Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Greenpoint Photos Du Jour: DISGRACE
Filed under: 11222, Bloomblight, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
These photographs (which document the state of advanced decay and neglect to be found West Street between Green and Kent) were taken today, October 13, at around 2:30 p.m. I think they speak for themselves. This is inexcusable.
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Bedford Avenue Blight
it’s through this world I ramble
I see lots of men
some will rob you with a six gun
some with a fountain pen
— Ballad of Pretty Boy Floyd by Woodie Guthrie
Amusingly enough, shortly after I stumbled upon this find I encountered a (poorly attended) press conference regarding 1015A. All the north Brooklyn notables were present: Steve Levin (he’s really short), Rami Metal, Stephanie Thayer (the Executive Director of OSA and north Brooklyn’s Parks Poobah), a member of GWAPP was present, and so on and so forth. Sadly, I missed meeting Yassky (so as to tender some of my readers career advice to him).* While they had their face time with the media here’s what I found two blocks away:
ROEBLING STREET
NORTH 9 STREET
I fail to see the “logic” of 1015A. But then again, I am not lobbied, wined and dined by real estate interests. Simply put: 1015A seeks to “encourage” speculators/Bloomblighters (who have raped north Brooklyn six ways to Sunday) to “maintain” their fences in return for renewing their building permits. In true “fox guarding the hen house” tradition, the Department of Buildings will be entrusted to make sure these developers comply. Given what happened at 493 Myrtle Avenue earlier this year this is cold comfort.** In essence, the very people who are the biggest offenders to our quality of life will be rewarded for not breaking the law.
What is wrong with this picture? Does this mean if I have enough influence/lobbyists I can jaywalk whilst sipping a 40 for the next four years?
Miss Heather
P.S.: This one’s for you, Uncle Kent.
*Whose fashion malfeasance was not unnoticed by Aaron Short. My recommendation for a Yassky makeover: Tom of Finland.
**Whose incompetence enabled a three story building to be built (and occupied) on 95 Clay Street without permits.
Williamsburg Photos Du Jour: High Hopes on North 12 Street
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Bloomblight, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Taken October 8, 2009
Miss Heather
Bushwick Inlet Watch: Progress
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Bloomblight, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
This weekend the Mister and I took his parents to Pop’s Clothing— and in so doing I stumbled upon a most pleasant surprise.
The owner of this property has begun removing all the overgrowth and garbage. Sort of.
The box with the dead rat is still there.
And now he has a friend! I made it a point this out to my mother and father in law. When I brought the sorry state of Bushwick Inlet up with the owner of Pop’s he had a number of interesting observations to share. Among them:
- This is a chronic problem.
- He was once almost ticketed for littering when he attempted to clean up this property (because he couldn’t take it anymore). He was told in no uncertain terms that he cannot mow his neighbor’s yard.
- There is a homeless encampment on this site.
Sure enough, he was right.
Curious to see if the clean-up at Bushwick Inlet was a fluke (or a figment of my imagination) I returned yesterday to see what’s shaking.
Sure enough, they had cleared a little more. At this (glacial) pace I imagine they’ll be done in a week.
The “box-o-fun” is still there— as is the dead rat. Albeit a little worse for wear.
Yummy.
Miss Heather
*Which was recently the subject of a story by Aaron Short. I strongly recommend you read it.
From The New York Shitty Inbox: More Trouble For The Demolition Diva?
It has been a while since I have thought about my good friend Marie Grasso, the Demoltion Diva behind MMG “Design”. When I checked my email this morning, however, this changed. It would appear the city is not only not the only organization this woman owes money to. Cindy writes:
Hi – I came across your blog by researching MMG Construction (Marie Grasso). We are a local (Bushwick) container company who is owed money for work we did for MMG Construction – we have tried collection agencies and are now with a collection lawyer – this woman is as slippery as they come. The only chance we have of catching her is if we find out any current jobs she is working on and getting that info to our lawyer – I wonder if you can help by asking your readers to let me know if there are any “sightings” of her company info posted on any demo sights.
Thanks for taking the time to read this
Cynthia Bayley
Quick Containers, Inc.
If anyone reading this knows of any construction sites where Ms. Grasso and her merry men are working their magic Ms. Bayley and Quick Containers legal counsel would very much like to know about them. She can be contacted via email at: cynbay (at) aol (dot) com.
Thanks!
Miss Heather
P.S.: No post about MMG would be complete without passing along some select firsthand accounts of their handiwork. You can read my buddy Dategirl’s (whose photograph graces the beginning of this post— shortly after it was taken MMG managed to tear out her telephone lines) tales of MMG Demo-induced woe by clicking here, here, here and here.
New York Shitty Day Starter: MAMMA MIA!
Filed under: 11222, Bloomblight, Crosstown Local, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
Taken on October 4, 2009Â at 10:30 a.m. at the Greenpoint Avenue stop of the Crosstown Local.
Miss Heather
Crosstown Local Photo Du Jour: Fulton Street
Filed under: 11222, Asshole, Bloomblight, Brooklyn, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, New York City
This post goes out to the campaign worker who hit my buzzer at 7:00 p.m. this evening and asked me (by my legal name— which indicates she culled it from the voter registration rolls):
Hi, (my legal name) I’m a campaign worker for Michael Bloomberg. Do you plan on voting for him this November?
Me:
No, Thank you.
My buddy at Queens Crap thought I was showing traces of my Texas upbringing: humble hospitality. Hardly. I have made up my mind who I want for mayor…
and it is Montgomery Burns!
I suspect I speak for many of my fellow Greenpointers when I write that I have given up on decent (not exceptional, above average or even average) representation (for our taxation). Many candidates (and the self-appointed pillars of our community who backed them— you know who you are) cloaked themselves in the sanctimonious cloth of reform in the months leading up to the Democratic primary and run-off. And these same people, the reformers, engaged in some of the sleaziest campaign practices, tricks, duplicity, chicanery and outright intimidation I have ever beheld. Probably because they were seeking sinecures— but that’s my humble opinion.
If I stated, for example— and this is totally hypothetical— that the McCarren Park Soccer League’s email list was used to solicit votes David Yassky or Bill DeBlasio I’d be totally out of line. If I stated (once again, for example— hypothetical) that youths 18 years and older in said soccer league were hired to canvass for Evan Thies before the Democratic primary I have no doubt it would net me a nastygram from a lawyer.
But I am not suggesting either of the previous came to pass. I’m just hypothesizing. I have a very active imagination. The pillars of my community have reminded me of this. Often.
James “Jimmy” John Walker, one of our fair city’s more corrupt (if charming, dapper and loquacious) Mayors summed my cynicism when he said:
A reformer is a guy who rides through the sewer in a glass bottom boat.
What does “reform” mean when we are forced to choose among candidates whose records REEK? Candidates who have clearly dipped their tootsies into the sewer of New York City real politik and will promise anything to anyone in order to get elected?
For this reason I am backing Burns. Burns is honest about his corruption. He promises nothing. He does not claim to be a reformer and as such I can anticipate being screwed six ways to Sunday under his regime. In this regard Bloomberg is much more circumspect. The true hallmark of a masochist is the anticipation of punishment. I am not a masochist. It’s a matter of control.
I prefer to take my medicine upfront— and make Mike my bitch.
Miss “Sorry Staten Island, you’re on your own*” Heather
P.S.: For more information about how Montgomery Burns Bloomberg will lead this city into 21st 19th Century click here. Caveat: be ready to laugh your ass off. Who knew plutocracy and political disenfranchisement could be so fun(ny)?
*This is satire.
Williamsburg Photos Du Jour: Southside Selections
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, Street Art, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Berry Street
South 5 Street
South 6 Street
Dunham Place
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
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