Berry Street seen here as an ‘open street’ for pedestrians and cyclists.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend Greenpointers! There’s reason to celebrate as coronavirus hospitalizations are trending downward in New York while the state launches a testing initiative with 52 pharmacies to screen symptomatic people.
Aside from the pharmacy pilot, local coronavirus testing sites include Greenpoint Urgent Care (795 Manhattan Ave.), Williamsburg Urgent Care (154 N 7th St.) and Northwell GoHealth Urgent Care Center (145 Kent Ave.).
Expanding on the city’s temporary pedestrian-only ‘open streets,’ Mayor de Blasio on Friday introduced an additional 13 miles of open streets starting Saturday morning, including:
-Russell St. from Nassau Ave. to Driggs Ave.
-Grand St. from Roebling St. to Marcy Ave.
-North 3rd St. from Kent Ave. to Metropolitan Ave.
– South 9th St. from Berry St. to Driggs Ave.
State beaches are open this weekend, while city beaches remain accessible in a very limited capacity with no lifeguards on duty as swimming in the water and congregating on the sand are off-limits. Over at the Rockaways, Riis Park Beach Bazaar will have concessions for takeout only at their year-round restaurant The Dropout, but no alcohol will be served and it’s still not allowed on the beach.
The number of coronavirus hospitalizations in New York may be on the decline for now, but the face mask is here to stay to help stop the spread of the highly transmissible virus. Many local businesses and independent creators in Greenpoint and Williamsburg are now designing and selling their own masks. Consider buying local and shopping from any of these sellers while keeping your neighborhood safe:
Line and Label (568 Manhattan Ave.) is offering handmade mask in sizes, kids, regular and large. Order online to have a product shipped to you or opt for contactless pick up at their store.
Small Home (100 Freeman St.) – Small Home is a independent artist-run shop that has recently started crafting their own face masks in large and small sizes in a bandit-style for layer comfort, including pockets for filters; direct message on Instagram to order.
2020 is the year of the pandemic, but before we were sequestered inside our homes it was another fairly typical election year. New York will still hold Democratic primaries on June 23rd, and arguably the most consequential contests of the year are in North Brooklyn where a number upstart candidates seek to unseat longtime incumbents.
Reminder: The Board of Elections began mailing absentee ballot applications this week, but If you’re a already a registered NYC voter then you can complete the online absentee ballot application right now. The deadline to apply is June 16th.
With only a month away from a primary with national, state and local implications, who’s on the ballot in north Brooklyn? Continue reading →
Volunteers in action at the food pantry fulfillment center in Greenpoint.
An emergency food pantry processing center has set up shop in Greenpoint and is in need of volunteers to help prepare aid packages.
A partnership between the non-profit organization Met Council and Yeshiva University is behind the effort to deliver groceries Holocaust survivors and homebound senior citizens who are especially vulnerable during the current pandemic.
With the new fulfillment center at 21 India St. processing between 500 – 2,000 food packages per day, volunteers are needed for morning, lunchtime and afternoon two-hour shifts; personal protective equipment will be provided for safety.
Other local pantries have also introduced delivery in response to the challenges caused by the pandemic, including the Greenpoint Hunger Program and the upstart pantry Food For Brooklyn.
The Met Council initiative utilizes volunteer UberEats vehicles to deliver to the groceries packaged at the fulfillment center.
Lead organizer Dylan Gauthier says that the owner of the grocery store is happy for his employees to be recognized and matched the donation. The campaign’s co-organizers are Birgit Rathsmann and Rick Karr. Continue reading →
Domino Park debuts social distancing circles. (Image via Amanda Dombrowski)
Happy weekend Greenpointers! New York’s PAUSE is officially extended through May 28th and five Upstate regions have been cleared to reopen in stages, while NYC can look forward to more “open streets.”
In a sign that balance is returning to the neighborhood, both Acapulco (1116 Manhattan Ave.) and Oxomoco (128 Greenpoint Ave.) reopened this week. The restaurant and business landscape is constantly changing and the revamped “Essentially Open” map from North Brooklyn Neighbors and co. now lists over 600 Greenpoint and Williamsburg businesses and services operating during the coronavirus crisis.
This Sunday’s McGolrick Park Farmers Market will be the first where a pre-order and pickutp option is available via phone app, although the weekly deadline to place a pre-order is Thursday.
If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity then the Met Council has a job for you at their new emergency food pantry in Greenpoint.
Remember to wear a mask, and In the meantime catch up on this week’s headlines from around the neighborhood: Continue reading →
Domino Park on Friday (Image via Amanda Dombrowski)
Painted circles were added to the Domino Park lawn on Friday to help park-goers stick to social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. The NYPD stepped-up enforcement at the Williamsburg park one week ago when Mayor de Blasio said he would be limiting the amount of people allowed to enter certain NYC Parks at once.
Crowds have regularly gathered at North Brooklyn parks since the start of the pandemic as measures to deter visitors have included the removal of basketball rims, and the closure of tennis courts and fitness equipment at McCarren Park. Continue reading →
21 Greenpoint (21 Greenpoint Ave.) chef and owner Homer Murray and his father are scheduled to team up in a nach0 making contest on Friday to raise money for laid off restaurant workers.
An initial version of the Essentially Open map launched at the end of April in response to the coronavirus crisis and now lists more than 600 businesses and service providers in Greenpoint and Williamsburg including pharmacies, laundromats, grocery stores, and restaurants along with delivery and takeout details when available.
Select streets near McCarren Park will be closed to traffic starting on Thursday. (Image via Google Maps)
12 miles of additional streets that will be temporarily closed to vehicles were introduced on Wednesday by Mayor Bill de Blasio as part of NYC’s Open Streets initiative to provide more space away from overcrowded parks during the coronavirus pandemic.
Greenpoint and Williamsburg streets that will be “open” starting Thursday morning include: Continue reading →
