The Greenpoint Library (107 Norman Ave) is closing for reconstruction at the end of the day on Friday, June 30. With $5 million in funds from the GCEF and more than $6 million from the Brooklyn Public Library, a larger, more modern, and truly green Greenpoint Library and Environmental Education Center is coming, along with expanded programs and activities. Construction is expected to be complete at the end of 2018. The original Greenpoint Library was constructed in 1906 and only replaced once in the 70’s due to deterioration. Continue reading →
Another skyscraper is rising along the Greenpoint waterfront, slated for completion in 2018. The area is quickly being transformed into a cordon of gleaming skyscrapers. Some people have jokingly started calling our area “Dubai” in reference to North Brooklyn’s huge skyscrapers.
Developer Andru Coren’s application to build a 12 story 60-unit residential tower at 29 Clay Street was approved by the city. The building will contain 48,000 square feet and an underground garage for parking. The tower will have a single apartment on the first floor, seven on the second and eight each on the third and fourth floors. There will be five apartments each of the second through tenth floors with two on the 11th and a single penthouse apartment on the 12th floor. Continue reading →
A green cab driver was shot in the leg early last Friday morning when he tried to speed away from two armed assailants attempting to rob him and his passenger. The incident happened at the intersection of North Eighth and Berry streets at 3:15am. Check out this article from DNAinfo for more details.
Newtown Creek will be swimmable by 2035! Actually, don’t quote me on that swimmable thing, but according to this piece from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, at last week’s Superfund Community Advisory Group (CAG) meeting, the EPA announced plans for the remediation of Newtown Creek. Unfortunately, the plans wouldn’t even begin to show results until 2025 at the earliest.
According to this article from the Wall Street Journal, sculptor Barry X Ball will be moving his studio from Williamsburg to Greenpoint in the Spring. The space, at 193 Banker St., is currently being renovated specifically for him, and according to Mr. Ball, once it’s finished will be “the only comprehensive stone fabrication facility in the world.”
Local Greenpointer Kim Brown, who is the owner of Greenpoint Hill (100 Freeman St.) got some press this week in this lovely piece from Bedford + Bowery. Brown is a ceramicist herself and her gallery features work from mostly Greenpoint-based artists.
Greenpoint has been dubbed “the new home design capital of the world” according to this recent article from Vogue.
Some of last weekend’s Greenpoint Halloween festivities, including the Town Square Spooktacular and P.S. 110’s annual fall festival, were captured in this piece from The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Some of the photos are especially great!
Guys dressed up as construction workers for Halloween will be preventing anyone from passing under the BQE this weekend. Actually, they are real construction workers, but seriously, traveling from one side of the BQE to the other will be difficult this weekend. Three out of six avenues that travel under the highway in Greenpoint will be closed. Check out this piece from The Williamsburg Patch for more info.
Old London Plane Trees hang over GPL Property Photo Credit: Darren Lipman
In recent weeks, some of you may have spotted the mutilation of 5 trees bordering the northern edge of Barge Park. These trees, identified as 75 yr old London Plane Trees, have been around longer than most of us and recently met their untimely death at the hands of our new neighbor Greenpoint Landing, and the Parks Department.
How they were chopped down and how much money Greenpoint will be getting out of the deal is rather murky indeed.
Let’s just say, in NYC money really does grow on trees. Continue reading →
The last time we checked in, we were waving bye-bye to our beloved Sludge Tank as it was being demolished to pave way for some of Greenpoint Landing’s grand developments. Now that the demo is over, nearby residents are learning that the construction dust floating in the air, the same dust that entered homes and left residue over a children’s playground, was filled with lead and other harmful chemicals.
Welcome to remediation gone bad, where government agencies hire unscrupulous contractors who do shoddy work and leave us wondering if that odd smell in the air is just in our heads, or if something else is really going on, something infinitely more dangerous. Let me set the record straight—it’s not in your head: The people responsible for protecting our health aren’t doing their jobs. Continue reading →
Greenpoint Landing construction on Commercial Street. Photo credit: Kim Masson
Greenpoint’s got a new kid on the block and he’s entered the hood with a bang. For anyone who has seen the mounds of excavated dirt, or the felt the head-splitting thunderous claps of wooden piles being driven into the ground at 7 am, knows Greenpoint Landing has officially arrived. Continue reading →
In the latest construction news to hit North Brooklyn, the city approved a McCarren Park expansion that has been in the works since 2010. The plan would expand the park by 33,800 square feet, connecting the section of McCarren Park that holds the dog run and farmers market to the park’s southern end. The chunk of Union Ave. between Driggs Ave. and North 12 Street will be dug up and replaced with a fancy shmancy pedestrian plaza.
Naturally, residents are concerned with how traffic will be affected. Additionally, the expanded green area will remove 34 parking spaces. Gothamist reported, however, that these spaces may likely be recovered nearby.
While the the Parks Department works on securing funding for a permanent design, a temporary design is expected to be completed by summer 2014, giving us all something to look forward to just as the weather starts to turn cold.
Joe Lentol shared this document on facebook this week. There is a sewer to be installed on behalf of ExxonMobil on Monitor St between Greenpoint Ave and Calyer St in Greenpoint. Construction is tentatively planned between 9/16/13 and 12/20/13 Monday- Friday between 7am-6pm.
The sewer has been approved by DEP and its construction may allow for future installation of a stormwater management system located near ExxonMobil Greenpoint Petroleum Remediation Project.
If you have any questions contact:
Ken Thompson
Community Liason ExxonMobil
718-404-0675 [email protected]
Tonight – August 20, 2013 at 6:30 PM there will be a Public Hearing on the 77 Commercial Street Project and an Informational Presentation on Newtown Barge and Box Street Parks at Automotive High School (50 Bedford Ave).
Like Greenpoint Landing, 77 Commercial St has also begun its ULURP process. (WTF is ULURP?) Approval of the proposal will mean 30-40 story towers in exchange for a park and affordable housing.
Aside from the impact on the character of the neighborhood as well as issues with infrastructure and transportation, the environmental issues at this site and the risk to public health are of great concern.
According to the convoluted and endless Environmental Assessment Statement issued on 8/1/13, the 77 Commercial St site is “currently or was historically a manufacturing area that involved hazardous materials” … “a site where there is reason to suspect the presence of hazardous materials, contamination, illegal dumping or fill or fill material of unknown origin.” When is the open house?!
Based on the findings in this statement, a detailed analysis of air quality, noise and hazardous material in respect to public health needs to be conducted. If you can get a word in edgewise this evening, it’s very important that questions with respect to these vital issues are addressed.
Don’t forget to join GWAPP & NAG for a Special Community Workshop on the Greenpoint Landing & 77 Commercial Street Developments on Thursday June 27th, 2013 at 6:30-8pm at the Newtown Creek Visitor Center (329 Greenpoint Ave). This event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RSVP
