Thursday, December 22, 2011

Gowanus Waste Transfer Site Rising.



























From the filthy mouth of the Gowanus Canal:  Have not updated my previous report on the ongoing construction of the NYC Department of Sanitation's Marine Transfer Station in more than a year.   Extensive pile driving over the Summer and Fall has been completed and now iron workers are hustling the steel.   Roof decking was being installed when I took these photos from the upper deck of Home Depot's parking garage, the best place to check out the action.
More on this state of the art facility can be found here.   LINK










Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Stoop 'n chute


Wishing all my merry readers a very special South Slope Stoop 'n Chute.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Brooklyn's Park Avenue Boarded

69 Vanderbilt Avenue Hermetically Sealed.   Hard to believe it but a a Full Vacate Order has been in place since March of 2009.  There are no plans filed for either the demolition or restoration of this wood row house.  Environmental Control Board violations show that the property's owner has failed to maintain the building to the point where it has collapsed in on itself, with beams falling into the cellar and the front porch structurally unsound.  Those familiar with this house will fondly recall the frugal inhabitant's questionable DIY skills.  I seem to remember the porch railings having been reinforced with recycled bed frames in years past.  
The two well maintained frame houses on the right show what might still be possible.  I don't know, sounds like the building's bones might have already turned to jelly.   
Two vacant lots in the very near vicinity have been developed in a much more modern direction.

Posh Park Avenue Address Structurally Unstable

Surprised by the very professional house sealing.... Most of the windows had been without glass even when people lived there.



In Red in the Shadow of The BQE

Tuesday, December 06, 2011

The Future Looks Blight
































Past performance is a pretty good indication of future results.

Here's a lazy follow up to my last posting on 548 Sixth Avenue... Looks like that partially dismantled, woody two story is still waiting on its zoning approval and building permits. Seems the first attempt has been disapproved by DOB plan examiners.    


Outlook not so good
If the Green-Wood Heights architectural firm of official record, GEE2000 Architect, P.C., eventually gets its way with the DOB,  then I foresee a 40' tall, 4 story, 4 family, masonryesque building rising on the 25 foot wide lot.  The purple fluid inside my Magic 8 Ball seems to have all but dried up, but I might could tell you that our future building will have off street parking for at least one car. What can we expect?



Built samples from the portfolio of GEE2000 Architects, P.C .....................................................................................................................................