The battle over the issue of Charter Schools in NYC, has opened a new front in a proposal to create a school run by the the Success Academy in Cobble Hill. The decision to accept the proposal is the subject of a hearing tonight, as reported by the NY Daily News and the New York Times. Controversially, the hearing will be held in Newtown High School in Elmhurst, Queens. Adding further controversy, proposed charter school will be sharing a location with both Brooklyn School for Global Studies and the School for International Studies 284 Baltic Street. Is this a good idea for parents, children, and the neighborhood?
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CHA Prexy Says Dumping of BQE Reno Plan is “Pathetic”
The NYS Department of Transportation trashed plans for a $280 renovation of a portion of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway this week. That announcement has community leaders here fuming.
“We were told by the state that the BQE was in danger of collapsing in the 80s,” CHA President Roy Sloane tells 1010 WINS. “It’s also pathetic that they put all these years and effort in, spent money on all sorts of designs and are now dropping it.”
Update on Park Deal
More information is now available on the deal on Brooklyn Bridge Park funding announced yesterday. Under the agreement, the city will proceed with funding park construction and development of recreational facilities which, according to a press release from State Senator Daniel Squadron, will include “a temporary pool for at least the next five summers, a Pier 5 recreational ‘bubble’ that will make the park usable in the winter, an ice skating rink, two tennis courts, and 2,200 feet of community space.” Also, we note that because no request for proposals may be issued for housing at Pier 6 before January 1, 2014, no such request can be issued by the Bloomberg administration, as he will be out of office by that date. Whoever succeeds him as Mayor may not have the same commitment to the idea of funding park operations and maintenance with housing.
Along with Senator Squadron, Assemblywoman Joan Millman and City Council Members Stephen Levin and Brad Lander have agreed to the deal.
City Announces Plan That May Reduce Scale of Park Housing
Mayor Bloomberg announced this evening that city and state officials plan to sign an agreement tomorrow concerning the funding of Brooklyn Bridge Park that may result in smaller scale housing being built on park land, and may even eliminate the need for the two planned new buildings near the foot of Pier 6.
The New York Times: After months of uncertainty over the fate of the popular Brooklyn Bridge Park, city and state officials plan to sign an agreement on Tuesday that would allow limited private housing to be built there, to help pay an expected annual operating cost of $16 million.
The agreement ensures that the park, which now measures 20 acres, will be completed, eventually expanding to 85 acres on five disused piers along the East River. Continue Reading →
CB6 Transportation Committee Endorses DOT Proposals for Pier 6 Access, but Urges Further Action
Following a lengthy presentation by City Department of Transportation personnel of DOT’s proposals for improving access to Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park, and an even lengthier question and answer session from an audience that filled Conference Room A at Long Island College Hospital, the Transportation Committee of Community Board 6 unanimously agreed to a resolution expressing support for DOT’s proposed changes, but added (by way of “friendly amendments”) recommendations that (1) as initially suggested by Brooklyn Heights Association Executive Director Judy Stanton, a light be installed to govern left turns off Atlantic Avenue onto the BQE access ramp; and (2) as suggested by Cobble Hill community activist Roy Sloane, that a light also be installed at Columbia and Congress streets and that truck traffic from Phoenix Beverage, the tenant at Pier 7, be redirected there instead of to the foot of Atlantic Avenue near the park entrance. The resolution also urged that DOT begin study and planning for a more comprehensive solution to the park access and safety issue, which could include a pedestrian “flyover” or tunnel. Continue Reading →
DOT Proposes Safety Changes for Pier 6 Access; Meeting at LICH Thursday Evening
City Council Member Brad Lander has released details of the City Department of Transportation’s proposals to improve safety and ease of access to Pier 6, Brooklyn Bridge Park, from Atlantic Avenue and from Columbia Street. DOT’s proposals include: Continue Reading →
Hundreds Mourn Boerum Hill’s Hope Reichbach
The Brooklyn Paper reports on the memorial service for Boerum Hill resident/NYC Councilman Steve Levin’s communications director Hope Reichbach. The 22 year old daughter of Judge Gus Reichbach died Friday of a reported prescription drug overdose: Continue Reading →
Want Safer Access to Pier 6 and the Park? Sign Lander’s Petition
City Councilmember Brad Lander has an on-line petition asking the City’s Department of Transportation to make changes to street crossings at Atlantic avenue, Columbia Street, and Furman Street, in order to allow safer pedestrian access to the playground at Pier 6 and to the rest of Brooklyn Bridge Park. You can read and, if you wish, sign his petition here.
Community Roundtable with Daniel Squadron Tonight
The Cobble Hill Association will host a Community Roundtable with State Senator Daniel Squadron tonight at Christ Church (326 Clinton Street at Kane Street). The meeting is open to all members of the public and will be a forum to discuss any issues or concerns directly with the State Senator. It will commence at 7:30pm.
Nabe Chatter