-A-HEAD

May 28, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

Earlier this week I wrote about the curious happenings at 236 North 10 Street. Today I decided to swing by and see how things are shaking. I am pleased to report this bit of Bloomblight has become much more interesting.

More construction debris has found its way to North 11 Street.

The fence shows further signs of tampering.

And port-a-potty has been installed on Union Avenue. Intrigued by this most curious development I decided to go in for a closer look.

Not only was it unlocked…

but it was spotless! I would like to take a moment to thank the peeps behind this privy for graciously providing an amenity this block (and the community in general for that matter) so desperately needs: a clean public lavatory.

Now if we can get a functioning sidewalk we’ll be all aces!

Miss Heather

From The CB1 Yahoo Group: What’s Up At 236 North 10 Street?

May 26, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

When I found this item in my daily summary of the unofficial Community Board 1 Yahoo group today I simply has to pass it along here. M writes:

This was in my inbox this morning, and have taken the liberty to repost it here. For those of who walk to the L on Roebling, you’ve likely noticed the blocked off sidewalk on the south side of the street between North 9 and North 10. For at least two years, a construction fence has enclosed the sidewalk at this location. It presents an especially unsafe condition when there are trucks
loading and blocking the sidewalk at the feather warehouse across the street. Pedestrians are forced to walk in the street to pass this block. From what I can tell, there seems to be no movement to develop the lot in question, so I am unclear how long this unsafe condition will exist or why it was created in the first place. I inquired about this to our councilmember Steven Levin, and was informed by his community liaison that I (and many others) should file complaints to 311.  That’s where you come into play.

Follows is a reply from a chap named Hunter. Please give it a read as he gives some excellent advice and appears to have volunteered to be a point person regarding this problematic property.

Filing a complaint to 311 takes about three minutes and can be achieved online (which is simpler than calling, in my opinion). Here are the steps: I’ve created this link to skip a few steps for you. From there you can select “sidewalk blocked by construction” and insert (or modify) the following description: “a construction fence has enclosed more than half the sidewalk on Roebling. It is impossible to walk on this side of the street without walking in the street. There is a warehouse and loading dock opposite the site on Roebling, and large trucks often block the sidewalk. It is impossible to walk on this section of Roebling without entering the busy street. It’s very unsafe.

The site address is 236 North 10th Street. From there you record your name (which is not required) and your email
address. The most important detail is to keep track of your service request number. Please send it to me, and I will share it with Levin’s staff. The more complaints they receive, the more likely they are to address the unsafe condition. If possible, please do so in the next few days because I plan to follow up with Levin next week.

Thanks.

Hunter

I myself have seen men entering and exiting this property through the various holes in the fence on a number of occasions. I seriously doubt these gentleman can possibly be up to any good. I also fear this site (given the presence of a number of derelict automobiles) is being used as a place to dispose of hazardous materials (as if the ‘Burgh needs more toxic stuff underfoot). If you too have seen this kind or any other kind of suspicious activity, object to the deplorable state of this lot or simply take issue with the manifold safety issues this unsecured property presents please call 311 and contact Hunter at: hfa99 (at) hotmail (dot) com

Thanks!

Miss Heather

Photo Credits: Miss Heather & Miss Mousey Brown. You can see her Flickr set documenting this eyesore by clicking here.

Daily Bloomblight: Roof Out

This has to be a north Brooklyn first: ordinarily when I see a “roof out” symbol on a building it is being razed to build a turd like this (which hails from Scholes Street). I suppose the East Williamsburg building boom has come full circle.

Miss Heather

The Curious Case Of 651 Metropolitan Avenue

May 23, 2010 ·
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn 

Ever since the fence gracing this derelict site became a searing shade of pink it has been a source of curiousity (and grudging admiration) to yours truly. In fact, I have made it a point to check in on it periodically. Not that much has really happened, mind you. Over the winter the fence’s vibrant hue became weathered and, well, it was looking more than a little worse for wear.* Last month it finally collapsed.

My buddy at Queens Crap even texted  me:

Hot pink fence @metro & leonard now has grass skirt doors!

That’s when things started to get interesting.

Really interesting.

This was the sight which awaited me when I strolled by yesterday afternoon.

It was understandably a source of much curiosity. This kind of thing happens when people become acclimatized to looking at eyesores like this derelict lot. Every day.

And my curiosity finally got the better of me: I asked the woman watering this nascent garden what gives. Here’s what she had to say:

  1. She is responsible for this (interrupted) fence’s pinkness.
  2. When the middle section collapsed she erected the reed cordons you see above… and contacted the owner of this property to propose planting a garden on his property. She made sure to send photos of her handiwork.
  3. Not only did he approve of this endeavor— but he requested she give the fence a fresh coat of paint!

Only in Williamsburg would an all too common case of Bloomblight blossom— replete with Pepto Bismol colored paint! In closing, here are a couple shots from Rose Red & Lavender. As I understand it they are peeps behind these plants.

Miss Heather

*As documented by the Department of Buildings. In March.

Problem solved. By a citizen.

Williamsburg Street Seating Du Jour: Shuttered

From Havemeyer Street.

Miss Heather

New York Shitty Slide Show Du Jour: Along The Waterfront

Taken May 14, 2010.

Miss Heather

Daily Bloomblight: Orient Distress

Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.

No Dot, you’ve arrived in one of the coolest ‘hoods in New York City: East Williamsburg, May 12, 2010.

Dorothy:

Do you suppose we’ll meet any wild animals?

Scarecrow: Mm, we might.
Scarecrow: Animals that eat… s-traw?
Tin Woodsman: Some, but mostly lions, and tigers, and bears.
Dorothy: Lions?
Scarecrow: And tigers?
Tin Woodsman: And bears.

The Garden Spot has raccoons, skunks and even a dolphin! The only wildlife I, dear child, have spotted here is this kitty. She strikes me as being harmless. Perhaps Toto should make her acquaintance?

She holds court next door: 55 Orient Avenue.

I have written this twice before and I’ll write it once again:

I strongly believe people respond to the environment around them. This is why I am a big fan of public art especially in our subway system. Gestures as grand as a mosaic or as simple as keeping public facilities neat and clean send a positive message. The vigilance (or this case, lack thereof) with which our municipal government enforces the laws put in place to preserve our, the citizenry’s, quality of life speaks volumes about their attitude as public servants.

This is unacceptable. No one should have to live with this.

Miss Heather

The Shittiest Car In North Brooklyn, Revisited

I honestly do not know what to say about this, the latest state of the East Willie Guanomobile, other than whoever is responsible for this act of theft must have really wanted that car stereo. BADLY.

Miss Heather

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