You know, I've been critical of some gentrification myself, but I cannot for the life of me understand why ANYONE would be against a community based flea market where anyone who can pay for a table can sell their wares.

I grew up in Brooklyn, grew up in Brighton Beach and have seen tons of different flea markets. Granted I will say this one caters to a bit more "twee" tastes than most, but it's a great start and I cannot fathom the complaints. Would people actually be happier if one of those "street fairs" filled with mozzarepas, sock vendors and the same old crap setup there? C'mon, get over it.

And for any of the true old schoolers here, did the Atlantic Antic gather this many whiny complaints back in the day when it started?

Posted by: Jack at April 28, 2008 2:45 AM in response to Brooklyn Flea Week 4 on Sunday!

Coming late to this, but I'm baffled by the "creepy" comments. The street was never that bad and no more/less safe than any other street in the area. It will be an interesting conversion, but I'll miss the way it was since it reminds me of NYC back in the 1970s and 1980s.

Posted by: Jack at April 30, 2008 8:09 PM in response to The Latest on the Love Lane Garage?

OMFG! This is awesome!

Posted by: Jack at May 14, 2008 12:33 AM in response to Pupusamania!

How about "Le Frat Haus", since it seems that taking a working venue and "refitting" it to suit new investors seems like a way of saying "Let's get rid of what people like, but let's keep the dancing half-naked chicks and have more rail drinks..."

Uggh, this city.

Posted by: Jack at May 14, 2008 4:25 PM in response to Streetlevel: Former Galapagos Space Plays Naming Game

There's a difference between an art space and a venue. Southpaw is a venue. Galapagos was an art space. RIP Galapagos.

Posted by: Jack at May 14, 2008 8:41 PM in response to Streetlevel: Former Galapagos Space Plays Naming Game

All this self-important whining makes me never want to drink.

Posted by: Jack at May 15, 2008 5:04 PM in response to Union Hall Yays Have It; Nays Speak Out

"My friend was mugged on that block a year or so before the arrival of Union Hall"

I call horse feathers on that. I lived on Union Street in from 1991-1995 and while not as cleaned up as it is now, it was not this sketchy stretch of rogue hoodlums waiting to pounce on folks. You make it sound as if it was Bushwick or Bed-Stuy. Please, get a grip.

The whole Union Hall debate has been a fascinating look into the narrow world of (let's face it) transplants from the midwest and their views on what is good/bad about Brooklyn.

Before Union Hall showed up 200 Fifth was there for decades... For those who need "street eyes".

Posted by: Jack at May 15, 2008 7:50 PM in response to Union Hall Yays Have It; Nays Speak Out

Guest, not even two years. Try the summer of 2006.

If people are implying that 2005 Park Slope was a scorched earth wasteland, man. That's funny!

Posted by: Jack at May 15, 2008 9:04 PM in response to Union Hall Yays Have It; Nays Speak Out

Park Slope snob? Give me a break. I realized after I submitted that that some genius would call me out on that; right or wrong. This board seems to attract a lot of self-haters who go out of their way to find racism everywhere. Can't even set up a flea market without some self-hater opening his mouth. Here's my "grip", chief.

• Born in 1968 in Brookdale Hospital.
• Grew up in Brighton Beach in the 1970s/1980s in a 4 story tenement.
• Parents were immigrants and far from rich.
• My mom worked in Gowanus in a sweatshop and carried sharpened screwdrivers just to make the walk from the 4th Avenue Union Street stop back in the 1970s/1980s.
• My dad worked in a box factory in Williamsburg/Greenpoint back before that.
• Grew up watching the neighborhood go from mixed working class neighborhood, to semi-crap in the 1970s/1980s as people left NYC for Long Island or any other suburb. Ever see some pals you spent time with in 2nd grade turn into hookers and drug addicts? I did. And FWIW, all white... But all poor...
• Stuck it out through those times with my parents despite new building owners trying to get us—and everyone else—out so they could jack up rents and convert the building the condos; sound familiar?

The only racism in that statement is your own. Anyone living in NYC during the 1980s/early-1990s would be nuts to deny the crime in Bushwick or Bed-Stuy was higher than the rest of the city. It's better now, but guess what it's still bad.

And guess what? Some parts of Park Slope in the 1960s/1970s were as bad as Bushwick or Bed-Stuy and both neighborhoods were really screwed up thanks to redlining back then and we all know it.

Posted by: Jack at May 16, 2008 1:29 AM in response to Union Hall Yays Have It; Nays Speak Out

It's all being done to undo the damage of the summer of demolition and the summer of threats when Thor basically went back on every promise they ever made for Coney.

The best thing for Coney: They sell the land and leave.

Posted by: Jack at May 16, 2008 5:12 PM in response to Thor's Roller Coaster More Than Twice Height of Cyclone