The model is the new Marine Park Community Center for which ground is being broken today. Per a press release, it’s “the Parks Department’s first state-of-the-art Green Building. With solar panels, a geo-thermal heating and cooling system, and a planted roof, this building is an example of the City’s commitment to an environmentally-friendly 21st century.” […]

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The legendary Isaac Hayes opened the 30th Anniversary season of Celebrate Brooklyn last night, running through a set of soul and R&B classics that climaxed with his classic, Shaft. Mr. Hayes, who suffered a stroke several years ago, got a helping hand getting on and off the stage, but held his own, standing, as he […]

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A number of civic and neighborhood groups had a press event at City Hall yesterday to push an agenda to reform the embattled Department of Buildings. Among other things, the groups called for an end to “self-certification,” a Giuliani-Era program that allows architects and engineers to certify that their plans comply with zoning and other […]

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[Photo courtesy of Property Shark; the Scarano building is on the far right] · Buildings Department Charges Brooklyn Architect [Sun] · Building Blockhead [NYP] · Zoning Rules are Flouted by Architect, City Says [NYT] · Brooklyn Architect Robert Scarano Put on Notice [Daily Intel] · Charges Filed Against Brooklyn Architect Robert Scarano [Gothamist]

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Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images: · Former Assemblywoman Diane Gordon Sentenced in Bribery Case [Sun] · Brooklyn Heights Senior Mowed Down by Van in Manhattan [NYP] · Another Rally to Protest City’s Crown Heights Homeless Plan [NYDN] · Baby Walrus Celebrates First Birthday at Coney Aquarium [NYP] · Will New […]

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A surprise opening date of June 26 was announced at a Community Board 2 meeting on Wednesday night for the pop-up park on land being cleared for the future Brooklyn Bridge Park. The opening coincides with the date that Olafur Eliasson’s waterfalls are being turned on. Details about the park per Curbed, via the Brooklyn […]

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“Summer is here and it’s hot. This past weekend hit record temperatures and what’s better than ice cream to cool us down? Seen for the first time in Dumbo were at least 5 different ice cream/slush trucks (not pictured is a flavored ice cart on Washington and York Street). So what you say? Not if […]

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The schedule for the Next Wave Festival at BAM has been announced, though we don’t even want to think about things that will take place in October, November and December. The festival schedule can be viewed by clicking here. Interestingly, there are many video previews posted of performances and events as well, and a list […]

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Have a look at the Ravine, “the deep-set forested heart of Prospect Park…Here I dragged Spouse (just off the subway) and Child for a sunset walk; the area is so isolated and remote that I have been reluctant to explore it alone. (Probably a wise choice, although the handful of fellow walkers we met were […]

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[Photo courtesy of Vaduzuvant/flickr] This sofa comes to us from Coffey Street in Red Hook, a Brooklyn neighborhood that is soon to be a source of the Street Couches of the Future once Ikea opens its doors. It comes from our Gowanus Lounge Photo Pool. Click here to see the original photo.

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Outside the Brooklyn Weather Observatory, the sky is blue and the sun is shining. Today’s forecast is suggesting that it will be sunny and warm with a high of 84. Tonight, look for partly cloudy skies and a low of 69.–Accuweather

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One of the better pieces of news to come out of Coney Island recently is that the city is finally going to fix the horrendously deteriorated boardwalk. The city has allocated funds for the project, and tomorrow two state assembly members will be presenting a symbolic $10 million check to add to the pool of […]

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[Photo courtesy of Dalton Rooney/flickr] Check out this pic added to our GL Photo Pool by Dalton Rooney, who always does superb work. It combines many elements that we like, notably the looming Gowanus Expressway and a stark parking lot.

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The Department of Buildings has filed internal administrative charges against architect Robert Scarano, alleging that he made false or misleading statements on applications for buildings at 158 Freeman Street and at 1037 Manhattan Avenue. Mr. Scarano is alleged to have improperly divided a zoning lot into two smaller lots for the two new buildings. Acting […]

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The demolition of what we’re calling the Roebling Oil Field West, aka the expansion of Warehouse 11, the building perched atop our beloved and cleaned up Roebling Oil Field, is coming along nicely. The photo above is from earlier in the week when the Church of the Transfiguration a block away was being framed nicely […]

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Tonight is the opening night for the 2008 season of Celebrate Brooklyn. It kicks off with a Gala Reception and a free concert by Isaac Hayes. This is the 30th anniversary year for the series. GL will be on hand and have full photo coverage tomorrow. The full schedule is up at over at the […]

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Kinetic Carnival has a report this morning that the remaining Reithoffer’s rides on Thor’s Stillwell Avenue property have been or are being removed. Reithoffer was only supposed to operate the ride through the first week of June and half had been removed by last weekend. Another operator is supposed to run a small number of […]

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It looks like there’s more trouble for Studio B in Greenpoint. Its cabaret license was before Community Board 1 last night, but was withdrawn, possibly because it has some nasty pending issues with the Department of Buildings and the Department of Consumer Affairs.–New York Shitty

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We are fans of the “No Shitass Parking” sign on N. 10 Street in Williamsburg and thought for sure it was toast with a new development going up. Yet, the sign we nicknamed “No Shitass Parking” because someone a long time ago wrote “shitass” between “no” and “parking” has proven to be a plucky survivor. […]

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Those who appreciate stories about the NYPD harassing photographers must read this tale from, of all places, Coney Island. It starts with a mother who object to a pic being taken of her child on a kiddie ride and ends with the cops intimidating a photographer into giving up his film. Yes, he was shooting […]

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Last night, City Lore and the Municipal Art Society honored Ten Places that Matter with Place Matters awards. We were on the selection committee that picked this year’s honorees. Here’s a short vid highlighting the winners, which are in all five boroughs. The Brooklyn honorees are the Weeksville Heritage Center and the Greenpoint Manufacturing and […]

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Here’s a selection of photos from the Red Hook Ikea preview yesterday of both the interior of the store, the exterior and the waterfront esplanade.

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John Martinez may be one of the happiest men in Brooklyn right now. He is part of what is bound to be a cottage industry: putting together Ikea furniture for those who can’t or won’t cope with the sometimes maddening assembly process. “‘We deliver it. We put it together. We make people happy,’ chirped Martinez, […]

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There was an abundance of herring, salmon and other fish–not mention a lot of dessert–at yesterday’s media preview of the new Ikea on Beard Street, which will open at 9AM on June 18. The store will be Ikea’s 35th in the U.S. and the fifth in the tri-state area. Store Manager Mike Baker focused on […]

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“Once a year the burghers of Brooklyn in the Prospect Park South, Ditmas Park, Fiske Terrace, Midwood Park, and Beverl(e)y Squares East and West neighborhoods open their doors to allow the hoi-polloi to see what residential architecture looked like when houses were built when aesthetic principles, not economic ones, were paramount.” Check out the photos.–Forgotten […]

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