Well, fellow Greenpointers, as we approach the end of one year and the dawn of another, what better time to reflect on our little corner of the world?
In 2022, Greenpoint saw changes big and small, some good, some bad. That’s the nature of New York City, changing minute by minute, growing and contracting all at once. New businesses emerge, and beloved ones falter. The city’s pulse always hums along at a high frequency.
As I in particular think over my first year as editor, I think about the stories that percolated throughout our loyal readership here, those that even broke through to the outside world. No one list can contain every moment that made Greenpointers take notice, but here are a few worth mentioning.
LEPTOSPIROSIS OUTBREAK CONFIRMED IN WILLIAMSBURG
An alleged leptospirosis outbreak occurred in January at the McCarren Park dog run and caused multiple fatalities. City officials never confirmed that the outbreak was, in fact, leptospirosis, but several dogs succumbed to a brief illness after visiting the dog run.
EPA FINALLY DESIGNATES MEEKER AVENUE PLUME AS A SUPERFUND SITE
EPA designated the Meeker Avenue Plume as a Superfund site, making us the only neighborhood in the city with the dubious distinction of having two (out of the city’s four, yikes!)
GREENPOINT GOT A NEW STATE SENATE DISTRICT. THEN THE COURTS TOOK A LOOK
Neighborhoods across New York City faced many redistricting woes, and North Brooklyn was no exception. A preliminary map placed us in a new State Senate district alongside western Queens, but a court took a look and threw those maps out, a decision that totally overhauled an ongoing election cycle.
MCGUINNESS BOULEVARD IS GETTING A MAJOR REDESIGN. HERE’S WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
The DOT presented a McGuinness Boulevard redesign proposal, inciting emotions on either side of the issue. We’re still getting comments on this story, months later, to which I say as politely as possible: some of y’all have gotta touch grass.
BROOKLYN’S CB1 THROWN INTO CHAOS AFTER SUDDEN RESIGNATION OF LONGTIME DISTRICT MANAGER
Longtime (we’re talking nearly 50 years long) district manager Gerald Esposito suddenly resigned from Brooklyn CB1, leaving many to wonder what would happen to the Board itself, not to mention the car. The choice to report on this story made yours truly a persona non grata, so please read it.
A SNAPSHOT OF GREENPOINT IN 2022: INTERVIEWS WITH NORTH BROOKLYN VOTERS
Greenpoint’s median rent and census population have shot up in recent years. We got the scoop from local voters to find out how that made them feel (and how that affected who they voted for).
GREENPOINT FERRY STOP IS OFFICIALLY BACK
After over a year, the Greenpoint ferry stop finally made a triumphant return! Well, maybe not so triumphant, considering some of the technical issues it soon encountered, but hey, we’ll take what we can get at this point.
