The sugarcubes got me thru my first undergrad charrette, and she had a brief relationship with Tricky, I hope she enjoys BK and performs free at the bandshell or else we evict her back to that house boat.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at August 19, 2009 10:43 AM in response to Björk Moving to Brooklyn Heights

Any one know if this building and the one adjacent(bike store ground level) have the same owner?

Posted by: DowningByLaw at August 17, 2009 2:22 PM in response to StreetLevel: Old Brooklyn Parlor a Thing of the Past

I use this lane often and its a pointless battle. Logistically there will always be delivery trucks who need access then add oblivious dble parkers and livery cars and the bike lane along with many others is useless and becomes more of a danger to cyclist.
No amount of enforcement or enlightenment will make non cyclist empathetic. 6th ave is far to narrow, 7th and 5th are far too populated with retail.Although it host more than 4 bike stores, park slope will never be bike friendly,this does not surprise me.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at June 10, 2009 9:52 AM in response to CB6, Fifth Avenue BID Going After Bike Lane

DowningStreet, I've emailed James twice in the last year concerning the schoolyard to no avail, keep us posted if you get a response, I did not.
Early sunday morn i spoke to an officer sitting in a squad car in front of the park as to why the school yard is open 24/7 and he was dumbfounded as to why it wasn't closed, he cited a number of school yards that are locked. I would hate to deny the countless kids who enjoy and use the park responsibly, but there are a number of walkable public grounds to play ball in.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at June 1, 2009 12:33 PM in response to Teen-on-Teen Shooting on Downing Street

I was under the impression that public school yards were to be locked after hrs and on the weekends, does the school accept some liability when something of this nature occurs on school grounds?

I live on downing (moved in 99') and in fact I can look out my window at the barely washed blood stains along with school kids currently playing having no comprehension of what occurred sat night.

Every summer for the past 4 years there has been a shooting, this is the first i believe to be in the school yard. Most summers the yard is used for basketball, dogwalkers and mostly tame activities that usually end at dusk. Occasionally, like last summer there will be a massive barbeque accompanied with a live dj, speakers and a crowd that has absolutely no consideration for those who live on the block, it usually gets out of hand but sat. night was the first time for it to end with gunshots.

As for "summer in the ghetto" and the like,a brownstone on the block recently fetched 1.3 mil, there are artists, students and an assortment of professionals as well as 40yr plus residents on the block, save your pointless rhetoric for less serious events.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at June 1, 2009 11:03 AM in response to Teen-on-Teen Shooting on Downing Street

Sheer luck. Packed with a bus, two limos, and a stream of commercial vans this morning. That bike lane is a big joke, i ride along adams every morning to the bridge and it is rarely clear.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at March 27, 2009 10:11 AM in response to Adams Street Cleaning Up Its Act?

PutnamDen
Very interesting point, hopefully now with the fulton bid in effect fulton can get some of that myrtle love.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at February 27, 2009 3:34 PM in response to Streetlevel: Chase Revealed on Myrtle

R&A is one of the largest online high end retailers, they really don't need walk in traffic.

On line retailers do cut into any local shops retail, ask any shop owner that has been in biz for over ten years. Shops do not survive on selling complete bikes, In an urban shop the bread and butter comes from accessories, lights, tires, fenders which could all be found on line at a fraction of what most shops will charge.

Good shops do not flourish because of pricing, they do well because they listen and build relationships with repeat customers.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at February 26, 2009 4:16 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Bike Shop for Fort Greene

Nice point Petebkln, however if you do find yourself buying on line maybe show some love to your lbs (local bike shop)and have them install the part, an lbs can in no way compete with online stores but they(good shops at least) offer service that performance,nashbar(crap) can never match.

My gut feeling is that this will be another fixed crazed boutique oriented store, no one in there right mind would open a full service/sales bike shop in todays economy within one mile of three other shops(Bicycle Station, Brooklyn bike and Board, R&A) unless they were targeting a trend. There have been half a dozen boutique shops open in the last few years in manhattan and williamsburg all targeting the fixter, i really really hope I'm wrong(especially since I'm saving to open a repair shop in bedstuy.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at February 26, 2009 3:45 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Bike Shop for Fort Greene

I moved to Ch in 99.
Having a few business' opened after 6p on the stretch opposite outpost is what i was aiming at, anything to encourage more foot traffic would help overall- for intstance after dark irving btwn. putnam and fulton is deserted, I wonder how late the co-op intends to stay open daily? and is that antique store still operating?

Posted by: DowningByLaw at February 23, 2009 11:42 AM in response to The Co-Op School Finds a Home in Clinton Hill

I hope this also spurs/supports more commercial activity on fulton to compliment outpost and Michael Allen deserts.

There is no doubt putnam is progressing(slowly) but with each new step I feel that progress may speed up, a shooting free summer would sure be nice but unlikely.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at February 23, 2009 11:13 AM in response to The Co-Op School Finds a Home in Clinton Hill

I've often wondered what it would be like living near the Mosque on Fulton(btwn Wash. and St.James)-they have a speaker/megaphone pointed out of a window. It seems to me to be too touchy of a subject to bring up but it would really anger me if I lived in audible distance.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at February 10, 2009 12:00 PM in response to Turn It Down! Church Blasts Bed Stuy Neighbors

Wow, finally. There was a sandwich shack thingy at the corner of this lot, then it closed and the lot became a quasi- dumping ground before the construction crews started digging up fulton and used the lot for storage.
Empty lots are empty lots, so anything would be great as long as its not built by the hacks who put up the monstrosity at Classon and fulton.

Another deli would be great!

Posted by: DowningByLaw at February 4, 2009 11:50 AM in response to Two Fulton Lots Up for Foreclosure Sale

I was told that the space is being rented for 4,000 mo. After hearing about the space on classon and greene asking for what I consider an implausible amount I am not shocked. What kind of retail could generate enough income to be profitable and pay these amounts on fulton and classon(small gway mgmt storefront also on putnam) in this economy?

Posted by: DowningByLaw at January 30, 2009 3:24 PM in response to Streetlevel: A Tenant (Finally) for 936 Fulton Street?

Legion,
Schooly D is from philly, but thank you for that memory. Nas is originally from bk. we'll can claim him.

How bout the other miller-Authur, maybe add Walt Whitman and Paul Auster and Scott Baio.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at December 4, 2008 7:17 PM in response to Closing Bell: Brooklyn's Hall of Fame

I believe he's going back to florida , he mentioned that the landlord is very anxious to rent the space to a low key venture preferably nothing to do with food, apparently the rent is reasonable and it wasn't raised in five years. I have no idea what could do well on that corner but I'd love to have another movie rental store.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at September 17, 2008 6:19 PM in response to Streetlevel: Gates Ave. Video and Candy To Close

I encourage everyone to go home and ride a bike this weekend comeback monday and see if you still need to make sweeping biased generalizations, not every driver is a maniac, not every pedestrian is oblivious and not every cyclist is reckless.

If I violate the law then give me a ticket but make sure every dble parker, bike lane blocker and jaywalker on that same street get one also!

Posted by: DowningByLaw at September 12, 2008 1:12 PM in response to Warnings to Cyclists Near the Bridge

Amazingly narrow points of view, in light of the recent death I guess the easiest thing is to continue generalizing and villianizing cyclist once again.

I commute everyday by bicycle year round rain or shine,( I own a car also) I see ridiculous things perpetrated every day by cyclist, motorist, pedestrians and law enforcement but cyclist seem to be the easiest target not the oblivious pedestrian crossing in the middle of the block while on a cellphone, the driver that forgets the person they just cut off on a bicycle is made of flesh and bones with a family or the non skilled rider jetting across the crosswalk against the light nearly clipping pedestrians.

I see it all and I've been riding to the city since 87'sometimes I'm an ass and sometimes I'm incredibly considerate just like everyone else in this city, but first and foremost self preservation governs me and sometimes that means stopping at a light or crossing the double lines because the bike lanes are blocked and placard adorned cars are parked illegally(chambers street every day)

Visit some bicycle oriented blogs and see the perspective of responsible cyclist and pause next time you generalize(although it seems to be the norm on this site).

Posted by: DowningByLaw at September 12, 2008 12:04 PM in response to Warnings to Cyclists Near the Bridge

What is mind boggling is the time that fulton is taking to evolve. Atlantic aint pretty after dark but I'll gladly venture there to get produce, that double wide space(laundromat and former law offices adjacent to abandoned bldg?) has been defunct for over two years, doesn't seem that fulton is in any rush for new sustainable commerce, pity.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at July 15, 2008 3:59 PM in response to Streetlevel: Fresh Produce Comes to Atlantic

adding to 10:14,
does completion mean the entire stretch(classon to clinton) of fulton being re-repaved? and please tell if a bike line will be added.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at June 19, 2008 10:54 AM in response to Fulton Dig Could Be Done By September

I was robbed once- 1994 gun to the back of my neck held by a teenager while his partners were in a car behind us- this was in my parents neighborhood in an upscale section of queens.

I walk fully aware but not paranoid.
I'm six one, 205 and study and teach martial arts and most of the advice so far is illogical impractical and spoken by people who probably have never been in a fight.

When you study strategies and techniques for dealing with multiple attackers(3 or more) you realize despite preparations training( throw in a box cutter and your chances are very slim) the best move is to find an exit, period.
I've lived in clinton hill for 10 yrs and can fend for myself luckily I haven't had to yet,but my wife is tiny and not from the city, my advice(along with basic self defense techniques) to her besides the obvious is to take the long way around and walk down fulton rather than gates, be vigilant in scanning ahead and behind her and if confronted offer no resistance.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at June 18, 2008 11:02 AM in response to Enough With the Marauding Teenagers!

Is Divatude still operating? Whatever happened to that short lived coffee shop or that make shift diner that has had its gates down for sometime and whose storefront now serves as a gathering spot for some of the old timers and "drunkman".
This corner is a throwback and an anomaly , police presence which seems to do little over time(although I am disturbed that there has been any in the past few days) is a panacea, the only way this corner will change is when it becomes commercially viable for more merchants, there are a few but not enough- police seem to respond much quicker to business owners than homeowners or renters(my opinion).
When that dank dark rinkydink putnam candy store is bought out and the yemenese landlords relatives(who are decent but seem to have adopted the bad habits of whom they host) ) who run the deli stop condoning and covering for that scary lady runner/lookout/prostitute on her bike and the few pre 16yr olds who aid in the traffic- then we will see a change.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at May 22, 2008 8:53 PM in response to Cop Fired on in Aftermath of Rally at Grand and Putnam

If you frequent this site(or live in reality) and notice what properties are selling for and still use the term "ghetto" you should spend some time reading instead of yapping.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at May 22, 2008 11:39 AM in response to Cop Fired on in Aftermath of Rally at Grand and Putnam

I was dissapointed to not find a consistent police presence since last weeks shooting, maybe if there was a squad car out and about, last nights shooting may not have happened.

I'd call the 88th more often if I wasn't treated like a hemorrhoid on a hot day each time I called.

I find it troubling when people justify a lack of pay for poor customer service (especially when the avge officer makes 70,000yr including overtime lets remember they choose this line of work).

I think the tapes should be reviewed and a consistent presence will rapidly aid the cleaning up of this corner, maybe find a way to shutdown the deli at the corner with some violations-like when the gents behind the counter smoke cigs while making a sandwich in the presence of school kids also in the store(that was this morning), another blatant example of complete disregard for the immediate community.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at May 22, 2008 10:47 AM in response to Cop Fired on in Aftermath of Rally at Grand and Putnam

I was born in BK in 69 on St. james, I am well aware of the evolution of the borough. I dabbled in unsavory activities as well but I grew up and being a parent changes your perspective on many things including quality of life and your own personal responsibilities that go along with that. Wake up and decide what kind of world you want to live in.
Sunday night 12:40 am I had to ask the usuals to keep it down(accompanied by music thumping from the usual silver benz) and move away from my stoop and puff someplace else because my fam needs sleep, these are the same cats on the corner day in day out, am I wrong for wanting a decent quiet nights sleep? Its not just peddling nix and dimes but the atmosphere it creates-please prove me wrong.

I'll be there at 4:30ish will you?

Posted by: DowningByLaw at May 20, 2008 7:57 PM in response to Closing Bell: Clinton Hill Crime Press Conference & Rally

7:08 I am glad for you but your perspective is irrelevant, narrow and seemingly self absorbed. i hold the immediate communities ambivalence as the major culprit and your wonderful insight gives me that ability.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at May 20, 2008 7:16 PM in response to Closing Bell: Clinton Hill Crime Press Conference & Rally

This is great! Maybe this exposure will make those who turn a blind eye realize that some of us may be finally fed up and are looking for a solution.
But I echo the 4pm as inconvenient sentiment.

Posted by: DowningByLaw at May 20, 2008 7:05 PM in response to Closing Bell: Clinton Hill Crime Press Conference & Rally