Open Thread Wednesday

WILLOWTOWN STREET FAIR
This Saturday, May 21st, Noon to 5PM
Willow Place between Joralemon and State Streets
Local Food – Music from the Brooklyn Bards – Bake Sale – Raffle with Prizes – Face Painters – Jump Castle – Games – and More!!!

They seem to be unsure which of 2 big moneymakers – coffee or ice cream – will float their boat [hard to think of any place that has a real mix of the 2], and it’ll be interesting to see how that plays out. It’s a great location – and probably high rent – so I’ll bet it’s $8 gelatos (small, really), at least until Halloween. I predict banner success UNLESS the people living upstairs (avg. price per apt. = $4.6 MM) rein them in. (e.g., Will they be open ’til 10 PM?)

Just saw a 5 minute story on Spectrum Channel One on the new Pickle Ball courts in BBP.

What happened to the decorative panels that graced the entrance to the old BH Library?

I believe they were given to the Brooklyn Museum.

Because a federal judge threw out the congressional maps, a special master drew a new one. Our proposed congressional district now includes Manhattan approximately below 14th st, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Boerum Hill, Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Kensington and Borough Park. The map will be finalized on Friday.

Not so fast, CVM. I happened to hear a WNYC segment on it this A.M., and while there may have been sound judicial underpinnings to the appointment of a “special master” [I’d say, “Almost for sure”] it looks like the man in Western PA who drew the lines (a) did not know NY State; and (b) did not know that the NYS Constitution actually has an important clause – I don’t think I’m distorting, but I sure am paraphrasing: “Don’t screw ‘minority groups’ when you draw the lines.”

I think this actually took effect within the last 5-15 years, and the thinking then was pretty simple: If a group like Chinese-Americans is concentrated in 3 NYC neighborhoods, drawing lines so that they’re divided into 9 Congressional Districts WOULD – maybe- do them out of a seat that we citizens voted (via the const’l amendment) that they should get.

Sorry for the civics lesson, but stuff like that IS all over the lines drawn. (Tomorrow is NOT “game over” day.) As the WNYC guest put it, “it looks fair” if the districts are “square” (not gerrymandered, obviously), but does it make sense to split a town or a neighborhood just to achieve that SECONDARY (un-mandated) objective?! It looks like lawsuits WILL be filed, and I’ll bet they imperil having the elections on even the pushed back dates. “Central Brooklyn” has 2 Black Congresspeople. One scenario says that they’ll go head-to-head if the special master’s map stands … “and then there was one.”

Obviously, if that map gets altered, who knows where B.Hts. winds up?

Mike,

Thank you for this information.

We had not known of the complexities involved when dividing Congressional Districts.

Kevin

The “where you live” aspect is of note with these new districts as well. Because the fellow who drew them new districts moved the borders on a few as to keep them essentially the same, but left their current elected Representative outside the district. In one case, the border apparently cuts directly between the Representative’s house and his next door neighbor.

It just goes to show you, the devil is in the details.

The BHA wrote:

The BHA is partnering with Citizen’s Union Foundation to offer a free online training session that will explain how [we] can be involved in the NYC Council redistricting process.

This session will focus specifically on the City Council level, though there will be a general Q&A at the end of the meeting. It is very important that citizens understand the impacts of redistricting and how to make our voice heard.

We will be hosting a zoom session on Tuesday, May 24th from 6:30-7:30pm. Please RSVP (link below) if you would like attend. We will send you a zoom link the day of the event.

Yes, the city also banned coal fired boilers that were still in use, in some buildings, at the time.

Also shoveled coal in the coal oven. We would open up the cellar doors on the street and the coal truck would dump the coal into the basement for future shoveling into the coal oven. The good old days.

Thanks for that rumor. It led me to look up Sonder, and I’m intrigued:

https://www.businessinsider.com/sonder-apartment-versus-airbnb-hotel-review-2019-12

This article (in businessinsider dot com, if the link vanishes & anyone is interested) introduced me to an AirBNB alternative – basically, recognizing that at the right time & place, a company with many millions of dollars might do well to create a hybrid of a hotel and an apt. building. Key sentences: “Most of Sonder’s units are hotel-licensed, meaning they must comply with hotel safety codes and pay hotel taxes. But unlike a hotel, the apartments come with full kitchens and separate bedrooms and living areas.” Since I think AirBNB & similar is classic “Hey, at least *I* can profit from the awful situation that NYC has a housing shortage – yes, making it even worse” libertarianism at its very worst, I love the idea that maybe some Hts people living in a 2nd home may actually give up their rent stabilized apt. once it ceases to be a kind of ATM. Have you SEEN all the “locks” that litter our nabe and could wreck the community and individual buildings if they keep proliferating.

But anyone who’s heard of WeWork has got to wonder if this really IS “rock solid.” What accounts for your negativity about Sonder and this future for the Bossert if it comes to pass?

FWIW, you were so negative, I was a little suspicious. (Like maybe *you* had a bad experience with them.) Everything you said “checks out.” Only the article I referenced above says different, and it’s easy to imagine that either (a) this (20 Broad in downtown Manh.) is their “showcase” operation, with quality/costs that would kill them if they did it with all properties; or (b) money changed hands in connection with the very positive write-up. [Well, one *could* imagine an orchestrated smear campaign by VRBO/AirBNB operators, I suppose.]

I’m basically WITH YOU, but the negative might be one often associated (if only by people who are dubious about AirBNB in urban/apartment settings) with some “typical guests.” … AT WORST, they can resemble a “fraternity house.” VERY tempting to take a high rental cost and split it 6 ways. (A good night’s sleep is not everyone’s highest priority.)

A couple getting married in Brooklyn? Could be a natural for the groomsmen or bridesmaids, not so great for the family staying next door, much less renters & owners on or near Montague St.