Tish can run again this is only her second term. The bill that was passed doesn't apply to her. Its a one time only bill for 2009 and for the third term to be allowed in 2013 a charter amendment must pass.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 26, 2008 2:38 PM in response to Tish and BdB Suing Over Term Limits

did you hear the shout from Boro Hall at 4;23 pm? That was Marty celebrating the lifting of his term limit...for one more time!!!

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 23, 2008 8:24 PM in response to Brooklyn's Top 50 Most Influential No. 11 - 20

well, it may not be dead dead but it sure is on life support. Developers need loans to build. The current loan market is beyond dead. It means that any development is decades away at best. They have decided this is too expensive a project for whole foods with limited returns. So they will turn it over to an unnamed developer so their only exposure is the lease they will sign.

How many years down the road is this? they have plans they have spent much money and have decided to not walk away completely but to turn it over to someone else. Yep its not dead....really.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 23, 2008 11:04 AM in response to Whole Foods Can't Do It Alone (In Gowanus)

Money has been wasted on this park. Its been wasted by the people Governor Pataki appointed who did practically nothing on the park but spend money. Its been wasted because of needless lawsuits because people want their NIMBY vision of a park. The new people particularly Regina Myers is really finally beginning to get it built. You can complain all you want and say too much but the cost of building things on the waterfront by government entities is just too much. In Manhattan to redo the Intrepid and its pier it cost $110,000,000 mostly public money that came through the Hudson River Trust(which gets its money from the PILOTS from Battery Park City)...so SAM you can tell us how its as bad as the Tweed courthouse but at least that got built...and someone went to jail.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 22, 2008 10:16 PM in response to Closing Bell: Work at Brooklyn Bridge Park Set To Begin

it sounds more like you need a good cleaning and a new oil gun(that shoots the oil into the boiler and ignites it). You aren't replacing the boiler.I am fairly sure that the heating gas charge is less than the cooking use and is required by the NY State Public Service commission, but that isn't important if all you are doing is reusing the old boiler.

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 6, 2008 2:09 AM in response to recs on who to fix an OLD oil furnace?

I just replaced my 60 plus year old oil boiler and its internal water heater with a new gas heater and separate hot water heater. I never had enough hot water before now its like night and day. Your plumber is either an idiot or a ..

you know what. Coned(or the grid in Brooklyn) runs the gas line into the meter in the house for free. After that its your responsibility and has to be replaced whether or not the the pipe into the house was adequate.

The price has gone up for installations of gas as the demand has increased for change overs. I paid less and it included the removal or the old boiler, the oil tank and a Burham gas heater and a 55 gal hi efficiency recovery gas hot water heater.

You should have seen what the inside of the 65 year old boiler looked like.

You really don't want to have to do this an emergency as it will be 50% more. As we get closer to the winter the prices have been going up. Any oil company will happily look at your old one and give you an estimate if they are also going to be suppling the oil(in fact because so many people are leaving oil they might work out a deal.)

email me at smeyer418 at yahoo.com if I can help you I'll try(but I promised I wouldn't tell how much I paid)....

Posted by: smeyer418 at October 4, 2008 12:30 AM in response to recs on who to fix an OLD oil furnace?

They obviously deserve each other.

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 29, 2008 10:50 AM in response to Scarano Faces Two Lawsuits

If any one is interested an arrest has been made. and B & N hires off duty NYPD to patrol the store---just one wasn't on when this happened.

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 16, 2008 10:11 PM in response to More Troubles with Teens

First of all as pointed there is a security guard in the store at all times. security guards like old fashion night watch people merely call the police when there are problems. they aren't trained as the police and they are not armed and we wouldn't want them to shoot a kid for this even if they were armed. There is generally a cop or two in the immediate area. In fact on Saturday around three there were separate police on the corner of Atlantic and Clinton, Clinton and state, and court and state(inside the movie theater). But of course this isn't a day when kids are in school. I am not sure why there was such a visible police presence.

I don't think this happens in B and N "all the time", but it does happen occasionally. There have been more incidents of people both at the movie theater and in the area from kids leaving the theater. There were less incidents when the movie theater was a porno house but there was someone killed in that theater years ago.

I go to the movie theater and b & N all the time and have had no problems. I have had more problem at a Boston Pops concert.....in Boston..

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 16, 2008 10:03 AM in response to Wild Teens Trash Court Street B&N, Assault Manager

C-town like Met food and Key food are food cooperatives of sorts where individual stores are not owned by the brand name(sort of like McDonald's)...but by individual owners-they are like franchises.

Posted by: smeyer418 at September 15, 2008 2:18 PM in response to Streetlevel: C-Town Coming to Greenwood Heights

Hey "I disagree" the police will tell you that the enforcement of the open container law HAS had a significant inpact on crime. They in most neighborhoods pat the drinker down and if they find a weapon its a least a year in jail so the people drinking have stopped carrying weapons. Now when they get drunk they don't kill anybody.....

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 29, 2008 2:03 PM in response to Is Your Stoop Private Property?

a couple of points. NY law prohibits drinking in Public so the area in front of your house unless fenced off is considered in public. The ticket doesn't have to have the type of beer but when the PO asked you they would write it down in their log book so when you go to court they open and say "Reingold" or whatever-its an issue of proof not of the offense charged with.(his statement is proof)..

as to the kids on your stoop technically most of the first steps are on public property after that its yours. Trespassing occurs when someone remains in open property after being told to leave or if its posted or fenced in(yes I know that is no longer open property) so if you put a sign that says no trespassing you don't have to tell them to leave and they can be arrested for sitting there without further notice. If you don't want to post and tell them to leave and they don't there are trespassing. Most PO's I know will require you to tell them to leave again in the PO's presence(its because simple trespass is a violation that has to occur in the officers presence.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 29, 2008 9:28 AM in response to Is Your Stoop Private Property?

NY is losing midsized supermarkets left and right and its not because of demand its they can't afford the rent. if they need to be replaced with large box stores so be it. they bring jobs(mostly union or high enough paying with benefits to keep the unions out). More jobs than a brewery and one hell of better paying ones than most restaurants. IKEA has been a "good" neighbor so far and has solved the delivery problem with a courier.

The loss of the graving dock at the Todd New York Shipyards had to do with the fact that it was mostly not used and the space around it was in poor shape and environmentally a disaster.

Maybe they could fit in both the Brewery and the store....now that would be nice wouldn't it.

Did any one know anyone who worked at Todd?

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 28, 2008 3:08 PM in response to More Big Box Shops for Red Hook

I didn't think there were any communist hookers left and you are right that IS funny....

BTW "you" is any one that thinks this is a bad plan....

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 28, 2008 10:04 AM in response to More Big Box Shops for Red Hook

Given the picture anything would be an improvement. Personally I was one of the naysayers who said that traffic would be a nightmare for Ikea. I was wrong. I go there occassionally and the traffic has not been that bad. I also spoke with some area merchants and residents. Ikea has done a good job of getting the traffic away from Van Brundt. I still drive down on Saturday for lunch at Hope and Anchor and have no problems...so far. Would I like to see something else...like a park sure but the City doesn't have the money. This site has been vacant for years and the choice is then between housing, a box store and some industrial use. No one seems to want it for an industrial use, we need the jobs and too much housing is already going up on the waterfront....so before you attack the plan, any better ideas...At least Joe Sitt is willing to put his money where his mouth is...are you?

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 28, 2008 9:11 AM in response to More Big Box Shops for Red Hook

Thank you(I think)....

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 27, 2008 10:56 PM in response to Wednesday Links

While Moses may have built the Promenade it wasn't voluntarily. He wanted a regular highway and it was only the opposition of the Brahmans of Brooklyn Heights that stopped him.

Its a little known story that Pierrepont was the Walentas of his era. He rented one of the first houses to a chocolatier called Israel Torres; He had a thoroughbred horse called "Ferrari"; and his wife Jane owned one of the first steam powered carousels which she wanted to put on the never built public promenade along the waterfront in Brooklyn Heights.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 27, 2008 8:47 AM in response to Wednesday Links

since pools don't normally increase value, I doubt it and in fact if its a under three, you have a 6% limitation(no more than 20% over five years valuation increase are allowed) and since most houses aren't close to their actual target value(its along story) it should likewise have no effect.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 26, 2008 6:19 PM in response to property tax and an INGROUND pool in Brooklyn

yes all they had to give up for that in Manhattan was the exit from the Westside Highway....Trump gets his buildings a city built road and we get the park...

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 20, 2008 10:00 AM in response to Connor Opponent Sets Sights on Brooklyn Bridge Park

good luck on getting Manhattan to give up the cash cow it has in Battery Park City(yes those buildings) that provides the cash for the Hudson River Park. This may be the most politically naive statement I have seen in a long time. It will happen right after real reform in the Albany legislature.
You need a $100,000,000 to re do the Intrepid...its part of the Hudson River Park- no problem you need $1,000,000 for something in Brooklyn no way. So if you support the concept of Battery Park City, that means you can't have three such buildings in Brooklyn? The city parks are underfunded now adding another park just spreads the same amount of money around. The Brooklyn Bridge Park's originally charter REQUIRED that it be self sustaining for operating expenses. Albany is how many Billions(with a b) in deficit next year. You know you can always get income from a parking lot...

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 20, 2008 9:36 AM in response to Connor Opponent Sets Sights on Brooklyn Bridge Park

I still think it looks like shoe boxes stacked up.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 18, 2008 2:09 PM in response to The City's Most Prolific Architect

I think the NY housing code requires separate kitchens in each unit. Its ok in countries where people obey the rules(Danes even ride their bikes in the direction of Traffic and stop for red lights..and don't jay walk)

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 15, 2008 11:04 AM in response to Brooklyn Co-Housing Moving Closer to Reality?

The NY State Public service commission confirms its the Utities responsibility to change the service

Your local gas utility (Con Ed?) is responsible to bring the gas all the way up to and including the gas meter at the building. Anything past the meter is the responsibility of the owner.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 15, 2008 9:19 AM in response to Replacing Oil Tank

Its more expensive to reconfigure a house into two separate systems. The entire house needs to be re plumbed with piping so the heating systems are truly separate. Just replacing the existing boiler and hot water is much less work then setting up two wholly separate systems(the pipes to the radiators need to be replaced to separate them as well as the hot water into the apartments which currently run on one common system, the difference can be more than $10,000 so the lower quote just to replace the boiler and hot water is not that out of line.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 15, 2008 7:02 AM in response to Replacing Oil Tank

I am pretty sure that the gas company is responsible for the gas into the house(and so is the electric company for electricity). the only one who you are responsible for getting into your house is the water company...once its in your house with all of them its your responsibility.

We had 4 people working here 8 hours each just to put in the gas water heater. The boiler was disassembled but hasn't been removed yet.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 13, 2008 3:23 PM in response to Replacing Oil Tank

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C03E0DF133EF937A25750C0A96F958260

here is the link....

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 7, 2008 5:22 PM in response to who pays for fence?

The above notice doesn't comply with the law. The kaw requires it to say no menus with minimum size type and sign size.

Posted by: smeyer418 at August 4, 2008 4:22 PM in response to Closing Bell: Fighting Unwanted Fliers

The head of Continuum, Stanley Brezenoff is Brooklyn boy who successfully ran Maimonides in Boro Park. I wouldn't be caught dead in LICH.

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 31, 2008 9:37 AM in response to LICH Selling Off More Cobble Hill Buildings

well another over priced store I won't use. Now you know why a mom and pop store can't survive....any one know what Starbucks on Court is paying(either one).....

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 29, 2008 11:48 AM in response to Korean-Style Yogurt Pays Big Bucks for Court Street

with a room in Manhattan costing $350 or more, frugal travelers will flock to these hotels near mass transit. Yes there is always a risk that they will become hot sheets but if the police enforce the rules and threaten the hotels with seizure that won't happen(much) either....The Governor needs a new hotel for his girl friends(and I don't meant Eliot)....

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 29, 2008 9:56 AM in response to Behold, the Latest Gowanus Hotel!

Billyboomer if you read brownstoner this(no left turns) was announced before they made the change here. It has always been no right turn from the central road way. It is also signed and there were big portable notice signs about no turns. You can in fact get off on the right after the tillery street entrance to the Bridge. It has made the movement much smoother except for those still making illegal turns.
Mostly the change has been hailed as a success except by those who can't stand change.

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 23, 2008 11:27 AM in response to Boerum Place Median A Wrap

and some of the parkers are parked IN the traffic lane(past the street markings in the left).
manhattan has gotten special enforcement in downtown(because the Mayor sees the illegal parkers) he needs to spend more time in brooklyn....

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 21, 2008 11:05 AM in response to Checking In On the Adams Street Bike Lane

Not only has the rezoning been bad for business, the community warned them about these problems and they were ignored. When the Brooklyn Downtown rezoning took place the community warned that the "back office space" need was a myth(the exact quote was it was a boat that sailed), but the powers that be ignored the community. Now the powers that be would like to do away with community boards so they don't have to hear from the community. the same thing was true for the pier 6-12 rezoning. It was clear the wanted to push out American Stevedores(800 high paying jobs) for more cruise terminals(so far the Red Hook Cruise terminal has made less than 20 full time jobs and a small number of poorly paid part time jobs). So the numbers for Brooklyn Brewery and its jobs didn't justify pushing American Stevedores out. In the past these companies would have gone to Greenpoint/Williamsburg but rezoning there has opened up the waterfront to luxury housing and pushed out the 3 dollar per square foot companies. there is a reason why these companies can't afford NY rents but then their few employees in large spaces don't justify the subsidy needed to keep them here....

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 21, 2008 10:56 AM in response to Brooklyn Brewery Chief Bemoans Lack of Industrial Space

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2Zjww6Rl5s

its open occasionally. I like the carousel.
The issue is where within the park. Jane wants a specific site and others don't necessarily agree. There are of course people who are against it for the noise(they also don't like the concerts either)....

The State owns it because the city agreed to it so they could get state funding. Same thing with Brooklyn Bridge Park also an ESDC sub.

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 18, 2008 12:15 PM in response to AMNY Spotlights a Couple Fading Brooklyn Beauts

The first group(Boymill Green) that was given the Empire stores to re do, defaulted(?) and it was taken back(by ESDC). So far no one has submitted a viable plan, they are land marked and not easy to work with. The Brooklyn Bridge Park people and Two tree have been in discussion but they don't get along well as the carousel issue shows.

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 18, 2008 9:26 AM in response to AMNY Spotlights a Couple Fading Brooklyn Beauts

"When I grew up on 135th Street, my father was paying $48 a month rent. My father was a waiter and a bus boy. He wasn't about to move into a $1,000 a month apartment just because he didn’t like living on 135th Street. I don't know of any apartment buildings of great degree -- maybe one, two, three, a small degree -- that were torn down. And sometimes those people are paid large monies to displace themselves ... But we've never torn down residential buildings."

What drivel. "paid large sums" happens very rarely.

and while Gristede's may not be upscale in appearance it certainly is in prices. the prices are far from Pathmark....

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 17, 2008 12:08 PM in response to John Catsimatidis: Tough Guy For Tough Times

http://www.brooklynnavyyard.org/bnyhc/info/historic_center.pdf

the Brooklyn Navy Yard website is
www.brooklynnavyyard.org

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 15, 2008 3:50 PM in response to Architect's Diary: Dry Dock No. 1

They built a viewing area for dry dock number 1. I was just there for a tour. I don't know if they are officially open to the public. You can call the Brooklyn Navy Yard office and ask. The Navy yard operating people are in the process of building a museum that will be open to the Public on Navy Street....

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 15, 2008 11:58 AM in response to Architect's Diary: Dry Dock No. 1

The plan that the anti-HOD(house of detention)people have supported includes a half way house for reforming offenders(or more accurately finishing their current incarceration sentences).....me I prefer if they keep them in a lock up...

Its a FEDERAL halfway house. No notice was given to local officials...and they don't necessarily have to give notice but this is an example of how Forest City/Ratner works with the community.....

Posted by: smeyer418 at July 11, 2008 10:25 AM in response to Parole Facility Planned Next Door to St. Ann's School

While its true much of the stuff made by Ikea is made overseas the sofas and some of the other furniture is make in the USA! They even opened a manufacturing plant in the south(upstate NY was considered) The cutting board I bought was made in India and the quilt cover in Bangladesh. I looked up the Nazi issue and found they opened a store in Israel in 2002.

Traffic wasn't a problem when I drove down there today at 1. But I expect that at 10 it was a zoo and will be so on the weekends although I did see the shuttle buses as well as the PD( a NYC Police LT) was directing traffic.

Posted by: smeyer418 at June 18, 2008 5:45 PM in response to 'It's Like a Nets Game, Only Yellower!'

I always wonder when it comes to one's neighborhood people don't like others freedom. They want their freedom to be as controlling of other peoples property without paying for it. Manufacturing will go where there is easy and cheap transportation...doesn't sound like Brooklyn does it. I don't know why people try to blame this on the Unions, I guess its ok to be exploited but not join together for decent wages and benefits(I wonder how many benefits most of you would have if it wasn't trying to keep the Unions out).

the tallest proposed building is 12 stories! Its not 25 or 30. I oppose Ratners development because of the density of the develop which will be among the densest in the US....but I don't oppose everything....I think its a Max brothers movie that has a song "whatever it is I am against it no matter who began or who commenst it I'm against it"....and they were trying to be funny...

Posted by: smeyer418 at May 31, 2008 10:17 AM in response to Planning Details Gowanus Proposal