Community Blogging at HDC Coffee Talk, February 2

Posted on 2009-01-23 by admin

I am very proud to have been invited to speak at the Historic Districts Council‘s (HDC) next event in their Coffee Talk series on the morning of February 2, on the topic of “Community Blogging”.

Site of a teardown of a detached Victorian house in Ditmas Park West, Flatbush, Brooklyn

Community Blogging
Monday Morning Coffee Talk, with the Flatbush Gardener

Monday, February 2nd, 2009
8:30-10:00am

Neighborhood Preservation Center
232 East 11th Street
New York, NY 10003

Community bloggers are increasingly the voice of local neighborhoods. As larger newspapers focus less and less on the day to day, neighborhood-based blogs have assumed the role of providing updated, detailed accounts of the issues that directly affect built environment and quality of life. With little more than an internet connection and a digital camera, these activist reporters monitor communities with a passion and in the process end up mobilizing their fellow neighbors to take action and make change.

Join Chris Kreussling, otherwise known as the Flatbush Gardener, as he recounts his blogging experiences since launching his site in 2006. Mr. Kreussling’s blog covers a number of local issues in great detail – including the proposed Flatbush rezoning, citywide greenspace concerns, and Brooklyn community gardens – and he’s learned a great deal along the way.From attracting new readers, to launching related email list-serves, to understanding what “Twitter” and other social media sites are all about, February’s talk will tackle the blogging industry head-on and give you the tools for starting your own.

This event is FREE to the public. Reservations are required, as space is limited. For more information, please contact Lauren Belfer at (212) 614-9107 or lbelfer@hdc.org.

The Historic Districts Council Neighborhood Partners Program is sponsored in part by Deutsche Bank, The New York Community Trust, Lily Auchincloss Foundation, Assembly Members Deborah J. Glick & Richard N. Gottfried, and State Senators Thomas K. Duane, Liz Krueger, Andrew J. Lanza & Diane J. Savino.

Links

HDC Community Blogging: HDC Monday Morning Coffee Talk, February 2nd
Historic Districts Council Web site

Gowanus Canal at 9th Street, Brooklyn

Posted on 2007-03-17 by admin

Gowanus Canal, looking north from the 9th Street Bridge

Last Sunday, the Historic District Council‘s Walking Tour of Red Hook began with all of us gathering on the “plaza” outside the Smith & 9th Street station. This station is the highest point above sea level in the NYC subway system. The reason: it has to cross the Gowanus Canal.

The Gowanus Canal has had a deserved reputation for polluted, even toxic, waters. Several years ago, a circulation fan at the head of the canal was repaired, returning water flow to the canal for the first time in decades. Almost immediately, water conditions improved, and life began to return to its waters.

Gowanus Canal, North of the Bridge

All along the New York waterfront, bulkheads and piers are failing. For decades, water pollution preserved the wooden pilings. With improved water quality, shipworms have returned and are devastating the wood. You can see a bulkhead failure in the photo below.

I think this planter qualifies as a defiant garden. There were a couple of them along the edge on the northwest side of the bridge. I want to come back in the spring to see what’s growing in them.

South of the Bridge

South of the bridge, the Gowanus Expressway crosses over the canal.

Earlier this week, the Gowanus Lounge noted that the Revere Sugar Dome demolition material was being carted to a scrapyard on the Gowanus. When I was there on Sunday, I noticed activity at the scrapyard south of the bridge. I think it’s the same one. If so, here’s the remains of the Revere Sugar Dome in action.

The Bridge

The Gowanus Canal is a working waterway. There isn’t enough room for the street bridge beneath the subway station to tilt up, so it lifts vertically, straight up. You can see the cables against the column on the left of this photo.

Here’s the hardware connecting the counterweight, the top of which you can see here, to the cables.

The understructure of the subway platform is completely wrapped to contain concrete spalling off beams and trusses.

Every public structure in NYC is a branding opportunity.

The View from Above

The station platform, and the approach on either side, of the Smith & 9th Street station provide wonderful views of Brooklyn and New York Harbor.

Links:

Waterfront Museum, Red Hook, Brooklyn

Posted on 2007-03-12 by admin

[Updated 2007.03.14: Added links to Related Posts.]

The Waterfront Museum was one of the highlights of yesterday’s walking tour of Red Hook, Brooklyn, associated with the Historic District Council‘s 13th Annual Preservation Conference. Myself, I could have spent two hours there alone. The story of the barge, not to mention the people and characters involved in saving and restoring it, is fascinating. I want to go back when the water is warmer!

It was also visual overload. I couldn’t capture everything. Here’s what I got.

HDC Red Hook Walking Tour

HDC Red Hook Walking Tour

Posted on 2007-03-12 by admin

Beard and Robinson Warehouse, Beard Street, Red Hook

[Updated 2007.03.14: Changed post title to link to my Collection – a feature Flickr just added yesterday – of my Sets of photos from the tour. Added links to Related Posts.]
[Updated 2007.03.12: Added several images.]

Today I went on a Walking Tour of Red Hook, sponsored by the the Historic District Council. This and several other tours were organized to cap their 13th Annual Preservation Conference, which I attended all day yesterday.

Follow the link from the title of this post to see today’s pictures. I managed to whittle down more than half of the photos I took today. That still leaves over 200 photos. I have massive editing to do. In no particular order, here are some of my favorite images of the day.

Waterfront Museum, Red Hook, Brooklyn

Images of the Children’s Aid Society

Posted on 2007-03-10 by admin

Last night I attended the Opening Night Reception of the Historic District Council‘s 13th Annual Preservation Conference. The event was held at the Children’s Aid Society at 219 Sullivan Street. This is within the boundaries proposed by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation for a new South Village Historic District.

Today I’ll be attending the all-day conference at Hunter College. I’m already running late! So here’s just a few photographic impressions of last night’s location. More later tonight.

40th District Forum on Preservation and Development

Posted on 2007-02-09 by admin

[Updated 2007.02.13: Corrected list of candidates attending.]
[Updated 2007.02.09 with more photos.]
Tonight I attended the New York City Council 40th District Candidate Forum on Preservation and Development. Tonight’s Forum was sponsored by the Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District, comprised of 11 community organizations and neighborhood associations, including that of Beverly Square West, where I live.

Nine of the ten confirmed candidates were present. In alphabetical order, they were:

Mathieu Eugene
Karlene Gordon
Gerry Hopkins (write-in candidate)
Jennifer James
Zenobia McNally
Moe Razvi
Harry Schiffman
Wellington Sharpe
Joel Toney
Leithland Tulloch

Jesse Hamilton was not present.

About 100 people attended the event. I was surprised by the turnout, especially since the wind-chill was in the single digits. I’ll post some more photos over the weekend.

Simeon Bankoff, Executive Director of the Historic Districts Council, kicks off the Forum.

The candidates make their opening statements.

Ron Schweiger, Brooklyn Borough Historian, poses the first question from the audience to the candidates.

The candidates respond.

Waiting their turn.

Restating the questions.

Links

My Flickr photo set of the event

Tomorrow, Thursday, 2/8 7pm, Brooklyn 40th District Candidate’s Forum

Posted on 2007-02-07 by admin

I wrote about this a couple of weeks ago, but I just want to remind my neighbors about this event tomorrow evening:

Tomorrow, Thursday, February 8, the Historic Districts Council and the Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District are sponsoring a public forum with candidates for the City Council’s 40th District special election. As the District includes several historic districts in Flatbush, candidates will discuss important preservation and development concerns including questions of landmark designation, community plans, rezoning and building code enforcement within the district. The Coalition is made up of more than ten neighborhood organizations interested in preserving their communities.
– Historic Districts Council

My neighborhood association in Beverly Square West is part of the Coalition. I will be there tomorrow night.

The following candidates have confirmed their participation: Mathieu Eugene, Karlene Gordon, Jesse Hamilton, Jennifer James, Zenobia McNally, Harry Schiffman, Wellington Sharpe, Joel Toney and Leithland Tulloch.

February 8, PS 217, Brooklyn: HDC Candidates’ Forum

Posted on 2007-01-17 by admin

[Updated 2007.01.22 with more information about the event.]

On Thursday, February 8, from 7-9pm, the Historic Districts Council will host a Candidates’ Forum on Preservation and Development at P.S 217, Col. David Marcus School, 1002 Newkirk Avenue, at the southeast corner of Newkirk Avenue and Coney Island Avenue.

The following details are from a flyer promoting the event.

NEW YORK CITY 40TH COUNCIL DISTRICT
CANDIDATE FORUM
ON PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Sponsored by the Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District

Thursday, February 8, 2007
7:00-9:00pm

Public School 217
1100 Newkirk Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11230

This forum is an opportunity for residents, business owners and community members to hear candidates present their perspectives on preservation and development concerns. All questions presented to the candidates will be focusing on these issues, including questions of landmark designation, community rezonings, and building codes within the district.

As of January 17, the following candidates have been invited to participate: Anthony Alexis, Victor Babb, Irshad Choudhry, Mathieu Eugene, Jesse Hamilton, Gerry Hopkins, Jennifer James, Zenobia McNally, Moe Razvi, Harry Schiffman, Wellington Sharpe, Joel Toney and Leithland Tulloch. As candidates are confirmed they will be listed on HDC’s website, www.hdc.org.

The Coalition of Concerned Preservation Voters in the 40th District is a group of eleven neighborhood and civic organizations that are interested in preserving the unique character of the community. The Coalition believes we must reach out to elected officials and candidates and begin a dialogue about preserving the neighborhoods’ cultural, architectural and historical heritage.

Members of the coalition are the Historic Districts Council, Beverly Square West Association, Caton Park Neighborhood Association, Ditmas Park Association, Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association, Fiske Terrace Association, Flatbush Development Corporation, Lefferts Manor Association, Midwood Park Homeowners Association, Prospect Park South Association and West Midwood Community Association. This coalition is non-partisan and does not endorse a specific candidate for office.

For more information on this forum, please contact the Historic Districts Council
at 212-614-9107 or ftolbert@hdc.org.

Flatbush Gardener

Urban Habitat Gardening with Native Plants

Tag Archives: Historic Districts Council

Community Blogging at HDC Coffee Talk, February 2

Related Content

Flatbush Rezoning

Community Gardens

Green Space

Links

Gowanus Canal at 9th Street, Brooklyn

Waterfront Museum, Red Hook, Brooklyn

HDC Red Hook Walking Tour

Images of the Children’s Aid Society

40th District Forum on Preservation and Development

Tomorrow, Thursday, 2/8 7pm, Brooklyn 40th District Candidate’s Forum

February 8, PS 217, Brooklyn: HDC Candidates’ Forum