A Rooftop Garden At Studio B?

This is the spectacle that awaited Mr. Heather and I as we strolled down Banker Street last Saturday afternoon. If my memory serves me correctly the time was 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. One tends to muddy such matters when she sees a bunch of skinheads in a fistfight. And that is exactly what I saw. A fistfight. In the middle of the street. At 3:30 or 4:00 in the afternoon.

Wishing to get the 411 about this incident I asked my fabulous colleague, neighbor and former proprietress of 11222 about this incident. She has the dubious honor of having this establishment as a neighbor.

Miss H: Last weekend Mr. H and I walked by there (Studio B) when Grand Theft Auto had their party last weekend. We had the pleasure of watching a bunch of skinheads get into a fight.

11222: I got to watch all of that from my window. The police were called. The trash generated on the street when it was done was unprecedented.

Lest any of you are wondering, the previous is not an isolated incident. Here’s a post from 11222 dating from September 9, 2007.

Here’s another one from July 9, 2007.

I myself have seen the aftermath of Studio B’s revelry. It’s disgusting. Even by Greenpoint standards. Needless to say I was less than pleased when she alerted me to this post on Brooklyn Vegan.

Curious to know what was up with this “rooftop garden” I checked out the good ol’ Department of Buildings online database. Here’s what I found.

Plans were filed March 31 of this year. They were disapproved.

Plans to change second floor occupancy and join its new “eating and drinking establishment” with the first floor establishment. Are you following me so far? Good. The timing of this application is very curious given…

they were cited three weeks earlier for having over 650 people in a space sanctioned to hold 461. That’s almost 50% over capacity folks.

Perhaps someone can explain to me how this…

is going to sport a rooftop terrace in less than one month? There is no D.O.B. permit sanctioning it. I have no doubt there are other permits required to do such a thing. What’s more, an establishment that treats both its patrons and the community at large with as much disregard as Studio B should not be allowed to have it. Upping the occupancy is only going to exponentially increase the noise, litter and discord this place already produces.

But don’t take my word for it. Here’s a testimonial from 11222:

Studio B is the only nightlife establishment in the area that does not have any kind of “please respect our neighbors” signage or any attempt to enforce it. Yes, it’s on an industrial block, but it’s surrounded on two other sides by residential, plus you have to walk through residential to get to transportation. The club makes no effort to be good neighbors in terms of cleaning up trash. People stand out front drinking (judging by the empty liquor bottles in the tree pits), smoking, handing out club fliers… all of which end up on the street up and down the block from Calyer to Meserole – because on one side is commercial and the other side is not in use.

The worst is the fact that the club goers think it’s okay to stand on the corner and talk loudly, yell at each other across the street – there’s zero recognition that people live in this area. There’s stories on 11222 about how people have stood outside our building playing guitar, and when asked to move, cross the street. Or, when asked to be quiet, the response is “you don’t have to work tomorrow.” I realize the people who own and book the club aren’t individually responsible for the behavior of the audience, but they don’t even try to request decorum.

The thought of a roof garden is intolerable, except for the fact that it will now impact the very small, quiet, residential street behind the club, and maybe they will start calling 311 with regularity with noise complaints… I still need to call 311 to find out if you need a special permit to have a roof garden, because I am pretty sure you do.

So there have you. Perhaps I am being an old coot (a chap on Graham Avenue was kind enough to call me that, more or less, recently and I saw fit not to argue with him— primarily because he was an asshole), but my decision to move to Greenpoint was largely based on the fact it is a nice (if a bit rough around the edges) neighborhood. Don’t get me wrong— I LOVE those rough edges. A little drunken hooliganism now and then never hurt anybody, but this is a quality of life issue. OUR quality of life.

Miss Heather

Credits/Props: 11222 and “Fire Marshal Bill” a commenter on Brooklyn Vegan. They did most of the work, not me.

A New Restaurant In Greenpoint?

If an email received from a reader is true, this storefront at Meserole Avenue and Leonard Street is going to be just that! Kate writes:

i live on meserole ave and they’re putting in a new restaurant at the corner of meserole and leonard, across the street from eat records. would you happen to know what it is going to be? it’s awfully sweet looking at the moment, with large glass windows and some copper on the little awning/overhang. i understand you must be busy, but if you have a moment and happen to know what i’m talking about, i’d love to know what’s the haps.

I had noticed that this storefront was (finally) getting a much-needed makeover. I did not know it was going to be a restaurant. Anyone have an idea what it is going to be? The next time I swing by this intersection I’ll be sure to ask around.

Miss Heather

The Greenpoint Lofts

It has been several months since I have lavished attention upon the above-mentioned “business ready condos” so on a lark I swung by 231 Norman Avenue to see what’s shaking.

Because, you know, nothing says getting down to business like a fitness center and panoramic city views*. Don’t believe this flier actually possesses this advertising copy? Click here and see an unannotated copy of it for yourself.

Miss Heather

*Mark my words: People will be living in this building before you can say 600 square feet for $255,000.

Crosstown Local Cavalcade Volume XI: REPENT!

This week I decided to see what was shaking at the Nassau Avenue stop of the G train. It has been my experience that this station sports some of the more provocative subway poster desecration to be found in Brooklyn —and very well— the city at large. What I found was interesting alright, but not in the manner I have grown to expect.

I have seen a lot of missives scrawled on this poster. Most of them lament the erosion of our civil liberties. This poster too sports a lamentation. Albeit one of a slightly different caliber.

I call this piece “Of Love And The D.E.A.”

This isn’t to suggest there wasn’t any anti-corporate rhetoric to be found. There was.

And last up, what would getting religion on the Crosstown Local be without a mention of the Dark Prince? It doesn’t strike me as being a very effective policy to admonish people about the anti-Christ on the G line. Even if we were disposed to do something about him, it would take us too long to get moving.

Or maybe that is the point? This poster actually reads “GGG”!

Miss Heather

Greenpoint Photo du Jour: Clay Street

I was recently asked by a reporter what my favorite things in Greenpoint were. I rattled off the old Meserole Theater on Manhattan Avenue, the bath house on Huron Street, the glory that is the Beadel Street House of Leopard Print and this.

When I first moved to Greenpoint I lived on Clay Street. I always loved looking at this sign as I was coming or going from my apartment.

I have tried to learn more about this organization but information seems to be pretty scant. I can state, however, that per the Department of Buildings there was a “club” located on the first floor of this building. One would presume that it was the Russian People’s Home of Greenpoint. This space has since become an art studio for some lucky person, but I am glad to see that the owner of this property has seen fit not to remove this lovely old sign. Go down to 106 Clay Street and check it out yourself!

While you’re at it, swing by Huron Street and look at this lovely old advertisement before it is bricked over by (undoubtedly) a steaming pile of Fedders crap.

Miss Heather

NEXT WEEK: Transmitter Park Meeting

Next week, April 14, GWAPP will be hosting the first meeting regarding Transmitter Park. For those of you who are not in the know, this is the park slated to grace the western terminus of Greenpoint Avenue and several million dollars has reputedly been earmarked towards its creation. The purpose of this gathering is to give “interested community residents” to an opportunity to “discuss the park’s design, construction and timetable, and create a park ‘friends’ group for this new soon-to-be jewel on the waterfront”.

I strongly recommend that any and all who have the time attend this meeting. I have do doubt it will be very interesting and am personally very curious to see an up-to-date rendering of what this park will look like.

Transmitter Park Meeting
April 14, 2008, 7:00 p.m.
Red Star Bar
37 Greenpoint Ave (between Franklin & West Street)
Brooklyn, New York 11222

To RSVP, please shoot GWAPP an email at info (at) gwapp (dot) org.

See you there!

Miss Heather