Open Thread Wednesday

By on April 11, 2017 11:03 pm in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Cranberry Beret

    Just in time for the Squibb Park Bridge to reopen, there’s this:

    http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2017/4/11/cops-evacuate-brooklyn-bridge-park-tuesday-due-large-disorderly-crowds

    “An extremely large, disorderly crowd at Pier 2 in Brooklyn Bridge Park prompted police to call a Level 1 Mobilization and evacuate the park shortly before 4 p.m. on Tuesday.”

    “Thousands of park-goers streamed out of the park along the Joralemon Street and Old Fulton Street exits, or headed along Furman Street to Atlantic Avenue. Traffic in Downtown Brooklyn was jammed as emergency vehicles tried to get to the park.”

  • Banet

    Can we please get another if Songbird’s detailed, factual, hyperbole-free write-ups on the PS8 waitlist situation?

  • Jorale-man

    Wow. And the fighting moved onto Joralemon Street, it says. This could be a long summer with the park.

  • Justine Swartz

    For Immediate Release
    Love Brooklyn Libraries Inc
    April 10, 2017
    Contact: Marsha Rimler 929-888-7562
    http://www.lovebrooklynlibrariesinc.org and on Facebook.com/lovebrooklynlibrariesinc
    STOP DEVELOPER BULLYING
    LOVE BROOKLYN LIBRARIES Inc., a nonprofit corporation and registered 5013C dedicated to preserving accessibility of Brooklyn’s libraries, continues to say NO to David Kramer of Hudson Companies, who has proceeded to begin demolition of public property of which he has no ownership. He has yet to secure full funding for his library destruction and condominium construction plan.
    Friday, Love Brooklyn Libraries filed an expedited appeal request with the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department. Our lawsuit contends that the City of New York violated State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) Chapter 6, Part 617.7. Compliance with the law requires the developer to determine the significance of the project’s impact on the environment and if its significance has adverse impact.
    Significant adverse impact include: a traffic nightmare… shadows in and around brooklyn heights and school overcrowding
    Hudson Companies is at risk for any demolition of the library and its surroundings. If the City of New York is found in court to be in violation, Hudson may be financially responsible for damages. The developer has already removed mature trees at the 280 Cadman Plaza site without sufficient permits.
    Our lawsuit continues… We will have our day in court !

  • Disgusted

    These punks were not there to enjoy the park. They were there to fight with each other and anyone they encountered along the way. That park has ruined this area. Its either overun with useless tourists who dont patronize local businesses or thugs. What will be done to curb this? Answer: nothing.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    The Police tactic of shutting down the entire park in these situations, is ridiculous. It only creates an environment that allows the perpetrators to cause further trouble and get away in the confusion. No surprise though, there’s not a lot of gray matter at the NYPD…

  • MaryT

    I’ve seen breakout fights. It’s a stupid, scary, show-off kids game. Next time, get the SWAT squad, round ’em up, book, and call their families. The BBP should have prepared. Have they no blame?

  • CassieVonMontague

    “useless tourists who dont patronize local businesses”

    Not a week goes by a French couple or Italian family stops me in on the Promenade or in the Park and asks me where they can go to eat. Let me know what local businesses you patronize and I’ll be sure to direct them elsewhere.

    My ability to give directions in French has gotten better!

  • BGN24

    It should be run like a free rec center. The majority of kids just want to play basketball. Require ID cards and sign ups. Structure could alleviate some of the problems.

  • james

    Good point. I also think the police could monitor social media, at least when nice weather and spring break coincide, apparently these things are broadcasted in advance and help fuel the crowds.

  • KXrVrii1

    “Linda DeRosa, president of the Willowtown Association, told the Brooklyn Eagle that she became alarmed earlier in the afternoon when she saw massive crowds walking to the park along Joralemon Street.

    “I emailed the 84th Precinct, I emailed some Brooklyn Bridge Park CAC [Community Advisory Council] members, I emailed the park and said there’s going to be trouble.

    “I heard from nobody,” she said.:”

    Reminds me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gMbW4CtEuE&feature=youtu.be&t=116

  • meschwar

    They do monitor social media. That’s why the shut down the area a few times last summer in anticipation of fights. But sometimes heights will break out among big groups of teens without planning.

  • james

    If the Park does something like MaryT suggests, perhaps it will nip the problem in the bud by removing the (ostensible) reason for coming here in the first place. It also might take a few more “events” to spark action. However, I have a feeling the PIERHOUSE people might be motivated to come up with a solution, and if they can manage to block the view from the Promenade I’ll wager they can figure this one out.

  • Greg

    It’s never appropriate to browbeat tourists unless they’re being actively disrespectful. The term “useless” is just pointlessly derogatory, and not a valuable contribution to our discourse.

    I appreciate your patience in responding to the message above. You gave it more credit than it deserves.

    I’d be happy to have a respectful and earnest debate on how we carve out our social spaces to locals vs. tourists vs. outside visitors if anyone wants to go there.

    PS: your anecdote is great!

  • ColumbiaHeightster

    That is a great point James, re: Pierhouse.

  • nswz11

    SWAT squad?

  • Reggie

    Snipers on the promenade. Yeah, I’m being a troll. I can’t let WSW (whomever he signs in as) have all the fun.

  • You know who this is

    Er, that’s NOT an Idle observation…no one should imagine that citizens in the Heights should or will allow themselves to be subject to health or life threatening conditions. If these types ever endanger anyone under my protection, well, I suggest you re-read my published comment in several on line publications

  • Jeffrey Smith

    This is amazing in that all this was predicted in my remarks before many, many public hearings in the mid eighties (!!!) But of course many “leading citizens” used the R word and everyone dived under the nearest furnature and the Regina Myers of the world got thier way…..

  • Jeffrey Smith

    The above comment/mentality is exactly WHY you have these problems; finally you have police commanders doing the right thing and they need all our support!!

  • Disgusted

    Well, arent you special. We pay a tremendous premium to live in Heights. Scratch my comment about useless tourists (its just my opinion). My beef is with the thugs that are spitefully harrasing anyone they come by. They are destructive punks and come from blighted areas… now they are ruining what was a quiet residential area. I hope you live near Joralemon or Squibb. You can have the thugs spitting on your house and littering your street.

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    Do you ever travel, I’m curious to know where you have been a useless tourist?
    Do you have any pointless trips planed in the future?

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlsiLOnWCoI Arch Stanton

    Aren’t you banned from this site? Anyway, it is clear the police tactics are not working so my reasoning stands as true, unless you have evidence to the contrary.

  • Peter Darrow

    On a different subject, anyone know the consequences of this (from a Senator Squadron email)?

    “The budget failed to allow design-build for the BQE reconstruction, a failure that could add years to this difficult project.”

  • meschwar

    Who is under your protection?

  • KXrVrii1

    Single party in charge of design and build, as opposed to multi-parties in a design-bid-build system.

  • solved

    I don’t know how it’s even controversial to say we should get rid of the basketball courts. One step. Problem solved.

    I’m not saying make them tennis courts or a dressage arena. Just not basketball.

    I’d personally vote for a shaded picnic area. Much better use of space to accommodate far more people.

  • Bob Grobe
  • WSW

    The 8th time and again under now two commanders have contained, controlled and quelled over a dozen real, major public endangerment incident including over a half dozen gun waving incidents!!!! Without regard to their safety. All of you could/should exhibit some gratitude!!!!

  • WSW

    I wondered how much freedom of speech would be allowed here. I told everyone exactly the freedom under Wilson during WW1…..

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