This site is closed to new comments and posts.

Notice: This site uses cookies to function.
If you are not comfortable with cookies then please don't browse this website.

Ms Whynot and Whynot design the 2015 walking tour. — Brooklynian

Ms Whynot and Whynot design the 2015 walking tour.

whynot_31
whynot_31
edited March 2015 in Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens
Longtime readers may be aware that in May 2013 and May 2014, Ms Whynot and I led walking tours of western Crown Heights.

The tours were free, and were part of a worldwide weekend of walking tours hosted by "geeks like us": http://www.janeswalk.org/

In 2013, we discussed the rezoning of western Crown Heights in CB8 for an audience of about 40 people.

In 2014, we increased our advertising, and then discussed the changes that were about to occur on Nostrand to an audience of about 75 people:
http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/43995/ms-whynot-and-whynot-lead-a-walking-tour-of-western-crown-heights-sunday-may-4th-noon-/p1

May 2015 is fast approaching, and the folks who locally organize and advertise the tours in NYC (ie The Municipal Arts Society of NY) are interested in hearing what we'd like to do this year. http://www.mas.org/

While Ms. Whynot and I have what we consider to be some pretty good ideas, we are interested in your ideas as well.

What would you like us to discuss?

Did you attend any of the prior tours?

Discuss.

Comments

  • Dawndew
    Dawndew
    comparisons of recent growth seen on the avenues; Nostrand, Kingston, Utica, Rogers? How the train stations and crossings of Atlantic could be upgraded that serve these ave?
  • msboombastic
    msboombastic
    What about a compare/contrast between the proposed rezoning study area in CB9 and the experience of the rezoned area in CB8?  
  • iamahmadrabah
    iamahmadrabah
    Take a trip to Brownsville and then in the way back tour the corridors of the Albany Houses. Be sure to only go after sunset.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    @iamahmadrabah -

    Those are certainly areas that many New Yorkers have never seen, but I'm not sure it would fit into the stated goals of MAS.

    We don't have complete discretion over the topics.
  • crownheightster
    crownheightster
    Take a trip down Nostrand and visit gentrification in progress, or, the fulfillment of whynot's prophency that summer 2015 on Nostrand is going to be new business central.
  • pragmaticguy
    pragmaticguy
    Possibly a walk to the south side of CH/PLG to open up the eyes and minds of people who don't venture across EP.
  • dl
    dl
    Ditto to what @pragmaticguy said. There is lots of interesting history on the south side of EP, from the spice factory to the former Ebbets Field. Some new development in the works, but not much to see quite yet. I find it interesting that nearly every residential block in this area has a different architectural style and seems to have been built at a different point over the last 100 years or so. I'd be interested to know how this neighborhood grew around the axis points of Eastern Parkway, the Museum, the BBG, etc., and down to Flatbush Ave. 
  • Davina
    Davina
    A little along the lines of @dl, it would be interesting to get the historical context of the neighborhood. Different blocks, the one time planned roundabout on EP and Washington (according to that drawing that was posted), etc.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited February 2015
    Locally, such architectual and historical tours are often given by Morgan Munsey and/or Suzanne Spellen.

    https://www.google.com/search?q=Morgan+munsey+walking&hl=en&gbv=2&oq=&gs_l=

    https://www.google.com/search?q=Suzanne+Spellen+walking&hl=en&gbv=2&oq=&gs_l=

    Both are big players in getting historical districts created, and can aptly handle the questions that come from participants who want to know about such things. They are good tours, and are described in a manner that attracts folks interested in spending the afternoon engaged in such topics.

    On the otherhand, Ms. Whynot and I tend to enjoy talking about the present and the foreseeable future: race, class, urban planning, transportation, social struggles, politics, economics, business...

    If you were to ask us when a building was made, its architectural style and its history, we would probably answer: "It looks like it was built as a factory, in the late 1900s."

    We would then change the topic to something we thought we knew something about, had an opinion on, or wanted to hear your opinion on.

    ...but keep those ideas coming.
  • mugofmead111
    mugofmead111
    Possibly a walk to the south side of CH/PLG to open up the eyes and minds of people who don't venture across EP.
    I third this motion.

    I am south of EP, but I hardly cross EP to go to the northern part of Crown Heights; go figure. :)
  • Davina
    Davina
    I would also be interested in the south of EP focus.
  • xlizellx
    xlizellx
    How about something about how all of this is affecting religious organizations? The mosques, store front churches, actual churches, etc. how are they being affected, adapting, changing, etc?
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited February 2015
    Interesting idea. During last year's tour the Imam that runs the Islamic Center on Nostrand spoke to my half of the group, and people really seemed fascinated by his take on what was going on.

    I know a few of the pastors of local Christian churches as a result of their involvement with the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center's efforts to combat gun violence.

    There are also several versions of Judaism that happen locally, some of which may be growing while others shrink.

    However, the various houses of worship aren't close together, which makes walking to a sample of them challenging.
  • bobmarvin
    bobmarvin
    If you'd like to organize a walking tour of PLG I'd be happy to help.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    @bobmarvin - The requirements for creating a tour that is advertised by MAS as part of the Jane's Walk Weekend are pretty easy to meet.    

    If you register here, they will include you in the next blast about registering a walk:

  • xlizellx
    xlizellx
    Interesting idea. During last year's tour the Imam that runs the Islamic Center on Nostrand spoke to my half of the group, and people really seemed fascinated by his take on what was going on.

    I know a few of the pastors of local Christian churches as a result of their involvement with the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center's efforts to combat gun violence.

    There are also several versions of Judaism that happen locally, some of which may be growing while others shrink.

    However, the various houses of worship aren't close together, which makes walking to a sample of them challenging.
    The Imam visit and the visit down by the spice factory to talk to soon-to-be-pushed-out residents were great last year.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited March 2015
    Last year, we broke the tour into two groups (Ms. Whynot's and Whynot's).   The stops xlizellx is describing were part my tour, but not Ms. Whynot's. 

    Ms. Whynot states her group really liked Calabar Imports on Franklin, and Exquisite on Nostrand.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited February 2015
    We have now established the sights and the route.    The walk will be narrated by to-be-announced guest speakers and the Whynots.

    BTW, we know that there is a typo on the map.   It should be Ebbets Field Apartments.    


    SW CH[1]-1
  • mugofmead111
    mugofmead111
    We have now established the sights and the route.    The walk will be narrated by to-be-announced guest speakers and the Whynots.

    BTW, we know that there is a typo on the map.   It should be Ebbets Field Apartments.    


    SW CH[1]-1
    As I've told the Q, that typo is one of my pet peeves. :) 
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited February 2015
    There are good reasons we are having the guest speakers do most of the speaking.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited March 2015
    @bobmarvin (or other readers) -

    You seem like you are into history and architecture. Would you like to learn all about the Spice Factory, and then be the presenter?

    You'd need to meet with the guy who runs it for about 30 min, sometime during the regularr work week: Mon - Fri 9-5. He'd give you a tour, you'd take some notes and some photos, and then present it to the people who attend the walking tours on either Sat 5/2 or Sun 5/3.

    Your presentation would be a max of 15 minutes.

  • bobmarvin
    bobmarvin
    That's something I might be interested in. I've long been intrigued by these former Consumer Park buildings. 

    Will the tour extend south of Empire Blvd. at all? After all, this IS a CH AND PLG list.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited March 2015
    Depending on perceived demand, we will do more than one tour.

    However, the tours will be only of the above 5 locations; we won't be going into PLG.

    Because each stop on the tour will be 15 - 20 min, the total lengh of tour will be around 2 hours. ...which is how long a walking tour should be.

    We have already secured "expert" speakers for the:
    1. Armory
    2. MEC
    3. Ebbets Field Apartments
    4. Empire potential rezoning (generous variance granting...)
    4.5. The Sea Crest Laundry site

    We now only need a speaker for the Spice Factory, #5.
  • bobmarvin
    bobmarvin
    I guess I'll learn something then, since CH South is pretty much Terra Incognito for me, despite my 40 years in the adjoining neighborhood. You will get to Empire, so we;ll be just across the street from my neighborhood.

    Yes, I would be interested in doing the Spice Factory presentation.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    edited March 2015
    Excellent.

    Don't worry, we don't eat our children on this side of Empire either.

    Everything you need to know to get started is here: http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/38820/employee-of-spice-factory-on-franklin-near-sullivan-states-rumors-of-sale-are-not-accurate#Item_16

    Call Lev (could be Zev?) and tell him you briefly spoke with him on Feb 24th.

    Then, meet with him in person, and gain enough knowledge to withstand questioning from potentially 40 planning and real estate geeks, and 30 local residents.

    ...for approximately 15-20 minutes.

    ---Readers, our final "expert" has been secured. ----

    We will start creating a more polished description of this adventure at some point over the next few weeks.

    In mid-April, I will try to get all of the "experts" together for a beer and final details.
  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    @bobmarvin -
    Please check your PM.

    Potential attendees -
    In addition to the former main site of Sea Crest Linen, we will also be presenting nearby sites that will also soon be market rate midrises:

    The former Sea Crest garage: http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/39263/931-carroll-between-franklin-and-the-shuttle-tracks#Item_2&nbsp

    The botantical garden building: http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/comment/559266#Comment_559266

    The date and time of the tour will soon be published.

  • whynot_31
    whynot_31
    The plans are now set, and can be found here: http://www.brooklynian.com/discussion/45410/this-years-walking-tour-saturday-may-2nd-2-pm
This discussion has been closed.

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In

Categories