Open Thread Wednesday

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  • Teresa

    Low-flying helicopters at 3 am, and a full-bore diesel Fresh Direct truck idling for extended minutes at 6:15 am. Hello, Wednesday!

  • FoodArtforKids.com

    Is it legal to hold a wedding ceremony at BBP? On a recent visit to the park (on a Sunday), I saw a couple, and about 100 guests, having a ceremony on the bleachers and surrounding area (close to Pier 1). They were (politely) asking people to not seat there, not take pictures, etc.
    Although I understand the appeal of getting married in such a beautiful place (at no cost!), I do feel that this is a public place and open to anyone at anytime.

  • Willow Street Watch

    At 3:49 AM last night my apt and all the surrounding apartments were literally being shaken by the VERY low flying helicopters…in a family member’s building neighbors were out in the hall awakened by the noise and strong vibration! I looked out and people, especially on the two top floors of surrounding buildings were at their windows..all this just before 4 AM!!!

    So who’s driving the situation here? NYPD? the NYC office of Emer. management? Dept of Homeland Security?…Who???

  • memeadjuster

    Yes, and why no pictures?

  • FoodArtforKids.com

    I am surprised. I thought it required some kind of permit. The couple did not want their picture taken, I assume.

  • AEB

    OK, there’s a sort of absurdist situation occurring outside my building in the north Heights. Someone has set up two of those–I don’t know what to call them?–stanchions? They’re sort of like traffic cones, but more cubical and larger.

    Anyway, these two orange things have yellow “CAUTION” tape running from one to a nearby pole and then to the other. They’re marking off as “you-can’t-go-here” a triangular curbside area of about three squarish feet in which NOTHING VISIBLE IS GOING ON.

    I mean, there’s nothing about the pavement or street that looks dangerous, or like work needs to be done on it or anything.

    These things and the tape have now been in place for a week. Does anyone have any idea what this is or might be about? Or am I the only one who sees them–in which case I will lay off the drugs until the things go away.

    Thanks.

  • Willow Street Watch

    Tell you what…everyone should at this point, be letting every elected type know that they are VERY upset with the often war zone atmosphere we now have to live in!!!!

    Secondly, everyone who doesn’t want the danger of this amount of TONNAGE of hardware and fuel over the heads of our families, should at this point first call the 84 pct capt via the community affairs office: 718 875 6850, 6228. Ask him who’s staging this show and what justifies this amount of disruption and DANGER!

  • Willow Street Watch

    At 3:42 AM last night my entire apt and all the apartments around me were literally vibrated by two helicopters just overhead! In one other building I know of, people were out in the hall!

    So who’s running this show? NYPD? NYC OEM?, homeland security?

  • meschwar

    How do you know they didn’t have a permit?

  • Cranberry Beret

    Yes you definitely can get a permit for a wedding there (my friends got one). I’m sure the permit allows you to exclude others for the duration. But you probably can’t tell people not to take pictures if they’re standing outside the permit area. Besides, who gets married in such a public place who DOESN’T want onlookers to ooh, ahh and snap away? One of the small joys of the park is seeing all the wedding parties.

  • FoodArtforKids.com

    I asked

  • FoodArtforKids.com

    I agree, it does add flavor to the entire scene, and I am all for it, as long as everyone is respectful towards the other …

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    Have you considered that it might have been an emergency or legit police activity, and not a “show”?

  • mac

    Would it be correct to assume the TRO on the building at Pierhouse has expired? they are back in full force this morning building away…

  • mac

    and this is not the first night of the low flying/noisy helicopters…this is the 3rd night over the last week or so that they’ve actually woken my up at 3-4am. Way too early for a traffic copter…very annoying and potentially dangerous!

  • miriamcb

    Anyone know what’s going on with Dumpling House? It’s been closed for awhile now.

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    The TRO applies only to the penthouse portion of the building on the southern portion of the lot, so as long as they aren’t working on that, they may continue their work.

  • mac

    that is the portion I am referring to. They had not been there since the TRO was issued. They brought up more materials yesterday and all the workers are back at it today.

  • ShinyNewHandle

    I have no idea, AEB. Anything to do with loading or emptying mini-dumpsters for the facade work across the street?

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com/ Claude Scales

    The work that’s being done now on the southern, or “Parcel B” building is below the level of the penthouse that is the subject of the TRO. I’ve seen workers busy on Parcel B a number of times since the TRO was issued. The TRO is scheduled to remain in force until May 11.

  • David G.

    I haven’t been able to confirm the correlation but usually when the President is in town (like he was the other night) they usually fly from the Wall Street helipad over the Heights to JFK at very low altitude.

  • AEB

    I thought of that, Shiny (may I call you that?), but the set apart space is so tiny, not even a mini-dumpster (if such existed) could fit into it.

    Truly, it’s bizarre. And I have that awful feeling that it’s one of those deals in which the person did it will never remove it–has gone to Topeka, or simply expired.

  • Willow Street Watch

    The term “show”, of course, is a reference to the unreasonable nature of this entire matter. Yes, this may be a legitimate emergency need. But CONSTANT overflights? Aircraft at stationary posts for hours in the middle of the night?

    So, either there is an emergency or legitimate threat or someone is, what? Practicing for some kind of an emgency?….at1 to 3 AM? or is this more of a military exercise?

    We have every right to ask what is going on and who is giving directions. Because its our homes and families having to live under all this.

  • william schwartz

    We want to let everyone know that The Music House will be holding its 6th annual 4th window concert on Sunday, may 17th at 4 PM at the corner of Henry and State Streets. Its live and its free. Music by Biolly Joel, The Who, The Beatles, The Black Keys, The Grateful Dead and much more. We hope to see you all there. TMH

  • Jorale-man

    I have no idea either but perhaps trying moving them a couple feet and see if they’re returned to their original place or not. That would at least tell you if someone is actually watching them.

  • Jorale-man

    Does anyone ever patronize the fortune teller on Montague Street? How do they afford the rent there? As they used to say, inquiring minds want to know.

  • AEB

    Yes, it’s on my to-do list….

  • http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com ClaudeScales

    Update: the court date has been moved back to May 18, so the TRO will stay in effect until then

  • TeddyNYC

    You’re right. Also, the helicopters used for the President are louder than the typical helicopters in the area. Whenever I hear a helicopter late at night, I check 2 apps I have installed on my iPhone: Flightradar24 and Plane Finder. It’s always NYPD late at night.

  • Muscatwine

    I am glad that I wasn’t the only one who noted the assault of helicopter noise at 3 am!