Earlier this week, OSA Presents announced its second benefit concert for the summer season – Nas and Damian Marley on July 31st. Tickets are $40 (with proceeds benefitting the Open Space Alliance for North Brooklyn). There was an internet “presale” yesterday, and tickets go on sale to the general public at noon today (click on title link, above, to go to Ticketmaster site).
July 31: Nas & Damian Marley at Second OSA Benefit
Zip112 Closes Down
In a prophylactic move, Zip112, the “legal” hostel at 112 North 6th Street has decided to close its doors before the city DOB inspectors return and potentially close it down for good.
Zip112 was spared from closure during the city’s initial inspection when the owner was able to convince a city inspector that a ladder hung off the 5th floor wooden deck constituted a second means of egress. Think about that – a fifth-floor walk-up apartment with no CO for residential use was deemed legal because there was a ladder – not a fire escape, a ladder – leading from a wooden (i.e., combustible) deck. That was their second means of egress?
Maybe someone should speak to that inspector?
I’m Only a Bill

Vandalism, Assassination Threats Follow HCR
Last Thursday [Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY)] received a chilling recorded message at her campaign office. “Assassinate is the word they used…toward the children of lawmakers who voted yes.”
I see the Blackshirts are out in force.
New York’s Ten Worst Landlords
Moishe Indig, owner of 684 Flushing Avenue, leads off the Voice’s list of New York’s 10 worst landlords.
Everything that could go wrong in this building has gone wrong,” [tenant Michael] Juliano says.
That includes over 130 violations (according to the Voice – DOB lists a lot less), a stop-work order that is almost three years old, and more.
Tipping Over Domino
Matt Chaban nails it:
but it all basically boils down… that the project is just too damn big
Faith No More to Play Williamsburg Waterfront
OSA announced a series of paid concerts to be held at East River State Park this summer. The series kicks off on July 5 with a reunited Faith No More, with all proceeds for the paid events benefitting OSA and their work to preserve and create parks in North Brooklyn. (These concerts are in addition to the free “Pool Party” concerts, of which there will be eight this summer.)
New Domino Mixes Parking Disaster WIth Bike-Ped Benefits
Streetsblog has a good article on the impending disaster that is Domino’s parking proposal.
That’s 1,700 cars and it’s going to really overwhelm the community; there’s no doubt about that.
1,700 or 1,500, we’re still going to be overwhelmed. Domino claims it is matching the rate of ownership in the immediate area, but their study area includes a) immediate blocks that are very sparsely populated; and b) a good swath of Hasidic Williamsburg, which has inordinately high rates of car ownership. If Domino was acting responsibly, they would limit parking to under 50% – that matches the rate of ownership for CB1 at large (and coincides more or less with the zoning minimum).
Controversial Brooklyn Architect is Barred
Coincidentally or not, yesterday was the anniversary of Bob Guskind’s death.
The Party Bus
“This bus is a little bit like going back to the New York of the ’70s or ’80s, when it wasn’t about the money, it was about the spirit,” said Richard Mark Jordan, an actor from Bushwick who was gyrating in the aisle with friends and high-fiving strangers.
If by “the New York of the ’70s or the ’80s” you mean the Upper East Side frat-boy scene, then yes. Otherwise, it’s nothing at all like the New York of anytime.
I suppose the silver lining here is that the bus is taking these people OUT OF the neighborhood.
