Garbage Can Ghoul

Vigil for Hate Crime In Carroll Gardens-Monday.

Many of you might of heard that last Tuesday a man was brutally beaten by a bunch of thugs shouting anti-gay epithets on Hamilton Avenue near Luquer Street in Carroll Gardens. (Read more about it here.)

In response, many groups, elected officials and community members are holding a vigil which will take place on Monday evening.

Time: 8:30 p.m.
Place: Luquer St. between Hamilton Ave. and Clinton St., Brooklyn.

Show up to show your support for this innocent man but also to send a message that hate crimes will not be tolerated.

Earth 2100 Screening * Wednesday 6:30

The Sierra Club and F.R.O.G.G (Friends and Residents of the Greater Gowanus) are hosting a showing of Earth 2100("Could This Be The Final Century Of Our Civilization?"),a documentary about climate change and how it will effect our futures as all manner of natural occurances such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and the like intensify as a result.

Followed by a discussion on planning for climate change by and with those who attend the showing.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Carroll Gardens Library
396 Clinton Street (corner of Union Street)
6:30 PM
Free

Interview with a Funeral Director

photo credit:The Carroll Gardens Diary
First an interview with the Caputo's of Caputo's Bake Shop now it's Vincent Raccuglia of Raccuglia's Funeral Home, who will be the Carroll Gardens Diaries next victim?

Check it out here.

Did Anybody Witness This Accident at 360 Smith on Friday Afternoon?

I happened to be passing by when a woman was posting these fliers around the constuction project on Smith and 2nd Place (360 Smith Street). She told me that her friend got hit in the head by part of the construction wall on this corner. He now has a minor concussion and can not go to work. She said that workers at the site offered no help and said that he probably "just needed a band-aid". Also none of them said they saw it happen.The wall that fell is the one in front of the garbage can.

Transcription of the flier:

Did You See This Happen?
I was hit in the head by part of the consturction wall on this corner at Smith and 2nd Place. It fell on Friday the 8th of January between 3:45 and 4pm. If you witnessed this, please contact me. Thank you in advance.

contact:
eric_carabetta@yahoo.com or call 917-776-1514

Out With the Old - In With the New!

Completely unrelated photo of balloons in winter trees on Union Street.

As the New Year has me clearing lots of crap out of my apartment that I don't need and organizing what I do need. It also has me weeding through my blog list or what I call "blogorama" where I have eliminated many blogs which have been dormant for some time. My criteria for elimination? If there has been no blog post for 6 months, you get the ax. I am relentless that way!

A blog that has publicly called it quits right before the New Year is the fab Bed Stuy Banana. I will certainly miss the content and wonderful photographs on this blog. And what I really liked about this blog was that it was a human, warts and all type of blog and I love that. Check it out if you haven't already, with 502 posts there is plenty to sink your eyeballs into.

So as I was saying before, out with the old and in with the new......

There is a new Carroll Gardens area blog called guess what? The Carroll Gardens Diaries. This is how they describe themselves:

"From Charles Carroll's post to posts on the EPA, we cover all aspects of Carroll Gardens news, history, politics and fun facts. Original photographs are courtesy of Max Flatow. We are doing a continuing series on iconic local businesses."

Iconic businesses? Check out C.G.D's interview with the Caputo's of Caputo's bakery on Court Street here.

I'm not big on lists but if I were name my favorite new blog of 2009, the prize would have to go to Brokelyn. You can have your fancy schmancy lifestyle/fashion/design blogs! Just gimme Brokelyn ! Cause it's real baby! And by the way-they are having an "Ugliest building in Brooklyn" photography contest right now. Genius! There is sure to be some stiff competition.

Now,with that being said, I must to get back to categorizing my sock drawer....

Bill DeBlasio - Don't Believe the Hype!

I'm sorry I am going to rant a little here, after listening and reading about Bill DeBlasio's Public Advocate speech where he is sounding like such a great man of the people, a man who is there for the community, like a god d@mn Kennedy - I just have to blow off a little steam!

From the Daily News

"(W)e no longer have to make a false choice between a government that serves the people efficiently, or a government that intently listens to them. We can and must have both," De Blasio said.

"My office will be a place where the voice of the people speaks loudly. A place that helps organize communities to play a more meaningful role in our city government. A place that unlocks the mystery of government and refuses to stand by when a New Yorker could have been helped, but wasn't."
"And, in the instances where government fails, my office will be the place that demands accountability and change."

Oh just gag me right now!!!

I just want to remind people that this is the man who was rarely to be seen when his own constituents needed him in Carroll Gardens and the Gowanus. He would rarely show at community board meetings and when he did it was pretty much a drive by. This man actually sided with the smarmy Toll Brothers in the name of 'affordable housing" even though it is barely affordable and the project was going to be build on the shores of the toxic Gowanus with NO cleanup by the city of New York. It took the EPA nominating it as a Superfund site after the special spot-zoning of the Gowanus was granted which gave a go ahead to Toll to build.

This man also has left a legacy in Carroll Gardens by reneging on a promise to change the glitch in zoning laws which would allow developers to build tall buildings on historic narrow Carroll Gardens brownstone streets by factoring in the sidewalks and front yard as street space!

He is also all for the construction of the Atlantic Yards. A project which has forced long time residents to move and relocate, who certainly did not make the income which DeBlasio considers to be one of a low income family, which is....drum roll please..$100,000 a year!!!!

All I can say is, despite him coming on as a saviour to Bloomberg haters, he is not my public advocate and was not much of one as for the 39th district when he was a councilman! Beware of his sneaky ways!

Read details over about DeBlasio "sticking it to Carroll Gardeners on his way out" at Pardon Me For Asking.

More Beauty...

The flowers are loving this weather! Found on Carroll Street.

One more week to comment. SUPERFUND GOWANUS! And a word from CORD.

If you are a reader of FIB you know how this is near and dear to my heart. I firmly believe that the EPA should clean up the Gowanus Canal. The city has ignored us all these years and it is not until some condo developments might be delayed that they have actually taken an action and they are still scrambling for a plan, while the EPA is ready to go. Anyway please read the voice of the community NOT the developers and the people who love them here:

Hello!

As the end of the public comment period rapidly approaches and all of the meetings have been held and a great deal of information disseminated, CORD is convinced now more than ever, that the nomination of the Gowanus Canal to the National Priorities List as a Superfund site is STILL the best thing that ever happened to our neighborhood.

We do not believe that the City of New York's "alternative" plan affords any tangible benefit to the community in terms of process, result or timeframe.

It is our understanding that the city’s plan is basically an attempt to provide the responsible parties (the polluters) with a deep discount by trying to have a good portion of the polluters’ tab picked up by a federal program known as WRDA. There is a waiting line for the money and long long list of projects that would be ahead of the Canal. And….did we mention?

THE GOWANUS CANAL IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR WRDA FUNDS AT THIS TIME.

The City is expending, by their own admission, a great deal of time, energy, effort (and therefore, money), to lobby the federal government to make the canal part of this program. In essence, the City is adding an additional layer of government , personnel and complications to the process while simultaneously adding additional financial burdens upon the already- strapped New York City taxpayer.

Where is the benefit to the community in the City’s plan? We can’t find it.
The EPA through the SUPERFUND program, has the clout to collect the money from the responsible parties, has the expertise and a time improved program already in place to handle situations like our canal. Why does it seem as though the City is trying to stymie it? We can’t figure it out.

For most of us, all of these acronyms, agencies, funding terms, the different phases of the process, the fliers, the meetings, the contradictory information turns all of this into a blur.
There are probably several different , maybe even better scenarios one could use as an analogy to explain the way we see this situation. But, this is ours…….

Suppose a couple of hundred people came to your block and ravaged it, caused incredible damage. Let’s further suppose that there is a government agency, already in place, that does precisely the required type of clean-up work you need, and they came to you and WANTED to help you.

This agency had the ability to identify these block wreckers, the experience to correct the damage and a mechanism, in the form of a legal hammer in place to do the work and collect the money from those block wrecking responsible parties whether those block-wreckers liked it or not. The agency handles this type of situation all the time and they are eager to begin.
How many of you would say, “No, thank you”, to this agency?

Now someone else comes along, let’s call him JOE and JOE offers you the opportunity to insert him and his friends into the picture.

JOE and his friends will be charging you while they see IF they can find a way to bring the block-wrecking responsible parties voluntarily to your block, and IF they can get them a very nice discount on the cost of the damages that they are responsible for. JOE will do this by going to another , outside agency, one that does not recognize your block as a candidate for any help and certainly has not offered or promised any help, to see IF he can get the money from them to help fund the block wreckers so they can fix what they did at a discounted price. And IF this does not work, you can always take the first agency up on their offer.

Now this certainly sounds like a great deal for those who are responsible for the damages, and it is not really clear why JOE and his friends are spending your money as they proceed in this direction, but the real question is…………..WHAT DOES THIS “BIG IF” PLAN DO FOR YOU AND YOUR BLOCK?

Which plan would you choose? The one in place, or the one in JOE’s dreams?
Back to the real world…………..

We have listened to the City very thoroughly on multiple occasions. Members of a number of local grass roots community groups, including CORD, took the opportunity to meet with City officials earlier this week specifically to discuss our deep skepticism in their plan and to implore them to join us and support the designation of the canal to the National Priorities List.
The City declined.

The City is sending their comments and their suggestions to the EPA. You should send yours. Please join us and proudly tell the EPA, “SUPERFUND ME!”

We all have the right, no, the RESPONSIBILITY, to demand that our environment be as healthy as possible! Superfund designation provides the will, the means ,the tools and the experience to make this a reality.

If you have not already done so, please go to. The comment period has been extended to July 8th. For instructions to submit comments go to http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/pubcom.htm or contact Dennis Munhall, Region 2 NPL Coordinator at (212) 637-4343 or munhall.dennis@epa.gov Note Docket #EPA-HQ-SFUND-2009-0063

You may have signed the petition at www.superfundgowanus.org , and that’s great….but your comments made directly to the EPA mean so much more! Please go there right now—take a look at some of the things your neighbors are saying--don’t be shy---speak up for our neighborhood ---beg the EPA to put the canal on the National Priorities List as soon as possible!

Thank you.

Another Brooklyn Christmas....

F.I.B is always late to get into the holiday spirit and to quote from a blog post from last year where I said,
"I was raised in a house where we never got a tree until Christmas Eve. All my life I thought it was a quaint old world tradition (well, actually it kind of is) but a couple years ago I found out the real reason we did that was because the trees were half price on Christmas Eve.

Another childhood memory shattered."

If you want to read a a bit more about why I chose to divulge my saga to the world last year, click here!
And now I give you Christmas in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn USA!
President Street.Homer all alone on 1rst Place.Big drunk Santa!

Happy Halloween!

eeeaaaaaoooooaaaaaeeeeeeeeeooooooooahhhoooooooooo it's Halloween tomorrow! Don't forget to wear your crucifix or garlic so Dracula don't get ya! And check yer apples before eating!!!This house on Carroll Street between Hoyt and Bond Streets never fails to decorate for EVERY holiday, LOVE THE UNDEAD GUY WITH THE KNIFE!!!!I call this one the "Patriotic Pumpkin". See he's got a patch on his knee! He's feeling the recession and is smiling cause Bush will be GONE next week!!!!!

As usual the streets of Carroll Gardens have many a great Halloween display, I must say though this year was not as wild as years past. Is it because the newer residents are more "tasteful" or what? I did not walk past one homemade graveyard with someone hanging from a tree this year..that's all happening in Greenpoint now. Thank God someone is keeping up the tradition! Happy Sam Hain y'all!

P.S- November 2rst is all Soul's Day or Sam Hain or Day of the Dead, the day the veil between the living and the dead is at it's thinnest so don't forget to communicate with loved ones who are no longer with you. I'm serious!

Democracy in Brooklyn, USA.

Democracy was in action in more places than Denver this evening as Carroll Gardens residents voiced their opinions before Community Board 6 regarding “out of scale development” which they have been continuously fighting against for over a year at 360 Smith Street. Residents spoke once again about maintaining the current quality of life (which is what makes CG so desirable) and asking that the scale of the new buildings be sensitive to the historic architectural character of the 19th century brownstones in Carroll Gardens.

Favorite quotes from commenters:

“The engineers of the Titanic thought the ship would sail, but THEY WERE WRONG!” from a passionate C.G resident who also worked for the MTA regarding Stein’s trust that a 7 story building with a parking garage is perfectly fine to build on top of a subway station.

And some Oscar Wilde..

“People know the price of everything and the VALUE of NOTHING” regarding the quality of life issues. (At least that was my interpretation.)

Also! C.O.R.D member Triada Samaras spoke and dropped off 500 signed letters against building this structure called “The Oliver” out of scale. The majority of the speakers were against Stein ignoring the recently passed text amendment and building under his previous “AS OF RIGHT” (so obnoxious!) position pre-text amendment change. About 4 people were all for Stein, at least half’s last name was Scotto, go figure! One very pompous, confident fellow dressed in shades of white named Peter Piper or Pauper or something was particularly repulsive in his “AS OF RIGHT” stance. Read fab blog Lost City’s take on this scene!

In the end CB 6 rationally decided that developer Billy Stein shouldn’t continue with his current plan until another hearing takes place in mid-September. Until then…

Yes We Can!!!

Carroll Gardens Zoning Text Ammendment Hearing Tomorrow Morning

Why would anyone want to change this?
Tomorrow there is a very important meeting for Carroll Gardeners who live in the historic brownstone narrow street areas. The narrow "Place" blocks are in danger of becoming crowded with out of scale building developments. There is an ridiculous piece of text in the zoning code that says that the front gardens, ie: the "GARDENS" of Carroll "GARDENS" are really part of the street.

If you have the time and you care about the unique beauty and history of these buildings and do not want out of scale tall buildings to destroy the existing aesthetic and character of this historic neighborhood, do try and attend the meeting. If you can not attend you can submit a comment.

Read more at the C.O.R.D blog, which is right here to read more info and read testimonies from local residents.


Where:City Planning Commission
Wednesday, June 4th at 10 AM
Spector Hall
22 Reade Street
New York, New York 10007
Re : Carroll Gardens Zoning Text Amendment N 080345 ZRK


The public is encouraged to sign up to speak in front of the commission, but written testimonies will also be accepted. Please send your written comments to:


City Planning Commission
Calendar Information Office Room 2E
22 Reade Street
New York, NY 10007

P.S.A - Important Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Meeting Monday!

The Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association have finally bust out of the atmospheric yet small Scotto's Funeral Home and will be meeting at a new location tomorrow night.

Show up to hear developer, Billy Stein, reveal his latest design plan for the closely watched by the neighborhood, 360 Smith Street site.

Where: St Mary's Star of the Sea Residence
41 First Street (between Hoyt & Bond)

Meeting starts at 7:30 PM.

360 Smith Street and C.O.R.D on the News

In case you don't get Channel 12 as I do, check out the recent interview with representatives from C.O.R.D with coverage of the "Democracy Wall" (I do believe The Gowanus Lounge coined that name). The interview takes place at the Carroll Street subway plaza in front of 360 Smith Street where members of the community have not given up the fight to stop architect Robert Scarano from constructing another building which is out of character and out of scale with the existing neighborhood. Please note that at the end of the broadcast it is said that Councilman Bill DeBlasio's office says that Robert Scarano will be "submitting a revised plan for 360 Smith Street in the New Year that will work more with the community".

Let's hope so, but it seems nothing stops this man from doing what he wants. Will C.O.R.D be the first?

Meanwhile the community in Carroll Gardens and also in Kensington are well aware that Councilman Bill DeBlasio has been more unavailable than usual as he is in Ohio with Hilary Clinton rather than answering his constituents questions.

Robert Goulet on Third Place

DeBlasio for Borough President?

Lots of news popping into my inbox today, first off an announcement from Councilman Bill De Blasio announcing that he is running for Brooklyn Borough President. This doesn’t surprise me as he alluded to this at a bloggers meeting I attended last month that he hosted at Park Slope’s groovy Tea Lounge (F.I.B. will go anywhere for a free pastry.)

One of DeBlasio’s main issues is to stop overdevelopment and please remember while reading this that he is a supporter of the Atlantic Yards project. Here is a quote from his announcement:

My first priority as Borough President will be to keep Brooklyn affordable by building and preserving affordable housing. On the City Council I've played a key role in winning legislative and land-use victories that have led to the construction of thousands of units of affordable housing throughout Brooklyn. As Borough President I will work to ensure that we aggressively leverage our zoning code and land-use laws to build more affordable housing and protect our neighborhoods from development that prices out working families.

I believe that preserving our neighborhoods means not only keeping them affordable, but also stopping out-of-control and out-of-character development, keeping neighborhoods clean and ensuring support for vital community based organizations. As Borough President I plan to crack down on illegal development, partner with community groups to keep neighborhoods beautiful, and support institutions that contribute to Brooklyn's richness and diversity.

The announcement has members C.O.R.D(carroll gardens COalition to Respectfully Develop) up in arms, as they are STILL WAITING FOR ANSWERS about the 360 Smith Street building. It seems that Bill has disappeared after becoming quite involved with the Carroll Gardens community’s grassroots quest for a moratorium on building out of scale buildings and has left them hanging.

Meanwhile, Katya over at Pardon Me For Asking reacts similarly by asking Where was Bill for the last 7 years?

To me, Bill DeBlasio is thoroughly likeable, and a master at public relations, he WAS Hilary Clintons campaign manager for christs sakes so he learned from the best. He seems like he cares but when you compare what he says to what he is actually doing as far as building and development there is a disconnect (that’s politics for you!) and the citizens of Carroll Gardens are seeing right through it.

Homework Assignment from C.O.R.D

I received an email from C.O.R.D (Carroll Gardens Organization to Respectfully Develop) saying that they need more help getting the word out to the proper local politicians regarding the "Moratorium" of building out of scale in Carroll Gardens and have assigned some "homework". If you haven't already, go to their website and there is a letter in which you can cut and paste along with a list of email addresses of the parties who need to get it.

C.O.R.D says:

Each of these individuals, in different ways, possesses the ability to speed up or to delay the “proper land use procedure” process, if they choose to do so. LET’S MAKE THEM HEAR US. We know that this is work for you, but, please…don’t give up yet!

Moratorium and Downzoning News

I received an email from the people at C.O.R.D (Carroll Gardens Organization to Respectfully Develop) asking for volunteers to help get more signatures on the petition. This petition calls for an " immediate MORATORIUM! on all buildings and alterations in our neighborhood, where the ultimate height of any structure to be built will exceed a height of fifty feet, while we await a decision on rezoning and or landmarking in our beloved Carroll Gardens."

The Town Hall meeting with Bill DeBlasio has put C.O.R.D into high gear to get the word out. If you use the Carroll Street subway station you can not miss the word MORATORIUM! written in yellow chalk on the ground and on the ever expanding wall of news and commentary.

I attended that Town Hall Meeting and let me tell you, the people of Carroll Gardens made me proud to live here, they expressed their concerns intelligently and passionately and are not accepting what the powers that be say, check out the C.O.R.D Blog for all the latest news and details.

My only beef is that "downzoning" is part of the solution which effects MY little world down by the canal, where the soil is full of toxic chemicals (cyanide, mercury, benzene, pesticides, V.O.C's & PCB's) and the sewage system can barely handle the residents who are here already. As I have said before, if the future Whole Food's site still sits unbuilt upon for four years, waiting for cleanup, how much different is the soil a block and half away? I heard through the grapevine that clean up will be "minimal".

Ariella Cohen has written a very informative article in this week's Brooklyn Paper summarizing just exactly what is being built, where it's being built,by whom and what the current status of the project is. PLEASE READ THIS !

Town Hall Meeting Thursday with DeBlasio

I received an email from the people at C.O.R.D (Carroll Gardens Organization to Respectfully Develop) urging Carroll Garden residents to attend the much anticipated Town Hall Meeting with Councilman Bill DeBlasio.
Details listed on the sign above!
Do go to CORD Blog for more details.