Konichiwa to Muji

Next week (May 21 to May 25), Superstructure work will continue at the 18th floor level. The superstructure concrete work will be completed on the building buy the end of the month. Deliveries for the internal systems of the building have been ongoing and will continue, although they should not greatly affect the flow of pedestrian and road traffic.

The following week (May 28 to June 1), we will be working on the machine room levels on the 18th floor. Additionally we will have another crane on the Northwest corner of the site to help with a steel truss installation. This should not greatly affect pedestrian or road traffic. Deliveries for the internal systems of the building have been ongoing and will continue, although they should not greatly affect the flow of pedestrian and road traffic. The site will be closed on Monday, May 28th for the Memorial Day Holiday.

This weekend the site will be open on Saturday, May 19th for superstructure related activities between the work hours of 7AM and 5PM as permitted by the City.

To control noise levels within the site, work activities will be limited to the placement of formwork and concrete, plumbing and electrical work, rebar for concrete placement, using the crane and equipment to support all activities. Safety horns are used, and required by law, to coordinate lifting with the crane and to alert the workers of the danger overhead. We have directed the operators to limit the use of horns to one short sounding and to use the crane later in the day so as to avoid any excess noise. In addition to the normal work there will be a crew on 14th st. working on the Con Ed site connections.

It’s at this time of the year that street life returns to our sidewalks, and with it comes litter, especially on 13th St., where fans of Joe Coffee linger on our stoop, smoke up a storm, and drop their butts. Such is life in the big city. The big problem with this is that we sometimes get sanitation tickets that aren’t our fault. The Board of Directors has a very cordial relationship with Joe’s owner, Jonathan Rubenstein, who is a good guy and a great example of a successful local entrepreneur fighting off the big chains. He’s busy expanding his empire, but he does care and responds to our complaints. In the meantime, feel free to remind visitors to our stoop not to drop their trash, and if you have the time, call 311 to complain because city inspectors will get Joe’s attention.

… at least on Thursdays, when the Farmer’s Market is not in session. Details here. 

Here’s all the info on Harvest in the Square, which takes place on 9/24.

Got a gripe about the neighborhood that maybe, just maybe, the city can try to fix?

Learn how to report your complaints to 311 here.

Reports are in about how 13th St. and 14th St. may change when the L train shuts down for 15 months. Some amazing details, most notably the creation of the city’s first protected two-way bike lane running the entire length of 13th St. Hard to imagine what it will be like in reality.

Read more here.