tybur6, just curious, where does one keep garbage cans when you live in an actual glorified garage/storage space/carriage house? (ie there's NO Frontage, no stoop, nowhere to put anything utilitarian). Not like you can leave garbage cans sitting out front in a landmarked mews. secondly, how did you discover that they don't recycle? Are you one of those neighbors who goes through people's garbage out of curiosity/spite? Or just feeling cranky this morning and desperately wanting to use the word "tacky"?

Posted by: iz at January 20, 2010 11:25 AM in response to 20 Grace Court Alley Sells for $2,995,000

colonel:
You want continuity? They'd have to pour that same concrete up and down the entire length of dekalb. Not just on a bump!

Also I have no problem seeing slate combined with matching colored concrete. Problem is that years ago they just patched it up with what was basically a concrete/gravel mush. That's what makes the combo look so hideous and patchy.

Keep the bluestone. Match the concrete in color.

And yes, while you're at it, correct ALL OF THE HIDEOUS CONCRETE up dekalb. Make it "continuous". Please!

Posted by: iz at December 4, 2009 12:36 PM in response to City Ripping Up South Portland Bluestone

I agree with tybur6. and a couple others.

1. Bridge is for commuters, not tourists; they should learn to be respectful of the place they're visiting. IF they don't show respect for this city and its inhabitants, why should we show them any? It's so dangerous to have to avoid some idiot stepping into the path of your bike - chances are the bicyclist will steer away from the chump and end up hurting themselves.

2. Traffic, according to new research and observation (as opposed to old assumptions), is safer when diverse modes of transportation are forced to mix, and when less external regulation like traffic lights is imposed, because people have to be alert, use their brains, and engage in their environment -- ie take responsibility for their actions. The results, at least in europe, where they've been replacing classic light-controlled intersections with open squares and roundabouts with no regulation or lanes, show staggering decreases in accidents. Turns out, people can regulate themselves way better when asked to use their own brains and eyes. GEt over yourself and cooperate. Not every traffic/pedestrian/bike problem can or should be solved by some DOT person running around with a paint roller. Sometimes we just have to TRY A LITTLE HARDER.

3. Seems to me that this "nightmare" is really just some dude's aversion to bad manners. This is NYC!!!!! What's next, the Statue of Liberty needs to be polished and cleaned of that ugly "green" gook?

4. Dirty Hipster, Manhattan bridge doesn't exit anywhere near Brooklyn bridge on the manhattan side. What are you talking about, take the other bridge? Yeah people can take Queensboro too, but it doesn't make actual SENSE.

Posted by: iz at September 29, 2009 3:02 PM in response to Bikes and Bodies on the Brooklyn Bridge

MM I totally agree, the kitchen's out of Brooklyn Modern. LOVELOVELOVE.

Posted by: iz at September 28, 2009 1:28 PM in response to House of the Day: 59 St. Marks Avenue

Gorgeous house, dream location. I'm in love.

Posted by: iz at September 28, 2009 1:23 PM in response to House of the Day: 59 St. Marks Avenue

babs, yeah yeah, I realized that after I pulled that quote from Wiki. The issue though is the embarrasingly ill-informed OP who should get a serious smack-down for his/her gaffe -- including the dropping of the h in THEIR snarky rebuttle.

Posted by: iz at September 22, 2009 12:04 PM in response to Brooklyn's Nod from the Daily Mail

"The Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, or One Hanson Place, is the tallest completed building in the borough of Brooklyn, New York City and a familiar Brooklyn landmark." - Wikipedia

Posted by: iz at September 22, 2009 11:34 AM in response to Brooklyn's Nod from the Daily Mail

yeah, I'm with East New York on this. Since when is that building not the Williamsburg Savings Bank? Because a developer bought it? You gotta be kidding me. It's a New York Landmark and I don't care how many developers swap hands and rename it some new and stupid name, anyone who isn't familiar with the shillers of NY real estate should be able to identify the building by its Proper Historical Identification.

Sorry Brownstoner, but as much as you need to push the junk on the market out there, please don't pretend that "One HAnson Place" is something a UK resident should EVER have to know about. That actually goes for anyone, including brooklyners.

Posted by: iz at September 22, 2009 11:33 AM in response to Brooklyn's Nod from the Daily Mail

What a bunch of negative morons you all are. Every idea you parasite off on a daily basis, including the tech you use for this blog, had to go up against people like you. It always amazes me for some reason, though I should get used to it by now, I've seen this attitude around me so often. For every thinking person out there, there's a thousand not just uninformed and inflexible people, but down right negative and destructive ones.

Thanks for the info on this. I'll be curious to see the effects of ideas like this in the coming years.

Happy labor day. hope you get bed bugs in your critic's couches.

Posted by: iz at September 4, 2009 1:28 PM in response to Closing Bell: Bamboo Bikes

I always thought he was a santero.

Posted by: iz at September 1, 2009 1:31 PM in response to Monday Blogwrap

Mr B, can you fix the typo in the title (Hason) to make sure this article is searchable later on? thanks.

Posted by: iz at August 28, 2009 12:01 PM in response to Rents Set to Almost Double at ENY Mitchell-Lama

Looking at this layout, it has potential to be an awesome apartment but I would want to change it somewhat. I think that master bedroom is unnecessarily big, and can be split in two (it has THREE windows!). Then I would take the smaller bedroom completely "out" -- remove all the walls, including the one that separates it from the kitchen -- that way you have a big open space with a kitchen in the middle, no hallways. Huge dining table where the small bedroom used to be, lots of light flowing through the house and skylights etc. .. And two small bedrooms approx (120 sq feet each) in the back with big windows. That's a space i'd LOVE.

Posted by: iz at August 27, 2009 2:51 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 269 Clinton Avenue, #D2

Aren't they referred to as racoon-americans? also, man I love possums. I saved one from a construction site on madison avenue and 40th street a few years back. I was there late, temping, and taking a smoke break. The construction guys were freaking out cause the thing, though a baby, looked like a giant rat. Finally one of the guys (the one with the balls) put on his glove, grabbed the thing by its tail, and proceeded to pull and tug and yank it off the machinery to which it was clinging with all 400 of its long claws. He put it in a box and handed it to me. My boyfriend and I then walked it to central park, where we released it (but not before being followed by an old bag lady croaking at us "you've got an animal in there! I know you've got an animal in there!"). When we let him out, he seemed so mellow. Like nothing ever happened.

AND YES, we called 911, ACC, SPCA etc. No one wanted to be bothered. I obviously don't recommend pulling stunts like this and we were lucky to get out of it alive, but it had to be done. It was in MIDTOWN for f's sake.

Posted by: iz at August 27, 2009 11:32 AM in response to Raccoons Evidently Digging 4th Avenue

altervoce, totally: why does it necessarily have to be a dude? (Although like bxgirl, I am fantasizing that it is, and he's hot . . . )

Posted by: iz at August 21, 2009 10:37 AM in response to Closing Bell: No Reward Is Its Own Reward

THANK YOU BIKE-THIEF-HATER, FROM ALL OF US LAUGHING OUR ASSES OFF THROUGH THE TEARS OF RECOGNITION. THANK YOU.

Posted by: iz at August 20, 2009 4:07 PM in response to Closing Bell: No Reward Is Its Own Reward

11217 you are absolutely right. Iron Balls' prediction, to be a true "bulls-eye" not just some vaguely accurate assessment, should have stated precisely what day the house would go into contract, what day (and preferably time) the deed would be registered, AND he should have at least gotten the total to within a few hundred dollars. The truth is that I have a huge crush on IRon Balls and just wanted to suck up to him (hehehe). Please, don't let me annoy you with my sweeping exaggerations on subjects that should be held to scientific standards of accuracy if they are to be addressed at all. Forgive me.

Posted by: iz at August 18, 2009 12:56 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

hmmm, you might be a lawyer. Or an anesthesiologist. but my money's still on accountant.

Posted by: iz at August 18, 2009 12:45 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

11217: are you a humorless accountant by trade, or just when you're commenting on blogs?

Posted by: iz at August 18, 2009 12:42 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

11217: uuhhh . .. . . .

you're right. He was way off. what was I thinking?

Posted by: iz at August 18, 2009 12:40 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Go FG BEARS!

Posted by: iz at August 18, 2009 12:37 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

I just looked at the FG "House of the Day" comments, and noticed this Bulls-Eye from Iron Balls:

"This house will sell next August for 2.5 million if they're lucky.

Sellers will keep lowering price every few months in the meantime.

Posted by: IronBalls at December 22, 2008 3:48 PM"

Posted by: iz at August 18, 2009 12:35 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Amazing windows -- who did all your window carpentry???

Posted by: iz at August 17, 2009 12:30 PM in response to Gut Reno on Gates

When is the grand opening?

Posted by: iz at August 14, 2009 1:00 PM in response to Greenlight Bookstore Renovation Blog: Week 3

Tinarina, did I not understand this right? "repairing sidewalks and signage as well as improving the landscaping around the Martyrs Monument" -- sounds like all cosmetics to me. Someone's getting their pockets lined, is my guess.

The cobblestones have been cemented over around MOST of the park, if you haven't noticed.

Finally, maybe they can fix the tennis courts? IT's one of the only athletic resources that the park has to offer, and they are in serious need of an upgrade. But that might be the jurisdiction of a different department all together, who knows.

Posted by: iz at August 14, 2009 12:57 PM in response to Hot Cash Injection for Fort Greene Park

Oh and you know what "fixing cobblestones" means? Replacing with concrete. This news is scary to me. . .

Posted by: iz at August 14, 2009 12:20 PM in response to Hot Cash Injection for Fort Greene Park

Improving the landscaping around the martyr's monument? Man, it's one of the most gorgeous, simply but beautifully landscaped public parks i've ever seen -- especially this just-restored area. Are they on some old-school circa '95 ft greene CRACK????? Just the other day i saw Spike Lee with a huge group of people (maybe producers or investors) and it looked like they were checking out the monument area for a film shoot. There's exactly NOTHING wrong with ft greene park, except maybe not enough garbage cans. Please don't start fixing it. Especially, please leave the soccer field alone, it's a gorgeous, invigorating sight to see all those athletic guys and girls playing soccer-- something every parent should want their kids to see when they come to a park.

Posted by: iz at August 14, 2009 12:19 PM in response to Hot Cash Injection for Fort Greene Park

Mixicon, sounds like you guys have no room for error financially. That's a tricky place to be in, when trying to buy. Maybe it's too soon for you? Buying a mostly unliveable house WITH a tenant because that's all you can afford sounds to me like you're pushing it. And you want to renovate? I don't want to discourage you because I'm a big believer in stretching yourself, but this sounds like a potential financial disaster.

Posted by: iz at August 13, 2009 6:38 PM in response to Eviction for Owner Occupancy

We swung through the other night. The scowling dude turned out to be a very nice fellow, very passionate about his establishment. I would love to see them redesign it to bring the din down to less excrutiating levels. add some fake beams, put some shelving on the walls, I don't know -- or ask a designer friend to help them come up with other noise-reduction tricks.
Also, please!!!!! wash those windows (the oily smears made me lose my appetite) and put in some lighting. The weird cheapo bulbs with the migraine glare have got to be replaced.
Finally: 3 average beers, 2 small pretzels and 2 okay sausages on dry rolls: $44 bucks. HOLY *@#($&%(&@#%(&@(&#%(&.

Posted by: iz at August 13, 2009 11:24 AM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

I agree with superstooper. Also, the guy that's always standing in the door whenever I walk by there has a permanent scowl on his face. Bummer.

Posted by: iz at August 12, 2009 4:04 PM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

Oh my god i can't believe how seriously you people take your everyday boring attire. Look, it's not personal, this place is playing the oldest exclusivity trick in the book, Old-school new york, and it WORKS. People LIKE to dress up, they LOVE to be told to dress up. It makes the occasion feel special. Imagine it's like the glorified grammy's or the opera or something. You want to look like a slob? there's a million places to do that. Choose those places and enjoy being "accepted" for being "you" whatever the hell that means to you. But I love the fact that there's a place that requires a bit of drama and imagination on the part of the clientele. And fyi, every cool club in ny (and I mean cool, not trendy), used to have the severest dress code. IT wasn't as explicit as this one, but everyone who was a regular knew what the door person liked and they LOVED dressing up FOR that door person.

Posted by: iz at August 12, 2009 3:45 PM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up

rob, thanks for cracking me up.

A part of me agrees with the sentiment "this is the owner's property! he/she should be able to do with it what he/she pleases!" But its not like the rent stabilized tenants SUDDENLY APPEARED at the poor owner's door and demanded cheap rent. They were there, I suspect, before the owner ever bought the place, and that's why it was probably a really cheap buy! Well, newsflash: That discounted price was for a reason. Tenant rights are in fact respected and protected by nyc law, and anyone who thinks they can outsmart the system by buying something cheap and then breaking the law to jack up the value is, well, gonna have to face the consequences. Good luck? I don't think so. Try good thinking.

Posted by: iz at August 11, 2009 10:07 AM in response to Taking Over Rent-Stab Unit

YEAYAYAYAYAAYAY to the bike lane!!!!!

BKLOVE are you seriously trying to make a parallel between a bike path and the public housing scam (pun intended)?
Hellhole conditions of farragut houses aren't caused by improvements to infrastructure in other areas of the city, but by a system that's very much like what they did to the admiral row houses: demolition by neglect. In this case, it's demolition of an entire layer of society by governmental and societal neglect. There is no support for the working class. It's purely Wealthy vs. Welfare in good ol' NYC, because that's the CHEAPE$$$$T way to deal with poverty. There is no encouragement of or support for working people. Why can't we have buildings set aside exclusively for working teachers, court clerks, police officers, and other city employees who are an intrinsic part of the functioning of the city, and who are currently priced out of the immediate area because they get paid nickels for their hard work? Other cities like SF have managed to do this. Economic segregation and professional separation hurts the city on many levels (brutality, indifference, neglect etc). Economic segregation in the form of the current public housing system should be confronted head-on, not used as an excuse NOT to improve things like public safety and accessibility such as bike paths.

Posted by: iz at August 11, 2009 9:44 AM in response to Closing Bell: Sands Street Bike Lane Opens

It really reflects well on red hook that not even its potential "generification" by mega-chains like Ikea and Fairway could put the slightest dent in the 'hood's spunky character. It's like the Molly Ringwald of brooklyn (john hughes reference currently unavoidable): the more attention/acceptance it gets from the mainstream, the more vigorously it basks in its own awkward quirkiness.

Posted by: iz at August 10, 2009 1:56 PM in response to Realty in Red Hook

RE: "I have a contract out on it." So . . . you gave them an offer they couldn't refuse? (couldn't resist, sorry)

Posted by: iz at August 7, 2009 1:22 PM in response to Any Thoughts on 341 Quincy

Looks cool, like the children's section in a library. Hey, I know this is a weird question but would you consider having an editor's selection of great audio books -- spare me the snickering, ye reading snobs -- by which I mean, unabridged and narrated by incredible actors, like the Steve Buscemi reading of Motherless Brooklyn, or the BBC version of Joyce's Ulysses, featuring Stephen Rea? I only ask because it's actually hard to find audio books that are really well produced -- and for a long-distance runner like me, they are an amazing way to experience literature, both because I'm "high" when running so whatever's entering my brain is felt pretty intensely, and also because a lot of literature is meant to be read aloud/heard, rather than read in silence. Anyway, just a suggestion. Thanks and welcome to the neighborhood!

Posted by: iz at August 7, 2009 12:48 PM in response to Greenlight Bookstore Renovation Blog: Week 2

Nerdy, so you've got it all figured out. Your place sounds fabulous, your life (lawyering excepted) even better, and you can look out your window and down your nose at the poor fool who'll actually buy that little studio and call it a home.

But whoever does that will always be one level cooler than you, in my book. Just cause they put their money where their ass is. I'll even help them decorate!

Posted by: iz at August 6, 2009 2:49 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 27 South Portland Avenue, #3

Nothing wrong with renting, especially in this economy, with layoffs forcing people to pick up and leave at the drop of a hat. Would HATE to be in that situation and stuck with a house to sell.

But, nerdy, I would make sure you don't bury all your cash in your landlord's pocket. One fine day you, like everyone else I know, will wake up with an inexpicable need to "own". No one knows why this happens -- much like marriage and children and all the rest of the crap that comes with the nesting thing, it just takes over and before you know it, you're panting over open house ads. I know, I know, you're "different." and maybe you are. But most people are just regular folk. We want to settle down and call it Home.

Posted by: iz at August 6, 2009 1:56 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 27 South Portland Avenue, #3

Am I reading this price, and the floorplan, right? It comes to $900 a square foot, and I'm being generous with the squar footage approximation. are you fk serious?

Posted by: iz at August 6, 2009 1:10 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 27 South Portland Avenue, #3

The Williamsburg story's first comment said the following:

"Ah yes. Bullsh!t stories like this one remind me why I prefer to spend my free time over on Brownstoner.
Maybe it's time for Curbed to get new interns."

Aw, the incestuous meta-net!How I love thee.

Posted by: iz at August 5, 2009 5:17 PM in response to Wednesday Blogwrap

so far, it's a commercial for dumbo.

Posted by: iz at August 4, 2009 5:59 PM in response to Spike and Jay-Z Do Dumbo

I was thinking of doing the same thing on my terra cotta tiles. Love their shape and texture, hate the color. I did some tests and they came out great, I jsut haven't decided on a color yet. But ceramic might be different than terra cotta. I did actually see ceramic tiles painted a rich, unusual colored enamel in a hip little shop Reykyavik, Iceland, and it looked incredible. The fun thing about painted tile is that there's this consistency of color throughout, because everything -- including the grout -- is painted the same color. All you see is the shapes of the tiles, texture etc...and none of that ugly grid that discolored grout creates. Anyway,just a thought.

Posted by: iz at July 29, 2009 3:48 PM in response to Painting Tile

dittoburg:

shins? or you can squat too, like in the eastern part of the world. or lie flat on your tummy, kick your feet over your head, and squeal like a little girl at the wonders offered by the new world of internet real estate. Just some uninformed imput.

Posted by: iz at July 28, 2009 12:18 PM in response to RE Agents Hate Brownstoner

The one thing I've learned over the years is that there are NO EXPERTS when it comes to Real Estate. Not the brokers, not the sideline commentators, not the open house addicts. It's all about using ALL the information, and making an informed decision from all the differing misinformations.

Posted by: iz at July 28, 2009 12:01 PM in response to RE Agents Hate Brownstoner

billyboomer, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't know all that instructive, informative, qualified information you just shared with us. You contradicted yourself entirely! Thank you anyway.

Posted by: iz at July 28, 2009 11:42 AM in response to RE Agents Hate Brownstoner

For instance, I'm terribly curious about my favorite FSBO ever, the one on S. Oxford, one of the cutest little cottages in Ft. Greene, and right across from that tiny park with the secret tennis courts (oops . . .). It is way up there in price, but I wonder how it will fare in this market. See, I sound like a r.e. agent myself, or the owner. Who gives a fk. I love that house. I want someone to buy it and live in it because I already have one, but if I didn't . . . . .so perfect (except for the price).
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/06/house_of_the_da_701.php

Posted by: iz at July 28, 2009 11:39 AM in response to RE Agents Hate Brownstoner

dt, I agree with you about how readers tear up houses -- a lot of that is envy and wishful thinking ("I could afford 1.2 mil therefore that's what it's worth"). But I've seen many houses survive the feature in Brownstoner and go on to sell handsomely. It might be a nice idea to actually do a review of House of the Day results over the past couple years -- how long on the market, how much sold for etc...

Posted by: iz at July 28, 2009 11:33 AM in response to RE Agents Hate Brownstoner

For the record, the reason we bought our home 3 years ago was Brownstoner. First of all, it was the only web site that came up when I put in "Kent Street, Greenpoint" (at the time I found it beautiful and ideal, and wanted to know more about it). That first click lead me into this world of nose-to-the-brownstone (haha) insider info, both from Mr. B and the argumentative, passionate followers of the site. MORE SPECIFICALLY, there used to be a bar on the left with Real Estate Web site links, and I would scan them religiously every day for new listings. These were not just "corcoran" and "brown harris stevens" -- it was all the little local ones. My house appeared one day on the Brooklyn Properties site. I called that night, and without having seen the house or hung out much in the neighborhood where it was located, I told the lovely gentleman on the other end of the line that this was going to be my family's house, "just so you know." He laughed but I think he knew I was serious. And I was. Thank you brownstoner, and to any Real Estate broker out there, you really are STUPID and deserve not to sell a thing, if you don't like brownstoner. This site creates appetite and excitement for neighborhoods, homes, interiors, community awareness, etc. . . It helps many people I know get comfortable with the idea of owning a home -- the very people you then get paid mad commissions for seducing into a buy. Anyway, a smart RE agent will know how great this site is for them. Everyone else: you get what you deserve, dimwits.

Posted by: iz at July 28, 2009 11:04 AM in response to RE Agents Hate Brownstoner

Call the PunnnnnnnnnnnnnPolice.

Posted by: iz at July 23, 2009 1:23 PM in response to Closing Bell: Bicycle Parking Saga Update

Aren't apartment buildings supposed to use containers?

Posted by: iz at July 22, 2009 4:08 PM in response to Closing Bell: Bicycle Parking Saga Update

even the blue tooth ear piece is dangerous. People shouldn't be occupying their minds arguing or negotiating or flirting on the phone while driving. It does take some focus to drive, especially on crowded streets filled with kids and city drivers.

Posted by: iz at July 21, 2009 12:30 PM in response to Car Crash on Myrtle