When the NYPD Met "Art Dog" in Carroll Gardens Last Night

There are some things you can't make up. It turns out that, last night, the person known as "Art Dog," who is behind much of anti-development wall art at the Second Place exit of the Carroll Street subway stop was spotted by the police. (The signage, of course, protests the pending development at 360 Smith Street, and calls for a temporary development moratorium pending a downzoning. It is not known whether Art Dog was, you know, dressed as an Art Dog. Here is the email we received. Even if you don't follow the ins and outs of the Carroll Gardens controversy it is interesting in a police confronting neighborhood activism kind of way:

Art Dog was at the Plaza tonite. After several hours of working on the Plaza, the police (two men and a woman) surrounded Art Dog at the Plaza. While they had been driving by all night in squad cars and not bothering Art Dog whatsoever, these three police people emerged from a yellow taxi cab (I kid you not).

"What are you doing?" they asked, catching Art Dog off guard.

Art Dog was a little nervous but calmly said, "I am painting an email address on the wall here."

So the police said, "Why?"

And Art Dog said, "For CORD"

The Police said, "Who is CORD?"

Art Dog answered, "The Coalition for Respectful Development."

"Hmmmmm" one answered surveying the work (which now occupies the entire wall).

The three police spent time reading and looking. As they looked at the wall, one said, "Did you do ALL of this????"

"Sort of".... "Well, not really."...."Some of it," said Art Dog, planning for the inevitable ride with them to the station.

"What is this all about?" said the police.

"Well," said art Dog, "They want to build a VERY! big building right here in and they want to start in about three weeks, and no one is listening to the residents here so CORD started this petition.....

"Right WHERE?" asked the police, looking for an empty space to hold such a big building.

Art Dog is very used to this question because no one emerging from the subway or walking by can EVER! picture where this building will go or how in the world it will fit so many units over the subway station and plaza.

So Art Dog spent time patiently pointing out the spot and explaining the entire situation.

"We might lose this subway plaza right here," Art Dog said at the end of this little explanation and plaza tour.

"So what is CORD doing?" asked the police.

"Well," Art Dog explained, we just had a Town Hall meeting up the street at Scotto's Funeral Home two weeks ago. Bill deBlasio was there and Joan Millman and Yvette Clarke and a bunch of other people and CORD started this petition drive and collected over two thousand signatures from the residents here and we all want want an immediate building moratorium until the public can learn about ALL the options for downzoning and landmarking and today Chanel 12 news was even here and put CORD and this wall here with the drawings on television tonite."

"So you are protesting this building?" the policeman asked.

"Yes," said Art Dog ready for the ride downtown....

"Well don't you think it is kinda late and you should just go home now since you look a little suspicious here?

"Absolutely!" said Art Dog who happliy packed up and left while the three police people got back into the Yellow Cab and drove away. You can not make this stuff up.

The Carroll Gardens developments stories just keep on giving.