Jacob Garchik
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jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Jacob Garchik
@jacobgarchik.bsky.social
780 followers 290 following 1K posts
Trombone player, Kronos Quartet arranger, Flatbush house person
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jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Just think of all the new units this might add to the neighborhood, one of the least dense in the borough! One or two, possibly, with LPC approval!
LPC Executive Director Lisa Kersavage addressed concerns raised in testimony about the designation limiting housing options, saying the districts sit in zoning areas that allow for accessory dwelling units. While detached new-construction backyard ADUs are not allowed in historic districts, interior conversions and ADUs in existing garages are permitted with LPC approval.
November 26, 2025 at 6:21 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
ezra klein today, me in 2017
One problem the modular housing industry has faced is the absence of steady demand to keep the factories running and work out the kinks of construction. A place like New York City that wanted to build public housing at scale, over a long period of time, could create that steady demand and use it to seed an industry — New York could become America’s leader in modular construction. I also think city could have a design contest for a modular, stackable unit, built in the Navy Yard or Sunset Park or S Bronx, then shipped all over the city. De Blasio house.
November 23, 2025 at 8:54 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
ever heard of a "walker"? www.nytimes.com/1995/02/08/t...
Every Broadway theater has a union minimum for musicians, from 26 at the Majestic down to 3 at the Walter Kerr and the Cort. In the past, a show scored for fewer than that number has had to hire "walkers": so called because they walk in only to pick up their checks.
November 14, 2025 at 12:31 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
I’m in ulm Germany which, no suprise, has a pedestrian mall surrounding the enormous church and the shopping district. And look, business owners, early morning truck deliveries, it’s not rocket science. Can you imagine if we had this in SoHo, the rest of Times Square, or 8th Ave in sunset park?
Trucks delivering to businesses in a pedestrian mall in the morning in ulm Germany. Ulm pedestrian mall.
November 5, 2025 at 7:49 AM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
I’m in Padua Italy In a 4 story hotel. Elevator for one or possibly two people, no doors, hold down the button until it reaches your floor, slightly slower than the stairs. @stephenjacobsmith.com
Tiny hotel elevator Holds 250 kg Elevator
October 25, 2025 at 2:35 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
I was convinced this was "CRUMHORN".
October 10, 2025 at 11:43 AM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Sliwa sign posted in carribean Flatbush.
Sliwa sign listing pros and cons of sliwa, mamdani and cuomo.
September 27, 2025 at 3:09 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
This is why those sidewalk mounted apartment mail boxes are not a great idea.
Apartment mailbox that got hit by a car and broke off at the base.
September 25, 2025 at 8:34 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Update: the building with hotel-like AC is, in fact, a hotel.
New “sleep inn” hotel on church Ave in Flatbush
September 24, 2025 at 1:16 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
What’s all this I hear about people excited about the messiah JC on September 23?
Saint John Coltrane
September 22, 2025 at 6:40 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
this sort of thing is even trickling down to Flatbush. First one is w village, second is Veronica place.
September 9, 2025 at 10:44 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
14th and 6th Ave. Somebody’s been checking out Tehran brickwork Instagram.
New building
September 8, 2025 at 5:41 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Morning rush on church Ave: 3 west bound buses on church between Bedford and Flatbush, and 4 west bound buses between Bedford and Rogers. 7 buses in 2 blocks. That’s bunching.
Buses on church Ave Buses on church Ave
September 8, 2025 at 12:53 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Since we are talking about things that people want to stuff into the IBX/freight right of way, here's an abandoned late Robert Moses plan from 1967 to build a cross brooklyn expressway and a "linear city". pubsindex.trb.org/view.aspx?id...
picture of the linear city - apt buildings built over the freight train ROW that will now be used for the IBX. Concepts for the "Linear CIty" project for New York City (source: Princeton Alumni Weekly")
August 31, 2025 at 6:15 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
He went to see Thad (I'm guessing with Mel at the Vanguard. ) Classic dis of Freddie. Classic insight into Miles's view of virtuosity vs content.
"I take Loretta down to ehar Thad and I tell her, 'This is one of the greatest trumpet players you're ever gonna hear.' Don't I Loretta?" "yes, Miles really loves Thad." Miles sent Loretta to place an out-of-town call for him. He continued, "When I go to hear a trumpet player, I've really gotta like him. I don't go to hear Freddie Hubbard only becuase I don't like him. I'd rather hear Thad miss a note than hear Freddie make twelve." I told him that Thad told me how much he loves Miles playing but that Miles's continual changing made
August 31, 2025 at 1:05 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Recommendation for where the city should build new BRT routes. Church Ave is in the top ten. reorientations.medium.com/where-should...
map showing where the city should build BRT routes
August 31, 2025 at 12:28 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
City vaguely proposes a greenway along the IBX route...not sure how that would work exactly or if this is Adams admin vaporware. www.nyc.gov/html/dot/dow...
Rail and Trail (Interborough Express (IBX): The MTA is developing the IBX, a rapid transit project to operate passenger train services along an existing underutilized freight right-of- way between southern and eastern Brooklyn and central Queens. The IBX route and project also provides a unique opportunity to incorporate a greenway along the same footprint.
August 31, 2025 at 12:22 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
We play tonight at Nublu. I'll have CDs for sale.
flyer advertising gig on Aug 29 for Ye Olde at Nublu, 7-10pm.
August 29, 2025 at 12:51 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
You: the MTA needs to modernize the bus system
Me: are you telling me the coins only sbs receipt machine isn’t modern?
Coins only sbs receipt machine
July 16, 2025 at 9:41 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
ah yes, a chris o'donnell as robin pocket trumpet.
a chris o'donnell as robin pocket trumpet. and a batman flugelhorn. a chris o'donnell as robin pocket trumpet.
July 16, 2025 at 3:35 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
so this is not true ?
Commissioner Thomas Donlon and the aide, Tarik Sheppard, fought over where they would stand for photos taken at the finish line of the race, according to two people who were briefed on the incident. Mr. Sheppard disputed that account and said the episode stemmed from a minor disagreement about where and when to have a meeting.
July 16, 2025 at 2:49 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Just remembering that in 2019, the city proposed fixing B35 bus service on Church Ave. They did almost nothing except for a bus lane on four blocks that weren't an issue. I take this bus constantly and it is pitifully slow and broken. www.nyc.gov/html/brt/dow...
Background Church Ave was identified as part of the Bus Forward program due to its slow bus speeds. This narrow corridor carries high volumes of bus and truck traffic, with delays regularly caused by double parking, truck loading, and long traffic queues. • Corridor length: 0.8 miles • Routes served: B35, B103, BM3, BM4 • Total daily ridership: 45,000 • Average bus speeds: 4.9 mph (AM) / 3.6 mph (PM) Potential Improvements • Install curbside bus lanes to improve bus speeds and reliability along this narrow and congested corridor • Update curb regulations to accommodate truck loading and short-term metered parking needs • Investigate turn bans or turn bays to improve traffic flow along Church Ave for buses, trucks, and other vehicles • Adjust bus stops to improve bus operations
July 16, 2025 at 2:14 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Maybe the chief exec of Pfizer, questioning Mamdani about the meaning of genocide, should read the Nytimes oped from a genocide scholar from yesterday.
The topic of Israel was a focal point for several of the business leaders at Tuesday’s meeting. Albert Bourla, the chief executive of Pfizer, pushed Mr. Mamdani about the meaning of genocide and defended Israel’s war in Gaza, according to two people who attended the meeting. My inescapable conclusion has become that Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. Having grown up in a Zionist home, lived the first half of my life in Israel, served in the I.D.F. as a soldier and officer and spent most of my career researching and writing on war crimes and the Holocaust, this was a painful conclusion to reach, and one that I resisted as long as I could. But I have been teaching classes on genocide for a quarter of a century. I can recognize one when I see one.
July 16, 2025 at 11:40 AM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
in 1970 somebody tore down a (3 story) Victorian and built these (3 story!!!) brick buildings at Glenwood and Westminster which was zoned R5. The neighborhood freaked out and changed it to R2, still some of the most restrictive zoning in the city.
July 15, 2025 at 4:18 PM
jacobgarchik.bsky.social
Everybody is dunking on Cuomo saying "no real answer" but then he started to explain how and he said he would "cut taxes". Assuming he means cutting property taxes for already undertaxed upper west side home owners. nymag.com/intelligence...
quote from nymag "So what would he do on housing affordability? “There is no real answer,” he said. The key was not to freeze the rent but to build a lot of both affordable and market-rate housing, while broader affordability could only be tackled by making government more efficient and cutting taxes. “That is really the only truth. That’s not pithy or sexy, I know, but it’s also the truth.”"
July 15, 2025 at 4:12 PM