Open House Brooklyn

Open House New York is this coming weekend. Here are a few of the more interesting places and spaces in Brooklyn:

All weekend:

The Castle Braid
114 Troutman St/ Evergreen Ave, Bushwick

A former factory space has been converted to 146 apartments with a playful and industrial designed lobby and courtyard creating a modern yet warm atmosphere.

The City Reliquary

370 Metropolitan Ave/ Havemeyer St, Williamsburg

The museum celebrates NYC’s rich history and Williamsburg’s local character through its unique collections, relics and ephemera. Enjoy backyard and sidewalk camaraderie while experiencing obsessive collecting at its best.

Greenpoint View

82 Oak St/ Franklin St, Greenpoint

Located in a former feather factory on Greenpoint’s historic waterfront, this combined gallery and studio space houses workshops and a showroom.

The Green-Wood Cemetery

500 25th St/ 5th Ave, Sunset Park

The final resting place of some of NYC’s most memorable people covers 478 picturesque acres of rolling hills, ponds, trees, lawn and sculpture. On Sat, the cemetery landscape comes alive with Angels and Accordions, a site-specific tour and dance/ live music performance.

Hendrick I. Lott House

1940 E 36th St/ Filmore Ave, Marine Park

Get a behind-the-scenes-preview of this partially restored Dutch Colonial farmhouse, not yet open to the public. A panel exhibition, unique Lott Family objects, and archaeological discoveries from the site will be on display. [Way off the beaten path for North Brooklyn, but included here because once upon a time I worked on the first phase of the restoration of this 18th-century farmhouse.]

McCarren Park Pool

800 Lorimer St/ Bayard St, Greenpoint

One of 10 public pools built by the WPA, this pool could hold 6,800 swimmers at once. After years of use as performance space, it is now being redeveloped as a pool, ice skating rink and event space.

MINE metal/art

177 Grand St/ Bedford Ave, Williamsburg

This retail store and design showroom features the work of local metalworkers and artists. Pick up a walking map to view Kristina Kozak’s outdoor commissioned pieces throughout the neighborhood. [And to see where Kozak makes the magic happen, see Barzel Iron Works, below.]

Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant

329 Greenpoint Ave/ Humboldt St, Greenpoint

Dominating the local skyline with its stainless steel digester “eggs,” this wastewater treatment plant is the largest of the 14 NYC Department of Environmental Protection plants. The new facility is also home to a Nature Walk and Visitors Center.

Pier Glass Art Studio
499 Van Brunt St, #2A, Red Hook

This Civil War-era warehouse sits on the upper Bay of NY Harbor facing the Statue of Liberty and is constructed of cut granite rock, virgin timber from the Hudson Valley, and Brooklyn bricks. It now houses a glassblowing studio and exhibition space.

UrbanGlass

57 Rockwell Pl/ 647 Fulton St, Fort Greene

Explore the 17,000 sqare-foot glass-working studios including a Hot Shop, Flat Shop, Mold Shop, Flame-working, and Neon studio. Robert Lehman Gallery at UrbanGlass exhibits work by emerging artists working in glass.

The Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge

290 Conover St/ Pier 44, Red Hook

Lehigh Valley RR Barge #79 is the only floating, wooden, covered barge of its kind in America, and features exhibits about its restoration and transition into a waterborne museum.

Sunday only:

Barzel Iron Works

61 Jefferson St/ Bushwick Ave., Bushwick

Metal artist Kristina Kozak’s 15,000 sq ft studio is located in a working blacksmithing shop owned by Nat Barzily, and features heavy equipment and several hot forges

Brooklyn Bridge Park

Pier 1/ Furman & Old Fulton Sts, Fulton Ferry (DUMBO, Brooklyn Heights)

This 85-acre park, now under construction, will provide access to Brooklyn’s waterfront and spectacular views of the harbor and skyline. [Reservations required]



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Broadway Triangle Postponed

Matt Chaban has a run-down on Broadway Triangle, and reports that the City Planning decision for Broadway Triangle has been put off again – it will now be on October 19.

A Last Batch at a Bakery in the Bronx

Stella D’oro – a landmark on the Major Deegan – is shutting down today, after more than 75 years in business in NYC. Production is moving to a non-union shop in Ohio after the private equity firm that bought Stella D’oro couldn’t get the union workers in NYC to agree to a 27% pay cut and the elimination of their pension plan.

In case you missed it, the Times had an excellent article yesterday about private equity firms and the subprime mess they are making of American industry (and, of course, making money at it).

History of the Abati Warehouse Demolition

PMFA has the run down on the sketchy demolition of a warehouse on a former manufactured gas site. There’s a lot of ugly stuff buried under these former MGP sites – relying on a sheetrock contractor to do the job doesn’t seem like such a good.

Why do They Hate America?

[Laura] Ingraham fantasized about being on the plane home from Copenhagen… and watching Oprah Winfrey cry and Michelle Obama throw things with her “big arms.” The crowd cheered, and cheered…

Davila Will Run on WFP Line

[Vito] Lopez said he would again support Davila over Reyna, a former Lopez staffer whose relationship with the assemblyman has soured in recent years. This puts Lopez, as the Democratic county leader, in the usual position of working against the Democratic nominee.

More Pains for Gas Giant

TGE-rendering.jpg

TGE’s dream
(click to enlarge)

John Dax, the attorney for TransGas promises an appeal of the most recent court decision against the project. Meanwhile, there is a new (to me) rendering for the TransGas’ vision of the future of Bushwick Inlet, complete with condos in Greenpoint, a Monitor museum, TGE’s 350′-tall smoke stack, and a public park stretching from the inlet to North 8th Street.

Right now the odds of any of the pretty things in this rendering getting built are pretty slim.

Brooklyn Fishing Derby

The first annual Brooklyn Fishing Derby is a derby unlike any other (well, it’s sorta like other fishing competitions but this one’s in Brooklyn!). Whether you’re an experienced angler or don’t know which end of a fishing rod to hold all are welcome to some friendly competition, great parties with other Brooklyn anglers, and a chance to win some sweet prizes.

Mark your calendars and get out the fishing gear – tomorrow kicks off the first annual Brooklyn Fishing Derby. The Derby rund through the end of the month and covers the north Brooklyn waterfront, from the Gowanus Canal (Red Hook) to Newtown Creek (Long Island City – apparently that counts as Brooklyn now). There are even cash prizes and opening and closing parties at the Brooklyn Rod and Gun Club (wherever that is). (As far as I can tell, there is no requirement that you eat what you catch.)

Many more details at Brooklyn Chowder Surfer.

I’ll put my money on Key Lime Steve to take home a prize.



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Dock Street Shenanigans

David Yassky’s office has released new documents showing that the City didn’t think putting a school in Two Trees’ Dock Street development was a particularly good idea. But they went ahead and did it anyhow.