On Thursday, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus will perform in Columbus Park, in front of Borough Hall, from 11 am to 1 pm. Watch as performers juggle, swallow swords, walk on wires, and do comedy.
For more info visit, the Shop Downtown Brooklyn website.
We got the following email from Councilman Yassky’s community liaison, Rami Metal, today. If you want more information or have questions, call the Councilman’s office at 718-875-5200, x14 for Metal. The full letter is attached as a pdf here.
In response to the Department of Building’s recent publication of all the stalled construction sites in the City, Council Member David Yassky has sent the attached letter to Deputy Mayor Edward Skyler. The letter addresses the overwhelming amount of stalled construction sites in the 33rd District and in Williamsburg in particular and it urges the administration to take a number of measures to improve the quality of life issues that have come as a result.
The Citizens Union will host a debate for candidates for the 33rd district City Council seat on Tuesday night from 6:30 to 8 pm. The event is held at St. Francis College, in its Founders Hall (180 Remsen St., between Court and Clinton streets). The seven candidates — Isaac Abraham, Ken Baer, Doug Biviano, Ken Diamondstone, Steve Levin, JoAnne Simon, and Evan Thies — are invited, and the debate is open to the public. To RSVP, email events@citizensunion.org.
This just in — the State Senate has voted 47 to 8 to renew legislation that allows Mayor Bloomberg to have control over the New York City schools. According to the Times: (More at the Observer’s Politicker blog and Daily News Daily Politics blog)
The legislation largely leaves the mayor’s total power over the schools in place, though there are changes in the way contracts are approved and it allows for more oversight by the city’s Independent Budget Office.
The Senate also passed amendments that, among other provisions, would establish a parent training institute and an arts council for the city. The Assembly would have to approve those amendments for them to take effect, though the city has promised to begin implementing them immediately.
But the changes do little reassure the mayor’s critics, who say his power has gone unchecked for the last six years.
>> Andrea Mocci and Giovanna Fadda plan to open a new Italian restaurant at the old River Deli by October (BHB/Sarah Portlock)
BHB caught up with Andrea Mocci and Giovanna Fadda yesterday, who are the new leaseholders at the former River Deli at 34 Columbia Place, at the base of Joralemon Street. The couple, who moved to New York from Sardinia nearly three years ago, hopes to open an Italian restaurant or café in the spot by mid-October.
“We’ll have pasta, pizza, steaks, and fish,” Mocci said.
The pair has applied for a liquor license, but Mocci noted that he doesn’t plan to open a loud bar, as neighbors sometimes fear.
Last summer, a miscommunication among gardeners led to a mob-like hit on two local trees: these juniper trees at the corner of Remsen and Hicks streets were buried alive in concrete. But local activisits — including the Brooklyn Heights Association — lept to action, reached out to local media, and saved the trees. We checked out the plot yesterday, and looks like everything is ok. Whew!
>> 72 Poplar Street, as of last week
Owners behind the 72 Poplar Street conversion project have been sent back to the drawing board once again.
Last week, the Landmarks Preservation Commission “strongly recommended” that the owners behind a plan to convert the former precinct house into a rental building rethink their designs.
“The commissioners felt that the addition was too big and asked them to seriously restudy the proposal for the project,” explained Landmarks spokeswoman Lisi DeBourbon. “The application wasn’t expressly denied, and there was no vote, but they did strongly urge the applicant to go back to the drawing board.”
>> Lights out at 1-800-Mattress on Montague Street (BHB/Sarah Portlock)
The brick-and-mortar outposts of the 1800Matress.com company are closing down nationwide after the company filed for bankruptcy in March, now marking yet another vacant storefront on Montague Street.
Sleepy’s then acquired the telephone and Web properties of Dial-a-Mattress in a $25-million deal, but shuttered its remaining 20 showrooms, according to a Montague Street Sleepy’s salesman and an interesting article in the Wall Street Journal that details the company’s demise.
Thanks to Bornhere for pointing out 1-800-Mattres’ closing.
What would you want to see in the spot at 136 Montague St., near Henry Street?
Notice that the Tazza café on Henry Street, near Atlantic Avenue, is missing its sidewalk café?
An owner told BHB this morning that there was some confusion over zoning and the café had to reapply for its sidewalk café license, but now things are clearing up.
“It should be back towards the end of the month,” she explained.
The annual police anti-crime fair, National Night Out Against Crime, is Tuesday night and the 84th precinct will host its event at Borough Hall from 6-9 pm. The auxiliary police band will perform, Community Affairs officer Sal Ferrante will barbecue hamburgers and hotdogs and serve ice cream, and there will be pony rides and face paint for the kids. And, there will be lots of anti-crime-related information booths, including a spot to register your bicycle.
Nabe Chatter