Open Thread Wednesday

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  • Cranberry Beret

    FYI, new Citibike station installed at Henry & Remsen this week

    This is a smart location because it allows bikers using the Henry southbound lane to easily get to the Montague Street shops without having to make a big loop detour over to the existing docks at Hicks or Clinton

  • Banet

    I noticed that a few days ago. But isn’t that just catty corner across the street from the big station on the corner of Henry and Joralemon? They are literally a ping-pong ball’s throw apart. Could it be that they are relocating the older station? Maybe for utility work?

  • kizz

    The area down near Adam Yauch Park needs a CitiBike station – corner of Columbia Place and State Street.

  • Andrew Porter

    Here’s an aerial photo of the Heights and downtown Brooklyn from 1924. Note the elevated train lines on Fulton Street and the complex coming off the Brooklyn Bridge.

    Compare to the 1951 photo in the reply, showing the path of destruction for the coming of the BQE, and the removal of the trains coming off the Bridge.

    Besides all the “urban renewal” destruction, you can see the beginning of the Cadman Plaza park complex:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/e7ec553ddb9ea8b28eb35358b3b00350282439d7a4a51f5e174be680ab2f16ac.jpg

  • Andrew Porter
  • Cranberry Beret

    The Joralemon station is at Clinton. I think it’s actually slightly further away than either the existing stations on Pierrepont or Hicks.

  • CassieVonMontague

    A damaged third rail shut down the Cranberry Street Tunnel during this morning’s rush hour.

    We need an infrastructure bill.

    https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-nyc-subway-delays-bridge-jumper-tunnel-third-rail-20210526-b6lsadbuhjhknm5haak5dglb2m-story.html

  • Banet

    Doh! You’re right (obviously). Don’t know how I mixed up those two blocks.

  • kizz

    Giulia’s at the SW corner of Montague and Hicks (formerly Heights Cafe) has opened.

    Who has the scoop on Clover Hill down on Columbia Place?

  • WUSA

    There have been a number of victories in the last two weeks. The age old problems at the construction site at Monroe place and Clark Street were greatly driven down by the actions of a number of patriotic organizations in this area. After a campaign including calls to the buildings department agents of the buildings department surveyed the site and issued a stop work order. But they also more importantly apparently sealed the site where people were entering at will 24 hours but most importantly at night. The former opening is history. Besides this there has been an upsurge of police activity at the Clark station due to many, many aggressive really threatening incidents. All the “regulars” are gone A LOT of credit goes to TA employees who have had it with having to constantly call 911 numerous times a day. So the problem is reduced But still, watch your back…
    The lights are finally reliably back on in the Korean war memorial Park but the lights are still off in Civic center Park which has been the main object of dozens of threats from various radical groups. That’s that’s why there is 24-hour police surveillance of the park and plaza. Of course Italian American groups are livid at the threats and abuse to the statue which is certainly understandable but nonetheless these last two weeks we have had a number of real victories. Several “regulars” on Montague, after a number of confrontations i confrontations have left the area or have really dialed back their street
    behavior…..WUSA

  • BK Heightser

    Anyone see the menu at Giulia’s? Would love to get a look if you’ve snapped a pic.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    Anyone who’s been—how was it? Happy to see familiar faces among the staff as I walked by.

  • Mike Suko

    Some good news for NYC, I’m pretty sure. The BH “connection” is that Steve Levin is NOT the kind of lame duck who spends the better part of his last year focusing on what comes next for him, personally. Instead, he was THE point person on this effort to tackle NYC’s 2 biggest problems – affordable housing and its evil twin – homelessness:

    https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/27/nyregion/nyc-homelessness-vouchers.html

  • Brixtony

    Gee whiz. I wonder who this is? Not.

  • Monty

    The menu is actually almost identical to the old menu. Plus a few more things.

  • CassieVonMontague

    I was surprised to hear about that. That’s a big accomplishment for an outgoing Councilmember.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    LOL gave himself away in the second sentence through the nonsensical use of the word “patriotic”

  • disqus_NCsPYOIlUl

    The menu is almost completely Italian – pasta, appetizers, entrees. Though you can still get a burger. Suggest waiting a few days before visiting. They were overwhelmed last night. We waited for our food for an hour, and then they forgot the appetizers.

  • Andrew Porter

    Bread news: Vermont Bread Co. and its owner, Koffee Kup Bakers, went out of business a few weeks ago. Then the company was bought by a Canadian baker who plans to bring the brand back. Meanwhile, Heidelberg Bakery, which was distributed by Koffee Kup, lost its distribution. But they’ll be back also.

    All this meant that Vermont Bread and Heidelberg, whose products I like, have been unavailable at Key Food and the former Peas & Pickles at Henry and Pineapple for a while.

    More details here, if anyone cares:

    https://tinyurl.com/mbk3cx6w

    Man does not live by bread alone; but it sure helps.

  • Mike Suko

    I think it’s safe to say that few readers of this blog have ever needed these vouchers. But if you look at the old numbers (the ones JUST NOW raised after way too many years of runaway increases in NYC housing costs), the only thing that comes to my mind is the Federal minimum wage – one defended by a Senator from South Dakota who said, “I didn’t even earn THAT much when I was a boy.”

    Same here. When you tell a single or a small family, “Knock yourself out – find a 1BR in NYC for $1300,” don’t be surprised when they’re panhandling on the subway.

    And BTW, my least favorite NYS Governor was instrumental in shooting down a similar legislative change at the State level. He’s about as welcome, loving and loved in NYC as DJT was.

  • Jorale-man

    Not quite following you here. What were the age-old problems at Clark & Monroe, aside from the half-demolished row house that’s finally being rebuilt?

    And who were the radical groups that were keeping the lights off at Civic Center Park (Columbus Park, presumably)? Confused…

  • CassieVonMontague

    Best Bread in the Neighborhood and Surrounding Areas (Ranked)

    1. Anadama at Cafe d’Avignon (DeKalb Market)
    2. Country Loaf at Almondine
    3. Miche at Bien Cuit
    4. Pan de Campagne at Trader Joe’s
    5. Balthazar Sourdough Rye at Key Food

  • Michael Krass

    lunch today was terrific. its nearly the same menu as always, the room is blue and fresh where it was red and fatigued. kind service with as many familiar staff as were still in the city. we’ll be just fine.

  • Red Leader

    Just want to add the baguettes at Lassen and Hennings are top notch.

  • http://www.yotamzohar.com StudioBrooklyn

    Where do I click for a subscription to Bread News oh my gawd 😍

  • Pierrepont

    Big fan of Vermont Bread Company breads! Hope they pull through.

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

    His moniker gave it away for me.
    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066540/

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

    It’s Jeff Smith ranting his usual, delusional paranoia.

  • Andrew Porter

    I have to say that the on-again-off-again restoration of the building is the saga that continues, endlessly.

    From wall bowing out to sidewalk shed to continued wall bowing out, ultimately collapsing, then cutting the 5 stories down to 3, then numerous plans for restoration, some of which were approved by Landmarks, then years of inactivity.

    Here’s a photo of 100 Clark Street in the 1960s:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/c738f05fa3a64d2a92dec0c76594492f15f5c683b5615a7dda61a1339e0e71d7.jpg

  • Andrew Porter