neilw's Profile
Author's Posts
January 11, 2009
Basement support replacement
We need to replace the brick center support columns with steel beam/columns. I recall seeing an article or forum post about a company that specializes in this and does it fairly quickly. Otherwise, any recommendations for contractors you have used for this would be great. (And yes, we have an architect and an engineer). Thanks!
April 8, 2008
Maint/Supervision For a Small Building
Does anyone have an idea of what to pay someone to come in and do condo maintenance duties (trash, sidewalk, lightbulbs, etc.)? We have a 15-unit building and I was wondering what this costs.
Author's Comments
I like the upper portion, but I think the lower infilled area is a disappointment. I have walked by and would never have thought the material was limestone - looks like cinder block. The layout and sizing of the windows was poor, although the floorplan probably dictated some of it.
Posted by: neilw at September 25, 2009 1:14 PM in response to Listings Up For 93 Nevins Street
Perhaps Brooklyn needs "thai-free zones" like they have for drugs around schools. I love Thai food, love Joya, but do we need one on every block?
Posted by: neilw at September 22, 2009 3:35 PM in response to StreetLevel: Ghang Opens Court Street Outpost
Tax-increment financing funded by the increased revenue from real estate taxes could fund part of this, but the state and Feds would have to pony up a lot to cover this. Love the idea.
Posted by: neilw at September 21, 2009 11:42 AM in response to What to Do with the BQE Ditch
neilw wrote a review about Bombay Dream on September 21, 2009 10:53 AM
Once in a while we will eat there, but mostly this is our go-to Indian take-out place. Usually get the Tikka Masala, samosas, and saag. Consistently good to very good. Staff is super-nice and friendly.
I try to avoid seeing anything at this theater due to a host of reasons, but regrettably I attempted to see "District 9" Saturday night.
The crack staff had mixed up "9" with "District 9" in the listings, with resulting confusion and hilarity as people tried to see the non-existent 6:30 showing. We bought tickets for the 8:10 and went to grab a bite.
About 15 minutes into the movie, the lights went on and the movie stopped. And then silence. Nobody from the theater came in, so someone decided to see what was going on. He came back and said there was a fire. We call made for the exits. Upstairs we could hear a faint alarm sound, but there were no employees directing us, no announcements, nothing.
Outside, we watched the fire trucks arrive, which spelled the end of our attempt to see the film.
Posted by: neilw at September 14, 2009 11:03 AM in response to Court Street Cinema Fire, Again
everyblock.com has had something similar for a while. It is more of a feed, but you can enter date ranges and locations. Much nicer presentation than pshark too.
Posted by: neilw at September 4, 2009 12:13 PM in response to Crime Map Offers Easy Access to Stats
I think this is a welcome change. Cars heading west from Bergen race through the intersection and up the street to catch the light. The street is really wide, which studies show encourages drivers to speed up. Also, there is a subway entrance right there, so lots of foot traffic. It does look a little empty now, but its a small price to pay. Perhaps Cafe Pedlar could set up a coffee cart.
Posted by: neilw at September 2, 2009 11:48 AM in response to Calming Traffic at Bergen and Smith
Library works well for this, also I think there is still an internet cafe on Court just south of Union, next to the Park Foods.
Posted by: neilw at August 25, 2009 2:53 PM in response to Internet cafe
Monstrosity = Proportions are crap, balconies in front, uses Home Depot cast lintels, doesn't line up with adjoining buildings, casement windows, no attempt at all to relate to surroundings, too tall, shitty construction. (see also "Tragedy of the Commons")
Posted by: neilw at July 31, 2009 3:52 PM in response to Development Watch: 51 Woodhull Street
I think SkyWatch is part of SkyNet. The cops come from Omni Consumer Products, which is a separate company.
Posted by: neilw at June 24, 2009 11:27 AM in response to Police Tower Now on Nostrand
No amount of cornice is going to save this turd. I guess the Fedders can be installed from the inside.
Posted by: neilw at June 19, 2009 11:42 AM in response to Skimping on the Cornices at 574 4th Avenue?
Definitely was a meth clinic, as I walk by it every morning and live right around the corner. The patrons were never much of a problem, if you didn't mind a little post-treatment weed smoking on your stoop. Along with the opera house next door, this represented a break from the asian-fusion eateries.
Posted by: neilw at May 7, 2009 2:44 PM in response to Building Collapse at 217 Court Street
Silvermax - we're moving ahead with things. If you're interested in what we're doing I'd be happy to share - you can email me at nwehrle (a) yahoo (dot) com
Posted by: neilw at April 30, 2009 1:31 PM in response to Basement support replacement
I'll second the "crooks", but for a different reason: these guys seem to use the annual inspection as a ruse to get more work (surprise, surprise, I know). We used them two years in a row, and amazingly the struts went out in front one year, and in the back the next. When my wife picked up the car, she noticed a huge stack of receipts on the desk, almost all for struts.
Posted by: neilw at April 27, 2009 2:47 PM in response to Streetlevel: Atlantic Avenue Shell Station Open Again
There used to be a Cafe Boo Bah on Atlantic near Smith, where Cosmic Cove (Carmello the Science Fellow) and a new place with cooking classes.
Posted by: neilw at April 9, 2009 3:00 PM in response to Streetlevel: Kids Space Mamalu Shuts Doors
I agree with @benson - this is a nation-wide phenom. I lived in Chicago for 20 years and 2 in Pittsburgh before moving to Brooklyn (been here for 10), and I saw the same things happening there.
The demographic and mass cultural shifts have had a huge impact on the way people interact with each other and their environment. The privatization of entertainment and the atomization of culture, a dramatic reduction in crime, a significant increase in material wealth, the relaxation of institutionalized racism and classism, and the shift of the economy from mass-industrial to service and online have all contributed.
Places change, especially cities, all the time and its not going to stop. I'm sure the Lenape (Native Americans) were complaining when the Dutch showed up and people haven't stopped since.
Posted by: neilw at April 6, 2009 11:31 AM in response to Wrestling with Fort Greene's Transformation
I only buy my liquor by the barrel.
Posted by: neilw at March 30, 2009 11:18 AM in response to Follow Up: Garry's Revealed
One can only hope Lobo is taking the time to head down to Mexico for some spices - clearly they ran out long ago.
Posted by: neilw at March 11, 2009 12:49 PM in response to Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
neilw wrote a review about Korhogo 126 on March 6, 2009 11:16 AM
I've eaten here several times and enjoyed it immensely every time. The food is inventive and flavorful and the atmosphere is just right for a casual place. In the summer months there is a very nice garden in back with a trellis covering much of the space. The staff is attentive and polite.
When I was much younger and living in the 'burbs I worked for a lawn care company. I'd recommend using seed (a shady fescue mix) if you only have sun in the afternoon. It may not stand up to kids and constant use, since its a finer grass. Sod really won't work too well, and is much more disease and insect-prone.
Posted by: neilw at February 25, 2009 4:23 PM in response to Seed or sod that is the question
@matt - indeed it was.
Posted by: neilw at February 25, 2009 1:34 PM in response to Closing Bell: Robo Train Has Arrived
It's difficult to imagine the MTA operating trains worse than they do now. Most other modern transit services around the world run automated systems without incident. This allows greater capacity at lower operating costs. Makes sense to me, especially if a #6 is driving the train.
Posted by: neilw at February 24, 2009 4:24 PM in response to Closing Bell: Robo Train Has Arrived
The tunnel tour is quite a trip, and hearing Bob Diamond's tales (assume many are true) is fascinating. I've done it three times over the last 10 years and have really enjoyed it. The last time I took my older daughter. I'd love to see some of the projects around opening up the tunnel and re-using it come to fruition, but regrettably the city is more focused on homogenizing things with big-box stores than small projects that bring out something unique. Anyway, wear clothes that can get dirty.
Posted by: neilw at February 20, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Weekend Events
That wasn't architected, that was just built.
Posted by: neilw at February 11, 2009 11:38 AM in response to How Unfortunate: 669 Classon Avenue
Come on - a "brownstone" stadium? How in the world is that contextual? I guess if you consider the Court St. cinema/Barnes & Noble contextual, this would be too. Thing looks like a big shitty birthday cake. Please don't let Marty and the Post play architect. At least Ratner had the good sense to hire (a talented) one, maybe they should too.
Posted by: neilw at January 26, 2009 10:41 AM in response to Atlantic Yards Looking Increasingly Un-sexy
Thanks @brucef - that's helpful. @chinaspice, this is actually more complicated than I initially described. What's there now are arched supports, so there's no horizontal support in place. What I need is an I-beam and vertical lallys put in. To make things more interesting, we want to dig out part of the basement at some point in the future, so we need to account for the increased depth. Anyone with lots of experience doing this is welcome to contact me: nwehrle(at)yahoo.com
Posted by: neilw at January 12, 2009 11:43 AM in response to Basement support replacement
I heard that they were just shutting it down for a makeover. The owners just weren't happy with the menu, etc., and felt that a clean slate was better than trying to tinker. That was half a year ago, so not sure if its still true.
Posted by: neilw at December 5, 2008 4:14 PM in response to Streetlevel: Bye-Bye Boerum Hill Food Company
Surprising that the real thing looks completely unlike the rendering. Where did the "wings" near the top go?
Posted by: neilw at November 11, 2008 11:21 AM in response to Sales Moving Along at 378 Baltic
As much as I like Red Hook, after lack of transport, this is the main reason I wouldn't buy something there: clowns like this ruining the value of anything you own by putting up something like this. You know its going to be spray-stucco, preformed concrete lintels from Home Depot, extruded aluminum windows, Fedders for comfort, etc. The rendering looks like a suburban office park. What a shame - RH could really be a treasure.
Posted by: neilw at October 30, 2008 10:15 AM in response to "Tuscan" Townhouses Coming to Red Hook
In the "Heard of Fort Greene" - how could you go wrong?
Posted by: neilw at May 14, 2008 1:41 PM in response to House of the Day: 204 Clermont Avenue
The building is located in Cobble Hill. Thanks for the input folks.
Posted by: neilw at April 8, 2008 5:34 PM in response to Maint/Supervision For a Small Building
The building is located in Cobble Hill
Posted by: neilw at April 8, 2008 5:34 PM in response to Maint/Supervision For a Small Building
Vinegar Hill House is awesome. (shhh)
Posted by: neilw at October 16, 2009 11:30 AM in response to 70 Hudson Getting Reconfigured