Archive for July 2013
tower chamber
Getting high in Western Queens.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
As some of you may have discovered, your humble narrator is bringing his personal brand of wide eyed paranoia to Brownstoner Queens in a bi weekly column exploring some the lesser known and esoteric corners of Western Queens for a couple of months now. Recent endeavor found one at the summit of the Standard Motor Products Building at the corner of Northern Blvd. and Steinway/39th st./Harold Avenue visiting the startlingly cool Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm. Check out what I saw up there by clicking here.
For a full inventory of what I’ve been doing over at Brownstoner, click here.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A second posting spawned by the visit looked over the walls and witnessed the majestic Sunnyside Yard from on high, which can accessed by clicking here. Just yesterday, an interviewer working on an unrelated project asked me what my reaction to “demolishing the Javitz Center in Manhattan, then decking over the Sunnyside Yard and building a convention center and hotel complex on the deck” would be.
Roughly an hour later, after a far ranging diatribe about storm water, CSO’s, and endemic PCB contamination- the question I asked the interviewer was “How, in any way, would this benefit Queens other than the creation of low wage service industry jobs?” (and a short interval of construction industry jobs, of course). I suggested we deck over the yards and install 192 acres of farmland or just a plain old park. Didn’t Central Park spur development of underutilized land surrounding it in Manhattan 150 years ago, creating what are today the most valuable residential properties in the entire city if not the world? Why not add something green to spur growth, whatever the hell that is?
I also asked the interviewer what the hell “vibrant and diverse” is supposed to indicate or mean.
Please, planners, leave your air conditioned Manhattan offices and actually come to Queens. Leave the cars and bicycles behind and actually walk around. We don’t need any more of Manhattan’s problems exported to us, as Queens’ biggest problem is the City shitting on us every chance it gets.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Sorry for the late update today, had a few connectivity problems this morning. I’ll be out and about all weekend, if anyone has anything going on they’d like me to record or write about- please contact me here.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Want to see something cool? Summer 2013 Walking Tours-
Glittering Realms– Saturday, August 3rd, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Atlas Obscura, tickets now on sale.
Kill Van Kull– Saturday, August 10, 2013
Staten Island walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Working Harbor Committee, tickets now on sale.
13 Steps around Dutch Kills– Saturday, August 17, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Newtown Creek Alliance, tickets now on sale.
struggling madly
Like a leaf, you.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
It’s Furrinalia, an ancient Roman holiday venerating Furrina. Furrina was a water goddess of truly ancient origins, one of the 12 “flamines minores.” July 25 is “one of those days,” when random events in the calendar as revealed by the historical record seem to be propitious in retrospect. Events speak of broad strokes and suggest some sort of guiding hand- although that’s 20/20 hindsight and western bias talking. Coincidentally, July 25 is also the day that the Inca empire celebrated its thunder god Ilyap’a, who kept the Milky Way in a jar and used it to make rain.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
After his Dad died, a fellow we refer to as Constantine the Great was proclaimed the emperor of Rome by his troops in 306. A scant 9 years later, the “arch of Constantine” was unveiled in Rome, hailing the victory of the General and his armies at the Milvian Bridge- a battle made famous by the Emperor’s conversion to Christianity, which was an event signaling that the end of the pagan era in Europe was nigh. In 1261, the armies of Michael VIII Palaiologos recaptured the city named for Constantine from latin usurpers, beginning the final iteration of the Roman Empire which would end in the fires of 1453.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
In 1837, the first electrical telegraph was demonstrated in London. In 1866, the newly created post of “General of the Army” in the United States was awarded to Ulysses S. Grant. In 1898, United States troops began the invasion of Puerto Rico, and in 1946 an atomic bomb was detonated at Bikini Atoll. Today is the day that Dylan went electric in Newport, Connecticut in 1965, and 1978 saw the birth of the first “test tube” baby. In 1984, Salyut 7 cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya becomes the first woman to perform a space walk.
Also, in 1966, New York City Council speaker and Mayoral candidate Christine Quinn was born in Glen Cove.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Want to see something cool? Summer 2013 Walking Tours-
Glittering Realms– Saturday, August 3rd, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Atlas Obscura, tickets now on sale.
Kill Van Kull– Saturday, August 10, 2013
Staten Island walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Working Harbor Committee, tickets now on sale.
13 Steps around Dutch Kills– Saturday, August 17, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Newtown Creek Alliance, tickets now on sale.
facets glisten
From the Kill Van Kull.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
A singlet today, lords and ladies, acting as a placeholder in lieu of a real posting. Your humble narrator is behind on several schedules, not the least of which is the one guiding this- your Newtown Pentacle. Nixon said it best with “never complain, never explain” so I’ll leave it at that.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Want to see something cool? Summer 2013 Walking Tours-
Kill Van Kull– Saturday, August 10, 2013
Staten Island walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Working Harbor Committee, tickets now on sale.
13 Steps around Dutch Kills– Saturday, August 17, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Newtown Creek Alliance, tickets now on sale.
blind alleys
You never know what might float by.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Recently, while onboard the Staten Island Ferry, I noticed the gargantuan DonJon tug Atlantic Salvor towing an interesting rig. Atlantic Salvor is a 151 foot long “ocean going anchor handling tugboat” whose engines operate at about 6,480 HP. The rig she’s towing is a crane barge, which is called “Newark Bay.”
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The crane barge is being towed in an “on the hip” fashion. This means that the starboard side of the tug is tied off to the port side of the barge at roughly the center mass point of the tug. Your humble narrator has little understanding of why one chooses the various methods of attachment that are available to tug captains, but I’m sure there is some utterly prosaic reason governing the choice.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
What caught my interest wasn’t really the crane barge, a bit of kit we will be seeing a lot of on Newtown Creek in the coming years as the Kosciuszko Bridge rebuild kicks into gear, instead it was the smaller towing vessel (which might be a work boat, just to be nit picky) which was being towed along with the crane.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
The vast majority of towing observed in the harbor is fuel, garbage, or cargo related. You’ll notice the occasional crane or dredge barge, of course, but they are witnessed with far less frequency. Atlantic Salvor was built in 1977 and is operated by DonJon towing.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Want to see something cool? Summer 2013 Walking Tours-
Kill Van Kull– Saturday, August 10, 2013
Staten Island walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Working Harbor Committee, tickets now on sale.
13 Steps around Dutch Kills– Saturday, August 17, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Newtown Creek Alliance, tickets now on sale.
vivid melange
A rapidly cooling post today
– photo by Mitch Waxman
This last weekend, your humble narrator led a short boat tour up a long Creek for Metropolitan Waterfront Alliances’ City of Water Day festival, despite the Bataan Death March atmospherics. Upon returning to Astoria and after inhaling approximately 40 gallons of water, one went out in search of Mr. Softee. The mister is no good, as Mrs. Softee spends every night alone during the summer, and has no idea where he spends his time or for whom his bells toll.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Time spent in the ancient village of Astoria is often revelatory, as many of the neighbors speak English not just as a second, but in many cases as a third language. This will often result in unintentionally meaningful signage, as with this sign board found on Broadway nearby the elevated N and Q lines which succinctly describes United States foreign policy.
– photo by Mitch Waxman
Finally, a quick peek at Hunters Point, where construction seems to be gearing up and the brave new world is forming. Ten years from now, this same POV will portray the entrance to a grand tower building of the “happy shiny” sort which will be part of the new Hunters Point South community. I’ll miss the view, myself, but I like muddy puddles.
“follow” me on Twitter- @newtownpentacle
Want to see something cool? Summer 2013 Walking Tours-
Kill Van Kull– Saturday, August 10, 2013
Staten Island walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Working Harbor Committee, tickets now on sale.
13 Steps around Dutch Kills– Saturday, August 17, 2013
Newtown Creek walking tour with Mitch Waxman and Newtown Creek Alliance, tickets now on sale.
The Newtown Pentacle 