Last year, neighborhood and preservation organizations, including the Brooklyn Heights Association, prevailed in lawsuits in both federal and state courts in which they contested the actions of the National Park Service and the city and state governments to transfer the Tobacco Warehouse site from Brooklyn Bridge Park for use as a new home for St. Ann’s Warehouse Theater, as well as the Empire Stores building for possible commercial development. Following the court decisions, BHA and the other successful plaintiffs began negotiations with city and state officials to establish rules governing possible development of these sites. Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg announced that an agreement had been made under which, among other things, additional land will be added to Brooklyn Bridge Park should the Tobacco Warehouse and Empire Stores be made available for non-park use.

According to BHA President Jane McGroarty, the principal provisions of the agreement are:

* There will be 38,000 square feet of new parkland in DUMBO for Brooklyn Bridge Park. This is significant since the initial attempt to develop the Tobacco Warehouse did not include any replacement parkland. If we do not believe that the substitute parkland is properly valued, we will have the right to submit an independent valuation to NPS during the conversion process.

* The agreement states that the National Park Service should decide the conversion issues on the merits, without political considerations.

* The BBPC must hold regular briefings for the community every two weeks during the conversion process, and place any correspondence about the conversion on its website. This is another major victory for us, as it ensures that any conversion process will be transparent.

* BBPC will keep the Tobacco Warehouse open to the public until any development takes place. Any construction plan will protect the historic character of the Tobacco Warehouse. The community will have a role in managing the use of the public space in the Tobacco Warehouse after any construction project is completed.

Ms. McGroarty expressed gratitude to the city and state officials who “graciously came to the table to partner with us.” She thanked Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation President Regina Myer and BHA member Hank Gutman “for their very constructive roles during the negotiation process.” She said “State Senator Daniel Squadron and Senate Assembly Member Joan Millman were also extremely helpful to us in forging the right result.”

It is clear from Ms. McGroarty’s statement that the BHA will not oppose adaptive re-use of the Tobacco Warehouse site, including its use as a space for St. Ann’s Warehouse, provided that it is done within the rules established by the agreement.

Photo: DUMBO NYC.

Tomorrow morning (Wednesday, May 23), weather permitting, you may be able to view from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade a parade of ships proceeding from the harbor entrance up into the Hudson River. Leading the parade, and starting to pass the Statue of Liberty at about 8:15 a.m., will be a line of nine tall sailing ships from countries around the world, including our own USCG Eagle and Mexico’s Cuauhtemoc. Following the tall ships will be thirteen modern naval vessels from the U.S. and other countries, which will begin passing the Statue around 11:30 a.m.

From 11:15 to 12:15 there will be a flyover above the Hudson of nineteen fixed wing aircraft, including the U.S. Navy’s famous Blue Angels aerobatic team, and six helicopters. This all marks the beginning of Fleet Week, which continues with various events through Memorial Day weekend. Over the weekend a number of ships, including four tall ships, will be docked at piers 7 and 8, near the foot of Atlantic Avenue and Columbia Street, and will be open for visits by the public. More details are on Cobble Hill Blog.

Addendum: Carolina Salguero of PortSide NY has provided a guide to the ships that will be docked here in Brooklyn.

A kids’ sack race was one of many activities at Saturday’s Willowtown fair, which was blessed by perfect weather. Video, photos, and more text after the jump.

Batman greeted children to the Jumpy Castle.

Iris Cafe offered a tempting array of salads, sandwiches, and sweets.

Maio, of Waterfront Wines & Spirits, prepares to pour some of Brooklyn Oenology’s 2010 Social Club White, made with chardonnay grapes from the North Fork of Long Island and the Finger Lakes region.

Our friends at Theater 2020 are taking the weekend off, but they’ll be back next Thursday through Sunday and the following weekend with their production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. Bard buffs need not feel dismay, though, as Random Access Theater will present free performances of Twelfth Night at the Granite Prospect on Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park starting at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20. More details are here. And don’t forget the Willowtown Fair on Willow Place, Saturday from noon until 5:00.

Opera fans can delight in a performance of Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana in the Plymouth Church sanctuary, 57 Orange Street, on Sunday beginning at 4:00 p.m. Admission is $25. The performance features Jason Stearns as Alfio.

There is a wealth of musical offerings this weekend. This evening (Friday, May 18), Grace and Spiritus Chorale will present “Brooklyn–a Garden of Song”, a concert of songs by composers either native to or at some time resident in Brooklyn, at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, Clinton and Montague streets (enter from Clinton), starting at 7:00. Admission is $15; $12 for seniors or students. Also at St. Ann, on Saturday evening starting at 8:00, the Metro Chamber Orchestra will present “The Glory of Venice”, a concert featuring works by Offenbach, Salieri, Mozart, and Vivaldi. Tickets are $25; more details are here. Tonight at the First Unitarian Church, Pierrepont Street at Monroe Place, starting at 8:00, the Brooklyn Chamber Music Society will present a concert of works by Robert Fuchs, Beethoven, and Brahms. Admission is $30; or $20 for students.

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention that my building, 57 Montague Street (corner of Pierrepont Place) will hold a sidewalk sale on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Trust me; these are always good. Come early for the best stuff.

It’s ba-a-a-a-ack: yet again, from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5 a.m. Monday, there will be no service in either direction on the 4/5 line at Borough Hall. The 2 and 3 will be running normally in both directions at Borough Hall and Clark Street, and 3 trains into Brooklyn will have their route extended to New Lots Avenue. 2 trains, however, will not run between Franklin and Flatbush Avenues; shuttle buses will provide alternative service.

There are no planned changes affecting service on the A, C, F, G, R or N trains at any stations in or near Brooklyn Heights. Those traveling from Manhattan to Brooklyn should know that Brooklyn-bound R and N trains will not be stopping at 28th, 23rd, 8th or Prince streets. You can catch a Manhattan/Queens bound train at one of those stations and change to a Brooklyn bound train at 14th or 34th Street.

The following week, the suspension of service on the 4/5 line will continue during the hours 12:01 a.m. to 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday. 3 trains will be extended to New Lots during these times. Also, during the same hours and days, Brooklyn-bound A trains will be diverted over the F line from West 4th Street to Jay Street-Metro Tech. As the C train doesn’t run during these hours, this means no service from Manhattan to High Street. As an alternative, you can take an A or F to Jay Street and change for a Manhattan-bound A to get to High Street, or use the 2 or 3 to Clark Street or the N to Court Street.

Thursday, May 17 starting at 7;00 p.m. there will be a Brazilian dance party at Pier 1 (enter at foot of Old Fulton Street), Brooklyn Bridge Park, featuring Nation Beat (see video after the jump), Maracatu New York, and DJ Greg Caz. Admission to the party is free; food and drinks will be available from vendors. More details are here.

Deputy Inspector Mark DiPaolo, Commanding Officer of the 84th Precinct, has notified BHB that the Precinct’s Community Council will meet next Tuesday, May 22, at 7 p.m. at St. James’ Cathedral Pavilion, 240 Jay Street (between Cathedral Place and Chapel Street). On the agenda are (1) a presentation on crime prevention on NYC transit (2) the Cop of the Month award (3) a transit police report (4) a community crime report and (5) a Q&A period. All are invited, and refreshments will be served.

This Brooklyn Daily Eagle story has the headline, “Brooklyn Bridge Park at odds with Heights over bike stations.” It implies some sort of Park-Heights conflict that doesn’t exist. Update: If you follow the link above, you’ll now find that the Eagle headline and story have been re-worded, evidently in response to this post.

The story quotes Nancy Webster of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy as welcoming a bike station near Atlantic Avenue and Furman Street, which is not on a residential street in Brooklyn Heights. It then notes that the Brooklyn Heights Association has expressed some concern over bike stations on residential streets in the Heights. This in no way conflicts with the BBPC’s desire for a station near the Park’s entrance, so the BBPC and the BHA are not “at odds.”

This year’s Willowtown Fair, part of a growing tradition, will celebrate the lives of two women who made great contributions to the life of that community, and will feature a wine tasting, foood from Iris Cafe, bluegrass music, and fun for kids. Ben Bankson, President of the Willowtown Association, gives us the following:

The dedication of trees in memory of two longtime neighborhood residents and a wine tasting are among the features of the Willowtown Association’s annual Spring Fair to take place this Saturday, May 19, from noon to 5 p.m. the full length of Willow Place.

The trees memorialize Caroline Palestino, who died last June at age 92, and Mary Merz, who died last September at age 85. The dedication is set for 3 o’clock. Caroline lived her entire life in Willowtown. Her tree is in front of 10 Columbia Place, part of the Riverside apartment complex, where she was born. A native of Ohio, Mary was an architect who with her surviving husband Joe designed three of the contemporary houses on Willow Place. She was active in the Willowtown Association and largely responsible for its work in the greening of Columbia Place. Her tree is on State Street by the Palmetto Playground developed largely to her and Joe’s design.

The wine tasting is by Waterfront Wines & Spirits, a new shop at Joralemon and Furman streets. It will take place throughout the afternoon in the Alfred T. White Community Center at 26 Willow Place.

Other features of the fair include live blue-grass music by a group called the Five Deadly Venons, who also played at last year’s fair; food by Willowtown’s own Iris Café; races for both kids and adults; a Jumpy Castle; and a visit by a fire truck from Engine Co. 224.

Photo: Planners of the 2012 Willowtown Spring Fair are, from left, front row, Elise Pettus, Bill Newbury, Clare Brew, Linda De Rosa and Libby Cooper; and back row, Jeffery Streem and Ben Bankson.

Mr. J and his cam go with Tony of Noodle Pudding to the Hunt’s Point market in the Bronx, where Tony shows what’s available and how he curates selects the ingredients for the dishes on his menu. Then it’s back to the restaurant to taste the day’s gleanings. Having sampled ramps for the first time yesterday, your correspondent is glad someone likes them. Videos and more text after the jump.

We then get into the secrets of Tony’s “trust me” menu which, trust me, I’m eager to try based on Karl’s video. I’ll just say I’m allergic to ramps. Also, it’s good to know that there’s a happy ending to the story of Jack and Diane.

For all you Brooklyn Heights moms, including Mrs. Fink and my sweetie, it’s your day. Enjoy!

Photo: Rosa rugosa at Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park, May 13, 2012.

Our Mr. J. and his cam were on hand at Pier 1 yesterday evening for the opening event in the Dance Party series co-sponsored by BRIC Arts Media and Brooklyn Bridge Park. As you can see, Karl got right into the funk groove. Don’t forget, next Thursday it’s Brazilian. Video after the jump.

This in from Notify NYC:

There will be a fireworks display near Liberty Island tomorrow, May 12, at approximately 11:30 p.m.. In case of inclement weather, the display will take place May 13.

The fireworks should be easily visible from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

(Photo: panoramio.com)

The House Tour. The House Tour. The House Tour! More info at the Brooklyn Heights Association website.

There are several activities at Brooklyn Bridge Park this weekend. The Green Team meets tomorrow (Saturday, May 12) from 10:00 a.m. until noon. At the same time, there will be a MillionTreesNYC community tree giveaway on Pier 6, near the foot of Atlantic Avenue.

Also tomorrow, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Bike New York will host a free street skills ride for adults and teens (bikes and helmets will be provided for those who need them) at the Pier 1 uplands near the foot of Old Fulton Street. At the same location on Sunday, starting at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., Bike New York will give free learn to ride classes for adults and teens. You must pre-register for Bike New York classes through the linked website.

Don’t forget Theater 2020′s Comedy of Errors, tonight and tomorrow (Saturday) at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m., at the Cranberry Street Theater Space, Assumption Church, 55 Cranberry Street.

Photo: Judith Angel for BHA.

Arrrgh!! Another weekend (12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5;00 a.m. Monday) of no service in either direction on the 4/5 line at Borough Hall. The 2 and 3 will be running in both directions at Borough Hall and Clark Street and, for the convenience of those traveling into Brooklyn, the 3 will have its route extended to New Lots. The 2, however, will be terminating at Franklin Avenue; shuttle buses will provide alternate service between there and Flatbush. Manhattan bound F trains will be diverted to the A/C line between Jay Street-Metro Tech and West 4th Street, so no Manhattan bound service at York Street in DUMBO, but more than usual at High Street. To get to the Lower East Side stops on the F–East Broadway, Delancey, 2nd Avenue, and Broadway-Lafayette–take an A, C, or F to West 4th and change there for a Brooklyn bound F back to the skipped stop.

Also over the weekend, G trains will terminate their southbound, and begin their northbound runs at Hoyt-Schermerhorn, so service will be normal to Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Queens, but there will be none southbound toward Church Avenue. For alternate service, use the A or F train from Jay Street. Those traveling to Manhattan on the C should know that Manhattan bound trains will be skipping Spring, 23rd, and 50th street stations. Your best bet is probably to take the 2 or 3 to Chambers, 14th, or 42nd-Times Square, and change there for a 1 local to a nearby station.

The following week, there are no planned changes affecting service at any of the stations in or near Brooklyn Heights. In Manhattan, between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Monday to Friday, F trains in both directions will be diverted to the E line (8th Avenue, same as A and C) betweeen West 4th Street and Roosevelt Avenue in Queens. This means no service on the 6th Avenue line between West 4th and 57th Street during those hours.

BRIC Arts Media Bklyn, in partnership with Brooklyn Bridge Park, is presenting a series of free dance parties at Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park the next three Thursday evenings starting at 7:00. The opening event, this Thursday, May 10, features legendary funk keyboardist Booker T. Jones, whose group, Booker T. and the M.G.’s, provided the backbone for Stax Records’ classic Memphis soul sound. Also on the bill is DJ Rich Medina.

The following Thursday, May 17, there will be a Brazilian dance party featuring Nation Beat, Brooklyn’s own Maracatu New York, and DJ Greg Caz. The final dance party, on May 24, will be a Cajun/Zydeco fais do-do with Terrance Simien & the Zydeco Experience and Jesse Lége & Bayou Brew.

Food and beverages will be available from these food trucks during all the dance parties: Morris Grilled Cheese, Kumquat Cupcakery, Rickshaw Dumplings, Kimchi Taco, and Pizza Moto.

The Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) will present a screening of Nancy Buirski’s film, The Loving Story, a love story about a couple whose wedding set the stage for the Supreme Court’s decision, in Loving v. Virginia, that struck down statutes prohibiting interracial marriage.

The show begins at 3 p.m. Saturday, and there will be a discussion with Buirski afterward. The event is free with museum admission, which is free for BHS members; for non-members it is $6 for adults, and $4 for seniors over 62, teachers, and students 12 and over (college students must have ID; children under 12 are free).

Don’t forget Theater 2020′s Comedy of Errors, with performances tonight (Friday) and Saturday at 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. More details at the linked post.

Finally, weather permitting, get a view of an astronomical double treat, a “Supermoon” and the eta aquarid meteor shower tomorrow (Saturday) evening. (Image: NASA.)

Update: The MTA website was misleading. The same disruptions that were in place last weekend for the 4-5 line at Borough Hall (no service in either direction; the 2 train, which you can get at Clark Street or Borough Hall, will be extended to New Lots for those traveling into Brooklyn), the Brooklyn bound A (diverted onto the F line between West 4th Street and Jay Street-Metro Tech; however, Brooklyn bound C trains will be running as usual) and the Manhattan bound R and (late night) N (diverted over the Manhattan Bridge, which means they won’t be stopping at Court Street or Jay Street-Metro Tech; however, as before, the Manhattan bound Q train will be stopping at those stations, and you can change from the Q to the R or N at Canal Street) will be in effect this weekend, from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5:00 a.m. Monday.

The following week will be a carbon copy of this week. From 12:01 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, Brooklyn bound A trains will be diverted to the F line between West 4th and Jay, so, as on the weekend, no service from Manhattan to High Street (C trains don’t run during these hours). Just like last week, Manhattan bound N trains, which normally replace the R after midnight, will be diverted over the Manhattan Bridge and therefore not stopping at Court Street or Jay, but the Q will provide alternative service at these stations, and you can change from the Q to the N at Canal Street. From 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 trains will not be running in either direction, but 2 trains will. (Photo: NYC Model Transit Ass’n.)

Theater 2020′s innovative production of Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors (cast shown in photo) opens tomorrow (Friday, May 4) at 8:00 p.m. at the Cranberry Street Theater Space, Assumption Church, 55 Cranberry Street. More details are here.

The Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street (corner of Clinton) will present a guided tour of its historic building this Thursday evening, May 3, starting at 7:00 p.m. The building, completed in 1881, is noted for its elaborate terra cotta exterior decoration, but its interior is also dazzling, including elaborately patterned tile floors, carved woodwork, and stained glass windows. The Othmer Library is a spectacular space. The building was designed by George B. Post, among whose notable surviving buildings are the New York Stock Exchange and the Wisconsin State Capitol.

The tour is free for BHS members; for non-members it is $6 for adults, and $4 for seniors over 62, teachers, and students 12 and over (college students must have ID; children under 12 are free). There is more information here.

Starting today, there will be food service on the East River ferries that connect Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, making a stop at Fulton Ferry Landing at the foot of Old Fulton Street.

DNAinfo.com: Beginning Monday morning, passengers will be treated to a new menu of locally-produced goodies, including cupcakes from Butter Lane Cupcakes, retro-style u-bet egg creams in chocolate and vanilla, and hot and iced coffees from the Brooklyn Roasting Company.

Chips and pastries will be $2; coffees, egg creams, and cupcakes $3. Food service will be available every day, starting at 7:00 a.m.

This past Wednesday your correspondent took his customary walk around Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and got this photo of Rosa rugosa in bloom again. With luck, they’ll be around through November. As reader Stuart noted in a comment then: “[T]he rugosas are tough as nails. They can take anything, even salt. [T]he rose hips they produce are the ones used in pharmacology.”

Notify NYC sez: “Multiple street closures will be in effect throughout Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights tomorrow, Sunday, 4/29/12, from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM, in support of Walk MS.” More details on the event are here. According to the route map the walk begins at the South Street Seaport, circles around a small part of downtown Manhattan, proceeds across the Brooklyn Bridge to Adams Street, then takes Tillary Street to Cadman Plaza West. It goes south on CPW to Montague, crosses all of Montague to the Promenade, goes north on the Promenade to Columbia Heights, then down Squibb Hill to Old Fulton, and back to the Brooklyn Bridge. No exact time is given for the closure of any streets.

Channel 7, ABC Eyewitness News reporter Lauren Glassberg visited Colonie, talked with some diners and with sous-chef Bryan Redmond, and watched him prepare a carrot salad. Video after the jump.

The overflight of New York City by the space shuttle Enterprise mounted on its 747 carrier, originally scheduled for this past Monday but postponed by weather, has been re-scheduled for tomorrow (Friday, April 27) between 9:30 and 11:30 a.m., again weather permitting.

They will fly at low altitudes around the Statue of Liberty and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, accompanied by two T-38 aircraft serving as photo support, and should be easily seen from the Promenade or Brooklyn Bridge Park on the southern part of their route. After completing their overflight, they will proceed to land at John F. Kennedy Airport, which may involve a low altitude overflight of parts of Brooklyn. The exact timing and route of the flight is subject to operational and weather constraints, so no more precise information on timing is available now.

Plus ça change, as our French friends say. Once again, there will be no service in either direction on the 4/5 line at Borough Hall. The 2 and 3 will be running normally in both directions there and at Clark Street, and the 3 will be extended to New Lots for the convenience of those traveling into Brooklyn. Once again, Brooklyn bound A and C trains will be re-routed to the F line between West 4th Street and Jay Street-Metro Tech, so there will be no service from Manhattan to High Street. North Heights residents are probably better off taking the 2 or 3 to Clark. There will be no Manhattan bound R or (late night) N service at Court Street or Jay Street, but Manhattan bound Q trains will be stopping there, and you can change from the Q to the R or N at Canal Street. These diversions will be in effect from 12:01 a.m. Saturday to 5:00 a.m. Monday.

The following week, from 12:01 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday through Friday, Brooklyn bound A trains will be diverted to the F line between West 4th and Jay, so, as on the weekend, no service from Manhattan to High Street (C trains don’t run during these hours). Just like last week, Manhattan bound N trains, which normally replace the R after midnight, will be diverted over the Manhattan Bridge and therefore not stopping at Court Street or Jay, but the Q will provide alternative service at these stations, and you can change from the Q to the N at Canal Street. From 12:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 trains will not be running in either direction, but 2 trains will. (Photo: en.wikipedia.org)

The Brooklyn Heights Association calls to our attention two opportunities for recycling as we do our spring cleaning. There will be an e-waste recycling event the weekend after next at First Unitarian Church, Pierrepont Street between Clinton and Monroe Place. Bring your no-longer-useful electronics to the Church on Saturday, May 5 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, May 6 from noon to 2:00 p.m. A list of items that will be accepted for recycling is here.

As for old, worn-out clothes, shoes, bedding, linens, hats, handbags, belts, and fabric scraps, you may take these for recycling to the Borough Hall Greenmarket when it is open any Saturday or Thursday. More details here. (Photo: en.wikipedia.org)

The Brooklyn Heights Association’s annual House Tour (the photo was taken in one of the houses on this year’s tour) is coming soon, on Saturday, May 12. You can find more information, and buy tickets, here.

The BHA needs “house volunteers” who “are asked to take a shift, watching rooms to be sure there is no touching, no photo taking, etc.” either from 11:45 a.m.-2:30 p.m. OR from 2:20-5:05 p.m. Volunteer bakers are also needed to make three or four dozen cookies, squares or bars and deliver them in a covered container to Plymouth Church (enter at 75 Hicks) on Friday, May 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. or Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. If you would like to be a house volunteer, bake, or both, please e-mail info@thebha.org.

Senator Squadron’s Community Convention is Sunday afternoon. MTA head Joseph Lhota will discuss transit issues, you can learn more about new plans for Brooklyn Bridge Park and there will be discussion groups on many other topics of community interest. More details & RSVP here.

Learn about local bird life Sunday morning at Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Anytime you want, head to Brooklyn Bridge Park and take photos (see your correspondent’s contribution above) for BBP’s Bluebell photo contest.

Alas, Homer Fink’s Hidden Heights Walking Tour tomorrow morning is sold out. Watch BHB for announcement of the next tour.

The heaps of brown stuff you may have noticed distributed along the Promenade—or as in this photo at the Montague Street entrance—are mulch to be used on the Promenade gardens. Promenade Gardener Jonanthan Landsman advises us that it will be distributed Saturday morning by a large volunteer group.

(Photo: M. Foley for BHB)