Even the Clergy Opposes Brunch Bans

Ann Kansfield, Pastor of the Greenpoint Reformed Church, weighs in on the Sunday morning sidewalk cafe ban:

The notion that sidewalk dining in some way restricts, inhibits or in any other way interferes with church attendance is utter hogwash. Consequently, I respectfully request that you not cite religious observance, specifically church attendance, as an argument against sidewalk dining… If there were so many church-going people in Greenpoint and Williamsburg that sidewalk seating would interfere with church attendance, all of our churches would be packed full of people. This is not the case… Sunday morning worship at the Greenpoint Reformed Church is so exciting and my sermons are so riveting and life-changing that sidewalk seating in no way keeps our congregation from attending services here. We simply traverse along the empty portion of the sidewalk and are able to get to church.

The pastor is right.

Winning the Battle, Losing the War

Lokal and Enid’s have both been issued summons for operating a sidewalk cafe before noon on Sunday’s. In addition to 300 Enid’s customers who think this crackdown is bullshit, you can add Borough President Marty Markowitz.

Landlord Trashes Tenant’s Apartment While She’s Out

A landlord with a history of harassing rent-stabilized tenants has demolished a tenant’s rent-stabilized apartment. In this case, the tenant did not have a lease, so the landlord is claiming “I don’t even know this person”.

AG Sues Developer of 57 Maspeth

Shoddy construction from circa 2006, the real boom times in Williamsburg condo construction. Based on the number of condos that went up between 2004 and 2008, the fast pace of construction and low level of oversight, this is probably not an outlier.

Schneiderman is seeking $1.3 million in payback for unit owners – to cover the alleged damage and $75,000 in legal and professional fees – as well as an $85,000 penalty that would go to the state, and an order that would effectively permanently ban Schwartz from selling condos in New York State.

[via Brownstoner]

New Taxicabs Are Green, Literally

Cute and all that on a Prius, but I’m withholding judgement until I see a chartreuse Town Car.

Lingerie on Bedford

Northside Gourmet Deli – which replaced an old-line bodega only a couple of years ago – is gone, and in its place is a second outlet for Brooklyn Fox Lingerie.

Ferry Operator Wants to Accept Metrocards

04/27/2012 | 1 Comment

The East River Ferry wants to accept Metrocards. Other non-MTA services already accept Metrocards, so the idea is not that far fetched. But the real innovation would be for the ferry to accept Metrocard transfers – i.e., eliminating the two-fare structure that most commuters using the ferry face (by the way, it’s nice to see Second Avenue Sagas having a change of heart about the ferry). As it stands now, if you want to go from the ferry to an MTA bus or subway, a one-way trip will cost you as much as $6.50. Institute free Metrocard transfers, and the price drops to $4 (the cost of the ferry ride).

But MTA chief Joe Lhota says that’s not going to happen.

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