Monday Links
Restoring New York Streets to Their Bumpier Pasts [NY Times] For Brooklyn Buyers, a Matter of Morning Coffee [NY Times] Fed Says Home Ownership Rate Is Falling [NY Times] Rescued From Blight, Many Buildings Falling Back [NY Times] East Flatbush Boy, 9, Shot Riding Bike [NY Post] Man Knifed to Death on Coney Boardwalk [NY…

Restoring New York Streets to Their Bumpier Pasts [NY Times]
For Brooklyn Buyers, a Matter of Morning Coffee [NY Times]
Fed Says Home Ownership Rate Is Falling [NY Times]
Rescued From Blight, Many Buildings Falling Back [NY Times]
East Flatbush Boy, 9, Shot Riding Bike [NY Post]
Man Knifed to Death on Coney Boardwalk [NY Daily News]
Schmaltz Making Beer in Tiny Coney Space [NY Daily News]
Red Hook Has Its Own Small Oil Spill [NY Daily News]
Three Brooklyn Clinics Accused Of Stealing $80M In Medicaid [NY1]
Coast Guard Speaks Up About Red Hook Oil Spill [Gothamist]
Photo by carnade from the Brownstoner Flickr Pool
Thats interesting DIBS. The Greenpoint terminal warehouse burnt down by the honorable Mr. Guttamn had a portion of sidewalk in front of it that was 4×4″ wooden blocks. They were placed so that the direction of the grain was perpendicular to the sidewalk surface and still seemed in very good condition. I have no idea how old they were.
DIBS;
Exactly my point.
Uggh… I got a twinge there. I found myself agreeing with Benson. A proper Belgian block street could be appropriate for the right reasons — durability. If it’s just for aesthetics, then someone should be slapped.
Did they replace the sewer lines on this stretch of road to modern (i.e., mid-20th century) split lines…. or will they have to tear up this expensive pavement to do that… if they ever decide to do that?
benson, you think kids that graduate from high school in NYC know anything at all about history?? Can they even read???
There’s a street in Philadelphia still paved with those 4″ x 4″ hardwood blocks. When I bought my house in Chicago, the garage was paved with them.
They did actually remove them.
I was wondering if they removed them for resoration projects in more deserving and neglected parts of the city. Like SoHo and Tribeca.
“I feel it gives a real texture to the urban experience, and it puts you back in history,†Ms. Hulser said. “You have something under your feet that may in fact have been the very same stones that the patriots ran over.â€
Please shoot me.
How idiotic are we becoming? Yes, that’s the way to increase our knowledge and appreciation for history: creating so-called “historical” streetscapes, akin to a Disney or a Hollywood soundstage. Do so at great expense, at a time when the city cannot keep with maintaining and expanding its vital infrastucture, such as subways and sewers.
Yes, this is so much better than actually reading history.
Ditto — did they actually tear them up? If they’re in good shape, they make good bed for asphalt. They may just underneath (or most of them)
And on the wubject of word association, I had Belgian fries this weekend from Pommes Frites on Second Ave. in the East Village. At only 2,000 calories per portion too.