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. Continue Reading →
June 14: Annual Montague Street District Mgmt Assn Meeting
The 15th-annual meeting of the Montague Street District Management Assn., part of the Montague Street Business Improvement District, will convene Thursday June 14, 4-6 p.m., on the second floor of Eamonn Doran’s at 174 Montague Street.
Addressing the group will be keynoter Seth Pinsky, President of the NYC Economic Development Corp., and guest speaker Tucker Reed, President of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. Continue Reading →
Last Minute Weekend Suggestions
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). Continue Reading →
BREAKING: Verdict In Death of 84th Precinct Officer
A Brooklyn jury has just returned a verdict of not guilty against George Villanueva on a charge that he murdered 84th Precinct Officer Alain Schaberger last year. Villanueva was, however, convicted on a charge of aggravated manslaughter, and his status as a repeat felony offender may result in a life sentence.
Officer Schaberger fell over the railing at 45 St. Marks Place while assisting in Villanueva’s arrest. At issue was whether Schaberger was deliberately pushed or accidentally fell during a struggle.
Manager of St. George Dorm “Gouging” Students: Post
Educational Housing Services, the not-for-profit entity that manages the dormitory for students and interns at the St. George Hotel building, Henry and Clark streets, is giving its residents a bum deal while paying top managers choice salaries, according to an article by Annie Karni in today’s Post.
New York Post: New York City college students are getting a lesson in gouging from the nonprofit that rents them their dorm rooms.
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[T]he tax-exempt group — which pays CEO George Scott $718,032 a year and steered $2.9 million in 2010 to his wife’s company for providing “Internet, phone and cable services” — charges starving students above-market rents for below-market quarters. Continue Reading →
BLS graduates sue BLS
In a brief news item reported Sunday, February 5, 2012, WNYC radio discussed litigation brought against four law schools in New York State, one of which is Brooklyn Law School. In dispute is whether the four law schools exaggerated the salaries and employment statistics of their graduates, which enticed people to attend these institutions. Does this make an important Brooklyn Heights neighborhood institution look bad?
Another factor which makes this case noteworthy is that some of the plaintiffs are represented by attorney Jesse Strauss, former candidate for the Male District Leader of the 52nd Assembly District. Further intriguing is that Mr. Strauss is also a graduate of Brooklyn Law School. Continue Reading →
NYTimes looks at Appellate Division on Monroe Place
Recently, the NYTimes offered a superficial and frustrating article entitled: “A Judgeship With Prestige, and, Oh, What a Grand Room“. The article fails to include any significant historical or architectural information about this building. On the bright side, at least the St. Ann’s “smoking lounge” didn’t get included in the photo. Continue Reading →
Update on Billboard: “Not Illegal” says TA
Following up on our inquiry, prompted by reader Andrew Porter, Brooklyn Heights Association Executive Director Judy Stanton got on the phone and found that the City Department of Buildings has no jurisdiction over the billboard (see photo) near the north end of the Promenade, because it is affixed to a building owned by the Transit Authority. Ms. Stanton then called the TA, and was told “that the sign is securely bolted to the wall and is level with the rooftop to minimize wind resistance and was installed under MTA/NYCT structural engineering specification.” Since it is evidently a source of revenue for the cash-strapped TA, it’s unlikely they’ll yield to community pressure to remove it. (Photo: McBrooklyn.)
Update: Federal legislation may provide another means of getting rid of the billboard. See BHB Ten honoree Tony Manheim’s comment on this post.
Billboard Near BQE and Promenade Illegal?
Responding to our post about an illegal billboard that was blown down by last Friday’s high winds and blocked the southbound lanes of the BQE, a local resident noted that there is an illegal–because it is within 200 feet of a highway–billboard near Brooklyn Heights. It can be seen in the photo and from the north end of the Promenade quite clearly. Within your correspondent’s now fading memory, it has always advertised Apple products (the photo was taken in June of 2010, when the iPad was the latest gadget). Reader Andrew Porter forwarded the complaint to us, and to Brooklyn Heights Association executive director Judy Stanton, who gave the hopeful response, “If it is illegal it shouldn’t be hard to get DOB to enforce it.”
State Court Rules Bloomberg Administration and State Acted Improperly in Tobacco Warehouse Transfer
While the attempted turnover of the Tobacco Warehouse for use as a new home for St. Ann’s Warehouse Theater was effectively stopped by a federal court’s decision in July (and St. Ann’s has found a new, if temporary, home in DUMBO), a New York State court ruled in a parallel action brought by the same plaintiffs as the federal one–the Brooklyn Heights Association, the Fulton Ferry Landing Association, the New York Landmarks Conservancy, and the Preservation League of New York State–that the actions of both the city and state governments in transferring the historic structure were a “nullity because [they] violated New York’s public trust doctrine.” Continue Reading →
Riverside Trees in Their Youth: Early 1900s
To counter allegations by Pinnacle Group, which seeks to remove the trees in the courtyard between the A.T. White Riverside Apartments and the BQE to build an underground parking garage, that the trees are of recent growth, Bill Ringler, President of the Riverside Tenants’ Association, has done some sleuthing and found this photo, dating from the early 1900s and published in Hayes Historical Journal — A Journal of the Gilded Age, Volume IX, Number 1 (Fall 1989). Continue Reading →
Riverside Garage Proposal Raises its Head Again
Over three years ago, we noted that the proposal by landlord Pinnacle Group to build a parking garage in the courtyard between the A.T. White Riverside Apartments and the BQE, which would entail destruction of a grove of mature trees (see photo) as well as disruption of tenants’ lives, was “proving harder to kill than Rasputin.” Just over a year ago, the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal denied Pinnacle’s request to re-open its previously denied application for permission to construct the garage. Earlier this year, a court upheld the DHCR’s decision. Now, it seems, Pinnacle’s ba-a-a-ack. Continue Reading →
Occupy Montague Street? Would-be Buyer Protests Corcoran’s Business Practices
This afternoon David Huber set up signs and handed out leaflets in front of the Corcoran real estate office at Montague and Henry streets, telling any passers by with the time and curiosity to listen about his frustration in dealing with the large real estate broker. In a nutshell, he says Corcoran showed him a studio apartment he liked, he signed a contract, arranged for a mortgage, and incurred out-of-pocket expenses preparing to buy, but after three months learned that the apartment lacked a required certificate of occupancy. At this time, he said, the Corcoran agent “quickly wished me goodbye.” Continue Reading →
Magic Johnson in Foul Trouble at 20 Henry
As we’ve previously noted, the conversion of the “Candy Factory” building at 20 Henry Street to luxury condos, being done on behalf of Canyon Johnson Urban Funds, a developer controlled by basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, has been picketed by the Carpenters’ Union and taken to task by City Council Member Steve Levin for using a contractor, Leviathan Construction Management, that Levin alleged was “irresponsible” about safety. In the latest development, Leviathan is being sued by other unions that allege it is nothing but a sham entity set up by a big construction company to avoid union contracts. Continue Reading →
Squadron Offers LGBT Resource Page
State Senator Daniel Squadron, who was an enthusiastic supporter of the successful effort to bring marriage equality to New York, is concerned about legal and bureaucratic problems that remain for LGBT couples, and has created a resource page to assist in identifying and dealing with such problems.
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Brooklyn Bugle
- Open Thread: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
- A Peek Inside Montague Street’s New Starbucks
- Adam Yauch Park Closer to Reality: On State Street In Brooklyn Heights
- Heights’ Resident Lena Dunham’s HBO ‘Girls’ Renewed For Second Season
- Tips for New Dog Owners from Brooklyn’s DogBoy Robert Haussman
- Taxi Commission Supports 20% Cab Fare Hike
- BHA, Other Groups Settle with City and State over Park Land
- Parade of Ships Opens Fleet Week Tomorrow
- Brooklyn Hosts opSail At Red Hook Marine Terminal Memorial Day Weekend
- Roof Cornice Breaks Off At 7 Old Fulton Street
Cobble Hill Blog
- Brooklyn Hosts opSail At Red Hook Marine Terminal Memorial Day Weekend
- Third-Annual Brooklyn Bridge Birthday Celebration At Brooklyn Tattoo May 27
- Super Kitsch! Nostalgic Shuffleboard Club Coming To Gowanus
- Yikes! A Bed Bug (As In One) Found On Premises At The Carroll School
- NYC Bike Share Program: Cobble Hill Shunned Until At Least Spring 2013
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Open Thread: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
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Packer Institute SAT Scandal Gets More Egregious
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Brooklyn Heights Rallies For Montague Street Retail Corridor
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Adam Yauch Park Closer to Reality: On State Street In Brooklyn Heights
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Roof Cornice Breaks Off At 7 Old Fulton Street
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Montague Street Revitalization Continues With Launch Of Ruby And Jenna
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BHA, Other Groups Settle with City and State over Park Land
- Picture Perfect Promenade Sunday
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Parade of Ships Opens Fleet Week Tomorrow
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A Peek Inside Montague Street’s New Starbucks
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Film Shoot Moratorium Short-Lived: Remsen Street Site For ‘Amish’
- Heights History: A Magnificent 1905 View Looking Up ‘Columbia Street’
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Open Thread: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
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A Peek Inside Montague Street’s New Starbucks
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Adam Yauch Park Closer to Reality: On State Street In Brooklyn Heights
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Heights’ Resident Lena Dunham’s HBO ‘Girls’ Renewed For Second Season
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Tips for New Dog Owners from Brooklyn’s DogBoy Robert Haussman
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Taxi Commission Supports 20% Cab Fare Hike
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BHA, Other Groups Settle with City and State over Park Land
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Parade of Ships Opens Fleet Week Tomorrow
Nabe Chatter