Our daily communications from Carroll Gardens residents contained some angry reactions to the news that permits are being issued for the building on 360 Smith Street that they are fighting. The residents are also suggesting–well, saying in a very agitated way–that they are not getting promised help from City Council Member Bill de Blasio. A sample of the statements:
Where is Bill when really we need him? Carroll Gardens is not stupid! We know the real issue at 360 Smith Street is “as of right” not [architect Robert] Scarano per se.
Bill, if Mr. Scarano is under investigation per your suggestion, then why is the DOB still issuing permits and approvals this week? If the “get Scarano” idea you had was supposed to “buy us some time” with 360 Smith Street, then why are we already out of time? It is looking like you were very disingenuous when you issued that statement because the permits are being issued in the very same week that Scarano is getting investigated by NYC!
Bill have you seen our petition site? Your constituents have spoken loud and clear (750 plus so far in under a week) and we are continuing to collect signatures as we speak.
To think, barely a month ago, no one had even thought about 360 Smith Street.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Anonymous // Jun 29, 2007 at 8:34 am
I think lack of action was by neighborhood. The building has been in works for years and on Scarano’s website.
So why all this b.s. at last minute?
Why don’t all you complainers work on making rest of Smith St. south of here more attractive instead?
Wouldn’t that be more constructive?
Be pro-active. Not re-active and against anything new.
2 Anonymous // Jun 29, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Wait until the non-wealthy property owners in the neighborhood find out about how much property value they will lose if the City downzones. Wait until they figure out they are being played by Bill D. Something that is within code cannot and should not be stopped. Maybe you or I would build a different building, maybe we would put in a single family brownstone on that property. I live a block away and hope something with maximum not minimum density gets built there. More neighbors, good thing.
3 Anonymous // Jun 29, 2007 at 9:52 pm
That’s on my corner… I like the plaza just the way it is. Losing that would be a huge blow to the neighborhood. Scarano should build elsewhere.
4 Anonymous // Jul 2, 2007 at 1:34 pm
In response to some of the previous comments on this story,blaming a
“lack of action by the neighborhood” regarding the 360 Smith St site:
–the average homeowner in Carroll Gardens who goes to work and is busy raising their family and looking for a parking space twice a week does not have the time nor the inclination to peruse the many architects’ sites searching for possible construction in their neighborhood—what is important, is that once the people who actually live here,learned of the project, they reacted with speedy,appropriate concern and action.
As for “making the rest of the area south of here more attractive instead”—-now that I have learned of these architectural websites, I noticed that the very same architect has a plan for the area euphemistically referred to as, Public Place–where many people including,Bill DeBlasio, David Yassky and Sara Gonzalez-check the June 30th issue of the Brooklyn Paper, (btw-do any of them live in Carroll Gardens?)have lots of plans to build high density housing—I assume with the Borough President and the City Planning Chairwoman’s blessings. (Do they live here?)
The fact that the area is totally polluted and continually contaminated by the lovely Lavender Lake, does not seem to be a concern. I will be happy to support additional housing in that area when I see Mr DeBlasio, Mr.Yassky, Ms Gonzalez, Mr Markowitz, Ms Burden and all of their blood relatives,swimming,frolicking and sunbathing in and around the Gowanus Canal every day, for an entire summer. When I see that, I will support putting innocent people and their families on that site. How about it, Guys, SURF’S UP!