Bluestone

I for one find this stuff interesting and would love a time capsule recap in a year or two. Thank you for posting on this topic.

Posted by: Pheights at March 6, 2008 2:55 PM in response to Inside Third & Bond: Week 27

I live in Prospect Heights and suffered tremendously last summer. I garden and compost a lot as well as build furniture and entertain in the backyard. I would wear 10% DEET spray, carry citronella tiki torches, spray with chemicals in the lawn, and even got a handheld electric zapper and still found it a problem. The thing that helped the most was the DEET spray and I think the novelty of a garden and being outdoors is much more important than the insignificant worry of cancer.

Posted by: Pheights at February 5, 2008 3:11 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

I am tired of the people from other areas telling us neighbors of the project to be quiet. If you don't live adjacent to the project you shouldn't have an opinion nor repress ours. Wait for some piece of crap to land in your backyard and then we'll let you express your concerns.

In any case, there are good construction relationships and bad ones. And this water-losing event, after the falling parapet, inappropriately-noticed bridge closing, lack of public outreach and construction scheduling, represents a bad one. Some residents accept the project is coming and just don't want to be in the dark about construction issues. They should let us know in advance if we have to come in smelly to work the next day!

Posted by: Pheights at January 17, 2008 10:18 AM in response to AY Appeal Denied, Construction Headaches Begin

This notice process really bothered me. The community only got two weeks' warning! Someone asked me in response, "well, what would you do if you had more notice?" and I thought that I would rest assured that they had a grasp on their construction schedule, understood the integration of the bridge closure into the rest of the demolition activity, etc.

In a project that has already seen a fallen parapet, asbestos and vermin problems, and suffers from the pervasive "uncommunicative developer" syndrome, it would have been more promising to get more notice.

Believe it or not there are some in the community trying to build a better relationship with this project. If it has to happen, let it happen politely.

Posted by: Pheights at January 10, 2008 10:46 AM in response to Closing of the Carlton Avenue Bridge

Yeah, I have to say- as nice as the facility was, I'm not going to pay that kind of money to work at a woodshop. Does anyone know of any cheaper alternatives? I was going to try to rent time from some local contractors' shops.

Posted by: Pheights at December 12, 2007 9:42 AM in response to Closing Bell: Morgan Avenue's Creative Cooperative

Just saw a presentation on the new zoning text amendments last night and I have to wonder if it would have done anything to prevent a structure from getting designed like this. I would be curious if anyone else familiar with the proposed amendments has any thoughts?

I'm thinking the provision for rear dormers or expanded site coverage might have allowed a little more flexibility but how would you ever get a lame-o developer to think about these provisions?

Posted by: Pheights at December 7, 2007 10:12 AM in response to 270 Greene Avenue: Not a Good Looking Building

Thanks so much for posting this- was so sad to miss it. Can you continue to do this and expand to other types of community events? I would love to get to vicariously see the AY rallies, the community meetings over big projects etc., even if getting just a little taste of people's comments and the presenters' approaches.

Thanks!

Posted by: Pheights at October 18, 2007 12:15 PM in response to Video: Prospect Heights House Tour 2007

Why don't you avoid the cost and shenanigans of LEED and put money into environmental features that fit the building uniquely and can be individually marketed. The savings by not paying for inspections certificates and such may allow you to offer an extra marble bath in the process. I have seen several projects get marketed as "environmentally sensitive" or "sustainably advanced." People are getting wise enough to see past one organization's interpretation.

Posted by: Pheights at August 30, 2007 10:23 AM in response to Inside Third & Bond: Week 3

Always seen this project in the neighborhood and wondered what it was about. Tried to go to the open house last night but they hadn't brought the key, oh well. I thought that the design was nice. I appreciated that they call it "environmentally advanced" rather than the ubiquitous and meaningless "green." Also, the lower floor which was meant to be left open for an art studio or office could easily make this one bedroom a three bedroom. The windows in that cellar level split the groundplain and seem to let reasonably good light in.

Still, I'm saving for a real brownstone.

Posted by: Pheights at August 16, 2007 9:49 AM in response to Condo of the Day: Controversial 565 Dean Street

Our Prospect Heights yard was intolerable last summer - day and night thanks to the Tiger mosquito. I'm thinking about getting the "Mosquito Magnet" this summer. Anyone tried it? It's expensive, but would be worth it if it works.

Posted by: guest at February 5, 2008 6:23 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

I feel it is my duty to introduce anyone who cares to the best mosquito bite remedy ever: make a paste with meat tenderizer, and rub it into the bite as soon as you know it is there. Miraculous and weird. It does tend to get a bit gritty in bed on those hot summer nights, though....

Posted by: mshook at February 5, 2008 8:38 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

Hey New Guy,
1:45 here -- you'll see from my post that I've tried both garlic and the mosquito machine (although I admit that I didn't spring for the vacuum model -- mine just relies on them throwing themselves against the paper, which is probably not as effective) and neither of them are a cure. However, I'm going to give both approaches another try this year, being forever optimistic.

Posted by: guest at February 5, 2008 9:23 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

Long story short: mosquitos don't travel far from where they breed. If you, or anyone who's on your block, have stagnant water anywhere: old buckets, clogged gutters, an old tire laying around for example, you will ALL have a problem. It takes neighborhood eradication. One of my neighbors drained standing water on his neighbor's flat roof and, you guessed, no mosquitos until the drain clogged and the roof refilled in September.
And bats are great at eating mosquitos! The only problem is that you have to install a bat house 5 years before you want the bats to move in. They don't take to anything new in their neighborhood so you have to wait until it's been there at least one bat-generation.
Good luck this coming summer! More than one summer has been ruined for me by these satanic beings.

Posted by: brikenny at February 5, 2008 9:23 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

My father lives near a swamp -- lots of mosquitos. he got two mosquito magnets -- for two acres -- and for the first time ever, the backyard was pleasant. I am thinking of getting one for our back yard, which is nothing but a brownstone sliver.

Posted by: guest at February 5, 2008 9:40 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

What is a mosquito magnet and where can I get one? I get eaten alive in our Clinton Hill backyard. Some people attract mosquitos more than others, something about their blood or scent. Known fact. I get eaten alive when others don't get one bite.

Posted by: guest at February 5, 2008 10:00 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

We use a regular house fan outside, placing it on the ground near our legs as we eat dinner. That and a citronella candle seemed to help a lot last summer which was the worst in our nine years in PLG

Posted by: guest at February 5, 2008 10:21 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

For those who have tried the mosquito magnet, did you try it with the special lure for the asian tiger mosquito?

They seem to get worse every year, but it is a big investment.

Posted by: guest at February 6, 2008 9:34 AM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

I AM TELLING YOU - THE BLUE ZAPPER (is that what a mosquito magnet is?) works wonders - mosquitos are territorial and eventually you can reduce their numbers by keeping your blue zapper on at night regardless of whether you are sitting outside. At least it worked very well for me last summer in Carroll Gardens.

Posted by: guest at February 6, 2008 10:56 AM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens

I live in Boerum Hill. Over the past ten years, I think the mosquito problem has gotten worse. It starts earlier, and now we have them in the front of the house as well as the back.

To answer your specific question, we are able to use the backyard during the day without repellent through mid-July. During the evenings, especially at dusk, you need repellant starting in June. Starting in mid-July, repellant is needed for any outdoor activity. Since I hate repellant, I find the backyard basically unusable from August until we have a good freeze.

I think citronella candles are useless, but the fan is a good idea. There are definitely fewer mosquitoes when there's a good breeze.

Posted by: guest at February 6, 2008 12:02 PM in response to Mosquitos in brownstone gardens