New York Daily News Really Likes Plan for Brooklyn Heights Library

By on September 24, 2014 10:18 am in Brooklyn Heights

As regular BHB readers know, last week the Brooklyn Public Library announced its decision regarding who will build a 30-story tower on the site of the Brooklyn Heights Branch library. Based upon a recent Op-Ed, the Daily News—whose publisher, Mort Zuckerman is also the lead investor in developer Boston Properties, Inc.—heartily approves the selection of the Hudson Companies:

NYDN: The Brooklyn Public Library’s trustees have approved an extraordinarily good deal for their cash-strapped system that would establish a brand-new outpost in Brooklyn Heights to be paid for by the sale to a developer of the city-owned land on which a branch now sits.

In a nod to NIMBYism charges that have been leveled before against local residents, the News editorial board had this to say:

The streets of the Heights echo with charges that the library system is selling its soul. Nonsense. Brooklyn’s 60-branch network has piled up some $300 million in major construction costs. The city budget’s contribution for that purpose this year: just $20.8 million.

Of course, BHB would be remiss it didn’t provide a comment about the library deal from Michael White of Citizens Defending Libraries:

A year ago last July Bill de Blasio stood with Citizens Defending libraries calling for a halt to the sale and shrinkage of our libraries including the Brooklyn Heights Library.

What’s different now is that our citizens diligence has brought to light a state of affairs with respect to how the library’s sale and shrinkage was conceived that is far worse than anything de Blasio or anyone else knew about back then.

I think the BPL trustees have therefore embarrassed themselves by at this time further pursuing an endeavor with such a contaminated past.

Next round in this saga? October 7 when the Brooklyn Heights Library Community Advisory Committee meets to discuss the plan that BPL leadership has already approved.

Stay tuned!

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  • bethman14

    Bravo to the Daily News for a rational, well argued editorial in support of a no-brainer project (and come on BHB, why sully yourself by feeding into the absurd DD White paranoia by pointing out the Mort Zuckerman has ties to real estate?) Lets hope reason and progress triumph against the NIMBYs.

  • Doug Biviano

    “Full of Billogna de Blasio to get elected” is his fourth legal name.

    I would also say that if you believe the BPL story line — at this point that the BPL libraries are in such disrepair and selling off public assets is the only recourse — the BPL execs and Board of Trustees should all be fired or resign in shame for their utter failure.

    Is anyone accountable in this anymore?

  • bethman14

    No, unfortunately because of forums like this t its impossible to hold uniformed conspiracy theorists like you and Mikey White accountable for poisioning public debate and peddling distortions and half-truths.

  • notonmywatch

    Really BHB… Zero analysis while you trumpet steaming pieces of that editorial.

    Half the library, $52,000,000 not guaranteed to be an addition to BPL financing, back of the envelope analysis that it would cost nearly that when the true costs are factored in and almost nothing notable but lining the developers pockets with about $198,000,000 for the FAR less than fair market value. That is in free money, in addition to profit, because you, the press, don’t actually engage some brain cells.

    Yeah, Micheal is way out of line here. Fools.

    p.s. the Libraries are participating in a fraud contending they control the sites and their approval is necessary for anything.

    p.s.s. Note that the Daily news is spinning the $300,000,000 as major construction costs. And the BPL is trotting it out as $300,000,00 in unmet capital needs.

  • marshasrimler

    of course Mort Zuckerman likes the plans. He is a billionaire
    real estate investor. Does he use a public library or live in Brooklyn?? He is a Bloomberg Buddy. Everything for the developers and real estate industry and their puppets-Alice Fisher Rubin, Peter Aschkenasy,Nina Lorez Collins, Linda Johnson, Jordon Barowittz, Hank Guttman, Joanne Witty, David Kramer, Nancy Webster, Nancy Bowe. The public at large is left with less parkland, no hospital and a shrunken library and of course overcrowded schools and more and more condos.
    What is wrong with this picture

  • marshasrimler

    bethman i am sure you are on the payroll
    what is your real name

  • gatornyc

    Ugghhh…anyone who disagrees with you must be on the payroll?!! Don’t you realize how much such responses devalue your argument and impugn your credibility?

  • marshasrimler

    not so for bethman.. why don’t you give your real name and be transparent .. bethman too
    your lack of transparency cheapens your argument

  • gatornyc

    Arguments are arguments. They are not cheapened by anonymity. Indeed, such disclosure often leads the insertion of bias, etc. It’s like the show “The Voice.” The judges can only listen to the singer so they are not biased by his/her physical appearance. Respond to the arguments and all is good. Leave all these childish accusations and ad hominem attacks at the door.

  • marshasrimler

    Wrong this is a community who are u?

  • gatornyc

    How is it wrong? Make your argument or respond to mine on the merits. What difference does it make who I am? Who I am does not matter, the facts and merits of the arguments do.

    By the way, despite the accusations, I have no ties whatsoever to real estate developers. My name would add nothing to the debate, I assure you.

  • marshasrimler

    well lets just agree to disagree
    end of story

  • gatornyc

    So be it, but it speaks volumes regarding your positions. All to often you refuse to engage in a discussion of the issues and underlying facts in favor of trying to “out” people and ad hominem attacks. If that’s all you have, you don’t have much.

  • Park Lover

    And no one is troubled that the public library is shrinking, but a private school is getting a gym (and a private school that was attended by many BPL trustees’ kids)?

  • bethman14

    Whats wrong with it is your parochial perspective. The public gets a spectacular new library to replace the dump thats currently there…expanded btw from 15,000 to 20,000 square feet, one of the largest libraries in the borough. PLUS 114 units of affordable housing and 42 million bucks for libraries all over Brooklyn. Pretty sweet deal.

    And on a personal note while you still rely on nasty personal attacks and clearly have nothing intelligent or substantive to say about the project, I give you great credit for finally spelling a few names correctly! Small steps! I mean if you’re going to make totally baseless, totally absurd personal attacks on your neighbors whose only offense is volunteering time and money to help a library while you troll them on a blog at least have the courtesy to spell their names corrects, right?!?

  • bethman14

    Your lack of an argument cheapens your argument.

  • Andrew Porter

    Great idea: selling the Promenade to a developer so they can build condos there. Sensible use of city-owned property! And t’s just sitting, empty, not a source of revenue for the city…

  • Frank MIrer

    An issue never resolved is the current use of the extra square feet in the current library building which will be lost. I read somewhere that this isn’t being used because its was associated with paper catalogues which have become obsolete. This would be ok with me. Another issue would be number of books on shelves before and after, taking into account the 60,000 ebooks and 10,000 audiobooks which can be lent out without taking shelf space. Also the rapid availability of paper books shelved in other branches which can be ordered online and delivered may be considered to require less shelf space. It would be good to compare the number of seats before and after, taking into account the relocation of the business library. Finally, most of what’s being sold are air rights, currently being unoccupied.

    Finally, if we are going to reduce our carbon footprint, high rise housing on top of a transit hub is the way to go.

  • marshasrimler

    we will all be crushed by lack of healthcare, emergency rooms and schools by condos ,condos, condos. This is the last public space in Brooklyn Heights.. why give city land away. once gone it is gone forever

  • marshasrimler

    good point and the 2nd appellate division on monroe place. beautiful building. would lake great condos and we can build up

  • marshasrimler

    that is not their only offense.. just wait

  • gatornyc

    But the library will still be there. Win, win. And no one is giving city land away; it is being sold to free up equity in the land.

  • Cindy Sm

    The Brooklyn Business Branch was the
    BEST research facility square foot for
    Square foot in the NATION. I have done
    Legal and other research all over this
    country and NOTHING was like the
    Old BH BUSINESS branch. You could
    accomplish more in a few hours than
    In DAYS at any other research facility

    Don’t think that matters to a city, a
    Area or a business community?

  • marshasrimler

    we shall see..

  • marshasrimler

    you are right

  • bethman14

    I can’t wait to see if you actually have the chutzpah to file a lawsuit aimed solely at stopping an incredible, inspiring new library being built and 114 new units of affordable housing being created…I mean really, what sort of person is against building a new library?!?

  • bethman14

    The City ISNT giving the land away. There will be a new, better library OWNED BY THE CITY. The real estate is being sold at fair market value to benefit other libraries. Please please please stop lying to people Marsha, it insults the intelligence of our community.

  • bethman14

    No it isn’t a good point. Its not a fair analogy in any way, shape or form.

  • Reggie

    Am I reading your comment correctly? It will cease to be “the BEST research facility square foot for Square foot in the NATION” is it is physically located somewhere new?

  • heights res

    Wrong – the city is giving publicly owned space to private developers. Doesn’t matter if a (smaller) library is included; the PUBLIC land will be forever lost. Also rarely mentioned – the library was built on land originally taken through eminent domain. Just adds insult to injury…..

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