This bruhaha is interesting because someone is posting notes and sending letters as representatives of the Horatio Street Association They certainly live on Horatio Street but they are not in any way representing the HSA and these postings and letters are not from HSA. Being more optimistic than our neighbor, I assume that the guards will be returned. Remember that an important way to preserve the planting is by watering. This help is appreciated by your neighbors. Looks like nature is going to help in the next few days. – Marjorie Colt, V. President for the HSA

Now, I helped plant those tree pits, I’ve watched the pretty begonias die during the sidewalk renovation, and I’ve watched the sloppiness of the contractors that has led to a bunch of concrete being left in the tree pits, in what was already difficult dirt (sometimes even the potato plants couldn’t thrive in these pits) – but I’m still bewildered by the hue and cry on this particular subject… Is there more to this story than meets the eye? And, seriously, who impersonates a Street Association? Really, impersonating a street association? Really?

Unfortunately, they are not putting the old tree guards back, but they have said that they are replacing all the old tree guards with new, identical tree guards to the old ones.

It was 11pm.

Here’s the question: Was that illegal? And if not, shouldn’t it be? And further, shouldn’t all car alarms be considered a public nuisance and be outlawed?

After nosing around a bit (the good people at Transportation Alternatives have great info available), I discovered that a number of people pushed very hard for the outlawing of car alarms in 2005 and that while the City Council carved car alarms out of the noise ordinances (making them an exception, just like emergency vehicle sirens), that same “Int 0397-2004 2005/113″ which was enacted 12/29/2005 included a provision that the Commissioner would:

(c) The commissioner, in conjunction with the police department, shall study noise abatement
strategies for audible motor vehicle burglar alarms and within twenty-four months of the effective date of this
section shall report to the mayor his or her findings and recommendations.

Not to be dramatic, but I think the black circles under my eyes attest to the fact that car alarms are really destroying me. I’m five flights up, our building put in new windows only 10 years ago, I have a sound machine going, and yet those car alarm pierce through every time. And our street, because we don’t allow parking during the day, just might suffer from more car alarms that other streets, due to the high number of out-of-towners who find parking in the evenings while enjoying the nearby restaurants/bars/clubs and frequently turn on their car alarms.

So – what can be done? Does anyone know if the commission did a study? And if s/he did, then whether it is available to public and how to find out? I’m going to send an email to Christine Quinn’s office. I’ve found they are very responsive.

And then there’s this (just in case you weren’t already AMAZED and EXCITED about this new development): They are going for LEED Gold Certification and aim to be a zero net-water consumer annually via “an intensive black water treatment system and reuse of rainwanter collected on site” AND a net-zero energy consumer by ‘creating aggressive demand reductions through passive stratgeies such as daylighting and natural ventilation, implementing high-efficiency HVAC and lighting solutions and incorporating intensive onsite renewable power generation.”

There are some beautiful images available in the proposal Young Woo submitted, along with lots of of additional information on their design inspiration and details of the spaces above.

I’d love to know what other people think of this (or the other) proposals that were out there. To me, this proposal is so exciting because it feels like a natural extension of our neighborhood rather than a playground set down in the midst of our neighborhood that caters to everyone and everything except for us.

With so much new development in our neighborhood, we run the risk of becoming a circus, and I’m so glad that Hudson River Park had the foresight to choose a proposal that is not just another generic carnival but a carefully thought through magnification of what our neighborhood is.

Now – if someone could please make sure the developers know to avoid the Amazon rainforest lumber….

Not to mention an HighLine Photo Postcard Booth, and a reading of Peter Brown’s The Curious Garden (which is my new favorite gift for all my favorite urban 3-year olds).

Oh, and speaking of the really cool org that is sponsoring this festival and brought us the highline in the first place, folks, did you get your Charter Membership? If not, you can still become a member

Details:
This Sunday, July 12: Target High Line Street Festival: Rain or Shine
From 12:00 Noon to 5:00 PM, Gansevoort Street between Ninth Avenue and Washington Street, in the Meatpacking District.
This event is FREE and will take place RAIN OR SHINE.

Did I mention the World’s Largest Lemonade stand would be there? Or how much I love curling up with a book on a rolling deck chair and watching the sunset from the Highline?

“There is some talk of Ashlee Dupre’ moving into the Rockrose building at 114 Horatio. Should be fun having all the paparazzi sitting out in front of our marquee.”

I wanted to let everyone know that there is a man who, for many days, has been sitting in the basketball area of Seravelli Playground (Horatio Street and Washington/8th ave) leering at children. He recently has moved to the picknic tables in the actual playground. And yesterday he said to a young teenager “the children are hot”.

The police came and told him he is not to be in either the basketball area or the playground and escorted him out (my sitter saw him hanging out on the street corner 10 minutes later.) The police told us that if he returns to the park to call 911 – that is the best and fastest way to get the police to come (don’t call the precinct or 311). Be one the look out because he may go to other parks.

He is average height, brownish grey thick hair, maybe 40s or 50s, white, heavy set – especially around the stomach.