Not so chill government workers uproot marijuana found near the Williamsburg Bridge in 1951
Brooklyn just got a lot more chill about marijuana possession
April 23, 2014 By Comments
Greenpoint ferry ramp unlikely to be fixed in time for this summer’s massive G Train outages
April 23, 2014 By Comments
It’s been over two months since the ferry platform at India Street collapsed and riders are becoming impatient:
The gangway’s status is noted on the East River Ferry website, though no updates have been made since February 19. Preliminary investigation revealed that two “spud piles” that held the barge in position had failed, resulting in the barge drifting to the west and the ramp’s subsequent collapse. It goes on to say that “We have been advised by the pier owner that additional dive teams are going to be sent to the site to remove the piles for further examination in order to assess the cause of their failure. The retrieval of those piles and the determination of the cause of their failure are required before the facility can be restored to service.”
Daily News explains that the hold-up is due in part to financing the expense of a crane required to complete the investigation:
The city is “aggressively” working with RedSky Capital to finish an investigation and get ferry service back online, a New York City Economic Development Corp. spokesman said.“We are optimistic that a strengthened ferry landing will welcome back service in the near future,” an agency spokesman said.
RedSky co-founder Benjamin Stokes didn’t respond to requests for comment, but a city official briefed on the issue said the developer is fighting demands to hire a crane to complete the investigation. The operation would require the use of a crane for the investigation, and again during the repair work. The city wants to determine what went wrong before the repairs will be authorized. RedSky’s principals only want to hire the crane once, officials said.
Despite his history of green-lighting unpopular projects that will exacerbate Greenpoint’s already-limited access to public transit, Councilman Stephen Levin voiced outrage at the lack of action:
“Them balking because they didn’t want to spend some extra money getting a crane out to do the investigation is outrageous,” said Councilman Stephen Levin (D-Greenpoint). “There has to be answers as to why this happened,” he added. “Because somebody really could have died.”
Regardless, Greenpoint is about to get screwed. Starting July 26 and continuing to September 1, the G train will not run between Nassau and Court Square. Get ready to suffer Greenpointers during summer’s sweatiest time of year.
Greenpoint has a troubling double-standard for its gay & lesbian community
April 21, 2014 By 3 Comments
Veronica’s People Club, credit: City Room
The world Lena Dunham showcases on Girls may seem like a bastion of liberal politics, but many in the neighborhood aren’t too happy about Greenpoint’s increasing gay population. Thankfully, there haven’t been any reports of anti-gay attacks recently, but we’re disturbed by the double-standard imposed on local businesses that have a gay clientele. The latest case in point is Lulu’s — a struggling bar on Franklin Street that wants to “come out” but is prohibited by its lease to operate as a a gay/lesbian club:
Owner John McGillion wants to take advantage of changing demographics in the neighborhood and turn it into a gay and lesbian bar. The only problem? His landlord specifically wrote in his lease that he can’t do that.
According to the clause in his lease: “The leased Premises shall be used by Tenant as a restaurant and bar. It shall not be used for adult entertainment and shall not be operated as a gay or lesbian bar and/or restaurant.”
“I am barely scraping by on the proceeds of the bar…If I am permitted to operate a gay bar at the premises I believe that I will be able to make a considerable profit,” McGillon wrote in the lawsuit he filed against his landlord, Guard General Merchandise Corp., last week. He told the Post he’s been battling with the landlord for the last year to make the change to no avail.
Just a few store fronts away, Veronica’s People’s Club, a popular (and really rather mellow) gay club, was forced to shutdown in 2012 by the local community board. It wasn’t the first. Blackout, a gay club on Manhattan Ave. closed in 2011 in part because of complaints from its neighbors. City Room has more on the Veronica’s closure:
In Veronica’s case, the owners of the building next door charged in a lawsuit filed in December that “unreasonably loud music and noises of all sorts are emitted” from the bar at all hours and that the music sent vibrations through their apartment, causing them “to become nervous, anxious and agitated.”
Next Magazine spoke with promoter Kelly Gorman last year who ran a party at Veronica’s called Kielbasa: [Read more...]
A day in the life of Williamsburg resident and NY1 anchor Pat Kiernan
April 18, 2014 By 3 Comments
Business Insider followed NY1 anchor/NYC treasure/Williamsburg resident Pat Kiernan through his day which starts at 3AM and the man doesn’t even drink coffee! Watch below: [Read more...]
The most anticipated spring & summer restaurant openings of 2014 – North Brooklyn edition
April 18, 2014 By Comments
![[Littleneck Outpost plywood photo by Greg Morabito]](http://freewilliamsburg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2013_littleneck_outpost_2344.jpg)
[Littleneck Outpost plywood photo by Greg Morabito]
We’re excited about The Well, which opens in June in Bushwick. Otherwise, Eater has thrown together a great list of openings slotted for New York very soon. Here are the North Brooklyn picks:
Arrogant Swine
Where: 173 Morgan Avenue, East Williamsburg
When: July or August
What: The very first restaurant from Tyson Ho, the proprietor of the Hog Days of Summer pop-up series. At this massive new Morgan Avenue restaurant, Ho will be focusing on west Carolina-style whole hog barbecue and country ham. The barbecue buff recently told Serious Eatsthat he wants to establish the restaurant as “a church of pork.” You can track Arrogant Swine’s progress on Ho’s Instagram.Littleneck Outpost
Where: 128 Franklin St., Greenpoint
When: Early May
What: Aaron Lefkove and Andy Curtin (AKA the Littleneck dudes) expand to Greenpoint with a cafe that will serve lobster rolls, clam rolls, and other sandwiches, plus breakfast items and La Colombe coffee in the morning. Littleneck Outpost will also offer specialty grocery items, kitchenware, and picnic boxes to go.The Meat Hook Sandwich
Where: 495 Lorimer St., Williamsburg
When: Early May
What: A sandwich shop from Tom Mylan and the crew from Williamsburg’s beloved four-and-a-half-year-old butcher shop The Meat Hook. Expect an Italian sub stuffed with house-made charcuterie, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, a Cubano filled with lard-poached carnitas, and a gyro made with grass-fed beef. [Read more...]
All Tomorrow’s Williamsburgs
April 17, 2014 By 9 Comments
Earlier today, DNAInfo reported that Bay Ridge is the new Williamsburg. This is a ridiculous claim, obviously. Bay Ridge is like 2 hours from Manhattan.
But that did not stop literally every single local blog from penning 600-word essays speculating whether or not Bay Ridge is, in fact, the new Williamsburg. Speculation about the new Williamsburg/Brooklyn and pointless screeds about why X, Y, or Z neighborhood and/or city is absolutely not the new Williamsburg and/or Brooklyn keep bloggers’ families fed and warm at night.
Saint Vitus celebrated their third anniversary with Spirit Caravan
April 17, 2014 By Comments
Saint Vitus turned three on Tuesday (4/15) and hosted Spirit Caravan to honor the occasion. Video below:
J.Crew, Apple stores likely coming to Williamsburg
April 17, 2014 By 3 Comments
Last week, we reported that luxury condos will soon usurp the tumbledown je ne sais quos of Wythe Ave. from South Williamsburg all the way up to Greenpoint. Today we learned from Crain’s where the future residents of those condos will buy their flat-front khakis for $75: J.Crew. Full disclosure: I like J.Crew’s khakis, but I would not pay $75 for them. Maybe like $25 if they were on sale.
Crain’s also told us that Apple plans to open a store in Williamsburg. Great news if you don’t want to trek to one of the four Manhattan locations to get your $800 phone built by slave laborers fixed because INSTAGRAM ISN’T WORKING.
![[Littleneck Outpost plywood photo by Greg Morabito]](http://freewilliamsburg.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2013_littleneck_outpost_2344-336x190.jpg)
