Satellite of Love, Coming Real Soon

Since the Pentagon sprung this on us on Valentine's Day (see previous post about the toxic satellite due to crash somewhere on Earth in a week or two), we've decided to dub the spiraling secret spy craft the "Satellite of Love."

As in the Lou Reed song named, coincidentally enough, "Satellite of Love."

Satellite's gone
Up to the skies
Things like that drive me
Out of my mind

I watched it for a little while
I like to watch things on TV

Satellite of love
Satellite of love
Satellite of love
Satellite of ...



Photo top by Toomuchkatherine, Creative Commons license
Video posted by Thiemon

Navy to Try to Destroy Satellite Before It Hits Earth

President Bush has ordered the Pentagon to to attempt to destroy a disabled 5,000 lb. U.S. spy satellite -- filled with toxic fuel -- that is falling back to Earth. The job must be done just before it re-enters the atmosphere, according to an AP story on US News & World Report. The satellite is expected to hit Earth during the first week of March; the attempt to take out the satellite could come as early as three or four days from now.

This is the first time the U.S. has attempted an interception of this sort.

- Pentagon plans to shoot down disabled satellite Reuters
- U.S. Officials Say Broken Satellite Will Be Shot Down New York Times
- U.S. Plans to Shoot Down Broken Spy Satellite Washington Post

Photo by Platinumblondlife, Creative Commons license

Brooklyn House of Detention, Now With Retail

New York Magazine describes the revived plans to reinvent the jail system — and, they say, "gloss up Atlantic Avenue in the bargain." Design and Construction Commissioner David Burney showed early drawings by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill of a “more vibrant shopping arcade” lining Atlantic and Smith — on the ground floor of the Brooklyn House of Detention -- doubled in size.

That Trader Joe's shown on the ground floor is for illustration purposes only -- Two Trees has confirmed that the deal is still on for TJ's to move into the old Independence Bank building at Atlantic and Court Streets.

Photo courtesy NYC Dept. of Design & Construction -- see it full size at New York Magazine.

Past posts on the Brooklyn House of Detention here.

Snow at Brooklyn Borough Hall Turns in Icy River of Slush

What a difference a day makes. The enchanting dusting of yesterday has turned into the icy slush of today.

Tip: Avoid the plaza around Borough Hall during a heavy rain. Poor drainage results in rivers of flowing water several inches deep. Pity the poor rats!

Photos by MK Metz

Busy Chef Empire: Frozen Dinners or Homemade Cuisine?

Conflicting views of "the expanding Busy Chef empire" have been percolating through Brooklyn's blogosphere. The takeout establishment, with one store in Brooklyn Heights at the corner of Henry and Cranberry Streets, is getting ready to open at 111 Court Street (sometime in February, was the last word). And according to the Brooklyn Eagle, there are more stores planned for Chelsea and Fort Greene.

When Busy Chef opened on Henry Street, we ate the sandwiches and the Caesar salad several times, and found them to be delicious. But then came the change to prepackaged food and a decline in overall quality (though we must say that the baked items are still prime).

Commenters on sites like Brownstoner and Chowhound have expressed their opinions in the harshest possible terms. There's even a rumor flying around that the store won't survive to open on Court.

Then comes along this article in the Brooklyn Eagle about the extent of the work Busy Chef has nearly completed at 111 Court. Besides the parlor floor being totally revamped, a bakery and hot and cold kitchens are being installed below ground, and an outdoor patio is being built out back. (During the renovation, BC found "evidence of former Speakeasy trapdoors, ornate carvings and mirror placements in the basement.")

So what is the true identity of Busy Chef? TV dinners or fine cuisine? Popular Heights takeout or dead in the water?

More about 111 Court here.

- Busy Chef coming to Court Street

Photo by MK Metz

City's Gyms Crawling With Filth, and More Brooklyn in Brief

- John Catsimatidis told Brownstoner that he was "taking a hard look" at his 162 Myrtle Street project "in light of the current environment." Brownstoner

- Gwyneth Paltrow says she is considering adopting a child -- not from an impoverished African nation, but from Brooklyn. ShowbizSpy

- David Kramer (Hudson Companies) has been named chairman of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy board. Brooklyn Eagle

- The city's gyms are a crawling mess of dangerous filth. NYDailyNews via Racked

- Remember when you could buy a whole brownstone in Park Slope for $20,000? Neither do we. Gowanus Lounge

- London Mayor Ken Livingstone unveiled a £500 million ($940 million) program to build extensive new bike networks and launch a bike-for-hire system. Streetsblog

- The Brooklyn Paper says we need them. Gothamist

Dumbo: Before the Storm

As the storm clouds rolled in yesterday.

Photo by MK Metz

Sex-Abuse Rabbi May Be Headed Back to Brooklyn

After two decades of asylum in Israel, the infamous Rabbi Avrohom Mondrowitz could be headed home to Brooklyn, where he will be prosecuted for sex abuse and sodomy of children, according to the Brooklyn Eagle. Mondrowitz and his family fled to Israel 23 years ago. More here.

In 1984, this “Wanted” poster was posted throughout Borough Park.
Photo courtesy TheAwarenessCenter.org

High Winds Cause Scaffolding Problems in Brooklyn

A high wind advisory was in effect Sunday, and the Buildings Department issued a reminder to all builders, contractors, developers and property owners to secure their construction sites and buildings.

At the hight of the wind, firefighters checked out the scaffolding built around 20 Henry Street -- the Peaks Mason Mints building (also called the Candy Factory). Urban Realty Partners paid $19.6 million for the site last year. (Click on photo to see tiny firefighters walk the scaffolding.)

No word on what the firefighters found.

A scaffold did collapse at a site near East 12th Street and Avenue O in Midwood, leaving a big mess and crushing cars but causing no injuries, firefighters said. See wnbc for more.

Photo by MK Metz

'The Standish' Now Renting in Brooklyn Heights

This phone booth billboard on Henry Street in Brooklyn Heights proclaims that "The Standish" is now renting 1, 2 and 3 bedrooms.

Once owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses, 169 Columbia Heights (previously known as the Standish Arms) has been renovated by an affiliate of Taurus Investment Holdings, which purchased the 120-unit, 12-story building back in December, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

Taurus generally acquires assets, improves them, and then tries to sell them, according to the Eagle.

Awaye Realty, which is handling the rentals, did some research on the building's history. Apparently Superman lived in apartment 5G, and the building was the setting for Willy’s pivotal affair in "Death of a Salesman."

Not mentioned in the sales brochure was the spectacular Standish Arms Hotel Fire of 1966. A shocking photo (by Firefighter Francis Murphy) of a burning woman plunging through the hands of heroic Firefighter Rizzo can be seen at SteveSpak.com. More about the fire here.

According to some lively comments on Brownstoner, there are at least nine rent controlled tenants still at the Standish. (We remember when the invincible Alice, a waitress at the old Cadman Plaza Restaurant on Henry Street, used to live there.)

And yes, the coat-of-arms of the Standish includes -- what else -- a dish on a stand. In fact, three dishes on three stands.

Photo by MK Metz