Many of you might know “Morris” the orange cat who lived in the manger outside of the St. Anthony’s Church on Manhattan Ave. Reader Emily informed us sadly that poor Morris has passed away and one of his humans wrote this note for him. Even the littlest creatures touch our lives and are very important members in our community. If anyone has any photos of Morris, please email us or send them to us via Instagram @greenpointers so we can share them.
Here is the letter to Morris left near his manger:
R.I.P Morris (my name for you),
Found out today around 6pm that someone had poisoned you. I hope that’s not true. This manger was your home. Jesus was born in a manger surrounded by animals. When I first saw you here I prayed that guardian angels would take care of you. They fed you brought you water and catnip. You would come out and often you got petted; and when they walked away you wanted to follow them home. I now pray that you may be born again and live in a nice home, warm and full of love for you.
Clay Space 1205 celebrates 7 years of community and creativity! Tonight, Friday March 22, 2013 from 6-9pm, join Clay Space (1205 Manhattan Ave) for a group show of former and current members’ work exhibiting the diversity of the Clay Space community.
On Wednesday March 20, 2013 at 6:30pm – a little bit of Cajun spice takes over Troost (1011 Manhattan Ave).
Come experience a traditional southwestern Lousiana Cajun gathering, complete with music, dancing, and authentic cuisine. Toby Rodriguez will be sharing his rich Cajun culture and savory creations. He will be preparing some of the most treasured dishes that come from a traditional pig boucherie, his specialty.
Jesse Lege, one of the fines Cajun singers and accordion players, will be playing tunes!
Tickets cost $50 – RSVP at rennie.freetown (AT) gmail.com
10% Off – Just mention Greenpointers when you RSVP
With the proposed ten luxury high rises coming to Greenpoint, adding over 5000 new homes to the area, nearby residents of The Greenpoint Hotel currently live in deplorable conditions. With rents on the rise, are low income residents being victimized by landlords looking to cash in on valuable real estate?
It ain’t the Greenpoint depicted in Girls – that’s for sure.
In 2006, the NY Times described the The Greenpoint Hotel on Manhattan Ave, reporting that the “hallways stink of marijuana and urine; the bathrooms – one per floor – are caked in dirt, and hot water is rare. The front desk is barricaded shut with sheets of plywood. Theft and violence are a constant threat.” Since then, not much has changed.
Last week a public walk thru took place after 30 residents of this Single Room Occupancy (SRO) had their first court appearance to file a law suit to address violations, which were described in a Greenline article in December to include, mold, rats, sporadic heat and hot water and electrical issues. Since then, none of the issues have been addressed by the landlord.
Advocating for the residents, Greg Hanlon of St. Nicks Alliance provided us with photos from the walk thru and the following statement:
The situation at 1109 Manhattan is an egregious and unconscionable example of what has become a common trend in North Brooklyn: Unscrupulous landlords’ forcing out longtime tenants by any means possible, so that they can make more money from their buildings. In some cases, it’s harassment and intimidation; in some, neglect. In this case, it’s both.
These tenants pay around $250 to $350 a month. We’re talking about prime real estate in Greenpoint, a stone’s throw away from the proposed Greenpoint Landing Development, which will have ripple effects on property values throughout the neighborhood. Tenants have told us that the landlord, Jay Deutchman, is trying to sell the building. It’s not too hard to see what’s going on here, and what Mr. Deutchman’s motivations are.
Greenpoint Hotel Resident Bill (above) hangs his belongings to keep them out of reach of the rats.
Along with St. Nick’s Alliance, Council Member Stephen Levin was at the walk thru and had this to say:
For years, the Greenpoint Hotel has been a haven for miserable living conditions. Rats, broken toilets, and collapsing ceilings have become a part of everyday life at the Hotel so that the landlord can vacate the building and sell it.
We cannot allow this to happen in our city. No New Yorker should be taken advantage of like this. No New Yorker should be subjected to live in this type of environment. That’s why I have called HPD repeatedly to complain about the state of the building and commend the legal action taken on behalf of the residents to make sure these conditions do not persist.
It’s fortunate that the residents of The Greenpoint Hotel have spoken up and sought help. We hope we can count on our public leaders to help improve conditions there and be an advocate for other Greenpointers in similar situations.
With housing prices on the rise in Greenpoint, will more low-income residents be mistreated like by landlords who want to raise rent? Have you or your neighbors been the victim of such neglect?
What is Keramos Hall you say? Our thoughts exactly. Which is why we decided to devote a lil’ bit of research to this. Like us, you might have been surprised recently when the scaffolding came down from Milton St and Manhattan Ave, revealing a whimsical half-timbered Swiss Chalet confection where before was a drab vinyl-covered building. Where did this slice of Switzerland come from? Read on to be illuminated on a piece of forgotten Greenpoint architecture. Continue reading →
Have you ever noticed how many banks we have to choose from in our little downtown area of Greenpoint, Brooklyn? South of Greenpoint Avenue, on Manhattan Avenue, our banking options seem limitless: HSBC, Citibank, Bank of America, Dime, Capital One, Chase, Apple, and now, TD Bank.
For the average non-homeowner with a steady paycheck the levels in service don’t differ much from the green bank to the red bank. For homeowners, it’s usually a matter of a quarter percentage savings on the interest of their mortgage. Options are good, but I don’t think that they need to take up so much physical space from the downtown centers of New York City neighborhoods. It’s not like my account is physically there; most banking is done online. And let’s face it, banks are basically big empty spaces used as a public relation tool by an industry that can more easily afford centralized real estate than anyone else. And they are in need of public relations.
I know you hate the newest ugly condo building in the neighborhood, me too, they’re ugly and already falling apart, but this outdoor mall of banks isn’t any better. Continue reading →
East River Tattoo is moving from its current location on Franklin St to 1047 Manhattan Ave (betw. Freeman and Eagle) in January 2013, which is next week.
I made something else for you, Greenpoint – a video of all the Christmas and other crazy lights we see in the neighborhood, set to Sonic Youth. Enjoy and have a great day!
For over two years now Milk and Roses, (1110 Manhattan Ave) in Greenpoint has been the go to place for the perfect cappuccino and croissant. Now Milk has the pleasure to announce an entire new side, with the able hand of Chef Chance Jones. Jones has created an authentic southern Italian menu, featuring cheese and cured meat platters, insalate, braised meats and pasta.
Milk is especially excited about Agnello in Agro, a braised leg of lamb with cacao, egg, lemon and a warm carrot puree. Another chilly day favorite are the braised short ribs served over polenta, rucola and lemon. The pastas include Cacio e Pepe and Genovese, served daily, plus a featured different special pasta every night.
But do not worry – they still have your favorites for lunch and brunch!
Keep Milk and Roses in mind when booking your next special event, wedding or film shoot. The handsome interior also functions as a full-service event space!
There are plans to convert the old Chopin Theatre at 910 Manhattan Avenue into a full-service gym! The existing Starbucks will remain on the ground floor where you can stock up on calories to burn off in the 13,700 square foot health club. While no pool is planned, there will be a full range of equipment, classrooms, locker rooms and sauna & steam rooms. At last night’s CB1 public hearing, a representative for the building owner stated that they have plans to develop and independently operate the gym with a capacity for roughly 250 people. The proposed operating hours are 5AM-12AM on weekdays and 8AM-9PM on weekends, which some neighborhood residents felt allowed the gym to be open too late. Perhaps most importantly, the building owner has plans to keep the majestic eagle perched on top of the building!
So, Greenpointers, is a gym the right use of space for the old theatre? What kind of classes would you take at the gym?
Many of you might know “Morris” the orange cat who lived in the manger outside of the St. Anthony’s Church on Manhattan Ave. Reader Emily informed us sadly that poor Morris has passed away and one of his humans wrote this note for him. Even the littlest creatures touch our lives and are very important members in our community. If anyone has any photos of Morris, please email us or send them to us via Instagram @greenpointers so we can share them.
