Greenpoint
Lorven Pharmacy
Culture on the Cheap
SCADGate: The Conclusion
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
This morning I was reminded that all good things— even a curious case of a lifetime achievement award in inexplicably found in traffic triangle in Greenpoint— must come to end. Rebecca11222 writes:
Well, a pall hangs over the apartment today: the SCAD Lifetime Achievement Award has been returned to it’s rightful owner: Sidney Lumet’s publicist.
The kind people at SCAD and the Savannah Film Festival arranged for postage and packing materials. I just wrapped it & then dropped it off at FedEx.
I received some awesome SCAD booty (travel cup & tee-shirt) for my trouble. AND an offer from the director of the SFF to host me in Savannah should I like to visit. But the apartment feels empty, somehow.
See attached for photo of Sanford with the travel cup.
I suspect I speak for everyone (except perhaps Sanford, who appears to be less than impressed with the reward reaped by his owner’s good deed) to learn this story has a happy ending. If that award could talk I imagine it would have an interesting tale to tell. But alas, it is keeping its silence and we will have to be content with the whiff of serendipity it brought our lives. Bon voyage, prodigal lifetime achievement award! I hope you enjoyed your stay in the Garden Spot of the Universe.
Miss Heather
Greenpoint Photo Du Jour: Low Tide
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
From Franklin Street.
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: The Horror Of 200 Franklin Street
Many of you who have read this blog over the years are all too familiar with my fixation on an architect named Karl Fischer. There reasons for this are manifold but they all essentially boil down to the fact he is responsible for some of the more hideous (and enormous) structures that now pollute north Brooklyn’s landscape. Enough so that my good friend Bob Guskind named a strip of Bayard Street (which features a number of his “creations”) Karl Fischer Row.
Unfortunately what some seem to have overlooked is Mr. Fischer has also left an indelible imprint upon Williamsburg’s less famous sister: Greenpoint. 305 McGuinness Boulevard and 130 Diamond Street are two of the better known pieces of Karl’s handiwork to be found here. And then of course you have 200 Franklin Street.
When completed this— one of the most woeful examples of modification permit abuse and one of the ugliest things mankind has ever concocted— will be what the residents of the Astral, a landmark building, will have to look at every day. Lest I have not made myself perfectly clear already: I loathe this building. And this morning as I perused my inbox I learned I am not alone.
What’s more he (or she) decided to make his/her feelings known to this building’s creators.
Odin writes:
Dear Miss Heather,
I thought I would share something of my own pursuits as it is particularly relevant to the Franklin St. development discussion. Attached are images of a poster I made in response to the building going up at 200 Franklin St. It is disheartening that something even more gargantuan could be erected at 60 Commercial St which is now such a tranquil post industrial setting.
The screen printed posters were not received well and were quickly painted over. Not as many people saw them as I had hoped, but I may do a second run.
Your fellow neighbor
Follows is what the folks at 200 Franklin Street did not want you to see.
It came… a lurking twelve story behemoth that sought to devour the surrounding skyline. Can any force keep this monstrous edifice from casting its shadowy pall over the neighborhood or will this building become another…
ARCHITECTURAL DISASTER!!!
Excellent question, Odin. You can read more about how this poster came into being by clicking here.
Miss Heather
Congratulations Kill Devil Hill!
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
Yesterday (as I was enjoying what little sunshine were are likely to see until Thursday) I spied a gentleman photographing the front of Kill Devil Hill. After musing about how original I find this establishment’s window displays I asked him if he was shutterbugging this shop for business or pleasure. He told me it was indeed a paid gig and that our very own procurer of stuffed musk rats is going to be in Lucky Magazine. Way to go, guys!
Miss Heather
From The New York Shitty Inbox: Synchronicity
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
One of the things I really like about getting reader inquiries (other than getting a better sense of what you find of interest and/or concern in the community as a whole) is it frequently serves to remind to write about something that I had otherwise forgotten about. In the case of today’s post this is the above lot, which is located on Commercial Street just west of Franklin. Sean writes:
Hey,
Noticed your latest piece about 65 Commercial St. Not sure if this is related, but lately I’ve noticed construction materials and tents arriving to the giant vacant lot between this spot and the baseball/basketball park at the very end of the street. I saw a guy posted in there a couple wknds ago, but he had no idea what the stuff was for, he was just told to guard it.
I thought you could work your magic and find out a little more. I’m dreaming one day this will be a park, but not optimistic.
All I had to do in the way of “magic” to answer Sean’s question is locate a very compelling email buried in my inbox. It is written by a woman named Nika and read as follows:
Hi Miss Heather! Just thought you’d be curious to know that apparently that esteemed group is going to be in our hood. Scorsese is working on a series called Boardwalk Empire for HBO that the entire internet is calling the next Sopranos. It’s set in 1920s Atlantic City, and a nice lackey man working pre-production for the show told me they’re building a 300-foot replica of the old Atlantic City boardwalk on Franklin and Commercial. I haven’t seen any evidence of it yet, but I’m keeping my eyes peeled. Can’t even think of what exactly is out there right now. Nothing, right? Scorsese is directing the pilot, Wahlberg is producing, Buscemi is starring (along with Michael Pitt and some other folks). I have a few links to more info on tumblr… Anywhos, thanks! Love yr blog.
So there have you. Not only does it appear that something downright cool is afoot in our own backyard, but we also have a New York Shitty first: a reader question answered by an serendipitously well-timed email from another reader. Sometimes you gotta love the Internet!
Miss Heather
New York Shitty Day Ender: Sweet Victory
Filed under: Greenpoint Magic
After I won the hat contest this evening (at tbd and gave props to Pa Heather— who was present— and to whom I dedicated the bottle of Maker’s Mark I won while wearing this) I encountered this select piece of street seating in front of the Viridian on the way home.
This one’s for you, Bob.*
Miss Heather
*You are gone— but not forgotten.
Highlights From The Robot Monkey World Chimpionship: Part III
As promised, here is the third installment of live footage I shot from last weekend’s Robot Monkey World Chimpionship. This, the final segment, features the rules of the game, some good-natured shenanigans and four of Greenpoint’s finest businesses waging war against Williamsburg and in one case, each other:
- Brooklyn Standard Vs. Kellogg Diner
- Papasito’s Vs. Number 9 Lighting
- Dandelion Wine vs. t.b.d.
Once again Lily is in good form. They should make her a robot monkey coach. Seriously. Enjoy!
I suspect I speak for many who were present at this event when I say more such tournaments should be held. Bushwick against Williamsburg or Greenpoint immediately come to mind. Are you listening out there, Dan?
Miss Heather
Williamspoint Photos Du Jour: Question Of The Day
Manhattan Avenue
Wythe Avenue
Nassau Avenue
Kent Avenue
Maujer Street
QUESTION: What do you call a municipal government (and the people who elected it) when a year’s worth of rent on a two bedroom apartment in north Brooklyn meets— if not exceeds— the median income for family of four?
ANSWER: A disgrace.
Although quite a fuss has been raised over the glut of “luxury” apartments in my community (and the high vacancy rates which have come as a result), no one seems to have noticed the visible increase in homelessness that has come with it. Among the “benefits” Greenpoint was promised as a result of the new zoning were park space and affordable housing. As of April 22, 2009 we have received neither. Instead we have been saddled with a colossal number of empty lots, vacant properties and half-finished “nondos” while more people and more people are finding themselves on the streets.
Am I the only person who is angered by this?
Miss Heather
NYS Flickr Pool
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