Archive for February 24th, 2012
social upheaval
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Holy smokes! Two enormous lots, formerly bisected by an abandoned railway line sweeping across the entire lot, found between the Dutch Kills tributary of the Newtown Creek and 30th street to the west and east and between Borden and Hunters Point Avenues to the south and north, have been entirely razed. The Hunters Point Avenue side, until recently, held the plant of “National Envelope” and the other has been vacant for quite some time.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This must be the first time in almost a hundred years that this point of view has been available from Borden Avenue, a wide open vista showing the Degnon Terminal- or at least the survivors of it- that stretches all the way to Queens Plaza. Incidentally, the dust that this project is kicking out is massive, and the day these shots were obtained- was heading in a westerly direction toward the recently repopulated neighborhood of Hunters Point commonly referred to as Long Island City.
Upon observing this, I made it a point to stay upwind of the dust plume.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
I’m told that the next incarnation of this site along Dutch Kills will be a Federal Express shipping center, which will be enormous if the entire footprint of this site is used. That’s going to be a LOT of trucks coming and going through this ancient neighborhood and Western Queens in general.
Let’s hope that the century old bridges on Borden and Hunters Point Avenue can handle the additional load.
Wonder how the large shipments of bulk freight coming from the airports will travel here, or how the hundreds of local delivery Fed-Ex trucks will get to Manhattan, and North Brooklyn, and Eastern Queens- by which routes they will travel, and through whose neighborhoods?
ALSO, this Friday, as in tonight:
My own attempt at presenting a cogent narrative and historical journey “up the creek” is up coming as well-
Your humble narrator will be narrating humbly on Friday, February 24th at 7:30 P.M. for the“Ridgewood Democratic Club, 60-70 Putnam Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385” as the “Newtown Creek Magic Lantern Show” is presented to their esteemed group. The club hosts a public meeting, with guests and neighbors welcome, and say that refreshments will be served.
The “Magic Lantern Show” is actually a slideshow, packed with informative text and graphics, wherein we approach and explore the entire Newtown Creek. Every tributary, bridge, and significant spot are examined and illustrated with photography. This virtual tour will be augmented by personal observation and recollection by yours truly, with a question and answer period following.
For those of you who might have seen it last year, the presentation has been streamlined, augmented with new views, and updated with some of the emerging stories about Newtown Creek which have been exclusively reported on at this- your Newtown Pentacle.
For more information, please contact me here.
What: Newtown Creek Magic Lantern Show
When: Friday, February 24th at 7:30 P.M.
Where: Ridgewood Democratic Club, 60-70 Putnam Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385
The Newtown Pentacle 