100 Years Ago

On November 1, 1918, the worst transit disaster in New York City history occurred just outside Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The wooden cars of the Brighton Beach line of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit (B.R.T.) company left the tracks, crashing inside the tunnel beneath the busy intersection where Flatbush Avenue, Ocean Avenue and Malbone Street met [Google map]. The Malbone Street Wreck killed nearly 100 people and injured more than 250. Criminal trials and lawsuits arising from the accident dragged on for years, contributing to the bankruptcy of the BRT. The name "Malbone Street" became associated with the disaster; it's known today as Empire Boulevard.

90 Years Ago: The Malbone Street Wreck

On November 1, 1918, the worst transit disaster in New York City history occurred just outside Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The wooden cars of the Brighton Beach line of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit (B.R.T.) company left the tracks, crashing inside the tunnel beneath the busy intersection where Flatbush Avenue, Ocean Avenue and Malbone Street met [Google map]. The Malbone Street Wreck killed nearly 100 people and injured more than 250. Criminal trials and lawsuits arising from the accident dragged on for years, contributing to the bankruptcy of the BRT. The name "Malbone Street" became associated with the disaster; it's known today as Empire Boulevard.

Riding out the Harvest, BQLT Bike/Van Tour, Saturday, September 27

UPDATE Friday, 2008-09-26: CANCELLED. The announcement came at 10am from the tour's organizers:

Intrepid gardeners,

With a forecast of some serious rain, we've come to a decision to cancel this Saturday's (9/27/08) bqlt "Riding out the Harvest" bike/van tour.

Save your energy for next week's (10/4/08) "Green(e) with Envy," another great opportunity to explore the world of community gardening.

I'm disappointed, but I'll admit I wasn't looking forward to slogging through the rain with my camera. I am looking forward to the Green With Envy Tour of Bed-Stuy Community Gardens next Saturday, October 4.

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Classon Ful-Gate Block Association Community Garden, one of nine Brooklyn community gardens on this Saturday's tour.


The Brooklyn-Queens Land Trust (BQLT) is hosting its Second Annual Bike and Van Tour this Saturday, September 27th:

Jump in the van or hop on a bike - we're visiting a sampling of BQLT gardens - saying hello, having some snacks along the way. It all begins at 9:30am with a coffee reception at Hollenback Community Garden (Washington Ave between Gates and Green Avenue ). The harvest ride will culminate in a cookout beginning at 3:00pm at Euclid / Pine Street Block Association.

MEETING TIME/COFFEE: 9:30am @ Hollenback Garden
DEPARTURE TIME: 10:00am Sharp!
TOUR’S END/COOKOUT: 3:00pm @ Euclid-Pine Garden

This is a BIKE & VAN TOUR:
Bicyclists will be led by Isak Mendes - RSVP/Info: eaglemendes [at] yahoo [dot]com
Seats in the Van are limited! Reserve yours by contacting Brothel Dean: strechdean [at] msn [dot] com

Suggested donation: $5/person

The gardens on the tour are:

• Hollenback Community Garden, Washington Ave. between Gates & Greene Aves.
• Classon/Ful-Gate Block Association, Classon Ave. between Putnam & Madison Aves.
• St. Mark’s Ave./Prospect Heights, St. Marks between Vanderbilt & Carlton Aves.
• Mama Dee’s Garden, St. Mark’s Avenue between Bedford and Rogers Aves.
• Westbrook Memorial Garden, Pacific St. between Bedford & Nostrand Aves.
• United Herkimer Garden Club, Herkimer St. between Bedfor & Nostrand Aves.
• Rogers/Tilden/Veronica Place Garden, Corner of Tilden Ave. and Veronica Place
• Sheffield Garden, Sheffield Ave between New Lots and Hegeman Aves.
• Euclid-Pine Block Association Garden, Corner of Dumont Ave. & Pine St.

View Larger Map

Related Posts

Classon FulGate Block Association Garden, Green With Envy Tour, II.6, August 10, 2008
Hollenback Community Garden, Clinton Hill, Green With Envy Tour, II.5, August 8, 2008
St. Mark's Avenue Community Garden, Prospect Heights, Green With Envy Tour, II.2, August 2, 2008

Links

Riding out the Harvest, BQLT Bike/Van Tour
Google map

Mosquito Spraying in Southeast Brooklyn overnight

via Brooklyn Eagle.

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The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will spray for mosquitoes in several areas of Brooklyn and Staten Island tonight between 7:45 p.m. and 6 a.m.

In Brooklyn, the affected areas include Canarsie, Paerdegat Basin, Georgetown, Flatlands, East Flatbush, Mill Basin, Bergen Beach and Canarsie Cemetery.

People in these areas, especially those with respiratory conditions, should stay indoors. Also, they are urged to remove children’s toys, outdoor equipment and clothes from outdoor areas during spraying.

For this spraying, the Health Department will use Anvil 10 + 10, a synthetic pesticide.

Links

Mosquito Control Notice, August 13, 2008 (PDF)
Spraying Schedule
Heath Department Reminds New Yorkers to Protect Themselves against West Nile Virus, DOH Press Release, August 13, 2008
West Nile Virus home page, DOH

State of Flatbush/Midwood

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported yesterday that this report was "just released", although it was released back in April [PDF]. Nevertheless, the State of New York City’s Housing and Neighborhoods 2006 report, from NYU's Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy, is worth a second look (or first look if, like me, you somehow missed the full report the first time).

In addition to statistics and trends by borough, they include the details and rankings by Community District. Most of Victorian Flatbush lies in the northern half of CD14, which covered Flatbush and Midwood:

Flatbush/Midwood tops the citywide rankings in price appreciation and median price per unit for single-family homes. Median incomes have been trending upward, poverty has declined by 3 percentage points and overall income disparities in the district have decreased. CD 214 is Brooklyn’s most racially diverse district and almost 60% of its households are immigrant-headed. CD 214 is the borough’s second densest district and has a very low proportion of open space or vacant land compared to the rest of the borough. The housing stock in CD 214 is in worse shape than average—serious housing code violations are high, and although a high percentage is rent-regulated, little subsidized housing is available.
- State of NYC's Housing and Neighborhoods 2006, Brooklyn Community District 14, Flatbush/Midwood [PDF]

At just .77 acres of open space per 1,000 residents [PDF], CD14 ranks 47th out of 59 Community Districts. Worst off across the whole city is East Flatbush (Brooklyn CD17), with just .11 acres for 1,000 residents.

Generated with NYCHANIS.


The Web site for the report has a complete index of reports by Community District.

Links:

State of New York City's Housing and Neighborhoods 2006
The Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy
New York City Housing and Neighborhood Information System (Requires free registration)