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From The New York Shitty Inbox: Rally At City Hall
Filed under: 10007, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Manhattan, New York City
This item comes courtesy of Rami Metal, the Community Liaison for City Councilman Steve Levin. Next Wednesday, September 21st, at 11:00 a.m. Mr. Levin along with Senator Martin Malave Dilan, Assemblyman Joe Lentol and other notables will be present on the steps of City Hall to protest the proposed homeless assessment center for 400 McGuinness Boulevard. As some of you might recall, our City Comptroller (and Mayoral candidate), John Liu, has initiated an investigation into this shelter and others citing “irregularities“. What will happen with remains to be seen. However, in the meantime anyone who has questions or wishes to RSVP should contact Mr. Metal at the above-listed email address or telephone number.
Rally To Stop The Proposed Assessment Center At 400 McGuinness Boulevard
September 21, 2011 at 11:00 a.m.
City Hall
260 Broadway
New York, New York 10007
New York Shitty Day Ender: 400 McGuinness Boulevard
Or: How To Lose Friends & (Further) Alienate People
By all appearances the matter of a 200 bed assessment center for homeless men at 400 McGuinness Boulevard is not a proposal. It is rapidly becoming a reality— and if what I have received in my inbox is any indication, the powers behind this endeavor have inflicted abuse on the one thing Greenpoint is sorely lacking. HINT: it is not homeless people.
It is trees.
Laura (who took the above photographs) writes:
The property owner at 400 McGuinness Blvd. is already a nightmare for the community. I can’t imagine what things will be like when 200 formerly incarcerated individuals take residence there. Today Mike & I observed scaffolding workers actively damaging a city street tree. I identified myself as a citizen pruner and informed the crew that they aren’t supposed to do that. One worker replied “so what”. I replied, “It’s against the law”. He shrugged his shoulders. I saw I was getting nowhere and called Stephanie Thayer who promised to put in a call to the Forestry Dept. I backed up that call with a 311 complaint. Here’s the complaint number. C1-1-676689666
After Mike & I both placed complaints about the tree damage, we were approached by another worker who explained that he “couldn’t get hold of the super” for direction. He talked to one of the DOT workers in the office under the Pulaski Bridge, thinking he worked for the city and would know the rules. The guys were instructed by the DOT worker, “Don’t worry about it. No one will say anything.” Hmph!!!! I responded by telling him that I’m sure the workers are aware of the rules regarding how to construct scaffolding around a city tree. And if not, should be. I further explained that there is a $1,000. fine for damaging a city street tree and will be reporting it.
I and other community members busted their asses to advocate for city street trees and to care for them. The city is not safeguarding the investment of tax dollars by not taking street tree damage seriously. Something has to be done! There is far too much tree damage happening in Greenpoint…
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part II: Live From 400 McGuinness Boulevard
After seemingly being dormant for a few weeks 400 McGuinness, the site of a proposed 200 bed assessment center for single homeless men, is abuzz with activity! As you can see there is not a dumpster on the premises so the sidewalk has been pressed into service. My tipster was rather displeased by this and has vowed to file a 311 complaint. Note: the gentle removal of fiber glass insulation in the last image.
Miss Heather
Reader Comment du Jour: A Modest Proposal
Some of you might recall that I featured this piece of wheatpaste work (which hails from the Pulaski Bridge across the street from 400 McGuinness) a few days ago. Well, my blog post came to the attention of the woman responsible and she left a comment. Here it is:
You can read the statement about Jesus’s picture here:
http://www.insideoutproject.net/#/sp/2tCTEG
When you upload your photo you write a description and give its location. And yes, the idea was to declare the fact that people live here, this is not an anonymous point on the map! I like the idea of posting images of our homeless people… Thank you for posting missheather!
This missive— or more accurately the person who posted it— jogged my memory: I remembered that she has contacted me some time ago with an idea she had. Regrettably, it had fallen between the cracks so yesterday I endeavored to catch up with her. What followed was a very interesting dialogue. One, I will add, which resulted in (what yours truly believes to be) a very good idea*— but more about that in a few. First, let’s take the statement about Jesus alluded to in this woman’s comment. It reads as follows:
Greenpoint sits on the northern tip of Brooklyn and for years has fought attempts to overload this little neighborhood with the services that should really be shared by all New York City neighborhoods (incinerators, waste transfer stations, intake centers). We are home to an enormous sewage treatment center which, in many opinions, including mine, is a marvel of engineering and design! When city government looks our way to host these services, I hope they see the faces of our neighborhood.
Now I would like you, gentle readers, to (re)consider the placement of Jesus. Yes, what this woman is alluding to is our proposed assessment center. It was her thinking that by placing Jesus, a Greenpoint resident, across the street from a facility which is very much opposed by this community she would be in some small way putting a human face on the community which will be impacted by it. I found this to be rather brilliant. So much so, that it got me to thinking— and emailing. Here’s what she and I propose (NOTE: this is still very much in the working stages):
Since this project, InsideOut, is about community awareness/building and given that the man ultimately responsible for this proposed shelter has not seen fit to face the very public he will be saddling with a rotating door of 200 homeless men, perhaps we as a community should use this project to make our presence known? Simply put, we want to get as many Greenpointers as we can to participate and hang posters facing this facility. Since one of the dictates of this project is that these posters must be placed on properties with the owner’s permission, I have reached out to the guys at McGuinness Brake Service (which is located across the street and faces 400 McGuinness Boulevard). As of the writing of this post they seem to be very amenable to the idea. Best of all, it would appear that we can do this as a “group action” per InsideOut’s web site.
Thoughts/ideas, fellow Greenpointers?
Miss Heather
*Especially if we can get our elected officials involved.
Spotted At 400 McGuinness Boulevard: Men At Work
This morning yours truly woke up in a state. As some of you have probably noticed, my site has been down quite a bit. This makes yours truly rather unhappy. Instead of simply staring at a blank screen hoping, PRAYING, that Dreamhost* would get its shit together I decided to go for a walk— and in so doing became a participant in a rather remarkable series of events.
On a lark I decided to swing by the site of our proposed 200 bed intake center for homeless men (at the behest, this time around, of the Bowery Residents’ Commission): 400 McGuinness Boulevard. I quickly ascertained there was work being conducted. I commenced to document it.
My interest in this activity (Let’s face facts: this part of Greenpoint does not sport many pink-haired women with heart-shaped sunglasses walking around) was quickly noticed by a few chaps working at the Department of Transportation depot across the street. They informed me that work is being conducted at this site around the clock, that they are “trying to be sneaky about it” and that they have called 311 to no avail. I informed them that I had every intention of documenting this activity and calling 311 when I got home. This is when something truly fortuitous happened.
An employee of the Department of Buildings drove by! We started shouting and waving our hands.
He backs up and I apprise him of the situation, e.g.; these men are conducting work and there are no permits posted whatsoever.
As he is calling this in to headquarters I noticed they seem to be working on the entire complex. I document this.
That’s when my new friends at the Department of Transportation decided to swing by and tender their two cents.
They smile for my camera…
and after admonishing the Department of Buildings gentleman that (and I quote) “you better be treating this lady nicely” give him the whole rundown of what they have witnessed.
Upon the conclusion of this tete a tete they drive off and I hear someone call my name.
It is Anthony of McGuinness Power Brake Service. He tells me that powers-that-be at 400 McGuinness have one valid permit on file with Department of Buildings; it is for plumbing work and removing non-load bearing walls. He quickly adds, however, that they appear to be doing a lot more than this and states he has photographic evidence. I will go into the latter in more detail momentarily.
When I arrived home I perused the Department of Buildings web site.
Sure enough, Anthony was correct! I quickly noticed there was a plan filed which was disapproved. Curious piqued, I gave it a look-see.
As you can imagine I found this interesting given what I was told by the gentlemen from the Department of Transportation and Anthony; they asserted work as outlined in this rejected Plan Exam was, in fact, being conducted. But neither I nor you, gentle readers, need take them at their word. Anthony’s photographs pretty much say it all. Pay special attention to the refrigerator(s) being unloaded.
It sure looks like they are setting up “house” to me! Those of you who are curious can learn more about the man behind this endeavor, Shimmie Horn, by clicking here.
Miss Heather
*Those of you who have friends— or better yet: enemies— who operate sites which you believe are not fit for publication, do recommend Dreamhost. He or she can write to his or her contentment and their content will not be inflicted on the general public by virtue of the fact their web site will not be up! Genius!!!
New York Shitty Videos du Jour: Live From 400 McGuinness Boulevard
As promised, here is footage from yesterday’s rally to protest the proposed 200 bed homeless assessment center at 400 McGuinness Boulevard. Enjoy!
Steve Levin, Joe Lentol and CB1 Public Safety Chair Kalita Speak
A Woman (Greenpoint resident?) Rebuts
Miss Heather
REMINDER: Rally at 400 McGuinness
As we get prepare to embark upon the weekend I want to remind my fellow Greenpointers the rally to protest the 200 bed assessment center proposed for 400 McGuinness Boulevard will come to pass this upcoming Sunday, May 22nd, at 2:30 p.m.
Rally To Stop The Proposed Homeless Shelter at 400 McGuinness Boulevard
May 22, 2011 starting at 2:30 p.m.
400 McGuinness Boulevard (at Clay Street)
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Be there!
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox, Part II: Now In Spanish & Polish!
As promised (and courtesy of Rami Metal of Councilman Levin’s office) here is the Polish/Spanish flier for the upcoming rally to protest the 200 bed homeless assessment center proposed to grace 400 McGuinness Boulevard! A print quality version of the above flier can be yours by clicking here.
Rally To Stop The Proposed Homeless Shelter at 400 McGuinness Boulevard
May 22, 2011 starting at 2:30 p.m.
400 McGuinness Boulevard (at Clay Street)
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Miss Heather
P.S.: You can download a print quality version of the English flier by clicking here.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Rally To Protest The Homeless Intake Center at 400 McGuinness
The date has been (re)set, Greenpointers! Those of you who wish to download a print quality version of this flier can do so by clicking here. Otherwise I have been assured by Rami Metal, the Community Liaison for Councilman Steve Levin’s office that a Spanish/English flier is in the works. When I receive this item I will post it here.
Rally To Stop The Proposed Homeless Shelter at 400 McGuinness Boulevard
May 22, 2011 starting at 2:30 p.m.
400 McGuinness Boulevard (at Clay Street)
Brooklyn, New York 11222
Miss Heather
POSTPONED: Rally at 400 McGuinness
Rami Metal of Councilman Steve Levin’s office writes:
Hi Heather. I don’t know whether or not you were aware of this but Hope Reichbach, our communications director, died yesterday. We are unbelievably shaken and saddened by her sudden passing and are putting all our energy right now into working through this difficult time and helping her family in any way we can. The funeral is being held on Sunday at noon. Needless to say we feel that we need to cancel the planned rally against the homeless shelter and we were hoping that you could help get the word out. We do not yet have a new date for the rally but will work to figure something out in the next week or so and will definitely let you know.
If anyone is interested in attending the funeral the services will take place at Congregation Mount Sinai, 250 Cadman Plaza West, at noon on Sunday
The Reichbach family will sit shiva Sunday following the service, Monday and Tuesday all day at 148 Bond Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217.
Donations in Hope’s name can be made to: Nicholas Naquan Heyward Jr. Memorial Foundation, Inc., 413 Baltic Street, Suite 1A, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Below is a joint statement from last night from Steve and the Speaker:
Joint Statement by Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Council Member Stephen Levin
This evening we learned of the tragic death of one of the Council’s family. A bright young woman who was at the start of a career in public service is gone too soon. Hope was a wonderful, vivacious, and tough young woman. A beautiful soul who cared deeply about her community and her family. We are deeply saddened by her passing and will miss her more than words can ever describe. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and her friends, and everyone affected by this loss. We also respectfully request that the media respect the family’s privacy at this most difficult time.
Thanks.
I suspect I speak on the behalf of everyone reading this when I write that my heartfelt condolences to Miss Reichbach’s family, friends and loved ones. She will be missed.
Miss Heather
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