Brooklyn 11211

◉  The Pug Incident

A true 21st-century Williamsburg moment - a pug-toting Greenpoint blogger is roughed up on the Bedford Avenue L platform by a Hasidic cop.

◉  Bruni on Diner

The neighborhood has changed. And Diner? Not so much.

Even with all the great new restaurants, still one of the best meals in Williamsburg.

◉  Catfight Over Studio B

A little more than two weeks ago, the Brooklyn Paper reported that the North Brooklyn Community Board 1 unanimously recommended that Studio B's liquor license not be renewed.

Yeah, that was the final nail in the coffin.

◉  Tuesday in Albany: No Progress, More Controversy

So what exactly does the State Constitution say about a statewide recall vote?

Tue 30 Jun

◉  Fish Factory Fears Rezoning

On of the conditions raised by CB1's land use committee on the Broadway Triangle vote was over the issue of industrial retention and relocation. The City claims that there will be funds to relocate businesses within the Urban Renewal Area that are ousted (either through buyout or eminent domain). Based on our experience from the Greenpoint/Williamsburg Waterfront Rezoning, there needs to be more. The City should commit serious funds to relocate all businesses in the rezoning area, including those businesses that rent and those that own. Relocation should also be a condition of property acquisition - no acquisition until a suitable new site is located and the business successfully relocated.

◉  Support for Triangle

Rob Solano, executive director of Churches United For Fair Housing, ... promised to bring a larger group of community members to the next community board meeting, on July 14.

That "near riot" at last month's CB1 meeting probably cost the Coalition a couple of votes at the ULURP committee last week. Maybe even the difference between a thumbs up and a thumbs down. Maybe its time for a change in tactics?

Mon 29 Jun

◉  The Moral High Ground

Red states tend to have higher divorce rates, higher teenage birth rates and a higher percentage of people subscribing to online porn. Go figure.

◉  The Four Corners of North Fourth

Forgotten NY takes a look around North 4th and Driggs.

Fri 26 Jun

◉  You Call That a Strike?

I'm going off topic to highlight Greg Hanlon's Slate debut.

[via Short]

◉  Diana Reyna and RBSCC

Aaron Short digs deeper, and the results aren't pretty.

◉  Studio B Closing. (Really This Time?)

So says Brooklyn Vegan. The commenters blame "whiny neighbors", but truth to be told, I've heard no whining since the place "reopened" in February. Is it possible the place just plain failed?

◉  Home Buyers Can Live Free For A Year At Northside Piers

Given recent news, this is probably a good idea. Though it seems to me that developers need to get past the gimmicks and just start pricing their product for the 2009 market.

Depending on how you define "free", this gimmick is up to 7.5% off the price of a unit. That's a back of the envelope calculation based on this penthouse unit and the StreetEasy's mortgage calculator. If "free" doesn't include common charges, taxes, PMI and the like, the "discount" drops to around 5%.

If you're in the market for a fabulous three-bedroom waterfront penthouse, I'd suggest offering 10% or 20% below ask and foregoing the "free" year.

Thu 25 Jun

◉  El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice

A big increase in graduation rates at El Puente Academy, and more students going on to higher degrees.

◉  Bermuda 'Triangle!'

The Brooklyn Paper nicely recaps the Broadway Triangle controversy and reports on Tuesday land use meeting. (HuffPo picked up the story.)

Wed 24 Jun

◉  A Short ULURP Report

Aaron Short is first up with a recap of last night's CB1 Land Use Committee meeting on the Broadway Triangle rezoning.

The Committee's recommendation was to approve the various rezoning and disposition actions with a series of caveats (among them, significant funding for business relocation, maintaining or increasing the area's open space ratio, creating a transparent process for the disposition of city-owned property in the Triangle). The main discussion among Committee members was whether to approve with conditions or reject with the same conditions noted as objections. Interestingly, no one from the Coalition bothered to make a motion to reject the application outright. Nor was there a motion to go for the higher-density alternative, which is in scope.

As always, these votes are recommendations - the Board itself has the final say. On July 14.

Mon 22 Jun

◉  Duane Reade Coming to Northside Piers

Via Curbed, news that Duane Reade will be bringing its instant blight to Williamsburg. At least King's lower their prices now.

◉  Gowanus, the Superfund and the Evil of Today's New York

Reading between the lines, I would say that Lost City is not a fan of the City's position on the Gowanus Canal's superfund status.

For those who might have missed the announcement, there are two meetings for property owners, business owners and other affected residents along the Gowanus. The meetings are on June 23 at 6 p.m. and June 24 at 6 p.m., and will be held at P.S. 32 at 317 Hoyt Street, near President.

◉  Beyond Hipsters: WIlliamsburg's Tough Economic Realities

New York magazine looks into that whole trust fund thing.

Sun 21 Jun

◉  Best Vodka Bars in New York

Buy a bottle of Vodka in Greenpoint and take your party home: Greenpoint has started to become a trendy scene. However if you just go into any alcohol store next to some place that sells great salami then they're liable to sell you great vodka. For cheap!! I'm talking great bottles for $15.

If the store next door is selling salami, you're in the wrong part of "Greenpoint". But to the larger point, yes, plenty of good Polish vodkas in Greepoint. Luksusowa makes a great potato vodka.