Solar Phone Chargers in DUMBO, Pier 1, Fort Greene and More

Solar charger in DUMBO. Photo: MK Metz

AT&T is installing approximately 25 outdoor solar mobile charging units across the city this summer. So far two have been set in Fort Greene Park, plus one at at Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier I, on Governor’s Island, Pier 1 at Riverside Park and Union Square Park.

In Brooklyn, more will be installed at Coney Island, Metrotech Plaza, at the Dumbo Arts Festival and at the Brooklyn Book Festival.

Mayor Bloomberg said he asked the company to do this after people had trouble charging their phones after Hurricane Sandy.

Shown above: Pensa, a Dumbo-based strategic design consultancy designed the first Street Charge prototype and installed it at the Pearl Street Triangle starting in 2012. It's up again this summer. More about this here.

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Improv Everywhere Pulls Damn Fine 1860s Bar Time Travel Prank in Greenpoint

Improv Everywhere surprised random people by turning back the clock 150 years at the Black Rabbit bar in Greenpoint, Brooklyn completely transforming it into 1860s New York.

This project was a collaboration with the BBC America series Copper.

Comments and original video here.

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Brooklyn Tech Triangle to Unveil Expansion Plan Today (Tuesday)

On Tuesday, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle partnership (which includes the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, the Dumbo Business Improvement District and the Brooklyn Navy Yard), will unveil a master plan to lure more technology firms, Crain's NY reports.

One idea would transform four blocks of old warehouses along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, just across Flushing Avenue from the Navy Yard, into mixed use with some space dedicated to tech.

Another would entice landlords to rent out the upper floors along Fulton Street to tech firms.

Other landlords might "repurpose" office space for small startups by subdividing.

Huge expansion of tech space eyed in Brooklyn Crain's

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With BAM South Deal, Letitia James Shows 'Em How to Do Business in the Big City

Two Trees

The big story on Monday was the approval at a City Council committee meeting of the ‘BAM South’ 32-story mixed use cultural development in Fort Greene.

The project, a lynchpin of the BAM Cultural District, will include cultural space (including a performance theater and a movie theater), affordable housing and a new public plaza with a restaurant and retail.

Because Councilwoman Letitia James bargained shrewdly, several key measures were included that make the project better for everyone. According to the Brooklyn Eagle:

* James negotiated an agreement that would maintain the Pacific Street library branch, which Brooklyn Public Library had shortsightedly planned to sell to developers.

* She negotiated an increase in the number of affordable apartments.

* She got Two Trees to agree to pay union wages or better. In an update, James said the project would include "some" union jobs.The statement by Two Trees reads in part, "We pledge to work together with the  Building and Construction Trades Council to ensure that work on the $130 million project will be bid out to multiple union firms giving them the opportunity to compete for the work. We are confident that union contracts will be employed at the site over the course of construction of this great mixed use project."

* Cultural organizations utilizing the space will reflect the diversity of this community.

* Utilization of the open space will include the input of all stakeholders.

Kudos to Ms. James for holding out, in the face of dimwitted editorials in the NY Daily News castigating her for "tinkering" with the project.

According to the News: "James has been haggling down to the wire to modify the BAM South parameters. This is no way to do business in the greatest city in the world."

Wrong, Daily News. This is EXACTLY the way to do business in the big city.

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Neil Gaiman ('American Gods') Launching Latest Novel at BAM

Courtesy of HarperCollins

Neil Gaiman fans: The author will be launching his latest novel “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” (William Morrow; on sale June 18, and is available for pre-order at Amazon now), at BAM’s Howard Gilman Opera House on June 18.

This is Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1 New York Times bestseller "Anansi Boys."

More here.

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Speeding Drivers Kill More People In Brooklyn Than Any Other Borough

Photo: MK Metz

The disturbing news that speeding drivers kill more people in Brooklyn than any other borough is partially explained by several statistics:


- 88% of Brooklyn drivers break the 30 mph speed limit

- Only 2,028 speeding citations were handed out in Brooklyn in 2011, but Transportation Alternatives clocked 2,232 speeding Brooklyn drivers in just 12 hours.

The carnage is incredible: In 2011, 79 people were killed in Kings County by automobiles, and more than 23,000 were injured. (That's 63 injuries a day just in Brooklyn!) The numbers appear to be even worse for 2012.

More at Gothamist.

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Metal Rail Impales Large Tree on State Street, Brooklyn Heights

Photos by MK Metz

A long, narrow piece of metal is deeply imbedded in a tree trunk high above the ground on State Street in Brooklyn Heights (near Henry Street).

Though we have no idea how the metal got into the tree, from its height we'd guess it's the upper side rail of a semi trailer.

It's pretty shocking to see this thing sticking out of the tree.

Below is a diagram that shows an upper side rail, about the height of the metal impaled in the tree.

Courtesy of infovisual.info

Anyone know the story behind this incident?

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Goodbye, 88 'Sing for Hope' Pianos

Photo: MK Metz

After two weeks on the streets of New York City, the 88 artist-decorated Sing for Hope pianos were collected and transported to Lincoln Center on Sunday for an all-day concert. (The grand finale featured all 88 pianos.)

The pianos have been residing in parks and other public spaces throughout the five boroughs for everyone  to enjoy. For their next performance, they'll be donated to schools, healthcare facilities, and community organizations.

Shown above: A passerby tinkles the keys of one of the pianos placed under the Manhattan Bridge Arch in DUMBO.

Chobani was the sponsor of this year's event -- and this particular piano was covered in Chobani Yogurt foil lids signed by company employees from around the globe.

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Brooklyn +POOL Stages Second, Bigger Kickstarter Campaign

Put Your Name On a +Pool Tile

Two years ago we reported: Brooklynites Desperate for Giant Floating +Pool Kick In More Than $25,000 To Get It Rolling.

Now, we're happy to report that +POOL-- a giant, plus-shaped floating pool in Brooklyn, preferably off Brooklyn Bridge Park -- has launched its second Kickstarter campaign, this time for $250,000.

The money will be used to create a floating test lab at the Brooklyn Navy Yard this summer. This stage of the project will only be funded if the full amount is pledged by Friday, Jul 12 -- but with 28 days to go, the group has already raised $60,363.

People seem to be very enthusiastic about this pool!


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More Things to Worry About: Drinking Water, Solar Flares, Toilet Paper

Don Davis, NASA

Thought all we had to worry about was hurricanes, LICH closing and cicadas? We've barely scratched the surface of worrisome events. Here are ominous posts from around the Internets:

 - A vast array of pharmaceuticals including antibiotics, anti-convulsants, mood stabilizers and sex hormones has been found in the drinking water supplies of at least 41 million Americans, an Associated Press investigation shows.  [AP via South Brooklyn Post]

- Solar flares are reaching their max for this 11-year cycle. One could possibly knock out the entire power grid, with catastrophic results. [International Business Times] On the other hand, hackers could do the same thing. [NY Times]

- Deadly asteroids. You know the drill. [McBrooklyn]

- Researchers working with marine mammals are now being advised to wear protective gear as the dreaded influenza A H1N1 subtype virus has mutated and had been detected active in seals off the coast of central California. [International Business Times] Also to worry about: Worldwide outbreaks of MERS and two new flues. [NPR]

- Infectious diseases are running through the Orthodox Jewish community in Brooklyn. This time it's measles. [The Daily Beast]

- The toilet paper shortage: Venezuelans download new app which helps locate toilet paper as stock runs low. [Red Ice Creations]

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