No, but don't use Ruggiero Plumbing under ANY circumstances. He did a crap job - so to speak - on water main work at our place.

Posted by: Stonergut at November 19, 2009 10:51 AM in response to Broken Sewer Main

I have always thought that painting before sanding made more sense, but professionals have told me it's the other way around.

What is the consensus - paint then sand or sand then paint?

Posted by: Stonergut at November 9, 2009 1:49 PM in response to Back Parlor Sanding

My house is technically a 3 family but it's used as a 1 family. Because of this, they could ticket us for items such as bookshelves in the hall, etc.

I used to let firemen in, however several years ago I had an incident where I preferred to have them wait until my husband was at home so he could explain something (he's an architect and knew particulars). The door was wedged 1/2" open while I talked to them. When I denied them entry THEY PUSHED THEIR WAY IN, SHOVING ME OUT OF THE WAY!

After that I have never allowed them entry. I pretend I am a tenant and I say I have to wait until my landlord is here. I talk to them thru the door and I never open it.

Occasionally we get a letter chastising us for our tardy inspection, but on every occasion where we've attempted to make an appointment, we have been either shuttled to someone's private cell phone (forget that!) or the inspector doesn't show up when the appointment is made.

We had a workman let the DEP in once - we had a toilet running, the DEP and their stethescope figured WE were the cause of a chronic leak in the street 40 feet away. They gave us a 3 day notice - we were guilty until proven innocent. After having been shaken down by a commercial plumber and the DEP (someone got a kickback), they made us dig up the street and the main. Finding no problem they made us cover it back up. THEN the DEP refused to pay for it (we had been assured by the DEP if we opened it up and there was no problem that the city would reimburse us. ) It took our attorney 3 years to get the city to pay.

If they don't have a warrant, they're not getting into my house. Tell your tenants the same thing.

Posted by: Stonergut at November 9, 2009 1:41 PM in response to Fire Dept Inspection

We have covered a skylight in heavy plastic, with duct tape around the bottom. It worked to keep out water, but you have to weight it somehow so that it doesn't fly off in windy weather. We replaced the skylight with a new one as soon as we could and that fixed a lot of it.

Interestingly, it wasn't for lack of caulk that the old one leaked. I think it was from TOO MUCH crap inside the channels in which water is supposed to drain down. The caulk actually made the problem worse in a way.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 28, 2009 10:15 AM in response to Skylight Question

You could contact Westlake Conservators http://www.westlakeconservators.com/

Posted by: Stonergut at October 28, 2009 10:07 AM in response to Tapestry Expert/Appraisal

Mice, no. Ancient pussy? You betcha.

We found a pile of Tijuana Bibles and some even older (Edwardian?) porn pamphlets in a tobacco tin plastered into the ceiling of our cellar.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 27, 2009 3:09 PM in response to Creepy Crawls in the Walls

I lived next door to a couple of concert pianists for many years. I loved it when they practiced - even the same phrase over and over was a delight to me. However, their landlady - who started out great pals with the couple - grew sourer and sourer about their music.

So you never know. Sometimes it's like heaven and sometimes it's hell.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 26, 2009 12:09 PM in response to Rent to a Pianist - Crazy?

Probably not what you want to hear, but how about sweeping the hall yourself? When I was a tenant, the landlord would hand me a lightbulb if the hall light was out, but no amount of griping got the stairways swept. Operating under the idea that I lived there and I wasn't a pig, I started sweeping. I hoped the several other tenants would become cleaner too. Inspiring the neighbors never worked, but it wasn't a huge job to sweep the floor now and then and I mopped my own landing when I did my kitchen.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 23, 2009 4:05 PM in response to Tenant Rights: Hallway Upkeep?

Cellphones while riding bikes on the sidewalk is also popular.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 20, 2009 1:38 PM in response to Closing Bell: Google Bike Routes

I had a tenant constantly complaining about how cold it was. I would turn the heat up and turn it up, but finally the heat was so high I was afraid it was dangerous, so I went upstairs to see if there was some other problem.

The tenant (she was originally from Texas) was parading around in underpants and an undershirt. It was January, about 17 degrees outside. I reminded her she was living in North America in the winter and to put some clothes on and stop bitching, then I lowered the heat.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 16, 2009 4:43 PM in response to Temperature in Apt.

Oh god. I had a Dumbo studio in the 80s with a trust fund baby downstairs neighbor who did gay phone sex for pin money (he wasn't gay but unfortunately he WAS disinherited). He was LOUD the only solution was to scream at him to shut the **** up.

Then I had tenants later who never put the garbage out ever, for over a year. After they left (well, I threw them out) I had to throw out the fridge just from roach infestation. It was revolting.

I feel everyone's pain. Only solution? Time heals most wounds. If you think the tenant is smelling because he's dead, call the cops.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 2, 2009 2:24 PM in response to Bad Smell from Tenant

If he holds open houses, request him to pay for renters insurance and also ask for $$ compensation for the time during which he's holding your place hostage.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 2, 2009 12:11 PM in response to Right of Entry

At least the mobsters had some motivation to get stuff approved.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 2, 2009 10:05 AM in response to The Mob Infiltrates the DOB

This was a limestone building before landmarking - I think it was landmarked with the awful phony brick stucco on the outside. I used to ride a bus past this daily in the 70's and at some point it got "rehabbed" with the crappy red and white finish it has now (and was probably landmarked with).

Posted by: Stonergut at October 1, 2009 6:55 PM in response to Thursday Blogwrap

Ya, and one is even make believe. And they even got the make believe one's neighborhood wrong - everybody knows Miranda and Steve live in Clinton Hill, not Carroll Gardens : P Either that, or everyone was bitching about parking in the wrong place last week.

Posted by: Stonergut at September 22, 2009 2:36 PM in response to Brooklyn's Nod from the Daily Mail

In addition to all of this crony-inspired "stimulus" package, the CityPoint developers have privatized Albee Square for their own front yard, forcing a detour of the B-38 bus which slows down many thousands of daily commuters for CityPoint's own private gain.

None of these numbers add up either - the funding and the supposed "benefit" are totally out of proportion to this outsized project.

Bloomberg should be more alert to this kind of community issue, especially if he intends to be re-elected (this is looking more and more doubtful, with results like this!) The CityPoint plan - especially if they're crying for stimulus dollars - HAS to accommodate the Fulton St. buses, which are some of the most heavily used bus lines in Brooklyn. These buses would supply both the shoppers and the supposed "green initiative" which the mayor's office is always pretending to be concerned about.

Posted by: Stonergut at September 14, 2009 10:08 AM in response to Sparks Fly over Bailout for Downtown Development

My Brooklyn kid is a student in Boston. She cheerfully takes the subway (I guess it's the T in Boston) anywhere. Other kids in her dorm - actually MOST of the kids in her dorm are terrified of the subway. By and large these are suburban students. The Californians seem to be the most terrified.

Suburban parents are afraid of this environment and Pratt's blocking the campus is probably a step meant solely to assuage worries of the parents. The 80's murder on Hall St. (which partly inspired "Art School Confidential" ) had an effect on enrollment, and I imagine the school is hoping to bypass the same effect. It's worse really, because in the 80's old news was just old news, not something to be blogged and commented about endlessly.

Hope it all works out for all of us.

Posted by: Stonergut at September 11, 2009 1:07 PM in response to Pratt: Not In Our Front Yard

I wonder whether we'll be able to go to Pratt for the New Year's whistles in 2010? I hope so : /

Posted by: Stonergut at September 11, 2009 12:57 PM in response to Pratt: Not In Our Front Yard

Looks like a Kangol cap in a light summer-weight raffia. It looks as if they put it where PC Richards is though - I am sort of confused where it goes.

I liked Gehry's one a lot better.

Posted by: Stonergut at September 9, 2009 3:01 PM in response to New Barclay's Center Design Revealed

Long ago I had an apartment with a kid upstairs who had hotwheels and used the little trike non-stop, except when he was using some kind of toy car that had to be charged up by rolling it a thousand times before releasing it to careen into the wall across the room. I was WAY childless and unmarried at that time, but I honestly really liked it. I was in a time of my life where NOTHING was much fun and it reminded me that some people could still have lots of it.

Am I insane for always having enjoyed waking up to kid sounds? I even liked the school in our back yard which woke us up for years at about 7:45 am with screams and ball sounds.

I guess I am just an asshole for suggesting vesnaspring to just try to learn to enjoy it.

Posted by: Stonergut at September 8, 2009 12:02 PM in response to Running Child Upstairs

Oops. Big Jugs. Sheeish.

Posted by: Stonergut at August 27, 2009 7:21 PM in response to Sunset Park Finally Getting Its Own High School

Bite Jugs, my kid is at MIT.

Posted by: Stonergut at August 27, 2009 7:20 PM in response to Sunset Park Finally Getting Its Own High School

This building has been a co-op for at least 20 years, if not longer. So I'm not sure how mopar's comment applies.

Posted by: Stonergut at August 27, 2009 1:06 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 269 Clinton Avenue, #D2

The negative comments about NYC HS students are totally off the mark. After my kid graduated from a public NYC high school (and subsequently was accepted to arguably one of a the world's best colleges with the highest aceademic and competitive standards), I have continued volunteering with kids in NYC high schools, both public and private.

I have to say I am constantly amazed at the achievements of our public school high school kids. These kids are bright, motivated and creative. I haven't observed much of a performance gap between the public and private school kids either.

Granted, I'm volunteering in a program which is kind of self selective, but I've been around a lot of NY teens. If you treat ANY kids with respect - like providing a cheerful new building like the Sunset Park school - they usually respond by being respectful themselves.

The new building in Sunset Park is beautiful and its a MUCH needed new service in this end of Brooklyn. But you could easily triple the number of seats and still not serve Brooklyn's current educational needs.

We should hold developer's feet to the fire, and demand MORE schools and more for older kids over all. Remember, those cute little stroller babies grow up fast.

Posted by: Stonergut at August 27, 2009 12:43 PM in response to Sunset Park Finally Getting Its Own High School

Yes, this is puzzling. I like the idea of Kent Ave. going only north - it's an idea that's convenient to me as a Fort Greene driver, so I ought to love it. But there's still a significant amount of industry on Kent which means truck traffic.

Bloomberg has been VERY friendly to developers, and while much of this boro-wide street redesign shares the appearnace of laudatory motives allowing bikes, pedestrians, green this and green that, if you scratch the surface you'll find cynical real estate deals and alliances intended only to line certain pockets.

Another prime example has been the redirection of public transit on DeKalb (the B38 bus) in order to make the huuuuge Albee Square development more appealing. This change doubles commuting time for tens of thousands of bus riders who count on transfer to train connections, just to benefit a big real estate developer.

The Bloomberg administration, including Sadik Khan, should think carefully about these plans. Industry and jobs represent an important part of the vitality of our communities and when these are sacrificed, we all lose.

Posted by: Stonergut at August 17, 2009 2:55 PM in response to Kent Ave Goes One-Way Today

Nope - it was the 80s. If there was hot bird when my kid was an infant (early 90s) we would have been living on takeout.

Posted by: Stonergut at August 3, 2009 10:33 AM in response to Streetlevel: The Return of Hot Bird!

I like it. It's got all the charm of a log cabin doublewide - it's just so off that you just have to go with it.

Posted by: Stonergut at July 31, 2009 4:27 PM in response to A Most Curious Fence

Oh man. A couple of friends, a little weed, a bottle of wine and hot bird. Some parts of the eighties were just fine, thanks : )

Welcome back!

Posted by: Stonergut at July 31, 2009 4:22 PM in response to Streetlevel: The Return of Hot Bird!

So now that they've slowed down, think they'll back off on their plan to turn the little triangle between DeKalb and Fulton St. in front of the form Dime Savings Bank building into their private front yard? This construction and detour are wreaking havoc on transportation in the Fulton Mall area.

Posted by: Stonergut at July 30, 2009 10:36 AM in response to City Point: Half Now, Half Later

Ahem. This "executive chef" is ACTUALLY "consulting executive chef" who "tweaks" the menu. This means the guy isn't actually there. Ever.

This is some wannabe brand name guy who comes in and waves his hands over the kitchen every now and then? I have a feeling the food is going to be pretty awful.

Posted by: Stonergut at July 29, 2009 10:24 AM in response to Inside Hotel Le Bleu's Restaurant

I've always figured this house once had a pressed metal decorative bay window down the center, before it was so rudely re-fenestrated.

It would take a little vision, but this is a great opportunity for a creative buyer.

Posted by: Stonergut at July 28, 2009 1:28 PM in response to House of the Day: 226 Cumberland Street

Have you tried flooding the sidewalk/front garden area? It might be groundwater.

Posted by: Stonergut at July 27, 2009 10:36 AM in response to Leak under Rowhouse Stoop

Dora Chica, the largest group of offenders I've seen have been car service sedans. They're often the cars speeding down Waverly and also the cars speeding around to pass DeKalb traffic on the right.

Although I'm no fan of SUVs, I don't think they can be blamed as the greatest speeders.

Posted by: Stonergut at July 9, 2009 2:06 PM in response to Another Crash on Waverly

Ya dittoburg. It's frogger every morning : /

Posted by: Stonergut at July 9, 2009 1:08 PM in response to Another Crash on Waverly

Speeding traffic on DeKalb is biggest problem. Pulling out from Waverly has become easier since parking on the north side of DeKalb was eliminated, but the right lane of DeKalb has become a speed zone.

Prevailing traffic speed in DeKalb's middle and left lanes (the bike lane gets frequent rush hour car traffic) is usually modest but cars fly down the right hand lane passing slower traffic when there's a red light at Clinton backing cars up east to Hall St. or further.

One solution would be curbs that enter the street, like on Lafayette and Adelphi. Another solution would be ridges or cobblestones in the right hand lane on DeKalb, which wouldn't impede bus traffic at all but would prohibit high speeds in other vehicles.

Another way to cut down Waverly accidents would be making Waverly one way in the opposite direction for a block or two, so there's no thru traffic from Park Ave. to Atlantic.

Posted by: Stonergut at July 9, 2009 12:58 PM in response to Another Crash on Waverly

Bringing the topic of Michael Jackson together with brownstoner Brooklyn, did you know that "Bad" was filmed at Hoyt-Schermerhorn? I remember the equipment and chairs lined up for an evening shoot - you could see them across the tracks where the Acquaduct Express used to run. They renamed the station, and had a directors chair with "Mr. Jackson" silkscreened on it.

Posted by: Stonergut at June 26, 2009 10:11 AM in response to Open Thread: Michael Jackson Edition

Why not Ray's Pizza?

Posted by: Stonergut at June 23, 2009 2:41 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Deli for Myrtle Avenue

FWIW, the porch pillars were replaced in the early to mid 80's - they are not original to the house. In the seventies, the porch support was cinder blocks and 2x4s as I recall.

Posted by: Stonergut at June 23, 2009 1:47 PM in response to 329 Adelphi Visit

I lived here in college - my landlord was the owner before Woody and Dan. The previous posters are right - the interior is a wreck. I was only in it once in recent years visiting Dan, but it seemed as if there hadn't been any work done inside since I lived there in the late seventies.

In addition to being very slanty, loose plaster, awful floors and two different levels between the two parts of the house, the house shook in a terrifying way every time the train ran below. The bathroom was a travesty - there were two of them sort of back to back as I recall. The fireplaces upstairs were just holes in the wall, although they may have had mantles added since I was there. I'd be disinclined to light a fire in any of them.

On the other hand, the parlor floor was flooded with light and it was a comfortable spot for six or eight students and an occasionally present landlord. There was a lot of space and the porch was great.

The cellar might be a decent studio space for an artist who doesn't need any light but it really shouldn't be a living space.

Posted by: Stonergut at June 22, 2009 8:03 PM in response to House of the Day: 329 Adelphi Street

"In all, that makes for nine people sharing one shower."

Foot fungus like at Rikers (shiver).

Posted by: Stonergut at June 15, 2009 10:45 AM in response to It's Hard to Beat the Tent Rent

My husband proposed to me in Gage and Tollners a hundred years ago. Nice to hear we can go get a nearly inedible sandwich there for old time's sake, when our anniversary rolls around this summer.

Posted by: Stonergut at June 11, 2009 2:52 PM in response to LPC Gives Arby's Go-Ahead for Historic Fulton Mall Space

I'm curious whether any of the HOTD listings with the reader price polls have sold and if so, if there's a comparison between the paired fantasies of seller's super high expectations and readers' lowball hopes?

Posted by: Stonergut at June 10, 2009 1:29 PM in response to House of the Day: 10 Schermerhorn Street

I'm a little puzzled about the logic of bathroom wheelchair accessability in a brownstone, most which have stairs no one using a wheelchair could ever comfortably negotiate.

Posted by: Stonergut at June 9, 2009 1:42 PM in response to DOB Handicap Hell

If Waverly was northbound only from Atlantic Ave. to Gates and also from Myrtle to Park, leaving the current southbound direction from Myrtle thru Gates, the thru traffic would stop. No thru traffic would mean less speeding.

I've wondered about running DeKalb Ave. in two different directions also. perhaps changing direction at Ashland or Cumberland, but the B38 would suffer from that. OTOH, now that developers have declared Albee Square their own personal front yard, the B38 is slower and more ganged up than ever.

Developers - ya gotta love em. : P

Posted by: Stonergut at June 4, 2009 1:57 PM in response to Car Crash at Waverly and Willoughby

The real challenge is Middle Schools. My daughter was enrolled in MS 51 which was a big ho-hum. It's reputation was bogus to say the least. She got physically attacked at least once and was teased unmercifully by a gang of girls. Despite 51, she did ok academically and managed to get into the city's best high school which nearly lived up to the hyperbole.

I know there have been a few additions to middle schools in the area, but there's SO much attention paid to elementary schools and high schools in NY. Middle schools seem neglected.

I volunteer with an organization which involves middle schools from all over the city and I must say I am not hugely impressed with any of them. The private schools seem a little more sensitive to pre-teens but I am not sure it's worth 20K a year.

Anyhow, I'd love to inspire the stroller set to get active about middle schools - Clinton Hill and Fort Greene are especially under-served.

Posted by: Stonergut at June 4, 2009 1:02 PM in response to Best Public Grade Schools in BK?

Speeding on Waverly isn't a joke - I kind of resent all of the sarcasm about window box color and pretend race wars because this is a serious issue.

I live near the next intersection on DeKalb and there are frequent bad accidents. The most recent one I witnessed a few weeks ago wrecked several parked cars as well as seriously injuring at least one of the drivers.

The problem is not only cars speeding down Waverley, it's also the hugely increased speed on DeKalb since they've removed the parking lane on the right (north) side of the street. In the morning there are 3 lanes of super fast traffic tearing down to Flatbush causing cars inching out from Waverly and pedestrians to play a giant game of Frogger.

Pedestrians have been hit by cars speeding down DeKalb and it is only a matter of time before someone is killed.

Posted by: Stonergut at June 4, 2009 11:08 AM in response to Car Crash at Waverly and Willoughby

Sam, I AM a freelance commercial artist and I wouldn't dream of attempting to repair antique painting.

Most commercial artists work on computers these days. Illustrators and fine artists work with actual paint and real art supplies. But unless you know what the materials are on the original surface, you risk destroying the entire piece.

You really need a professional art or furniture conservator for something like this, not just any artist. It's not the eye, it's the craft that's needed.

Posted by: Stonergut at May 26, 2009 7:40 PM in response to Need Advice: Artwork/Fireplace

Call Westlake Conservators in Skaneateles Falls, N.Y. If one of their staff isn't available to come to Brooklyn (one of their staff members lived in Williamsburg for quite a while), they could probably recommend someone local.

http://westlakeconservators.com/index.html

There's really nobody better at this. Probably not as expensive as you think either.

Posted by: Stonergut at May 26, 2009 3:08 PM in response to Need Advice: Artwork/Fireplace

How can they expect to fit in those pegged jeans if there's a constant reminder of creamy deliciousness just outside the door? The Olive Oyl legs will be history. Then they'll HAVE to move back to suburbia.

Maybe the ice cream truck can save Brooklyn...

Posted by: Stonergut at May 20, 2009 12:19 PM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

After the fatal fire in Queens this weekend, the fire prevention group went out looking for more illegal apartments. If you live in a basement apartment, there must be a secondary means of egress and the windows must be openable a certain distance above ground. If the apartment doesn't meet code, you will be vacated. People get hostile when that happens, but it's better than burning to death.

Posted by: oshma at November 10, 2009 11:47 AM in response to Fire Dept Inspection

Two means of egress, the definition of basement is 50% of the space must be above curb level. Otherwise it is a cellar. But even if you meet the above criteria that doesn't mean you are in a legal inhabitable space. There are zoning regs, certificates of occupancy and other rules.

Posted by: Grumpy at November 10, 2009 12:16 PM in response to Fire Dept Inspection

The FD has the local firehouse doing inspections and civilian inspectors, the civilian inspectors are stricter then the firemen, they will write a summons. The firemen are looking for things that will endanger their lives and yours. Imagine them crawling around your,hot smoke filled hallway and apt. looking for your unconscious body. They don't want to get hung up on the bike in the hall, fall through the missing step on the fire escape. They want to be able to vent the hallway of the toxic smoke by gaining access to the roof and opening the scuttle, bulkhead door or hallway skylight.

Posted by: Grumpy at November 10, 2009 12:31 PM in response to Fire Dept Inspection

Grumpy- great information and clear explanations. Much needed.

Posted by: bxgrl at November 11, 2009 11:50 AM in response to Fire Dept Inspection

I used Sessa Plumbing for a large mains-related gig. Richie. Very smart, not cheapest but for anything with an engineering-type bent, that's who I'd go with.

Posted by: Johnny at November 19, 2009 10:55 AM in response to Broken Sewer Main

My sympathies. Our 100-year-old sewer pipe and water main had to both be replaced about 10 years ago (our maple ate the old terra-cotta sewer line, and the water line was made of lead and also breached by the Roots from Hell). I don't recall which firm did the job, but it cost $8,000 and included construction of a mine shaft to a horizontal tunnel. Exciting stuff, a fine replacement for a vacation for the next 2 years :{

Posted by: Brenda from Flatbush at November 19, 2009 12:00 PM in response to Broken Sewer Main

The price I'm getting from a couple of different places are in the $9,500 - $11,000.00 price range. The building is on a busy commercial ave in g-slope, and according to them it costs more because the building is not on a side street.

Posted by: Gowanus_Bklyn at November 19, 2009 12:08 PM in response to Broken Sewer Main

Alex Figalo fixed my broken pipe a few years back and it went well.
The city gives out three day notices that the homeowner has to jump to fix or get fined.
Alex came around in an hour, gave me a price, took my credit card and there were a team of workers on the job with all the permits the next day.
ConEd and the City gets in on watching the the digging and bothering the contractor, so it takes a capable foreman to keep on track and keep everyone happy.
The price is high but you need the experience and resourses to get this done right and quickly.
I was very happy with their work and hope that I don't have a need to use them again.

Posted by: oldtimer at November 19, 2009 12:12 PM in response to Broken Sewer Main

I used Alex Figliolia several years ago to replace the main sewer. He came (in a chauffered stretch MB) wihin an hour, followed up with an estimate, and started the next day. They were expensive, but very much worth it. Extremely professional, the quality of the work excellent. I had to use them again, 2 years later, to replace the water main, and had the same positive exeperience.

Posted by: bklynbks at November 19, 2009 12:37 PM in response to Broken Sewer Main

"I used Alex Figliolia several years ago to replace the main sewer. He came (in a chauffered stretch MB)"

I am totally in the wrong industry!

Posted by: brooklynstyle at November 19, 2009 1:16 PM in response to Broken Sewer Main