Continued Fallout From Court Street Gas Leak

1st Place was closed between Court and Smith Streets yesterday while ConEd crews cut a trench on the right side of the street.  1st Place block resident Barbara Brookhart shared some information on the utility work on the CGNA listserve:

Update on the aftermath of the gas leak in front of the CVS store on Court Street.   When the utilities were fixing the leak, they accidentally cut a water line, and Court Street had to be closed because the water was cascading down to Hamilton Avenue.

I haven't talked to anybody about this, so these are my observations while doing errands in the hood.  Can't help to think that everything seemed to have gone wrong with the repair of the gas leak.  But, thank goodness, we were lucky to not have had a San Bruno-type gas explosion, because you could smell the gas a block away.

The contractor still hasn’t sufficiently patched the cut in the street after fixing the various leaks (gas/water).  The sidewalk from 1st to 2nd Place was cut in the last week to install yellow plastic pipes for some utility. Construction barriers are in place on the sidewalk from 1st to 2nd Place.

Con Ed cut the street, next to the curb, on First Place yesterday to install new yellow plastic pipes for electricity yesterday.  A worker said that electricity was accidently cut for 122 First Place during the gas leak fiasco, and ever since, the building has had their electricity spliced from a light pole.  The worker mentioned that water was also accidently cut for a building on 2nd Place during the fiasco.

Serendipity - PPW Bike Lanes & Carroll Gardens' Brooklyn Brainery

This morning I received a link through the TransAlt Brooklyn Google-Group to what really is the definitive PPW Bike Lane Benefits For Idiots guide.  Huge fonts, simple, clear analysis, and obvious conclusions.  It really is incredible that the NBBL-ers can continue to deny reality with a straight face.  

So it was by way of that link that I found the Brooklyn Brainery, which I had not noticed before though it's right here in the neighborhood.  It looks like a pretty neat place, and I look forward to checking it out.

From their website:

Brooklyn Brainery hosts cheap classes on anything and everything.

It's a place to experiment with all the things you've wanted to learn but just haven't gotten around to yet -- thinkbook clubs on steroids. 

We're located in Carroll Gardens at 515 Court Street, a couple blocks from the lovely Gowanus Canal.

Their course catalog is HERE.

Plaza Wellness - New Business @ Grand Army Plaza

Park Wellness Opening Flyer

Not exactly in the Carroll Gardens footprint, but our good friends Steve and Sarah are opening up a great new space with yoga and integrated health services (acupuncture, herbs, massage therapy and psychotherapy) called Plaza Wellness.  The space is located just off Grand Army Plaza at 36 Plaza Street.

They're having an open house this weekend and free yoga classes - a great opportunity to check out a new local business run by terrific people.

Brad Lander Op-Ed on PPW Bike Lane

When I ran for City Council one of my goals was to provide a strong voice for transit and livable streets issues.  As it happens, the ultimate winner of the race Brad Lander is doing a pretty damn good job of it.

Here's an excerpt from his Op-Ed in support of the Prospect Park West Bike Lanes from this week's edition of the Brooklyn Paper:

Yes, there has been controversy. But it’s time to accept the facts: Extensive data show the project is a success. The community board asked for it. The vast majority of neighborhood residents support it. The Department of Transportation is proposing a few modifications to make it work even better. Prospect Park West is safer for pedestrians, cyclists, and even drivers.

Let me make one final effort to make the case clear: Community Board 6 asked for this project to calm traffic and provide a safer place to bike (in both directions). The Department of Transportation presented the project to the community numerous times, to hundreds of people, before it was ever implemented, and made changes in response to feedback before laying down any paint last summer.

The Department of Transportation released a six-month report in January, with 67 pages of raw data. Speeding is down. Accidents are down. Injuries are down. Riding on the sidewalk is down. Cycling is up. Overall, commuters using Prospect Park West are up. It takes about the same amount of time to drive down the street, and fears that Prospect Park West would be constantly gridlocked have simply not proven true.

It's sound, well-reasoned and grounded in basic, verifiable facts.  The shrill opponents of the bike lanes could take a few lessons from Mr. Lander.

Brooklyn Greenway Columbia Street Park Element Session 2/2

This park element will truly be a boon to the Columbia Waterfront and the nascent Greenway.  Take this opportunity to provide your input and learn more about one of Brooklyn's finest open space innovators, the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative.  Be sure to check out the Briefing Book (pdf warning!) for the site.  From BGI:

How can we make a great thing even better?

Join Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Regional Plan Association, and your neighbors as we begin the visioning for a new public open space on Columbia Street between Kane and Degraw Streets.


When the Van Brunt Street reconstruction and the Gowanus Flushing Tunnel construction are complete, the 80-ft deep area on the west side of Columbia Street is planned to become an open space element of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. It is one of three open space nodes that we are either designing or commencing the community visioning process.

On February 2nd, we will share the background research that has been compiled to date and invite you to share your ideas for the kinds of improvements and facilities that would be most beneficial to the Columbia Waterfront community.

The meeting details are:
What: Columbia Waterfront Park Visioning Meeting
When: Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011, 6:30-8:30 PM
Where: The Union Street Star Theater, 101 Union Street

Please RSVP to info@brooklyngreenway.org with Columbia Waterfront Park in the subject line. We will send you a link to background information to help prepare you for the discussion on February 2nd.

Planning for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is made possible by the New York State Department of State with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund sponsored by the Office of the Brooklyn Borough President.

Weather Emergency Declared

What that means:

NYC DECLARES WEATHER EMERGENCY


NYC has declared a weather emergency. The snow is forecast to become more severe this evening and overnight.

The public is urged to avoid all unnecessary driving during the duration of the storm and until further directed, and to use public transportation wherever possible. If you must drive, use extreme caution. Information about any service changes to public transportation is available on the MTA website.

Any vehicle found to be blocking roadways or impeding the ability to plow streets shall be subject to towing at the owner's expense.

Effective immediately, alternate side parking, payment at parking meters and garbage collections are suspended citywide until further notice.

The Emergency Management, Fire, Police, Sanitation, and Transportation Commissioners will be taking all appropriate and necessary steps to preserve public safety and to render all required and available assistance to protect the security, well-being and health of the residents of the City.

CGNA Meeting Tonight

7:00pm - 9:00pm, Rain or Shine
Hannah Senesh Community Day School
342 Smith Street between 1st and 2nd Places

AGENDA
Introduction and Welcome

Report from 76th Precinct Community Affairs Officers:
Det. Paul Grudzinski and Officer Vincent Marrone

Elected Officials, representatives:
Jonah Blumstein, Liaison, CCmember Brad Lander; Tamar Smith, State Assemblywoman Joan Millman; Alex DeLisi, Sen. Dan Squadron; Dan Wiley, Rep. N. Velasquez; Luke DePalma, BP Marty Markowitz.
Introduce: P. Rheaume and Veronica Aveis, Cong. Yvette Clarke

SPEAKERS:
City Councilmember Brad Lander:  State of the Borough updates and plans.

Mr. Isaac Fischmann, developer 333 Carroll St.:  Update on plans for the 333 building

CGNA Committee Reports
Health & Hospitals: Colleen Giunta
Land Use/Landmarks: Glenn Kelly and John Hatheway
Parks: Barbara Brookhart (BBP)
Transportation: Gary Reilly

Everyone welcome!

NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2011._,_.___

The CGNA listserv is an all volunteer community forum serving Carroll Gardens. Everyone from the neighborhood - renters, owners, business owners and others who work here - are welcome.

The CGNA meets at the Hannah Senesh Community Day School, 342 Smith St (1st & 2nd Pl) on the Fourth Wednesday of each month (except for school holidays in *February and *April).

The 2011 calendar: Wednesday, *Feb. 16, Mar. 23,* Apr. 13, May 25, June 22.