I have noticed the tow trucks are out in full force. Better think twice about letting your car stick out into that crosswalk.

Posted by: IMBY at December 3, 2008 12:08 PM in response to Parking Ticket Hot Spots

Nice job. Very formal. Miniture Versailles... all you need now are some tiny boxwood spheres. Might consider adding some kind of salvaged architectural element to the rear brick wall to continue the line of sight.

You can always add more hardscape into the mix as you find the need. I prefer more green myself. Didn't mention whether you planted any bulbs. Spring, May and June, are the best flowering times for Brooklyn gardens. Oh yea, I also like the mix of the wood and iron deck. What type of wood is it?

Good time now to get a nice bird feeder. You will be surprised at how many birds stick around for the winter.

Posted by: IMBY at December 3, 2008 11:41 AM in response to Garden of the Day: Bearing Fruit in Bed Stuy

I have always wondered about those two poles holding up the cantilevered windows on the second floor. Nice brickwork for sure. Nicely knit.

Posted by: IMBY at December 1, 2008 10:50 AM in response to The Peculiarly Plain House in Park Slope

Wonderful. Nothing like the satisfaction from a job well done. I know this wasn't an issue with you folks, but did you ever ask your contractor how this job would have been accomplished if they had to bring all the materials through your house? Pouring the cement? No wheel barrows?

Posted by: IMBY at November 26, 2008 9:46 AM in response to The Final Day Arrives, Phase One Complete!

They wear out pretty fast.

Posted by: IMBY at November 24, 2008 8:49 PM in response to Sisal stair runner?

Now where will I get my fork lift repaired?

Posted by: IMBY at November 24, 2008 8:47 PM in response to 44 Berry Street Website Launches

You could get killed wearing those shoes.

Posted by: IMBY at November 22, 2008 11:41 AM in response to supra timberland mauri dunk jordans nikes

Hey they are going to open up a nail salon in your old 7th ave location. What do you think about that?

Posted by: IMBY at November 21, 2008 2:04 PM in response to Bird Blog: Week 22

Today's infill, tomorrow's landfill.

Posted by: IMBY at November 19, 2008 4:30 PM in response to Development Watch: 390 14th Street

Is this one of those 100 year old original top of the stair well, wire glass sitting in a galvanized tin pyramid shaped frame, with a tin cap at the peak or ridge type of skylights? If there are no openings in the 18" boxed in section of sheet rock above the stained glass leading to the attic space you can simply go up to the roof and stuff a section of that soft black foam tube pipe insulation up and under the ridge of that metal cap. It fits in snugly and doesn't fall out. This tin ridge cap is actually a vent that is allowing your rising warm air to escape, and on windy days like today, cold air from the outside to be force back in. I do this every fall and it makes a big difference in my heating bills. In the Spring i go up and pull it back out. You can also go up there with some 6 mill clear plastic and a roll of duct tape and just wrap the whole thing making sure the tape is tight and secure at the base. This will last until Spring before it starts to break down. I have also seen old pictures of brownstones where they would hang these big heavy velvet curtains across open doorways to cut down on drafts.

Posted by: IMBY at November 19, 2008 4:25 PM in response to Draft through Skylights

Beansprouts usually takes any storefronts that open up along that section of 6th Avenue.

Posted by: IMBY at November 18, 2008 3:56 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Restaurant in the South Slope

If you are planning to make an offer on the building, Property Shark shows multiple Lis Pendens on the property.

Lis Pendens filed
2/23/2007
Judgement Expires 2/23/2010
Book Lis Pendens

Document Type Appoint Conservator

Index number 100290/06
Debtor Joan Taylor
Creditor Egglestonverna

Doesn't Verna Eggleston work for Bloomberg?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verna_Eggleston

Posted by: IMBY at November 17, 2008 10:00 AM in response to Notorious Crackhouse at 474 Greene Avenue Up In Flames

They count on the high drop out rate among HS students in order to relieve overcrowding in the schools. That way they don't have to build any new ones.

Posted by: IMBY at November 13, 2008 9:39 AM in response to Brooklyn High Schools Improve

Ouch! That's some link. Should have had a parental warning attached. This link provides a shot of the frame house before demo.
http://imby.blogspot.com/2008_04_29_archive.html

Posted by: IMBY at November 7, 2008 5:08 PM in response to Development Watch: 277 19th Street

Voted at PS 10 around 7:30am and it took about 20 minutes total. Would have taken a lot less time if I could have remembered my district number...It was the 19th.
If you are voting at PS 10, look up your district before hand and enter by the 17th Street side of the building in order to wait directly in your shorter individual district line.

By 9 am the wait was up to 45 minutes.

Posted by: IMBY at November 4, 2008 10:42 AM in response to Long Lines, Everywhere

I believe folks that "douche" and the more formal "douche bag" have been recently replaced by "douche nozzle".

Posted by: IMBY at October 22, 2008 1:44 PM in response to A McCain Outpost in Blue Park Slope

I think it's Polk Weed.

Posted by: IMBY at October 21, 2008 5:42 PM in response to Tuesday Blogwrap

They have been around for a few years. Can't stand them. The gauge seems to be very thin and not very structurally sound. The tin sound you mention. The SS doors are just awful. Ornamentation up the wazzoo without any restraint. Some even etch the surface of the panels with pictorial reliefs!!!!

Posted by: IMBY at October 18, 2008 10:31 AM in response to Chromed Out Houses?

Southside... Best cup of coffee I've had in a long time.

Posted by: IMBY at October 17, 2008 8:26 PM in response to Streetlevel: Coffee Shop for the South Slope

Also saw this one from start to finish... Brownstoner the old photo you provide above, is that the tax photo from 20+ years ago because what was left of the actual frame house couldn't have been anything more than sawdust, lead paintchips, and the DNA (read body fluids) of the family that lived there. If the inside looked anything like the outside, which I can't even imagine, they did the right thing.

An Arch. in Brooklyn, question. What's the style called in that part of Windsor Terrace where they incorporate rocks into the brick face? There seems to be a lot of these styled homes in the area.

Posted by: IMBY at October 16, 2008 12:28 PM in response to The Charming Paint Peeler Reincarnated

The sign has been up for a month or so.

Posted by: IMBY at October 13, 2008 4:08 PM in response to New building at 8th Ave and 10th St

tybur6, I second the seating area for men idea. A row of seats by the front door next to the bird section with vending machines.

Posted by: IMBY at October 11, 2008 10:26 AM in response to Bird Blog: Week 19

We still need a coffee shop with a drive-through window.

Posted by: IMBY at October 6, 2008 10:26 AM in response to The Stroller Wars, Solved

Anniversary gift ideas? His and Hers monogrammed Tasers.

Posted by: IMBY at October 6, 2008 10:24 AM in response to War of the Roses, Borough Park Style

I think in this case the "BK" actually stands for Burger King. FYI... The empty lot next door, 224 16th, is theirs as well and has had a Stop Work Order in place for months now. Something about their foundation being built not according to plans.

The new building going up on 18-20 Jackson Place is theirs as well. Brownstoner covered that disaster.

Don't forget about the pink CMU infill on 14th Street next to the Armory. That's got the architects signature peak to one side of the roof line.

Fenella? The brown sheet metal cornice is no doubt some post modern nod to all the remaining aluminum-clad wood frame buildings in the area. The way they used to box in all those old details...

Posted by: IMBY at October 3, 2008 8:40 PM in response to Development Watch: 226-228-230 16th Street

Do you have old galvanized water supply lines? Our main risers were almost completly clogged with rust deposits. There was rust present at many threaded fittings even on the outside of the pipe. We bought a gauge like the one M. P. describes at HD. It even had a secondary needle that recorded the highest pressure over a 24 hour period, for example like in the middle of the night when city pressure generally increases as overall demand drops. It's a low tech, easy to perform task.

Changing our risers, however, was a major undertaking. More work than a new supply line out to the street when you think about all the interior finishes in the way. We knew our pressure was "off" because our neighbors (same kind of building) was ok.

Posted by: IMBY at October 1, 2008 9:23 AM in response to low water pressure in 10 unit coop

They came by the South Slope twice this past week. I agree, very high pressure tactics... just about stuck his foot in the door. They asked my elderly neighbor to see his actual meters in the basement... said they were from the gas company.

Posted by: IMBY at September 26, 2008 7:39 PM in response to IDT Energy marketer

Tickle me Elmo

Posted by: IMBY at September 15, 2008 10:29 PM in response to That's Why They Call Them Adult "Toys"

I'm not sure how the details were worked out, but a friend of mine hired two "off duty" NYC cops to negotiate his own personal squatter to leave. I think they deleivered the guy $400 and while he was out getting high they had a rubish removeal truck come and put his "belongings into staorage".

Posted by: IMBY at August 31, 2008 5:31 PM in response to Need advice on evicting squatter

Don't forget that GRAB has set up it's own beer taps (in competition/collaboration with Beer Table?) so you can now take out draft microbeers.

Posted by: IMBY at August 29, 2008 11:02 AM in response to Streetlevel: Wine Bar Opening on 7th Avenue

Does he have a Home improvement license? If not he has no standing.

Posted by: IMBY at August 25, 2008 4:55 PM in response to mechanic lein

Jenna Jameson is selling her Hollywood home. Kitchen photos at this link. http://www.1618sunsetplaza.com/

Posted by: IMBY at August 22, 2008 12:36 AM in response to What's a "Hollywood" Kitchen?

Come to think of it, there was NO CRIME in the neighborhood before you moved in. Are you planning to use Brownstoner's forum section to make public your latest killing spree? Jon, shouldn't you start a separate section for serial killers?

Posted by: IMBY at August 22, 2008 12:06 AM in response to Shooting - Monroe & Nostratd, Bed-Stuy

I was really surprised that your designer was not able to take advantage of obscure and convoluted zoning rules to add an additional 4 stories to that back shed...

Regardless, very excited to see you "glass half full" folks sharing your plans on Brownstoner.

Some thoughts from one gardener to another.
How will the garden look in the winter? Any evergreens or berries for the birds? Mulching area?
Do you have a lighting plan? Is there an irrigation plan? Will water/electricity be accessible from rear yard/shed so you don't have to drag a hose/cord from the house?

I like the idea of a trellis and seating in the area near the shed. (Plan #1) I could see a few nice clematis providing shade and privacy. It would be fine to have an alternative view of the garden looking back in the direction of your home.

Placing the bamboo up against the new building will help to control the spread. Are you worried that it will grow towards the sun and arch out over the patio? Please share any advice the professionals have about bamboo in Brooklyn.

I think a water feature will sound great near the house.

Again very excited, plan on stealing as many ideas as possible seeing that we might be forced to redo our garden for the same reasons.

Posted by: IMBY at August 21, 2008 11:55 PM in response to Three Options, One Way to Go.

This is another one of those plastic and styrafoam covered buildings.
Since we are talking about waiting for the pesky fire alarm tests, does anyone know what the fire rating is for that plastic stucco? Seems like it would produce a real toxic smoke if it ever catches fire.

Posted by: IMBY at August 15, 2008 4:47 PM in response to Delays at 317 16th Street

his is another one of those plastic and styrofoam covered buildings. Since we are talking about waiting for the pesky fire alarm tests, does anyone know what the fire rating is for that plastic stucco they seem to be using all up and down 16th

Posted by: IMBY at August 15, 2008 4:43 PM in response to Delays at 317 16th Street

Building does not seem out of scale for that corner. The setback is not so visible from the street.

I was just thinking how this builder had escaped all the problems that seem to plague every other builder in the neighborhood...Lots of excavation/foundation related Stop Work Orders. Then I checked your DOB link and found this from 8.08.08

Re:CONSTRUCTION POSSIBLE CAUSING DAMAGE TO 618, PLEASE CHECK 618 DBC

and this from earlier.

CALLER STATES THERE IS ONGOING CONSTRUCTION AT THE NOTED LOC DAMAGING THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY, THERE ARE NOW CRACKS IN THE WALLS, CEILING, CELLAR,ETC. CALLER STATES PLEASE CONTACT TO COME SEE DAMAGE/DO INSPECTION"

The site has always been pretty clean and well run at least from a passerby's standpoint. Would like to know that there was at least one guy out there who knew what they were doing.

Posted by: IMBY at August 14, 2008 4:14 PM in response to Development Watch: Facade Phase at 620 10th Street

Are you near an avenue? 100'from the corner? You may still have a commercial overlay.

Posted by: IMBY at August 14, 2008 7:59 AM in response to Restaurant on garden floor

Dark floors will be more work to keep clean and show scratches more. Also have seen where there is uneven darkening over time when solid hard wood is used in sunny rooms. This tends to even out over time. Dog scratches tend to show up more. On pre finished flooring with a slight beveled edge, dust will collect and show up as white lines between planks unless vacuumed out. Dark floors make your ceiling look higher when used in contrasting light colored rooms.

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 12:03 PM in response to "dark" hardwood floors being used in modern condos/homes

...missed the boat. Consider yourself lucky.

Try internet pornography. I hear college kids are into that stuff.

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 10:36 AM in response to HELP!

Mary Kuzma Finishing 718 388-8577

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 10:22 AM in response to Furniture Painting and Work

West Elm

Posted by: IMBY at August 12, 2008 10:17 AM in response to "dark" hardwood floors being used in modern condos/homes

Maybe this is your first time at owning rental property but paying for a monthly exterminator service is just part of being a landlord. I have never heard of people bringing their own mice with them into a building when they moved in but "bargain basement furniture" most likely is the source of the bed bug (have they been officially identified yet?) infestation. I thought everyone knew NYC is currently plagued by bed bugs.

http://www.nyc.gov/html/nycha/html/residents/bedbugs.shtml

Posted by: IMBY at August 10, 2008 7:22 PM in response to Extermination Advise

Try these screens. They allow one to move inside and out without the hassle of a door. Won't get in the way, visually, with your beautiful French

doors.http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/id/100232.do

Posted by: IMBY at August 7, 2008 1:54 AM in response to screen doors to garden??

Wow, unless they already backfilled the site, there sure doesn't look like there is any shoring along the rear lot line. You can see the limestone colored building in the rear is not that far from the excavation. Dangerous for both adjoining properties and persons working in the hole. I think a surprise visit by the DOB's tactical excavation squad is in order. Does Timothy Lynch, PE read Brownstoner?

I think the development history goes as follows:

Neglected wood frame wreck on nice 25' wide lot bought by upper manhattan couple who have architect file plans and get approval for demo and new construction of 5 story building. Put property back on the market. NJ developer buys property with approved plans in place, "saving time", hence the 1.3 million price tag.
check out this link, it has a drawing of the new building.
http://nyrej.com/20130

Posted by: IMBY at July 22, 2008 4:46 PM in response to Development Watch: 314 12th Street

What your contractor may be saying is that painters sometimes use the same "white" paint for the plaster crown mouldings at the ceiling as is used to paint the rest of the room's wood casework,(baseboards, doors, wainscoting, ect. This rule applies to the plaster medallions as well. Ceiling paint has special properties like high coverage low splatter, that make it a dependable choice but by all means not the only choice. Some people are turned off by the slightly cool nature of most ceiling whites, but if used in every room it helps pull the house together visually.

I like low lustre enamels for trim and doors. I think BM makes a water based version of its satin impervo that does a pretty good job of duplicating what the more toxic enamel version did. You might have your painter add flotrol to it for better results.

Decorators White in flat latex and the same color for the trim in semi gloss is a pretty standard choice, hence the name.

I think if you check the BS archives you will find that there have been many helpful posts about paint in the past.

Posted by: IMBY at July 21, 2008 4:07 PM in response to Color-b(l)ind