Both water related. Boom.

Isn't there a Straus memorial up on the upper west side? What does Astoria have to do with the Titanic tragedy?

John Jacob Astor was the richest man aboard the Titanic, and the richest man to die aboard the Titanic.

I had this story last month! Oh well, better late than never, I guess.

Isn't the little lighthouse on Pearl Street and Fulton for the victims of the Titanic? Or did I just make that up as a little girl?

You are correct, it was built as a memorial in 1913, and was an operational lighthouse on the East River until 1976, when it was moved to its present location.

Colleti is a bit eccentric (he has security cameras and check out the gates) but his little memorial will be missed.

"he disliked the way the neighborhood was changing."

You're not the only one, Joe, you're not the only one.

It's gentrifying. I can count about 15 high, medium or low rises that have gone up in just the last two years. Most are concentrated by/on the riverfront or along the Jackson Ave thoroughfare. The vast majority were designed as condos to own, though some have turned to rent-to-own or even full-out rental units most in the wake of the financial disaster.

I see the gentrification as a double-edged sword. On the con side, are the usual negative consequences of gentrification in NYC that we are all familiar with...lots of yuppies, trust fund kids, stroller pushers, obsessive dog-owners, etc., whose presence causes a general rise in the cost of living, including housing prices. With this comes the displacement of locals, some of whom have generations of family that grew up in the neighborhood. And of course there is the destruction, partially or whole, of older structures (though with the exception of the Penn. Rail Road Generating Plant, most of these weren't architecturally notable). Here's a great site on the mutilation of that ol' beauty:

http://www.bridgeandtunnelclub.com/bigmap/queens/lic/hunterspt/schwartz/index.htm

But on the pro side, with the arrival of these newcomers (and their paycheks), comes an increase in the number of services and establishments in the nieghborhood, including restaurants, bars, laundry mats, and our first good grocery store. And with the general rise in population (particularly, middle class and upper middle class folks) more money is put into the development of new parks, bike lanes, and the maintenance and improvement of roadways. The intersection of Jackson and 11th Street at the base of the Pulaski Bridge used to be a cross-at-you-own-risk nightmare. But a few months ago the city redesigned the intersection making it easier and safer for pedestrians and bikers, alike.

So it's a mixed bag as usual.

Along with the upended ice-cube trays recently built near the Vernon-Jackson stop -- I take it most of the inhabitants would rather live in Manhattan, but don't have the money -- there are also a lot of water-filled holes in the ground. I think this is an area which could revert to what it used to be pretty quickly.

haven't been there in a while (used to live in greenpoint and walk over there to catch the 7 train). how is the neighborhood "changing"? is it getting more ghetto or gentrifying?

nah, those are only decoy security cameras. i once stole an entire set of titanic china from his front porch. never got caught.