HIGH RENT DISTRICT

I often wonder what people are paying rent-wise up on the avenue for the apartments directly on top of the stores.  Been hearing the numbers are pretty high these days. “What’s up with that?” (A Saturday Night Live reference)

Anyone have an idea what a two or three bedroom apartment goes for on ‘Prospect Park West’ between say, the circle and 19th street?

We lived on the top floor over Bob’s; I think we paid $300 a month.  This was back in the 80′s of course. I think our rent got as high as $750 or something around there before we moved out in early 90′s.

ROAD TO RICHES

On the avenue, “Shop Smart” where the winning lottery ticket was purchased.

INVISIBLE IMITATION

I’m currently reading Pete Hamill’s outstanding memoir, “A Drinking Life.”

There are so many awesome stories from Pete from his younger days of growing up in the neighborhood. This one particular story blew me away…

By the Spring of 1949, seething with anger at Brother Jan, I started hanging out in a different part of the neighborhood, two blocks from Holy Name.  The place I chose was called Bartel-Pritchard Square, and it was more of a circle than a square.  Off the square on one side were the two tall Corinthian columns that marked the entrance to Prospect Park; we called them the Totem Poles, or the Totes.  We’d gather around the bases, sitting on them, looking at girls, cursing, smoking, making jokes, and drinking beer. (Taken from pp 111-112)

HOLY SHIT!

Thirty years later, when I was 13, I did the same thing! This is where we hung out! On the parkside, inside the park (they called it “Hippie Hill”)

I’m sure other teens from the neighborhood, ten and twenty years before me, did the same thing. On a weeknight everyone would make their way over after supper. It was our meeting spot.  Our own little world. Like Pete mentioned, we drank, talked, flirted and sometimes, when we had money, we’d play cards right on the sidewalk.

Some kids went home earlier than others. I was usually one of the last to leave. I loved being with my friends.

Little did we know that for many years the teenagers in and around the neighborhood were doing the same thing.

Thanks Pete.

Respectfully,

Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

DREAMS DO COME TRUE

Thirty years later…

As a kid I recall someone saying that we were going to get a gym.

Well, that never worked out.

I also heard we were going to get fiberglass backboards in the boys schoolyard at Holy Name.

Well, guess what? Someone held true to that promise!

Thanks to the Elusive G for this image of the brand new fiberglass backboards in the boys schoolyard!

Now I need to get a few jumpers up!

Respectfully,

Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

DRINKS ARE ON THE HOUSE

I’m hearing someone from the neighborhood hit the lottery for a million clams.

That’s right sports fans; word on the street is that someone bought the winning ticket from the old Key Food on ninth avenue.

That means that person needs to buy everyone a drink at Farrell’s!

Respectfully,

Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

LET’S GO RANGERS!

Congratulations to the New York Rangers.  Great game seven win last night against the Washington Caps on the road!

Spoke to a friend on Sunday and during our chat they brought up hockey. “You never write about hockey,” they said.

They were curious as to why I didn’t write about it. Tell you the truth, I wasn’t much of a hockey player or a fan.  So with it being playoff time in the NHL and the Rangers winning last night (I actually watched the game instead of an NBA playoff game) I figured I would pen a few words about the sport.

As a kid, I wasn’t much of a hockey fan but I had friends that played it and loved it. I always recall them playing at the ninth street bandshell in Prospect Park and down on tenth avenue.

The late Drew Thomas (older brother of Glenn) was a great hockey player.  I also remember Kenny Reed from 15th street being a huge hockey guy. I think he was the only one in my grade with goalie equipment.  Mr. Mussa, my fifth grade teacher at Holy Name was always talking about hockey too.

I recall going over to Manhattan in the 80′s to watch Ranger-Islander games on cable TV because we still didn’t have it in the neighborhood.  A few guys from McBears or Farrell’s would drive over and Glenn and I would hop in a car and go with them.

It was a lot of fun back in the day watching the Rangers and Islanders battle each other. But last night was the “icing” on the cake.

Respectfully,

Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

H.N. RESTORATION UPDATE

A message from Fr. Jim Cunningham, Holy Name of Jesus Parish:

It’s been about two weeks from the last campaign update at Holy Name and I wanted to give everyone, including Container Diaries readers a significant progress report today.

We started the effort well over a year ago with the Buildings Committee looking at various renovation options by meeting with different architects, engineers, design/build firms and construction managers.

We put our faith in Lynch Development who did a wonderful job organizing our fundraising efforts so far.

As of this weekend, I am happy and grateful to report that we have not only hit our stated campaign goal for The Restoration of Holy Name of Jesus Church, 135 Years – Fulfilling Our Vision but have exceeded it. Our new total stands at $1.6M dollars.

So many people have worked tirelessly to get us here. These people love God and love Holy Name Parish. We’ve come so very far in a relatively short time. I personally never had a doubt. Since coming to Holy Name, I’ve come to know and have been amazed at what this parish can do and what it has always done over its 135 years as a leader in the Brooklyn Diocese.

When we started this effort, I told you we were going to be very transparent. I hope you’ve seen that so far with the bulletin updates, different talks from the Ambo, the different parish meetings, all the pictures, the information in the Tablet, Container Diaries and Facebook. Hopefully you are seeing it in results like to beautiful new Rose and Cathedral windows.

In the coming weeks, I will be a featured guest on the NBC Cable TV program, “News 4 at 7” talking about the about the historic efforts to renovate Holy Name. We are now entering into a new phase of the project and shortly we will be sharing even more of the details with you.

Getting back to the campaign, about 270 families are responsible for the fundraising to date. Thank you so much for your support and commitment. We have over 600 families in our database of envelope users. There are many families who don’t use envelopes and we know this because they make up part of the 270 families who have already pledged. There is more to do and still time to pledge. There are people far and wide who have a love for Holy Name. We see that every day. While they don’t live inside the boundaries of our parish, they identify with Holy Name. They can help too. The campaign is continuing. When I spoke at the start of the campaign, we talked about some of the extras. Now is the time for us to focus in that direction. If you are still waiting to make a pledge, you can help us realize the additional items like the new vestibule/Gathering space and the new exterior canopies.

One of the things we’ve learned is our new Altar weighs more than 25 tons. What we also learned is that in certain areas of the church floor, the bounce you feel walking around is not natural. We do need to have more support for the altar as expected but more importantly, we need steel to support this 135 year old building so it can last another 135 years. That costs a lot more than we thought. We ask that you help us in these areas and more with a pledge if you’ve not done so already.

Next weekend, members from the campaign will be at all masses to help with your pledge or to answer any questions you have. If you’ve been waiting to make your pledge, whatever it is, now is the time to do it. You don’t have to be in church next week to make a pledge, there are many way to pledge:

• Contact the Holy Name Rectory at: 718-768-3071
• Contact Fr. Jim Cunningham at: frjimholyname@aol.com
• Electronic giving options can be found on Holy Name’s page with Faith Direct:

• https://membership.faithdirect.net/enrollment/livetransaction_frame.php?id=349&CFID=368164&CFTOKEN=21969760

Just think, when it’s all done, the legacy we’ll be passing on to our children; the children here at mass today and our future generations. For them, I thank you.

God Bless you and God Bless Holy Name always.

ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES

The year was 1982.

It was my first real job.

I was 18.

Hanging out on the avenue doing nothing.  Sleeping late.  Staying out late.  Going to bed when people were waking up to go to work.  Sliding down the path of destruction.

A few of my friends were graduating from high school and heading to college.  Some were stepping out into the work world. Some like me, were unemployed.

As for me? I was still looking for answers. Wait a minute, I didn’t even have the questions. No roadmap of life in my possession.  That is until my mother called her brother Tim and they “put me to work.”

The males in my family were Ironworkers (most of them anyway).  My grandfather, Ray Corbett was the business agent for many years for Local 40. “Never miss a day of work,” was his advice.  I was too stubborn to follow his sage advice.

My uncles and cousins were proud of their trade.

My skill on the iron wasn’t great to start.  Things started slow but they quickly picked up as I worked with good people who took the time to teach me the trade. Joey Alba was the best.   Knowledge is power. Andy Purcell was another gem.

As an apprentice, I was trying to find my way down at Battery Park.  Climbing the steel isn’t for everyone, I was forced into the craft out of desperation; I had nowhere else to turn. It was my last resort; so I thought.

When I was twelve I came in contact with the iron for the first time.

It was a rainy Friday afternoon.  Mom brought me over to New York (That’s what we called Manhattan). My father was on a job and she needed some money.  She chased him around a lot.  He made it hard on her.  He always made her chase him for it.

Standing on the corner of 53rd and Lexington,  I looked up as we came out of the subway.  There was a guy straddling a beam about three floors up.  He was tightening some bolts with a wrench.

As we stood there waiting for the light to turn green I glanced up and to my surprise, this guy with the steel hard-hat and tool belt waved to me.

I stood there memorized. I was hooked.

“Mom, I wanna be an Irownworker,” I recall telling her on the train headed back to Brooklyn.

Yesterday down by Battery Park,  they topped out One World Trade Center.

Congratulations to all the Ironworkers on this job.

Respectfully,

Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

IN A NUTSHELL

Here’s my description of growing up in the neighborhood in five words or less:

Friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Respectfully,

Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com

TOP OF THE MORNING

Cool video compliments of Eddie Heegen.

Respectfully,

Red

Hoops135@hotmail.com