Stuff to discuss this week:

DUMBO landmarked! 

What to tip the staff for the holidays?

Freakin' Freegans! 

…and whatever else is on your mind… 

BHB Photo Club pic by fkuffel via Flickr

The NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission voted this afternoon to make DUMBO a historic district. Now all that's left is NYC Council approval.

DUMBONYC.com: LPC Approves…:The Commission voted unanimously 8-0 this afternoon to protect the blocks and 91 historic buildings in Dumbo. The new historic district is bound by John Street to the north, York Street to the south, Main Street to the west and Bridge Street to the east. According to the LPC, the Dumbo area was “essential to Brooklyn’s rise as a major American industrial center and was the home of some of the most important industrial firms in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century America…

Photo: PhotoPhoenix via Flickr

From the BHB Inbox:

The Downtown Brooklyn Transportation Blueprint is a planning process and plan to meet the multi-modal transportation needs of Downtown Brooklyn for the next 20 years. The Blueprint integrates planning for pedestrians, transit users, cyclists, motorists and goods movement. The project considers the implications of growth; developing goals, policies, strategies and initiatives that are focused on maintaining and enhancing access, mobility and quality of life as development occurs.

Official website 

The meeting is scheduled for January 10, 2008 at Brooklyn Borough Hall from 4pm – 8pm. [Flyer in PDF format] 

[video]http://youtube.com/watch?v=xXSxtOWdPDk[/video] 
BHB pal/Brooklyn Tattoo owner Adam Suerte's work is featured in this season's hottest video game — Rock Band. Many of the characters in the game are sporting his famous "Brooklyncentric" tattoos. The Brooklyn Eagle caught up with the hardest working artist in show business for today's edition:  Continue Reading →

It's the holidays and it's time for celebrating… and tipping! If you have a doorman or any type of staff in your building this time of year has some of you living in fear of the "hairy eyeball". How much should you tip? Should you dig deep at all for building staff, after all aren't they getting a paycheck? 

BHB pal Sewell Chan asks the tipping question today in the New York Times City Room and provides some insight.

Well, what do you do? 

Which is Menorah is bigger — Rabbi Shimon Hecht's of Park Slope or his nephew Rabbi Ari Raskin's of Brookyn Heights? It's a question that pops up every year and Chabad.org tackles it this week: 

Chabad.org: Tallest or Biggest…: The official moniker of the Park Slope menorah is "Brooklyn's Biggest." But at the Dec. 4 lighting at the courthouse Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz dubbed Raskin's "Brooklyn's Tallest."

In truth, each is about the same height at roughly 30 feet. Provisions in Jewish law limit a menorah's vertical dimensions at 32 feet.

And yet, the battle continues, although Park Slope's menorah is officially 29 feet tall, and plans sitting on Raskin's desk in his fourth-floor office at Congregation B'nai Avraham pin the height of Brooklyn Height's menorah at closer to 30 feet. [Full story]

Saturday night (12/15) the Brooklyn Heights Jewish Film Festival continues with Paul Mazursky's Yippie: A Journey to Jewish Joy.  Festival organizer Rabbi Simcha Weinstein promises "free popcorn" to any BHB readers who attend the screening (while supplies last!): Continue Reading →

A fireworks show, apparently from the South Street Seaport, rocked Brooklyn Heights this evening around 9pm. Despite our mad Googlin' skillz we can't find any info on what they were celebrating. Anyone know?

Recently ousted Vimeo co-founder and notorious blogger Jakob Lodwick has moved to Brooklyn Heights. Oh, and he's selling his psychiatrist couch (photo).

Lodwick says he does not "enjoy" receiving email and that his brother (ericlodwick AT gmail) will be entertaining offers for the couch. He bought it retail for $2100, but for YOU… $700. Hurry "first come, first served!"

Photo: Jakob Lodwick via Flickr

[video]http://youtube.com/watch?v=pjszc83kNAU[/video]

TwoFones alerts us that it's time once again to hit the streets of Brooklyn Heights and sing a few carols.  It happens next Thursday (12/20) at 6:30pm. Meet at the First Presbyterian Church [124 Henry Street]. And now the "official" invite letter from the folks who make it all possible, The Hinkle Family:  Continue Reading →

Whip 'em out Wednesday!Errr…. Open Thread Wednesday, time to talk about nabe topics including:

Scaffolding on Montague…what's the deal? 

The Bubble of Brooklyn Heights and Brownstoner making a big deal out of  all those Goldman Sachs execs moving in…

Curtis Martin nixes Skyhouse at BBP 

Cuppa joe?

…and whatever else is on your mind. Comment away! 

Photo by thatSEWtara via Flickr

If you're looking for the perfect rental space along the Heights waterfront, your opportunity may have just arrived. As previously reported, the former Standish Arms Hotel, a residence for the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society for 26 years, has been sold, and its units are now on the market.

The property was snatched up for $50 million by Boston real estate firm Taurus Investment Holdings, which has begun making units available to prospective renters. Located at 169 Columbia Heights, the 12-story Beaux-Arts-style building has had an interesting place in pop culture; it was the home to Superman’s alter ego, Clark Kent, as well as the location of Willy Lowman'’s affair in Death of a Salesman.

Its sale comes in the wake of a recent decision by the Watchtower organization to consolidate its Brooklyn holdings. Five other buildings in the Heights remain for sale. The Standish has more than 100 units, with studios starting at $2,000/month. One-bedroom apartments begin at $2,750, while two-bedroom apartments start at $3,600. Amenities include a 24-hour concierge, a fully-equipped gym, renovated interiors—and of course, killer views! For more information on available units, visit Awaye Realty’s site.

It appears that the recent removal of the scaffolds at the corner of Montague and Court may be coming back for an encore performance. This time it is particularly unappealing as there appears to be a set of beams going up in the center, partinioning the sidewalk in two.

Perhaps the work being done before wasn't properly finished…then again, was any work even being done in the first place?