What a spooky spectacle… There’s not a light to be found across Manhattan, in this panoramic shot taken just before 6 p.m. Tuesday from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade (see full-size view here). Below, a closer image focused on Lower Manhattan. ConEd reports 780,000 customers are without service, including 250,000 in Manhattan and 87,000 in Brooklyn. Its webbie says power should be restored within four days. (CT)
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50588
Our man in the NYS Senate, Daniel Squadron just released this dispatch to his constituency which includes Brooklyn Heights. Includes some very useful information:
Dear Friend:
I hope that you and your family are doing ok in the aftermath of the storm.
It’s going to be days and weeks until things are back to normal in parts of our city. In the meantime, it’s important to stay safe and make sure you’re prepared for the possibility of extended power outages, vastly reduced transit services, and overtaxed city services.
If you’re without power:
The entirety of the Manhattan side of our district and some constituents in Brooklyn seem to be without power. Report power outages on ConEd’s website or by calling 1-800-752-6633.
ConEd is working to restore power, but it’s expected to take up to four days. If you can safely move to a friend’s or family member’s home with power, it makes sense to do so.
If you need to travel:
MTA bus service will resume at 5PM today on a limited schedule, with additional restorations tomorrow. There will be no fares on the buses for the time being.
It is very likely that it will be days, if not longer, until transit service is fully restored due to flooding in subway tunnels. Stay tuned to mta.info for updates.
Yellow cabs are temporarily allowed to pick up multiple passengers at multiple stops, and livery cars can temporarily pick up street hails.
Most bridges and tunnels are beginning to reopen. The Hugh L. Carey Battery Tunnel, the Midtown Tunnel, and Rockaway bridges remain closed.
If your home sustained damage:
You can apply for disaster assistance here.
If you have other needs:
Please reach out to 311. Phone wait times are long so online or text (311692) is your best bet.
Unless it’s a real emergency, please do not call 911, which has been overloaded since yesterday.
If you want to volunteer:
Most evacuation shelters need volunteers today for eight hour shifts and, in some cases, clothing donations. You can find the closest shelter to you here, and reach out to find out what they need.
Email nycservice@cityhall.nyc.gov with your name, email address, and borough to volunteer in the coming days.
You can also visit the Red Cross’ website to volunteer.
Please keep these things in mind:
It is still safest to stay inside; there are downed and potentially-downed wires and trees, and emergency crews need to do their jobs. Please check in on elderly and other neighbors who might need a hand.
NYC public schools will be closed again tomorrow, Wednesday.
If you have water coming out of your faucet, it is safe to drink. My office has been surveying the needs of large buildings in Lower Manhattan impacted by the storm, and confirmed that Smith Houses, La Guardia Houses, Seward Park Extension, Confucius Plaza, Seward Park Co-Op, and 80 Rutgers Slip Senior Housing, among others, are currently experiencing problems with water or pumps.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter and Facebook for more frequent updates. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if I can be helpful.Thanks,
Daniel
Daniel Squadron
State Senator
25th Senate District
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50574
While most of Cobble Hill Blog’s covered neighborhoods were spared power outages, numerous residents noted frequent brownouts and light flickers throughout Monday evening’s Superstorm Sandy. Time Warner is reporting that cable and Internet service is out in parts of Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights and Williamsburg. TWC service updates are available here.
Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7983
As BHB continues to dig for post-storm news, we’ll update coverage here that impacts or discusses Brooklyn Heights…
* Gothamist: While we all know electricity was shut off in much of Manhattan south of 39th Street, Brooklyn Heights’ residents noted frequent brownouts and light flickers throughout Monday evening’s storm. Time Warner reports that cable and Internet service is out in parts of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill and Williamsburg. TWC service updates are here.
* A sweet story in Crain’s NY Business: “Even those who could not get to their businesses managed to do business, with help from their customers. Pets Emporium on Montague Street opened with the help of Josh Winter, a customer who has been shopping there for 10 years. The owner, Samih Rum, lives in Bay Ridge and could not make it to work. Winter brought his 7-year-old son, Cheythan, who worked the cash register. “We’ve done a lot of business,” Winter said. “Dog-walkers are always out.”
* Gothamist: Governor Cuomo and MTA Chair Joe Lhota announced that MTA is offering limited bus service in NYC beginning Tuesday at 5 p.m. “No fares will be charged on buses today or tomorrow.” MTA post-storm updates here.
* Crain’s also notes that all 20 Manhattan & Brooklyn branches of Equinox are keeping normal business hours, 5:30 a.m.-11 p.m. “Calls are pouring in,” says Cynthia Barragan, who works the front desk at the Joralemon Street Equinox in Brooklyn Heights. She spent the night at the gym to open it at 5:30 a.m. “We’re staying open normal business hours and it’s packed.”
* Numerous reports of subway damage, including the effects of the record 13-foot surge of water: “One day after the storm, Hurricane Sandy’s long-term impact on New York’s vital transportation system began to emerge as a major post-storm concern. MTA Chairman Joseph J. Lhota said, ‘The New York City subway system is 108 years old, but it has never faced a disaster as devastating as what we experienced last night.’ All seven subway tunnels under the East River flooded.
* More on subways from CBS 2: MTA has shut down power to subway tunnels that run under the East River between Manhattan to Brooklyn, however, water infiltrated tunnels under the East River. MTA officials say salt water could corrode switches and signals and force replacement of hundreds of pieces of equipment before service is restored. “It could be as few as 14 hours and as much as four days before all the water is even pumped out.”
* The Daily Beast: “Bicyclists and runners climbed over police barricades and ignored ‘park closed’ signs in Brooklyn Bridge Park to continue their usual workouts as wind and rain pushed them back. Young parents wheeled strollers to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade to storm-watch with their toddlers. Boredom seemed to be a bigger fear than power outages or flying debris among the residents of brownstone Brooklyn.”
* Michael Correra, owner of Michael Towne Wine and Spirits on Clark & Henry, told The Daily Beast: We’ve been very, very busy. Everyone has nowhere to go and nothing to do, so they just eat and drink.”
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50546
You’d think it was the first day of spring after a long winter’s haul. Late Tuesday morning, the Brooklyn Heights Promenade was swarming with onlookers, checking out the after-effects of Superstorm Sandy, while peering for signs of life on the other side, where Lower Manhattan remains without power for what may be days. While it was a brisk and breezy 53 degrees just before noon, apparently Brooklynites don’t like to be cooped up… Looks like 24 hours was long enough. More below. (CT)
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50513
New York Police Department’s 76th Precinct’s Community Affairs Bureau shares the following with all area residents…
Multiple road closures are now in effect due to the impact of the hurricane. 
* The following bridges are now closed: Henry Hudson, Throgs Neck, Bronx-Whitestone, Verrazano Narrows, Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges, Cross Bay Veterans Memorial, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg, Joseph P. Addabbo Memorial, Ed Koch Queensboro (59th St), Outerbridge Crossing, Bayonne, Tappan Zee and George Washington bridges.
* The following tunnels are closed: Holland and the Hugh Carey (Battery Tunnel). The FDR Drive is closed from East 155 Street to the Battery. Multiple other road and bridge closures can occur at any time due to impending storm conditions.
Alternate Side Parking regulations (street cleaning) and payment at parking meters is suspended throughout the city thru Tuesday 10/30. You may call 311 to report downed trees. Power outages should be reported to 1-800-75-CONED.
Source: Cobble Hill Blog
http://cobblehillblog.com/archives/7974
BHB reader “Jay” sent us this video of a rainbow over NYC as seen from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. He says it’s a little “good news on an otherwise gloomy day.” Watch it after the jump.
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50497
The Montague Street BID shares sanitation collection info with Brooklyn Heights’ residents & businesses: “DSNY will be on 12-hour split shifts, 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday. We will be picking up refuse and recycling, but encourage citizens to put waste out Tuesday morning to prevent cans blowing in the wind. Crews will also be deployed for debris cleanup.”
In addition, BID cautions: “Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden by tree limbs, leaves and water. Report all downed wires to Con Edison, 311 and local police.” Report an Electric Service Problem/Check Status here. For information about Hurricane Sandy, the City of New York’s Office of Emergency Management’s website is here.
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50480
Jane’s Carousel surrounded by water and many other Tweets and observations of Sandy’s wrath upon Brooklyn are part of the Brooklyn Bugle’s Tale of the Tweets. Updated all day, check it out here. Also check out Homer’s Tour Video diary of the storm which will be updated regularly today, too. (Photo via @dumbonyc)
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50427
A walk along Montague Street from end to end around 7 a.m. Tuesday morning revealed no broken windows or fallen limbs. The worst damage is a busted lighted sign at TD Bank at the corner of Court Street. All along the corridor, newspaper boxes were tossed about like cardboard, including a couple that were outright smashed. Otherwise, Montague Street checks out a-okay. More pics below. (CT)
Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50394