Open Thread Wednesday

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Andrew Porter

    Great photo, Claude!

    The trouble with posting lots of my photos of the Heights is that most of the views haven’t changed—except for the cars—in decades. So here’s one of the historic plaques I shot a few weeks ago:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e25c3ec3d2a3820abb4d47abbb9c444f4d4d936f55193051ecee4f6cf36a30eb.jpg

  • chrisreo

    Another favorite restaurant is returning soon. Fascati’s Pizza expects to reopen on Friday, May 29. Welcome back Jeff and company!

  • Banet

    One of my favorites. That story about the tunnel is mindblowing.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    I’ve seen the so called tunnel closeup and it basically looked like a place to keep foodstuffs as cool as possible while being stored. I once heard a tour guide describe the tunnel as part of the Underground Railroad. I am no history expert but that storyline seemed to me to be a bit absurd. Great for tours but seems like a departure from reality.
    I assume Jeremy would know the facts. Does anyone have an explanation for this underground space in front of each house?

  • El

    I’m thinking about getting my long-stored bike out, but it needs a tuneup – I used to go to Ride Brooklyn on Bergen, but it’s a bit far on a bike I don’t trust. Anyone know of closer options that are still operating in the pandemic? Is Atlantic?

  • Mary Kim

    Very excited about Fascati’s return. Also, Hanco’s is now delivering from its Montague St. location.

  • Mary Kim

    Thanks for sharing!

  • BH Mike

    I’ve taken my bike in the past to Recycle A Bike in DUMBO for tuneups.

  • South Brooklyn Boys

    The American division of Le Pain Quotidien filed for bankruptcy…

  • Teresa

    THRILLED to hear about Fascati’s. Such good news.

    Tonight I got take-out from Red Hook Lobster Pound. Seafood boil + frosé. Delicious!

  • Jorale-man

    That’s too bad. They’re just about the last decent place to meet for lunch on Montague, IMHO.

  • Banet

    Hopefully it’s just a restructuring bankruptcy.

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    Hard to believe considering their outrageous prices…

  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7nPOzGeyaw Arch Stanton

    I’ll upvote vicariously as I’m out of town and can’t have Fascati’s anymore anyway (gluten intolerance). But I have my memories…

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

    Thanks, Andrew! Yours is an interesting bit of Heights history.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Does the tunnel really go all the way to the carriage house?

  • JaneonOrange

    I have to say that the underground railway story was the one I heard back in the late ’60s/early 70’s.

  • JaneonOrange

    Atlantic is open. I asked about a full tune up and they said it would take 2 weeks to get it back.

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    It has been awhile since I saw this area but if I recall correctly, each underground area was separate. Back in the day, I would not be surprised if the tunnel was operative so as to keep residents of each of the three residences dry if they needed to get to carriage house. Pure conjecture on my part. Jeremy, where are you? ;)

  • Karl Junkersfeld

    Depressing. I remember the glorious day their operation, here is Brooklyn Heights, opened. In fact, I captured it on film.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9fPwXk8nzY

  • Heightsguy77

    I love the space, but the service at LPQ is THE worst I have ever seen at ANY restaurant I’ve ever been to. I have, on multiple occasions, sat down and not even been approached by a server for 20+ minutes. It is not like that at other LPQ’s across the city, that I’ve been to. Also, on the rare occasions I order food, I get a chemical taste that makes me believe that most of the dishes are processed and made to look like they were freshly made in the kitchen. Obviously, I’m not a big fan. But…great space!

  • Heightsman

    Truly awesome news!

  • aeshtron

    Two weeks for a tune-up in May is a reasonably fast turnaround.

    Recycle a Bicycle is now located at 858 Fulton in Clinton Hill.

    Atlantic Bicycles does solid work and is close.

    Happy pedaling!

  • Reggie

    Don’t discount the entertainment value of old cars.

  • RD H

    I just had a quick repair done at Red Beard in Dumbo. By appointment. They were super quick and kind.

  • El

    Yeah, I’d originally penciled in a reminder to get a tuneup in late March, but, well!

  • El

    I was looking up blood donation options and usually there are no locations nearby, but looks like there is a mobile drive on June 1 from 11-5pm at Borough Hall! Couldn’t find any more information about it though. https://donate.nybc.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/281310

  • KBells40

    Same here — I had looked to sign up for this one as soon as I heard about it but no luck in registering for a slot.

  • Andrew Porter

    I was by today and they were cleaning the outside window, which, when they first opened, was where they sold slices. They’ve also removed the seating and tables.

  • Andrew Porter

    The office for The Watermark—the assisted living facility in what used to be the Towers Hotel—was moving today from their store at the corner of Orange and Henry to the building itself. I surmise it’s a way to save on paying rent.

    I talked to one of their people and reminded him that the building was supposedly planned to open in March. And questioned whether Covid-19 might have already killed off a bunch of the people who would have leased there.

    ***
    Meanwhile, noted a possible water main leak developing in the street in front of 71 Willow Street. Is it just a wet spot, or worse?