the GOWANUS grist

News, names and numbers from the Canal.

[gowanusgrist]

New video from local artist Leon Marin, "Gowanus State of Mind."

[gowanusgrist]

Bites: Michael & Ping's Chinese open; Pita Hut back!

Some food news buzzing around Gowanus:

Michael and Ping’s Modern Chinese Takeout finally (soft)opened for on 3rd Ave. after months of planning, permit hold-ups and other delays. The new eatery, next door to Four & Twenty Blackbirds, serves “healthy” Chinese food, sourced with natural ingredients, and grilled, sauteed and cooked in natural oils. It’ll be the first Brooklyn restaurant to receive “certified green” status from the Green Restaurant Association. According to its Facebook page, it will close again for a few days to finalize its menu before opening again Monday. All signs point to tasty: Inside Michael & Ping's

Pita Hut on 9th St. at 5th Ave. has reopened after a mysterious closure back in May. The popular falafel spot has been renovated, which may explain the close.

[gowanusgrist]

Canal watch: For the birds

Eagle eyes may have noticed fifteen new yellow birdhouses recently posted along the Canal edges, and while they may look like sunny spots to us, they've yet to appeal to their intended tenants. Indeed, the houses largely remain empty, reports the Brooklyn Paper.

“The birdhouses aren’t being used yet because it takes a while for the birds to get used to them,” said Hans Hesselein, a South Slope landscape architect and one of four friends from North Carolina who built the houses.

A pleasant habitat around the houses helps, too, he explained. Well, that may take awhile, but in the meantime, according to the paper, the group has also installed bat-houses at 2nd Ave. and 3rd St. to attract brown bats, and more are planned in the future. They plan to build five houses to attract birds called chimney swifts -- no one will miss them, as the 15-foot-tall structures resembling chimneys will stand at the end of Second Avenue and Seventh Street.

Has anyone noticed the houses?

[gowanusgrist]

To do: Chat with "Lizzie McGuire" creator, beatbox and adult circus!

July 29:  In the world of girl icons, Disney's Lizzie McGuire wins as one of the most popular in the past 10 years -- learn from the woman who created her, animator Debra Solomon, at a chat and screening of her new mini-musical film "Getting Over Him in 8 Songs or Less" at 8 p.m. at the Brooklyn Conservatory (534 Union St.). $5.

July 30: Relive the heyday of punk at the two-day The Big Takeover 30th Anniversary punk festival at the Bell House (149 7th St.) with The Avengers, Channel 3, Visqueen, Springhouse, Libertines U.S. and Flower. $25 ($40 for two-day pass).

July 31: Gowanus will become the center for hiphop this weekend with the first annual, and first ever American, Beatbox Championships held this Saturday at Littlefield (622 DeGraw St.), part of the sixth annual BOXCON Human Beatbox 2010 convention dedicated to beatboxing.  Special guest judges include Jarobi White (ATCQ), Parrish Smith (EPMD), Swiss Chris (drummer/music director for John Legend), as well as beatbox legend Kenny Muhammad.  The event is part of a weekend of workshops, panel discussions, showcases, open mic and more. 8 p.m. $20-35. July 31: If steampunk Victorian goth is more your scene, check out “The Lost Circus” at Littlefield at 12 a.m. to see aerial dance, gypsy fortunetelling, feats of fire in the courtyard and more, hosted by party planners Gemini & Scorpio. Costumes are required. $15 with RSVP, $20.

July 31: Or relax under the stars with live music and a film screening, albeit one about the totalitarian Soviet regime in Estonia. At 8 p.m., hosted by Rooftop Films at the American Can Factory (232 3rd st.). $10.

[gowanusgrist]

Bites: Bencotto pizza on Carroll now open

The new Bencotto on Carroll and 3rd Ave. has been open for a few weeks and seems slightly more busy than the pizza shop it replaced -- has anyone checked it out?                           

[gowanusgrist]

Canal watch: Strange sponge to be planted in Gowanus

Something unusual, creepy and voracious will soon be growing in Gowanus. A plant "sponge" called bioswale, designed to soak up the storm water that pools in the area and dumps into the Canal, will be planted along Sixth St. between 2nd and 4th Aves.

The project, by the Gowanus Canal Conservancy and funded with a $580,000 grant from the city, will begin in August and take a year to complete, according to the Brooklyn Paper. Those two blocks were chosen because they are more likely to catch sewage overflow, said John Muir, advocacy group’s vice chairman, in the paper.

The sponge will be slightly different from the suddenly controversial "Sponge Park," a project planned in 2008 to line the canal banks with a plant designed to absorb rainwater so less sewage would get into the water. Conservancy activists thought the name was public, but recently realized the the project design firm, dlandstudio, had trademarked the name. Now they don't want to use the name at all.

No matter what it's called, a spongey riverbank collection system sounds promising, albeit unusual. Any thoughts?

Photo credit: Dlandstudio via Brooklyn Paper

[gowanusgrist]

Digs: Whole Foods is off-again?

Today, in the saga of Whole Foods-in-Gowanus: although the natural foods behemoth has finished cleaning the area of its potential future home at 3rd Ave. and 3rd St., the store has not committed to actually building a store there.

According to the Brooklyn Paper:

“Whole Foods is now reviewing the possibilities for a future location at this site,” said a Whole Foods spokesman, Michael Sinatra. “While there is no timetable set, discussions are active and we remain hopeful to bring a store to this community in the near future.”

Brooklynites have cheered at the thought of a Whole Foods store here for years, but concerns over site pollution in the ground and from the Canal have sparked delays and rumors of the project dying.

Until next time...

[gowanusgrist]

In The News: Pipes! In the Canal!

Much ado in the press about a new 2,500-foot system of pipes recently installed in the Canal that will "give a breath of fresh air" to the water by oxygenating it -- water will be drawn from the head of the canal at Douglass St., supersaturate it with dissolved oxygen and send it back into the canal through the pipes, according to the New York Times.

In the process, officials closed off the underground tunnel opened in 1999 that channeled additional water from New York Harbor, which served the same same purpose (but not very well), according to WNYC. It will remain closed for 26 months so it can be fully drained, its pump will be replaced, and a mile-long pipe will be build connected the canal to the Red Hook Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

The Gowanus Canal needs the extra boost since water goes into the canal at New York Harbor but has nowhere to go once it hits a dead end at Boerum Hill, thanks to poor planning by builders nearly 100 years ago.

The added bonus of the system? Reducing the distinct fragrance of the water -- sweet.

[gowanusgrist]

Huh?: Gowanus dumpster pools to open on Park Ave.

Just weeks after the neighborhood "Double D" pool barely survived closing, Mayor Bloomberg has announced that the popular Dumpster Pools set up last year on Bond St. between Union and Carroll will be replicated this year on, oddly enough, Park Ave.

Three of the above-ground "Dumpster" pools  -- the fanciest one might find, as each is "accompanied by several changing-room cabanas, portable showers and portable toilet," according to the Times -- will be open from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. the first three Saturdays in August on Park Ave. and 40th St.

No word on whether these pools will return to their rightful home.

Park Ave's future Gowanus pools

[dmgtc-blog]

[gowanusgrist]

dgmtc:

Saturday morning waiting for the F at 4th Ave.

[gowanusgrist]

Now open: UltraViolet on 7th

On our way to the packed-to-capacity Secret Science Club lecture last night at the Bell House, we noticed the rather understated (cardboard?) sign for UltraViolet at 424 3rd Ave., an apparently long-awaited new club that must have opened sometime within the past couple months -- judging by this one small review on Yelp -- but without much fanfare, or else we would have heard of it.

It's a "dynamic"  three-level lounge with "a glamorous edge, providing a comfortable setting for private gatherings," according to the site. Really? Has anyone been checked it out?

[gowanusgrist]

Weather watch: 4th Ave. streets flooded!

All the rain yesterday flooded parts of 4th Ave., reports Brownstoner, down by Carroll and President Sts. and back toward the canal. Check out this video by neighborhood resident Kevin Hogan posted to the Facebook page of Root Hill Cafe on the corner of 4th and Carroll:

[gowanusgrist]

Video: Jell-O Mold Competition

Make magazine just posted this great behind-the-scenes video of the Jell-O Mold Competition at the Gowanus Studio Space in June. Contestants explain their thinking behind their extremely impressive creations of Jell-O apple pie, a ruffled tank top, Jesus and more. Check it out:

[gowanusgrist]

Bites: Taste of China on 4th "out of this world"?

Make way for tourists. Local ones, anyway. The self-proclaimed "Brooklyn's Bitches On A Budget" trekked over to our fair nabe recently out of a sort-of urban legend curiosity, dubbing it a "community worth a second look" and describing their favorite sites in their blog here.

They praised the popular Bell House and Four and Twenty Blackbirds pie shop, of course, Home Ec/Flirt sewing shop on Third, and the Kings County Cinema Society which often screens films at the American Can Factory. (They also mentioned the Gowanus Yacht Club and Stinky Brooklyn cheese shop that are actually in Carroll Gardens, not Gowanus -- yes, we're territorial.)

The "bitches" also mentioned a surprise: Taste of China on 4th Ave., gushing over its egg roll, General Tso's chicken, dumplings, and fried rice, calling them "out of this world." Is it so praiseworthy? We never noticed. But we're willing to be convinced. 

Worth a trek? Photo via Patrick Siggins, NYMag

It'll face some competition once that fancy, all-natural Chinese eatery finally opens on 3rd Ave.

Any other favorite Gowanus spots for out-of-towners to check out?

[gowanusgrist]

Photo by radville via Flickr.

[gowanusgrist]

DIGS: Toll Brothers Cans Canal Deal

As it promised it would do if the Gowanus Canal were designated a SuperFund site, Toll Brothers development company has thrown in the towel on its plan to build a huge apartment complex.

The company says it made little sense to develop its planned square of land near Carroll St. on the banks of the Canal and then wait for the SuperFund cleaning to be completed, which could take 10 to 15 years.

Toll Brothers has spent about $20 million on the development deal since 2004. According to the Brooklyn Paper, the company would have built 477 apartments in a complex of townhouses and buildings scaling as high as 12 stories on two adjoining blocks. The city had appproved the project, and worried that the SuperFund designation would scare it and other developers away fom the area.

Toll Brothers crushed on the Canal

It's worth it, though, if it means the Canal will be properly cleaned up fo the benefit of all, some residents argue.

Resident Linda Mariano told the Paper, “The land might sit there for now, but we still have a future. We want healthy water and healthy land and open space. It shouldn’t just be for people who live in condos and co-ops.”

[gowanusgrist]

To do: Canal tour, crafts, science of desire!

So much to do for kids, shoppers and food fans in Gowanus this weekend and early next week. As always, check links for more information.

July 9: BlueNefertiti/La Femme Bleue (Celia of Les Nubians) transforms Littlefield (622 Degraw St.) into a Parisian nightclub with “Paris@Night," a sensual night of jazz, hip hop, soul, house and reggae, presented by the ButterflyNetwork in cooperation with Ubiquita NYC, the weekly soul/house/hip-hip party frequented by guests including Mos Def, MeShell N'Degeocello, Rosario Dawson and Aunjanue Ellis, and Fusicology. 8:30 p.m. $17.

  July 10: Dive into the fascinating history of the Gowanus canal and the buildings and bridges around it at the "Go, Go Gowanus" walk led by architectural historian Matt Postal, sponsored by the Municipal Art Society of NYC. Meet at 10 a.m. at Smith and President streets in Carroll Gardens, outside the drug store. $15.

July 10: Jazz up your own beach tote and sandals with appliques and other materials at the Fun In The Sun! class at 3 p.m. at the Brooklyn Craft Farm (160 7th St. between 2nd and 3rd Aves).  Children welcome and encouraged! $30 (includes materials).

July 10: Children ages 3 to 5 can learn to make Summertime Popsicles in three flavors -- Watermelon, Jersey Peach, Strawberry Creamsicles -- at 12 p.m. at the Ger-Nis Culinary Center (540 President St. Suite 2E). $25.

July 11: Scratch your shopping itch at the Lyceum Mini Mar(ke)t from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Brooklyn Lyceum (227 4th Ave.) featuing wares by local crafters and artisans.

July 13: The Secret Science Club will discuss the psychology and neuroscience of desire at 8 p.m. at the Bell House, led by Yale psychologist and cognitive scientist Paul Bloom. Each month the Club gathers here for a fun, intriguing discussion on various scientific topics, led by various experts. Free.