Open Thread Wednesday

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Devon

    So, uh, why does Pinto keep changing its name?

  • Eddyde

    You mean the Cheese Cellar?

  • Leonidas

    I was wondering the same thing.

  • Cranberry Beret

    The first time was because they split from their partner (chef?) who kept the Manhattan Pinto location. Same owners but new name/menu. Now, it’s entirely new owners.

  • Mike Suko

    Anybody else read the piece here on the latest plan to “repair the BQE?” Obviously, it boils down to 3 bandaids because the Mayor and/or DOT has ruled out surgery for now…. The PROBLEM ??

    What has been proposed WILL have a much greater impact on Brooklyn Heights than either the article or the DOT projects – and almost surely for a much longer period of time than 3 weekends in 2023.

    The Brooklyn Eagle has a long story about it, and nyc.gov has a PDF that demonstrates that lots of effort HAS been expended.

    The impact I predict has to do with my certainty that the DOT’s proposed re-routing is like hip replacement surgery using Venetian glass. When affected drivers – many in trucks – are told by their GPS that it’ll be 90 minutes before they’re “back on their way” to Manhattan or LGA or points north, they WILL make a right on Henry and a couple of turns later, they’ll be streaming (more likely, crawling) through Bklyn Hts on Clinton & Hicks.

    “6 lanes on the Promenade” didn’t fly, thank the Lord, but this alternative is the equivalent of trying to pack 100 lbs of manure in a 50 lb bag. (and BH is “the bag.”)

  • Andrew Porter

    This Mayor continues to disappoint me at every turn. He needs to appoint more cronies, instead of people who actually know what they’re doing.

    And be sure to throw out any plans for the BQE initiated by the previous administration, because, uh, why?

  • Andrew Porter

    My photo of 60 Pineapple Street in 1970, before they stripped the ugly black and white paint off the exterior:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f4354da2a6ce805abf4bd4670f51809e5af188ddebf67c37454bda50cef09436.jpg

  • Andrew Porter

    And when they did, the workers used sulphuric acid. A barrel of the stuff overturned, and people were walking and driving through it—until I called 911. Then the Fire Dept. hosed the area down.

    Again, my photo:
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0113f629c6eff70788fe160a3a3186df037434b0a9177d396308a2403493ce58.jpg

  • Sweeties

    Surprised that no one has mentioned what a great job has been done to renovate the benches on The Promenade. I think they’ve started at the South end and are moving North. They look really good.

  • Sweeties

    What a grotesque exterior design choice.

  • Jorale-man

    A pandemic update for 11201:
    Dates: September 12-September 18
    7-day percent positive: 11.37%
    People tested (reported to date): 774
    New people positive (reported to date): 88
    https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/covid/covid-19-data.page#maps
    Worth noting: The Heights, Downtown and Dumbo appear to have the highest rates in Brownstone Brooklyn.

  • Mike Suko

    Don’t get there as often as I used to (pre-BBP.)

    Glad work has been done. I know that there are quite a few volunteers – kudos to them – but I’d be curious whether this improvement came out of NYParksDept $ or BHA or ??

    And – out of curiosity – do you see any improvement (if it’s great, it MUST have been improved in the last 6 months or so) in the hexagonal “flooring?”

    Last, how’s the lighting after dark?

    Mostly unrelated – anybody using the Bklyn Brdg “bike lane” and willing to write a short “review?”

  • Banet

    I was heartened to see that the city is installing 3 new street trees on Hicks, between Grace Court/Grace Court Alley and Remsen.You can tell because the corners of the sidewalk cut are outlined in white spray paint and a green stick from the Parks Department is stuck onto the sidewalk explaining that a tree is coming.

    One will be on the west side, close to the corner of Grace Court, in the old tree pit that lost a massive tree in the windstorm a year or two ago (the tree that demolished the brick wall of the house on Remsen). it sucked when the old tree pit was paved over with asphalt! I wonder though if the new tree will struggle to work around the root system of the now-gone tree?

    The other two will be on the west side, along the side 60 Remsen. There are currently a number of London Plane trees there but there’s apparently room for 2 more. One is quite close to Grace Court Alley, the other a bit further north.

    Kudos to the BHA as I expect they had a hand in pushing the city to do this. And has anyone spotted any other planned trees?

  • Cranberry Beret

    Another is coming to the empty pit on Hicks outside Plymouth’s entrance (just north of Orange St)

  • Sweeties

    Similarly, they’ve started at the South end, moving North. Work looks good, so far.

  • EY at Henry St

    anyone in the neighborhood using Starry Internet? sick and tired of Spectrum. would love to hear your feedback

  • Angela De Marco

    Heads up. Apparently a new phishing scam on mailboxes at Pierrepont and Hicks and also at Hicks and Clark. Possibly at Montague and Hicks as well. Glue applied to mail slit. Thieves come and take the mail, possibly in middle of night. Be aware.

  • meschwar

    This is some nonsense.

  • Moni

    Why should we be surprised at the extremely limited competence of Adams? Can’t help wondering where we’d be now if Garcia had won. Unfortunately the choice was Adams of Sliwa. Held my nose.

  • Effective Presenter

    Sliwa would have been good, very good with crime and homeless, maybe more. His network includes Melinda Katz who would have be a tremendous resource.

    Adams has not been effective with crime, etc.

    We don’t think New York knows how many people do NOT visit New York City due to the crime, resulting in a tremendous amount of money $$$ lost, restaurants, shopping, etc.

    Kevin

  • Andrew Porter

    The buildings were actually closed down for years before the renovation started. As I understand it, to save money, the St. George took their garbage and put it all the empty rooms and filled them.

    So when it came time to renovate the structure, they had to take out hundreds of dumpsters full of garbage before they could even get to start work on the actual structure.

    Then there were the many feral cats living in the place…

  • Andrew Porter

    On the north side of Pineapple in front of 45.

  • KDHicks

    Has anyone else noticed the absurd amount of scaffolding up throughout BKH? On almost every main corridor — Hicks, Henry, Clark, Montague. And yet, I don’t often see any actual work getting done above them. Anyone know what’s up with this?

  • KDHicks

    So sad — wish there was still a cheese spot on Montague!

  • Andrew Porter

    Lots of work being done. They’re busy all the time working on the Cadman Towers (CadPlW., Clark, Clinton, Henry, Pineapple) complex.

    My standard comment on all this is that I dream of a time when BH has no scaffolding at all. Not that that’s ever going to happen…

  • Effective Presenter

    “Those who have NO dream the most pathetic of all” – Ghandi

  • Red Leader

    I just heard that Eastern Athletic is closing in December. Anyone have any intel?

  • Mark C

    A squash gym (Open Squash) is going to build out the space and move in. According to their website, they will open Spring 2024.

  • MaggieO

    My best guess is that a bunch of folks got hit with facade violations that forced them to erect scaffolding until they can complete the repairs.

  • Red Leader

    Thanks! While I was never a huge fan of Eastern, a part of me is sad to see it go.