Thursday Linkerati
Lullwater Bridge, Park Slope. Photo by ecurb Simplifying One Couple’s Mess [NY Times] Angel Pair Forced Out by Police [NY Daily News] Home Builders: A Ray of Optimism [CNN/Money] Confused by Economy, Mortgage Rates Stall [Bankrate] 10 Innovations to Save Energy [Real Estate Journal] Gowanus Hotel Ready by January [Park Slope Courier] The Mice Come…
Lullwater Bridge, Park Slope. Photo by ecurb
Simplifying One Couple’s Mess [NY Times]
Angel Pair Forced Out by Police [NY Daily News]
Home Builders: A Ray of Optimism [CNN/Money]
Confused by Economy, Mortgage Rates Stall [Bankrate]
10 Innovations to Save Energy [Real Estate Journal]
Gowanus Hotel Ready by January [Park Slope Courier]
The Mice Come Out of the Woodwork [Gates Reno]
165 North 10th Renderings [Curbed]
I agree that the use of police force was probably excessive. But I think they probably had no other option. The Woods were defiant and would not leave voluntarily, even if it was for a short period of time until the building was brought up to code.
The argument could go that the bldg fell under the radar because the dept was understaffed and there were so many other problems that needed immediate attention. But once the building caught on fire and firemen went to the scene, DOB had no choice but to enforce the building code.
But arresting them seemed to me to be a bit of an overkill.
The whole plea for money didn’t sit well with me either. Couldn’t put a finger on it…just an uneasy gut reaction. What does the son do for a living? How does he have time to go out for a long, casual lunch with his parents during on a work day. Could be me, but it smacks a little of a free-wheeling, financially independent lifestyle. ne thinks there be money hidden behind those brick walls.
I thought the same thing: the DOB is powerless against developers who crack foundations of surrounding buildings, build unstable walls and kill poor nonunion laborers, but they can get the cops down to slap the cuffs on two old people and drag them off for the cameras. This is a joke. The building may well be a firetrap, and it should meet code, for the safety of the owners, the neighbors and the firefighters who will have to deal with the mess, but the selective enforcement is maddening.
If the city spent half as much time worrying about whose who unwillingly live in much more dangerous conditions that the couple at Broken Angel, we’d be getting somewhere. Or if they spend half as much diligence in condemning some of the blatently dangerous new demolition and construction that goes on everyday, I’d be glad to see my tax dollars wisely spent. But no, they have to harass a couple of senior citizen artists who don’t even live in the part of the building that caught fire. This isn’t right.
Dave Chapelle and his people should also be ashamed of themselves. They are under no obligation to do anything, but since Broken Angel figured memorably into his movie, he should at least have the decency to return the Woods’ phone calls, if only to make sure they are all right. He’s lost whatever small respect I had for him.