Open Thread Wednesday

By on June 13, 2017 11:37 pm in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

Share this Story:

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

    I usually never raise a complaint here but I cannot gaze across the river at that grotesque monstrosity any longer. I am of course talking about the new Pier 17. It is a perfect example of architecture gone horribly wrong. I look to find one positive design element, I can’t. it is hideous beyond belief. How the hell did it get approved and by who? – Rant over.

  • AEB

    Can anyone kindly give me the name and contact info for a reliable local electrician who can handle some ceiling fixture problems I’ve been having? (I usually call on the very wonderful John Lonergan, but his availability may be iffy.)

  • Jorale-man

    Agreed – it sticks out like a sore thumb. Between that, the new skyscraper next to the Manhattan Bridge, and whatever they’ve done to the Verizon Building facade, the skyline has some real issues now.

  • EB112233

    Did anyone see the helicopters floating above the Statue of Liberty on Sunday afternoon (~2-3:30PM)? They were out there for quite a while, first two then four. They then left and two came up the East River. Anyway to know what was happening there?

  • Banet

    I’ve had great experiences with SuperCharged. They always send me the same guy. I can’t recall his name, but he sounds EXACTLY like Denzel Washington.

  • Andrew Porter

    There has been a lot of discussion about this, and the evolution of the plans for it, on other sites, including Curbed, where you’ll find numerous articles here:

    https://ny.curbed.com/building/237/pier-17

    Not sure if you’ve noticed it, but there’s a Supertall going up just south of the Seaport; it will soon impact on your sight.

    Then there are the enormous buildings going up in Manhattan just north of the Manhattan Bridge, which have already altered our views of the Brooklyn Bridge from the Promenade and the north Heights.

  • Andrew Porter

    Another Wednesday, so more Old Postcards of BH stuff! Here’s a postcard showing the newly built Hotel Pierrepont:

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/4c009ff247202ed854554f9752a24908821ea20cc183dc1cf9b36610830d9087.jpg

  • Andrew Porter

    Wrong reply post; please ignore…

  • Andrew Porter

    Here’s a postcard of Pierrepont Street, before the building on the corner was dwarfed by its neighbor:

    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/2ab71afa38fe0e98b17de8f3b14a23e4b9d3cbc264f1eb48f3990975a84e3abd.jpg

  • AEB

    Thanks, Banet. Do you have their phone number?

  • Banet

    Nope. But google will turn them up.

  • Jorale-man

    Question: whose responsibility is it to trim tree branches and limbs that are hanging over sidewalks? The homeowner or the city? With all of the rain this spring, I’ve noticed a lot more limbs that essentially block sidewalks, often at 4 or 5 feet in height.
    My limbo skills aren’t what they used to be.

  • http://www.sagemauk.com/brooklyn-seo/ Sage Mauk

    Still a great day to hit the water!

  • John Hamilton

    Happy Days has resumed their behavior of, well, flexible billings. You order food off their menus, you eat, but when you go to pay, the bill is well, let’s say it’s “inaccurate”. So you confront the waiter, who is very displeased that you are checking his bill, and after you have fount the 10 or 20% “error” he scowls and a adjusts the bill….THEN the fun starts with the tax…they either quote one figure, out your handheld comes, and then…they give a rounded off final bill(!!!) which they feel is “fair”
    I have experienced or have seen several instances of this. It’s like a bizarre where you either pay the demand rate or have to confront and negotiate! Is any of this legal?

  • redlola

    happy days is a net debit in every way.

  • petercow

    No surprise here. Video contradicts that cyclist “swerved”.

    http://gothamist.com/2017/06/15/citi_bike_video_hanegby.php

  • KXrVrii1

    As an aside, they note that he was “wearing headphones.” I am in no way saying that had anything to do with the accident or should excuse the bus driver if at fault, but just noting as a PSA that in NYC you can only have headphones in one ear while cycling. If you have headphones in both ears, you can get a ticket.

    It is also not very safe, in my view. In fact, I just use one ear-bud even while biking AND walking.

    (And maybe it will turn out with more evidence that Hanegby in fact only had one earbud.)

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

    The big mistake is walking through the front door…

  • Andrew Porter

    NYC regulations about this here:

    http://tinyurl.com/y8pccequ

  • Roberto

    Perhaps the assignment of traffic control agents at the Cadman Plaza exit ramp from the Brooklyn Bridge as well as an electronic sign on the ramp urging honking restraint could help alleviate the nightly cacophony which has disturbed residents near the Bridge for years.
    For those so inclined, I recommend the documentary film “In Pursuit of Silence” which opens at Cinema Village on June 23rd and runs through June 29th.

  • Banet

    Why would ANYONE eat there? I’ve been 3 times in 20 years always deeply regret it.

  • Reggie

    Not to get competitive but I am three visits in 37 years and I could not agree more. I think the answer to Banet’s question is, many people give litle thought to what they eat and will consume whatever is but in front of them, in which case Happy Days exists only typologically, as a coffee shop on the main commercial street in Brooklyn Heights.

  • ldny

    I’m a big fan of Blaze Electric. Have been using them for big and small projects for years now. Fantastic service, very responsive and a great price every time. A few of my neighbors now swear by them as well.

    Here’s their contact info:

    main # is 718-369-0810.
    Frank Caporale is the owner and he answers his cell: 917-576-6900
    fblazeelectric@aol.com – he usually responds to my emails within a few hours.

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

    FTR. 37 years ago it was under a different name “The Snack Pit” AKA “The Snake Pit”. It was renovated sometime in the early nineties, and changed to what is now “Happy Days” AKA “Crappy Days”…

  • Jorale-man

    Thank you – that’s very helpful. Good to know pruning is covered under 311.

  • AEB

    Thanks so much, ldny!

  • Christopher Frank

    i’m going to second SuperCharged, ask for the boss Vinny. (718) 981-7173

  • AEB

    Thanks so much.

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

    Huh? What did I do to shame you?