Asbestos Remediation

I see they are removing asbestos on one of the two houses on Bertha Street that are vacant by the school and in the area they plan to build. So demolition of these two houses cannot be far away. I miss my neighbors who lived there. One was an older lady who used to decorate her house for every holiday and it was colorful and cheerie. When they told her they wanted her to move she moved long before they really needed her to and then the house sat vacnt for I think two years. Meanwhile we - the neighbors - had to keep watch that the houses were not broken into and they were. One of them was invaded by some youths and I suspect they planned to use it for negative purposes but neighbors noticed and called both police and school district. It was not invaded again.

Schools

I have had a discussion witha neighbor (a few streets away) regarding school 18 and the anticipated new construction. While those of us who have participated in the school or lived near it are sorry for its passing on almost no one questions that there should be a new one. In fact, I am pleased that there will be a new one. I think it will be an improvement all the way around. While I regret the period of construction I think it will be real progress for the neighborhood. New schools are going up at Kelton Court along Whitehall, in the area near Tremont street up Central Avenue, as well as on Sheridan Avenue near Lexington and Clinton Avenue near Frank Alfonzo Field in Bleeker Stadium. In that sense what we are receiving is equity with the several other neighborhoods mentioned. It will be a new school. The grade levels will be one less so their will be younger kids. The redesign will be safer as it will have a fence so people cannot drive through from Hurlbut to Bertha as is the case (and has happened) now.

There are drawings of the proposed school. I will try to post them over the next few days if this system will allow.

I think the school will on the whole be an improvement. I look forward to the completion of construction and the start of the new classes.

Flipping of Properties

Someone broght to my attention that a building on Barclay Street that was purchased a year ago (I do not recall the number) for $53,000 is being offered for $159,000 and nothing has been done to it. No improvements, nothing. And it is being offered as "investment" property...read..."Not to be owner occupied". When checking who owned it it was discovered that it was an LLC registered to someone over on Washington Avenue. It is my contention that such an offer to "investors" for a property that received no improvements is an invitation to slum landlords, besides that the people behind this LLC are trying to make a killing for nothing and drag down the quality of occupancy for the neighborhood. Is this a reason for outrage?

Bertha Street To Be Closed June 27th

Home owners along Bertha Street received word by letter yesterday from Paul Irish of Pike Henry Company that Bertha Street will be closed temporarily from 9am to 4pm on Monday June 27th to allow for removal of trees at 61 and 63 Bertha Street and utility work related to construction of the new school. Those living near these buildings are asked to move their cars to another area for parking. Pike Henry is the company that will be doing work on the school site.

Party Noise on Summit Avenue

For those of us who were around on Sunday, Summit Avenue was rocking. The problem was that it was rocking way too loud, party guests were leaving their beer bottles curbside by their cars, and it was not a pretty site. I do not know if anyone called the police to report a noise disturbance; I did last year to little avail. The police drop by, the music goes down a little, and then it goes back up again.

From a neighborhood watch perspective, the Fourth is coming up and if I recall correctly, the same house hosted a party, and they lit fireworks in the street. With little kids living between Federal and Barclay, I want to see if we can nip this in the bud. As far as I know those are illegal.

Unfamiliar SUVs on Summit Avenue

I just wanted to give you a heads up. A neighbor on Summit Avenue saw a couple of unfamiliar (non-residential) SUVs - one blue and one black - parked in front of my house (12 Summit) and the rental (16 Summit). The neighbor then saw a woman get out of the SUV parked by me and bring a suitcase to the man in the one near 16 Summit, then a few moments later take the suitcase back and both SUVs then leave. This struck the neighbor as odd. She is going to try and notice if they come back today or tomorrow and will try to get their license plate numbers. It could be nothing, but it's a little weird the way she described it and she felt it was worth her looking into. I am home sick today, so I will keep my eye out as well. A residential street like ours is an odd place to do a materials exchange, not exactly the kind of place you'd coordinate with someone to meet.

Drive Through

Last Saturday around 8:30pm, 17 Barclay was like a fast-food drive-through restaurant. Witnessed two cars double-parked in front of the house. The passanger in each car got out and entered 17. Once the drivers realized we were watching, they drove around the block a few times until the passenger was done doing whatever they were doing.

Keep your eye out for a white Acura plate number auy 1864 and a black car plate number dby 6849. If you see them double-parked on Barclay again, please post here, and I'll call officer Matt.

This isn't the first time we've seen this kind of traffic on Barclay. It's just the first time I've decided to record it.

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