On May 21st, Newtown Creek Alliance sets sail on Newtown Creek in a NY Waterway ferry boat. Historian Mitch Waxman and NCA Program Manager Willis Elkins are hosting the boat ride, and participants are invited to learn about the Creek’s rich industrial history, lasting legacy of contamination and environmental damage and on-going efforts to revitalize and restore this unique waterway in the heart of New York City.
This is a unique and rare way to be able to tour Newtown Creek and learn about our neighborhood’s (tragic) environmental history.
Newtown Creek Boat Tour | India Street Ferry Dock, 10 India Street
Sunday, May 21 | 2pm-4pm
The Brooklyn Barge (3 West Street, at Milton) finally opened yesterday for its third season. This is Greenpoint’s only waterfront bar with unbeatable views of Manhattan. It’s the kind of place you can round up a dozen friends last minute or bring a date to watch the sunset and twinkling skyline after dark. You can enjoy ten beers on tap (half of which are local to NY), sample the shared bites menu or go with their signature Barge Tacos or Burger. There’s something for everyone including veggie and gluten-free options.
The launch of the NYC Ferry service (which had prices drop down to $2.75 one-way) will surely increase traffic from Manhattan to Greenpoint foreshadowing the imminent boom of housing along West Street. As a result, we should probably expect bigger crowds at the Barge this season. Continue reading →
The long anticipated Brooklyn Barge Bar is looming ever closer on our horizons.
Although not yet open for business, the barge itself will take up its new position near Transmitter Park later this week.
Despite initial opposition from neighbors and the local community board, a liquor license was finally granted on June 2nd, much to the delight of bar manager and co-owner Will Drawbridge.
Waiting on the liquor license has held up the opening process a little, but Will tells us that they are currently hoping to be up and running by the end of June. Continue reading →
The body, which was found in the Newtown Creek, was that of Steven L. Middleton, a 21 year old who went swimming in the East River off of Williamsburg a few days earlier.
Our thoughts are with the family of this young man during this very sad time.
Last night, I received a text from a friend and trusted local resource – Meg from Dandelion Wine, “Dude. They just found a body floating in the river off the got pier.” A girl ran into the wine shop and said she was taking a sunset selfie with her dog when she noticed the crowd and a police boat pulling a dead body out of the water. Continue reading →
I’ve said it before, I only go to Manhattan to visit the dentist, since finding a new dentist is the only thing more painful than going into “the city.” Otherwise I’m very content to stay on this landmass we know as Long Island and within the confines of the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens. But travel between the two sometimes illogically results in “having” to go through Manhattan.
With development on the East River waterfront outpacing transportation solutions, commuting remains a hugely unanswered question. In Greenpoint, with much complained about G service (which is only going to get worse before it gets better) and still no East River Ferry service at India St on the known horizon, maybe it isn’t too cockamamy of an idea to imagine a self powered wireless street car that runs along the Queens and Brooklyn waterfront between Astoria and Red Hook. Continue reading →
We have fellow Brooklynite, Billy de Blasio, to thank for the change, which he announced on Monday. The fireworks will actually be launched from the Brooklyn Bridge and sources that we just made up say it will be spectacular. Continue reading →
The biggest craziest news in Greenpoint last week was the East River Ferry ramp collapse at India St Pier. No one was injured thankfully, but their motto, “Relax, we’ll get you there,” is a bit ironic.
There is no telling when service will resume from that location. In the mean time, passengers can take a FREE shuttle bus to No. 6th St. Us Greenpointers sure do love shuttle buses, right folks?
And finally there is some insight as to what happened. Continue reading →
While crossing over the East River during my daily ride on the East River Ferry, I would often see fishermen cast their lines into the dark polluted waters, hanging out on India Street Pier having a good time, in the rain or sunshine. Some of them were members of Brooklyn Urban Anglers Association, whose fishing derby this year would end with an East River Fish Fry. Continue reading →
Part of why Greenpoint is so special is because of our waterfront location. And while many still make disgusted faces when thinking of getting anywhere near the Newtown Creek or The East River, others are paddling up our local waterways and even fishing off our piers.
We still have a long way to go before we can even safely touch the water, but with more awareness and recreation on our waterways, the faster they will be cleaned up for future generations to enjoy.
City of Water Day, which is taking place this Saturday July 20th is “a celebration of the potential of the waterfront,” and lots of events are going on nearby.
The main events take place between 10am – 4pm on Governors Island and Liberty State Park in NJ, but many neighborhoods are participating as well.
The North Brooklyn Boat Club is paddling to Governor’s Island, where lots of fun events like a cardboard kayak race (and overnight camping) are taking place! NBBC’s paddling spots are full, but you can meet them there by taking the ferry over to Governors Island.
While nothing specifically is organized on Greenpoint’s waterfront, enjoy a picnic in Transmitter Park or at the Newtown Creek Nature Walk or watch the sunset on the India St Pier or the Manhattan Ave Streetend Park. We have lots of waterfront access in Greenpoint.
If you want to travel to the other end of Brooklyn, Greenpointers who brought you the Newtown Creek Armada along with the Gowanus Dredgers & Brooklyn Atlantis are taking on our sister super-fund waterway, The Gowanus Canal with the Gowanus Voyage, an interactive public boat pond on the Gowanus Canal in which you can explore above and below the surface of this historic waterway by piloting miniature remote control boats and aquatic robots equipped with video cameras and environmental sensors. Gowanus Voyage will take place on Saturday, July 20th, from 1pm-6pm at the 2nd Street boat launch near Bond Street in Brooklyn and is presented with the support of the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club. The rain date will be Sunday, July 21st.
