Brooklyn Heights Blog

BHB commenter bklyn20 issued this warning about the new temporary parking regulations on Willow Place that start immediately.

Attention anyone who’s parked on Willow Place: The MTA has put “All Cars Will Be Towed” signs up and down the block starting 2/18 — which I believe is today. Don’t know hour when towing begins. I will try to take a photo of the signs and email it in. MTA is digging test pits — related to 1/18 explosions– and the northern end of the block is now a capacious pit of dirt and pipes.

The regulations will be in effect for the next 10 days, through Feb. 28.

We’ve received a reader complaint (I’ve deleted the comment, because it was off the topic of the post to which it was appended) that the Court Street subway station (M and R lines) “smells like a latrine.” Has anyone else noticed this?

As reported in The Brooklyn Paper last week, workers installing new water and sewer lines near the foot of Old Fulton Street encountered some trolley tracks that had been buried under asphalt for many years. After consulting with city officials and an archaeologist, the contractor “ripped up the tracks and threw them in the trash.” This drew an angry response from some preservationists and from advocates for the restoration of trolley service like Red Hook resident Bob Diamond (more about Brooklyn trolley history here and about Bob Diamond’s project here). Read more »

NYPD

Police are asking the public’s assistance in searching for this individual, who allegedly assaulted a 13-year-old female on the 3 train this past Sunday.

According to police, the suspect approached the victim on the train as it entered the Clark St. station at approximately 10:20 a.m. and demanded personal property. When the victim refused, the two became involved in a physical altercation, during which the suspect allegedly ripped the victim’s clothes and attempted to sexually assault her.  The suspect fled from the station.

He is described as a black male, between 20 and 30 years of age, 5′10″, with a medium build.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS (8477).  The public can also submit their tips by logging onto Crime Stoppers’ website or by texting their tips to CRIMES (274637), then entering TIP577.  All calls are strictly confidential.

Pierrepont Street

“They take care of us, so we take care of them.”That’s what Officer Reynoso, the very polite (and forthright) policeman from the 84^th Precinct told me last night, when I asked him why he was writing a ticket for the car on the left, but not for the one on the right.

He said no cop will write a parking ticket on a car with an MD plate, as “someday they may need to take care of us”.

“So you think that if you write them a ticket, they won’t save you if you get shot?”, I asked. Read more »

This week’s New Yorker has a piece on the parking placard abuse that continues despite the mayor’s vow to crack down. (free registration to read).  The bomb scare in Times Square on New Year’s eve was occasioned by a van with a phony placard that had sat unmolested by the NYPD for days.

There seems very little point in limiting the number of genuine placards issued, if people are free to make their own.  The article mentions the First Presbyterian Church’s ‘we’re praying’ windshield signs, which apparently confer ticketing immunity - even in a bike lane, as well as the bogus ‘on medical call’ signs that plague the neighborhood.

I took these pics on Pierrepont Street. How do I become a member of the Fraternal Order of Amtrak Police?

State Assemblymember Joan Millman, whose district includes the Heights, attended a public hearing on the MTA’s proposed service reductions, at which she “urged the MTA to reconsider its plans to cut funding for student Metrocards, reduce Access-a-Ride service, lay off MTA employees and decrease bus and subway service.”

“I resent the use of New York City schoolchildren as pawns,” said Millman. “No family should have to make the decision between sending a child to the school of their choice and putting food on the table. To make matters worse, the proposed service cuts to bus, subway and Access-a-Ride would make traveling to Downtown Brooklyn from many neighborhoods in my Assembly District nearly impossible for scores of elderly and disabled riders.” Read more »

Plans are underway for the rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, and much progress has been made since the public scoping meetings back in June. At last night’s Technical Advisory Committee meeting, project manager Peter King discussed some of the proposals for what could happen along the BQE. Read more »

Construction workers have taken to Henry Street to install “neckdowns” as part of a “traffic calming” project to make the street more pedestrian-friendly. Read more »

Photo by M. Hermann/BHB

It took some wriggling, courtesy of the Fire Department, to assist this straphanger who took an express route down the stairs at the Borough Hall station, and ended up with his foot caught between the bottom step and the railing’s vertical support.  It happened just after 6:30 tonight on the stairs below the Municipal Building.  Engine Co. 224 and Ladder Co. 110 responded with hydraulic tools—just in case—but were able to free him without much effort.  He didn’t make his train, however, and instead found himself in the back of an ambulance, en route to Long Island College Hospital for observation.