Articles that have impressed me (UPDATED!)

Let's take a break from the Broadway Triangle rezoning and recognize some recent important pieces of local journalism that have blossomed like goldenrod in a vacant Williamsburg lot.

David Amsden's big New York Magazine piece: The Billyburg Bust is one that is getting a lot of attention locally, and rightfully so. It's well written and well put together. Good job David.

Gotham Gazette's ace political correspondant, Courtney Gross, has two very solid pieces on the city budget and the importance of local community boards. She's had a busy June. Up next? A feature on Tony Avella.


I don't usually link to the Brooklyn Rail, but they've had a strong issue too, with Williams Cole's interview with Ward Dennis, James Kalm's review of Bushwick Open Studios, and Tom Angotti's straw man discussion about Michael Bloomberg.

City Limits comes to Bushwick (for the first time?) and discovers Bushwick Impact. Definitely check out this piece by Nekoro Gomes and learn about all the interesting things Impact is up to.

WNYC has been spending a lot of time in Williamsburg and Greenpoint, with Matthew Scheurman's report on the shortage of open space in the neighborhood and his rezoning tour with NAG's Mike Freedman Schnapp (its on their blog too). Amsden goes on Brian Lehrer to talk about the condo glut and those one-on-one interviews that Bob Hennelly has been doing with the Comptroller candidates are finally live. He's got David Weprin, John Liu, and Melinda Katz, but no David Yassky. We're still waiting for that.

The Daily News' Elizabeth Lazarowitz has a couple of notes about El Puente and Erin Durkin is busy typing away about a cardboard tube fighting league in McCarren Park. They've also got their take on the Williamsburg housing bust and a quirky look into the homeless problem that has been developing on Bedford Avenue.

And then we have the New York Times, where David Gonzalez explores photography and the Gowanus Canal, Nikki Bagli's dad with the assist on the Ravitch swearing in story, arts reporter Ben Sisario evaluates the Pool Parties, and arts reporter Melena Ryzik visits the Bklyn Yard.

UPDATED!: Reid Pillifant's Evan Thies profile for PolitickerNY just went up! 2000 words. Check it, yo. And while we're on the Observer, Eliot Brown has a nice piece on Richard Ravitch and don't miss Jason Horowitz's entertaining insight into the life of Carolyn Maloney.

What I'm still waiting forthis week: Kareem Fahim's New York Times piece on the Broadway Triangle, and Tom Robbins' Village Voice piece on Vito Lopez. Let's go guys.