We knew the day would come when work would resume on the 360 Smith Street site. After months and months of inactivity, Bill Stein's project seems to be moving forward yesterday with a huge dump truck, a little earth mover and some guys with shovels.
Maria Pagano of the Garroll Gardens Neighborhood Association alerted area residents by sending this email around:
Tom sent a quick message today to let everyone know there would be some testing activity at the 360 Smith site.
They will be digging at the site to test boundaries (the ceiling of the MTA station and the foundation); the testing will consist of digging and then refilling the test area. This is testing only and not the beginning of construction.
Once again, he asked that questions be directed to him at the CC office (718-854-9791) or to his e-address: tagray1@gmail. com.
Tom, you bet Carroll Gardeners have questions and they have waited a LONG time for answers.
For example: What will Mr. Stein build, how will it impact our neighborhood and how high will the finished building be?
And probably the most important question of all: is Robert "Mezzanine" Scarano still the architect?
As I was standing there, trying not to be noticed while snapping the pictures, I felt pretty depressed. Carroll Gardeners have been asking for further information on this project for months. Mr. Stein appeared in front of the Carroll Gardens neighborhood back in spring to assure everyone that he wanted to work with local residents. We never heard from him again.
Of course he never meant that he wanted our input. I know that. But frankly, it all seems like a big "screw you, Carroll Gardens" from the developer who will do whatever he wants. The neighborhood isn't asking for much.
- We just want a building that fits into the context of a Brownstone neighborhood.
- We want a building that doesn't obscure our sky and
- We want our subway plaza.
Now that's not so very much, is it, Mr. Stein?
For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking
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2 comments:
"Screw you" is exactly what Mr. Stein has been saying all along to Carroll Gardens. Only he also said the "F trains coming over the dilapitated culvert were like the 'waves coming in at the Hamptons'....And he said he was 'distancing himself from Mr. Scarano' last summer....and he said "I just LOOOVVVVEEE Carroll Gardens....I am going to live in one of the penthouses of 360 myself!"
All of it was utterly transparent bullcrap (except the "Screw You!" to Carroll Gardens...that part was unfortunately the true part... When he offers to "sit down with anyone in the neighborhood" just remember it's only to repeat those statements, not to honestly listen to the concerns of a neighborhood in desperate need of his honest co-operation and answers. Any wonder why people use that "greedy developer" term so easily? That plus the apathetic POLS whose political futures are no doubt in the hands of such greedy people is the lethal one- two-punch for the neighborhoods of Brooklyn. That reality is so sad and so unbearable really.
Well said. Bravo!
I had totally forgotten that Stein wanted to keep one of the places for himself. But I did remember his "ode" to the F train.
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