Street Magic: Public Art on Columbia Street Sidewalks

Photo by Rafi Magnes

One evening in late April 2012, on my walk home, I noticed dozens of chalk arrows under my feet, in a rainbow of colors, pointing ahead. As I followed the arrows, the words "street magic" appeared repeating in different colors and configurations. Later I learned that a local young person had put on a sidewalk magic show that afternoon. The next morning I returned to photograph the arrows, but where the arrows had been a perfect square of sidewalk had been removed and the gap was ringed by construction tape. The next day a new square of slate-blue sidewalk magically appeared. Carved into it was a perfect silhouette of the tree growing next to it. This was one of six sites in a public art project by Nobuho Nagasawa, titled Timecast.

You have probably walked over these works hundreds of times over the past year and a half. There are six of them scattered throughout the Columbia Waterfront District, four of them on Columbia Street, one on Van Brunt at Degraw, and one on Hamilton Avenue outside the Backyard Garden.

Nagasawa's press materials describe the work and her process:
The shadow of newly-planted native New York trees was precisely traced at a certain time of the day on the bluestone sidewalk, and became visible as permanent silhouettes on the sidewalk. These tree silhouettes are sandblasted in the bluestone, which is not only quarried in New York, but has been used historically as a paving stone in this neighborhood, as well as in landmarked locations, such as around the New York Public Library and Bryant Park. I want the shadows to be literally 'set in stone,' and to appear as 'jewels' set in time, and to give the impression of time frozen, which is a historical record.


Photo by Rafi Magnes




Photo by Rafi Magnes

I wanted to know more about these tree shadows and how our quiet neighborhood had come to be the home for these works. I was able to reach Ms. Nagasawa by phone and she explained that "in 2004 this neighborhood was the site of a competition to design a work of public art." She won the commission, awarded by 1% for Art. The work of choosing sites and planting trees began, and in 2007 Nagasawa was awarded an Excellence in Design Award, an annual prize given by the City of New York Art Commission Award since 1982.

"It took a long time, the project was delayed because of unanticipated subsurface conditions, poor soil conditions under the ground." They also had to wait until street construction projects were completed before they could move ahead. In 2008, she and Signe Nielsen, the Columbia Street Project Landscape Architect and Vice President of the City of New York Design Commission handpicked the trees from Gowanus Nursery (formerly on Summit St, now on Van Brunt Street) and chose the sites.

"The site at Columbia and Baltic is first one - we call it 'Site One.' The next site is the one I spotted first, at Columbia and Sackett. The third one is by Union Street."

Site 6, at Van Brunt St and Degraw, is different than the others. It is closer to the waterfront. "People should slow down, pause. You can see Governor's Island and Statue of Liberty." But the other striking difference is that here there is no longer a tree, just the carving of its shadow "in memoriam." Nagasawa says, "At Site 6 we planted a Red Oak tree, and somebody came and cut the tree down; it was not an accident. We called the police and investigated." The act of vandalism was tough on Nagasawa. "It is like a little baby for me, tracing the shadow like making a cast of a baby's feet when it is born." The loss of the tree made Site 6 more of a political piece for her. "It brings attention to the fragile ecology. These trees are vulnerable."

Also part of the project are two time capsules, one at Site 5 (Hamilton and Van Brunt) and Site 6 (Van Brunt and Degraw), each in a bottle. "During the installation of the stone, one of the branches of the King Maple it was accidentally broken off. So I placed the tree branch and an artwork of mine, a glass nail I made, and an original site plan in that bottle." In Site 6's time capsule there is also a photograph of the installation.

I told the artist that I noticed rainwater pooling in the tree shapes, glistening. Did she imagine that happening? "I did, and I imagined in the wintertime, water getting in and freezing. i think it will be really beautiful, a frozen tree shadow."

What does she think it will mean for the neighborhood? "I want people who live there and walk there every day, a baby in stroller growing up into a teenager and seeing how it has changed. Since the trees will not continue to cast the same shadows as they grow taller, the shadows will become fixed markers by which the effects of time on the streetscape become apparent as the years pass."

Nagasawa spent the eight years visiting our neighborhood to plan and execute the project. I asked about her favorite place here. "I love the fact that there are so many little community gardens. That's what I noticed. I was really surprised about that. A lot of people have a green thumb here! I enjoyed talking to locals and actually became friends with some, exchanged emails. It was nice to meet the Columbia Street community. They seem really appreciative of the art. I hope they embrace it."

Read more about Nobuho Nagasawa at http://www.artnet.com/awc/nobuho-nagasawa.html.

New Bike Shop Open in the Columbia Waterfront

There's a nice writeup on our new bike shop, Dog Day Cyclery on Patch.com:

Dog Day Cyclery Fills a Void
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/dog-day-cyclery-fills-a-void

"The small store has so far has been working mostly in repairs, with sales of accessories like bike lights, streamers and seats going steady. Nesbit hopes to soon sell bikes, too, and is open to discussing with customers what else they'd like to see on the shelves."

Dog Day Cyclery just opened on Van Brunt between Union and President and the owners sound like nice folks. Welcome to the neighborhood, Damien and Bill!

Community workshop for Red Hook residents by the Brooklyn Greenway

Red Hook Residents, We Need Your Input!
Tuesday, April 26th / 6:30PM / Red Hook Recreation Center

If you live and/or work in Red Hook, we need your input at an upcoming community workshop for the Columbia Street Connector Project:

Columbia Connector Workshop
Tuesday, April 26th
6:30PM-8:30PM
Red Hook Recreation Center
155 Bay Street

RSVP to 718.522.0193 or info@brooklyngreenway.org with Columbia Connector in the subject line. We'll send background information to prepare you for the April 26th workshop.

The objective of the Columbia Street Connector Project is to improve the pedestrian experience between the Red Hook Houses, Columbia Street Esplanade, Red Hook Park and the route of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. This stretch of Columbia Street has low traffic and wide sidewalks. The land uses in the northern three blocks are mostly industrial and commercial and the pedestrian experience could be improved significantly with vegetation and plantings. The esplanade itself could also become a more attractive destination with some trees and landscaping.

Because this is an important junction with the greenway, Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and Regional Plan Association seek the Red Hook community’s ideas on what improvements would be desirable to make this an attractive route and destination for Red Hook residents. We will work with you to get the plan implemented.

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.
Additional funding for this public workshop provided by Partnerships for Parks.

Brooklyn Winery to Host April 7th Greenway Benefit!

Spring is finally just around the corner, and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) is celebrating the season with a “Spring in Kings” party on Thursday, April 7^th at the new Brooklyn Winery. BGI is the 501 c 3 non-profit organization planning for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway and its long-term stewardship.

“It is our honor and pleasure to host the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway spring fundraiser,” said Brooklyn Winery co-founder Brian Leventhal. “The greenway is one of the great projects that is making Brooklyn, and more specifically Williamsburg, a better place to live. I used the bike lanes along Kent Avenue last spring and summer and I am excited to see them expanded.”

Brooklyn Winery is an urban winery based in Williamsburg that allows people to make their own wine from crushing their grapes to bottling. This unique experience includes hands-on wine making instruction from wine maker Conor McCormack. Brooklyn Winery's first house wines (Riesling, Chardonnay and Rosé) will be released this May.

The April 7^th greenway party will surely be a rousing good time, where guests will enjoy wine (of course!), house hors d’oeuvres, Brooklyn Brewery beer and live music. Brooklyn Winery’s expansive interior courtyard will also be open to celebrate the arrival of spring.

An array of unique Brooklyn-themed raffle items will be featured, including a Brooklyn Historical Society family membership, gift certificates to Brooklyn Winery and Film Biz Prop Shop, your own custom designed hat from Hats by Nadege, a bicycle necklace crafted by Karen Overton and more!

Guests will also learn about the BGI & Recycle-A- Bicycle (RAB) collaborative project engaging students from International High School in the greenway planning process. RAB bicycle jewelry, including bracelets from inner tubes, earrings & necklaces from small bicycle parts will be on sale to support this joint endeavor.

Brooklyn Winery’s unique décor was created from salvaged and reclaimed materials. Brian McCormick, BGI co-founder and Director of Development said, “After visiting the Brooklyn Winery space, we knew it would be ideal for our spring benefit. It’s warm and homey with an old world feel.”

“The bonus,” continued McCormick, “is that the Brooklyn Winery is practically a stone’s throw from the Greenway, which is a great example of the entrepreneurial vitality and vision taking root as new businesses open in neighborhoods near the Greenway route”.

“Spring in Kings” takes place Thursday, April 7^th, 6:00-9:00PM at Brooklyn Winery, 213 North 8^th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Advance tickets are $50 through April 3rd (extended from previous date of 3/31) at www.brooklyngreenway.org.

Columbia Street Greenway Clean-up - March 12th

Please join Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and their friends at Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association for the first monthly clean-up of the year along the Columbia Street segment of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. Tools and gloves provided, all ages welcome! Meet at Brooklyn Greenway Initiative’s office, 145 Columbia Street, on Saturday, March 12th. Clean-up runs 10:00AM-12:00PM.

To RSVP or for more info contact Brian at bmccormick@brooklyngreenway.org.

Columbia Waterfront Park Meeting on February 2nd

As many people have heard over the past few years, there is a new park planned for the space along the West side of Columbia Street between Kane and Degraw, which sits adjacent to the current stretch of the Greenway in our neighborhood. There is now a planned public meeting to discuss the community's vision for the space, which is extremely exciting! The details from an email sent out by the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative are below:
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What: Columbia Street Open Space Visioning Meeting
When: Wednesday, February 2nd, 2011, 6:30-8:30 PM
Where: The Union Street Star Theater, 101 Union Street

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 Street

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

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

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative - New Views 2010 - Wed. 6/23

Press Release:

Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway Benefit on the Waterfront at Northside Piers!

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) is thrilled to hold its New Views 2010 annual benefit for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway on the waterfront at Northside Piers in Williamsburg on Wednesday, June 23^rd from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

“Each year, we hold our benefit at a waterfront location along the route of the Greenway that affords new views or new perspectives of the waterfront that have been largely or completely inaccessible to the public,” said Brian McCormick, Development Director and one of the three co-founders of BGI. “It is therefore fitting that the recently completed and soon to open public esplanade at Northside Piers will be the setting for this year’s benefit.”

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit coordinating the planning, implementation and long term stewardship of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a 14-mile waterfront bicycle and pedestrian route stretching from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge. This year, using funding secured by Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez, BGI is working with the New York City Department of Transportation on a Master Plan for the entire 14-mile route of the Greenway.

According to Milton Puryear, Director of Project Development and co-founder of BGI, the Northside Piers public waterfront, coupled with the Kent Avenue segment of the Greenway, represents a major new piece of the Greenway puzzle now emerging. In total, 4 miles of protected bicycle lanes are available for use by the public and more is on the way.

In addition to hosting BGI’s benefit, Northside Piers will sponsor a membership in Brooklyn Greenway Initiative for all new residents of Two Northside Piers, which is now open for sale and nearing completion.

“We are pleased to offer the future residents of Northside Piers membership in Brooklyn Greenway Initiative so that they can learn about and support the exciting new waterfront connections”, said David Von Spreckelsen, Senior Vice President of Toll Brothers City Living, Northside Piers’ developer.

This year’s honorees for New Views 2010 are Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez, New York State Secretary of State and Neighbors Allied for Good Growth (NAG). The New York State Department of State (NYS DOS) Division of Coastal Resources under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund has provided three successive rounds of funding for planning the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, each sponsored by Borough President Marty Markowitz.

NAG, a Williamsburg non-profit, will receive BGI’s Community Partner of the Year award. NAG is a pioneering volunteer based community planning and environmental justice organization that has been performing grassroots organizing, advocacy and outreach/education to the North Brooklyn waterfront community of Williamsburg/Greenpoint since 1994.

“It is these partnerships that have propelled the Greenway forward and we are glad to take this opportunity to say ‘Thanks!’” said BGI Director of Programs and co-founder Meg Fellerath.

Guests of New Views 2010 will get a preview of this spectacular waterfront setting while they enjoy a summer buffet and the “hot and sweet” jazz music of Michael Arenella. BGI will be also be raffling off three bicycles, compliments of Trek Bikes and Bespoke Bicycles, tickets for a party of 10 at New York Water Taxi Beach at South Street Seaport, tickets for 4 on the Zephyr and Shark and a personal fitness training session compliments of Annette Lang Education. Con Edison will be providing a continuous shuttle bus loop from the L and G subway stations in Williamsburg to Northside Piers.

For tickets, please visit BGI’s website at www.brooklyngreenway.org. Tickets start at $75.00 pp or 2/ $125.

Beautiful Earth: A Sustainable Vision on Columbia Street

A few months back we posted about an interview that inhabitat.com had done with local green business Beautiful Earth Group. At the time we thought that it was just a solar car company, which would have been amazing enough in itself, but it turns out that they do a lot more than that. We recently had the opportunity to catch up to the President and CEO of the company, Lex Heslin, to do an interview of our own with a local perspective. Check it out below.

WoCS: What is Beautiful Earth Group exactly? Your mission statement seems to reach beyond the solar charging station we've read about.

BE: That’s right. Beautiful Earth Group is a sustainable energy company founded in 2008, which develops, owns and operates utility-scale solar and wind power generating facilities. The company's first projects are located in the southwestern United States. We invest exclusively in non-carbon emitting electricity generation and promote long-term green solutions towards a goal of sustainability.

Amanda Cleary, Manager of Sustainability at BE, pulls the MINI E into BE’s charging station for a refill.

WoCS: Tell us a little more about the charging station and the electric car.

BE: We built New York City’s first solar-powered electric vehicle (EV) charging station to show that this sustainable form of energy is available just about anywhere, even here on the Brooklyn waterfront. The station, which we designed and built, is off-grid, modular, constructed with recycled, decommissioned steel shipping containers and entirely powered by state-of-the-art Sharp 235 watt photovoltaic panels. The project is part of BE's effort to showcase urban sustainable energy solutions in New York City. It is capable of generating about 6 kilowatts, enough energy to supply your average Brooklyn apartment. We use it to charge our 100% electric, zero emissions Mini E, which is the first of the coming wave of EV’s.

WoCS: Is it something that you plan to replicate elsewhere?

BE: It’s not. It’s really a demonstration project, to show that solar energy can be harvested and used on a local, small scale basis. It has received an incredible response though, in the press and via word of mouth. People love the idea that they can give up gas. And the charging station was
highlighted in Climate Week NYC. UN officials from all over the world came out to see it and to learn how solar works. Most of them had never actually been to a solar installation before, and they were amazed at how simple it is. Many of them wanted to set them up in their home countries. So even though this is not a business line for us, it seems that people have really gotten a lot out of it.

WoCS: If other people in NYC buy electric cars, would they be able to charge at your station?

BE: Our plan is to donate the charging station to a terrific organization which will use it to charge their electric vehicles, so we’re not set up to open it to the public at this time. However, EV manufacturers and charging station companies are pushing to get into the city as soon as possible, and you can expect to see some major announcements over the next 9 - 12 months about places to charge and special services for EV users.

WoCS: What are some of the other projects you have in the works?

BE: As for local/community projects, we have opened the charging station to a green jobs training program and plan to continue in that vein. In addition, we do seminars about sustainable energy at local public schools. We are also taking part in upcoming Earth Day activities, and we are working to make the Brooklyn waterfront a cleaner, greener place. As for development projects, we are building an incredible pipeline of sustainable energy generation capacity which will come on line over the coming years. Most of it is in the United States, but we are beginning to get more calls to do projects overseas.

WoCS: What are your favorite hangouts on Columbia Street?

BE: I’m a big fan of Jake’s BBQ and Margaret Palca’s bakery. You might not know it from the street, but these are very two special places. The food is consistently excellent, they both give great value for money and they cook with love (which my wife says is a key ingredient of good food). I also like to spice it up at Calexico, which does a lot of their dishes with tofu.

WoCS: Do employees of the company all get to use the electric car? If not, how does everyone else commute or otherwise get around?

BE: Yes, our employees do use the car. We try to integrate sustainability into everything we do, even our commute. Most of us walk to work. Otherwise, we use the EV or take the subway, for the most part.

BE’s view of New York Harbor, the port, Governor’s Island, Statue of Liberty and Manhattan.

WoCS: What made you decide to locate Beautiful Earth on Columbia St?

BE: We love the neighborhood, its history and sense of community. We feel like this area is bursting with ideas and creativity, and we love being part of that. Also, our office is located on the top floors of this fantastic building, built by Marshall Sohne. We run the office sustainably, all of our employees enjoy nice space and amenities, including the 10’ tall round picture window, and we have sweeping views of the waterfront.

It is important, in this business, to keep your mind open to change, and to the beauty of the earth around you. Seeing the water every day connects me to the Earth, and the views inspire me to do my best.


WoCS: Are there aspects of the Columbia Waterfront and greater Red Hook that are ideal for environmental organizations and businesses in general?

BE: Absolutely. For environmentally-oriented businesses, the sense of light and space you get here is quite special, very different from Manhattan or even other parts of Brooklyn. Add that to the waterfront location, and you’ve got a pretty great spot. Plus, we’re watching The Brooklyn Greenway develop before our eyes.

But in terms of office space and green infrastructure, there are very few attractive spaces on the waterfront appropriate for medium- to large-scale office users. That puts pressure on growing companies like ours to look for expansion space elsewhere. Surprising really – Brooklyn is home to an incredibly talented pool of professionals involved in the green movement, but the only choices they have for space is DUMBO (limited availability), one or two incubators (for start-ups) and space at the Navy Yard or at Greg O’Connell’s piers (both of which are set up for light industrial businesses). The West Coast is streets ahead of us in terms of almost all things green, and part of the reason is that the business community there gets it. New York has the talent, ambition, smarts and sensibility to lead the world in the green business – I hope we don’t miss the boat simply because we underserve this important industry which is evolving so quickly around us.

Lex Heslin, President & CEO of Beautiful Earth Group, has a vision

WoCS: Are there any local environmental issues that spark your interest or tie into work that Beautiful Earth Group is doing?

BE: Our main interest is sustainable energy use and helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, so we are working to achieve new solutions which use our Beautiful Energy. My daughter has asthma, and every day I think about how to make the air cleaner for her. One way is through transportation. On the EV and EV infrastructure front, we are working to ensure that sustainable energy-fueled electric trucks, cars and bicycles take a more prominent place in our transportation alternatives. We’re also interested in greenspace, so we are looking forward to supporting Brooklyn Bridge Park (which has an incredible sustainability plan) and the Brooklyn Greenway.

On a larger scale, I would like to see more effective environmental programs being implemented in New York – like carbon neutral residential areas and commercial/industrial zones (Red Hook should be the first!), better recycling, less convoluted permitting for green energy projects, more
attention to local foods, and better sustainability education for our children so that they don’t repeat the mistakes we’ve made.

And this may be a dream, but I believe that if we as individuals start changing what we are doing to impact the planet, and work together through our families and communities, then we just might have a chance at turning this thing around!

Press release: Stormy Skies Can’t Dampen Greenway Gala!

Over 200 supporters of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway came together on June 18^th at IKEA’s Erie Basin Park in Red Hook to celebrate the greenway’s progress and to recognize three honorees, all of whom have been instrumental in moving the greenway forward this year.

New Views 2009, the annual benefit hosted by Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI), was saved by quick action from the IKEA staff and BGI volunteers, who moved the entire event under the garage next to the new greenway segment at Erie Basin Park. Rain and wind had ripped two tents and left standing water at the original event site two hours before it started. BGI co-founders Brian McCormick, Meg Fellerath and Milton Puryear expressed their appreciation to the gathered guests for their support and their help in making the greenway vision a reality.

Despite the weather, the evening was characterized by good humor. Jon Orcutt, Senior Policy Advisor to NYC DOT Commissioner Jeanette Sadik-Khan, introduced Christopher O. Ward, Executive Director of the Port Authority by saying, “I bet this is the first time Chris Ward was honored in a parking garage.” Mr. Ward, who during a prior tenure at the Port Authority was also instrumental in helping the greenway said, “I was involved in this project 15 years ago. I had no idea then that it would become as big as it has.” Mr. Ward and the Port Authority were recognized for making additional space available for the greenway along Degraw and Van Brunt Streets.

Jeannette Nigro, Vice President for Economic Development of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce recognized IKEA Brooklyn and Mike Baker, Store Manager, on behalf of Carl Hum, the Chamber’s president. Ms. Nigro said, “We commend IKEA, Mike Baker, their entire team, the community residents who make up the IKEA staff, and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative for their investment in the Brooklyn waterfront, making it one of the most progressive green neighborhoods for residents and businesses in Brooklyn.” IKEA’s 6-acre Erie Basin Park, designed by landscape architect Lee Weintraub, includes a section of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.

Teresa Toro, Transportation Committee Chair of Community Board 1 and one of last year’s honorees, introduced Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Transportation Alternatives (TA). She said, “TA Brooklyn Committee members play a major role in the efforts to improve the Pulaski Bridge, to implement the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, to promote best practices for sharing the streets to all users and to minimize cuts in transit services for communities with limited transit options.” Mr. White acknowledged BGI by saying, “If all of our community partners were like Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, we’d have it all done by now.”

New Views 2009 honorees received an autographed copy of Walking Brooklyn by Adrienne Onofri, as well as a complete kit for repairing bicycle flat tires donated by R&A Cycles. Recycle-a-Bicycle also donated a BMX bike that was raffled off at the end of the evening.

The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is now a NYC DOT project. Preliminary design and engineering is expected to begin this year using federal funding secured by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. When complete, the greenway will be a 14-mile continuous landscaped route with separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists. Funding for planning the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is provided by the New York Department of State Division of Coastal Resources with funds provided under Title 11 of the Environmental Protection Fund. The NYS funding is sponsored by the Office of Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.

BGI also announced the release of the 2^nd edition of A User’s Guide to the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. Major funding for the greenway guide was provided by the J. M. Kaplan Fund, Independence Community Foundation, and Brownstoner. The guide is free and it can be requested by going to BGI’s

Check out website.

New Views 2009 Greenway Party to be held June 18th in Red Hook

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) will hold New Views 2009, its 4^th annual benefit for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, on Thursday, June 18^th, 6:00-9:00PM at IKEA Brooklyn’s Erie Basin Park. Join BGI’s Board, Host Committee and Greenway supporters for a Swedish smorgasbord, drinks and music along the first privately funded and maintained section of the planned 14-mile Greenway. The party will be held under a restored gantry crane, surrounded by water on three sides.

IKEA Brooklyn and Mike Baker, Store Manager will be honored as BGI’s Corporate Partner of the Year for providing public access along the Erie Basin waterfront with the implementation of a divided 18-foot path, part of the planned route for the Greenway. Over 9,000 plants and 558 trees line the 6.5 acre Erie Basin Park, which was designed by Lee Weintraub and opened just a year ago.

Christopher O. Ward, Executive Director of The Port Authority of NY & NJ, will be honored as BGI’s Government Partner of the Year, recognizing the Port Authority’s commitment to providing right-of-way for the Greenway around the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. Transportation Alternatives will receive BGI’s Community Partner of the Year award, for their outstanding advocacy and outreach.

BGI along with its partners and supporters have a great deal to celebrate this year, most importantly the commitment by the New York City Department of Transportation to develop a master plan for the full 14-mile Greenway route, which will then qualify it as a city capital project. Both the Erie Basin Park segment and the Columbia Street segments of the Greenway opened within the past year, and in April of this year, BGI announced an additional $2.5 million in federal funding secured for capital construction.

New Views 2009 is Brooklyn Greenway Initiative’s principal opportunity to expand public awareness and raise the operating funds necessary to support the Greenway. Please join Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and keep the momentum going!

Tickets start at $60 and are available at www.brooklyngreenway.org . Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is a 501c3 non-profit organization. Please contact Brian McCormick at bmccormick@brooklyngreenway.org or 718.522.0193 with any questions. Sponsor deadline is Friday, June 12 for logo inclusion in event program and materials.

Greenway Bike Tour 5/2 and other Greenway news

Check out this info from the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative's email blast today:

Register Today! 7th Annual Greenway Bike Tour
Saturday, May 2nd, 10:00AM

There's still time to join our 7th Annual Future Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway Bike Tour, a 10-mile ride at a family pace, starting in Greenpoint and ending at Red Hook’s spectacular waterfront. The tour includes a restroom/water stop at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, greenway updates, and a loop through the Brooklyn Navy Yard! Thank you to the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation for helping to make this event possible. More info and registration

Save The Date for New Views 2009!
Thursday, June 18th, 6:00PM-9:00PM

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative's annual benefit, New Views 2009, brings you to another new waterfront destination on Thursday, June 18, 2009! Join friends, neighbors and fellow greenway supporters at Erie Basin Park in Red Hook, along the route of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. This section was implemented by IKEA Brooklyn just a year ago, and it is the first privately financed section of the greenway to be built.

Honorees include Mike Baker and IKEA Brooklyn; and our Community Partner of the Year, Transportation Alternatives. For event tickets and/or sponsorship information, contact Brian McCormick at bmccormick@brooklyngreenway.org or 718.522.0193.

Donate Now and Help Build the Greenway!

The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is quickly becoming a reality – please help to sustain the momentum by supporting BGI with a contribution today! You can donate now or mail your check to Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, 145 Columbia Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11231.

Red Hook: The Future Biking Capital of NYC?

This past November, the Forum for Urban Design hosted a competition in which urban designers and planners from around the world submitted plans for Red Hook with the theme "Reimagining Red Hook as the Most Bicycle Friendly Community in NYC."

After the $10,000 prize was given out and the plans were unveiled in November, 2008, many were left wondering - what happens next? Well today, Lisa Chamberlin, one of the masterminds behind the competition, wrote an article for Urban Omnibus explaining some of the future possibilities for the plans and making some very strong arguments as to why they can and should happen.

Some excerpts are below, but I highly recommend reading the entire article here.

At the very least, the Forum saw this design competition as a way to introduce the concept of the bicycle garage to New York City.....But rather than call it a “garage,” which is not terribly sexy, we called it a “loft,” to reflect not only the ideal New York apartment, but the garage’s proposed location: near the elevated Smith and 9th Street train stop

Because amenities such as bike lofts and bike paths are usually developed in wealthy neighborhoods first, which already tend to have multiple transportation options, we challenged designers to focus their attention on Red Hook. Sparsely populated and isolated from the rest of the city due to a lack of public transportation, most New Yorkers have never been to Red Hook and cab drivers can’t find it. The Smith and 9th stop on the F line is a mile from the heart of Red Hook and bus service is notoriously slow and frustrating. While this situation has contributed to the unique character of the community, it has resulted in sporadic economic development despite its close proximity to Lower Manhattan.

So, while the Forum is primarily concerned with urban design, the not-so-hidden agenda of this design competition is to propose a new economic development model. Red Hook has a genuine need for both transportation and sustainable development, and bicycling could very well be the key to both. .......

Back to the original question, however: Might any of these great ideas ever get built? It’s hard to say. But we do know that Brooklyn’s Community Board 6, led by district manager Craig Hammerman, supported the competition in hopes of seeing good street design ideas to propose to NYCDOT for lower Columbia and Van Brunt Streets, as they are slated to be torn up for sewer repairs. What’s more, as many of the submissions proposed, a bike loft with supportive retail and recreational activities is certainly a viable development program, particularly if land costs are minimal.

*Images above from the Forum for Urban Design and Urman Omnibus

Vote online to help the Greenway get funding

Green Mountain Coffee Roasters is making four separate grants - each for $200,000, payable over 5 years - to support work on reducing climate change. The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is competing to win one of these grants, and you can help them out by voting online at this link

This will be extemely helpful to the Greenway because they are eligible for $335,00 in matching funds from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund if they can raise that amount - and that money will go towards the hiring of landscape designers for three new open spaces on the Greenway, among other things.

In the current financial environment ,coming up with the required match for the funding from the NYS Environmental Protection Fund is proving challenging, but winning the Green Mountain Competition will be a big step.

For those who aren't familiar with the Greenway, it will be a 14 mile path along Brooklyn's waterfront that will include paths for biking and walking, and have connections to recreational areas, parks, and bridges. Learn more about it at their site here.

The Greenway needs your help!

While our neighborhood is fortunate enough to have the first finished piece of the Brooklyn Greenway, completion of the Greenway in some other areas of Brooklyn is meeting challenges from people who want to claim the street space for parking, driving, etc. This has particularly been an issue on Kent Avenue, South of Broadway, in Williamsburg.

If you are a biker, runner, walker, or any other supporter of safe pathways for these types of activities, please show your support for the Greenway in one of the following ways:

1) Showing up to the CB1 meeting tonight in support of the Greenway
2) Signing Transportation Alternative's e-fax campaign
3) Contacting elected officials (Nydia Valsquez, or Yassky and Reyna)

After all, our section of the Greenway will be best when it connects to a much larger Brooklyn-wide network of bike lanes and paths.
Read more info on this topic at Streetsblog

Also, check out this video of bikers riding in the area in question:

The future of the Atlantic Basin and Pier 11 (CB6 Meeting)

Whew, I just got back from the Community Board 6 meeting that took place tonight regarding the plans for Atlantic Basin/Pier 11. There is WAY too much information to write about in tonight's post, but I will try to add more details over the next few days and will also refer people to check PortSide's website, as they taped the entire meeting and will transcribe it for the site (speaking of which, they need volunteers to transcribe!).

The image above (from Brooklyn Paper) is an aerial shot of the site, taken from the North side (looking South). The basin is the enclosed body of water, while Pier 11 is the pier that runs along it. There is a large amount of warehouse space on the pier, as well as some open space to the south of the large warehouse and parking behind the warehouse (on the left of the picture.)

Here are some of the main highlights of tonight's meeting (in my own words, based on my notes):

1) Venetia Lannon of the EDC presented their plan for the site, which contrary to hints in the media and the rumor mill is not a done deal. The plan includes the following:

• Phoenix Beverages will have lease for Pier 11 and building 185. This plan is "shovel ready" and will move the Phoenix operation, which consists primarily of beverage importing and distribution to the Red Hook site
  
• Plan includes a connection to the Brooklyn Greenway, either through the site or on a nearby street
• Portions of the site will be accesible to the public, including a small park on the Southern side
• There will be space for a cultural use, for which an RFP will be issued. Ms. Lannon mentioned PortSide as being a strong contender for this use. This includes cultural vessel tie-up (i.e. the Mary Whalen) and cultural space in building 185.
  
• There will also be landing for the Governor's Island ferry, connecting Brooklyn to the very large destination/green space that is Governor's Island
• There will also be the availability of "Vessel Tie-up" for workboats, ferries, or other boat types. There will be an RFP issued for this aspect as well

Some reasons for EDC choosing this plan and general benefits behind it:

• It will capture some of the cruise ship passengers (and local residents) through public access and tours that offer history, culture, education, etc. while maintaining the working waterfront through Phoenix.
• Phoenix expects to bring 500+ jobs to Red Hook (many existing employees from their other sites, while the remainder will be hired locally). Jobs are high paying, unionized jobs.
  
• Phoenix, if allowed to install a filling station, wuld commit to converting 100% of their trucks to CNG (natural gas), making it one of the greenest operations on the waterfront. Their location here would also eliminate 20,000 truck trips per year regionally. Also worth noting, all goods will be coming in by water, but going out by truck. Its not trucks going in and out, as many people have described. Also, they will travel down Bowne Street for easy access to the BQE, rather than travelling through residential streets.
  

2) Next, Tom Fox of NY Water Taxi made a presentation about his plan, which was rejected by EDC in favor of the above plan. Here are some of the details:

• Went over personal history of park planning on the west side of Manhattan and advocating for parks, green space, and waterfront access for communities in NYC
• Started Water Taxi to connect and NYC's waterfronts. Now has 15 locations, 6 different routes/services and provides uses for recreation, education, entertainment, commutation, tourism, and more.
• Currently has 10 boats on Greg O'Connell's property [by Fairway], but is continually expanding and needs more space. Also has an additional 2 leased boats and a fuel barge.
  
• Many local residents, including residents from the Red Hook Houses, are employed, and have often gone on to Captain and management positions. Has also provided a channel for students and graduates from the NY Harbor School to get interships and jobs.
• Atlantic Basin, due to design, is perfect location for his type of boats (small aluminum boats) due to its protective nature/design

His plan incorporates the following:

• Tie up service for tugs, dinner boats, NYPD, Cast Guard, etc.
• A dry stack marina for storage of boats (including Water Taxis and other)
• Will bring over 800 construction jobs and around 219 full time operational jobs with this plan
• Will work with the Durst Organization, which is known for environmentalism, Westrec Marine, who have done many similar developments internationally, and FxFowle Architects.
• Will insall a beach like the Long Island City Water Taxi Beach
• Will open up views to the waterfront through Verona St.
• Under this plan, ASI, PortSide, Water Taxi, and the Greenway, could all co-exist.

3) Next, Carolina Salguero of PortSide NY presented on her organization and the plans that they submitted for the EDC RFP. Her plans included the following:

• Space for the prime feature of PortSide, the tanker Mary Whalen. This vessel would be used as a year-round cultural destination, including tours, history, education programs, and more
• A cafe/event space that would sell food and beer/wine as a way of generating employment and proceeds for the organization. Will be a cultural space that serves food/beverage more so than a cafe that has occasional events.
• A business center, including copying, supplies, fax machines, and more that could be used by the maritime industry as well as local residents and businesses, of which profits would go into the organization and community programs
  
• A career center that will channel local residents and youth into maritime industries
  
• A landing for excursion and charter vessels, of which profits could also go into PortSide and community programs
• Shore side services for maritime industries
• Usage and linkage of local business (with proven track record of doing so in the past)
• Possibly a community sailing program, to teach local residents how to sail and allow people to utilize the water
  
• Possibly a maritime trail that would serve as a cultural/educational destination
• Possibly the availability of harbor tours as a way to generate profit and bring visitors/tourists around the NY harbor
  

Various elements of above will be in the basin itself, in the outdoor space, or in buildings, including bulding 185. These indoor spaces will have cultural/educational programming (for year-round usage), as well as potential extra space for a carpenter shop and the Flotsam project.

Details about many of the programs above can be read at the PortSide website here.

-------------------

These 3 presentations provide a glimpse into the many options that the site could be utilized for. Afterward, there was a Q&A session in which many questions and points of contention were raised. It is too long to go into all of this, but a couple of issues that stand out in my mind are the following:

• A suggestion of moving Phoenix to Pier 7, which both Phoenix and the EDC state as being impossible without the agreement of Port Authority
• A suggestion of pushing back the tentative final agreement date of March 2009 to allow the community time to approach Port Authority and request/demand that Phoenix be located on Pier 7 so as to allow Pier 11 to be used for Water Taxi and/or PortSide or other uses.
• The displacement of BDI, a local business of over 10 years, from building 185, due to these plans.

------------
Hopefully over the next week, and after reading otehr media/posts, I can go into some more details of other issues raised.

Overall, one positive note is that it seems highly likely that there will be a space for at least some aspects of PortSide's plans in any of the above plans. I think this is a very important aspect in the outcome of this site.

In regards to the other two, I cannot personally say which I favor. I think the ultimate solution would be getting Port Authority to allow for Phoenix at Pier 7 and to put Water Taxi AND PortSide, along with the Greenway, at Pier 11.

If this can't be done its a hard call, because losing Phoenix would be a major loss in the shipping industry and the working waterfront. This area, along with the Sunset Park container port, are the last working waterfronts in all of NYC. Phoenix would be forced to move to Jersey, bringing with them all of their jobs.

To be continued..........

31 (out of 90) to watch in 09! (according to the Brooklyn Paper)

Yesterday, the Brooklyn Paper released a list of 90 people, places, and things in Brooklyn that are sure to make noise in the new year. I went through the list and pulled out all of the items within close range of our neighborhood. Depending on how loosely you want to define the "within walking distance of Columbia St.," we got around 31 out of 90 (I included Columbia Street Waterfront District, Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Gowanus). 31 out of 90 is not bad at all.

Here they are:

83. Saul Bolton: This exile from Le Bernardin and Bouley found a home on Smith Street with his eponymous eatery, where he’s cranking out the single best prix-fixe menu (four delectable courses for $40) in the borough. Sure, his and wife Lisa’s Boerum Hill Food Company didn’t make it, closing in December, but mark our words: the couple will be back with something big this year.

82. Milton Puryear: The mastermind behind the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway — a long-planned connected biking and walking path that will stretch from Greenpoint to Sunset Park — will be pedaling uphill as he moves closer to realizing his dream amidst logistical challenges, a dead economy, and growing opposition, especially in Williamsburg.

78. Jonathan Ames: The versatile Boerum Hill author is following up his 2008 graphic novel “The Alcoholic” with “The Double Life is Twice as Good,” a collection of essays and stories due in July. This hard-drinking, hard-punching novelist certainly has a good gig.

69. Trees: Come spring, trees along the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and at the River Café beneath the Brooklyn Bridge will — or won’t — come to life. This past summer, the poor saps were drowned in salt water spray from Oliafur Elisson’s “New York City Waterfalls” exhibition. The artist and his four salt-spewing scaffoldings are gone, but all of Brooklyn Heights will be holding its breath for the first new buds.

61: Tom Fox: The owner of NY Water Taxi could make commutes for waterfront denizens from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge a pleasant seaborne adventure if only the city would give him some long-term support.

58. Lauren Elvers Collins: As the new deputy director for the Gowanus Canal Conservancy, Collins will oversee development at the possible sponge park — but it’s her work as the founder of the Windsor Terrace Alliance that could get her ’hood recognized as one of the borough’s coolest and quietest.

57. Jim Mamary: One of the borough’s most prolific restaurateurs and nightlife moguls was battered through a rough 2008. He proposed an oyster bar for Hoyt Street, but was thwarted by community opposition and his popular Trout restaurant on Smith Street, was forced to close. Can he bounce back or will he pull back from Brooklyn’s gastronomic scene? Our stomachs wait at the edge of their seats.

56. Peter Miller: The wacky events organized by the crew at Freebird Books this Columbia Street bookstall are so good that when the literati hear their name they won’t automatically think of Lynyrd Skynyrd. Miller got on the local radar screen last year by hosting a party for obvious no-show Thomas Pynchon and sponsoring a marathon of Shakespeare plays.

54-49. 33rd Council District: The race to succeed (or battle!) David Yassky to represent Brooklyn Heights is complicated by virtually everyone’s belief that Yassky will abandon his quest for comptroller and run for his seat again (after all, why did he vote to extend term limits if he didn’t want to have a safe option?). For now, the race is led by Jo Anne Simon (49), the only woman in the (currently) six-person contest. She’s been a Democratic district leader for years. If Simon falters — and Yassky doesn’t run — activist Evan Thies (50) has a good shot. He was Yassky’s right hand man during the councilman’s glory days, and has made a name for himself on Community Board 1. Like Thies, Steve Levin (51) is young and has been in the employ of a local pol (in Levin’s case, he’s been chief of staff to Brooklyn Democratic Party boss, Assemblyman Vito Lopez, whose Rolodex will certainly come in handy). Close to the front is Ken Diamondstone (52). This frequent candidate is blessed with a dose of moxie and gave former state Sen. Marty Connor a scare in 2006. Far back is Williamsburg activist Isaac Abraham (53), who is trying to become the first Hasidic councilman. Abraham is the garrulous public link to that often inaccessible community in South Williamsburg. But there’s no evidence that he can secure the group’s vote, let alone others in the district. Former Sierra Club branch leader Ken Baer (54) has lost prior campaigns, but he was the first candidate to say he’d stay in the race even if Yassky ran. Baer is omnipresent at local green events, good-goverment group meetings and even at the Park Slope Food Co-op, but it takes money to win these kinds of races — and he ain’t got it.

46. Charlie Statelman: The chef-owner of Cafe on Clinton in Cobble Hill is not going to let the Wall Street crash destroy all he’s worked for. Instead, he’s offering an $18, three-course meal, plus a very nice $19 a bottle wine list. And because we’re all working so hard now, he’s even offering a second happy hour from 9–11 pm. That’s a real Brooklynite.

42-38. 39th Council District: The race to succeed towering Councilman Bill DeBlasio to represent Park Slope is currently a five-man race. Bob Zuckerman (38) is currently the executive director of Gowanus Canal Conservancy. He’ll make headlines again this year if he continues to reverse the image of the fabled waterway from a polluted wasteland into a residential Garden of Eden. Brad Lander (39), who runs the Pratt Center for Community Development, enters the New Year with a teeming campaign war chest and a resume boasting public planning experience. Josh Skaller (40) is the bulldog who bit the hand that feeds him — or at least most elected officials in the city — by pledging not to take campaign donations from real estate developers. By shunning that powerful industry, can he muster a successful campaign? Craig Hammerman (41) is a living legend. The Community Board 6 district manager is a member of the first class inducted into the New York City Hall of Fame. Almost everything he does adds to his lofty stature. Longshot Gary Reilly (42), a lawyer by training, will at least be in the limelight for his support for mass transit. If people are talking about the F train this year, it’ll be because of Reilly’s hard work.

37. Michael O’Connell: It’s do or die for the son of Red Hook developer Greg O’Connell. He bought the classic railcar-style Cheyenne Diner, but is struggling with the engineering feat necessary to move it from the West Side of Manhattan to Red Hook. Maybe he can call in those guys who moved Alexander Hamilton’s “Grange” house in Harlem.

35. Geoffrey Raymond: Part of the swelling population of Gowanus artists, Raymond — recently featured on “20/20” — paints giant portraits of financial and political figures, then takes them to Wall Street and lets laid-off financiers scribble on them. “The Annotated Fuld,” covered with biting comments like, “Enjoy your old age, prick,” recently sold for $10,000.

30. Daniel Squadron: The 29-year-old Democratic state Senator-elect beat 30-year incumbent Marty Connor, just as Democrats are poised to take over the Senate. If that wasn’t enough nachas for this nice Jewish boy, he’s also engaged to marry his longtime girlfriend in 2009, too.

29. Red Hook Vendors: The beloved food vendors in Red Hook Park are trapped between a rock and a hard place, and they’re jockeying to break free. They’ll have to abide by newly enforced city regulations, but the strict enforcement strangled the character of the freewheeling market. Look for the vendors to recapture a little bit of that old flair without sidestepping the sanitation rules. And they never did get that apology that our columnist Gersh Kuntzman demanded from Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. Well, maybe this year.

26. Brooklyn Bridge Park: By year’s end, the park planners promised to open true — and permanent — parkland on the long-delayed project. The city and state have broken their word many times in the past regarding the park’s timeline, but we’re cautiously optimistic that Regina Myer, the president of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation can green up at least a small portion of the waterfront by the end of ’09.

25. Mariana Koval: The president of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and her staff have made the waterfront a destination, with a summer café, floating pool and outdoor movies, before permanent portions of the park have even been finished. She and the green team may get to increase that success if park builders stick to their ambitious construction timeline.

20. Councilman Bill DeBlasio: The Park Slope councilman stood tall (and we mean TALL) against Lilliputian Mayor Bloomberg in the term-limits battle — and now Dollar Bill is fighting for his political future in a crowded Democratic primary race for Public Advocate rather than running for re-election.

13. Simon Rich: The 24-year-old son of Times columnist Frank Rich isn’t satisfied with commuting from Brooklyn Heights to Rockefeller Center, where he writes for “Saturday Night Live” — his first novel is coming out this year. That’s not bad, but his brother and borough-mate, Nathaniel, put out his first novel, “The Mayor’s Tongue,” last year.

5. Dominick Stanzione: The day of reckoning for financially strapped Long Island College Hospital is drawing near — and Stanzione is the man in charge of the so-called “restructuring” of the Cobble Hill medical center. The state has already barred him from closing the maternity, pediatrics and dentistry wings, giving him a $4-million loan to tide him over. What will happen next depends on Stanzione’s ability to get more cash or find someone to take over the money-losing part of the facilty or, perhaps, the whole enchilada.

3. David Yassky: The two-term Brooklyn Heights councilman bounced like a pinata between credibility and dishonor in the term-limit fight. He says he’s running for Comptroller, but the minute Bill Thompson realizes he has no shot against third-term-wannabe Mike Bloomberg, there goes Yassky from that race. When that happens, look for the Terminator to see his own third term.

2. Dan Kaufman: The co-owner of the Busy Chef restaurants, who was arrested last year on charges of swindling customers out of thousands by stealing their credit card numbers. But the fun is only beginning: This year, Kaufman’s trial will start — and his lawyer is saying that Kaufman is just a “patsy” for shadowy Brooklyn Heights restaurant partner Alan Young, whose eateries fold like origami. This is going to be the trial of the century!

Upcoming events at the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative

Saturday, November 8, 10:00am
Columbia Greenway Clean Up
Join BGI supporters and neighbors in helping to keep the newly finished Columbia Street section clean and safe for pedestrian, cyclists and runners.
Tools and gloves provided. Meet at BGI's office, 145 Columbia Street, b/t Kane and Degraw.

Sunday, November 16, 1:00pm
BGI Bike Ride in Greenpoint/Williamsburg
Meet at 12:30pm at CitiStorage, N. 11th & Kent Ave.
The New York City Department of Transportation is in the process striping bike lanes on many of the streets along the future route of the Greenway in Greenpoint/Williamsburg. Eventually, these will be reconfigured so that pedestrian, joggers and bicyclists will be physically separated from moving traffic with the addition of a planted median. The bike ride is a celebration of this important milestone!
For more informatin or to RSVP contact Michael: info@brooklyngreenway.org

Tuesday, November 18, 8:00pm (doors open at 7:00pm)
Making Way for the Greenway!
A benefit for the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative
Join supporters and friends of the Greenway for an evening of music and program shorts from some of Galapagos' fabulous resident artists! Proceeds support the development of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a 14-mile off-street bike and pedestrian route that will connect Brooklyn's parks, neighborhoods and people. Galapagos is located midway along the planned route, so it's the perfect place for a celebration of recent milestones.

Matt Wasowski, founder and Big Boss of Nerd Nite will give a presentation about the Coney Island hot dog eating contest and the fascinating world of competitive eating. Also featuring the hot and sweet sounds of Michael Arenella and his music. Other acts TBA.
Door prizes and raffle items!

Advanced tickets are $20 per person, or two fro $30, so bring a friend! At the door, tickets are $25 per person, cash.
To purchase tickets, go to htt://www.galapagosartspace.com/events.html
For more information, contact Brian: bmccormick@brooklyngreenway.org