Earnest young wanna-be-yuppie type with phone glued to ear:
“Yeah, so I think I’m going to go in on this real estate thing…well, I know I’ve never done it before, but I think it’s a really good idea…I just didn’t see anything I liked in Williamsburg…well, this Greenpoint, it’s definitely up-and-coming…of course, there are no *guarantees*, but, this place, there’s like absolutely nowhere to go out, something has to change…it’s got this really weird neighborhood-y vibe to it, you should see some of the people who live there…”

He then continued walking north on Nassau and I turned left onto Banker. Were I not carrying groceries I would have followed him to get the end of the saga, or to yell GO AWAY! NO, BAD INVESTMENT! GO AWAY

Definitely a subscription to add to your feed reader.

All the displaced folks are in for the weekend, than goodness, tho the family at 22 Jackson will have to be out Monday morn for the remaining half day demo. The big question is what damage has been done to 22 Jackson, now or in the past. The owner has had an engineer’s report done on Friday. We shall see.

More destructoporn photo ops tomorrow.

This week’s Craigslist Brooklyn Missed Connection comes to us courtesy of Guest Misconnectionista Miss Heather who found it, selected it and tell us why:

As I was parsing through the vapid wasteland that is Craigslist’s “Missed Connections” this week I found myself returning to this one. A popular topic where I work is the 1980’s fashion sensibility of the newest influx of people to grace the Garden Spot. Yes, I am talking about “hipsters.”

I am continuously amazed by the amount of money these 20-somethings lavish upon apparel that I take the utmost care to forget. Everyday I see wolf packs of Chrissie Hynde and Pat Benatar wannabes and everyday I think to myself “Why would someone pay so much money to look so bad?” Apparently, there is a man out there who agrees with me. But a simple fashion faux pas or two) isn’t going to stop him from throwing a penetrating gaze into those big sunglasses in the hopes of finding his way into those stirrup pants:

weird girl on the L train with really ugly clothse – m4w – 23

I keep seein this weird girl on the L train getting off all these different stops, in 1 day i think i’ve seen her like 3 or 4 times on the L train wearing ridiculously ugly 80s clothes. i didn’t know they made clothse that ugly. she’s not really ugly, but her style is the most disgusting thing i’ve ever seen in my life.

i shoulda taken pictures, but i’ve been in an emo mode lately, not up to it:(

why do people wear such ridiculously ugly things. the 80s were a shitty decade, let them die! and she does look like she was born in like 88 or 89:p

PS Call me. I’m a DJ or something, no one really knows

PPS Marshall’s smelsl

Come to think of it, people who buy 1980’s clothing do look disquietingly alike. It’s sort of creepy actually, like something out of Children of the Damned. Then again, if it enables me to earn a steady paycheck (and surreptitiously laugh at them behind their backs) so be it. There’s cash in conformity.
—Miss Heather, newyorkshitty

Once a week, we like to highlight a couple of comments (pro and/or con) left behind by readers during the previous seven days. Here is this week’s selection:

Are People Getting Cranky About the Floating Pool? “I think that the floating pool is really a great thing for Brooklyn. The unsightly walk over is a little harsh for first timers, but only to be expected for being so close to the BQE, AND the shuttle bus will take you right past it. I guess I’m just disappointed to seeing it get such negative energy. I think that such an incredible FREE amenity should be regarded with open arms.” [Anonymous]

Health Department Sets Conditions for Red Hook Vendors. “Is it really necessary for the DOH to be such life-sucking vampires?” [amarilla]

Seven Berry Loses Its Scaffold and Nets. “spoken like a true frat boy who attended a community college in suburban Virginia or maybe even some cowpoke univeristy (sic) in the midewest (sic) and packed up his new VW sedan that his dentist dad gave him so he could move to big old city ..yep another frat dope moves to the burg to wear his hat backwards with his college tees and pay for overpriced crap at Sea…” [Anonymous]

• 63 Kittens Up for Adoption, Had Been Used as Dog Fight Bait [Bad Advice]
• Goodbye to George’s on Manhattan Avenue [11222]
• Barclays On Board to Sponsor Coney Volleyball Tournament [AYR]
• Cut Out the Ratner Carve-Out [No Land Grab]
• CH Blog Guest Posts on Curbed [Clinton Hill Blog]
• Portrait of a G Train Rider [newyorkshitty]
• N Train [Park Slope Street Photography]
• Beautiful Brooklyn Day [Brooklyn Enthusiast]
• An Alternative [Lex’s Folly]
• On the Beach in Brooklyn Heights [NYT]
• Itchy New Brooklyn Homeowner [Englishman in New York]

Here for your Sunday viewing pleasure are the vbs.tv Toxic Brooklyn episodes in one handy, easy-to-use embedded YouTube player. In case you haven’t seen them or want to see them again. All of the VBS “toxic” shows–on Brooklyn, Alberta (Canada) and West Virginia–are always available by clicking here.

Thank you for your letter regarding the neighborhood of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Brooklyn is experiencing an incredible resurgence and reaping an unprecedented level of investment, and development. While we welcome growth, this wave also puts pressure on many lower density neighborhoods across the borough currently suffering from out of context development. The Department of City Planning seeks to balance between the
needs for the future growth of the city and preserving the character of these neighborhoods throughout Brooklyn, including Park Slope, South Park Slope, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge…The Department works closely with communities in arriving at a fine grained block by block zoning proposal addressing the unique context of each neighborhood.

We are aware that members of the community are concerned about the proposed building at 360 Smith Street. As you note, this development is proceeding “as of right” under the current zoning. I appreciate your request for a review of of the current zoning in this area. We agree that such a study makes sense, and are committed to pursuing it, but because of the numerous neighborhood re-zoning efforts we have underway in communities throughout Brooklyn, we are unable to commit to a precise timeframe. Please note that any moratorium, whether temporary or permanent, is required by law to go through the Uniform Land Use Public Review Process, as well as an environmental review.

Very sincerely,
Amanda H. Burden, Director
Department of City Planning

Much more to come.

As a Community Board 7 member and chair of the Board’s Buildings & Construction Sub-committee, I would like to make one thing clear to Brooklyn paper’s readers: The storm had nothing to do with the collapse of this building. The year+ long neglect to the derelict structure did. Whether it had been rain, wind or a neighborhood child trowing a tennis ball against the building’s facade, it was coming down. Do not let another unscrupulous developer like Mr. Zeldin act is if this was an “act of God” and could not have been helped. He and his partners are responsible for destroying the quality of life on Jackson Place for years. Now thanks to the DOB and HPD (Mr. Zeldin’s visit to the DOB, as reported above had nothing to do yesterday/today’s the demo) at least the residents can feel a bit safer walking down the block. Now to get Andrew Mason, his family and the other 7 displaced families back into their homes.

As we noted in May, neighbors have long complained of dangerous conditions at the building and warned of a possible collapse.

If you’re in Williamsburg or Greenpoint, you can drop off your unwanted computers, monitors, printers, cell phones and other electronic equipment for recycling this weekend. An E-Waste recycling drive sponsored by the Lower East Side Ecology Center is happening on Bedford Avenue between N. 11th and N. 12th Streets (on the east side of Bedford) next to the big parking lot. Here’s the schedule:

Saturday, August 11th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, August 12th 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Monday, August 13th 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Electronic devices are an increasing part of the waste stream and responsible for a lot of pollution if not disposed of properly. There are moves afoot legislatively to require manufacturers to participate in recycling programs and to safely dispose of the products.

Images:

• Scrap Metal [Blue Jake]
• Goodbye Independence Savings Bank [BK 11201]
• Dressler [A Test of Will]
• Lotus [chicapoquita/flickr]
• Stop ‘Hamertime’ [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
• HoodRich [seriously excited!]
• Manhattan Bridge View [Brit in Brooklyn]

Words:

• 421-a Revision Hard to Figure Out [Atlantic Yards Report]
• City Launches Public Plaza Initiative in Dumbo [Streets Blog]
• Principal of Controversial Brooklyn Arabic School Resigns [NYP]
• The Dirty Truth About Combined Sewage Outflows [NYT]
• Disappearing Brighton Beach [GerritsenBeach.Net]
• Bushwick Dog Doo Sign Gentrifies [newyorkshitty]
• Helping Bay Ridge Tornado Victims [OTBKB]
• Greener Computers in Brooklyn [Green Brooklyn]
• Red Hook Without LeNell’s? [NYT]

• Ratner Fined Over Ward Bakery Collapse [Brownstoner]
• Bldg Dept. Says Ratner Should Have Anticipated Danger [AYR]
• Dumbo Piazza Officially Unveiled [Streets Blog]
• Brooklyn Starts to Clean Up Damage [NYT]
• Brooklyn Cyclones Aren’t Just a Baseball Team Anymore [Huffington Post]
• Tornado Twisted for 9 Miles [NYP]
• Kensington Needs New Trees [Kensington Brooklyn]
• Coney HOOPLA [Kinetic Carnival]
• City Wants Height in Gowanus [Canarsie Digest]
• A Bit More About That Red Hook Sub [Brooklyn Downtown Star]
• Coney Openings: Stars by the Shore Karaoke [Kinetic Carnival]
• Deadline Looms for Red Hook Vendors [Gothamist]
• Trouble at Fifth Avenue Dog Run [OTBKB]
• Dumbo Art Under the Bridge Festival [Brooklyn Enthusiast]

“What’s The Hook” is a community based photography project designed to document one week in the life of Red Hook, Brooklyn, one of New York
City’s most unique and rapidly changing neighborhoods. Open to locals and visitors alike, “What’s The Hook” encourages photographers of all backgrounds to submit digital images captured during the week of August 12th – 18th. This week has been selected as it begins with Red Hook Old Timer’s Day, an annual event at Red Hook Housing (link to article from B61) that has been going on for more than 30 years.

The images produced during August 12th – 18th will be accessible on a dedicated website soon after the photographs have been submitted, and representative photos will be printed and displayed in a wide variety of Red Hook venues during the Fall and Winter of 2007 – 2008.

“What’s The Hook?” encourages submissions from photographers of all ages, backgrounds, and experience levels. “What’s the Hook?” hopes to feature images from every possible time of day, angle of vantage, and facet of life that exists in Red Hook.

What’s the Hook is sponsored in part by the Greater NY Development Fund of the NYC Dept. of Cultural Affairs, administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council (BAC).

Head over to What’s the Hook for all the info you need. Please participate. Red Hook is changing quickly, and all the photos will be part of an invaluable historical record.