Staff Blog
Quit biting our style, Brooklyn
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| Take my public transportation system … PLEASE! |
| brownstoner.com |
First it was our fabulous skyline, now it's trashing our public transport system? Jeez, Brooklyn, what are you gonna claim for yourself next? The Liberty Bell? Cheesesteaks? Comcast's cable monopoly? …Wait, you can totally have that last one.
A retired SEPTA trolley car had gone off to greener pasture to live in a vacant lot on Fourth Avenue in Park Slope, BK. All would have been fine for ol' 2739 if the lot in where it resided hadn't just been sold to a developer in the ever-gentrifying borough. Rather than sell the trolley so it could live out its days in a sparsely attended transportation museum, the city instead decided to simply throw it away.
How'd this bad boy get to NYC in the first place? Who would seriously want a SEPTA car of their very own? Via the comments section of Brownstoner:
Owner here.
Trolley came to be there when we thought a diner would work well. SEPTA was selling, so we purchased it and brought it here. Neighborhood was much more problematic back then (1995) so it didn't get much traction. For a time it was even in the adjacent Lyceum (when it went by its original name Public Bath #7).
Unfortunately the local architect we had used for the lot was not appropriate for that and other Lyceum related jobs. Litigation ensued and is still in progress.
The architect sold the trolley illegally (he isn't the owner) to a group from Lancaster PA where they have thoughts of doing what Brooklyn can't or won't do, implement light rail. When they came to take it away (Jan 25, 2008) we were here and let them know it wasn't the architect's to sell. They gave us a bill of sale and a canceled check. We immediately went to court to enjoin the architect from any more shenanigans. Judge heard oral arguments in chambers with no court reporter, parties, press or public present. Then, 98 days later, judge finds against us in a decision that we believe is faulty.
Once that decision came in, architect hired scrappers to cut it up. On this past Tuesday we went back to court for an injunction. Same judge happened to be on the bench. Gave us seven days to remove it.
We will be appealing the decision. Hopefully in time to save old number 2739.
Alas, the owner's efforts were in vain. Apparently, though, some Brooklynites are pissed at at the destruction of a "landmark." "A terrible shame to see that go away like that, unloved," says one commenter on the Gowanus Lounge. Dude, it died like it lived.
Look, Brooklyn, stop your whining. We have to deal with SEPTA on a daily basis, so we should be the only ones to rightfully shit on it. Take it from us, you want no part of it. You've got a good thing going with the MTA. You don't want public transport that stops running when it's too hot, too cold or slightly windy outside and can't even get their Philly "places of interest" straight. Quit the bitching and go build another condo.
Thanks to CP alum Ted Hesson for the tip!
Dude! Brooklyn eats little “cities” like Philly for lunch.
Philly’s a nice place to visit (Central City anyway) but I wouldn’t want to live there!
Crooklyn