Open Thread Wednesday

By on August 10, 2016 12:04 am in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

Share this Story:

  • Reggie

    Hey, since I can go first, let me ask a question that I have been pondering for a while. Do any other compulsive blog readers feel like Brownstoner and Dumbo NYC have flat-lined since blankslate bought them?

    Looking at Dumbo NYC this morning, the last 12 posts (two pages) are sponsored, actual content, an advertisement, sponsored, two advertisements, two actual posts, sponsored, sponsored, an advertisement and sponsored. Brownstoner isn’t much better, with much of the content little more than advertorial for the real estate listings. ‘stoner used to be an interesting read.

  • Remsen Street Dweller

    Never read Dumbo NYC — but Brownstoner has certainly lost all its neighborhood “character” and involvement. Also, with each new format re-do, it gets less enticing to read.

  • Wally O’Keefe

    Agreed.

  • Concerned
  • Still Here

    I agree with Remsen – I rarely go there anymore and gave up posting.

  • Banet

    In all fairness, it sounds like he applied late, wanted to get all 3 kids in, and wanted to start them in atypical entry years, i.e. in classes that were already full. Good for St. Ann’s for not giving a celebrity special treatment.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Swingers’ club…I’m a one blog kind of guy!

  • Concerned

    I agree. But I had to take the opportunity to say the “apples” line when there was some sliver of relevance for me to do so.

  • Andrew Porter

    That photo above is the planter next to the High Street subway entrance. As originally designed, it was part of a children’s playground there, with inward facing water jets so kids could play in the water. But it leaked from the beginning, and eventually they made it into a big planter. You can still see some of the failed playground just to the south of the planter.

  • Andrew Porter

    Brownstoner used to have so many people posting, they had to kill off their Wednesday Open Thread. They also had lots of posts on old buildings from Suzanne Spellen (writing as “Montrose Morris”), but very few now. There was also a sidebar with recent comments, so you could see who was making comments about articles. They killed that, too. It wasn’t broke, but they sure fixed it!

    I stopped reading Dumbo NYC about a year ago. Not much content there any more.

  • Jorale-man

    It’s too bad what’s happened to Brownstoner. I especially don’t like how they don’t clearly differentiate the “sponsored” posts (i.e. ads). There are 3 big ones on their homepage today and you could easily overlook that they’re not editorial. It really erodes trust with readers when a website does that.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    The playground was far from a “failure”. local teens used to take refuge there to drink beer and smoke pot.

  • Concerned

    LOL!!! Arch, you need to lead a Brooklyn Heights tour.
    “Here’s Plymouth Church. If you look at the lawn, you’ll see some empty beer cans and joint roaches, because that’s where the local teens like to drink beer and smoke pot.”
    “Here’s the appellate courthouse. If you look around the corner, you’ll see some empty beer cans and joint roaches, because that’s where the local teens like to drink beer and smoke pot.”
    “Here’s the promenade. If you look at the benches over there, you’ll see some empty beer cans and joint roaches, because that’s where the local teens like to drink beer and smoke pot.”
    I’m not saying the tour would be successful…

  • StudioBrooklyn

    And even in its contemporary iteration my kid (+-3.5yo) and his buddies love to run around there. Give them a hair over a decade and we’ll see whether it transitions into a chill spot for the other stuff. ;)

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    Plymouth Church? looks like you know more “spots” than I, perhaps you should give the tour.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    The “playground” used to have a 6′ high concrete wall between it and the planter area, a 2′ high bump out on the opposite side of the wall offered plenty of secluded seating, hence the allure.

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Well, now they’ve got a park.

  • DIBS

    It’s a shame what Brownstoner has become. I’ll leave it at that.

  • Moni

    Looks like the beautiful bronze door from the Normandie at the entrance of Our Lady of Lebanon has been painted over in dark brown paint with gold highlights. Is nothing sacred? Can’t imagine the reason for the garish renovation, which by the way looks awful fronted by the new stone banisters & steps. I can just imagine the horror on the face of the next tour guide who brings a gaggle of visitors. Sad indeed.

  • Andrew Porter

    Haven’t been over there lately, but this would definitely violate Landmarks laws. Can you post a photo?

  • MonroeOrange

    narc

  • winchell’s cavanaugh

    to this day, I tell people “i will meet you at the fountain” — and it only worked one day….

  • nate
  • ltap917

    I agree with you. If classes are full, classes are full. It’s nice to know that a celebrity cannot buy his way into one of the best schools in the country. I’m glad St. Ann’s has integrity.

  • Jorale-man

    An interesting update here on the Pier 5 uplands in Brooklyn Bridge Park: http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/blog/park-updates/construction-update-pier-5-uplands
    It seems they’re making good headway on the design. I don’t envy the workers who are out there in this heat.

  • CHASESGILBERT

    My apologies! I didn’t connect you in my mind to BHB, thought you were a social media follower, lol. I was racking my brain for Instagram followers named “@StudioBrooklyn,” if I seemed confused. Nice to meet you šŸ™ƒ

  • StudioBrooklyn

    Great to’ve met you too! And sorry for being awkward, I was really tired. I didn’t even think to just tell you my name. Next time.

  • CHASESGILBERT

    Oh, all good! Next time indeed ; ))