City to Buy 115 Foreclosed Homes

This is a good move. Not only will it help neighborhoods facing large numbers of foreclosures, it will also result in 250 to 300 units of affordable housing for low- and middle-income residents.
On the other hand, hopefully this is not the start of a trend toward the City becoming landlord of last resort, as it was in the 1970s.

North Brooklyn Downzoned

Well, not yet. But the Star has a recap of this week’s rezoning meetings – hopefully in six to nine months they can reuse this headline.

Studs Terkel

> “My epitaph will be ‘Curiosity did not kill this cat,'” he once said.

Brooklyn Represent

bk10000.jpg



Sure, as a New Yorker your vote won’t change the Electoral College map. But you can make a difference in swing states without leaving Kings County. This weekend (and through election day), volunteer a bit of time to call voters in those swing states and get out the Obama vote.
Brooklyn10000 is looking for 10,000 volunteers:
> This weekend, from Saturday, Nov. 1st, until Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 4th, Brooklyn has the power make the difference in this election.
We will be calling into the battleground states to get out the vote for Senators Obama and Biden. Brooklyn Represent.
Locally, Third Ward (Morgan and Stagg) is hosting one of the call-in sites. Hours, and the other 9 call-in locations are here.

It’s Time

My favorite conservative magazine endorses Obama:
> The Economist does not have a vote, but if it did, it would cast it for Mr Obama. We do so wholeheartedly: the Democratic candidate has clearly shown that he offers the better chance of restoring America’s self-confidence.

Preserving NY’s Industrial Past

From CityRoom, a rundown of last week’s MAS panel discussion on industrial architecture, green development and job retention. A lot of discussion of Williamsburg, including some thoughts from yours truly.

G-W Contextual Rezoning

10/29/2008 |

rezone.jpg

Greenpoint-Williamsburg Contextual Rezoning
Study Area



Last night City Planning and Community Board #1, in conjunction with Council Members Yassky and Reyna, held an informational session on the proposed contextual rezoning of 175 blocks in Greenpoint & Williamsburg. As in previous rezonings (Grand Street in 2008, Northside in 2005), the aim of the zoning is to limit building heights to the four to five story range (and thereby eliminate finger buildings).
There is another informational session this evening at Greenpoint Savings Bank on Manhattan Avenue. The formal public review is expected to begin in January or February.



✦✦