[Photo for GL courtesy of Deborah Matlack]

GL contributor Deborah Matlack took through Coney Island in Saturday’s insane cold and found evidence that Astroland is, indeed, being taken apart. There is also a great deal of evidence of this on the Coney Island Message Board. In case anyone wonders what that machine in the foreground was doing, we present a couple of photos below of the work in progress that was posted over at the CISUSA Message Board. Those containers you see at the right of Ms. Matlack’s photos are shipping containers–the kinds that are put on trucks or trains or loaded onto ships at container ports.

[Photo courtesy of Mr. Jonesy/Coney Island Message Board]

[Photo courtesy of Mr. Jonesy/Coney Island Message Board]

Those who are familiar with Fourth Avenue know the big construction site between Butler and Douglass Streets. A row of apartment buildings was demolished, leaving single buildings standing on either end. One of them houses the Deli in the Slope. The official address of the project next door is 150 Fourth Ave and it’s supposed to be a 12-story building from Ismael Leyva with 95 units. But, that’s not our interested here. Good old 160 Fourth Avenue, which has eight apartments and which filed some permits with DOB for renovations to repair the back masonry, ended up with a partial stop work order and being emptied out by DOB last month for a host of problems including, but not limited to “severe cracks” in both the interior and exterior, the chimney pulling away from the building and “inadequate shoring” to the third and fourth floor to protect the roof. The problem is laid at the feet of the demolition work that happened to build the Leyva building. The reason given by DOB is an old favorite: “imminent danger to life or public safety or safety of the occupants or to property. In the meantime, what we can say is that we previously noted that 150 Fourth Avenue has an awesome fortress-like fence, unlike a lot of the crud one finds in Williamsburg.

There was some volunteer cleanup activity along Smith Street in Carroll Gardens on Sunday. A correspondent reports:

I saw these volunteers today on smith street (sunday) VOLUNTEERING! to pick up our trash. They told me they were three groups combined–Gomunications “Gomu: means trash in Japanese supposedly) these were the ones i talked to. Shining Big Apple and the Urban Divers.

Much trash was collected and leaves raked.

More pics after the jump.

[Photo for GL Courtesy of Adrian Kinloch/Brit in Brooklyn]

There is a reason they call it a container port as this shot from local photographer, photoblogger and GL Contribiutor Adrian Kinloch shows.

There’s a “Transportation Town Hall” in Williamsburg that’s billed as a “discussion about the Greenway / Bike Lanes and other transportation issues hosted by City Council Member (OSA Board Member) David Yassky, Council Member Diana Reyna, State Senator Elect Daniel Squadron, the MTA, and DOT.” Per another email, “topics will include all transportation issues, from subway & bus service to car parking, truck traffic, and safe walking and biking.” Should be an interesting discussion. It takes place today (11/24) from 6PM-8PM at the Swinging Sixties Senior Center, which is located at 211 Ainslie Street at the corner of Manhattan Avenue.

[Photo courtesy of megunski/GL Flickr Pool]

Gowanus pigeons, taking flight, like, uh, poetry in motion.

Ah, it’s not just IDT Energy that is making people insane and/or possibly scamming them. No, companies are giving people gas, so to speak, as well. Per an email on the Carroll Garden Neighborhood Association list with the subject line “Making Me Crazy!” we have this:

I have received in person and now, phone solicitations from VERY persistent telemarketers at “Energy Services Company”. At first, due to language difficulties, I understood the callers to be from KeySpan. I have been badgered, cajoled and infuriated at their repeated requests to call me back in 15 min, 1 hour, 2 hours while I go get my bill so they can offer me an energy savings. I called NatGrid and the rep confirmed that the calls,etc. are coming from their competitor, Energy Services Company. Any suggestions on how to stop them from calling? I know they’ve already been “exposed” on cable TV, but I haven’t seen anything in the dailies. Ideas?

So, it’s the gas companies too. What puzzles us, given the number of stories that “mainstream” media enjoy, uh, picking up from news and neighborhood blogs, why no one has touched these stories. This is one we’d enjoy having stolen expanded upon by the dailies or even the Brooklyn print weeklies. In the meantime, until some lazy reporter enterprising print journalist decides to appropriate this story and make it his/her own do some serious original investigative reporting, check out this flier from Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights on how to avoid getting scammed. Also, paging: Betsy Gotbaum, Bill de Blasio, David Yassky, Tish James, Daniel Squadron, Joan Millman, Marty Connor, etc. If ever there were a situation that called for some pro-active political maneuvering, if not legislating, this is it. Your constituents–many of them elderly and relatively defenseless against these sharks–are being scammed. Help them, please.

Yes, it’s Sunday, which brings us to our Missed Connection of the Week. We settled on this ironic little number from Williamsburg for today’s entertainment:

You are the Prototype – m4w – 24 (7th & Bedford)

Me: Skinny jeans with patterned slip-ons. Shaggy brown hair, crusty mustache, over-sized headphones, a black and white plaid cloth scarf and an attitude.

You: Skinny jeans with black boots just past your ankles, brown straight hair with bangs, over-sized 80’s style glasses, bright red lip-stick, american apparel type blouse, over-sized headphones (around your neck).

I saw you loitering on bedford. You had headphones but you weren’t listening to any music. You never smiled, and I thought to myself, “wow, this is a girl like no other.” Then I looked to my left and saw 20 more of you. Then 70 or so bumped my shoulders on the street cause they weren’t paying attention to where they were going. Then 300 more poured out of the Music Hall. Just when I started to feel sad, I noticed about 2,000 of me standing around and then I thought, we’re both so totally and hopelessly unoriginal and fake we’d be perfect for one another. Email me, we can pretend to talk about music we know absolutely nothing about then get drunk off of OE cause, you know, it’s fun to be white and pretend like you know shit about the ghetto. I know you’re out there, I’ll be waiting breathlessly by my MacBook Pro and Midi Keyboard for your email. In fact, I think I’ll go compose a wordless, electronic ballad while I wait. peace, chicken

Is is sarcasm do you think?

There has been much hubbub surrounding Marty Golden’s Greenmarket in the Walgreens parking lot in Bay Ridge, and much debate about whether it will live on past December. Thirty blocks away, produce-hungry residents of the Bay Ridge Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) have taken matters into their own hands. Every Saturday from June through November Farmer Benjamin of Hearty Roots Farms has delivered vegetables from Tivoli, NY to the Presbyterian Church (the one whose huge stained glass window was destroyed in the tornado last year) on 4th Ave and Senator. About 100 Bay Ridge denizens pick up their week’s share of vegetables each Saturday. Now in the final days of their first season, re-registration is high for the second season of weekly farm fresh produce, guaranteed.
—Vanessa Raymond

[Photo courtesy of New York Public Library]

You know the sort of scary-looking grain terminal in Red Hook on Gowanus Bay? This is what it used to look like back when it was in operation. The photo is undated, so it’s unclear when this was.

A short vid of the Thunderbolt in Coney Island, which was demolished on Nov. 17, 2000 at the age of 75. Pics and music. Worth a viewing.

[Photo for GL Courtesy of Gary Mirabelle]

This gorgeous photo of Prospect Park come from local artist and GL Photo Contributor Gary Mirabelle who has supplied us with many, many shots of our favorite park in all seasons.

“GL posts a lot of great stuff, but sometimes goes off the insane-o-meter. This is probably the worst example of journalism I have seen GL post. There are a number of anecdotal complaints about one ER which becomes the headline: ‘Slopers Continue Venting About Methodist Hospital ER Shitshow’. Methodist is no worse and no better than other city ER (I do not work for Methodist and am not a doctor)…This is not a story about how shitty Methodist is. It’s a story about a group of entitled people in the Park Slope area who find that on their one or two trips to a city ER that people did not cater to them hand-and-foot. Cry us a river. Yes, waiting at Methodist sucks. So does waiting at any ER. As for the both ridiculous (and dangerous) suggestion for taking a cab to a Manhattan ER, you will not find your wait time to be any less. The city’s ERs are understaffed with overworked doctors who are doing the best they can.”–Slopers Continue Venting About Methodist Hospital ER Shitshow

[Photo courtesy of pixonomy/GL Flickr Pool]

To be perfectly honest, we’re not big fans of Canada Geese, especially to the extent that they leave a lot of, uh, things behind. But this is one cool pic of a goose in Prospect Park.

There is a long and involved discussion going on among our dear and good friends at Park Slope Parents about the horrors at the emergency room at Methodist Hospital, although to be fair, a few people have reported positive experiences. (We thank some PSP members for their very encouraging emails yesterday, by the way, for our helping spread the word to the greater community.) In any case, we’re just going to go directly to the copy and paste, which is the best way to share the emails in which we’re drowning. In all fairness, some people say they have gotten prompt attention at Methodist, meaning that it’s probably a roll of the dice as to the day of the week, time of day and condition in which one arrives. In any case, we have several emails that we believe are worthy of public attention. We omit the identity of the writer, not to deprive them of credit for their writing, but to preserve their anonymity:

Even a ride to the emergency room in an ambulance does not guarantee medical attention at Methodist. My sitter suffered a bad fall on the playground 2 years ago,and was taken to Methodist by ambulance. And even though she was suffering from severe pains to the chest area, she still did not receive any care at all, and finally ended up hobbling out of the hospital after 4 hours of pain and suffering and still not being able to see a doctor. And this was even with their so called triage and fast track system in place. The only thing they are efficient about is making sure they collect all your insurance information and getting their paperwork in order – over and over again. I agree with some of the other posters that you are better off jumping in to a cab and seeking medical attention in Manhattan.

More stories ahead.

Today’s adoptable kitty of the week comes thanks to Sonia and the Urban Cat League. She writes:

Juno is an adorable one-year-old tabby who adores being pet and purrs instantaneously. She loves lap cuddles and is eager to jump into to bed with you when you’re ready to wind down. She is an absolute doll who likes to pretend she’s the queen bee of the house. She can play rough but learns quickly when enough is enough. We think she would do best as a single cat as she loves getting all the attention. Juno has been spayed, vaccinated, and tested negative for FIV/FeLV.

Looking for a kitty to cuddle with on the couch? Well Miss Juno is your gal. Contact Sonia at lulumomma@gmail.com to meet this adorable feline.

Missed our other cutie pies? Check them out here, they are all are still looking for a loving home.

Dude, Donny and Bunny
Bishop and Marbles
Annabelle and Augie
Chatzee!
Senor Don Gato

—E.C. Stephens

Another pic of Juno right this way.

Are we addicted to the forums at Brooklynian? “Addicted” is such a strong word…how about “attached”? Seriously, we can quit anytime we want to. We just don’t want to, that’s all. For those of you who are still social lurkers, we here at GL offer a weekly peek at what’s weird, funny, and gentriconfrontational over at Kings County procrastination central. Think of it as that first gratis hit from the old dope-peddler.

We’ve finally recovered from the election. It was exciting and historic, and it was hard to find the energy, for a while there, to argue about stroller etiquette. (A lot of us were sick, too.) But we’re back now! In Park Slope, we’re kvetching over mail from Jehovah’s Witnesses, people who may or may not be skin heads, and how our neighbors dispose of coupons to Key Foods. Don’t worry: we’re still addicted to national politics. And the international scene, too: do pirates have direct deposit, or what? Our newly international correspondent, Alafairnadia, promises communiques from Ecuador and would appreciate advice on preparing wild turkey (not the kind in a bottle). Closer to home, some folks are considering ordering in, perhaps so there’s more time for community service. No word yet on how many will throw over the stuffing and sweet potatoes for biryani and naan, but with Baluchi’s open, the temptation is real.
—Jean Kahler

Romance Bed-Stuy Style [Bed-Stuy Banana]
Communitree Day at the Hattie Carthan Garden [Bed-Stuy Blog]
Brooklyn Love [Brit in Brooklyn]
Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights Slam the Energy Scammers [BVIB]
Montague Vacancy Persists as Dental Clinic Backs Out [Brooklyn Eagle]
SWO at Future Fairfield Inn [Brownstoner]
Denis Leary Filming Outside Lares Bar [BushwickBK]
Rent God’s House in Clinton Hill [Curbed]
Day Care Fair at LIU Brooklyn Campus [Clinton Hill Blog]
Welcome to Newkirk Plaza [Lost City]
Cherry Point? [New York Shitty]
–Compiled by Lauren Fairbanks

[Photo courtesy of New York Public Library]

This is a photo showing “social conditions” in Red Hook via the state of some of the housing stock in the 1930s. We could swear we recognize one or two of those buildings.

How about a strange video tour/commercial for the Nu Hotel on Smith Street across the street from the Brooklyn House of Detention?

The Thanksgiving bird’s not even in the oven, and we’re already getting things lined up for the next holiday. It’s time to prepare for the annual Atlantic Avenue Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Belarusian Church (corner of Atlantic Avenue and Bond Street), on Thursday (12/4) at 6pm. Local school children will sing Christmas carols and musical performances, as well as a visit from the Fat Man, himself. Various stores along Atlantic Avenue from Hicks all the way up to 4th Ave will be participating in a window display contest (which Brownstoner also had something about). The winner will be announced at the lighting ceremony. Enjoy complimentary holiday treats from local restaurants and shops.
— Vaduzuvunt

[Image via michellekarshan/flickr]

[Photo courtesy of vaduzuvunt/GL Flickr Pool]

The sunsets in Red Hook are always special, even when power lines are part of them.

(As a point of interest, this is the 10,000th post on Gowanus Lounge.)

This Saturday (11/22) 1-6pm Empty Cage Collective will be at NYC Pet Supplies in Williamsburg (241 Bedford Avenue b/w N 3rd & 4th Streets), with adorable kittens and cats rescued from the mean streets looking for loving homes. Head on down to enter in the raffles, donate to the ECC food bank, or even share the love and take a feline friend out of the cold and into your warm home.
— Vaduzuvunt

[Photo courtesy of megunski/GL Flickr Pool]

Those who take the F Train or the G Train know exactly why this shot of the Smith-9th Street station is called “waiting.”

[Photo courtesy of New York Public Library]

This is Brighton Beach Avenue at Hoff Street back in the Roaring Twenties, specifically 1927.