Walk down Smith Street in the summer and it's at least 10 degrees hotter than the side streets or Court Street. Why? Apparently, north of Carroll Street, Smith Street has no trees.Smith Street merchants, help us out here. Restaurant row is broiling!
According to the Parks & Recreation web site, any property owner in the city can request free street trees -- Ginkgos, Honeylocusts, Sweetgums, Tulip Trees, Dawn Redwoods, Oaks, Lindens, etc.
To make it easy for Smith Street property owners, McBrooklyn has linked to the EZ tree form right here. Just click, fill it out, and trees should be on their way.
Photo by MK Metz
McBrooklyn home page here.
I've always heard that there were no trees on Smith north of Carroll because the subway tunnels were too close to the street surface to permit plantings.
ReplyDeleteWas that hearsay?
Oddly enough, the only trees on the street are right on top of the subway plaza at 360 Smith -- and these are the trees that will be cut down to build the controversial Scarrano-designed project. There's aphoto on Curbed:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.curbed.com/archives/2007
/07/17/scarano_not_making_fans_on
_smith_st_and_beyond.php
UPDATE: The Brooklyn Eagle just published this: "Except near its end, there are no trees on Smith. The sidewalks are relatively narrow, and too many cellars of the store fronts stick out under the sidewalks; they are called vaults. There is no room for trees to root."
ReplyDeleteHere's the link:
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/
categories/category.php?category_id
=10&id=14499