Month: October 2008

Two guys got together and decided to create a “Williamsburg and Greater Greenpoint” tote bag. The map on the bag calls out the Russian Orthodox Cathedral at North 12th and Driggs as “the Mosque”. I wasn’t going to bother linking to this inanity until I noticed that the bag’s designers were defending their mistake by saying that “*everyone* calls it that”.
Everyone who? Does anyone know anyone who calls this building “the Mosque”? (Or at least anyone who remembers this building with green domes who calls this building “the Mosque”?) Or are these people just so unhip that they can’t tell the difference between Russian architecture (you know, onion domes, the Kremlin and what not) and Islamic architecture (minarets, Hagia Sophia, minarets).

Williamsburg Is Dead calls out examiner.com for its rave review of a long-closed closed restaurant.
To paraphrase Yogi Berra, no one goes there anymore, its closed.

Shop local.

While the median price for a Brooklyn apartment dropped 5.6% last quarter (vs. same quarter 2007), prices in Greenpoint and Williamsburg managed to increase 6.9%.
Still, this does not mean that the laws of gravity (or supply and demand) have been suspended in North Brooklyn.

Sunday afternoon, Domino developer CPC is opening the site to the public. The wharf area, which is slated to become a waterfront esplanade under CPC’s rezoning plan, will be open to the public from 2 pm to 6 pm.
Not coincidentally, CPC’s rezoning application is about to certified by City Planning. Which means that the real public review for CPC’s proposed massive rezoning of the Domino site will probably begin in early December.
In the meantime, whether you are pro, con or indifferent on the Domino rezoning, this Sunday may be your only opportunity to see the Domino site and enjoy some free hospitality.

Further to my post yesterday on term limits, if you want to make your feelings known to CM Yassky, you can call him at (718) 875-5200 (or send him an email). If you don’t live in the 33rd Council District, you can find your council person’s contact info here.
Give ’em a call – it’s still a democracy, after all.

Caribou Barbie talks – click away.

Remember the company that bribed a city crane inspector to help get their crane operators licensed? They’re still in business. And the crane operators who got their licenses during this period of bribery? They’re still licensed to operate those cranes. And one of those cranes is currently being operated at Northside Piers.
Not to worry, though – the City is going to force the operators to take the test again. In January. Until then, you’re free to hoist away guys.
[via NAG]

David Yassky, who also represents parts of Williamsburg and Greenpoint, is one of seven undecided Councilmembers when it comes to the term limits extension. Some are even saying that the issue will come down to Yassky’s vote.
As I’ve said before, I don’t think that NYC’s term limits work. But I also don’t think that legislative fiat is the proper path to fixing the problem. Recently, the paternalism (and maternalism) that advocates of this temporary but in-our-best-interest ploy have wrapped themselves in has made the whole exercise even more disgusting. Its pretty simple – people voted twice for term limits. Now we are faced with a popular mayor about to be forced into retirement at just the moment when his political and economic experience may be of the most value. So put it to a vote. People are smart enough to understand what the stakes of term limits are. We’re also smart enough to know when we’re being talked down to. Supporting a one-time extension of term limits (Lauder) is bullshit, no matter how extraordinary the times. Saying that voters should have a choice in troubled times (Quinn), but not supporting a referendum that would give us that choice, is also bullshit.
Term limits are stupid, but the voters should make that call, not the politicians.
**UPDATE:** If you want to make your feelings known to CM Yassky, call him at (718) 875-5200 (or send him an email). If you don’t live in the 33rd Council District, you can find your council person’s contact info here. Give ’em a call – it’s still a democracy, after all.

New York Water Taxi is shutting down its East River service early this year (November 1), and residents of Shaefer Landing (and elsewhere) are not happy. Seems some people bought into the development counting on convenient transportation.
Will the Water Taxi go down as Williamsburg’s monorail? In addition to Shaefer Landing, monorails water taxis are planned for Greenpoint and North 6th Street. Domino, too, plans a water taxi stop (the “primary form of transportation for residents is expected be a water taxi…”).
The *Times* thinks there might be a problem here:
> Even before the stock market crashed, it seemed likely that the area was overextending itself with new housing; a ferry service that can’t be counted on could create a full-blown glut.