Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Franklin Street
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
I agree with this guy. Springtime in New York City is one of the most wonderful things known to man. Period.
Miss Heather
Old Blue Eyes
As you might have noticed today’s offerings on New York Shitty have been a bit lite. There are two reasons for this:
- I am not feeling very motivated today.
- I received the following email from a tipster.
D writes:
If you can, you need to go document this. My husband is IM-ing me about it and I am stuck at work — Joe Bagels is this neighborhood character who has his own labelled director’s chair outside of La Piazzetta, the Italian place across from Daddy’s on Graham. He also apparently is the owner of the “Queens Typewriter/ Fax Lazer Printer” store that is on Graham south of La Piazetta towards Metropolitan — it’s next to Emily’s Pork Store. Queens Typewriter is the most obvious front business I have ever seen, and I was thrilled when I found out Joe Bagels owns it (Joe Bagels, btw, is… around 50 years old, has snow white hair in a ponytail and a matching handlebar mustache and drives around in a red Corvette. ) And he is hosting this Frank Sinatra tribute RIGHT NOW and ALL DAY and there is a big banner over Graham Avenue. Oh, you have to go!
Also I have been meaning to write you about the conversation I had with the Rat Man 2 weeks ago! I will soon.
Needless to say I high tailed my ass outta Greenpoint and got to Graham Avenue without delay. Words fail to describe my experience. Thankfully I got a nice chunk of footage of the festivities in full swing to bear witness to the sheer glory I beheld. Enjoy!
If any of you have the means* do check out this event. It started at 9:00 a.m. and will be going on all day. You will not regret it!
Miss Heather
*Or not. Tell your boss to go fuck him (or her) self and go to this. NOW. I command you.
NOTE: It has been brought to my attention that “Joe Bagels” does not own Queens Typewriter (see comments).
Black Water
Filed under: Williamsburg
Black water.
The above two words usually invoke one of two images in the American collective consciousness:
- Mercenaries to fight our wars, e.g.; Blackwater
- Horror movies to assuage our guilt/anxiety (regarding aforementioned wars), e.g.; Black Water.
Not me.
I’m a Greenpoint gal. When I speak of black water I mean just that. Black. Water.
Yesterday I patronized the women’s “comfort station” at La Guardia Park. My experience was hardly comforting. It was confusing, downright disturbing and involved (guess what?) black water.
Let’s approach the above missive from a logical stand point. The purpose of pressing said “button” is to make “the toilet water come out”. Water is necessary to flush your dirty deeds elsewhere. Why would one not want the toilet water to come out? Being the altruistic person I am I ran a field test of said shitter to see what gives.
CONCLUSION: inasmuch as some would like to “luxurify” the “Southside” the infrastructure (still) sucks ass. No one, be they rich or poor, should have to dodge shit juice to do what nature necessitates. This is friggin’ nasty.
Miss Heather
In Other News…
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Casa Mon Amour was shuttered by the Health Department this weekend. Per the notice posted in the window this establishment was “operating without a permit”. I suspect I speak for many when I wish Beatrice godspeed in ironing out her paperwork woes with our fine city.
Miss Heather
News On The Public Bathroom Front!
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Last night I attended the Steering Committee meeting for Transmitter Park. There is little in the way of news to report other than we’re going to try to get someone from the Parks Department to give us a presentation of the revised park plan (which is slated to roll out next month) and yours truly is acting co-chair of said committee.
The one nugget of newsworthiness from this gathering came from Mike Hofmann of GWAPP. It doesn’t pertain to Transmitter, but the Greenpoint Playground on Dupont Street. This park used to have public lavatories. When the sludge tank was installed the water lines were cut (to these privies) so they were removed. Per Mr. Hofmann, $850,000 has been secured to install some high-tech replacements! These comfort stations will be “modular” —in other words more can be added later if the uh, need, arises and are to be built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard!
I do not know about you, but speaking as someone who lives in north Greenpoint I find this to be a tremendous relief. In more ways than one.
Miss Heather
More Fun With Max
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
You know, after spending so much time researching Max Stark’s holdings I almost feel like I know him. I was after all once a close neighbor of his delightful hotel. I can assure you, dear readers, it was an experience I will cherish for many years to come.
And on that note I have a very exciting piece of news to relay. Soon many more of my fellow Greenpointers will have the pleasure of calling Max a neighbor!
This is 239 Banker Street. It is located on the same block of Studio B. Neighborhood Threat (who took the above photograph) writes March 15, 2008:
construction shed but no posted permits. however, they now have a complaint for construction without a permit. but they do have one. remediation to comply with likely the dozen DOB complaints they already have. but these landlords are infamous for doing construction without permit and renting buildings with COA (see 467 Troutman St. – it’s the same people. they also have several buildings out at morgan as well as the rocket factory, which was their first.)
i am particularly interested in their plan to turn this building into a transient hotel, which was disapproved by the DOB in 2006. considering that they already own one, the good old greenpoint hotel.
While spot-on regarding the Rocket Factory and 467 Troutman Street, my buddy is dead wrong about the Department of Building’s kiboshing Max’s plans to convert this building into a hotel.
Plans to convert this building into (and I quote) “transient hotel” were green lighted by the Department of Buildings last week.
But don’t take my word for it. Click here and read for yourself!
Wow. First it was an illegal rooftop garden at Studio B and now there will be a hotel just down the block! Given how much value Mr. Stark’s other hotel has added to the Garden Spot, I can hardly wait to see how this, his latest venture into the hospitality industry, will pan out.
Those of you who find this development objectionable will be very interested to know tonight is the monthly meeting of Community Board 1. If you cannot attend (this is last minute after all) you can always send them a piece of snail mail at:
Community Board 1
435 Graham Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11211
Miss Heather
P.S.: Big props go out to Neighborhood Threat for tipping me off to this. Thanks!
Williamsburg Bicycle du Jour: Graham Avenue
Filed under: Williamsburg
Ever since Bicycle Fetish Day I have become more and more attuned to the many glorious ways people trick out their bikes. That said, I found a real beauty Sunday afternoon while strolling down Graham Avenue.
I love the festively colored mud flaps.
Speaking as a vegetarian I cannot honestly say I am too fond of these dead critters (foxes?) hanging from the handle bars. However if the owner’s objective employing these deadkins was to make a statement, even a bleeding heart like little me has to admit he not only succeeded, but did so smashingly.
This cute little goldfish is much more to my liking.
And of course what would a great ride be without some tunes? To this end he has rigged a car stereo to a compact disc player. The one thing I absolutely adore about this facet of bicycle culture is its inventiveness. Not only are these bikes moving works of art, but every effort has been made to make its driver as comfortable as possible. I give this bike two enthusiastic dead foxes up!
Miss Heather
Searching For 80 Clay Street
I am certain a number of you are familiar with this property. Its address is 239 North 9th Street. As my colleague at the Gowanus Lounge has noted, not only is this (surprise!) going to be the site of (yet) another Karl Fischer masterpiece, but its farce of a construction fence presents very serious public safety issues. But neither 239 North 9th Street’s safety practices nor Karl Fischer are the purpose of this post. That is subject matter best left to the Gowanus Lounge to cover. Rather, I am intrigued by a sign gracing the fence at 239 North 9th Street.
This sign, to be precise. As you can see the owner of this property is “Greenpoint Management”. The physical address for this entity is listed as being 80 Clay Street.
Hannah found this sign at 261 North 9th Street. It lists 80 Clay Street as being the address of the owner as well. Very curious.
This site (120 S. 4th Street) is located at the corner of Bedford Avenue and South 4th Street. It too lists 80 Clay Street as being the owner’s address. Realizing we had a bona fide mystery on our hands, Hannah and I set out to learn more about 80 Clay Street. The first thing we did was look to it up on the Department of Building’s web site.
Per the Department of Buildings, 80 Clay Street is also known as 1114 Manhattan Avenue. When I first moved to Greenpoint I lived on Clay Street. As a consequence I know the addresses there quite well. Not satified with the Department of Buildings take on 80 Clay Street I decided to go down personally and see it for myself. Ready to learn more about the contact address behind three rather ambitious Williamsburg developments? If so, read on.
Gee, this looks awfully run down to the be headquarters for a Williamsburg development empire. What gives?
Oh that explains it— It’s part of the Greenpoint Hotel!* Silly me.
It was at this moment, dear readers, that all the pieces started to fall into place. If you look back at the sign gracing the fence at 120 South 4th Street you will notice it lists a telephone number: 718 349 8067. On a lark I decided to Google it. Here’s what I found.**
I made one last compelling discovery when I perused filings for 261 North 9th Street, 239 North 9th Street and 120 South 4th Street via the Department of Buildings Information System.
261 North 9th Street
239 North 9th Street
120 South 4th Street
All list one Menechem Stark as being the owner. If this name sounds familiar to you I’ll tell you why: he is one of the co-owners of the Greenpoint Hotel. Who knew this chap had such a stake in luxury condominiumville in Williamsburg? I certainly didn’t. I don’t know about you but I can hardly wait for these condominiums to get completed. I can only hope 261 North 9th Street, 239 North 9th Street and 120 South 4th Street will all sport the same caliber of “dedicated professionals” and “comfortable accommodations” that are to be had at their humbler cousin at 1109 Manhattan Avenue.
Miss Heather
*Which, for the record is located on the southwestern corner of Manhattan Avenue and Clay Street. The Department of Buildings might want to look into that.
**Be sure to check out this other select morsel too. It would appear that 315 Siegel Street’s ownership also traces back to the Greenpoint Hotel. If the following quote is any indication, it sounds like one swinging place:
On July 30th, residents found bloody footprints in the building
Bedbugs are also mentioned. Where do I sign?!?
Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Goodbye Kitty
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
From Java Street.
Miss Heather
92 Meserole Street Celebrates Mother’s Day
Filed under: Williamsburg
Not being a mother (of two legged variety, anyway), I decided to while away yesterday’s lovely, if brisk, afternoon by taking a walk. When I reached Meserole Street the lilting music of birds chirping was sharply punctuated by another sound: that of sheet metal being cut. Wishing to document this rather unorthodox way of celebrating Mother’s Day, I filmed it. If you listen very carefully you can hear one of these clowns shout “turn that off”. My sentiments exactly.
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
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