Here’s a slideshow prepared by the Municipal Art Society on their proposals for Admiral’s Row at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. You can click on the little expand symbol on the lower right to make it full screen and hit escape to get back to GL. Otherwise, access the slideshow by clicking here.

“Like a good ‘citizen journalist,’ I’ve been keeping tabs on the aftermath of Saturday’s riot hipster pseudo-mob party thing. Turns out, five people ended up being arrested for things like “resisting arrest” and ‘inciting a riot.’ That’s interesting that when other people pull someone the other direction as he is being grabbed by a cop, it is the person being grabbed’s resistance! I think the NYPD should invest in some lessons in physics to provide cops along with their first-class police training. It is also amusing that playing good music and sprinkling water droplets are not only illegal, but considered things that are capable of inciting riots. I will be extremely careful now to only play Cold Play and Fall Out Boy at work, otherwise the customers may start chanting and smashing computers!”–Stuff Hipsters Don’t Like

There’s a document shredding opportunity coming up in Flatbush after Labor Day called Shredzilla, but it’ll cost you $10 per big box of documents you want to shred. Here’s the info:

Flatbush Development Corp presents Shredzilla! Join us at PS 139 in Brooklyn on September 6th from 9am-2pm to feed your confidential papers and records into a giant shredding truck! Local business owners and
residents are encouraged to bring all of their sensitive paper records, income taxes, social security information, medical records, accounting, payroll, cancelled checks, legal documents, credit card statements, etc. to PS 139 where for the bargain price of $10 per bankers box (or two
standard size shopping bags) your paper will be shredded into confetti and recycled. Stop paying storage fees and fight identity theft with Shredzilla! Proceeds go to benefit Flatbush Development Corp, a 30 year old non-profit organization and the premiere community development corporation in
Flatbush.

It happens on Saturday, September 6 from 9AM-2PM at PS 139’s schoolyard in Flatbush, which is located on Argyle Road between Cortelyou and Beverley Roads. Shred away.

[Photo Courtesy of June Carter Cash Peep/GL Flickr Pool]

These are the last remnants of the old Revere Sugar Plant in Red Hook demolished by developer Joe Sitt. The rusting hulk is part of an old conveyor system out into the water. The brick building is the sole surviving structure. The property is currently being used as an auxiliary parking lot for Ikea. The developer’s plans for the property are unclear, but are believed to include retail and residential use. Rezoning would be necessary and there is likely to be local controversy, particularly about residential use.

Outside the Brooklyn Weather Observatory, it’s looking pretty darned nice right now. Today’s forecast calls for it to be pleasant with plenty of sunshine and a high of 82. Which is quite nice for late August. Tonight will be mainly clear with a low of 64.–Accuweather

Earlier today, the Municipal Art Society offered more alternative visions that would involve saving Admiral’s Row, the historic buildings in the Brooklyn Navy Yard that the city wants to demolish for a supermarket and parking lot. The goal is to show that the buildings can be preserved and that the property can still accommodate all of the city’s goals. Per the MAS, each of the alternatives it presented to the National Guard Bureau trying to decide what to do with property demonstrates “that it is possible to retain the historic buildings on the Admiral’s Row site while also allowing for the construction of a much-needed supermarket and new retail and industrial space. In addition, the MAS plans showed that reconfiguring the planned new buildings could allow for additional green space, pedestrian accommodation and community uses instead of a suburban-style sea of parking.” The city wants to build a 65,000-square-foot grocery store with parking for at least 300 cars and other retail space on the site.

[Photo courtesy of Miss Heather]

Push button to walk or, we suppose, to squeak and fly. This image comes from Broadway in Williamsburg and was captured for us by Miss Heather.

We were reminded of Topshop’s McCarren Pool “hipster galleries” by a post on Williamsboard that said “this made me feel a little bit dirty.” The link, in turn, led to the topshop website and the self-described “hipster galleries” about which we have nothing to add. Interestingly, however, after yesterday’s coverage of efforts to try to find outdoor concert space to replace McCarren Pool and a link we posted on Curbed to an online petition from Jelly NYC asking for the same thing, the petition was pulled. Sever glitch? Reflection of the fact that it only had 333 signatures when it was linked? Rethinking of strategy? Eh, just enjoy the Hipster Galleries.

The redone (as in totally) Kellogg’s Diner at Union & Metropolitan in Williamsburg isn’t open yet, but it’s certainly making a lot of progress. Check out the shiny chrome and, of course, the new sign. The astounding thing is that, given that it will be surrounded by a massive new development called the “Gateway to Williamsburg” that the property didn’t become part of the new project. In terms of reopening, we’re guessing in a couple of week? It is unclear what the effect of the chrome and neon will be on wasted and hungry people at 4AM.

Check out the dude in drag dancing on the Coney Island Boardwalk. The vid shifts from horizontal to vertical part of the way through, but it’s still fun to watch.

“Monday, school shopping at the Atlantic Terminal, where the sunshine melted the soft serve so violently that an old woman sharing our bench had to walk away from the carnage. Picnic dinner in the Nethermead. We almost got mowed down by a fascist biker getting her speed-gasm on coming down past the 16th St. entrance. She’d probably waited all day for that high. I watched a patrol SUV chase after her with sirens blaring. Is there a speed limit for bikers? Can they get penalized for wreckless endangerment? But the gateway to paradise has always been guarded by monstrous creatures. Why am I surprised? We will not be deterred.”–Brooklynometry

Work is underway at 210 N. 12 Street in Williamsburg, which is one of the more interesting looking buildings that is going up in the neighborhood. It will rise at the corner of N. 12 Street & Driggs, across the street from McCarren Park and be an eight-story, 60,000 square foot building with 34 units. The firm behind it is MDIM Architects, which is definitely going to be making an impression on the nabe with a number of buildings that depart from the Williamsburg norm. The building is going up next to the site of the big former parking lot at 95 Bedford that has a variety of toxic issues where a large Kar Fischer building will rise.

The rendering is right here in case you missed it the first time around.

To be honest, while we love the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, we sometimes find that its Chile Pepper Fiesta is a little crowded and not the nicest time to visit. That having been said, this year’s edition will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2008 from Noon–6 PM. One of the musical performers will be Pete Seeger, which we definitely think is worth noting. Here’s a bit from the BBG:

Join in New York’s hottest fall tradition… an afternoon of musical and dance performances, food, and fun from chile-loving regions around the world, where the grooves are smokin’, the chile peppers are scorchin’, and the dancers are callin’ for water! Be a part of music history with a rare public performance by Pete Seeger, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, Guy Davis together in a Special Family Concert. Brooklyn’s young steel drum champs, the Sesame Flyers Steel Pan Orchestra, get the party sizzling amid a whirl of feathered dancers and fast and furious Caribbean rhythms. The Sauce Boss brings it to a boil with his famous gumbo spiced with foot-stomping Florida swamp blues and blistering slide guitar. Bombay songstress Falu blends her own “indie Hindi” sounds into a spicy masala of classical Indian music and alt rock. Throughout the afternoon, MCs Robbins & Ringold fire up audiences with flame eating, fire juggling, and other daring deeds.

More info about the whole thing here.

The old OTB parlor at 320 Court Street has sat empty for a long time despite movement last year toward becoming a French bistro called Huître. A tip from a GL Reader indicates that there may be movement, however. Per our reader:

Yesterday evening, I saw Jim McGown, owner of Hanley’s and South Brooklyn Pizza, step out of the vacant OTB storefront on Court and Sackett in Carroll Gardens. A new bar perhaps? More pizza? Who knows?

Well, here is what we know: the owner of Hanley’s is, indeed, the person behind the French bistro that would open in that spot and which would also have an outdoor cafe. A check of Department of Buildings records indicates recent activity on permits, including some fees due as of August 6. There are permits for interior work including kitchen equipment and for exterior repair work. The sighting of a principal in the venture would certainly indicate that something is about to start happening. There has been neighborhood discontent with Hanley’s, some of which we noted very recently. Dear God. Was that the sound of a pitchfork being retrieved from the closet and a torch being lit that we just heard?

We got an email from Paul Krik, the director of the film Able Danger, which is a 9/11 conspiracy flick. What’s interesting about it is that it takes place in Flatbush and features a cafe based on Vox Pop. Here’s what he wrote:

Able Danger was shot in entirely in victorian flatbush by a local resident (dave herman, me) and is inspired by Vox Pop and is shot at Vox Pop, the Farm, Club 7 and houses in the hood!

The film is showing at the Pioneer Theater in the East Village on 9/11 and other dates.

More about the film ahead.

[Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Junction]

For a long time, we rolled out a weekly link wrap devoted to Brooklyn food and drink. Here we are again:

· Corn Bread Diner Opens Its Doors [Brooklyn Junction]
· God No: Lucali’s On Vacation Through End of August [Chowhound]
· Eton on Sackett St. Has “Amazing Dumplings” [ABL]
· Bed-Stuy’s Peaches is a Place for Local People [Bed-Stuy Blog]
· How to Have a Summer Picnic in Dumbo [Dumbo NYC]
· New Bar Coming on Greene & Fulton [Clinton Hill Blog]
· Former Burg Triple Crown Lounge in Throes of Change [Eater]
· Amy Ruth’s is a No Go Downtown [McBrooklyn]

Oh, how times change. As if all the new buildings that have gone up and continue to go up on Fourth Avenue, taking out some of the more traditional businesses like garages and auto body shops along the way aren’t enough evidence of massive change on Fourth Avenue. (Plus things like eye glass shops and new eateries and bars.) We now have the Ganesh String Quartet that was playing on Fourth Avenue yesterday evening. A Special GL Correspondent files the photo and writes: “The ganesh string quartet playing on 4th ave by the union st station tonight. Surreal and wonderful!” The photo was taken around 6PM, but the quartet was still reported to be playing around 7PM. Ah, Brooklyn’s New Park Avenue, you do not disappoint. For the most part.

Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images:

· Little Boy Dies in South Burg in Fall Down Elevator Shaft [NYT]
· Same Sex Offender Strikes Twice in Borough Park [NYP]
· Williamsburg Developing an Antiques Scene [Sun]
· Sheepshead Bay Family Escapes from War-Torn Georgia [NYP]
· Bedford Avenue Park Will Open Someday [Brooklyn Junction]
· Weekly Tip Sheet [Brooklyn Based]
· Dumbo Crime Stats [Dumbo NYC]
· Trip Up Shit Creek Spawns Video Controversy [New York Shitty]
· Rock and Roll Outside Dreamland Rink in Coney on Saturday [Kinetic Carnival]

Rooftop Films is hitting off all the local blogs about an upcoming screening of a film about Rawanda on their beautiful Gowanus rooftop. Here’s the email that we (and others) received:

This is Danielle from Rooftop Films (www.rooftopfilms.com). I’m writing to let you know about one of our upcoming shows. Saturday, August 23rd, at 8:00pm we will be holding a screening of the film “Munyurangabo” on the roof of The Old American Can Factory in Gowanus/Park Slope. Before the show there will be a live performance by Twi the Humble Feather, presented by Sound Fix Records. Here is the New York Times review of the film….Rooftop has shows every weekend, June – September all over the city.

The Old American Can Factory building is at Third Avenue and Third Street in Gowanus. The films on the roof on a nice summer night are sweet.

Semi Precious Weapons are being evicted from their Greenpoint loft. This is so that the sewage treatment plant next door can use it for office space. It is too f*cking rock and roll for words.

Williamsburg blogger Bad Advice, who knows how to unload with some cutting words sometimes, went all out yesterday with a rant that started out to be about neighborhood bar Royal Oak and ended up being about way more than that. We go to the copy and paste:

Every night the sidewalk out front is clogged with coked-up jackasses braying at the moon. Sleep is out of the question unless you’ve got earplugs and air conditioning.

It used to be that the people who moved to Williamsburg—and the East Village before that—were the types who were shunned in high school. They were picked last in gym class, probably suffered an astigmatism and would much rather read a good book than attend a sporting event. They didn’t fit in in their home towns, so they gravitated here. Sure, they got on my nerves with their art projects and insistence on calling their apartments their “space” (eg, “you have to come see what I did with my space.”). Pretentious, no doubt, but these days, when I sit next to an earnest couple discussing their shared passion for Derrida and Galouis ciggies, I feel not derision, but nostalgia.

About the drunks screaming

[Photo courtesy of weenieart/GL Flickr Pool]

Here’s a shot of Red Hook that Ikea shoppers aren’t likely to focus on very much. Our photographer labels it “next.” Just a little nighttime steam cleaning at the garage.

Outside the Brooklyn Weather Observatory, we have the makings of a lovely late August day. The forecast calls for it to be sunny and pleasant with a high of 80. Tonight will be clear with a low of 61.–Accuweather

Here’s another one of those Williamsburg Big, Bad Wolf stencils. Yesterday’s was on a wall. Today’s is on a sidewalk on Wythe Avenue.