Upcoming: 23rd Street Mega Stoop Sale

Mark the calenders for a very, very big stoop sale in Greenwood Heights. It's the 3rd Annual 23rd St. Mega Stoop Sale (23rd St. between 6th & 7th Avenues). It will take place on Saturday, May 17 from 11AM-5PM. Per an email: "Houses will have lots of stuff for sale, at, of course, very reasonable prices! (or you can just haggle with everyone). ON SALE: Housewares, Tchotchkes, Books/CDs, Clothing, Furniture, Food and a wee bit of “junk” too!" The rain date is Sunday, May 18.

Upcoming: Book Talk at Green-Wood Cemetery

If you enjoy the idea of books and Green-Wood Cemetery, this could be your event: On Sunday (4/6), the Green-Wood Historic Fund will be presenting a book talk with author David H. Jones about his book Two Brothers: One North, One South. It will take place at 1:00 PM Green-Wood Cemetery's Historic Chapel, which is quite a place if you've never been. Here's a bit about it:

A Union officer. A Confederate solider. Joined by blood and united in
death. Clifton Kennedy Prentiss and William Scolay Prentiss were Maryland brothers who fought on opposing sides during the Civil War. Both were mortally wounded in the same late-War battle, as Clifton led an attack on the fort William was defending. Both were taken to Armory Square Hospital in Washington, D.C., where poet and military hospital volunteer Walt Whitman became the link between them.

David H. Jones gives a book talk and signing on his exceptionally researched fictionalized account of the Prentiss brothers...Admission is free but space is limited. (Suggested $5 donation at
the door.) Call for reservations 718.768.7300. Following the book talk, Green-Wood historian Jeff Richman will lead a trolley tour to adjoining graves of the Prentiss brothers, as well as
other significant Civil War gravesites. The trolley tour is $20 / $10 for Historic Fund members. A national historic landmark--Est. 1838-- Our main entrance is located
at 500 25th Street (on 5th Avenue).

More information here.

Green-Wood Photo Contest is Open

It's time for another Green-Wood Cemetery photo contest. Details have been posted over at the brooklynian site about a contest for photos. (The contest is not connected to Green-Wood Cemetery.) Here are the details as posted:

We are working on the Spring 2008 version of Green-Wood's bi-annual magazine The Arch. While we have a cache of spring shots of our own from 2007 (and will be taking more), we are hoping to tap into any ambitious shutterbug's archives on any shots of spring in Green-Wood form your specific POV. Specifically to show the diversity of the horticultural diversity of Green-Wood, and not just the gorgeous cherry trees (though those are fair game as well). We had some great shots in the Fall edition from folks just like you! As per normal, we'll leave submissions open from TODAY, 03.17.08 through next Monday 03.24.08

This is a no paying gig, but those selected will be featured in the Arch's "Green-Wood Views: a photographic journal" section and potentially other places in the magazine. You'll receive full credit (of course) and several copies of the Arch.

The photo here is a selection from a prior year.

Gowanus Lounge Photo Du Jour: Greenwood Heights Edition

Sixth Avenue, Greenwood Heights, Brooklyn

Aftermath of a Greenwood Heights Car Roast

The corner of 23rd Street and Seventh Avenue looks bad enough because of the longstanding construction site that was to be the Minerva Building, but the burned carcass of a what might have been a Hyundai Rav 4 has been added to the mix. The car went up on Friday night and, of course, the action video is below. This was the aftermath yesterday afternoon. Here's a description from Aaron Brashear of Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights, who we normally hear from in the context of development-related issues in the neighborhood:

Last night, Friday 02.15.08 around 8pm. We're inside making dinner and *POP*, *POP*, *BOOM*! Out the front door, look down the street to see some teenage girls yelling "*Oh, sh*t, that's our car*!" Look up the block, still dark, but smoky and *BOOM*!

The car, a SUV or Mini-Van (hard to tell now) burst into flames. Corner of 7th Ave and 23rd St. The FDNY and 72nd Pct. were here in record time. No one was hurt, though a resident of 320 23rd St's car suffered some minor damage due to the explosion. Quite a fire...not being a purveyor of car fires myself.

A long time resident swore it was an "insurance job," since the car went up so fast...I'll let the police, fire dept. and the insurance companies figure that one out.

Wild Video: Greenwood Heights Is So Hot It Combusts

This is a video from Aaron Brashear of Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights showing a vehicle that went up in flames on 23rd Street at Seventh Avene on Friday night. The vehicle went up in flames next to the site of the former Minerva Building, which itself entertained with dangerous-looking work a couple of weeks ago.

GL Photo Du Jour, Part I: Green-Wood, Winter

Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn

Buildings Dept. Takes Issue with Big Minerva Building Hole

That was quick. The Department of Buildings pounced on what looked like a very unsafe excavation operation at the Minerva Building site (614 Seventh Avenue) in Greenwood Heights yesterday. We posted photos yesterday sent by Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights. By afternoon, the group had sent word of a Stop Work Order and new photos showing the dangerous hole had been filled in. CCGH writes:

My hats off to DOB's excavation division/inspectors swooping in on the bad-boys of illegal underpinning before one of the workers was potentially killed (as we all know seems to be the norm with gc's in this area, sadly). They were ordered to back fill the huge hole and await further inspection...Will they ever learn?

Stay tuned, as this site has already provided years of excitement and more is to come.

More Fun With Minerva: Back to Greenwood Heights

We had some photos of the mess outside the so-called Minerva Building site at 614 Seventh Avenue in Greenwood Heights, but were not going bother with them since the real mess appears to be inside the construction fence. Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights sent out an email last night that seem to show some dangerous work being on the site, where work has resumed. If the name Minerva Building rings a bell, that's because this is the site where a Roebert Scarano-designed building that would ultimately have blocked the view from historic Battle Hill in Green-Wood Cemetery was ultimately blocked as part of what Brownstoner calls "Greenwood Heights longest-running soap opera."

In any case, the project has been redesigned, a Stop Worker Order has been lifted and workers are back on the job. Here is some of the email that came with the photos here:

Seems the new way to underpin an existing retaining wall and 6-8 ft. of loose dirt is to dig below it, put up no shoring or bracing and send in "the boys" to do the dirty work...and potentially lose their lives. The attached shots were taken approx.. 2:15pm this afternoon. Just what 23rd/22nd St (heck, Greenwood Hts.) needs...more illegal development!

311 was called immediately, as well as DOB. We were told inspectors were dispatched tout suite (thank you DOB!) and not sure what happened. The site was shut down soon after, but no SWO posted nor nothing on BIS as of yet. We hope DOB's excavation squad caught them in the act (fingers crossed). And of course we hope no one was hurt.

Damned if it did not look illegal, if not completely hazardous for the workers, let alone the collapsing of the retaining wall and back yard of 2 properties on 22nd St.

Can this property get any worse than it has in the past FOUR YEARS! I guess we can wait and see.

All we will say right now is, interesting excavation technique.

Brand New: The Tear Down & Build Up Gallery

The year is ending and the new year beginning in Greenwood Heights in much the same way that 2007 did: with residents keeping an eye on a new development in their neighborhood and creating an interesting model for other neighborhoods. The Greenwood Heights crew used YouTube vids documenting construction issues on development to great effect this year. In this case, it's the demolition of a 1900 two-story home on 23rd Street and construction of new condo that is being chronicled by Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights. The "Tear Down & Build Up Gallery" is online. From the email we got:

As many of you know, in July of 2007, our neighbor at 312 23rd Street, Brooklyn, NY sold his circa 1900's wood frame 2 story home to a local developer. In a nutshell, tear down the old, build up with the new. Here's to a slightly biased documentation of the demolition of the "old" 312 23rd Street and construction of the "new" 312 23rd Street condos...AND, have photos of your own? Send them to us, and we'll add them...And as always, if you see something fishy at 312, CALL 311, take a snapshot and let us know asap. We hope this new development site's documentation will be a treasure to remember and not an bad-boy to forget. So far so good.

There are already a lot of photos of the process online.

Brooklyn Parrots Holiday Hassle: Chased by Hawk

From the good people that bring us brooklynparrots.com and know everything that there is to know about our Brooklyn parrots.

Bklink: Shangri-La by Sealed Bid

It's too late now to make a bid on one of the condos at Shangri-La on Sixth Avenue between 22nd and 23rd Streets, but one wonders how many developers of marginal Brooklyn buildings will eventually resort to desperation tactics. Fluke or harbinger of things to come?--Brownstoner

Minerva Stop Work Order Music Video

Here's a Stop Work Order music video from Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights. It concerns 614 7th Avenue, aka the Minerva Building site. Their narrative:

Lots of shiny new DOB and DOT permits up ...and what do we have here? TWO SWOs! Deplorable conditions on the site that includes TONS of garbage, tires, hazardous waste and a huge water filled (no longer mosquito producing) pit in the middle of the site. Seems DOB felt it was unsafe, let alone untidy! Stinky eyesore be gone! Minerva thanks you DOB...as do the residents. Category Code:* 73 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN

One has the sense this site--which is in disgusting shape--will continue to entertain in 2008, just as it has in previous years.

Gowanus Lounge Photo Du Jour, Part I: Green-Wood in Fall

From Gary Mirabelle of Mirabelle Studios, we bring you the last in a series of several gorgeous photos he sent us of fall in Green-Wood Cemetery.

Gowanus Lounge Photo Du Jour: Green-Wood Cemetery in Fall

This gorgeous view of Green-Wood Cemetery comes from the camera of Gary Mirabelle of Mirabelle Studios, and is one of many beautiful fall shots he sent along. You can check out Mr. Mirabelle's work extraordinary work as a sculptor by clicking here.

Gowanus Lounge Photo Du Jour: Green-Wood Cemetery in Fall

This gorgeous shot of Green-Wood Cemetery in fall comes from regular GL photo contributor Gary Mirabelle of Mirabelle Studios. You can read more about Mr. Mirabelle, who is an extraordinary sculptor, by clicking here.

Upcoming: 'Unexpected New York' at Green-Wood Cemetery

The Green-wood Historic Fund is presenting Unexpected New York, which is about "87 New York City places you thought you knew. 87 surprising but true stories you've never heard before." The event takes place tomorrow, Sunday, Nov. 18, 2007 at 1:00 PM at the Historic Chapel at Green-Wood Cemetery. The speaker and reader will be Chester Burger, "America's first on-air television news reporter, former national manager of CBS Television News, founder of the nation's first communications management consulting firm, a photographer whose works are in the collections of the New-York Historical Society and the New York Public Library, and author of the newly published Unexpected New York: 87 Discoveries in Familiar Places. The email promoting the event says:

One of those 87 places is Green-Wood Cemetery, which Burger has photographed for many years. The lecture and book signing will be followed by a walk, led by the author and Green-Wood Cemetery historian Jeff Richman, to "unexpected" Green-Wood gravesites.

Admission is free but space is limited (suggested $5 donation at the door). Call for reservations 718.768.7300.

The main entrance is located at 500 25th
Street (on 5th Avenue) in Brooklyn. Via subway, take the R to the 25th
Street station. More info at the Greenwood Cemetery website.

Hazards Materials at Greenwood Heights Gasoline Condo

Perhaps you saw our coverage yesterday of the Greenwood Oil Spill or Brownstoner's excellent coverage of the same issue. Brownstoner took the time to swing by the site and reported that a worker at 716 Sixth Avenue (at 23rd Street) said reports of underground gasoline were "bullshit," but was unable to explain the huge turnout by the FDNY at the site. We're joking in calling it an oil spill, but it apparently is not "bullshit." As per a GL comment:

As per CB7, DEP did test last night and found hazardous waste. I'm assuming of the gasoline kind. The complaint and site has been turned over to New York State's Dept. of Environmental Protection.

Interestingly, the Department of Environmental Conservation generally handles oil spills. We look forward to more details on what is lurking beneath this new condo.

Treatment for 20th Street Crack Problem Underway

On Wednesday we noted some issues that had come up as a result of work at 300 20th Street in Greenwood Heights, as did Brownstoner on Tuesday. Last night, we got an email and photos from Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights (which stays on top of issues in its neighborhood like few other groups in Brooklyn) noting that a wall was being ripped from the back of damaged building, presumably in order to do repairs. This is a case where Department of Buildings did a surprise inspection of the excavation, discovered the problem (undermining of nearby buildings and properties) and issued a Stop Work Order (except for the repairs). According to the email:

They have removed the cracked part of the back of K&H Deli's brick wall, shored it up with 4X4s and then added plywood (I assume to close up the back of the building). Darn if it doesn't look like K&H has a nice back summer porch...At 6pm tonight, the site's new "side door" was wide open and I waltzed in...

As of 6:34 last night, there was a new complaint lodged against 300 20th Street at the Department of Buildings for having an open gate.

Roebling Oil Field South: Underground Gasoline Discovered in Greenwood Heights

Gasoline was found in Greenwood Heights yesterday. It's unclear how much gasoline is underground there--whether it's an isolated, small pocket or something indicative of a bigger spill--but excavation at 716 Sixth Avenue (at 23rd Street) encountered gasoline. Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights sent out an email saying "light headed here" in reference to the "bad smell of gasoline" in the area. The new condo going up is on the former site of an old gas station, which would indicate a causal relationship. The site does not have a "Little E" environmental restriction. Here's some of the email that went out at 7:30PM:

...Came home about 7:00pm and low and behold there were at least 6 trucks outside of 716 6th Ave (at 23rd St.) and a very bad smell of gasoline. Workers and equipment was still on the street (they have been digging for the water/utilities) so i thought there may have been a spill from the digger.

Nope. Gasoline found in the ground! Did we happen to mention this new condo dev is built over an old gas station? Remediation not done? Or did they hit a pocket of earth with a whole lot of gasoline left over?

You decide.

FDNY said there was no fear of an explosion and DEP is on the way for air quality testing, but I am light headed from being down there. Will follow up to see if DOB needed to be there in the morn and check in with CB7. But if you are in the vicinity, I'd stay away. The smell is overpowering.

Always fun on 23rd St...and no smoking!

Environmental maps show no listed problems in the area such as leaking or ruptured underground tanks. There's a short vid of the scene last night, below.