Jelly NYC is promoting a petition to include performance space as part of the plans for Bushwick Inlet park. 417 signatures and counting.
Of course the first step is for the City to actually acquire the land. Until that happens, nothing else happens.
Pool Party Petition
A Lot of Construction on Union Avenue
Bob would normally be all over this (actually, he has been all over this, for ages now – welcome to the party, Eagle).
9 projects are currently under development on the triangle between Union, Grand and the BQE. For the record, that’s two Scaranos, two Fischers, one Bricolage, one Melzer/Mandl, on Gilman, on e S3 and one Kutnicki Bernstein.
Greenpoint Home for the Aged
NAG is working with North Brooklyn Development to protect the tenants of the Greenpoint Home for the Aged. (A fantastic building, by the way, part of the Greenpoint Historic District.)
[via Brownstoner]
Metropolitan Cinema Actually Coming Along
Still no GL, so as a public service, here is some of the local news from the internets. First off, Metropolitan Cinema swears they’ll be open by the Spring of ’09. I’ll believe it when I see it – this is the second slowest project in the area (the slowest is 80 Metropolitan, which despite having a small army working six days a week, every week, is moving verrry sloooowly).
[via Curbed]
Crying Wolf
So the administration that asked for a blank check to go to war – and promised to use it responsibly – now wants a blank check to fix Wall Street? The administration that did a heckuva job, Brownie, in New Orleans (and hasn’t exactly impressed us in Galveston), wants us to trust them to get it right on Wall Street? The administration that has stretched every inch its been given into a light year, wants 700 billion inches, no strings attached?
Why do I get the feeling I know how this story ends?
Wall Street has got itself in a hell of a pickle, and they need help. Part of that pickle is the complete lack of regulation and oversight that leads to a transparent and open market (yes, regulation fosters a more open market), and for that we can blame Washington. Part of that pickle is the fact that Wall Street made some incredibly boneheaded investments.
Once again, Republican fiscal conservatism has broken the bank. Democrats, as usual, need to take the grown up view, act responsibly and clean up the mess. But let’s not hand Bush & Co. a blank check. Get it right, and get it in writing. Retain all avenues of congressional oversight. Yes, Henry Paulson seems like an grown up, sensible person. But he still works for George W. Bush. There is one chance here, don’t screw it up. Again.
A Land of Opportunity Lures Poles Back Home
Gentrification and, more importantly, Poland’s entry into the European Union are changing Greenpoint.
Park(ing) Day
Meditation Garden.
Photo: Gothamist.
Among other things, today is Park(ing) Day, that annual event where people reclaim parking spaces for public (uh, non-parking) use. Above is the “Meditation Garden” at North 6th and Bedford. Other local attractions are the “Manhattan Avenue Park” at Driggs and Manhattan; the “Buckminster Fuller Park” at North 10th and Bedford; and the “Extended Chill Space Garden” at North 5th and Bedford.
No word on whether or not there are any pirate-themed park(ing) spaces.
More at Gothamist, Brownstoner and Curbed.