"there ain't a heck of a lot the developer can do to improve the transit situation."
How about not developing? How much can a city hold and still function without completely ruining the quality of life? Especially one with a finite amount of space.

Posted by: someguy at February 24, 2010 11:27 AM in response to How Big Is Domino? Very Big

Anyone read the article in NY mag about co-housing? Some of it seems ridiculous. Someone describing NYC as a lonely place? Really? Do they leave the house? Do they make any kind of effort at all?

They only have 16 people committed plus 7 provisional members. That's only 1 more committed person in 5 months.
Is it arrogant or naive to think that they can develop the property that they envision? Does anyone really think this will happen? I have to wonder why they can't envision themselves becoming part of a community that already exists.
"We expect to share resources & interests (for example share child care, offer some weekly common meals (optional), share tools, skills and interests etc) while each owning our own fully equipped private apartments."

What they are describing is living in an apartment building or simply getting to know your neighbors. Growing up in an apartment building, we did all those things. Living in a house in Queens, I did all those things as well. My neighbors and I helping each other in snow storms, floods and family deaths. This is what it means to be a neighbor.

I don't wish them ill and I don't know why but the whole thing really gets me annoyed. Don't they see that NYC, particularly these days, is the perfect place NOT to do this. There are hundreds of neighborhoods to live in. You need only to plant yourself and grow some roots. This just another version of a McMansion. A group deciding "what's there is not enough." We want it to be our way. More development, more building, more stress on the city infrastructure! Yay!

Posted by: someguy at November 2, 2009 8:22 PM in response to Mattress Company Out, CoHousing Up In the Air

Ha,
good riddance.
I still don't understand the need to set up a "community" within a neighborhood. If you are so keen on creating a sense of community knock on your neighbor's door and get to know them. Co-housing seems like a an idea best suited for a rural town, not a big city where people are already right next to each other. It's like saying we want neighbors but not you people, who are already our neighbors.
Also I doubt the new buyers are looking to get in to developing this property as a residence, they already have a manufacturing space on the opposite side of the block.

Posted by: someguy at October 31, 2009 2:26 AM in response to Mattress Company Out, CoHousing Up In the Air

The breed does matter. Pit Bulls can be intimidating in simply their appearance. This comes from the fact that they are capable of killing people. I seriously doubt the OP is going to yell at anyone with three pit bulls off of their leashes. You can call this breedism if you like. But there is no one to blame for this but ourselves. Different breeds of dogs exist because we made them to fit a purpose. Pit Bulls in case it isn't obvious, were bred to fight. Let's be honest most people in rougher neighborhoods have pit bulls. They are a weapon in certain situations. Sort of a gun on the hip.

Posted by: someguy at September 25, 2009 4:23 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House

I still think those buildings are ugly and too tall for their surroundings. The day I went to look at them I found:
-a bottle of urine in the driveway
-a bag of feces in the driveway
-styrofoam beads all over the street and surrounding area from the workers shaving the material off the exterior walls.
Like all of today's construction, high end or not, it had no soul.

Posted by: someguy at August 3, 2009 1:07 AM in response to 614 7th Avenue: Five Weeks Later

Actually BrooklynGreene, The mattress factory is still in operation. From what I know the owner just wants a payday for his building and to be out of his business so yes he does want to sell. I consider this a shame. We don't make enough things in America anymore, and this has contributed to our current economic situation.
BrooklynGreene-"the level of ignorance and the reflex for 20 and 30 somethings to flip off cutesy comments that are ignorant, loopy and/or destructive." - does anyone's opinion matter besides your own well researched opinion? I fail to see how these comments are destructive, ignorant-yes, loopy-sure. But destructive? Wipe the red from your eyes and take a breath. All you have to do is NOT READ THE COMMENTS! We don't want your explanation of why co-housing is a good thing. We want to make snarky comments and give our opinions.
Can anyone explain to me how buying this old factory and completely building new passivhouse apartments inside of it is any better or more cost-effective than buying a residence and redesigning to fit your purpose.

Posted by: someguy at June 16, 2009 2:30 PM in response to Banks Throw Co-Housing Project a Curveball

hey bxgrl,

The property the cohousing people are buying is currently a mattress factory where workers actually make a tangible product in a city full of converted factories and industrial spaces. For that reason I would like the mattress factory to remain in production.
Yes, cohousing is a nightmare to me. That's why I use the phrase "personally".
And actually I do know a little about the people involved because I have been to their website and read their bios. Have you? They all seem like nice people, but then again I haven't met them yet.
To me, it seems isolationist to set up a separate social area for adults and kids within your "compound" in an already residential neighborhood with adults and kids playing on the sidewalk right outside your co-op.
As in "yes I love living in Brooklyn, I just feel safer with Johnny playing in our locked up yard rather that outside on the sidewalk with all the other neighborhood kids."

Posted by: someguy at June 16, 2009 1:14 PM in response to Banks Throw Co-Housing Project a Curveball

This sounds like an apartment building with a community room that has a kitchen. Not uncommon for a lot of apartment buildings built in the 50's, 60's and 70's.
Personally, having grown up in one I can think of nothing more annoying then a whole building full of people up in my business.
This seems even worse as it has a hippie flavor to it, neighbors telling me how I am ruining the environment with my car etc., burning incense and the smell of those unwashed dreads. It makes me vomit a little in my mouth.
On top of all that it's kind of an isolationist or elitist way of living. "Yes we care about our neighborhood but we also have our own little enclave away from you."
I'd rather see the mattress factory stay in business. There's not enough manufacturing in NYC anymore.
And by the way BrooklynGreene: Running your mouth and spouting ridiculous opinions is actually about half of what goes on here. I think you should know that going in, it might save you from having to explain everything to us kids.

Posted by: someguy at June 16, 2009 12:23 PM in response to Banks Throw Co-Housing Project a Curveball

yeah, my pitbull is used in liu of a gun :-/ get a clue, someguy.

*rob*

Posted by: Butterfly at September 25, 2009 4:56 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House

Aren't we talking about dog poop? There's always someone to pull the breed card! If you catch her on camera, then you have proof. Then confront her or call 311. There are plenty of good suggestions here. I think calling animal control about her(as you said, "well trained") dogs off the leash is a bit excessive and vindictive, especially since the dogs are not the problem - it's their poop and their lazy owner. If by some chance her dogs get taken away and you can sleep at night and live with yourself because of it, then call animal control...

Posted by: Misty B at September 25, 2009 4:56 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House

Oh, and thanks for your last comment rob - I couldn't have said it better myself!!!

Posted by: Misty B at September 25, 2009 5:01 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House

@misty - agree with you. too harsh to call animal control. cameras are rolling though! :)

Posted by: guikazoid at September 26, 2009 10:35 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House

"HA HA! Its true!! I swear an Akita actually shits out MORE than it eats. "

That explains so much about our dog (he's from the shelter, but everyone thinks he looks like an akita mix). I never met a dog who pooped so much.

Posted by: brooklynstyle at September 26, 2009 11:20 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House

"this is verbatim btw... right outside my old apartment in uptown manhattan...

im scooping up my pitbull's poop.
i hear two kids laughing and they actually said "only hom0s pick up shi+"

:-/ the kids were like 10 or 11.

*rob*"

LMAO!!!-

Classic nyc shit. No pun intended.

Posted by: Brooklynchimp at September 27, 2009 12:34 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House

sanitation can give a ticket too

Posted by: 5 COUNTY ALARM at October 29, 2009 9:40 PM in response to Dog Pooping in Front of House