5 Roofs Later, a Newer Greener Roof

This is a picture of the debris from the layers and layers of roofing from the top of the house. You'd think with all of that tar there wouldn't be any leaks. Not so, unfortunately.

At least the weather has finally gotten better and the new, greener roof can go up. I am contemplating a lighter version of a green roof, one with very light vegetation, but the present contractor will not be the person to put it up. For now, the cheapest, best option is a heavily insulated roof with a light colored coating.

Low-E, Argon-Filled Windows, and Reused Iron Doors

The new, environmentally friendly windows are now installed on the front of the house. I very much wanted dark window frames, and think these look pretty decent. A wrought iron window guard will go over the garden-level window. My father had the wrought iron for the doors sitting around his workshop, so they are "repurposed." They will be painted dark brown to match the windows.

The Stoop is Coming Along

Work on the front of the house is coming along. As you can see, the base of the stoop is in place. I was very torn about whether to switch the direction of the stoop so that it would face forward down to the street. The decision to keep it as is was the the result of much deliberation regarding the students who tend to congregate on the stoops on the street, and concerns about privacy and security. While not ideal in terms of aesthetics, I think that this stoop will be less of a hassle to keep clean, and will look reasonably nice once the railings and fence are in place.

The Twittering Lost Bronx Zoo Cobra is My Neighbor!

Here is an article about the twittering Bronx Zoo Cobra! Apparently, he twitters from Downtown Brooklyn, about a block away from Duffield Street.

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/31/escaped-cobra-hunkered-down-in-brooklyn-and-feeding-twitter/?partner=rss&emc=rss

The Scaffold Comes Down and the Stoop Repair Begins

The scaffold came down yesterday, revealing a dusty but strong brick facade. The stoop is now being repaired.

The Two "Misses" of Brooklyn and Manhattan?

This is a picture of the proposed statue for Tillary and Flatbush Avenue Extension. At 25 feet high, it will probably be in full view of my back porch. I'm not terribly opposed to this, but wonder about the names of of the two seated "Misses," "Miss Brooklyn" and "Miss Manhattan." It smacks of beauty pageant, if you ask me. I suppose I was hoping for something more architecturally imposing for the "Gateway to the Borough." I was thinking of a more modern version of what's on the Manhattan side of the Manhattan Bridge.

Dumpster Dilemma

We are trying to minimize the use of dumpsters, but still need a few for all the rotten wood and multiple ceilings.

With parking scarce in Downtown Brooklyn, drivers of cars have been removing the cones and little sawhorses that are supposed to reserve the space for the dumpster. Someone went as far as to move a big wood shoot so that he could park. This has slowed down the removal of debris. If a car is too close to the dumpster, the truck can't haul the dumpster away. And if a car takes over the spot in front of the house, a dumpster can't be replaced. I'm hoping that we'll only need one more dumpster to remove some debris in back of the house, because I am getting tired of these delays!