tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post4598478624504549384..comments2024-03-26T10:40:40.676-04:00Comments on Pardon Me For Asking: Sign Petition To Curb Excessive Construction Noise At Lighstone Group's Mega Development In GowanusKellyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17882047670852126739noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-14374315164049964962014-05-22T10:29:02.271-04:002014-05-22T10:29:02.271-04:00NOT AT ALL LIKE Battery Park City, Lightstone is b...NOT AT ALL LIKE Battery Park City, Lightstone is building on an inland estuary, it is all sandy earth with none of the bedrock that makes Manhattan Island capable of holding massive structures. <br /><br />Just watch the Lightstone piles go into the soil. A few bangs from the equipment and you can see the pile go down a foot or two, but watch a few more hits and the pile suddenly slips a much further, as if there is no resistance in the earth. There is a reason they are putting in over 1200 piles for the project, numbers are expected to compensate for piles that just don't hold in the soil.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-2017563595659764352014-05-21T18:42:29.035-04:002014-05-21T18:42:29.035-04:004:14pm - wouldn't it be the same as Battery Pa...4:14pm - wouldn't it be the same as Battery Park City? I am not a fan of Lightstone, but a LOT of NYC is built on former waterways.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-31929200620794170392014-05-21T16:14:48.259-04:002014-05-21T16:14:48.259-04:00If the city doesn't set standards for sound co...If the city doesn't set standards for sound control by requiring by requiring pile drivers to use quality noise shrouds when working in the swamps near a dense residential environment, then is is going to be HELL for everyone in Gowanus for the next ten years should the city grant development rights to the remaining swamp lands of Gowanus. Lightstone is driving over 1200 piles to keep their steel & glass structure from sinking into the swamp land. This is not land well suited to this type of building. <br />And does anyone know how the salt water soaked marshland will treat those steal piles over the years? Will the build be sound in 50 years as the ocean over takes more of the marsh?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-1055567484338232242014-05-21T15:35:42.981-04:002014-05-21T15:35:42.981-04:00Hey bored at work, 11:13 here. Looks like the comm...Hey bored at work, 11:13 here. Looks like the community pressure and petition worked and Lightstone has agreed to begin work at 8AM. <br />I'm not sure why you bring up the scale of the project or spot rezoning (which this is not as it was part of City Planning's rezoning which they tabled after the canal was placed on the national priorities list) as those issues have been long settled. If those are your concerns for future developments then I hope you have been attending the Bridging Gowanus meetings. Lightstone has set a precedent and in all likelihood the next developments will be even larger. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-46429341450344189592014-05-21T14:40:38.851-04:002014-05-21T14:40:38.851-04:00At the corner of Second and Bond the noise is life...At the corner of Second and Bond the noise is life-changing in a really bad way. It deafens any conversation in my home and shakes my entire apartment such that a 3 foot tall vase rattles back and forth. Lightstone group should take every measure possible to make this more bearable -- including returning phone calls from neighbors. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-6800090727997327112014-05-21T13:19:50.526-04:002014-05-21T13:19:50.526-04:00An update on the story. The Lightstone Group agree...An update on the story. The Lightstone Group agreed to begin construction at 8 am instead of 7am. http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20140521/gowanus/gowanus-construction-noise-rattles-neighborsAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01940801165279600134noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-22551094278156754192014-05-21T12:51:05.164-04:002014-05-21T12:51:05.164-04:00@11:13 - Please.
I think you are missing the po...@11:13 - Please. <br /><br />I think you are missing the point. This development is coming. The petition is not asking Lighstone to walk away from the site, or to reduce the size of their building(which they would never do). <br /><br />Perhaps the petition can convince Lightstone to be more sensitive to the community in re. noise and vibration. But, its asking them to act against their own self-interest. That's generally not a formula for success. <br /><br />I never advocated against organizing or petitioning as a community against out-of-scale development or spot-zoning. But it is tilting at windmills to continue to fight the project per se. Make sure they live up to the building code and the noise code. <br /><br /><br />bored at workhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07463347390373738994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-82364369023601607622014-05-21T12:11:13.003-04:002014-05-21T12:11:13.003-04:00Anonymous 10a...really? Rolling out the red carpet...Anonymous 10a...really? Rolling out the red carpet for Lightstone?<br /><br />It is difficult to guess whether you <i>ARE </i>Lightstone, just like being contrarian, or are just ignorant. The project is no more expensive, difficult, or terrible than any other...thus why Toll Bros jumped on it and others line up for each block. <br /><br />Making it better? Massive quantities of high-income housing in a flood zone doubling outflow into overflowing sewers and doubling inflow into overflowing schools is not better. If you want my NIMBY whine it would be the entirely out of code shadowing of an historic district, which we would all be completely comfortable with if it were needed low-income housing from the city.<br /><br />Last, "new residents in our community will bring in fresh new energy?" Is the 100% growth in population in the community in the last decade insufficient new energy?brooklynmfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-21650819744709925562014-05-21T11:13:01.563-04:002014-05-21T11:13:01.563-04:00I find it curious that people would try to dissuad...I find it curious that people would try to dissuade our fellow neighbors from circulating a petition and being active community members. Maybe start your own petition advocating Lightstone go back to their original 7AM start time. It became quite clear that without this community engagement, Lightdtone would have kept their 7AM start time. If you do not hear the pile driving or your home is not vibrating then you probably don't care and those that don't care might later when they are unable to enroll their child in a nearby school or the subway platform becomes dangerously crowded. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-44145224986310423392014-05-21T10:00:57.127-04:002014-05-21T10:00:57.127-04:00CB6 and surrounding neighbors -- you all should be...CB6 and surrounding neighbors -- you all should be rolling out the red carpet for Lightstone. They're taking on an expensive, difficult, terrible site and making it better. I live nearby, but not so near that i hear the piles. while nobody loves pile driving, i think the design is attractive (as these things go) and the new residents in our community will bring in fresh new energy. Bring it on! (But lightstone, do your best to respect the people living across the street from you.) No petition necessary.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-82922798799818248202014-05-20T16:54:39.702-04:002014-05-20T16:54:39.702-04:00fwiw, I live on the block of DeGraw between Smith ...fwiw, I live on the block of DeGraw between Smith and Hoyt and dont hear a thing. <br /><br />I would suggest that a petition is pointless. If possible, try to work directly with the owner or his representative/pr firm. <br /><br />Either they are within the parameters set by the Department of Buildings for their work and the noise code or they arent. Call 311 if you suspect they are not. <br /><br />Construction without a variance is allowed between 7 am and 6 pm Mon-Fri. Work is not permitted outside of these hours. To suggest that they voluntarily reduce their work hours will cost the developer and make the pile driving last much longer. Why would they do that? Do you think they care? They are only in it for the $. bored at workhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07463347390373738994noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-44553681387275338492014-05-20T14:35:39.733-04:002014-05-20T14:35:39.733-04:00I just walked over to Fifth Avenue and could hear ...I just walked over to Fifth Avenue and could hear the pile driving on Garfield and 5th. I wonder if Park Slope is complaining too. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-47468023253009675622014-05-20T12:04:00.117-04:002014-05-20T12:04:00.117-04:00From your keyboard to... 11:11AM. You must be priv...From your keyboard to... 11:11AM. You must be privy to information that the public is not. Is Brad Lander's Bridging Gowanus just a charade as many of us suspect? I say bring on the development because Kaching! for me if I ever decide to sell. I think it's cute how people try convince others that more development means lower costs. <br /><br />No one is trying to delay the project. Starting pile driving an hour later should have minimal impact on Lightstone's construction timetable. But what is wrong with setting a precedent and putting future developers on notice that they need to be respectful of the surrounding community especially the elementary school children. A later start time and sound dampening materials is not too much to ask. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-26691625459663327802014-05-20T11:11:26.849-04:002014-05-20T11:11:26.849-04:00At this point dragging it out isn't going to m...At this point dragging it out isn't going to make it better, just longer. The ship has sailed on construction in the Gowanus. This is only the first of many large buildings that are going to go into that area. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-15656455866102047862014-05-20T10:01:10.081-04:002014-05-20T10:01:10.081-04:00Not sure how construction noise can be avoided if ...Not sure how construction noise can be avoided if construction permits are granted. Sound barriers may help, but won't eliminate the noise. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-50089765235757539942014-05-20T09:41:50.463-04:002014-05-20T09:41:50.463-04:00I would like to pint out to everyone that all new ...I would like to pint out to everyone that all new construction along the Gowanus canal will need similar piles. If our politicians have their way and the Gowanus corridor gets rezoned to allow similar residential developments, we will be dealing with pile driving for the next few years.<br /><br />Just want people to be aware of what it all means.Katiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06484246196723019291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-6033673513748187762014-05-20T08:45:30.859-04:002014-05-20T08:45:30.859-04:00I live 2 blocks away from the site. I can hear it ...I live 2 blocks away from the site. I can hear it everyday. Just let me hurry and finish what they need to do. Have them dragging this process is not going to help anyone.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-45721318956160294142014-05-20T07:56:42.817-04:002014-05-20T07:56:42.817-04:00You can hear it on 4th Place and Court St as well....You can hear it on 4th Place and Court St as well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-25618265045725237942014-05-20T00:20:45.800-04:002014-05-20T00:20:45.800-04:00Now I don't remember exactly how someone told ...Now I don't remember exactly how someone told me this, and it is just hearsay, but I was told that the city is making so much money from Lightstone from the permitting, that they are closing their eyes (ears) to any possible sound violations. <br /><br />Anybody else hear this?George Fialahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04962223741910566014noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-67594625830192556832014-05-19T22:16:20.560-04:002014-05-19T22:16:20.560-04:00I can hear the the site at Court and Sackett. It t...I can hear the the site at Court and Sackett. It totally drowns out the pseudo-Tyrolian music, which isn't a bad thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-62944546143475505522014-05-19T19:56:36.366-04:002014-05-19T19:56:36.366-04:00We can hear the pile driving up on Bergen Street.We can hear the pile driving up on Bergen Street.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-16970217920944450132014-05-19T19:25:06.202-04:002014-05-19T19:25:06.202-04:00Dear Anonymous, Are you sure you live and work wit...Dear Anonymous, Are you sure you live and work within sight of the construction zone? Really? I live at 2nd & Bond and have yet to meet a neighbor who is 'pleasantly surprised' by how manageable living and trying to work in the area is. They are suffering miserably and hoping something is done about it ASAP to lower the noise levels. Your comment sounds suspiciously like the letters residents and our elected's have received from Lightstone's public relations firm - identical in tone and message. If you are in fact a resident, I would love to chat with you out front and find out what brand of Koolaid you are drinking so I can buy some. Bklynebethnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36892255.post-30974145467578898722014-05-19T14:45:37.320-04:002014-05-19T14:45:37.320-04:00We live and work on Bond within sight of the const...We live and work on Bond within sight of the construction zone and have actually been pleasantly surprised that the noise hasn't been as disturbing as predicted. It was more disturbing when they were driving piles at the corner of 2d and Bond, but now that they've moved away a bit the noise has become really manageable. And we appreciate the fact that the noise does not begin too early (usually around 7:15) and always ends before kids get home from school. Music or TV blocks the sound almost completely for us. We'd rather see the work continue at full speed so it is completed faster.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com