Dog Vs. Ivy on Union Street: Dave On Union Street Wants To Poll PMFA Readers

Robert from Union Street just got in touch with PMFA to let us know about an exchange he had with a dog owner in front of his house yesterday. The incident left him wondering if his reaction was warranted or not.
I'll let Robert retell it in his own words:
I am wondering if you can poll your readers. Last night I was sitting on my stoop and a woman with a large dog came walking along. She was deeply involved with her iphone....and was allowing her dog to walk slowly along the fences When they got to my house, she allowed the dog to sniff for a while and then the dog proceeded to urinate on the ivy edging of my garden.

I politely asked her if she could avoid allowing her dog to urinate on my ivy as the dog urine is killing it in sections. She ignored me and stayed buried in her iphone. I repeated myself and then she got angry...told me I had to be realistic....told me dogs needed to be free... I responded she was being un-neighborly and that there were plenty of nuetral places for her dog to do his business without killing my ivy. She started babbling about dogs needing to be free...I told her if she wanted to allow her dog to kill plants she should allow him to go in front of her own house.

Am I being unreasonable here?
Thanks.  Robert from Union Street.

I have warned Robert that this will most probably generate quite a spirited discussion.

I'll add my two cents first. I am always pretty amazed that people let their dogs pee right against my fence and on my plants, especially when I am standing right in my front garden. I always try to catch the owner's eye to relay my displeasure, but shy away from direct confrontation. I am on Robert's side.
How about you?



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Empty Smith Street Kiosks Continue To Be An Eye Sore In The Neighborhood

For quite a few years now, the three abandoned kiosks at the corner of Smith Street and Union Street have been real eyesores here in Carroll Gardens.
The kiosks and the tattered red and white tent right next to the containers, once housed the Brooklyn Indie Market, where local artisans sold their hand-made wares.  Since the end of 2010, however, the container-like-structures have been unused and unlocked.  Trash not only accumulates in them, they are also used as 'pissoirs' on a regular basis.  A few months ago, a homeless man was taking shelter in one of them.

Who exactly is responsible for the kiosks, the tent and the lot on which they stand is unclear. Some have indicated that the site belongs to the owner of the apartment building at the corner of Smith and President Streets, which houses Rite Aid.

Many in Carroll Gardens have expressed frustration that the dilapidated structures have not been removed in all these years and that trash is allowed to accumulate in and around them.
Most residents would welcome a small market, food stand or coffee concession.
There are indications that the site is eyed for a Citibike station, but that has not been confirmed.

In the last few days, someone named 'Mill' has posted a notice on the kiosks indicating that he is interested in renting the space.

And just two weeks ago, reader Lanie posted this comment on PMFA:
"I just talked to this landlord and he was very friendly and said he was cleaning it up in the next one to two months. Removing everything. Unfortunately, we'll add a billboard space there for revenue, not a nice landscaped area, but at least it will be cleaned up."

A billboard doesn't sound like the best option,  but if it means that the owner is going to take responsibility for his corner, it's better than nothing.

To read more about the history of this particular block and to see old photographs, click here.

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Pretty Rude Parking Job By One Of 76th Precinct's Finest

For many years now, the 76th Precinct on Union Street between Henry and Hicks Street has maximized parking in front of the precinct house by pulling their marked (and unmarked) cars at an angle half-way onto the sidewalk.

I think it's safe to say that no one in the neighborhood has a problem with this. We all understand that parking in Carroll Gardens is difficult and that the police officers need to have easy access to their cars.
However, it would appear that one of the 76th Precinct finest may have pushed the envelope just a wee bit.

A PMFA reader sent me the photo above showing a silver vehicle , with an NYPD sticker and the words "Fresh Gem" in big letters on its windshield, parked right at the intersection of Union and Henry Streets, blocking the crosswalk.
The reader writes:
"There is a cop that has taken to parking in the crosswalk of Henry Street & Union Street.
I noticed it about 2 weeks ago and it seemed entitled and rude. But this evening I realIy got mad as I watched an elderly woman navigate the intersection. She couldn't roll her walker down the ramp and was forced to circumvent this stupid car which it completely blocking the ramps and the crosswalks.
This "Fresh Gem" car should not be rendering this corner impassible.  There is a NYPD sticker in the window. It is very clearly not a squad car, not that one of those should be parked there either."

Apparently, this has been going on for two weeks. The car is is parked there when the reader comes home at about 5 or 6 pm. Things have most probably been a bit busier for the 76th Precinct because of Hurricane Sandy and the resulting power outages in Red Hook. But blocking the sidewalk crossing never seems like a great idea.
Has anyone else noticed this car?




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TD Bank Will Be Tenant Of Alchemy's 'Sackett Union' Project In Carroll Gardens

Alchemy's Sackett Union Development as seen from Court Street 

View from Union Street

Corner of Court Street and Sackett Street

The project as seen from Sackett Street

Future garage entrance

The town homes on Sackett Street

A peek into the model unit on the Carroll Street side

Here is a community update from Ken Horn of Alchemy Properties, the development, marketing and consulting firm  which is currently constructing one of the largest projects in Carroll Gardens in quite a few decades.
The Sackett Union project, formerly known as 340 Court Street, consist of a 7 story, 32 unit condominium building consisting of two, three and four family units along Court Street and of 11 one and two family  townhouses on Union and Sackett Streets. There is also a penthouse and an outdoor lounge on the main building "breathtaking views of Manhattan and Brooklyn".

Though prices start at $1,105,00 for a two-bedroom unit, 15 of the units have already been sold.  So has one of the townhouses.  A model unit can now be visited by appointment, but there will not be an open house until February, when the main entrance on Union Street has been completed.
Work on the façade of this Rogers Marvel-designed building starting in about two weeks.  The color of the treatment has been described as "brownstone red".
The entire development should be completed by July or August 2013.
An official web site is going up in the next week.

Alchemy Properties took over the long-stalled project at 340 Court Street after the previous developer, The Clarett Group, pulled out.



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Over The Bridge And The Canal For Free Ices

A bit out of the neighborhood, but thought I would pass this along:

Uncle Louie G on Union Street and 5th Avenue* will be closing its doors for the season on Sunday. Till then, the owner is running a special: buy any item and get a small ice for free. Then on Sunday, the store will be giving away its remaining stock.

So head on over the Union Street Bridge and over the canal...to 5th Avenue.

* This is for the Louie G store on 5th Avenue at Union only. The one on Smith Street belongs to a different owner, and the offer does not apply.

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When A Section Of President Street Was Secor Place And Carroll Street Was Carroll Place

An 1874 Map of the Gowanus Canal area

Detail of 1874 Map

Union Street between Smith and Hoyt was once called Bergen Street

This section of President Street was Secor Place

The former Carroll Place, now Carroll Street

Second Street was known as Balchen Place

Carroll Gardener and friend Alexandrea is as passionate about the neighborhood's history as I am. Over the years, she has amassed an amazing collection of old photos and maps, which she generously shares often with me and PMFA readers. Recently, Alexandrea and I have emailed back and forth about a map from 1874 that she found of the area along the Gowanus Canal.

Very interestingly, four of the blocks between Smith and Hoyt Streets in our neighborhood had different names than they have today. For those blocks, Union Street was once called Bergen Street, President Street was Secor Place and Carroll Street was actually named Carroll Place. And Second Street, believe it or not, was called Balchen Place.

This new knowledge prompted Alexandrea and me to check historical documents and sure enough, we came across plenty of evidence that these blocks went by those names.

It has even been suggested by some neighborhood old-timers that Carroll Place and Secor Place (President) between Smith and Hoyt, which are close to the once private community garden now known as Carroll Park, were gated.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the streets were renamed, but from my search, I would conclude that the switch happened around the time the 1874 map above was printed since the name still appear in newspaper ads at that time. (See the 1875 'for sale' ad below.)

These streets were all laid out on land that belonged to farmer Jacob Bergen, descendant of a Dutch/Norwegian family. (You can read some fascinating Bergen family history here) The area of Bergen's farm was known as Bergen Hill and ran along the Gowanus Canal to Smith Street.

Below are some great information Alexandrea and I stumbled upon when we searched these old street names. I'll post more soon.

And as always, Alexandrea, thanks for sharing your finds with me and with everyone else.

Brooklyn Eagle Archive, November 23, 1854

***Take the time to read the mention of the desirability of the 

proximity to the Gowanus canal in the ad above.

Brooklyn Eagle Archive From 1875

Sales ad for the lot now occupied by #259 Carroll Street

Brooklyn Eagle Archive, March 20, 1875

The J. Bedell mentioned above was the builder of several houses on Carroll Street. 

He had his office on Smith Street.

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Bicycle This Way »»»»»»» To Prospect Park

The sign pointing bicyclists to Prospect Park must have made its appearance on a light post at the intersection of the bike lanes at Smith and Union Streets very recently. I don't remember seeing it there before. Do you?

Of course, since the B 71 bus route was cut last year, a bicycle is the fastest way of getting to the park and to the Brooklyn Museum.

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Brooklyn At Work: Transformer Installation

In case you were wondering why the fencing of Union Smith Café's courtyard had been removed on the Union Street side, it was in order to replace a huge electrical transformer.
A Con Edison crew was busy yesterday connecting the new one.
When asked, one of the workers told me that the old transformer had "high pressure readings" and that it was more prudent to replace it now.

So there you have it. Just another day in the neighborhood.

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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Gowanus Halloween Eve Masquerade With Michale Arenella & Orchestra

***REMINDER: TONIGHT***

Michael Arenella & His Dreamland Orchestra cordially invite you to...

Got your costume all picked out for Halloween, but don't know where to show it of yet? How about staying right in the neighborhood and attending the Halloween Eve Masquerade in "that green building" at the corner of Union and Bond? Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra have a fun event planned there. More info below.

The Halloween Eve Masquerade.
Friday Oct. 30th, 2009
9:00PM
$20

With a wide array of events to choose from on Halloween night, we thought we'd present the option to step out in style the night before and rub elbows with other glamorous ghouls.

at Brooklyn's most enchanting little speakeasy, the Green Building, a 19th-century warehouse nestled along the banks of the Gowanus Canal, in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Located at 450 Union Street, it is just a short walk from the following major subway lines:

- F/G to Carroll Street
- R to Union Street

Directions can be found with Hopstop.

There are excellent, dependable car services in the neighborhood which will be available, as well. We will have cars waiting outside for the duration of the evening.

The Hot Dreamland Eight will rouse up the ghosts of yore while the mixologists of Court & Spark stir up your tinctures pure.

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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A Moment In Time: Fire Alarm

Saturday noon,

at the corner

of Union and Smith Streets.

Four, no...wait,

five fire trucks

were responding

to an emergency.

Anyone know what happened?

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Picture Of The Day: Union Street 9/11 Memorial

In a window on Union Street.

We all remember and commemorate this day,
eight years ago,
in our own way.

This is how a resident
on Union Street,
between Court And Smith
chooses to commemorate.

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Picture Of The Day: Union Street Row Houses

Early one morning,
my path took me past Union Street
and this row of brick townhouses,
Though I have walked by them countless times,
they seemed more lovely on that day.

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Feeding The Rats Of Court And Union Streets

Frosted or glazed: Tuesday's 'trashed' donut selection

Now, pardon me for asking, but what genius thought it appropriate to dump a huge pile of donuts along the blue construction fence on Union Street off Court Street?
What exactly is the purpose here? To feed the rats so that they can happily multiply?
Don't we have enough rodents running around the hood?

The rudeness of people in this city never ceases to amaze me.

(Thanks for the photos, V.)



For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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A Moment In Time: Threesome In The Rain

The threesome crossed Union Street,
careful to avoid puddles.
No matter.
It was impossible to stay dry yesterday.

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Moment In Time: Crossing Union

Two stroller moms
Crossing Union
Perhaps on their way to Carroll Park.

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A Moment In Time: So, What's New With You?

-So, what's new with you?
-Oh, nothing much!


Just blocking the intersection of Union and Smith for a bit of gossip!

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