Yes it is a mess and neighbors do care and are equally disgusted! One gentlemen is responsible for most of the debris. He lived across the street in Carroll Gardens Assn. housing and was evicted a couple of months ago- and the problem has escalated. Sanitation has cleared out the debris at least 3 times, but this effort has to be sustained (weekly) as he rebuilds as soon as they leave. The others who sit just to the north are long-time fixtures on Columbia Street and are cooperative (they are collecting and bagging their own trash) between our monthly clean-ups (see below).

4 things you can do:

1.) call 311 and report a "homeless encampment". The Community Affairs Unit at the 76th Precinct is working on getting placement for him.

2.) Come to a Public Services Committee meeting of the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Assn. in Sept. Go to www.cowna.org for details.

3.) Come out to (and bring your neighbors and friends)to a Greenway clean-up held the second Saturday of every month at 10am at 145 Columbia Street. For details go to www.brooklyngreenway.org. These monthly clean-ups are co-sponsored by Columbia Waterfront Assn. and make a huge difference. We did not have a clean-up in August.

4.) I will be out there later today doing a mini-clean-up. I have trash bags and trash grabbers. Post me back if you'd like to join me.

Posted by: BGeye at August 23, 2009 3:18 PM in response to Care about Columbia Street

The current and future tenants (especially with kids) should invest in some respirators. The gas tanks from the former gas station that was on the site were pulled out in the middle of the night. A standing pool of oil was present and quickly covered by gravel before the foundation pour. Development at its absolute worst during the development boom.

Posted by: BGeye at July 23, 2009 6:40 PM in response to 115 Kane Street Looks Ready to Go

The lots in question, on the west side of Columbia Street between Kane/DeGraw are currently being used as a staging area for the Columbia Street Reconstruction. When Van Brunt Street is finished,north of Hamilton,these lots will be tranferred from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Parks Dept. and developed as a neighborhood park adjoining the Greenway. The transfer is expected sometime in 2010. The 3/4 mile Columbia Street segment of the Greenway is indeed an interim treatment- the result of a negotiation that occured several years ago. It is roughly half the width that it will eventually be. BGI commissioned a study earlier this year to determine the additional land concessions needed from the Port Authority (PA) to meet BGI's standard of a 30' right-of-way.It comes up short on space for pedestrians and does not have the landscaping that will create the effect of traveling through a linear park. In 2009, BGI will be holding a series of public planning workshops to inform the design of the permanent Greenway. Keep using the Greenway on Columbia Street! BGI is regularly counting bicyclists, pedestrians and joggers to establish a usage baseline which will go a long way in adavancing not only the permanent Greenway on Columbia St., but at multiple locations. Stay tuned.

Posted by: BGeye at October 25, 2008 11:55 AM in response to The Brooklyn Greenway Has Arrived

The lots in question, on the west side of Columbia Street between Kane/DeGraw are currently being used as a staging area for the Columbia Street Reconstruction. When Van Brunt Street is finished,north of Hamilton,these lots will be tranferred from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Parks Dept. and developed as a neighborhood park adjoining the Greenway. The transfer is expected sometime in 2010. The 3/4 mile Columbia Street segment of the Greenway is indeed an interim treatment- the result of a negotiation that occured several years ago. It is roughly half the width that it will eventually be. BGI commissioned a study earlier this year to determine the additional land concessions needed from the Port Authority (PA) to meet BGI's standard of a 30' right-of-way.It comes up short on space for pedestrians and does not have the landscaping that will create the effect of traveling through a linear park. In 2009, BGI will be holding a series of public planning workshops to inform the design of the permanent Greenway. Keep using the Greenway on Columbia Street! BGI is regularly counting bicyclists, pedestrians and joggers to establish a usage baseline which will go a long way in adavancing not only the permanent Greenway on Columbia St., but at multiple locations. Stay tuned.

Posted by: BGeye at October 25, 2008 11:55 AM in response to The Brooklyn Greenway Has Arrived

The lots in question, on the west side of Columbia Street between Kane/DeGraw are currently being used as a staging area for the Columbia Street Reconstruction. When Van Brunt Street is finished,north of Hamilton,these lots will be tranferred from the Department of Transportation (DOT) to the Parks Dept. and developed as a neighborhood park adjoining the Greenway. The transfer is expected sometime in 2010. The 3/4 mile Columbia Street segment of the Greenway is indeed an interim treatment- the result of a negotiation that occured several years ago. It is roughly half the width that it will eventually be. BGI commissioned a study earlier this year to determine the additional land concessions needed from the Port Authority (PA) to meet BGI's standard of a 30' right-of-way.It comes up short on space for pedestrians and does not have the landscaping that will create the effect of traveling through a linear park. In 2009, BGI will be holding a series of public planning workshops to inform the design of the permanent Greenway. Keep using the Greenway on Columbia Street! BGI is regularly counting bicyclists, pedestrians and joggers to establish a usage baseline which will go a long way in adavancing not only the permanent Greenway on Columbia St., but at multiple locations. Stay tuned.

Posted by: BGeye at October 25, 2008 11:54 AM in response to The Brooklyn Greenway Has Arrived

If he starts to play the cello, call the NYT, and they could do a story, that will be made into a movie. Or i guess you could watch the soloist.

Posted by: Old City Construction at August 24, 2009 8:15 AM in response to Care about Columbia Street

It's one guy living on the street, not a decaying area. It's an eyesore, but this is NYC. There are so many new out-of-town arrivals to the area that they never knew how New York City used to be...

Posted by: S4S Inc at August 24, 2009 10:56 AM in response to Care about Columbia Street