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Culture on the Cheap
New York Shitty Feral Mattress Watch: Special Bloomblight Edition
Filed under: 11211, Bloomblight, Feral Furniture, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
This ad hoc loft bed hails from Havemeyer Street.
P.S.: Those of you who are curious as to exactly what happened here can get the 411 by watching this video.
New York Shitty Feral Furniture Watch: North 10 Street Al Fresco Living Suite, Revisited
Filed under: 11211, Feral Furniture, Street Furniture, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
Another sunny (if brisk) day, in North Brooklyn, another walk. And another dispatch as to how the North 10th Street “rustic” living room suite is faring. As you can see the sectional to the right has been moved.
It has also been tagged.
For those of you who are keeping count, this arrangement has been in effect for at least 24 days. The current record holder for feral furniture goes to this specimen on Meserole Street: 53 days.
P.S.: While I am on the subject of matters Department of Sanitation and Department of Transportation, what’s up with this?
Anyone?
New York Shitty Slideshow Du Jour: North ‘Point Selections
Filed under: 11222, Bloomblight, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic
Late this morning, noticing that the weather had abated somewhat (and having a raging case of cabin fever), I decided a constitutional was in order. Ikept my peregrinations limited as:
- It was still quite blustery outside.
- I was (and am) working on (maybe) five hours of sleep.
Nonetheless, go out I did. Overall, I have to say the damage appears to be minimal. I was particularly pleased to see that both the Newtown Creek Kayak Launch and WNYC Transmitter Park appear to be relatively unscathed. Conversely, the same cannot be said about the manifold number of derelict/abandoned construction sites hereabouts. See the Bloomblight for yourselves, gentle readers.
Here’s the deal, folks:
I will readily admit our city’s response to Sandy was certainly laudable. However, to say there was (is) no infrastructural decay is to be disingenuous: there most assuredly is. All the previously-depicted sites have been problematic for years. With each and every passing storm— however minor or severe— these fences have collapsed, creating hazards for their neighbors and passerby.
Why is this allowed to continue?
You ask. Very simple: for wont of effective enforcement. In this respect the powers-that-be in our city’s government and enforcement agencies (the Department of Buildings in particular) should be ashamed of themselves. In any case, it’ll be interesting to see how long it will take for all of this to be cleaned up.
Highlights From Community Board 1: Let’s Talk Trash
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, Planet Entitlement, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
One of the more provocative parts of last week’s convocation— and there were quite a few, I assure you— were two ladies speaking on the subject of illegal garbage can holders.
More specifically: these garbage can holders. Behold the Community Board 1 action regarding them for yourselves, gentle readers (start at 7:28).
New York Shitty analysis:
1. Exactly what constitutes a “beautiful” garbage can holder? If there is in fact such a thing, it in the eye of the beholder.
2. While certainly nice, they are placed on public property (READ: the sidewalk). This is a big no-no.
As these ladies noted, their neighbor is obeying the law:
3. This is not to suggest I am not sympathetic to these ladies’s plight. I am. They brought up a very salient point: the developer of their respective properties did not consider trash collection when designing their respective condominiums. This is clearly a problem. One which should have been prevented at the “planning stage”. Which brings me to…
Yesterday I decided to see how 239 Banker Street’s illegal garbage fixture cum bicycle rack was faring.
Not only is it still there, but among the assorted detritus I found something of interest.
Not one but two boxes which formerly contained stoves. (For those of you who are not in the know, “estufa” means stove in Spanish. Somewhere my high school Spanish teacher is smiling!) As you can see the powers that be behind this illegal conversion are scarcely concerned about getting caught. What’s more, I learned at last week’s proceedings why.
So there have you: fines are simply part and parcel of “doing business”. Given the “lofts” at 239 Banker Street are going for anywhere between $2,700 – $3,400 for 700 square foot (if that) of “living space” nowadays, well, it has become all too clear how effective these “penalties” have been as a deterrent against this landlord continuing to illegal legally lease out this property as residential space.
In closing I will leave you, gentle readers, with the latest bit of “immaculate construction” I spied at 239 Banker Street.
As the screencap of a video I shot on June 3rd of this year indicates, what is now an “apartment” used to be a doorway.* But don’t take my word for it: view the video for yourself.
*For those of you who are wondering, this is perfectly in keeping with the plans for this “hotel”…
Today At 239 Banker Street…
…an agent showing the property to a prospective client?
And of course this.
It would appear that not merely being satisfied with illegally leasing out spaces at this edifice as residential space (and violating a Stop Work Order) our friends at 239 Banker have decided to kick it up a notch by adding this garbage can holder— or is it a bike rack?
It’s kind of hard to tell. In any case I can assure you this is quite illegal (it’s located on city property). Anyone care to call 311? Rounding out this, the latest but certainly not to be last, post about this property I leave you with this Craigslist advertisement…
and this recently issued disposition from the Department of Buildings.
Hilarious.
New York Shitty Video Du Jour, Part II: Java Street, Revisited Once Again
As I mentioned in this post, today I had the pleasure of bumping into Kate Zidar, the headmistress of the Newtown Creek Alliance. After we concluded our impromptu film shoot, I informed her of the next piece of open space on my itinerary: the Java Street “Pop-Up” Park. She did not seem to be aware of what this wonder of public/private partnership was. So I gave her a general run-down:
- That despite brandishing “Pop-Up” in its moniker, this park was anything but spontaneous. In fact, it took almost six months to open.
- When it did open (December 2011) most of the plants contained therein were dead due to neglect.
- This endeavor was apparently funded (at least in part) by $15,000 courtesy of our Borough President.
- And, most recently, it has been the location of quite a bit of feral furniture activity (which I have learned came at the behest of a number of loft residents being evicted).
As you can imagine Ms. Zidar found this quite interesting— but I digress. Without further ado, here’s what Java Street looks like today. Enjoy!
As you can see, gentle readers, very little has changed. But this story might, just might, have a happy ending— and soon!
After yours truly shot the above-depicted footage a Department of Sanitation vehicle was spied with my little eye (READ: digital camera) surveying this archipelago of detritus.
To be continued…?
News You Can Use: Request-A-Can
Filed under: 11211, 11222, Greenpoint, Greenpoint Brooklyn, Greenpoint Magic, New York City, Stuff That Makes Miss Heather Happy, Williamsburg, Williamsburg Brooklyn
I have been asked by a number of people how exactly how one can go about getting a trash can for his/her corner. If you too have been wondering about this pay attention. I have very good news!
It has been brought to my attention our city’s strongest have a nifty online web form where you can request a “Litter Basket”. Submit to your heart’s contentment, north Brooklynites!
New York Shitty Photo Du Jour: Help Keep New York City Clean
Taken today at the intersection of Berry and North 6 Street.
NYS Flickr Pool
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