Celebrating Community
In the early 1990s, I was living in what I considered a boring neighborhood, on East 19th Street and Avenue O near Kings Highway. There were few other single people living nearby on their own, and I found little to interest me other than Highway Bagels and Adelman’s Deli. But one summer, I saw a flyer attached to a telephone […]
Have you ever done something so bad that you may have regretted it and wished people would forget it and never mention it again? Well, imagine your biggest flops and failures on display for all the world to see, literally. The Museum of Failure—a collection of more than 150 failed inventions, products, and services from the U.S., Europe, and China—has […]
The Gowanus Expressway may not be a part of everyone’s commutes, but, for Kelvin Diaz, walking adjacent to and underneath it is part of his routine. The Sunset Park resident walks approximately three miles between 65th Street and 12th Street under the expressway (a total of six miles), “patrolling the area intensively” for pigeons in need of help. “I’m a […]
An asbestos abatement notice, shuttered doors, and heaps of debris – this is what is left of Gowanus’ famous BBQ restaurant Pig Beach, one of the first businesses that closed its doors due to the rezoning outlined in the Gowanus Neighborhood Plan. The restaurant, a sprawling indoor-outdoor facility that has served as a community meeting spot for eight years, closed […]
Those who were willing to join the February Community Board 6 meeting in person were rewarded with the chance to peek around a sleek, modern building in the heart of Gowanus and to sample some baked goods provided by one of the board members. The building is home to the Van Alen Institute, a Gowanus-based nonprofit. The baked goods (vegan, […]
On January 9 at 2:35pm, a commuter waiting for their train at the 9th and Smith station rushed to find help after seeing someone fall onto the tracks. Officers Morgan Brown and Meir Green sprang into action. As the train approached, Officer Brown stood by the entrance to flag the conductor. Meanwhile, Officer Green jumped into the subway tunnel to […]
For those readers who are already familiar with Brooklyn Collective — an art gallery and boutique in the Columbia Street Waterfront District — you know that it’s brimming with beautiful things. If you’ve never visited, get ready to find your new favorite spot to shop for handmade gifts, home accessories, and artwork. Located at 212 Columbia Street between Union and […]
With hardly any snow this winter and longer days on the horizon, this writer is ready to welcome spring by celebrating both St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) and International Whiskey Day (March 27). Though the two holidays fall on different days, there’s at least one thing in common: celebrating with an Irish spirit in hand. To get a handle on […]
There are many things that set New York City apart—its spirit, grit, bustle… and community boards. Only a city with such dense neighborhoods and opinionated residents could possibly give rise to so many hyper-local, active resident groups. And unlike in most cities, NYC residents have a unique opportunity to weigh in regularly on their neighborhood’s actions and developments, thanks to […]
Bus riders in Community Board 6 (CB6) had a lot to get off their chests when it came to commenting on the draft plan for the Brooklyn Bus Network Redesign to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Their feedback, along with Assembly Members Robert Carroll’s and Jo Anne Simon’s input, was collected at a public community workshop specifically geared toward CB6 […]