gymfly's Profile
- Gymfly
- 1995
- june 08
- Brooklyn
- Bedford Stuyvesant
- House
- management
- Male
Author's Posts
July 12, 2008
Blackberry's Everywhere!
Not the electronic kind; the fruit kind. My neighbours (both sides of me) have huge trees in their yards that produce a blackberry type of fruit. The fruit falls and the rotting fruit covers my yard. It stains my clothing, sneakers and floors inside my house. I tried putting up three sunshades but many berries still collect and rot on top. The flies are unbareable.
I am would like to put a deck or patio in my yard but I am not sure what the best solution is to deal with this problem. Will my wood deck stain? Are pavers better? Will te berries rot in my mulch?
Does anyone have any experience with this problem?
June 28, 2008
Noisy Neighbors in Bed-Stuy
So, every weekend on Hart Street between Marcy and Tomkins there is a city owned apartment building. Every weekend the speakers go in the window, the grills go out on the sidewalk and the noise, traffic and drug use is unbearable untill the wee hours of the morning.
Last night at 11:00pm I called the 79th precint to complain. I was told "what do you want us to do? Welcome to Bed-Stuy!" This is unacceptable behavior; by the tennants and the police. Any suggestions?
Author's Comments
I live in Bed-Stuy. Last year had 3 trees (7')taken in broad daylight, while I was home. Security camera showed the guy carrying them away one at a time. Also have garbage can chained.....someone tried to cut the chain!
Posted by: gymfly at July 12, 2008 3:00 AM in response to planter advice needed
Here is a much less expensive (though not as beautiful) option I plan to use. www.freedeckplans.com
The blocks are available at Lowes.
Posted by: gymfly at July 12, 2008 3:11 AM in response to bison deck supports
I am doing a renovation in Bed Stuy. I have a room with a marble mantle that I plan to remove. If you provide the labor to properly remove it you can have it.
Gymfly57@aol.com
Posted by: gymfly at July 12, 2008 3:33 AM in response to Looking for a marble mantle
Trimming a few branches will not help. The canopy of the 2 trees is about 60 ft up. Between the 2 trees (one on either side of my yard) they cover my backyard. I have trimmed the lower branches of one tree but now the berries from the top have nothing to break their fall on the way down. Now they hit and splat with force. Will this stop by August? Can I get at least one month per summers use of my yard?
Posted by: gymfly at July 12, 2008 1:14 PM in response to Blackberry's Everywhere!
I have a similar problem. How did you prove the cause and source of leak?
Posted by: gymfly at July 16, 2008 10:39 PM in response to Need a lawyer
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
moving to bed stuy and complaining about this is similar to going to college and complaining about underage drinking.
aint
gonna
stop
shit
Posted by: guest at July 1, 2008 10:27 AM in response to Noisy Neighbors in Bed-Stuy
Call 311, keep a record of all the complaint numbers, and sue the building owners for harassment (in this case, the city). Not only call your precinct, many times, but also go to the precinct meetings!
Organize with your neighbors to do the same thing. Go to the precinct together. The response of the police, and the actions of the people in the apartment building, were/are unacceptable.
It is not ok to say "It's bedstuy, what did you expect"? The majority of the people that are on my block are wonderful, lovely, and very hard working neighbors who all know each other and help each other out. One or two knuckleheads spoil it for everyone? No, organize. Call 311. Keep records. If everyone calls, something will happen.
Posted by: guest at July 1, 2008 9:27 PM in response to Noisy Neighbors in Bed-Stuy
Amen, 9:27!
Bed Stuy is really a testament to the power of low-level organizing with neighbors. The quality of your block really is in your hands.
The people who are saying that it's just a function of the neighborhood obviously don't live here and/or are speaking their fear. I have never lived in a neighborhood with a deeper tradition of strong neighbor coalitions to prevent quality of life crimes like the one the OP describes.
Posted by: vanburenproud at July 2, 2008 10:25 AM in response to Noisy Neighbors in Bed-Stuy
Add me to the list of people who live in Bed-Stuy on a quiet, lovely block with a strong block association. I agree with vanburenproud et al., you can do something about this if you band together with like minded folks on your block. We had a situation with a lady who was off her meds and would blast extremely loud music out her window every night. One of my neighbors dropped off flyers at every house on the block saying, "If you're sick of this, call 311, the precinct, and this lady's landlord (he put the landlord's phone no. on the flyer too)". Enough people must have called because the problem went away instantly.
You might be able to get the building owner's phone number off of propertyshark.com.
Posted by: guest at July 2, 2008 8:08 PM in response to Noisy Neighbors in Bed-Stuy
It might surprise you to discover Brooklyn neighbors who would mourn the loss of their beloved mulberries:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/nyregion/20journal.html
Posted by: guest at July 12, 2008 2:07 PM in response to Blackberry's Everywhere!
Thanks. I think I will start with something inexpensive and see how it goes.
Posted by: myplace at July 12, 2008 4:02 PM in response to planter advice needed
I have a good fake plastic (inexpensive) planter on my stoop that looks like heavy terra cotta. It hasn't been stolen in 8 years. I don't think I'd ever chain it--so depressing.
Squirrels have done some damage though!
Posted by: tinarina at July 12, 2008 4:46 PM in response to planter advice needed
Doesn't all that mess bother the owner's and get tracked into their house too? Have you ever tried to talk to them about it?
Posted by: premadas at July 12, 2008 8:15 PM in response to Blackberry's Everywhere!
You bought a house flanked by two 6-story trees and never noticed? Bring out your deck chair, sit in the filtered sunlight and enjoy the birds feasting in their branches. Sit out on your stoop and enjoy life with your neighbors. The only thing keeping you out of your yard is your resentment. If the trees are really as tall as you say, register them with the city's great trees program: http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_your_park/trees_greenstreets/ny_tree_trust/great_trees.html
Based on this post and on the locked-up planter thread, the trees were not only there long before you arrived, they will be there long after you leave (unless, that is, you find a way to set them out in planters).
Posted by: guest at July 13, 2008 12:45 PM in response to Blackberry's Everywhere!
Not for nuthin, this kind of thing is a lot more common with Christmas decorations. A couple of years ago my girlfriend bought me four small, artificial pre-lit trees for my deck over the garage. In mid-December one of them was stolen. On January 2, I found it laying on my stoop. The thief brought it back. Go figger.
Posted by: guest at July 13, 2008 1:06 PM in response to planter advice needed
Jas, I am a long time Bed-Stuy resident.....I was born here. I am all too familiar with the area. The building in question has a backyard that is available to them. Cramped quarters is no excuse for noise pollution, street litter and drug use! Cramped quarters do not allow you to come and sit on MY STEPS and get upset with me when I try to walk up MY STAIRS (BTW, I live 4 doors away). Cramped quarters do not allow you to come and sit on MY CAR. I am in no way trying to suppress the "flavor" of "the hood". I just want us to respect ourselves and our homes. I want the right to the peaceful enjoyment my home.
Posted by: gymfly at June 28, 2008 12:42 PM in response to Noisy Neighbors in Bed-Stuy