The reason Degraw Street is ripped up...

If you've wondered what was happening behind the barricades on Degraw and Columbia, this Carroll Gardens Patch writeup gives some insight. The EPA is improving the Gowanus Canal Flushing Tunnel which runs under the street. Wayyy under the street, apparently. See photos taken from Alma's rooftop in the article below:

http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/inside-the-gowanus-canal-flushing-tunnel-work-site#photo-7263788

The Gowanus Canal turns 100 years old!

Please come help

Proteus Gowanus and Urban Divers

celebrate the

Gowanus Canal Flushing Tunnel Centennial!

Parade and Celebration

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

6:00-8:00

Meet on Butler Street between Bond and Nevins

On June 21, 1911, all of South Brooklyn came out to celebrate the opening of the Gowanus Canal Flushing Tunnel. The tunnel’s pump would draw fresh water from Buttermilk Channel into the stagnant and odorous Gowanus Canal. One hundred years ago, the neighborhood marked the long-awaited opening with bunting and streamers, speeches and parades. A 9-year old girl, crowned Miss Gowanus, floated down the canal on a barge, tossing white lilies into the now purified waters of the canal.

Parade route: The sidewalk parade will begin on Butler Street, behind the old Pumping Station. We will walk down Bond to the Union Street Bridge, where we will meet up with a second parade on water—and cheer on Miss Gowanus! The celebration will end with refreshments at Proteus Gowanus, at Union and Nevins.

Fall Greenway Fete a Success!

On November 4th, an exuberant crowd of nearly 200 supporters of Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) gathered at FIND Home Furnishings to celebrate the progress being made on the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway. There was plenty of room to spread out and raise spirits and funds for the Greenway in FIND's expansive 10,000 square foot showroom at 9th Street and the Gowanus Canal. Local restaurants provided drinks and food for BGI's 2^nd annual fall benefit, and the Hot Johnsons kept lively music going all evening.

Guests enjoying food from Lilla Cafe

At the event, Council Members Brad Lander and Steve Levin were recognized for securing BGI's first-ever City Council funding.

"I am honored to be able to help support the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway," said Council Member Levin. "I am lucky enough to represent a large portion of the Brooklyn waterfront. As a Greenpoint resident, I know how important it is to increase waterfront access in Greenpoint and throughout Brooklyn. I look forward to utilizing the active space that the Greenway will provide, as well as riding my bike along the waterfront and enjoying the spectacular views."

Council Member Steve Levin

Council Member Lander added, "I am pleased to support the Brooklyn Greenway, which will be not just a recreational resource for joggers, walkers and bikers alike, but a key neighborhood revitalization tool and important piece of transportation infrastructure in our waterfront communities."

Waste Management was acknowledged for its generous support of BGI's ongoing monthly stewardship programs, as well as for funding a special native grass restoration project. This restoration, at BGI's Adopt-a-Highway site adjacent to the Williamsburg Street West segment of the greenway, took place in partnership with the Horticultural Society of New York's Green Team.

BGI also thanked its major event sponsors, including aptsandlofts.com, Con Edison, FIND Home Furnishings, Industry City Associates and S Clubs Fitness Spa & Lifestyle.

BGI Co-founders Brian McCormick and Meg Fellerath announcing raffle winners

The Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway is a planned 14 mile, off-street, landscaped route for cyclists and pedestrians from Greenpoint through Sunset Park. Public benefits will include increased waterfront access, more diverse transportation and active recreation options, and increased economic development

Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is a 501c3 non-profit organization planning for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway and its long-term stewardship. This year, BGI has co-sponsored two series of community planning workshops with the New York City Department of Transportation, all part of the process to develop a Master Plan for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.

Photos courtesy of Oi Ling Hu via BGI

For more information check out BGI's website here

Party with the Gowanus Dredgers today - 9/23

The Gowanus Dredgers are having a SuperFUN party, this Thursday, September 23, 2010 from 5-9pm at 400 Carroll St / Gowanus Canal. Tickets are selling quickly for this annual festival, so please visit: www.gowanuscanal.org for additional information and to purchase tickets.

The Gowanus Dredgers are inviting all who have canoed on the Gowanus, Kayaked on the East River or camped on Governors Island to attend ($25 for adults and kids are free) and meet / greet other kayakers from our other programs.
Pirate Mary arrives at 5:30 for the kids and Red Hook Ramblers will play music 7:00-8:30.

Thursday will be a full, moon, crisp, but no rain as we celebrate the close of our 11th season! The Dredgers are the not-for-profit of the Red Hook and Brooklyn Bridge Park kayaking so if you want to see those programs flourish in 2011, now is the time to show your support!

Kindiefest family music conference at Littlefield this weekend

This weekend at Littlefield, kid friendly musicians, bands, and others from the family music business will be coming from around the country to participate in the annual Kindiefest music conference. While a number of events within the conference are for insiders only, such as seminars on marketing or distribution, there will be a music festival on Sunday that can be enjoyed by any family with young children:

Sunday, May 2

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm • Festival

Ralph Covert
Clementown
Bill Harley
Recess Monkey
Royal Order of Chords and Keys
Secret Agent 23 Skidoo

Tickets cost $15 and can be purchased in advance here

For more details about these artists or the festival in general, check out the conference site here

Littlefield is located at 622 Degraw St. Check out their site here

Haiti benefit at The Bell House - Wed., 1/27

Wednesday, 1/27, 6pm
at The Bell House
149 7th St, Brooklyn (between 2nd and 3rd Ave - near 4th Ave/9th St F stop)

STRENGTH THROUGH UNITY
A BENEFIT FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE EARTHQUAKE IN HAITI

100% of the proceeds will be split between Save The Children and Partners In Health.

All performers will be playing abbreviated, acoustic and/or stripped down sets. Scheduled to appear:
JIMMY FALLON
fun.
THE WALKMEN
TED LEO
EUGENE MIRMAN
THE WRENS
MICHAEL SHOWALTER
SONDRE LERCHE
New York State Senator DIANE SAVINO
TODD BARRY
AC NEWMAN of NEW PORNOGRAPHERS plus RHETT MILLER of OLD 97s plus NICOLE ATKINS as a SEEKERS cover band.
HERE WE GO MAGIC
PAT KIERNAN of NY 1
THE WAHOO SKIFFLE CRAZIES

Early birds can come for free food courtesy of GREAT JONES CAFE, DUB PIES, and more.

A special two hour edition of keyboard karaoke will be hosted by SARA SCHAEFER and JOE McGINTY in the front lounge from 11pm-1am.

Raffle and door prizes courtesy of NONESUCH RECORDS, THE DOUBLE WINDSOR, DRILLTEAM, BAM, and more.

Buy tickets here

"Wedding Crashers" fair features Columbia St businesses

Two Columbia St. businesses will be featured at Brooklyn Based's "Wedding Crashers" event tomorrow at the Bell House (10:30am - 5pm), so if you are going to be at the event or are in the market for wedding services in general, be sure to check them out!

They are:

Denise Fasanello Floral Designs for your flower arrangement needs - which we previously posted about here.

and

Nine Cakes for your cake and baking needs. Nine Cakes recently took over the lease in the former Treats Truck space (Treats Truck moved to a different Columbia St. space). We will be featuring a post about them soon!

Between these businesses, the other related businesses in nearby neighborhoods, and the large amount of catering and photography options, South Brooklyn is certainly a NYC destination for wedding services - which is why Brooklyn Based's event is such a great idea!

Bacchanal 2009, 10/3

Check out the Bacchanal 2009, presented by the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club, to have a fun evening on the Gowanuc Canal and support a good cause.

The evening's festivities include Live Music with Red Hook Ramblers, kids entertainment with Pirate Mary from 5:30-6:30pm and BBQ catered by PJ Hanley's, Sunset Canoe Tours, Tango Class, Raffles and More!

TIckets are $25 in advance and $40 at the door. Check out their site for more details and to purchase tickets

Luau + Pig Roast on the Gowanus tomorrow

The BKLYN Yard never ceases to have interesting events......

Friday, 8/28/09, 6-9pm
BKLYN Yard
400 Carroll St.
Free entry, $10 plates
All ages
Djs
Hawaiian themed food including whole pig roast.

Google Map image of Smith and 9th making big news...

Big sources including the Huffington Post and NYTimes are reporting on a heavenly image that appears in the Street View of Google Maps for Smith and 9th St:

image from Huffington Post via Google

The Battle for the Gowanus Canal - The Video!

A new documentary has been released about the battle over the Gowanus Canal's superfund nomination. Check it out below and then go leave your personal comments at the website



If you have trouble with the embedded video, the Youtube link is here

Rooftop Films presents Persona Non Grata

Rooftop Films presents:

Prosecuted as a rebel.
Banned as a priest.
Committed as an artist.
Loved as a father.
An inspiring documentary—co-funded by Rooftop Films - about the filmmaker’s father, Franz Wuytack, a radical left-wing Belgian missionary in the slums of Venezuela in the 1960s. With a new liberal movement sweeping Latin America, and people like Wuytack needing to continue the fight for social justice in the US and around the world, this film is crucially relevant today.

Persona Non Grata by Fabio Wuytack
Date: Saturday, June 13th
Venue: Roof @ Old American Can Factory
Address: 232 3rd Street @ 3rd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
Tickets:$9-$25
Presented in partnership with: Crunch, Cinereach, New York magazine & Brooklyn Technical High School

Score something on the Gowanus - Saturday, 5/30

More details at BKLYNYard

Opening day at The (BKLYN) Yard

Last year it was announced that The Yard, that great outdoor venue on the Gowanus, was sadly going to close. It now appears that whatever was causing that didn't happen, because they are back as BKLYN Yard and are having an opening event tomorrow that looks really fun! See the flyer below:

According to the NYTimes, the development projects along the canal were the reason for the closing. Could the economy and the recent Superfund issues have anything to do with all this?

The Gowanus Canal and the Superfund drama

For those who haven't been paying attention, one of the hottest topics in the neighborhood lately is that the Environmental Protection Agency recently proposed to have the Gowanus Canal added to its list of Superfund sites, the Federal list of hazardous sites given priority and funding for cleanup.

Image from NYTimes

In summary, the State and the Federal Government are pushing for the site to be a Superfund site, while the Mayor and some other city officials are opposed to it, thinking it will get in the way of their existing plans and bring a bad stigma to the neighborhood. Residents seem to have mixed feelings.

For a much more detailed look into the topic, check out coverage in the NYTimes here or The Brooklyn Paper here.

Local citizens are encouraged to get involved in the EPA's public comment process

And if you conclude that you are for it, check out this poster/t-shirt logo that I found over at FoundinBrooklyn:

New distillery to possibly open nearby

With our recent observation of the new drinks district growing in Red Hook and the recent loss of Lenell and her Red Hook rye, it only makes sense for Tom Potter, one of the founders of the Brooklyn Brewery, to open up his newly planned distillery nearby.

According to the Daily News, he plans to start making gin and whiskey and hopes to raise enough money by late June to get the operation going in either Red Hook, Gowanus, or Williamsburg. In Brooklyn Brewery fashion, he plans to include tours and a tasting room in the setup.

Read the entire Daily News article here.

Brooklyn Paper also reports on it here and NY1 has a short video on it here

Diving in Red Hook

I know absolutely nothing about diving, but I love the fact that there's actually a diving scene in our area. On 2/24/09, head to the Red Hook branch of the Brooklyn Public Library to learn all about it:

DOWNSTREAM IN RED HOOK - " DIVING in NY HARBOR's URBAN ESTUARY",

Program:
DEMONSTRATION of The Urban Divers human undersea exploration technology and equipment used in exploring the abyss on NY Harbor's urban estuary. UDEC, a not for profit environmental & cultural organization facilitates various conservation research projects along NY Harbor including an Oyster Reef Monitoring Project, Benthic Surveys of The Gowanus Canal, Newtown Creek, Harlem River, Jamaica Bay, Hudson River, and Long Island Sound. UDEC operates a unique urban nature center and micro-maritime museum on the Harlem River upstream, and marine station downstream in the south brooklyn harbor area. Presentation follows with a Q/A with Staff of The Urban Divers.

PRESENTATION & DISCUSSION about educational, and career opportunities in the Maritime Industry. College, Internships, and Career opportunity pamphlets will be available for parents and HS School students to take home.

VIDEO SCREENINGS of:
* The Urban Divers" original Underwater Video Documentary "CREATURES & FEATURES of NY HARBOR ESTUARY
* The award winning video documentary "COMING CLEAN... RECLAIMING THE GOWANUS CANAL "
* And the Short Video Documentary- The AMAZING ADVENTURE of CAPT. BILL PINKNEY -Capt Bill Pinkney of one of 7 americans and the only African-American that successfully sailed solo to circumnavigate the Globe via the longest route of the cape. Get on board the vessel "Commitment" with Capt Bill Pinkney and experience this historic journey of perseverance, challenge and commitment. Video documents his day to day experience o this fantastic journey and his interaction with students from around the world via satellite. A spectacular and must see video.

AT BROOKLYN LIBRARY- RED HOOK BRANCH- TUES FEB 24th 3:30-5pm, & 5:30pm-7:30pm . Library is located at 7 WOLCOTT Street, Brooklyn: F or G to Smith & 9th St. station, transfer to B77 bus to Wolcott at Dwight St or the B61 to Van Brunt at Wolcott, walk two blocks East to library.

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!

Carroll St. Bridge (re-post from MAS) / City of Water trailer

The Municipal Art Society posted an interesting piece about the Carroll St. Bridge yesterday (the picture above is from their Flickr). Did you know that it is a landmark and that "it is one of the oldest remaining bridges in New York City, and one of only four known “retractile” bridges in the United States"?

Definitely worth celebrating the fact that we have such interesting and historical things nearby.

Check out their entire post here and more of their Flickr photos here.

Also, speaking of MAS, we missed the chance to post about a recent screening of their movie about the NYC waterfront called "City of Water," but check out the official page for the film to learn more and see where it might be playing next. The trailer is below:



"City of Water" trailer from MAS on Vimeo.

Speaking of the Gowanus.......

Have you heard about the battle that's brewing between some Carroll Gardeners and the Toll Brothers - the group that is responsible a big upcoming development project on the Gowanus?

Curbed.com reports that some are charging the Toll Brothers with "dramatically understating the scale of the project." See the difference in the picture above and read the whole article here.