Ah, it’s subway train report card time. For whatever their worth–and they car questionable because they hit a fraction of actual users–the report cards do give some idea of how riders view service. There are paper report cards handed out in stations, but the fun part is that anyone can go online and grade the trains they use. To reach the page where all the trains are listed, go here. If you’re a rider of the F Train, go here and start clicking out those answers. Results for the 7 and L Trains have already been released. Happy grading. Of course, because it’s the MTA and New York City Transit, there’s no indication on the site on the deadline for filling out report cards.

· An argument an a 14-year-old ends up shot dead [NYT]
· The New Frankie’s Finally Revealed [NYM]
· What’s the Next Step for Dock Street? [Brownstoner]
· East Williamsburg Holiday Cheer [New York Shitty]
· There is No Foreclosure Crisis in Bushwick [BushwickBK]
· Slowdowns on the Q Train? [Ditmas Park Blog]
· Holy Crap, a Ticket for Double Parking on Court Street [PMFA]
· Smoothing Rough Paths [A Year in the Park]

We welcome reader submissions of interesting decorations for our Brooklyule series. Please email them to us at thegowanuslounge (at) gmail (dot) com.

He’s a Williamsburg bear, if it makes any difference.

Hipsters of McCarren Park (and rodents, pigeons, etc.), they are watching you like hawks. Literally. A GL reader and occasional contributor sent in a series of photos of one of the hawks that have taken up residence in everyone’s favorite Williamburg-Greenpoint Park. She writes:

I would imagine it spooking our dear hipsters but thought it might interest you to see that we are being watched from above. I took these terrible pics of a beautiful Hawk/Falcon while walking through McCarren Park this morning and he’s probably camping out in the nabe. I certainly hope no harm will come to him but I’m sure he’s getting his share of rats to eat.

Or, possibly, a baguette or a nice sandwich from Urban Rustic. Watch those little pocket dogs, friends.

More pretty damn cool McCarren Park hawk pictures ahead.

[Photo: Malcolm Pinckney / Parks & Recreation]

It’s so hard to know where to start with this? Would it be the delay of more than a year in getting what we call the Boymelpark open and the constant community pressure that needed to be applied? Would it be the renaming of J.J. Byrne Park as Washington Park? Should it be the all-but-certain conflicts that will arise between users of the $2 milliion Boymelpark (built to replace a park destroyed for construction of his condo) and residents of the Novo Park Slope that will now put up with the noise? Perhaps it should be the design flaws like the lack of lighting that will endanger the public? Or, well, actually, it probably should be the fact that we’ve rarely seen so many high-powered and (mostly) respected public officials dressed like buffoons for a groundbreaking. (Yes, testy, testy, and not a nice thing to say…but, seriously, LOOK at that photo. We can’t help but notice a bunch of people who must have worked to stay out of the frame.) Yet, the deed is done. J.J. Byrne Park is now Washington Park and what we call the Boymelpark is now the J.J. Byrne Playground. And, we’re happy the work is finally done and the public can finally use the park again.

Enough of our bitter twaddle, read the press release ahead.

[Photo courtesy of Jonathan Barkey/via AYR]

Note, of course, Bruce Ratner, and a smiling Borough President Marty Markowitz. Atlantic Yards Report writes: “While the remarks from Borough President Marty Markowitz, other politicos, and FCR President Bruce Ratner were mostly predictable (jobs, peace, Democratic rule), I was surprised to see that, on a dais that featured fewer than 20 people (at any one time), signatories of Forest City Ratner’s Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) occupied five of the seats and there were few elected officials from the immediate area.” There’s full analysis of who showed and who didn’t.

[Photo via Will Femia/Curbed]

Late yesterday afternoon Curbed posted some photos of the exterior of the Metropolitan Cinema and Apartments at 136 Metropoitan Ave. in the Burg, which is something we’ve been focused on since news of the project emerged a couple of years ago. The scaffolding came down on Tuesday and, now, the zinc facade with disks that will be illuminated with LED lights have been revealed. There will be a cafe and cinema on the ground floor and condos above. The interesting design is from Caliper Studio, making this stretch of Metropolitan Avenue home to a couple of VERY pedestrian new buildings and a couple of very interesting new ones, which is more than can be said for many Williamsburg blocks.

Tonight (12/4) from 7pm-8pm, the NAG (Neighbors Allied for Good Growth) Organizing Meeting will be held at the Holy Ghost Church Hall Basement, 160 North 5th Street (between Bedford and Driggs) in Williamsburg.

Old and new residents in Williamsburg and Greenpoint have more in common than separates us. We all care about improving our quality of life, keeping our neighborhood affordable, being able to get around our neighborhood safely and quickly, and preserving the unique mixed character of our neighborhood. By working together, we can help address common problems that we cannot solve on our own.

The turn out for the October meeting was really good. Go out and support the community.
—Vaduzuvunt

[Photo courtesy of Josh Derr/GL Flickr Pool]

This is 135 Plymouth Street in Dumbo reflected, simply.

When we think of the holidays, many of us think shopping. The first burst of chaos from Black Friday has passed and now plateaued so we can all enjoy the shopping for loved ones’ gifts at a reasonable pace. The commercialism of this fine season is now in full swing. With that, the second annual big Snowflake Celebration in Park Slope is upon us. The aim, pure and simple, is to get you out there to do your holiday shopping with local businesses. The first two Thursdays (12/4 & 12/11), 120 businesses in the area will be staying open until 10pm so you have plenty of time after work to get your list taken care of. Additionally, there will be an array of holiday medley, including carolers roaming the streets, sales and promotions.
—Vaduzuvunt

As Curbed reported this morning, a driver of an SUV attempting to park in Boerum Hill somehow drove her SUV into a brownstone, put it in reverse and ended up trashing several cars before her own vehicle overturned. She claims the accelerator jammed, which still doesn’t explain driving into a building and then back out into the street. The hole above is what happens when an SUV drives into your brownstone (pretty damned fast by the look of things). The photo below show the overturned SUV and the rescue of the driver. It’s a miracle that no one was killed or seriously injured. The building that was trashed was at 232 Wyckoff Street. A GL reader sent us these photos.

THE POOR MAN’S FOLLIES by Micropunta: a docu-film shot in Coney Island during summer season 2008. a 48 minutes version was shown on italian tv Qoob -MTv- the 28th and 29th november.” There are six parts here that can be accessed from the menu on the left. We had some problems last night with download speed, which made them hard to watch without starting them and then pausing so a significant amount of vid could download. They’re interesting if you can get them to play.

Yeah, we thought about a cute little Polar Bear, but weren’t in that kind of mood. So, the bear runs tomorrow. This is from the Pink Pussycat on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope.

There is no other conclusion we can draw about this car we came upon on Ainslie Street in Williamsburg.

The Center for the Urban Environment (CUE) found Vox Pop owner and CEO Sander Hicks through the Sustainable Business Network NYC, a network of businesses dedicated to building a vibrant, diverse and responsible local living economy in New York City. For more information on SBNYC click here.

CUE: Where are you from originally?

Hicks: I was born in Virginia and grew up in the DC area. But I have family roots in Long Island and NYC and have lived here since 1991.

CUE: When did VoxPop open and what lead you to start up the venture?

Hicks: Vox Pop in Brooklyn opened up almost exactly four years ago—we just had an anniversary party. I started it because I wanted a place for the people to come together, around free speech, fair trade coffee, good food, revolutionary ideas, cross-pollination, renewal, and community.

To read more, click here.

As we move into December, the Christmas tree stands are starting to pop up all around. But wouldn’t it be better to get a tree and help out the Cub and Boy Scouts of America in the process? (Maybe?) Well, from 10am-6pm for the next three weekends (12/6-7, 12/13-14, 12/20-21) at the Old Stone House (5th Ave between 3rd & 4th Streets) in JJ Byrne Park, the Scouts and volunteers will be selling trees of all sizes. 100% of the profits go to the various scout programs, and 70% of said programs are funded by this single event. (The Girl Scouts hogged all the cookies, we guess.) Volunteers and buyers are both wanted. If you would like to volunteer or for more information, go to the Scout Pack 14 site.
—Vaduzuvunt

Recently put up on Ainslie Street in Williamsurg east of the BQE.

· Arrest in Murder of Brookyn Bus Driver [NYT]
· Prospect Heights Emmy Nominee Dies in Mountain Plunge [NYP]
· Brookyn Narcotics Officer Perpetrates Serious Road Rage in Queens [NYT]
· Burg Waterfront Sales Tanking? [Curbed]
· Ratner Helps Bail Out ACORN with $1.5 Million [AYR]
· Houses Going for a Lot of Money on Stratford Road [Brownstoner]
· They Now Have Lactation Circles in Greenpoint [New York Shitty]
· Another Wooden Phone Booth Sighting [Lost City]
· Garage Being Turned Into Restaurant on Baltic? [PMFA]

It’s been a couple of months since we looked at one of the Slowest Building in Williamsburg, but the back of this building at N. 10 and Berry has revealed itself in all its brick and narrow window glory. Work on this thing has been underway for more than a year and a half. This is what it looked like back in September and this is  where things were at last July. The building is 128 N. 10 and it’s one of two at that intersection designed by architect Armand Quadrini of KSQ Architects. Mr. Quadini is the architect who replaced Robert Scarano on a couple of South Brooklyn jobs including 360 Smith Street and this building on Fourth Avenue in Park Slope.

[Photo courtesy of Captain Nemo]

Well, at this point, there probably is very little property in Coney Island that isn’t for sale or hasn’t been sold at least once in anticipation of rezoning. The Coney Arcade in a photo above shot by Captain Nemo is on the market for $6.5 million through Massey Knakal. It’s officially 1105 Bowery and it being marketed as having a buildable square footage of 57,807 sq.ft. after the zoning change. The building below is 1205-1207 Bowery (plus the arcade building next door, which is not in the photo) and is on the market for $4.5 million. The zoning change would allow up to 40,770 square feet here.

Work continues at the “mystery lot” at the corner of N. 11 Street and Bedford Avenue. The bad news is that some of the soil and rubble being excavated is covered and some is not. The good news is that it’s been raining so much the site is a mud heap so any presumably toxic dust won’t be blowing around the heavily populated and trafficked surroundings. Still, work is going forward on the big Karl Fischer rental building that will rise on the property. The official address is 95 Bedford and the site was once a paint factory and most recently a parking lot. Here’s some fascinating information about the property’s history shared by a GL reader:

This lot previously was the site of a paint manufacturing plant owned by NJZ Color and Reichhold Chemical. Reichhold made color paint products there starting before WWII. They produced a variety of lead based paints, including yellow cadmium paint. Both lead and cadmium are highly toxic if inhaled as dust. During WWII, this facility became the source of one-third of the U.S. military’s rust prevention primer, which basically is a coating of lead paint and something called molybdate pigments. Google that one and see what used to be used in these paints. The company went on to produce coatings for tanks, battleships, bombers, ground vehicles, and more prosaic products, such as radios and furniture. It’s most certainly the sort of place that has toxicity.

Apparently plant employees got a lot of blood tests while working there. It’s not that we doubt the lot can be detoxed. The troubling thing is that it seems to be going forward without a consistent approach to protecting neighbors and passersby.

[Photo courtesy jplpagan/GL Fickr Pool]

Our Flickr Pool Photog and GL Contributor JP Pagán writes: “In front of the VFW hall on 9th St. Reminded me of the General Lee.”

Like the bald aging dude who made the first Roxy Music album what it was, did Baby’s on Fire, Burning Airlines Give You So Much More, ambient music and went on to be the best producer of music in the known universe (even though some bands have proven to be beyond even His help)? Wanna a win a DVD of his 77 million Paintings DVD? Step right this way. And do let us know when the FUCK he shows up in NYC to perform with David Byrne–Free Williamsburg

[Photo courtesy of galvarez51/GL Flickr Pool]

It’s kind of colorful in Bay Ridge, isn’t it?

GL’s resident poet, Graziella Radici, who has been on sabbatical in the Cayman Islands tending to financial matters, is back. And so, we are proud to present her work about the BSA.

Ode to the BSA

Here I stand at the BSA
In the invisible room for another day

A board says:
Bye-bye, to neighborhoods 1-2-3 but….
Developers: We’ll make room for you in a JIFFY!

Never was a view so clear
Where the rights of so many New Yorkers
Are trampled each year

In a democracy, community voices do really matter
And neighborhoods are not a thing
An ill-advised board can simply splatter

The BSA is a numbers game: cynical at best,
That immediately needs to be laid to rest

Oh how I wish upon a star
That Avella’s BSA reforms
Could see the light of daylight
Near and far

And that greed for once could take a back seat
So that we real New Yorkers could stop to weep.

c.. Graziella Radici 2008