The Newest News You Need To Knew

The Q attended the CB9 joint committee meeting tonight - Transportation and Parks. First up was the Clove Road Project. DOT sent us back a proposal saying they would make certain changes to that historic piece of real estate, and we sent back a counter offer that's more about making it safe for the many nearby kids to play there. What is Clove Road, you might ask? It was home to a battle - the Battle for Brooklyn, to be exact - during the revolutionary war. It's a very strange run down cobbled road near the 71st Precinct just north of Empire between Nostrand and New York. Check it out sometime. It really does feel like it predates modern NYC. It's rare to come across a street untouched by the imposition of "the grid." Here's the full story starring architect Mike Cetera. Or rather, starchitecting Mike Cetera.

The long and short is that DOT seems cool with making Clove Road a "play street," which is essentially a safe place for kids to run around that still has SOME traffic at limited hours. That's what differentiates a Play Street from a Plaza or a demapped street. There were a couple of gentlemen at the mtg. making an adamant plea that they must continue to be able to come in to get to their parking spaces behind their building. They were accommodated, but their insistence was a bit over-the-top. Okay, okay, you've got your parking place already! What I've come to understand about NYC over all these years is this...don't mess with people's parking, unless you come prepared to defend yourself with iron nunchucks. (I always thought there was an "m" in that word, but apparently not.)

THEN yours truly got to present the Flatbush Green Sheet Metal Trees project to DOT and special guest Councilman Mathieu Eugene, who made his surprise appearance just for this very item. AND he pledged to pay for the artist's materials. Holy crap. Did he get wind that I was planning to run for his seat or something? (ha-ha...joke, that's ridiculous, ha-ha.) I've never seen him there before! And money? Wow, things are really getting twisted, and it's only Monday. DOT digs it, and will provide us with the letter we need to present to the Design Commission. That's where the Q hits the big time, and gets to stand before the tribunal. This is getting good, y'all. Trusty Bob Marvin was there, and he said maybe PLG Arts should help coordinate the project. Heck yes. The more the merrier. And they could use a new project after losing their longtime leadership.

And as if things couldn't get any rosier AND peachier, there was Mathieu Eugene letting it fly that he'd found $300,000 for security cameras along Nostrand. Now, if you read this blog with any frequency you know how much I'd love to see such TLC devoted to the Flabenue. But I gotta give it up to the Nostrand Avenue Merchants Association for keeping the pressure up. Lindiwe Kamou et al, you rock. Now if we could just get that kind of reaction from the petition for more beat cops. WHICH HAS 316 SIGNATURES SO FAR! And while yes, I printed it out and brought it to the precinct commander personally, I'd like to suggest that a whole gaggle of us go to the January 71st Precinct Community Council Meeting and present in person and very, very publicly. Who's game? It's the third Thursday of this month.

Finally, a little bird tells me the B48 is back up and running properly from Lincoln Road at the PPP train straight to trendy Williamsburg. Maybe some of you non-driving newcomers didn't know there was a direct line to ground zero for indie-inspired entertainment. It's so easy it hurts, though it's a tad on the slow side, but hey you get to see everything and tickle your smartphone the whole way. So just drop it in the slot, and you'll be banging and scratching your head at the same time in no time. And I have no idea what that means, so I'm going to bed. Nighty Night!