"seal the place from CIA odor"

You don't like the smell of Pakistani food?

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 20, 2009 2:03 PM in response to Open House Picks

QUOTE: You mean the newly named Washington Park?

I've never heard this park referred to as anything other than "51's playground." Which makes sense, because it's next to MS51.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 20, 2009 11:16 AM in response to Plans for J.J. Byrne Park in the Slope Unveiled

"As an example of the blatant bullshit promulgated in the EIS, on a playoff game night Pacific Street is estimated to receive a maximum of an extra eighty cars above normal traffic volume. COME ON."

I think the bullshit assumption here was that the Nets would be hosting a playoff game in any reasonably foreseeable future.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 19, 2009 1:37 PM in response to Brooklyn Speaks to File Its First AY Lawsuit

"Thompson Dissing Bloomie on HOD Again"

Bloomberg's appraisal of the House of the Day was off the mark?

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 19, 2009 12:05 PM in response to Thompson Dissing Bloomie on HOD Again

"Environmental reviews might not matter in the decision-making process always, but in terms of carrying a valid study out and revising it when necessary (i.e. when a project changes), that can make or break a project."

Exactly. They're litigation protection, not a meaningful input into the decision-making process.

And I agree that this project would have been litigated no matter what, but that the project sponsor's decision to skirt ULURP was a poor tactical decision, in that it just gave project opponents that much more ammo.

To me, the below-market sale of state land and abuse of eminent domain have always been the real issues here.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 19, 2009 11:54 AM in response to Brooklyn Speaks to File Its First AY Lawsuit

"the studies were not done to show the impact on getting essential emergency services in and out of AY and the surrounding area"

That may well be true. But do you really think that the public officials who supported the project would have changed their minds had this been disclosed? The document probably would have said something to the effect that emergency vehicles confront traffic congestion and narrow roadways all over the city on a daily basis, and this is a basic fact of urban life that emergency responders know how to address.

Or do you think that if the EIS had fully disclosed a whole litany of potential impacts, that project opponents would have said, "thank you for your candor" and left it at that?

They're litigating because they don't like the project, not because they don't like the process. I don't like the project either, and hope it never happens. But this use of litigation as politics by other means is used just as often against benign or beneficial projects.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 19, 2009 10:35 AM in response to Brooklyn Speaks to File Its First AY Lawsuit

I'm as opposed to corporate welfare and use of eminent domain to benefit a poltically connected private developer as anyone, but I have a hard time with lawsuits alleging failure to conduct adequate studies.

ESDC could have looked at another dozen economic scenarios or hundred intersections, and it wouldn't have changed anyone's opinion of the project.

But in our system, the people who win elections, or are appointed by them, get to make policy decisions. You can't litigate because someone made a decision you oppose, so you claim they didn't meet their environmental review obligations. The response is to conduct incredibly data-rich but information-poor documents that may convince a judge you took a 'hard look,' but are worthless at providing meaningful information to decision makers or interested parties.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 19, 2009 9:43 AM in response to Brooklyn Speaks to File Its First AY Lawsuit

Guns in the home are far more likely to be used against family members (either accidentally, in a domestic dispute, or suicide) than against an intruder. So get one if you want to keep your family in line, but not if you want to protect them.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 18, 2009 11:17 AM in response to Shooting In Boerum Hill

"the parade grounds make you quite far from Prospect Park"

The Parade Ground is part of Prospect Park, so I'm not sure how that would work.

Caton Avenue gets a lot of truck traffic, so if you're facing the street that's a drag. The retail on the nearby part of Church Avenue isn't all that great, either. It's about a half dozen blocks to either the Church Avenue B/Q or Ft. Hamilton F train, so you have your choice, but neither is real close.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 17, 2009 4:33 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 1110 Caton Avenue, #6C

QUOTE: "here's the part that's probably most relevant to Brownstone Brooklyn: " Applying stricter parking rules in single and two family districts by prohibiting new parking pads in front yards."

There aren't many single and two family districts mapped in Brownstone Brooklyn

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 17, 2009 9:40 AM in response to City Planning Targeting Curb Cuts

"they only permit THREE TONE paint schemes, conforming to period colors."

Now this is ridiculous. Paint is temporary, so it's not like you're permanently losing whatever historic or architectural significance the structure is alleged to have.

I'm surprised they let people use their driveways to park vehicles manufactured in the late-20th or early-21st century.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 17, 2009 9:25 AM in response to Ditmas Park Gets the 'Living In' Treatment

"are there any famous Hasid comics? They seem a bit serious."

Yisrael (ne Chris) Campbell

http://wejew.com/media/2438/Yisrael_Campbell_in_Circumcise_Me/

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 16, 2009 12:54 PM in response to Monday Links

"Still trying to figure out the restaurant fixation many posters seem to have."

I've stopped trying to figure it out, and just accept that there are some people who really, really, care about fancy stores and restaurants. It's not my thing, but to each his/her own.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 16, 2009 12:50 PM in response to Ditmas Park Gets the 'Living In' Treatment

The pig face at Purple Yam looks like something I'll be checking out. Also the oxtail. I have a hard time thinking of humus, etc. as anything other than street vender food that should cost about $3. But what do I know?

Pomme de Terre seems worth it, among the area's fancier restaurants.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 13, 2009 3:29 PM in response to StreetLevel: Cortelyou Market, Wine Bar Coming Along

This is the first I've heard that BWW was actually marketing this promotion to high school and middle school students. This seems inappropriate for an establishment that, whether you call it a restaurant or a bar, serves alcohol, and a lot of it. I'm surprised unsupervised minors would even be allowed in. Although come to think of it, when my daughter was in middle school she went to someplace similar in Sheepshead Bay (TGIF maybe?) for a friend's birthday and I'm pretty sure there was no parental supervision, given that they also went to see Zack and Miri Make a Porno.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 12, 2009 10:04 AM in response to Thursday Links

Given how much city-owned property has lain fallow out there for decades, it's hard to be confident that this is what's going to jumpstart revitalization.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 11, 2009 4:55 PM in response to Closing Bell: City Reaches Deal with Sitt for Coney Land

I think it's possible that weekly $.40 wings is what began to draw kids, but at some point long before yesterday the gathering of teenagers from around the borough became the attraction itself. It's highly unlikely more than a relative handful of the thousands of kids who were in the vicinity yesterday even set foot in Buffalo Wild Wings.

And I agree that pinning a shooting several blocks away on AC or BWW security failings is ridiculous. Unless it's shown that BWW served alcohol to underage patrons, what exactly should they have done differently?

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 11, 2009 3:03 PM in response to Two Teens Shot on Fulton in Fort Greene

I've only been to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch football and drink beer, on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Never any violence then. Maybe BWW needs to convince the NFL to institute Tuesday Night Football, so they could fill the place without resort to cheap wings.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 11, 2009 2:13 PM in response to Two Teens Shot on Fulton in Fort Greene

I'd love to see a Golden Corral or one of those other All You Can Eat buffets. That place is hard to beat on a calories per dollar basis.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 11, 2009 10:02 AM in response to 'Nationally Known' Restaurants May Land in 345 Adams

Buffalo Wild Wings is a bar. What would unaccompanied minors even be doing in there?

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 11, 2009 9:52 AM in response to Two Teens Shot on Fulton in Fort Greene

"PS. My car is registered in MA."

That's insurance fraud if the car is garaged/parked in Brooklyn. Not the kind of info you want to be announcing on the internet.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 11, 2009 9:15 AM in response to Wednesday Links

"why is park slope and bedstuy so large and cobble hill and
carroll gardens so small?"

Neighborhood boundaries change over time. Park Slope is much bigger now than it once was, because it is a marketable brand. Areas east of 7th Avenue or south of 3rd Street, or 9th Street at the most, would have been plain old South Brooklyn before.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 9, 2009 10:42 AM in response to Creative (Desperate?) Neighborhood Rebranding

"Don't we need some kind of panel of experts to discuss planning of the new bridge for a few years before we attempt to build this thing? Say at a cost of $700 million?"

Planning has been going on for decades. Also for the Goethals Bridge twinning, the Gowanus Expressway replacement, and of course the 2nd Avenue subway and #7 extension. I sometimes think these projects are mostly to employ the designers and planners. Actually putting a shovel in the ground is beside the point. I was stunned when the train to JFK actually got built over the Van Wyck. Of course that was a Port Authority job paid for by a dedicated surcharge on airplane tickets.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 6, 2009 9:54 AM in response to New Kosciuszko Bridge Won't Come Cheap

In addition to being in a state of poor repair, the old bridge is steep, winding, and narrow, so that trucks have a hard time climbing and descending. This causes huge delays.

Because Newtown Creek is navigable water, the bridge either has to be really tall, or movable. That's a big factor in driving up the cost, along with the union labor, regulations, etc. Maybe they should reassess how tall it really needs to be to accommodate the barge traffic the canal still gets. How often does the Pulaski Bridge, which is much lower, have to be opened to let boats pass?

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 6, 2009 9:39 AM in response to New Kosciuszko Bridge Won't Come Cheap

"And a similar cost to go to the Bronx without going through Manhattan -- you'd think they'd want to promote avoiding Manhattan if you didn't need to go there!"

This is a good point. When driving from Queens to the Bronx or from Brooklyn to Staten Island, you pay a bridge toll that subsidizes mass transit, but you can go to the most congested area of Manhattan for free.

The current toll system encourages people going upstate from Brooklyn to travel via Manhattan. BQE often gets worse traffic than the FDR because it permits commercial vehicles. During non-business hours, for example coming back to Brooklyn on a Sunday afternoon, BQE is usually better.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 4, 2009 4:02 PM in response to East River Ferry Service in Jeopardy—Again

"the transit worker union is doing everything in its power to limit the ferries or other forms of private public transit so that when they strike the city can be brought more fully to its knees."

They don't seem to be having much success squelching the dollar vans, which seem able to offer privatized public transportation that doesn't require city subsidy.

But I would certainly love to know the per-rider subsidy of the water taxi. Any why on earth is the Staten Island ferry free, other than a desire to pander to SI voters?

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 4, 2009 11:38 AM in response to East River Ferry Service in Jeopardy—Again

There's an argument to be made against term limits. But rather than make that argument and trust the voters to have the final say via a third referendum on the matter, Bloomberg, Quinn, etc. just took matters into their own hands.

And the truth, which voters seem to recognize, is that the powers of incumbency, primarily the ability to curry favor via city spending, make it very hard to unseat an incumbent.

As scandal-ridden as Koch's third term was, he likely would have won a fourth if not for the Yusef Hawkins murder, and his response to it.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 4, 2009 11:25 AM in response to Election 2009: No Big Surprises in Brooklyn

There's a difference between testing and teaching to the test. If the test scores reflect a student's broader educational progress, that's fine, and I accept that generally there's a very strong correlation between test performance and overall knowledge acquisition. If they reflect only the rote acquisition of the skills necessary to complete a specific test format, that's a problem.

Tests should and can be a useful diagnostic tool, but not when they become the sole focus of the curriculum. I know many motivated and skilled teachers who can't wait till the tests are done in the spring, since then they have a few weeks when they can get the kids to engage in a little actual scholarship.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 4, 2009 10:50 AM in response to Election 2009: No Big Surprises in Brooklyn

As a public school parent, I'm not at all impressed with Bloomberg's education record. Schools are still ridiculously overcrowded, and the schools seem mainly interested in getting as many children as possible to meet the bare minimum required for promotion. Kids who are doing well enough not to worry about failing, or too poorly to have any hope, seem to be written off at many schools.

As far as Bloomberg getting the message - fat chance. His self-serving term limits change shows exactly how little he thinks of voters who disagree with him.

But considering how uninspiring Thompson was, the 10- or 16- to 1 campaign spending advantage, and his use of millions of dollars or city discretionary funding and his own philanthropic giving to buy support, his margin of victory is unimpressive.

But he won the election, and has a City Council, most of whom owe their jobs to his willingness to overturn term limits.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 4, 2009 10:37 AM in response to Election 2009: No Big Surprises in Brooklyn

Certainly I feel bad for the kid's family, but the signs were a cynical attempt to curry political favor. Remember that tourist from Utah in town for the US Open who was killed by some punks who wanted to 'get paid' before going out clubbing? If the Mormon vote were as important here as the Orthodox Jewish vote, he might have gotten a stairway named for him at the 7th Av and 53rd St subway station.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 3, 2009 11:54 AM in response to Squadron Helps Drivers Get Off (The FDR)

I follow the law, both as a cutter and cuttee. Crossing a dotted line is fine, but once the line goes solid, that's it you missed your chance.

By the way, this is the Ali Halberstam Memorial Ramp we're talking about. I wonder how many extra votes that renaming was worth, and what the cost per vote of the new signage was.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 3, 2009 11:11 AM in response to Squadron Helps Drivers Get Off (The FDR)

I think parking a highway patrol officer there to ticket all the jerks cutting across the solid white line to force their way onto the bridge ramp at the last moment would be pretty effective, and could generate some revenue, too.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 3, 2009 10:19 AM in response to Squadron Helps Drivers Get Off (The FDR)

Most of us put in the price that it's worth to us, and the widget spits out the mean value of those numbers. The seller is looking for the potential buyer whose valuation of the property is at the 99th percentile, and it sure seems he found him.

Posted by: Sparafucile at November 2, 2009 10:35 AM in response to Widget Falls Way Short on South Oxford

"...an unhealthy obsession with historic Brooklyn brownstones and the neighborhoods and lifestyles they define."

That's a way better catchphrase than "Brooklyn Inside and Out"

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 29, 2009 4:06 PM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results

"Rob, pls pull out your W2 from last year and share with us exactly how much NYC tax you actually paid. Then determine how much of that pittance that you are so aggrieved about was wasted on schools."

Actually, schools are largely funded by state aid to localities, so by paying his state taxes, Rob is subsidizing breeders in Schenectady and Larchmont, as well as in Brooklyn. And we thank him.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 29, 2009 3:45 PM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results

My kids are in high school and middle school, and there definitely won't be any more. Since my brood is complete, does that make me a bred?

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 29, 2009 1:19 PM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results

I live in that big gray neighborhood "Other," and my kids go to public school. I'm not a banker or lawyer, but my wife does own a car.

With a sample size of only 35, can you market the site's demographics to advertisers who want to reach all these childless people who eat out a lot and have huge piles of disposable income?

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 29, 2009 11:00 AM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results

I bike on Ocean Parkway frequently, and never use the bike path. The service roads on either side are a much faster ride. Smooth paving, no pedestrians.

Ocean Parkway must have really been something before Elm Blight. Supposedly the trees were so large the canopy covered the entire central roadway.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 28, 2009 12:22 PM in response to Makeover of Ocean Parkway Mall

"and it costs more the further out you go. absurd"

Just as absurb as five beers costing more than one, or a plane ride to Tokyo costing more than a plane ride to Buffalo.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 23, 2009 1:51 PM in response to Friday Links

In the winter turn down the thermostat and wear a sweater. In the summer open the windows and go around in your drawers.

Otherwise, first seal gaps around windows and doors, then roof insulation, then storms or new windows, and then wall insulation.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 20, 2009 4:13 PM in response to Top Energy Improvements?

QUOTE: "most of the men ive seen walking around the slope are totally whipped and kinda on the femmey side"

That's why they'll want to shop here - to establish their manly-man bona fides through consumerism. Pretty sad, actually.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 20, 2009 3:39 PM in response to StreetLevel: Store for Dudes Opens in the Slope

Other than limited-acces highways and parkways, every street in the city is a bike route. Sidewalks aren't good for biking - pedestrians are too damn unpredictable.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 16, 2009 8:08 AM in response to Closing Bell: Google Bike Routes

Can't figure out why I'd want to pay $80K more than the three-bedroom down the hill at 30 Ocean Parkway from earlier this month (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/10/coop_of_the_day_281.php). I mean, except that maintance is half of what it is at 30 Ocean Parkway.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 15, 2009 2:40 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 310 Windsor Place, #26

"I think there are more of us here than you think. A lot more, and making a lot less."

Well that's comforting. I was somehow under the impression that almost everyone here claims to make in the mid-six figures working 'in the arts.'

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 14, 2009 11:37 AM in response to Brownstoner Reader Survey

How come our only choices of where we'd invest in real estate are in Brooklyn? I don't have plans to move any time soon, but if I did, I'd be looking in Manhattan or the Bronx before I looked anywhere in Brooklyn. If I want Brooklyn I'll stay in my current house.

I'd be interested in the answers to the question of how long you've lived in Brooklyn, and how long you've owned property in Brooklyn.

I wonder if I'm the only person on this site who will cop to an annual household income of less than $250,000.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 14, 2009 11:27 AM in response to Brownstoner Reader Survey

Since I've only biked on PPW a couple thousand times in the last 20+ years, maybe I'm not a qualified observer, but as far as I can tell the only objective of this is to say 'fuck you' to motorists. My bike operates perfectly well in the same roadway as other vehicles, so I don't know what other people are riding. And if the park road which parallels PPW is really inadequate because it's one-way, it would make more sense to put a two-way bike lane there, on a road where cars are prohibited for all but ten hours a week. Especially since the given rationale is that traffic volume on PPW doesn't justify three travel lanes.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 2, 2009 1:04 PM in response to Prospect Park West to Get Bike Lane

"We had been assuming it would be entirely mock-worthy"

And no doubt it will be mocked by those who scorn anyone who doesn't aspire to a 16- to 20-foot wide rowhouse built 130 years ago located in one of the gentry-approved neighborhoods of northern or central Brooklyn.

This building looks stunning in person. More than a little flamboyant for my taste, but it's hard not to smile every time you go past, and what more can you ask of architecture?

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 2, 2009 10:37 AM in response to The Venetian Unveiled

About ten years ago, my daughter would have LOVED living that close to the stables. She would've been over there visiting the horses every day.

This is a very nice building, and I like the location. It's not too too many blocks to either Key Food or FoodTown, and that's usually enough for me, but this area isn't heavy on the typical Brownstoner-approved commercial amenities. Plus it's on the sucky F train.

Posted by: Sparafucile at October 1, 2009 1:56 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 30 Ocean Parkway, #1F

"what sort of people who are only making $100k a year have 63k+ saved up just for a down payment?"

People who decide it's a priority, and save up consistently for several years. In other words, a lot of us.

Posted by: Sparafucile at September 29, 2009 6:00 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 96 Schermerhorn Street, #9G

Rob - whattaya mean maybe one day?

Posted by: Sparafucile at September 28, 2009 12:33 PM in response to Priciest Brooklyn Sale of '09 is in Gravesend!