He was here a minute ago.

With DOB under the microscope, now is probably not the best time to be bribing inspectors. Hell, any inspector taking a bribe in the current environment is an even bigger idiot. Too bad judges can’t add time for stupidity.

If a house was built in the 1830s, 150 years after the Dutch ceded control of New Amsterdam to the English, it is not a “Dutch Farmhouse”.

(Which is not to say that this building shouldn’t be a landmark.)

More fallout from the wall collapse that killed laborer Lauro Ortega, and more self-certification shenanigans. Turns out the engineer who pulled the plans authorizing construction at the site had lost his self-cert privileges. So he signed his partner’s name to the documents.

The contractor/developer of the project has already been charged with manslaughter. The engineer – Abraham Hertzberg – is charged with 9 felony counts of offering a false instrument.

Its good to see DOB and DOI going after the bad actors, but at some point the structural deficiencies in the system itself need to be addressed.

One line that had been scheduled for more service in the original proposal last December but was not included in this round of improvements was the G. Riders on the G often complain of long waits between trains. Officials said the G did not exceed the loading guidelines.

No love for the L, either.

Williamsburg Walks* – the proposal to close down a stretch of Bedford Avenue for 4 Saturdays this summer – looks as if it is going to happen. The proposal is to make Bedford from North 3rd to North 9th pedestrian only starting on 19 July and for the three Saturdays following. Stores and restaurants will be allowed to expand into the street.

(* The information on this link is out of date – check back soon for updates.)

The short-lived Luna Lounge on Metropolitan looks like it will soon reopen as the Knitting Factory. Good news/bad news. Its too bad that Luna didn’t make it – the old Ludlow version was a bastion of the music scene way back when, and it would have been great to see that success translate over here. Knitting Factory, on the other hand, has long been a bigger (bastionier?) bastion of NY’s downtown music scene, so it will be great to see that success translate over here. Hopefully this is a sign that music and the arts can continue to thrive in Williamsburg – all signs have been pointing in the opposite direction of late.

Brooklyn Public Library is running an exhibit of photographs by Nathan Kensinger documenting the fast-eroding industrial landscape of Brooklyn’s waterfront. Coincidentally (or not), Kensinger’s show opens on the same day that Ikea’s Red Hook store opens (the latter was responsible for the loss of the Todd Shipyard graving dock and is next door to the former Revere Sugar factory.

The exhibit runs today through 22 August, with an opening reception/meet the artist event this evening at 7:30.

Its getting rather crowded in the 33rd.

(And as yet, no competition in the 34th, next door?)