NYCkayaker Meeting re boathouse at Pier 26 tonight?

Wed Jan 24 13:14:10 EST 2007

Further clarification re no plumbing - 

Jim pointed out that no plumbing means no pipes to freeze. In the Downtown-Midtown Boathouse, they have to heat the entire building all winter, including the large & uninsulated kayak storage area, to keep the pipes from freezing. Lose the pipes, and the heating needs could be reduced to just warming up changing rooms, and even that would only need to be warmed up as needed. 

I also can't help thinking that maintaining what is essentially a public restroom in a sanitary condition can't be fun, even when the toilets aren't overflowing - although I don't know if that's considered the operator's responsibility, or if that's handled by park maintenance...

-----Original Message-----
>From: Rob Buchanan <robbuc at aol.com>
>Sent: Jan 24, 2007 12:47 PM
>To: mike <mpidel at optonline.net>, bonnie13 at earthlink.net, "'j,duffy1'" <j.duffy1 at rcn.com>
>Cc: nykayak <nyckayaker at rockandwater.net>, 'greenland list' <greenland-list at brooklynkayak.com>
>Subject: Re: NYCkayaker Meeting re boathouse at Pier 26 tonight?
>
>I should have clarified jim's remark about bathrooms--what he was saying was
>that it made more sense to locate them nearby, in the upland section of the
>park where they could be connected directly to the sewer, rather than on the
>pier where everything had to be pumped out sideways and uphill. It seems
>there's a restroom building planned at that location anyway, like the ones
>further north in the park, so it'd just be a matter of walking across the
>promenade to use them.
>
>Quonset huts, probably not. But a big corrugated tin box can be elegant in
>its own way...
>
>
>On 1/24/07 11:31 AM, "mike" <mpidel at optonline.net> wrote:
>
>> I don't consider bathrooms extra's, I am sure there are many other
>> people that feel that way too. Showers are probably very inexpensive to
>> install when part of the original design. It has to have a nice design,
>> Quonset huts aren't going to be allowed in the Hudson river park.
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nyckayaker-bounces at rockandwater.net [mailto:nyckayaker-
>>>> bounces at rockandwater.net] On Behalf Of Rob Buchanan
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2007 12:12 AM
>>>> To: bonnie13 at earthlink.net; j,duffy1
>>>> Cc: pier63holdtrips; nykayak; greenland list
>>>> Subject: Re: NYCkayaker Meeting re boathouse at Pier 26 tonight?
>>>> 
>>>> I agree that a lot of sense was made at last night's meeting. But I'm
>>>> wondering if any of it will matter. That announcement at the outset
>> that
>>>> the
>>>> hrp trust had construction drawings for the boathouse that were
>> 'virtually
>>>> 100 percent complete' and would be putting them out to bid in april
>> would
>>>> seem to pre-empt any real community input. That said, here's my two
>> cents,
>>>> in case the trust turns out to be bluffing, or eliot spitzer comes in
>> and
>>>> gives connie fishman a stern talking-to about NOT building another
>> white
>>>> elephant.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> 1) let's cut all the extras, on the theory that the less money is
>> wasted
>>>> on
>>>> frills, the more can be spent on raw space. So, no fabulous soaring
>>>> rooflines or jungle gym aluminum superstructures. No showers, no
>> central
>>>> heating, no insulation, no bathrooms even (as jim wetteroth pointed
>> out,
>>>> toilets never really work on piers).
>>>> 
>>>> 2) let's make sure the space is flexible enough to accommodate not
>> only
>>>> kayaks, but also rowing gigs and even six-man outrigger canoes. I know
>>>> that
>>>> the downtown boathouse is envisioned as the tenant here, and that
>> means
>>>> mostly kayaks, but as recreational boating on the harbor grows, the
>>>> community's needs and interests will surely diversify. Bmcc, which is
>>>> right
>>>> next door, has a rowing program on pier 40 now, but what happens when
>> that
>>>> gets rebuilt? Will downtowners wanting to row or paddle together
>> really
>>>> trek
>>>> all the way up to midtown to get on the water? Anyway, designwise it's
>> not
>>>> a
>>>> big deal--it just means bigger doors and good high ceilings--at least
>> 12
>>>> feet, so that oars can be stood on end (something the architects of
>> the
>>>> MIT
>>>> boathouse in Boston famously forgot)--and a davit or two.
>>>> 
>>>> 3) let's not let them put a lock on the gate or door at the head of
>> the
>>>> ramp
>>>> that runs down to the dock. There can be plenty of fierce signage, but
>> for
>>>> me, at least, more important than the boathouse itself is the idea of
>> open
>>>> access. Without that, we're just rats fenced into a cage, pathetic
>> little
>>>> minions who need to go begging permission from their minders in order
>> to
>>>> enjoy a day on the water. In the long run, that can't be good for the
>>>> community, especially one with such a proud nautical heritage.
>>>> 
>>>> 4) let's insist on a couple of big barn doors on the south side of the
>>>> building, even though boats will be launched to the west. There's
>> nothing
>>>> nicer than hanging out in a sunny, protected spot on a blustery winter
>> day
>>>> when the wind is out of the northwest.
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> On 1/23/07 9:53 AM, "bonnie13 at earthlink.net" <bonnie13 at earthlink.net>
>>>> wrote:
>>>> 
>>>>> And it was DEFINITELY interested. Pier 26 is not somewhere I
>> personally
>>>> EVER
>>>>> would have expected to store a boat but I was depressed just on
>> general
>>>>> principal when I read that Downtown Express article about the Trust
>>>> cutting
>>>>> the Tribeca boathouse because they didn't have the budget - when
>> it's so
>>>>> freaking obvious that the boathouses they ARE building are just
>> plain
>>>> over-
>>>>> (and mis-) designed & for the cost of the 2 they've already built,
>> they
>>>> could
>>>>> probably have afforded at least 3 simpler boathouses that actually
>> would
>>>> have
>>>>> worked better. Bleah.
>>>>> 
>>>>> So nice to hear sense being spoken at that meeting last night.
>>>>> 
>>>>> too many deadlines today I did a bit of a writeup on my blog -
>>>>> www.frogma.blogspot.com -  it's not great 'cause I did it too fast
>> after
>>>> I got
>>>>> home last night, but I think it gives the general sense (attendees
>> are
>>>> MORE
>>>>> than welcome to send me any corrections or clarifications).
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: "j,duffy1" <j.duffy1 at rcn.com>
>>>>>> Sent: Jan 22, 2007 5:53 PM
>>>>>> To: bonnie13 at earthlink.net
>>>>>> Cc: nyckayaker <nyckayaker at rockandwater.net>, pier63holdtrips
>>>>>> <pier63holdtrips at yahoogroups.com>, greenland list
>>>>>> <greenland-list at brooklynkayak.com>
>>>>>> Subject: Re: NYCkayaker Meeting re boathouse at Pier 26 tonight?
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Thank you, Bonnie.  This meeting was set last week at the first
>> Pier
>>>>>> 25-26 subgroup meeting, and most of the usual suspects were there.
>> I
>>>>>> should have posted it to the list, but I forgot.  It should be
>>>> interesting.
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> Jim Wetteroth,
>>>>>> 
>>>>>> bonnie13 at earthlink.net wrote:
>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Sorry, can't remember if anybody else announced this already but
>>>> there's a
>>>>>>> meeting that might be of interest tonight - I don't know if I can
>> make
>>>> it,
>>>>>>> if I do it's out of curiousity & I only intend to listen - but I
>>>> suddenly
>>>>>>> realized I hadn't done a thing to pass the word.  It's on their
>> public
>>>>>>> notice section at www.cb1.org . I have no more details than this.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Waterfront Committee
>>>>>>> DATE:  Monday, January 22, 2007
>>>>>>> TIME:  6:00 PM
>>>>>>> PLACE:  Community Board #1 Office
>>>>>>> 49-51 Chambers Street, Room 709
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Agenda
>>>>>>> 1)  East River Waterfront - Preview on upcoming ULURP action -
>>>> Presentation
>>>>>>> by EDC
>>>>>>> 2) Strategic planning needs assessment discussion lead by Michael
>>>> Levine,
>>>>>>> Director of Planning and Land Use of CB #1
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Pier 26 - Boat House -7:30 PM
>>>>>>> 1) Subgroup working session
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> Sorry again about the late notice and/or duplication. Since I've
>>>> disengaged
>>>>>>> from the Hudson River scene & gone to Jamaica Bay I'm a little out
>> of
>>>> the
>>>>>>> loop.
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> 
>> **********************************************************************
>>>>>>> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and
>> is
>>>> a
>>>>>>> public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson
>> River
>>>>>>> Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
>>>>>>> 
>>>>>>> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
>>>>>>> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
>>>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>>>>> 
>> **********************************************************************
>>>>> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and
>> is a
>>>> public
>>>>> service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River
>> Watertrail
>>>>> Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
>>>>> 
>>>>> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
>>>>> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
>>>> 
>>>> 
>>>> **********************************************************************
>>>> The NYCKayaker mailing list is hosted by www.rockandwater.net, and is
>> a
>>>> public service offered to the kayaking community by the Hudson River
>>>> Watertrail Association. Learn more about HRWA at www.hrwa.org
>>>> 
>>>> To unsubscribe or change delivery options:
>>>> http://www.rockandwater.net/mailman/listinfo/nyckayaker
>> 
>
>