Tree Murder in Progress on Remsen Street

By on August 21, 2008 4:22 pm in Brooklyn Heights, Food, Landmark Preservation


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First “artist” Olafur Eliasson’s NYC Waterfalls project was unmasked as a secret plot to kill trees in DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights with its salt water spray.  Now the intrepid reporters at the Brooklyn Eagle have uncovered a scheme to murder two innocent evergreen trees at 222 Hicks Street.  The dying twins (seen here on Google Maps in happier times) are on the Remsen Street side of the building. According to the Eagle, BHA Executive Director Judy Stanton says that 222’s owners, Yuco Management, may have purposely poured concrete around the trees to kill them as they’ve grown too tall to serve their purpose — hiding garbage cans. Stanton adds she called management about the issue and they seemed not to care.

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  • my2cents

    They’re their trees. I don’t see much to get upset about here.

  • bibi

    The “trees” are really shrubs but what they did here is really idiotic. Pouring concrete where the garden was. I assume they found rats and over-reacted. next time call an exterminator not a concrete truck.

  • nabeguy

    One stupid idea afer another. Using trees that grow vertically rather than shrubs to hide the garbage area was bad enough, but filling in the base with cement is simply beyond stupid. Good luck to them when they try to route out the stumps after the trees die. Dumb management.

  • Michelle

    I live nearby and this area used to be a pretty garden years ago, until the rats moved in. They basically took over the entire plot – I wouldn’t even walk near there in the evenings, with all the rustling and rats darting back and forth. I had called Yuco many times to complain, and they occasionally tried to exterminate the area, but the rats were too persistent. They first poured concrete a few months ago and left space between the concrete and trees, but then the rats just dug their holes in those dirt spaces and the problem continued. They filled in the dirt spaces between the concrete and trees a few weeks ago.

    I appreciate Yuco trying to get rid of the rats, but the plot remains a street eyesore. I don’t know why they bothered to keep the trees as they are bound to die. They also severely cut back the roots of the small oak tree in the plot when they poured the concrete. The oak is too close to the building and might not have enough room to grow anyway. The garbage area is always overstrewn and a mess. Yuco really needs to clean the area up – redo the garbage bins and get planters or something to brighten up the plot.

    Now that you know the story, Judith, can you do anything?

  • NIMBY

    Let’s deal with important issues…geesh!