Pardon Me For Asking

Gowanus Canal Superfund: EPA Releases List Of 'Notice of Potential Liability' Recipients

2012-01-31T16:09:00.000-05:00

The Environmental Protection Agency has just released a document revealing the names of companies that have been sent notices of potential liability and information request letters as of January 2012. In addition to the twenty-eight companies that have received such a notice, New York City, the US Navy, the US Postal Service, the US General Services Administration have also gotten word that they may be Potential Responsible Parties (PRP.)
The list includes such known companies as Amerada Hess Corp., Kraft Foods Global, Inc., ExxonMobil Oil Corp.,Verizon New York Inc. and Honeywell International Inc.
As per the agency's document:

"EPA has taken various other enforcement-related steps related to the Canal. In April 2010, EPA entered into administrative consent orders with New York City and National Grid to provide work in support of EPA’s remedial investigation. In September 2010, EPA entered into a judicial bankruptcy consent decree with Chemtura Corp. under which Chemtura paid EPA $3.9 million to resolve its liability with respect to the Site. Chemtura also agreed to perform cleanups at their former Court Street facilities in Red Hook under the oversight of the NYSDEC."

The information on PRPs includes the following paragraph:

It should be noted that a notice of potential liability is not a legal determination that a party is in fact responsible, only a warning that EPA believes this may possibly be the case as of the time of the notice. EPA may revise a party’s status as additional information is received. A notice letter is also intended to provide a party with an opportunity to participate in the Superfund process.

To read the entire document on EPA's Region 2 web site, click here.

Historic District Council And Preservationists Continue Push Against Shrinking Coignet Building Site In Gowanus

2012-01-31T15:00:00.000-05:00

’Historic District Council (HDC), the Citywide Advocate for New York's Historic Neighborhoods, is currently circulating a petition to be sent to the NYC Council's Landmarks Subcommittee in regards to the landmark Coignet Building on the intersection of Third Street and Third Avenue in Gowanus.
HDC is asking the Landmark's Subcommittee to not granted Whole Foods Market, the owner, a special dispensation from the New York City Landmarks Law that governs the historic building.
Whole Foods wants to annex part of the Coignet building site to make the design of their proposed food market fit on the adjacent site "without any consideration given to how that new structure will impose itself on the designated landmark building." If granted, there will only be a five-foot “buffer zone” between the Coignet building and the new WF bi-box retail store.
On January 24th, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to reduce the size of the lot.
The Council's Landmarks Sub Committee (chaired by Councilmember Brad Lander) will vote on this this week, before the matter his taken upthe flu Council.
HDC's petition reads:
"The Coignet building must be given the proper protection it currently has under the Landmarks Law. Whole Foods should comply with this law just as any owner of a landmark is required to. Whole Foods must make a proper Landmarks Public Hearing that shows just how their proposed development will relate to the Coignet Building."
If Whole Foods is allowed to alter the landmark site in order to avoid the normal Landmarks Preservation Commission review process, this will opens the way for all who want to build upon a landmarked site and avoid any LPC oversight. Maybe St Bart's Church can request a "Whole Foods" ruling and start building that glass tower they wanted to cantilever on their landmark church site 30 years ago.
We ask that City Council not damage Landmark Law by allowing any developer to manipulate and thus avoid the law in this manner."
On January 24th, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted unanimously to reduce the size of the lot.The Council's Landmarks Sub Committee will vote on this this week, before the matter will be taken upthe flu Council.
To sign HDC's petition, click here.

A brief history of the Coignet building from HDC:

"The New York and Long Island Stone Company Coignet Building was constructed as a show case for what the manufacturer’s product could do, create a strong, elegant, detailed building at a cost less than real stone. It is easy to forget that this is the earliest known concrete building in New York City, and one of the earliest in the country, due to the fact it has been primarily covered over with faux brick. Areas of the west and south façades though are uncovered and the building’s reason for being, concrete, is visible. While these two walls are certainly secondary to the main façades on Third Avenue and Third Street, they are not plain and instead some of the same detailing including arched windows, quoins and stringcourse are carried over. The west façade also includes a bay identical in design to the bays on the primary façades. It is troublesome that after years of planning by Whole Foods, the company is only now dealing with the fact that it owns a designated site and is asking the landmark to bear the brunt of the project. As shown in renderings, plans and elevations presented to the Brooklyn Community Board 6 Land Use Committee in August, the Coignet Building would be engulfed by new structures, while the other half of the block would be a parking lot. Obviously there are other arrangements on this block that would be more appropriate for the landmark. Although buildings were once unfortunately built up against the Coignet Building, probably in the mid-20th century, as their ghosts on the side walls show, they were shorter. Other factory buildings on the block were described by Brooklyn Daily Eagle in June 1872 as 32 feet tall – about 20 feet shorter than the planned Whole Foods buildings. The Coignet Building was always allowed to retain its prominence on the block. HDC urges you to keep the boundaries as they are so that any alterations to the sight are overseen by LPC and sensitively help preserve one of the few landmarks in Gowanus."

340 Court Street Construction Project: A Community Update From Alchemy

2012-01-31T09:42:00.002-05:00

Construction of the 7 story, 32 unit condominium building at 340 Court Street has been progressing swiftly in the last few months. The steel frame has been completed and a new phase of construction is about to begin. In addition, excavation of the town homes on Sackett Street will commence soon.
Below is a community update on the 340 Court Street construction site from Joel Breitkopf of development firm Alchemy Properties Inc. According to Breitkopf:
"We are placing concrete floors 7 and 8 and stairwells of condo building. There will be a pedestrian walkway change on Court and Union streets as we will be placing concrete and back filling for temporary sidewalk and hoist on Court and Union Streets. We will be commencing the hoist installation along Court Street. Finally, excavation will start for the Sackett Street Townhomes. Trucking and soil removal via the Sackett and Union Street gates."

Picture Of The Day: Looking Downhill

2012-01-30T16:36:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite blocks in the neighborhood:

2nd Street, looking towards Bond.

What's your favorite?

An Unusual Back Yard Visitor In Carroll Gardens

2012-01-30T08:46:00.000-05:00

My friend Joe was a bit startled to find a this large bird of prey in his Carroll Gardens backyard over the week-end. The raptor was perched on an old clothesline pole, snacking on a bloody carcass.
Joe thinks it was a Peregrine Falcon. To me it looks more like a hawk. Any experts out there who can identify it?

Best Selling Author Patrick Taylor To Come To Carroll Gardens Public Library In Exclusive Appearance

2012-01-30T07:27:00.000-05:00

Bestselling author Patrick Taylor, best known for his “Irish Country” series, will visit the Carroll Gardens branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, 396 Clinton Street, on Wednesday, February 29 at 7 p.m. for an exclusive appearance to discuss and sign his novels. The event is hosted by Friends Of The Carroll Gardens Library. The group writes:

“We are so excited that Patrick Taylor will be visiting not only the library, but Brooklyn for this event,” says Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library secretary and event organizer Diane Saarinen. “We can only hope our ‘little village’ of Carroll Gardens is half as interesting as the Ballybucklebo that Taylor depicts in his colorful novels.”

Taylor , author of the bestselling An Irish Country Village, A Dublin Student Doctor and more, is also looking forward to the February 29 event: “Although I have visited New York often, I am really looking forward to my first visit to Brooklyn--even if Ebbets Field is gone and the Trolley Dodgers who hired Jackie Robinson in 1947 have long been in LA,” the author says. “And where better to go than a library in a borough that has 58 branches of its Public Library system? I hope what I have to say will be interesting and entertaining.”

Seating is limited and those who wish to attend this exciting event must register for tickets here. A donation of $10 per person at the door is suggested. Signed books will be available for purchase.

Tonight, General Meeting Of EPA's Gowanus Canal CAG

2012-01-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

The EPA's Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group is holding its general meeting tonight. If you missed EPA's presentation on the Feasibility Study last week, this is is your opportunity to hear Christos Tsiamis, the project manager for the Canal, explain the different clean-up options for the polluted waterway.

EPA Gowanus Canal CAG Meeting

Monday, January 30

at Borough Hall from 6 pm – 9 pm

Agenda includes:

· Discussion of Feasibility Study

· WQ/Technical Committee report-out

· Technical Assistance (TAG and TASC)· Other business

Battle For Brooklyn: Free Screening At Issue Project Room In Gowanus

2012-01-28T20:13:00.000-05:00

If you have not yet seen "Battle for Brooklyn" by husband-and-wife-team Suki Hawley and Michael Galinsky, here is your chance.

Gowanus Institute, Rooftop Films and Issue Project Room present:

Battle for Brooklyn

the Oscar shortlisted and critically acclaimed documentary film about the Atlantic Yards project

Tuesday 31 January 2012

Doors open 7:00, Screening 7:30

Free admission.

Run time 93 min. Panel discussion and Q &A to follow

Issue Project Room at The Old American Can Factory

232 Third St corner Third Ave Gowanus, Brooklyn

Battle for Brooklyn follows the story of reluctant activist Daniel Goldstein as he struggles to save his home and community from being demolished to make way for a professional basketball arena and the densest real estate development in U.S. history. Along the way, he falls in love, gets married and starts a family while living in a vacated building located at the heart of the project site. Over the course of seven years, Daniel spearheads the movement against the development plan as he and the community fight tenaciously in the courts, the streets, and the media to stop the abuse of eminent domain and reveal the corruption at the heart of the plan.

A Moment In Time: Hurrying Home

2012-01-27T18:53:00.002-05:00

Hurrying home before dark

Burgersmith Opens In Former Faan Space On Smith Street

2012-01-27T10:13:00.003-05:00

Burgersmith at 209 Smith Street just opened its doors a few days ago in the space once occupied by Faan, one of the first Asian-Fusion eateries on Restaurant Row.
The menu features a selection of burgers, wings, fries and shakes, but as Kyle Huebbe and Blessing Schuman-Strange, the culinary team behind this new farm-to-table eatery, will point out the food is "New American, but elevated." The burgers are made from grass-fed beef, ground daily and supplied by a local butcher.
The selection includes the 'Friday Night', which is topped with fried egg, caramelized onions, oven roasted tomato, arugula, truffle vinaigrette. There's also the "Left Coast", topped with gruyere cheese, avocado, oven roasted tomato, arugula and garlic aioli.
For lighter options, there are turkey, lamb, chicken and trout burgers, and for vegetarians, the menu includes a nut-vegetable-quinoa burger.
Don't see what you want? You can create your very own, by choosing from various toppings.
Kyle Huebbe, a Ditmas Park resident obviously knows a thing or two about food and burgers. He is a former short-order cook with stints at restaurants like Picket Fence. In 2009, he beat out four other contestants to win Brooklyn Paper first Burger Bash contest..
Blessing Schuman-Strange, a Brooklyn native, who moved to California five years ago, just came back East to help his best friend Huebbe with Burgersmith. "My background is more in fine dining" he told me. "Mine is in burgers and wings" chimed in Huebbe.
Sounds like a perfect team.
Good luck, guys!

Burgersmith

209 Smith Street

718 694 2277

P.J. Hanley's Sanitation Inspection Grade Not Quite So Pending

2012-01-26T13:55:00.002-05:00

One of my readers recently pointed out to me that P.J. Hanley's at 449 Court Street at the corner of 4th Street, has been displaying a sign in its window indicating that its Sanitation Inspection Grade from the New York City Department Of Health was 'pending'.
The sign, according to the reader has been there for quite some time, although the Health Department has issued the bar/restaurant a C grade in August 2011, when Hanley's earned 33 violation points during an inspection. A re-inspection on January 4, 2012 did not improve matters. It was still issued 32 violation points for, amongst other things, adulterated, contaminated raw and cooked meat, as well as evidence of mice and filth flies.
Just a few days ago, someone else sent me a photo taken of a make-shift open fire pit, which had been assembled on the sidewalk last week-end right in front of Hanley's. (When I walked by two days ago, it was disassembled and stored in the side courtyard.)
Besides pointing out the obvious health and fire hazard, the reader wrote: "I can't for the life of me understand why this community puts up with their flagrant abuse of the law."

Bococa's Café on Court Street Bids Farewell

2012-01-26T12:30:00.003-05:00

"Bococa's lease has finished" reads the simple announcement on the door of this small café at 195 Court Street. Its doors had been closed for the last few weeks, but the handwritten note only appeared a couple of days ago. The large "Store For Lease" sign from Cpex, on the other hand, has hung above the storefront for a while now.

As I peeked into the place, a man sitting on the bench in front of the defunct café said: "The landlord wouldn't renew the lease."

Cpex's listing for the retail space reads: Opportunity to expand commercial space up to1,500SF or a 1,200SF backyard for outdoor seating.
The Triple Net Lease is $5,900 per month.
Bococa, according to another sign in the window, had been operating in this space since 2005. Before that time, it was 'Mazzola Bakery and Café', which was affiliated with the bakery at 192 Union Street, at the corner of Henry Street in Carroll Gardens.

A Moment In Time: Exchanging Notes

2012-01-25T17:39:00.002-05:00

This afternoon in front of the 2nd Place Subway entrance.

Four police officers exchanging notes.

EPA Region 2 Presents Gowanus Canal Feasibility Study To Community

2012-01-25T12:54:00.000-05:00

Walter Mugdan, EPA Region 2's,
Director of the Division of Environmental Planning and Protection

Christos Tsiamis, EPA Region 2 project manager for the Gowanus Canal

Patty White, geologist for CH2MHill

Natalie Loney ,EPA Region 2 Community Involvement Coordinator

Brian Carr, EPA Region 2 lawyer

The Environmental Protection Agency's Region 2 team responsible for the Gowanus Canal Superfund clean-up hosted a public information meeting last night at PS 58 to present the Feasibility Study, which was released in late December 2011.

Walter Mugdan, Director of the Division of Environmental Planning and Protection, started the meeting by pointing out that his agency is on schedule. "This job is being done 2 or 3 times faster than it was plausible to expect, but the heavy lifting is yet to come, of course." he told the audience.

Mugdan praised the tremendous effort of the site's manager, Christos Tsiamis, who "is a stern task master. " The audience gave Tsiamis a rousing round of applause.
Mugdan also acknowledged the very engaged members of the Community Advisory Group (CAG) for the Gowanus, the largest such group in the country.

Patricia White, geologist for CH2MHill, an independent contracting firm hired by the EPA, started off the presentation by reviewing background information about the site. She also explained the Feasibility Study process, which includes:
-Develop remedial action objectives
-develop preliminary remediation goals
-define remediation target areas
-identify and screen remedial technologies
-develop and screen remedial alternatives
-evaluate remedial alternatives in detail
White also pointed out that one of the key Feasibility Study consideration is re-contamination of the canal after the cl were source control from the Combined Sewer Overflow (CSOs) and storm water discharges, discharges from the three former MGP sites, contaminated groundwater discharge, street runoff and discharges from unpermitted pipes.
Christos Tsiamis took over the presentation to speak about the various technologies that were retained and combined into seven remedial alternatives and screened according to effectiveness, implementability and cost.
The sediment dredging and capping alternatives all include dredging of the highly polluted soft sediment at the bottom of the canal, but while some alternatives call for solidifying the top of the native sediment, and capping either with a two-layer cap or a three layer cap.
So far, alternatives 5 and 7 have been retained for further detailed evaluation.
The EPA is also currently evaluating the best treatment and disposal alternatives for the dredged sediment.
The alternatives include offsite disposal, offsite or onsite stabilization with beneficial use, thermal desorption, offsite cogeneration or offsite or onsite stabilization and disposal in a constructed Confined Disposal Facility (CDF)
Of course, Tsiamis pointed out, the Gowanus Canal cannot be cleaned effectively without eliminating the CSO discharges from New York City's sewer system as well as the coal tar oozing from the three National Grid MGP sites lining the canal. The CSO discharges "cannot go on from our perspective" Tsiamis stated.
New York City's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has been given a schedule by DEP. Tsiamis will meet with the City to discuss this matter further in February. ***It is important to note her that the City, one of the major Potentially Responsible Parties (PRP) has not yet signed a consent order to take responsibility of their part of the clean-up.
As for the former MGP sites, EPA is coordinating and prioritizing with National Grid, which is responsible for the clean-up and NYS Department Of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the agency in charge of overseeing the remediation of those sites. According to Walter Mugdan, DEC has been very aggressive in moving forward.

Walter Mugdan diplomatically added: "In due course, we hope that all the involved agencies will recognize what needs to be done."
The next step? A proposed remedy will be presented to the public in 6 to 8 months, and a remedy will be selected by the end of 2012.
Last night's EPA presentation can be viewed online here.

**In one final note, it was announced last night that the EPA Technical Assistance Grant (TAG) for the Gowanus Canal Superfund was awarded to Friends And Residents Of Greater Gowanus.Congratulations to Marlene Donnelly, Bette Stoltz, Linda Mariano, Margaret Maugenest and Diane Buxbaum and all the members of FROGG for their hard work on behalf of the community.

BSA Delays Decision On Gowanus Whole Foods Market Till February

2012-01-24T17:16:00.002-05:00

If the lawyers and representatives of Whole Foods Market's thought that the NYC Board of Standards And Appeals was going to reach a decision on their request for a use variance (§72-21) to permit a food store (UG6) in Gowanus, contrary to use regulations in an M2-1 zoning district, they were sorely disappointed. The second hearing which took place in downtown Manhattan on Tuesday afternoon, ended with members of the Board voting unanimously to delay a final vote till February 28th.

At today's hearing, as on the first hearing on December 14, 2011, WFM argued that full compliance with current zoning regulations is not possible in order to realize a reasonable economic return on their property. WFM has listed the following hardships associated with developing the site:*Unsuitable soil conditions on the property require extensive pile foundations.
*Special drilled piles are also needed near the landmarked Coignet building on the site.
*the property is in a Flood Zone A and has a high water table. Extensive waterproofing and additional measures to resist hydrostatic pressure will be required.
* The property is adjacent to two bridges
*Has varying street elevations and a grade change of 12 feet.*And is subject to the Brownfields Cleanup Program which entails environmental remediation costs.

The focus today was on the additional estimated $1.1 million it will take to excavate and grade the site. The lawyer for Whole Foods also mentioned the cost of building a retaining wall along the waterfront.

During the public comment period, roughly 20 to 25 Gowanus community residents, business owners and artists spoke against the project, urging BSA to reject the variance. They called the project out-of-scale, refuted Whole Foods Market's hardship claims, argued that the variance will open the way for more such variances and will ultimately lead to more big-box development. They spoke passionately about the need for and the protection of manufacturing zones for small businesses, which are vital to the city and will help create lasting jobs. In contrast, it was pointed out, "Whole Foods offers no potential for job growth, no potential for higher wages." One business owner told the Board that the area was already home to businesses more unique than Whole Foods.Another asked members of the Board: "Is it so difficult to imagine an Apple computer company growing in Gowanus?"

A Representative for Councilwoman Diana Reyna, whose district includes Williamsburg and Bushwick and serves as Chair of New York City Council's Committee on Small Business, read a statement from the Councilwoman asking the Board to maintaining industrial and manufacturing space crucial to New York City’s economic rebound.
Nathan Elbogen of Gowanus Institute pointed out that the proposed development would consume a large manufacturing site that could be developed genuinely "as-of-right" with up to 370,000 SF for small to medium-scale manufacturing and could yield up to three times as many jobs with considerably higher pay than the proposed retail use. In the opinion of Robert La Valva, owner of New Amsterdam Market , a public food market in Manhattan that highlights small vendors, the project "is backwards thinking and not appropriate to New York City's ongoing evolution as a progressive city that generates meaningful jobs while reducing its environmental footprint."

At the end, Chairwoman Meenakchi Srinivasan and the rest of the Board voted to delay a final decision until a separate ruling related to the landmark structure on the site is reached by the Landmark Preservation Commission.

Below please find portion of John Shapiro's compelling testimony, which was read at the hearing yesterday. Shapiro is a professional city planner of nearly forty years, past president of the local chapter of the American Planning Association, and current Chair of the Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment at Pratt Institute.
"I urge that the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) deny the variance request made by the Whole Foods Market Group in the Gowanus industrial district, Brooklyn.
New York State law says that the BSA may grant a use variance if five findings are identified, one of which is the unique qualities of the site. The significant site qualities claimed by Whole Foods are not unique to the site; they are pervasive to the area. Much of the Gowanus is comprised of brownfields and at risk of re-pollution due to substrata conditions; most of the Gowanus is comprised of fill requiring extra infrastructure and foundation costs; and all of Gowanus is subject to increasing storm-related flooding and rising sea levels induced by climate change. Other "unique features" are hardly significant: namely, proximity to two bridges both of which touch down at the edge of the site, and the fact that there is a small landmark on the corner – as plenty of other Gowanus sites are astride bridges and have historic structures on or adjacent to them.
None of these features fall into the category of undisclosed conditions. Whole Foods was surely not so uninformed or naive about site conditions. The only unique feature of the development is the audacity of thinking that a below-grade supermarket was a viable option on a landfill brownfield site next to a highly polluted canal in a low-lying frequently flooded area. Hence this is a self-made hardship, in my opinion.
With regard to comparable development scenarios for purposes of analysis: Whole Foods bought the site for a purpose and plan that essentially did not involve Floor Area Ratio (FAR), taking advantage of a well-known loophole in the New York City Zoning Resolution. The best comparable development scenarios involve industry and offices, consistent with zoning use regulations. This might include intense use of the site for outdoor storage in whole or in part (such as a lumberyard), single-story warehousing or industry, recreation (as per Brooklyn Boulders), etc., in addition to more ambitious multi-story industrial / commercial development. In that last category, there are precedents for market-rate industrial development within 500 feet of the Whole Foods site: (1) the new industrial building along Fourth Avenue between 1st and 3rd Streets, and (2) the TGI building at the corner of Bond Street and 3rd Street. The American Can Factory directly across the street from the Whole Foods site is kept in an excellent state of repair with a mix of such uses. Other industrial buildings – particularly a complex on 7th Street between Second and Third Avenues – have also been renovated for such uses. These examples attest to the fact that values are more than sufficient to attract both build-to-suit and speculative development without use variances. According to recent surveys, the Gowanus industrial area exhibits unusually low vacancy rates and unusually high rental rates in comparison to other industrial areas in New York City.
The granting of variances from manufacturing to large-format retail will be detrimental to the neighborhood character of Gowanus. Part of the issue relates to traffic – not so much in terms of traffic counts, but the complications for truck deliveries for local industry due to increased congestion on the limited number of bridges, all of which are either narrow, involve bottlenecks, or are complicated by one-way street patterns. The better part of the issue relates to land use: in granting the Whole Foods variance, the BSA would be creating a precedent for other properties to apply for the same or other use variances, thus creating a big box district or even housing district over time. In effect, the BSA could be creating a land use dynamic and policy for the Gowanus, which is in itself a risky precedent.
Surely, the impact of the project on the Gowanus warrants a Socioeconomic Assessment consistent with the City Environmental Quality Review Act (CEQRA). Gowanus employs thousands of workers at present. While the Whole Foods would represent a major new employer, it would promote additional non-industrial development by virtue of being an anchor for additional retail uses, an amenity hence inducement for residential development, and a nuisance to local industry as a result of the traffic impacts previously discussed.
Granting the variance would itself have land use consequences and policy implications for the Gowanus industrial district. As noted, it would establish the principle that theoretical economic hardship supersedes the common sense that there is evident market support for industry, except for the self-made hardship posed by purchase of property in the hope of variances and rezoning. Meanwhile, the site is in an industrially zoned area that is also an Industrial Business Zone. The Bloomberg Administration has renewed emphasis on industrial job retention and creation, with a new office dedicated to this purpose. The NYC Department of City Planning has kept the site in the industrial district following an exhaustive consideration of “where to draw the line” with regard to shrinking the Gowanus industrial district. The site is not within a “food desert” where DCP is testing whether supermarkets are a suitable use for an industrial district; indeed, a large-scale Pathmark Supermarket is located in the Gowanus industrial district, only seven blocks to the southwest. Most important, given the commonality of the site’s so-called unique features, the variance itself would bolster the speculative value and turnover of property in the Gowanus, to the detriment of investment in industrial buildings and equipment."

Picture Of The Day: T'was A Gray Day

2012-01-23T18:02:00.000-05:00

Rain washed away most of this week-end's snow. Good riddance.

The End Of Raccuglia Funeral Home's Neon Sign?

2012-01-23T16:32:00.002-05:00

Just on Friday, I posted photos of the transformation of Raccuglia's Funeral Home. Over the last few weeks, the1960's stucco façade has been removed, revealing some of the old brick.
One small section remained last week, along with part of the neon sign over the front entrance on Sackett.
Friend and reader Mary just passed along the photos below of the sign, which now has been removed. She writes: "Hopefully, not headed to the dump."
One can only hope, but somehow, I am afraid that's its fate.

Meet Carroll Gardener Robert Farrell, Residential Architect And Interior Decorator

2012-01-23T13:51:00.000-05:00

Residential architect and interior designer Robert Farrell

A recently completed project in Carroll Gardens designed by Robert Farrell
(interior photos by Max Kelly Photography)

How does one renovate an 1800's brownstone without compromising its architecture? For residential architect and interior designer Robert Farrell, that means respecting it's history and charm while adapting its layout to modern living. "The history of a building is always important to me. Sometimes, it is a way in to tell me what to do."
I recently met Farrell for a cup of coffee at Canteen to talk about his Carroll Gardens design firm, Robert B. Farrell, LTD., his design philosophy and how he helps his clients with this unique challenge.
"Most people who buy a Brooklyn brownstone have a certain sensibility," he explained " but they tend to forget that these brownstones were built during a time when life was more formal. A hundred and fifty years ago, people didn't lie around with their laptop." he says with a smile. As Farrell notes, "brownstone owners need to be committed to the love of brownstone and all the structural issues that it involves."
For Farrell, the design process starts with interviewing his clients to understand their needs, expectations, as well as their budget. Rather than tell his clients how to live their lives, he strives to create something personal and unique that works for their lifestyle. "It's really about how you live in a place. It can be a fussy Brooklyn Heights interior or an open loft. It has to feel right." he explains.
Farrell, who was raised on Long Island, found his way to Brooklyn via Pratt Institute, where he earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He describes his time there as an amazing experience. After graduating, he left Brooklyn to work in Manhattan, but moved back to Brooklyn and into his Carroll Gardens apartment (with a garden) about 16 years ago. He founded his design firm in 2004 and has since worked on many Brownstone projects, both small and large. His work easily reflects his passion for art, architecture and history.
To learn more about Robert Farrell and his work, click here.

Robert B.Farrell, LTD.

Residential Architecture and Interior Design

www.RBF-LTD.Com

917 482 8432

RFarrell@RBF-LTD.Com

It Took Years, But Work On Raccuglia's Façade Almost Completed

2012-01-20T15:10:00.001-05:00

Before

After

Since 2007, Raccuglia's Funeral Home on the corner of Sackett and Court Street, has been hidden behind scaffolding, but in all the years since, no work ever seemed to take place on the building. Local residents often wondered what was going on and why the scaffolding seemed to have become a permanent fixture.
Then, finally, in October 2011, workers started chipping off the 1960's style stone face, exposing the original brick. Unfortunately, much of the façade was in pretty bad shape and entire sections of brick had to be replaced.
Over the last few days, the scaffolding has finally come down, revealing the (almost) finished result . Only a little bit of that stone face is still visible behind the old sign above the entrance on Sackett.
So, what do you think of the transformation?

A Moment In Time: Coffee Break

2012-01-19T21:20:00.000-05:00

Life without caffeine? Impossible.

Smith Street Restaurant's Oil Slick Infuriates Neighbors

2012-01-19T14:01:00.000-05:00

What to do with old cooking oil? If you are Ting Hua, the Chinese eatery at 351 Smith Street, you dump a few huge containers of the greasy stuff right into the gutter and let it flow down into the city's sewer drain.
The resulting mess has neighbors fuming, especially since the grease is quite slippery and is leaving track marks up and shown the sidewalk. On top of that , the ooze kept on flowing past the intersection at Carroll Street and down the side street, where it left a few smelly puddles.
It was easy to trace the slick back to the restaurant by following the track to the eatery's front doors.
When confronted by an angry resident, the staff at Ting Hua admitted to having dumped the grease.
Apparently, the restaurant had placed a few big open containers of used oil out with the trash, but the carter responsible for picking up its trash only picked up one container.
I suppose dumping the others into the gutter seemed like a capital idea.
Unfortunately, it's not the first time Ting Hua does this.

Buy Tickets To Dylan Tribute Concert And Help Bring More Shakespeare To Carroll Park

2012-01-19T09:59:00.000-05:00

Production of Romeo and Juliet in Carroll Park, summer 2010

(photo credit: Smith Street Stage

Smith Street Stage, the theatre company that has performed such Shakespeare classics as Romeo And Juliet and Macbeth in Carroll Park for the last two summers, is hosting a tribute to Bob Dylan to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of his debut album at The Living Room. Over a dozen artists will perform their favorite Dylan songs.
Best of all, all proceeds will directly go back into Smith Street Stage's summer production in Carroll Park and will help creative director Beth Ann Leone and her troupe of actors perform their third free Shakespeare play this summer.
And even if you can't make it to the concert please consider purchasing a ticket to support the company.

A Tribute To Bob Dylan

Saturday, February 25th, from 7 to 9 pm

At The Living Room

154 Ludlow Street, NY

Tickets are $20

(21 years and over only)

Picture Of The Day: Late Afternoon On Smith Street

2012-01-18T20:11:00.001-05:00

Have you noticed that the days are getting just a wee bit longer?

The light in the late afternoon has been absolutely beautiful.

This was Smith Street yesterday shortly before sunset.

Installation Of New 'Pedestrian Neckdown' On Boerum Place:

2012-01-18T09:42:00.001-05:00

As part of the Downtown Brooklyn Traffic Calming Project, a brand new 'Pedestrian Neckdown' has just been installed at the corner of Boerum Place and Pacific Street. The purpose of these neckdowns is to "expand the sidewalk area and narrow the roadway, often at intersections, to slow turning vehicles and shorten pedestrian crossing distances."
Similar neck downs have been installed all over the neighborhood, including at the corner of Smith Street at Bergen Street.

'Tales Of The Gowanus' At Proteus Gowanus

2012-01-17T14:38:00.001-05:00

Want to learn more about the history of the Gowanus Canal? Proteus Gowanus, the interdisciplinary gallery and reading room at 543 Union Street will be hosting an evening of wine and conversation with Leslie-Arlette Boyce, lead author of The Glory of Brooklyn’s Gowanus: Legacy, Industry, and Artistry.
According to Proteus:
"Boyce will discuss her book, its images and local history from the arrival of the Dutch West India Company to the present day. She will be joined by Chris Matias, founder and director of the Redhawk Native American Arts Council, who will discuss the continuing presence of native americans in the Gowanus area. Join us for wine and conversation.
The Glory Of Brooklyn’s Gowanus begins with the arrival of the Dutch West India Company, encounters with the indigenous population and the land sales made, early slavery in Brooklyn and the Revolutionary War. The text in this section is surrounded by reproductions of early maps and lithographs. The second section of the publication is primarily comprised of archival photographs, and bills of sale from nineteenth century industries along the shores of the Gowanus Canal that had a hand in creating the now infamous pollution. In addition, section two of The Glory of Gowanus takes a look into the lives of the people who called the surrounding area home through the nineteen sixties. The third section focuses on local artists of multiple ethnicities and the work they created that was inspired by the post-Industrial beauty of the Canal. The book was co-authored by local historian Brian Merlis."

Tales of the Gowanus

with Leslie-Arlette Boyce and Chris Matias

Proteus Gowanus

Saturday January 21, 7pm

$5 suggested donation

EPA To Present Gowanus Canal Feasibility Study Next Tuesday

2012-01-17T09:41:00.002-05:00

As many of you may already know, the Environmental Protection Agency released the Feasibility Study (FS) for the Gowanus Canal right on schedule at the end of 2011.
The purpose of the FS is to "develops and evaluates remedial alternatives for Gowanus Canal sediments thatwill reduce or eliminate unacceptable risks to human health and the environment fromexposure to contaminated sediment and surface water in the canal."
The 550 page document can be accessed online here.
The EPA will hold a public information meeting on the FS on Tuesday, January 24th at 7 PM in the auditorium of Public School 58, 330 Smith Street.
The meeting is open to everyone.

A Moment In Time: A Blustery Day

2012-01-13T17:12:00.004-05:00

My, what a windy day it was.

I was careful not to walk under scaffolding and trees

for fear that something might fall on my head.

Best Comment Of The Day: Sitting In A Fishbowl

2012-01-13T17:05:00.001-05:00

Anonymous has left the following comment on the post "After More Than Five Years, 'Remuddling' of 132 Second Place Almost Complete":
Yes, building hulking extensions is becoming very popular in CG. Aside from the brick wall, light & air issue, it more importantly robs its neighbors of privacy. It happened next door to me...now I feel like I'm sitting in a fishbowl when I'm in my backyard. Neighbors look down on my yard from their thrones on their deck.

Brooklyn's 'CharitySub' Revolutionizes Charitable Giving

2012-01-13T09:50:00.000-05:00

Brian Cantrell and Jim Crews, two of CharitySub's co-founders

We all like to donate to a good cause, but figuring out which organization is most deserving, how much money to give and if it will be put to good use can be a bit daunting.

But charitable giving shouldn't be so hard.

CharitySub, a new Brooklyn online social enterprise founded by Carroll Gardeners Jim Crews, his wife Amy Crews and their friends Brian Cantrell and Alexis Winslow of Cobble Hill, aims to make charitable giving so effortless and affordable that anyone can participate. The four co-founders launched their organization on January 1st at Farmacy on Henry Street.

Think of CharitySub as a subscription for giving that allows you to collectively impact causes in need. The cost is a mere $5 a month. Here is how it works:

Each month, CharitySub will chose a cause. (The January launch cause is Childhood Obesity, followed by Hunger in February.) The organization carefully handpicks three non-profits that are making a difference within the featured cause.
CharitySub will create informative videos on the monthly issue as well as on the three chosen charities and will post them on its web site.
Subscribers choose which of the three charities will receive their $5 donation. Shortly afterwards, members find out what impact their donation has made.
Couldn't be simpler right?
You may also be interested to know that 100% of donations will be presented to the charity selected (minus credit card processing fees.) In choosing the non-profits, CharitySub adheres to a set of criteria that include fiscal transparency and sustainability.
CharitySub welcomes suggestions for future causes from their subscribers.

And rest assured: CharitySub will never give out subscribers' name or contact information.

So, no more excuses. Sign up today by clicking here. I already did. Lets do this together. You won't find an easier entry into philanthropy.

Picture Of The Day: Advice

2012-01-11T18:46:00.001-05:00

Sticker on Whole Foods construction fence on Third Street

Big Movies For Little Kids' 2012 Winter/Spring Screening Schedule

2012-01-11T14:19:00.004-05:00

What fun! Big Movies For Little Kids has just released its 2012 Winter/Spring Calendar. The season premieres on Monday, January 23rd at 4 PM at Cobble Hill Cinemas with a screening of the 1970 classic animation THE PHANTOM TOLLBOOTH, based on Norton Juster's classic children's book.
The screenings continue with:
*Balto: Monday, February 13th, 4pm, at Cobble Hill Cinemas
*Buster Keaton Shorts: Monday, February 27th, 4pm, at Cobble Hill Cinemas
*Pippi Longstocking: Monday, March 12th, 4pm, at Cobble Hill Cinemas
*Puss In Boots (1988): Monday, March 16th, 4pm at Cobble Hill Cinema
*Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: Monday, April 23rd, 4pm, at Cobble Hill Cinemas
*Barbapapa: Monday, May 7th, 4pm, at Cobble Hill Cinemas
*Shaun The Sheep: Monday, May 21st, 4pm, at Cobble Hill Cinemas

Big Movies will also be hosting their 2nd Annual Student Film Festival in June.
Click here for further information on rules and application.

After More Than Five Years, 'Remuddling' of 132 Second Place Almost Complete

2012-01-11T12:32:00.000-05:00

132 Second Place as it looked back in 2008

In early 2011, after the stoop was removed

Existing iron fence being replaced by cinderblock wall in May 2011

132 Second Place just last week with new cement scratch coat on façade

Extension on back of building

Construction at 132 Second Place, between Smith and Court Streets, has been going on for such a long time now, that it seemed it would go on forever. However, after a few months of steady work, it appears that sometimes soon, this condo conversion may finally be completed.

It all started in 2005, when the home was sold for $1,850,000 to Mohegan Holdings, Co. LLC.
Shorty afterwards, work began on a vertical and horizontal addition. That's when things quickly turned into a comedy of errors. First, the NYC Department of Buildings issued a violation for demolition work done 'without proper permits'. Then, after proper permits were filed in the fall of 2006, the back wall collapsed into the neighbor's back yard. Construction stopped and the windows were bricked up. The building languished in limbo for the next few years.
In 2007, the deed to the property was transferred from the Mohegan Holding Company, LLC to a Henry Azcue for $1,825,000. New work permits were issued by the NYC Department of Buildings in 2008 and work finally resumed. But not for long.

It wasn't until the spring of 2011 that construction seemed to finally move along.

A fifth floor was added, the rear extension was completed, and a new cement scratch coat was applied to the façade (which hopefully, will be followed by a layer of brown cement shortly.)

Unfortunately, the old brownstone lost its stoop in the process and an unsightly cinderblock fence now replaces the original iron fence.

One can't argue that the original brownstone was one of Carroll Garden's grandest homes before this 'remuddle' started. It had lost its cornice long ago, but this hundred year old building still had some wonderful detail on its façade.

What replaces it is devoid of any character or charm. How very sad.

What's your opinion?

"Unforgettable" Filming On Third Street This Thursday

2012-01-10T09:09:00.001-05:00

More filming in Carroll Gardens.
On Thursday, the CBS show 'Unforgettable' will be filming on Third Street from 6 AM to 1 AM. Local residents will have to move their car on both sides of the street from Smith Street all the way to the Third Street Bridge starting Wednesday at 10 PM.
'Unforgettable' stars Poppy Montgomery as Carrie Wells, "a former NY Police detective who has a rare medical condition that gives her the ability to visually remember everything. She rejoins the force and uses her ability to solve crimes."

A Moment In Time: A Quick Rinse

2012-01-09T20:41:00.000-05:00

A quick car washing On Smith Street.

Hey, it's warm enough...

Best Comment Of The Day: A Delicate Issue For The Community

2012-01-09T20:37:00.000-05:00

Loren has left the following comment on the post "Sad News! Perfect Corner On Smith Street To Close After Eight Year On Smith Street":

"This is always such a delicate issue for a community, but I don't believe that in this case the Alemeda's predicament makes a larger statement about the conditions of retail in Carroll Gardens. Big corporate chain stores are not itching to get onto Smith Street and shop owners are not looking for pre-gentrification rents. This is just a personal story of a greedy landlord.

As a store owner myself for 10 years (just a few doors down from the lovely Perfect Corner) I'm quite tuned in to the actual rents that are being paid vs. the asking prices set by landlords and real estate agents. They are vastly different - often by several thousand dollars per month! Some landlords on the strip are not business people who understand the market. They are often just families (many of whom have inherited the building or are attempting to take over for their aging parents) and their rent expectations are grandiose. They are already sitting on gold mines and they know it. The rent roll for my building is 100K annually and my landlord still complains about nominal RE taxes and insurance. He repairs nothing for me and does no maintenance.

The restaurateurs and shop owners should be given some credit for the changes which have taken place on Smith street since the mid 90's. They invested tens of thousands of dollars to renovate run-down stores, keep the streets clean, safe and beautified, and (most importantly) provide services to the community making this neighborhood so darn fantastic.

And now in 2012, most of us are teetering on the edge. The poor economy has taken a toll on us. Joe and Marion have fallen victim to an unrealistic landlord who, in this climate, has made it impossible for them to continue elsewhere. They will walk away from their renovations - leaving the space and this neighborhood better than it was delivered to them. So, sadly the block loses a quality frame shop and two fine people. I lose nice neighbors."

New ATM Real Eyesore on Smith Street

2012-01-09T10:18:00.001-05:00

It seems that every time I walk down Smith Street, I notice yet another automatic teller machine that has been installed on Smith Street. Reader J. alerted me to yet another one that was "thrown in" on the corner of Smith and Union Street. And what an eyesore it is.
It's bad enough that the installation looks less than professional. Even worse, a niche was cut out of the old brick wall in order to make it fit.
The Smith Union Market building is one of my favorites on Smith Street. Yes, there are already billboards attached the side wall, but those can easily be removed in the future. The ATM (and the hole in the wall) is way more offensive.

Planning For Climate Change In The Gowanus Watershed

2012-01-09T06:29:00.000-05:00

Klaus Jacob of Columbia University, Richard Kampf of Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Paul Reale of The Climate Reality Project

Paul Reale of The Climate Reality Project

Klaus Jacob of Columbia University

On Saturday, Richard Kampf and Hans Hasselein of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy were kind enough to invite me to join a fascinating walking tour of the Gowanus Canal with climate change expert Klaus Jacob of Columbia University and with Paul Reale of The Climate Reality Project,which was founded by Al Gore, Nobel Laureate and former Vice President of the United States.

The purpose of the get-together was to discuss potential climate change impacts to the Gowanus, and how those changes need to be taken into consideration when planning the future of the canal and the area surrounding it.
As Klaus Jacob explained, climate change will affect the canal in different forms. First, weather events such as Nor'Easters in the winter, tropical storms and hurricanes in the summer, will most certainly become more frequent and intense. Ordinarily, the tide in the canal rises and falls by about 5 feet twice a day. During a strong storm, the resulting surge superimposes itself on the normal tide by a few additional feet or, in a worse case scenario, by up to 30 feet during a Category 4 hurricane.
Additionally, scientists expect more intense rainfall in the future. Since the Gowanus area serves as a drainage basin for Park Slope, we can expect more flash floods. Especially Third and Fourth Avenues, which already experience flooding now, will be affected more severely.
Most importantly, as Klaus Jacob explained, New York City is still using old projections when planning for the area's future. Current flood maps do not reflect Sea Level Rise projections. Nor do they take into account the acceleration of recent ice melt in the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets. Jacob thinks that this is a big mistake.
Ultimately, it is an adaptation issue. Paul Reale confirmed that New York City seems to be emphasizing resilience and seems resigned to the fact that we will not be able to keep the sea back. Though the City "will tolerate" Sea Level Rise, which is scientifically expected, there are ways to mitigate the effects on our community. As Paul Reale points out: "We need to connect the local issues to the global issues. We need to make the connection that we are all in this together."
How to adapt and plan for climate change in the Gowanus corridor is a main concern of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy. The community organization's objective is to serve as watershed steward and to participate in the planning for the future of the canal.
The organization's Sponge Park Master Plan is a conceptual design aimed at making the Gowanus area resilient to climate change by restoring habitat, managing storm water, improving water quality as well as providing public access to the waterfront.
These may seem like small steps, but they are steps in the right direction.
Tempting as it may be, the community cannot ignore sea level rise, storm surges and the resulting flooding of the area The most important step forward is to demand that New York City and its responsible agencies use real science and real figures in planning for the future of the area.
"It is a steep educational curve. The City is starting to realize what this means" said Jacob.

We can only hope! And stay involved.

I would like to thank Richard Kampf and Hans Hasselein for inviting me on the tour. It was truly informative.

A Glimpse Inside The Landmarked Coignet Stone Building On Third Street In Gowanus

2012-01-06T14:49:00.003-05:00

The Coignet building in all its glory. An etching from 1873.

(Thanks, Marlene)

Historic photo of the Coignet Stone Company Building

****UPDATE***

I am so sorry, everyone, but I have been asked to remove the photos of the interior of the building. I know! Major disappointment. Everyone was so excited to get a glimpse.

Late this morning, I was alerted to the fact that there was a demolition truck in front of the landmarked Coignet Stone building on the Whole Foods site. I immediately grabbed my camera and walked over to the corner of Third Avenue and Third Street to check it out.

Indeed, a crew was at work inside and was hauling debris out to the truck.

The owner of the N & M Demolition Company of Staten Island, who was standing outside, told me that he was a friend of the building's owner and had been asked by him to secure the inside of the landmark.
N&M's owner allowed me to take a look at the heavily damaged interior.

Except for the door molding and a wonderful curved staircase, not much original detail remains, but even in its decrepit state, this neighborhood gem still has incredible potential. Most of the damage appeared to be water related.

For quite a few years now, the historic structure has been deteriorating, its beautiful ornate façade slowly crumbling away. Its owner, Richard Kowalski, of Beach Haven, N.J, had signed a Memorandum of Lease with Whole Foods back in 2005, when the company purchased the land surrounding the building in order to construct one of their food markets. Under the lease agreement, Whole Foods was to restore and repair the old house. The work, however, has been postponed till recently. In early 2011, the roof was replaced, which was the first encouraging sign.

The 1873 building was designed by William Fields & Son and housed the New York and Long Island Coignet Stone Company, which occupied five acres along the Gowanus Canal. In more recent history, it was home to the Pippin Radiator Company.

The Coignet Stone Company building was landmarked in 2006 by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission. You can read more about its history here.

Get Fresher Produce: Join The 'Full Plate Farm Collective' In Gowanus This Winter

2012-01-05T08:34:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Chaw Chang of Stick and Stone Farm for the use of his photos.

Great news. If one of your new year's resolutions is to eat healthier, a good place to start may be to join the new Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) coming to Gowanus this month. The Full Plate Farm Collective, which is comprised of the Stick And Stone Farm, Remembrance Farm and a network of other growers from the Ithaca, New York area, will be delivering pre-packed 1/2 bushel boxes of winter vegetables to the Big! NYC Warehouse at 69 9th Street. Become a member and you will be able to pick up your share every other week (Jan 12, 26, Feb 9, 23, March 8) anytime during store hours between Thursday afternoons and Sunday evenings.

The cost for the five boxes is boxes is $160. A typical share "will consist of the following certified organic vegetables from our farms near Ithaca, NY: 2 lbs potatoes, 2 lbs carrots, 2lbs onions, 2 lbs other root vegetables, 2 bunches of cooking greens, 2-3 items such as brussels sprouts, winter squash, cabbage, kohlrabi, napa cabbage, and one farmer's treat such as salad mix, baby spinach, pickled vegetables, apples, and frozen green beans."

For further information on the Gowanus Winter CSA and to sign up, click here.

Picture Of The Day: Down By 9th Street

2012-01-04T18:23:00.000-05:00

Smith Street, close to 9th Street with the Culver Viaduct in the distance.

Best Comment Of The Day: It's A Shame

2012-01-04T11:30:00.000-05:00

Anonymous has left the following comment on the post: "Sad News! Perfect Corner On Smith Street To Close After More Than Eight Year On Smith Street":

I think it a shame that the people who did not experience Smith Street when it was dangerous to walk - both day and night - have no sympathy for the businesses that started the uptake of this lovely neighborhood. The landlords very happily rented these spaces that no one wanted 10 years ago to businesses willing to take a chance they might succeed. Now that they have made the street quite successful, they are being forced out. It's not a matter of how much rent the space is worth. It should be consideration for the "pioneer" businesses that made Smith Street safe for all of the restaurant and bar business and for you to walk on Smith Street without fear.

How Many Empty Bottles Does It Take ...Young Brooklynite Reminds Us How Difficult It Is For Many To Earn A Living Wage

2012-01-04T10:14:00.001-05:00

Lina McGinn (on the right in the hat) with a friend

We have all come across people who go around collecting empty bottles and cans in order to redeem the 5 cent deposit on each. To illustrate how difficult it is to earn a living in such a way, Brooklynite Lina McGinn decided to create a visual. I ran into Lina and a friend a few days ago as the two were wheeling Lina's art project entitled "(A Barely) Living Wage" down Carroll Street.
The 212 plastic bottles she had glued together represent $10.60 hour wage, just enough to buy four subway rides or three slices of pizza, (no toppings) To earn $22,000 a year, which the Government considers the poverty line for a family of four, one would have to collect 440,960 bottles.
Those are sobering numbers. Lina, thanks for reminding us how difficult it is for many just to scrape by.

MulchFest 2012: Where To Recycle Your Christmas Tree In The Neighborhood This Week-End

2012-01-04T07:16:00.000-05:00

Start the new year green by recycling your Christmas tree this week-end, January 7th And 8th from 10 am to 2 pm at Mulch Fest 2012. Just bring it to one of the designated neighborhood parks and the New York City Department of Parks And Recreation, the New York City Department of Sanitation, and GreeNYC 's will chip it into mulch that will nourish plants across the city.
The closest drop-off sites here in the neighborhood are:
Cobble Hill Park ,Verandah Place & Clinton Street
The Amazing Garden,Columbia Street at Carroll Street
and off course,
Prospect Park,Third Street at Prospect Park West
*You are encouraged to bring bags to take advantage of the free mulch provided at sites

And if you don't have time this week-end, don't worry. The NYC Department of Sanitation will also be conducting special curbside collections for mulching and recycling of Christmas trees from January 3 through January 14.
For more info on MulchFest, click here.

Help Feed The Hungry: Contribute To City Harvest Food Drive In Carroll Park This Week-End

2012-01-04T06:38:00.001-05:00

Friends Of Carroll Park, the non-profit organization dedicated to improving the park for everyone, is proud to be hosting a food drive for City Harvest for a third time this winter season. The group will have volunteers stationed at the Robert Acito Park House both on Saturday, January 7th and Sunday January 8th, from 10 to 4 PM. So, on your next shopping trip, please pick up an item or two to share with hungry neighbors this winter and drop off your contribution at the park this week-end.

The items most needed are non-perishable goods such as :

- canned fruit - canned vegetables
- peanut butter (plastic jars)
- macaroni and cheese (packaged)
- hot and cold cereal (packaged, family-sized)
(Remember that City Harvest cannot accept glass containers or dented cans.)

Please contact the group via email, Facebook, or Twitter if you would like to volunteer for a shift in their effort to fight hunger throughout New York City!

Let's make this collection even more successful than the previous two.

Picture Of The Day: On Clinton Street

2012-01-03T18:02:00.000-05:00

On a really cold day on Clinton Street near 3rd Place (or was it 4th Place?)

St. Paul's Episcopalian Church Will Hold Blood Drive This Saturday

2012-01-03T15:43:00.001-05:00

Please spread the word around the neighborhood. St. Paul's Episcopalian Church in Carroll Gardens will be hosting a blood drive this coming Saturday. Let's help make this a success by taking some time to donate. Read on:

A New Year is upon us, and for many it means making New Years Resolutions. May we suggest one, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will be hosting a blood drive for the New York Blood Center on Saturday, January 7, 2012 from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. in their Parish Hall. Why not drop by and give the gift of life. Close to 2,000 donations are needed each day in the New York/New Jersey community for patients who require a life-saving blood and/or platelet transfusion. Those in need include cancer patients, accident, burn and trauma victims,surgery and transplant patients as well as newborn babies. Start the New Year off right and come down and donate. The entrance to the Parish Hall is located on the side of the church on Carroll Street off of Clinton Street.

Sad News! Perfect Corner On Smith Street To Close After More Than Eight Years On Smith Street

2012-01-03T09:57:00.000-05:00

I am sorry to report that Perfect Corner, the lovely framing store at 345 Smith Street will be closing its doors at the end of January. Over the last eight and a half years, owners Joe and Marion Alameda have become very good friends and I will miss them very much. They were the kind of business owners who not only knew their craft, but most importantly, they truly cared about their clientele and the neighborhood.
The Alamedas did not want to close their business, but were not offered a new lease by their landlord.
A sign in the store reads:
It is with great sadness that we are announcing the closure of our labor of love, otherwise known as Perfect Corner. We would like to thank all our loyal customers who have walked through our doors since opening day in September 2003. We will miss being part of this vibrant neighborhood and the wonderful art that we we were able to display that represents the best of Carroll Gardens. And of course, to all the admirers that have appreciated our annual Holiday train displays, we apologize for not putting them up this year.

Unfortunately, we were unable to come to a reasonable negotiation with our landlord to continue our business. Due to the time and expense necessary in putting together such a specialty store, we find ourselves not in a position to relocate elsewhere. We look forward to the next chapter in our life.

Warmest regards, Marion and Joe

Most likely, the space will now be leased to yet another restaurant, bar or chain store, the only businesses that can afford the ever rising retail rents on Smith Street.
What a pity.

Update:
Take advantage of Perfect Corner closing sale, going on right now.
***** 20% off all Oringal Oil paintings by Regina Perlin....20% off Roma Photo Frames....35% off pre matted photos....35% off pre framed art....50% off Prinz photo frame

Smith-N-9 Pizza To Replace Il Cantuccio On Smith Street

2012-01-03T08:53:00.000-05:00

First, the storefront of the relatively new (and ugly) Bricolage-designed building at 478 Smith Street at the corner of 9th Street was home to an Uncle Louie G's. Then in early 2010, Il Cantuccio, an Italian pizza place moved in. Local residents seemed excited at first to have another food option at this corner, but the place never seemed to do much business. Recently, the doors were padlocked, but Cantuccio apparently continued to deliver pizza for take-out orders.
In November, a reviewer on Yelp was wondering what was up with the place. She wrote:
"Umm, pretty sure they're making pizza out of their home. I called to order for PICK UP, and when I went by, the place was dead dark and chained closed. I called to figure out what on earth was going on (was this place run by a bunch of Italian ghosts??) when the guy answered and shouted at me because he would DELIVER the pizza. He said the store is being "worked on" and then muttered some unintelligible nonsense about "somewhere else." I really, really wouldn't order from them. No idea how their pizza tastes, but don't trust this "being worked on" business. Also, they quoted me $12 per large pie, which I thought was an awfully good deal. Now I think it's too good."
Along with being 'worked on," the pizzeria seems to be getting a name change. New signs in the window announce that "Smith-N-9 Pizza and Pita" will be opening there soon.

The Start Of The Year At Proteus Gowanus

2012-01-03T08:43:00.000-05:00

Proteus Gowanus, the interdisciplinary gallery and reading room at 543 Union Street in Gowanus is starting off the New Year with some great events.

This, from their upcoming schedule:

*Monday, January 9, 7:30pm to 10pm, the first of six classes in Vanitas Drawing with classically trained artist Lado Pochkhua, presented in partnership with Morbid Anatomy Library. Admission: $110 (classes can also be taken individually on a drop-in basis for $20 per class). Vanitas is a genre of still-life painting that flourished in the Netherlands in the early 17th century. A vanitas painting contains collections of objects symbolic of the inevitability of death and the transience and vanity of earthly achievements and pleasures, exhorting the viewer to consider mortality and to repent. For more details, click here. *Thursday, January 12, 7pm - Please join us for wine and conversation as they launch the second exhibition of our Migration year, Object Migrations, examining the things of the world whose stories intersect with and re-orient our own migrations.

*And, as the New Year begins, we invite you to join Study Hall if you need a quiet place to work in community with others. Openings are available now at $50/month, weekdays from 10am-6pm.

To check out more great events at Proteus Gowanus, click here.

How Many Empty Bottles Does It Take...Young Brooklynite Reminds Us How Difficult It Is For Many To Earn A Living Wage

2012-01-02T20:26:00.000-05:00

Lisa McGinn (on the left in the hat) with a friend

2012 Craziness: Spring Blooms In January

2012-01-02T13:39:00.000-05:00

My friend Mary sent this photo of a Carroll Gardens tree blooming on January 1st. No doubt, the tree was fooled by the mild temperatures. After all, it was 52 degrees yesterday. I saw similar blooms in Brooklyn Heights last week. They won't last long, of course. Tonight, it's supposed to go down into the teens and we are still months away from the official spring season.

Brooklyn Ikea On First Day Of The Year? Who Knew?

2012-01-01T21:49:00.000-05:00

Sunday 3 PM on January 1, 2012

I needed candles and some paper napkins, so I took a walk over to Ikea in Red Hook, expecting the store to be empty. No such luck. Even on this first day of the new year, the place was buzzing and the restaurant full. Who knew so many people had Köttbullar on their mind...

Life As It Was In And Around Carroll Gardens In 2011

2011-12-31T09:23:00.000-05:00

Moments in time throughout 2011 in and around the neighborhood.
Happy New Year, Everyone.

(photos are exclusive property of Katia Kelly and should not be reproduced without permission)

A Year In Review: 2011 In Carroll Gardens

2011-12-29T10:12:00.001-05:00

2011, like all other years, went by in a flash. It was only after I assembled photos for a neighborhood year in review that I realizes how much had happened in the last twelve months here in Carroll Gardens.
In a year that included a hurricane, a major heat wave and a king tide, the biggest headline was the stabbing of a successful pizza restaurant owner on a spring afternoon on Smith Street.
Real estate wise, the most notable news by far was the fact that the developer of 333 Carroll Street finally remove the illegal two-story addition (a.k.a. the steel tumor) from this lovely old factory building. It was a major victory for the community.
360 Smith Street was completed, tenants moved in and the community finally got its subway station entrance at Second Place back.
After years of delays, the apartments in 100 Luquer Street, the 11 story finger building near the BQE, went on the market in the fall, didn't sell and turned rental.
Work started again at 340 Court Street, and over the last few months, the building has grown to 70 feet, changing the streetscape forever.
Quite a few new businesses opened on Court Street and Smith Streets, but Carroll Gardens also lost some treasured establishments. The neighborhood is still mourning deli man Leo and his Joe's Superette. Who will ever forget those fried rice balls?
2011 brought stars like Beyoncé, Jay-Z and Gwyneth Paltrow to Carroll Park for a birthday bash. Ted Danson and Zach Galifianakis also stopped by to play bocce for a "Bored To Death" scene that was filmed in the park. "Men In Black 3" took over Court Street for a few nights and Pan Am girls were seen all over Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill.
On a personal note, this year was very rewarding. As you can see, blogging is still a big part of my life. It not only allows me to chronicle events in my own life, but also to capture events in our ever-changing neighborhood. Though it may just be an illusion, but time seems less fleeting if a moment of every day is recorded in photos or in writing.
Most importantly, writing this site continues to give me the opportunity to meet some of the most amazing people, like Mr. Burke on 4th Place or D. who allowed me to share her father's childhood memories. To all those who shared their story with me, I am deeply grateful.
To all my readers, I thank you all for making this another wonderful year for Pardon Me For Asking.
Happy New Year to everyone, Katia

PS: Please don't hesitate to add your own 2011 Carroll Gardens milestones in the comment section. Whether neighborhood events or personal events, it would be great to record them.

Vinzee's Magic Fountain On Court Street Now Only Open Four Days A Week

2011-12-28T10:11:00.002-05:00

I noticed just recently that Vinzee's Magic Fountain at 412 Court Street was closed on a Wednesday, when it should have been open. A few days later, a sign in the window announced the eatery's new "Winter Schedule." It appears that, until further notice, the joint will only be opened from Thursdays to Sundays. Though the hamburger joint never seemed to be super popular, the change may frustrate some customers, especially those ordering take-out, since it is not reflected on its web site nor on its Facebook page.
Just two days ago, a reviewer on Yelp wrote:

"What Happened? Strange place closed Mon,Tues,&Wed? what restaurant closes those days?very confusing I guess there going out of Business?I wanted to go back and see my favorite cook but they where closed I figured I'd give something else a try but i guess there going out of Business Very strange.. And Very sad."

Either Vinzee's can turn a profit by only operating four days a week, or their new schedule is a cost saving measure. Since this place has had to compete with the recently opened (and much more popular) Five Guys and Moo Burger on Court Street in Cobble Hill, this does not seem like the soundest business decision.

Happy Holidays From Carroll Gardens

2011-12-23T10:33:00.001-05:00

Happy Holidays From Carroll Gardens

Wishing all my readers near and far the best during this season of joy.

Thank you for your loyalty, clever comments and neighborhood tips. Pardon Me For Asking wouldn't be anything without you.

'The Brooklyn Strategist' Coming To Court Street

2011-12-21T19:03:00.000-05:00

Well, that did not take long. Just a week ago, Peek-A-Boo Kids shoe store closed its doors at 333 Court Street and already, the new tenant is ready to move in.
Apparently, The Brooklyn Stategist, a "community-based, interactive board- and card-game center, café and social club" has previously been located on Atlantic Avenue. The center has a vast selection of different board and card games. Genres include party games, historical games, mystery games and word games geared towards anyone over 7 years of age. According to their web site, there are no computer or digital games of any kind.
Brooklyn Strategist will be hosting after-school clubs for all age groups. Light refreshments and snacks for local sustainable farms will be available.
Check out the center's web site and the January calendar here. To join a meet-up group, go here.

Picture Of The Day: Little Christmas House

2011-12-20T16:14:00.000-05:00

I think it was made of painted cardboard rather than gingerbread. No idea who put it on this planter on Court Street, but it looked very festive.

"Soon Beauty Lab" Opens On Smith Street

2011-12-20T09:40:00.004-05:00

SOON Beauty Lab, a new hair salon just opened at 290 Smith St., the space once occupied by Astroturf. This is the first Brooklyn salon for SOON, which has two Manhattan locations, one on West 22nd Street and another on East 11th Street.
According to the salon's web site, SOON offers 'artistic precision' haircuts from $60 to $90 as well as color and chemical services.
To follow SOON on Facebook, click here.

SOON

290 Smith St Brooklyn

(718) 624-2424

www.SOONBEAUTYLAB.com

CB6 Board Members Celebrate The Holidays At Red Rose On Smith Street

2011-12-20T08:58:00.001-05:00

Daniel Kummer, CB6 Chairman

Assemblywoman Joan Millman and JoAnne Simon, democratic District Leader

NY State Senator Daniel Squadron

Craig Hammerman, CB6 District Manager

Celia Cacace

Santo Romano, Owner of Red Rose on the left, with two members of his staff

Mr. Romano, senior

Members of Community Board 6 came together in Carroll Gardens last night to celebrate the Holidays. The event was held at Red Rose Restaurant, one of the oldest eateries on Smith Street (29 years and counting.)

Joining the festivities were Assemblymembers Joan Millman and James Brennan, New York State Senator Daniel Squadron, Councilman Brad Lander and Democratic District Leader JoAnne Simon.

It was great fun, especially hanging out with my favorite ~~Carroll Gardens~~ Red Hook resident and former CB6 Board member, Celia Cacace.

'Robin Des Bois' Calls It Quits On Smith Street

2011-12-16T15:55:00.002-05:00

About a month ago, my friend David tipped me off to the fact that Robin Des Bois at 195 Smith Street was going to close. Today came confirmation from Reader W, who writes:

"It looks like Robin des Bois, which I believe was one of the pioneers of Smith Street French bistrodom, may have bitten the dust. The contents, including all its previous-incarnation. quirky antique-store items, were being hauled out this afternoon, along with cases of wine and so forth. Though the area no longer lacks for steak-frites-and-beaujolais kinds of places, Robin (a/k/a "zapatos para todos") was kind of special -- plenty of fondly remembered brunches in their garden and oysters in the darkened front room and world cup matches at the bar, tricolors waving. Always saddening to see places like that go."

Sad indeed. Robin Des Bois has been on Smith Street for quite a number of years. Most of all, I'll miss the Michelin Bibendum that was always standing up front and sometimes held up the rolling gate.. Glad I took a photo of it a few years back.

The Leaning House On Third Street In Gowanus

2011-12-16T10:17:00.000-05:00

Number 123 Third Street, the three-story house between Bond Street and the Gowanus Canal, has needed some love for a long time now. It always seemed out of plum and leaning towards its neighbor at 125 Third Street, but in the last few years, the entire building is separating from its neighbor at number 121, and leaning precariously towards number 125.
The NYC Department of Buildings has issued multiple violations and hefty fined for "failure to maintain" the building, but so far, nothing has been done to remedy the situation.
Public Records show that the house was sold in 2005 for $505,000. In April 2010, the property was foreclosed on, and a deed for $1,068,821 was transferred to US Bank National Association.
By November 2010, it was listed by Tom Marco Real Estate for $449,900. The description for the property read:
"Charming 3 family walk-up being sold in as-is condition, featuring 12 rooms, 6 bdrms, 3 bathrooms. Close to shopping and transportation. No representation,no offers will be considered for first 7 listed days. Days 8-12 seller will consider offers from nsp buyers, municipalities, non profit organizations and owner-occupants."
The listing has been removed. and the house still belongs to U.S. Bank National Associates.
Obviously, the bank is in no hurry to remedy the situation.

Holiday Shopping Fair At Proteus Gowanus

2011-12-15T17:12:00.005-05:00

Holiday Shopping Fair at

Proteus Gowanus

543 Union Street

Saturday and Sunday, Dec 17 and 18, 12-6pm

Free beer. music and wonderful things.

Proteus Gowanus and their Partners-In-Residence, Morbid Anatomy Library and Proteotypes, invite you to have fun (for a change) buying gifts for the holidays.
Come to their holiday shopping fair where you will free beer, music with DJ, and lots of books and gifts for shoppers to buy for the holidays.
On sale:

Hand-made migration belt buckles

Nail-studded ceramic boxes

Globe of the world

Historical Gowanus postcard sets

Button necklaces

Honey and Honey-products by HiRiseHive

Cheap international dolls

Hat Pins

Jewelry and crafts from the Republic of Georgia

Numerous used books from Proteus yearlong themes

Gowanus note cards

Lewis & Clark songs

plus

Weird Stuff from Morbid Anatomy Library

Books published by Proteotypes including:The Museum of Matches by Sasha Chavchavadze

My Man and Other Critical Fictions by Wendy Walker

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Best Comment Of The Day: Let me Understand This...

2011-12-15T10:19:00.003-05:00

Anonymous has left the following comment on the post "At Yesterday's BSA Hearing On Gowanus Whole FoodsVariance":

So let me understand this: Because of the hardships associated with building on this site, Whole Foods needs huge variances. What happened to just NOT BUILDING ON A SITE that is that troublesome? Seriously, I would not put Whole Foods and hardship in the same sentence. Really.
'Look mum, when I put my hand in the fire, it hurts!'
The response to that is so very OBVIOUSLY to call the fire truck. Feh.

Big Movies For Little Kids Presents 'Miracle On 34th Street'

2011-12-15T10:02:00.002-05:00

Take a break from holiday shopping and treat your kids to see this great Christmas classic right here in the neighborhood.

MIRACLE ON 34th STREET

presented by :Big movies for little kids

Cobble Hill Cinemas 265 Court Street Monday, December 19th at 4pm

Time: 4pm (every other Monday, following the public school calendar)

Ages: 2 and up (all ages welcome)

Cost: $7.00 per person (as per theater policy, all walkers need a ticket)

Celebrate the holidays with this timeless New York City classic! An old man who calls himself Kris Kringle is hastily recruited to be the store Santa at Macy's on Herald Square. Young Susan (Natalie Wood) and others begin to notice something special about Kris and his determination to advance the true spirit of Christmas amidst the rampant commercialism around him. (USA; 1947; not rated; black and white; 96 minutes)
PLUS: A holiday giveaway for all children in attendance!

To secure seats at Cobble Hill Cinemas, tickets may be purchased on-line at: www.cobblehilltheatre.com

A Moment In Time: Dog Walking

2011-12-14T18:00:00.000-05:00

Dog walking on Bond Street

At Yesterday's BSA Hearing On Gowanus Whole Foods Variance

2011-12-14T17:07:00.000-05:00

Meenakshi Srinivasan, Chair Of NYC Board Of Standards And Appeals

More than twenty people showed up to testify yesterday afternoon at the hearing in front of the NYC Board Of Standards And Appeals regarding Whole Foods Market's request for a use variance (§72-21) to permit a food store (UG6), contrary to use regulations in an M2-1 zoning district, at the corner of Third Avenue and Third Street on the Gowanus Canal.
Currently, New York City's Zoning Resolution only allows Whole Foods to build a 10,000s.f. store on the site, which is located in an M2-1 zoning district. The proposed Gowanus food store would be 58,000 s.f., have a 20,000 sf rooftop greenhouse, parking for 248 vehicles, and a public walkway along the Gowanus Canal.
Whole Foods is claiming that full compliance with zoning regulations is not possible in order to realize a reasonable economic return on their property.
At the hearing, lawyers for the food retailer gave a brief presentation on the project, then argued the following reasons for hardships associated with developing the site:
*Unsuitable soil conditions on the property require extensive pile foundations. Special drilled piles are also near needed near the the landmarked Coignet building on the site.
*the property is in a Flood Zone A and has a high water table. Extensive waterproofing and additional measures to resist hydrostatic pressure will be required.
* The property is adjacent to two bridges
*Has varying street elevations and a grade change of 12 feet,
*And is subject to the Brownfields Cleanup Program which entails environmental remediation costs.

During the public testimony session of the hearing, representatives of Community Board 6, the Brooklyn Chamber Of Commerce and the Gowanus Canal Coomunity Development Corporation all read statements in support of the project. (Borough President Marty Markowitz has also endorsed it.)
A representative from the Al-Madinah School, which is located on 3rd Avenue, across the site, spoke in favor.
Hans Hesselein of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy testified that the Conservancy welcomes many aspects of the plan, but requests that any approval by the BSA "be conditioned upon Whole Foods Market's commitment to provide the community with adequate natural and open space resources."
In particular, the Conservancy suggests that WF increase the public esplanade along the Gowanus Canal on the West side of the site from the proposed 20' width to a minimum of 40' on all sides bordering the canal "consistent with the goals of the NYC Department of City Planning DRAFT Zoning Proposal for the Gowanus Canal as well as the Sponge Park master plan."
However, many organizations and individuals spoke against the project.
The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group submitted a letter asking the BSA to postpone its decision on the Whole Food Market's variance application until the US Environmental Protection Agency releases its Record of Decision for the Gowanus Canal Clean-up plan. (See letter below.)
Marlene Donnelly, representing Friends And Residents of Greater Gowanus (FROGG), pointed out that the BSA has, in recent history, rejected non-conforming uses along the Gowanus Canal, most notably in the case of 130 Third Street, in which the Board found that the applicant "failed to provide substantial evidence that the subject lot possessed unique physical conditions that create practical difficulties and unnecessary hardships in developing the site in strict conformity with current zoning."
The Gowanus Institute, an independent think tank, urged the BSA to reject the variance, arguing that "the WFM application is flawed, and the proposed development will have a lasting negative impact on the manufacturing community of Gowanus and the surrounding neighborhoods." (see their testimony below)
Nathan Elbogen director of XØ Projects and The Old American Can Factory (OACF) pointed out that the large site could be developed 'as-of-right' with up to 370,000 SF for small to medium-scale manufacturing and referred to the success of the Old American Can Factory, a multi-story light-industrial complex fully occupied by industrial and commercial tenants.

Quite an impressive number of Gowanus artists, musicians, film makers, lighting designers, jewelers and non-profits, many OACF tenants, testified against the WFM project as well. They argued that there are few industrial manufacturing zones left in the city and those that remain need to be protected. They pointed out that the Gowanus area is not the waste-land Whole Foods depicts it as. Rather it is a vibrant manufacturing and cultural zone that permits growth that can not be sustained anywhere else. As an industrial zone, they pointed out, the Gowanus area is vital for the economic recovery of the city.

The next hearing on this matter has been scheduled for January 24th, 2012

Letter Submitted By Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group

December 9, 2011
Hon. Meenakshi Srinivasan, Chair
New York City Board of Standards and Appeals
40 Rector Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10006

Dear Chair Srinivasan
The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group (CAG), at its December 5, 2011 general meeting, passed the following resolution directed to the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals:

The Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group requests that the NYC Board of Standards and Appeals postpone its decision on Whole Foods Market’s Variance Application until the US Environmental Protection Agency releases its Record of Decision for the Gowanus Canal cleanup plan.

In addition, for your information, the CAG passed the following resolution directed to Whole Foods Markets:

The Gowanus Canal Superfund Community Advisory Group requests that Whole Foods Market present to the CAG their general sitework and bulkhead plan for review and discussion.

The following describes the background discussion that took place at the Gowanus Canal CAG meeting on December 5, 2011 prior to the vote on the two resolutions above:
Whole Foods Market (WFM) is scheduled for a New York City Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) public hearing on 12/13/11 to review its use variance application to construct a 78,000 GSF food market at the southwest corner of Third Street and Third Avenue, which is not permitted in M2-1 zone. WFM's proposed development is the largest new building development on the canal in generations, and is set on the single largest zoning lot along the Gowanus Canal, with 892 linear feet of canal frontage, the most frontage of any property along the canal.
Members of the Gowanus Canal CAG want assurance that the WFM development is done in a manner that is compatible with the USEPA Superfund cleanup process, which is still in the planning phase. The CAG’s understanding is that USEPA will be releasing its Feasibility Study by the end of 2011, announcing its selection of the clean-up remedy by June of 2012, and after a public comment period will be finalizing the selection of the clean-up remedy by the end of 2012 in a Record of Decision. Members of the Gowanus Canal CAG are concerned that the WFM development may adversely impact the EPA Superfund cleanup process, given the issues outlined below:
ISSUES & CONCERNS WITH WFM PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
1. WFM's application does not thoroughly discuss its relationship to the EPA Superfund designation and cleanup plan, and makes a single reference to it saying "...our project proposes splash pads within the canal to handle stormwater runoff in compliance with and pursuant to NYSDEC's approval which will require notification of the EPA when installation is to happen. In addition, the EPA has two monitoring wells that may need to be preserved."
2. The CAG has requested technical assistance from the EPA regarding maintenance, repair and/or replacement of canal bulkheads which are historical, in poor condition and may further deteriorate with dredging;
3. WFM's development site includes three parcels with contaminated soil that are have not yet been remediated as well as four parcels with severely contaminated soil and underground storage tanks that have been remediated but that have not yet received final approval from NYSDEC;
4. WFM's development plan includes major sitework including: changes to grade and storm drainage as well as driving piles and other foundation work that could disturb contaminants below the level of remediated portions of the site and below the base of the bulkheads
5. WFM's development site was suggested as an ideal staging and production area for EPA Superfund cleanup-related activities;
6. EPA's cleanup process will include soil dredging that will omit noxious odors, be unsightly, and noisy, and incompatible with a food store;
7. A proposal to process the dredged sludge from the Gowanus Canal includes a suggestion by the US Army Corp of Engineers to vitrify and bury the sludge under the Fourth Avenue Basin which abuts the WFM site;
8. A proposal was made as part of the stormwater and CSO control plan for the area, to submerge a stormwater holding tank under the Fourth Basin which abuts the WFM site.
9. Failure to ensure compatibility between the WFM development and the USEPA cleanup process could prolong the impact of the clean-up on existing businesses and neighbors.
Sincerely,
Jeff Edelstein, P.E.

Facilitator

On Behalf of the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Committee

Testimony Give By The Gowanus Institute

Whole Foods Market (WFM) is proposing a development of 78,000 SF facility, including a 248 vehicle surface parking lot and a 58,000 SF retail food market in an M2 zoning district, nearly six times the allowable area of a maximum of 10,000 SF

WFM is requesting to modify a land use requirement that currently protects a scarce and diminishing resource: a property zoned for medium manufacturing, on an active industrial canal. If built, the proposed development would substantially alter the essential manufacturing character of the Gowanus neighborhood, and contradict NYC's long-range goals to diversify its economy and increase higher paying jobs.

Over the past 10 years, the Gowanus neighborhood has become a haven for light and medium manufacturing as other manufacturing districts throughout NYC have been rezoned. The site is at the heart of a thriving industrial community that includes maritime uses, and is within the Southwest Brooklyn Industrial Business Zone, which the Mayor's policy has committed to preserving for manufacturing or related uses.

The large manufacturing site could be developed genuinely "as-of-right" with up to 370,000 SF for small to medium-scale manufacturing and could yield up to three times as many jobs with considerably higher pay than the proposed retail use. In fact, directly across the subject site on Third Avenue, is a multi-story light-industrial complex of 130,000 GSF that is fully occupied with approximately 80 industrial and commercial tenants employing more than 300 people.

In recent years, numerous studies, including NYC Dept of City Planning's Gowanus Canal Corridor Study (2008) and the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation's Comprehensive Community Plan (2006), have encouraged growing the manufacturing activity in the Gowanus area, particularly on the south side of the canal, which includes the WFM site. In October 2011, NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation awarded a $200,000+ Brownfield Opportunity Area (BOA) grant to Friends of Community Board 6, specifically to study the growing industrial activity along the Gowanus Canal and to help them map a sustainable, economically viable industrial future for the area dedicated to 'green' manufacturing. The WFM site is at the nexus of this BOA study area.

Further, in light of NYC Dept of City Planning's Vision 2020 Working Waterfront Policy, this site, with its extensive canal frontage, would be ideal for uses that utilize barging as its primary mode of transport, reducing substantially the truck traffic throughout the city, as several businesses are currently doing directly adjacent to the site.

To receive a variance, the applicant must prove five findings showing why they are in need of relief from the existing zoning regulations. First, WFM claims that the site is “burdened by unique conditions”when the site is typical of most sites along the Canal, and had active industrial uses on each of the parcels prior to WFM assembling its site. WFM's second claim of “economic hardship” is based an untenable "as-of-right" scheme that submerged all of the retail area well below grade where it is considered a ‘cellar’ and not counted as floor area. As for “not altering the essential character of the neighborhood,” an upscale food store would certainly be incompatible with the surrounding uses that include two large concrete producers, a large metal and car recycling facility and a paper/cardboard recycler, all of which are fundamentally different in use, noise, odor, and access requirements. Fourth, given that the site has accommodated a variety of conforming uses in the past, it is only reasonable that this is in fact a “self-created hardship.” The fifth point, the “minimum variance required”, is therefore irrelevant.

Increase in traffic is another major concern. WFM presents a traffic study which projects only into the year 2012, barely the year it would open, without taking into account any new major developments currently planned in the area, such as the Barclays Stadium, Atlantic Yards or the numerous high-rise residential buildings planned on Fourth Ave. As the store is clearly intended to serve the broader region of the borough of Brooklyn, not a local one, its (modest) projections of thousands of car trips per day to the site (just one way!) would certainly add a huge amount of traffic on Third Avenue (a narrow, two-lane truck route) and on Third Street (one of only two two-way bridges crossing the Gowanus Canal). Further, the WFM site is located on the evacuation route for Carroll Gardens and Red Hook, hardly a prudent place for additional daily traffic.

Environmental concerns with the WFM site include: its location on former wetlands; it is within FEMA's Flood Zone A; and, it abuts the Gowanus Canal, recently designated an EPA Superfund Site. There is real concern among the EPA's Community Advisory Group (CAG) that the development might disrupt the cleanup effort given potentially incompatible work plans. On 12/5/11, the CAG formally requested that BSA postpone its decision on the WFM variance application until the EPA releases its cleanup plan.

The residential neighborhoods nearby are well served by multiple, large organic and natural food stores. If WFM aims to serve the Park Slope neighborhood, it could locate just one block east on Fourth Avenue as part of an urban, mixed-use development, similar to WFM's Manhattan stores. Or, if a 'regional' Brooklyn store is WFM's objective, then an appropriate location could be near an exit ramp, as other large retailers have done. The subject site is a mile or more from any highway.

In conclusion, WFM's project would be the first development on the Gowanus Canal in generations, set on the single largest private zoning lot. If this variance were granted and the WFM plan developed, it would set back decades of hard work to get the canal area growing as a fresh and thriving manufacturing community focusing on maritime uses, green manufacturing and the creative industries.

Collect Recipes At Great Atlantic Avenue Holiday Recipe Give-Away

2011-12-14T08:54:00.001-05:00

Here is something for all the cooks in the neighborhood. Check out the great Atlantic Avenue Holiday Recipe Give-away happening right now on Atlantic Avenue from Brooklyn Bridge Park to Fourth Avenue.
According to Pam of the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation:
"Over 30 stores are participating and most of the recipes are holiday food favorites of the owners such as Sahadi's Family Stuffing Recipe and other "recipes" are for holiday music to download on the internet from Hardsoul or how to make a holiday tree out of a bottle rack and lights a la Marcel Duchamp from Rico!"
Here is the list of all the participating stores and recipes or just walk the Avenue and look for an image of a whisk tied with a red ribbon and "Recipes Inside." Collect all 32 and have a wealth of new holiday treats to enjoy!
Grandma’s Oyster Bisque from Moxie Spot
Crunchy Topped Pumpkin Casserole from Floral Heights
Sweet Potato Coconut Soup from Linger Cafe
Rothschild's Classic Vanilla Crème Brûlée
Lemon Bread from Gumbo
Lucy Bett's Gingerbread from Dig
Duchamp Bottle-Rack Tree from Rico
Sam’s Serious Egg Nog from Waterfront Ale House
Sahadi’s Family Stuffing
Grandmother Frances' Pound Cake from Silk Road Antiques
Seafood Sausage from Betty Bakery
Misty Mountain Cookies from Melting Pot
Lasagna Bolognese from Goose Barnacle
Holy Moly Coley Blue Marble Melted Ice Cream Cake from Blue Marble & New York Explorers
Chocolate Pecan Pie from Home and Abroad
Tomato Alfredo Portabella Lasagna from Annie’s Blue Ribbon General Store
Corn Souffle from Fusion Designs Gallery
Vacuum Cleaner Freshner, The Herb Shoppe
Acorn Squash Nut Bread , Make A Frame
Whole Wheat Nut Bread , Zoe Papers
Banana Bread , The Greenhouse
Aunt Jane’s Sour Cream Coffee Cake , Michelle New York
Strafe’s Twelve Tracks for Christmas (Plus Four), Hard Soul Recording
Curried Eggs and Potatoes , Go Green
Crazy Chocolate Cake, Evolution
Zucchini Casserole, Kimera
Chocolate Moose Pie, Sterling Place Apricot Bread, Ophelia

For further information, go to atlanticave.org.

Picture Of The Day: Blue Sky Over President Street

2011-12-13T21:29:00.002-05:00

Blue sky, majestic sycamores and brownstones on President Street.