Tuesday, April 04, 2006

The Mines of Moria?


































IF YOU EVER WONDERED WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO LIVE NEXT DOOR TO MULTIPLE CONSTRUCTION SITES, THEN WELCOME TO MY WORLD. YOU SEE I LIVE IN AN AREA OF BROOKLYN KNOWN AS SOUTH PARK SLOPE. MY NEIGHBORHOOD IS IN THE MIDST OF A GREAT BUILDING BOOM. ON JUST ABOUT EVERY STREET, YOU WILL SEE PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION FENCES SEPARATING THE LOCAL CITIZENRY FROM THE INVADING HOARDS OF DEVELOPERS INTENT ON SQUEEZING EVERY LAST BIT OF F.A.R. (FLOOR AREA RATIO) FROM THEIR LATEST ACQUISITIONS.

I SMELL A RANT YOU SAY. THAT'S NOT MY INTENT HERE, AT LEAST NOT FOR NOW. THIS MY FIRST POST, IS AN INTRODUCTION TO AN EPIC STORY. LET'S GO AHEAD AND SAY CAUTIONARY TALE, THAT WILL START TODAY IN THE MIDDLE, WANDER BACKWARDS IN TIME TO THE BEGINNING ALMOST ONE YEAR PRIOR, AND THEN EVENTUALLY RAMBLE BACK TO THE FUTURE.

LOOKING OUT MY REAR WINDOW THIS IS WHAT I SEE: 406-408 15TH STREET. THE FUTURE SITE OF WHAT'S TO BE CALLED THE ARMORY PLAZA; A 5 STORY BUILDING ARRANGED INTO 27 UNITS OF LUXE LIVING.
DESIGNED BY PRINCIPLE ARCHITECT HENRY RADUSKY OF THE FIRM BRICOLAGE DESIGNS INC. FOR THE BROOKLYN DEVELOPER JACK LOCICERO, THE PLANNED 40,500 SQ FT BUILDING IS TO INCLUDE A THREE LEVEL UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE.

THIS IS THE FIRST WEEK OF EXCAVATION ON THE SITE.
ABOVE... IN THE FIRST AND SECOND PHOTOS, YOU WILL SEE WHAT APPEARS TO BE A TUNNEL AT THE LOT'S REAR FENCE LINE. EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE THE DWARFES HAVE BEEN TOO GREEDY AND DUG MUCH TOO DEEP INTO THE REALM OF THE DARK PLACES AND UNLEASHING THE FURY OF THE ANCIENT BALROG, IT SIMPLY TURNS OUT TO BE A CONTRACTORS FUTILE "ATTEMPTED ARBORCIDE" BY UNDERMINING THE ROOTS OF MY NEIGHBOR'S 50' TALL MORUS NIGRA OR BLACK MULBERRY. I HAVE TO ASK, "WHEN DID SALTING THE EARTH GO OUT OF STYLE?" WHY NOT JUST GO OVER AND ASK IF YOU CAN CUT IT DOWN?

ON MARCH 24TH, THE NEIGHBOR WHO LIVES WITH THIS TREE ASKED THE D.O.B. TO LOOK AT THE EXCAVATION WORK. THEY MUST NOT HAVE LIKED WHAT THEY FOUND. SOON AFTER THE INSPECTOR ISSUED A 'STOP WORK ORDER'. THE D. O. B. REQUIRED THE BUILDER TO BACKFILL THE ENTIRE EXCAVATION.

DOES THIS OFFER UP SOME PROMISE OF REDEMPTION FOR THE BROOKLYN D.O.B? I DOUBT IT SINCE THE S.W.O. WAS LIFTED AFTER ONLY A WEEK. DOES IT FORESHADDOW A POSSIBLE MODIS APORENDI AS TO THE TYPE OF WORK WE CAN EXPECT FROM THIS EXCAVTION CREW?
I QUESTION WHETHER THE TREE'S ROOTS WERE EVEN EXAMINED BEFORE THEY TOSSED SOME LOOSELY PACKED SOIL BACK INTO THE HOLE.
AS FOR THE GENERAL CONTRACTOR, IF ONLY I HAD THE MONEY IT TAKES TO AFFORD THESE KIND OF MISTAKES. I LOVE THE LAST PHOTO. NOTHING SAYS 'PROBLEM SOLVED' BETTER THAN COVERING THE HOLE WITH SCRAPS OF PLYWOOD.
HERE IS AN UPDATED COPY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL BOARDS VIOLATION.

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