Friday, May 29, 2009
AUCTION
Auction of Club 4100
May 29, 2009
1:00
I went to the auction and there was about 30-35 people there that were from the community. Some of these people did not currently live there but had traveled from West Virginia and Ocean City to witness the auction. The starting price of Club 4100 was $1.5 million but went down to around $600,000. I only saw one person who looked like he was placing a bid on it while everyone else there stood by watching who would buy the club. It was hard to tell because it was my first time at an auction and it went extremely fast. After the break and a bidding price around $600,000 the auctioneer came back from talking to Raj and Meena to say that today there would be no selling of the club. Many got in their cars and left while few stayed back socializing outside of the club.
Raj and Meena were not outside when the auctioning was taken place. I am not sure if this is normal or not. I spoke with Raj for a few minutes but tried to distance myself from him so I could gain different perspectives of the club and people who were there. I overheard much talk about how Raj and Meena had no business owning this place and how happy people were that someone else could take over. The people that I did speak with were extremely anxious for Meena and Raj to leave. I gained much more perspective on Meena and Raj and to the community. I still wonder why there is such a division between the club and the community now. What happened for it to get this way? I did hear that Meena had fired up to sixty different employees that were once connected to the club. I don’t know how much of this is true. It is hard to gain insight on what is real, what is made up and how it has gotten to this point. Meena and Raj have been nothing but nice and accepting to me personally but many others will say differently.
I heard people reminiscing about the many memories they had at Club 4100 and how if they had money they would take it over in a heartbeat. The topic on everyone’s mind as I walked through the crowd was that they hoped that whoever bought the club would maintain what the club stood for. I tried to speak with people there but some were very resisting and did not want to speak. Others who spoke to me let me know that Dino (one of the old owners) was upset how it has been run. Also, I overheard a woman share to a group of people that if the biding price went down to $500,000 she was supposed to call Dino because he would buy it.
I was able to gain 3 contacts from this experience. I spoke with one lady who traveled from West Virginia and had spent many years working there. She said she saw the brochure that our class created and she was mentioned in it because she was the lady who was quoted from the interview by the Boston Globe (I think that was it). She gave me her phone number and said she would not mind if I interviewed her in the future. I spoke with one of the auctioneers and he gave me his card. He said that he could help me with any statistical research that his company has obtained from these areas. I also spoke with a reporter from the Maryland Gazette who seemed interested in the independent study. He got my information because he forgot his camera and might need a picture for his report but I did not get his. I will have to look him up if I do not hear from him. Overall, I learned a lot more about the community and the people’s attachment to this Club 4100.
May 29, 2009
1:00
I went to the auction and there was about 30-35 people there that were from the community. Some of these people did not currently live there but had traveled from West Virginia and Ocean City to witness the auction. The starting price of Club 4100 was $1.5 million but went down to around $600,000. I only saw one person who looked like he was placing a bid on it while everyone else there stood by watching who would buy the club. It was hard to tell because it was my first time at an auction and it went extremely fast. After the break and a bidding price around $600,000 the auctioneer came back from talking to Raj and Meena to say that today there would be no selling of the club. Many got in their cars and left while few stayed back socializing outside of the club.
Raj and Meena were not outside when the auctioning was taken place. I am not sure if this is normal or not. I spoke with Raj for a few minutes but tried to distance myself from him so I could gain different perspectives of the club and people who were there. I overheard much talk about how Raj and Meena had no business owning this place and how happy people were that someone else could take over. The people that I did speak with were extremely anxious for Meena and Raj to leave. I gained much more perspective on Meena and Raj and to the community. I still wonder why there is such a division between the club and the community now. What happened for it to get this way? I did hear that Meena had fired up to sixty different employees that were once connected to the club. I don’t know how much of this is true. It is hard to gain insight on what is real, what is made up and how it has gotten to this point. Meena and Raj have been nothing but nice and accepting to me personally but many others will say differently.
I heard people reminiscing about the many memories they had at Club 4100 and how if they had money they would take it over in a heartbeat. The topic on everyone’s mind as I walked through the crowd was that they hoped that whoever bought the club would maintain what the club stood for. I tried to speak with people there but some were very resisting and did not want to speak. Others who spoke to me let me know that Dino (one of the old owners) was upset how it has been run. Also, I overheard a woman share to a group of people that if the biding price went down to $500,000 she was supposed to call Dino because he would buy it.
I was able to gain 3 contacts from this experience. I spoke with one lady who traveled from West Virginia and had spent many years working there. She said she saw the brochure that our class created and she was mentioned in it because she was the lady who was quoted from the interview by the Boston Globe (I think that was it). She gave me her phone number and said she would not mind if I interviewed her in the future. I spoke with one of the auctioneers and he gave me his card. He said that he could help me with any statistical research that his company has obtained from these areas. I also spoke with a reporter from the Maryland Gazette who seemed interested in the independent study. He got my information because he forgot his camera and might need a picture for his report but I did not get his. I will have to look him up if I do not hear from him. Overall, I learned a lot more about the community and the people’s attachment to this Club 4100.
Monday, May 11, 2009
So, I am getting really excited for the event! I think we have been through a lot as a class and have learned so much. Everything that we have done wrong we have learned to make it better. Everyone has put in so much work too.
When I spoke to the librarians at the Brooklyn library on Saturday I really felt that I gained some insight on the community. They are in so much need. When I was talking to one of the women, I could tell in her eyes how grateful she was that we were working on this project. When I told her about the continuation of the project she was really excited and wanted Dr. King, Katie and I to talk at the next library meeting.
The other lady seemed exhausted from everything she has experienced living in Brooklyn her whole life. She said that it has changed a lot and has gone through a tremendous amount of pain and suffering.
Both of these ladies agreed to do an oral histories at a later date. I told them I would be dropping by more fliers this week. They both took my number down and said that they were going to call me this week about tickets. They wanted to see about getting their family and friends to go too!
So, I am at a friends party Saturday night and I am talking to a few people about the project. I haven't seen these friends in months.... I found out that 1 of my friends whole family grew up in Brooklyn. She was at club 4100 every Easter with her family. Her grandmother lived on 5th street. They are polish and hung out at the Polish Home Hall. I am so bummed I didn't know this because she said if she had more time she could have gotten some pictures together. She still will, but I know it will not be in enough time for the event. She knew so much about the club and I am definitely going to have to get an interview with her and her family this summer.
Then someone overheard me and was like " my dad grew up in Brooklyn Park". She also knew so much about the neighborhood and is always in the area. I gave them fliers and one said she would come up if she could and the other lives over the Bay Bridge- so does her family now and she knows it wouldn't be possible for them to come to the event:(
I think it is pretty cool how I didn't know anything about this neighborhood and now it seems that everything is coming together and I truly feel connected to it. As I drove down streets there were so many families out on the porches and playing. I really wanted to talk to them but since I was by myself I figured I would just take the pictures. I hope next Saturday is gorgeous so we can go out and really try and get people out.
When I spoke to the librarians at the Brooklyn library on Saturday I really felt that I gained some insight on the community. They are in so much need. When I was talking to one of the women, I could tell in her eyes how grateful she was that we were working on this project. When I told her about the continuation of the project she was really excited and wanted Dr. King, Katie and I to talk at the next library meeting.
The other lady seemed exhausted from everything she has experienced living in Brooklyn her whole life. She said that it has changed a lot and has gone through a tremendous amount of pain and suffering.
Both of these ladies agreed to do an oral histories at a later date. I told them I would be dropping by more fliers this week. They both took my number down and said that they were going to call me this week about tickets. They wanted to see about getting their family and friends to go too!
So, I am at a friends party Saturday night and I am talking to a few people about the project. I haven't seen these friends in months.... I found out that 1 of my friends whole family grew up in Brooklyn. She was at club 4100 every Easter with her family. Her grandmother lived on 5th street. They are polish and hung out at the Polish Home Hall. I am so bummed I didn't know this because she said if she had more time she could have gotten some pictures together. She still will, but I know it will not be in enough time for the event. She knew so much about the club and I am definitely going to have to get an interview with her and her family this summer.
Then someone overheard me and was like " my dad grew up in Brooklyn Park". She also knew so much about the neighborhood and is always in the area. I gave them fliers and one said she would come up if she could and the other lives over the Bay Bridge- so does her family now and she knows it wouldn't be possible for them to come to the event:(
I think it is pretty cool how I didn't know anything about this neighborhood and now it seems that everything is coming together and I truly feel connected to it. As I drove down streets there were so many families out on the porches and playing. I really wanted to talk to them but since I was by myself I figured I would just take the pictures. I hope next Saturday is gorgeous so we can go out and really try and get people out.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
www.curtisbay.com
I found these awesome pictures!!
check out curtisbay.com
this is of St. Rose Lime Church when their roof collapsed
http://www.stroseparish.org/history1.htm
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