Mark your calendars for an important Town Hall Meeting, a wonderful opportunity for residents of the 35th Council District to learn about local services and organizations. Visit Council Member Letitia James' blog for additional information.

Wednesday, March 24th: Council Member Letitia James presents an informational Town Hall, 7pm at the Ronald Edmonds Learning Center (MS 113), 300 Adelphi Street (between Lafayette and DeKalb Avnenues), right here in Fort Greene.

New York City agencies along with local service organizations, associations, educational and arts groups will distribute information, and representatives will be present to answer questions and/or schedule appointments.

For additional information, please contact the Office of Council Member Letititia James at 718.260.9191 or 212.788.7981.

Two maintenance worker positions are currently available at the Ingersoll Community Center on Myrtle Avenue. The information below is from the website of University Settlement, the organization managing the community center.

Responsibilities:

• Sweep, mop or vacuum and dust all rooms throughout the building on a daily basis
• Clean restrooms daily and/or as needed
• Clean building lobby, stairs and elevators daily
• Assist in opening and closing of building
• Sign for and verify goods delivered to the building
• Assist the Site Director in the implementation of fire, health, and building safety requirements
• Unpack and store supplies
• Assist in painting, minor repairs, and moving or replacing furniture as necessary
• Remove garbage and trash daily
• Sweep and maintain exterior building perimeter every day
• Wash floors, wax floors and shampoo carpets as requested
• Special projects as needed
• Other assignments as assigned by supervisor

Qualifications:

-Knowledge of standard building systems, including electrical and plumbing preferred -Experience in general maintenance work required -Fire Safety Certification -Must be reliable and punctual

Salary:

$13.89 per hour

Hours:

35 hours/week (afternoon and evening hours, schedule TBD) OR 15 hours/week (afternoon, evening and Saturday hours, schedule TBD)

Supervisor Site Director

Instructions

Send resume to:

University Settlement Society of New York

184 Eldridge Street

New York, NY 10002

youthprogramjobs@universitysettlement.org

The first 2010 Myrtle Windows Gallery installment launching Thursday, March 4th will feature limited edition prints from artists in Pratt’s Pressure Print Collective. Join the artists on Thursday, March 4th on a walking tour beginning at Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (412 Myrtle) at 5:30pm, and at the opening reception at Tamboril (527 Myrtle) at 6pm, where 2-for-1 drink specials and free appetizers will be enjoyed by all!

Imprint features the works of eight artists, and will run from March 4th - March 31st in Myrtle storefronts between Vanderbilt and Hall, with additional works shown indoors at Tamboril. Myrtle Windows Gallery offers you a unique way to support both local artists and local businesses, in that a portion of sales will go directly to the merchants involved in the program! Don’t miss this opportunity to add to your collection, as these works are quite affordable, ranging in price from $20 to $500.

In 2010, we’ve expanded our geography to include blocks between Vanderbilt and Hall, and added new storefronts to the program. This is the first of three exhibitions planned for this year, and each will feature an added bonus for gallery visitors – special deals at five featured MWG businesses! Coupons for specials at Thai 101, Anima Italian Bistro, Kapella’s, Green in BKLYN, and Karrot will be included in the recently revamped MWG Gallery Guide. Just stop by any of these participating MWG storefronts to pick one up beginning March 4th:

Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (412 Myrtle); Kapellas’s (417 Myrtle); Connecticut Muffin (423 Myrtle); Karrot (431 Myrtle); Green in BKLYN (432 Myrtle); Jive Turkey (441 Myrtle); Thai 101 (455A Myrtle); Joseph Tyler Salon (456 Myrtle); Anima (458 Myrtle); Kum Kau (462 Myrtle); Miracles Unisex Barber Shop (473A Myrtle); Optimum Care Rehab (474 Myrtle).

About Myrtle Windows Gallery: Myrtle Windows Gallery (MWG) is an open air art gallery that ‘breaks down the walls’ of the traditional private art gallery to bring two-dimensional art to the public arena via the storefront window, where it is accessible to anyone simply walking down the street. Ten Myrtle Avenue storefronts temporarily transform part of their windows into gallery space for the works of local artists. The initiative helps bring together artists, local businesses, and the community in a dialogue about art in public spaces. For more information, please visit www.myrtleavenue.org.

This Myrtle Windows Gallery exhibit is sponsored, in part, by the Greater New York Arts Development Fund of the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, administered by the Brooklyn Arts Council, Inc. (BAC).

Local progressives are getting together this Saturday, February 27th from 1pm to 5pm for some neighborly networking. Here's the event description from the organizers:
This Pot Luck and social gathering will bring together progressives, activists and organizers from the Clinton Hill and Fort Greene community. It's an opportunity for all of us to meet informally and get to know each other, to talk and share, to eat and have fun.

It's a family event. No speeches. Games for the kids, some informal music and spoken word if you want to share it, video and images about our work and the issues we feel strongly about. And we'll have information from each sponsoring group about the work we are doing.

This is a Pot Luck. Please let us know what food item you can bring. Also, since the space is costing us a good deal of money, which none of our organizations have, we will be taking up a collection for small donations at the event.

This get together has been jointly organized by CHIPS, Fort Greene Peace, Fort Greene/Clinton Hill Food Coalition, FUREE, MARP, the Fort Greene CSA, PACC and several others. We are all neighbors, living and/or working in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill for peace and an end to violence, and for social justice, against gentrification and for quality housing for all, for better access to good and healthy food, decent health care, quality education and learning opportunities, and an end to illiteracy, locally owned and controlled business, and more.

Click here to RSVP on the Evite site.

Did you know that Myrtle is an ancient Kings County track, first laid out in 1835 as Cripplebush Road? Or that horse cars traveled Myrtle in the 1850s?

From being the first paved street in Brooklyn, to being the site of the ‘Myrtle El’, an elevated rail line that ran from 1888 to 1969, Myrtle has always been an important travel route in Brooklyn. This week, Forgotten New York is exploring the past and present of Myrtle Avenue!

Check out the article to find out which local church still holds remnants of the Myrtle El, the former name of Fort Greene Park, what Myrtle looked like in 1969 from aboard the El, where Walt Whitman drafted Leaves of Grass and more.

The above image (from Forgotten New York), taken in 1969 from the Myrtle El, shows a fruit market at the corner of Myrtle and Hall. These days, that is where you’ll find Liberty Pizza, and just down the block, MARP’s office!

Clear your calendars! You are invited to the “Designing the Myrtle Pedestrian Plaza – Pop Up Exhibition and Workshop” from February 5th – 13th.

We are happy to announce that a property owner of 352 Myrtle has given us access to their vacant commercial storefront where we will be hosting a brief pop-up exhibition and workshop displaying submissions to the Designing the Myrtle Avenue Pedestrian Plaza Call for Ideas, along with best practices collected by our staff.

In response to our Call for Ideas , we received many submissions from local and international designers. The entries were diverse and creative, featuring permanent canopy structures, amphitheaters, climbing walls, outdoor markets and more.

Along with the renderings and images, we will have maps and plaza plans where attendees can contribute their ideas for the design, programming and management of the space. Come checkout the submissions, give your feedback and chat with MARP staff about a new, vibrant and inclusive public space for Myrtle Avenue.

Location: 352 Myrtle between Carlton and Adelphi
Friday, February 5th, 5pm – 8pm: Opening Reception*. Light refreshments will be served.
Saturday, February 6th and 13th, 12pm – 5pm: Open gallery hours.
Monday-Friday, February 7th-12th, 10am-5pm: Group tours and workshops available by appointment*.

Work by the following designers will be on display: Aaron Follet, Christopher Peli, Rodriguez Studio, Edit Leventon, Jaime Roberts Studio, Jonathan Joseph, Gregór Nemitz-Ziadie, Lee Norsworthy, Juliana Schafer and Raza Ali Dada.


*Please RSVP to Sarah@myrtleavenue.org OR at the facebook event page!

A growing list of Haiti earthquake relief related activities taking place on Myrtle:

BROOKLYN BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU 412 Myrtle Avenue 718.403.0067 Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Donations to the American Red Cross.

FORT GREENE SNAP 324 Myrtle Avenue 718.694.6957 Fort Greene SNAP accepting new or gently used socks, candles, bedding, underwear, flashlights as well as checks made out to the American Red Cross accepted thru the end of February.

GREEN IN BKLYN 432 Myrtle Avenue 718.855.4383 Green in BKLYN has listed earthquake relief resources on their website as well as put together a hardcopy list for anyone looking for ideas of ways to help. Also, Green in BKLYN is accepting check and money order donations to send to the Red Cross.

GREEN PETS SPA & BOUTIQUE 572 Myrtle Avenue 718.230.8300 Green Pets will donate collected funds to Doctors without Borders and Yele Haiti.

KAPELLA'S HAIR SALON (open Wednesday thru Saturday only) 417 Myrtle Avenue 718.222.3434 Currently collecting donations for Yele Haiti and socks which will be donated for shipment to Haiti.

KAREN'S BODY BEAUTIFUL 436 Myrtle Avenue 718.797.4808 Karen’s Body Beautiful will help provide relief to victims of the earthquake in Haiti by matching your donations. Increase the power of your donation! (from January 14th – January 20th, 2010). Funds to Yele Haiti.

LOCKAWAY SELF STORAGE 1 Carlton Avenue (at Flushing) (718) 522-5050 Lockaway is collecting only NEW items thru February 20th: bedding, blankets, underwear, outerwear, shoes, socks, towels. Clearly label items "Relief for Haiti". Donations in conjunction with Fashion Delivers (fashiondelivers.org).

MYRTLE CAR SERVICE 525 Myrtle Avenue 718.230.8100 Myrtle Car Service is collecting donations: bottled water, new underwear, socks.

ZAYTOONS 472 Myrtle Avenue 718.623.5522 Zaytoons will match customer donations. Increase the power of your donation from Saturday, January 23 and Sunday, January 24th.

MOVE WITH GRACE YOGA, DANCE & PILATES STUDIO 469 Myrtle Avenue (Washington/Hall) 718.230.0013 Move With Grace will conduct five donation-based classes this Sunday, 1/17. Funds will go to Yele Haiti and Doctor's without Borders. The studio is also collecting beans and tealights to be shipped to Haiti.

All class are open to all levels.

10-11am Alignment based yoga

11:15-12 Belly Dance "The Fun in Fundamentals"

12:-1pm Level 1 Mat Pilates "Explore strengthening the deep core"

1:15-2:15pm Ballet Fitness

2:30-3:30pm Vinyasa Yoga Flow "Focusing on awareness and interconnectedness"

By now we hope you've heard about the upcoming pedestrian plaza on Myrtle between Emerson and Grand. Our plaza, along with five other plazas that will be created by the PlaNYC-initiated NYC Plaza Program, is eligible for funding through the city's Percent for Art program for commissioning permanent works of public art. Each plaza has $100,000 allocated for permanent public art to be incorporated into the public space. The Department of Cultural Affairs has released a Request for Qualifications, which is open to all artists and collaborative artist teams, based locally, nationally, and internationally. Make sure you register by February 22nd if you're interested!

Please join fellow residents in a local food drive in one of the most difficult times of the year.

A.R.T./New York is partnering with the Food Bank of New York City to collect food four times a year at South Oxford Space. This year's winter food drive runs through February 15th. Bring your donations to the 1st floor lobby at 138 S. Oxford Street during regular weekday office hours or between 9:30am and 1:30pm on weekends.

You are encouraged to bring shelf-stable foods, including canned fruits and vegetables, vegetable soups, 100% fruit juices, canned meats and beans, nuts, dry grains, shelf stable milks, baby food/cereals and personal care items.

For more information contact Stephanie at 718-398-3078.

I bet you didn’t know that this holiday window was created by MARP staffers, Sarah, and MARP intern, Melissa! They kept it local when it came to materials, purchasing from the Pratt Store and Home and U. Sarah says, “We wanted to do something without paint that made people want to look through the decorations as much as at them, showcasing what goes on in Kapella’s day-to-day. The concept was as if all of the snowflakes were cut from a solid sheet of paper in the window.” With the cardboard cut-outs of trimming shears wrapped in silver paper, the window’s name ‘Holiday Trimmings’ truly captures Kapella’s bright holiday spirit.