Second Chance for Duffield Street Underground Railroad Homes, and More Brooklyn in Brief, Weekend Edition

- The city is withdrawing Duffield Street eminent domain findings and will be holding a new hearing. According to Duffield Street Underground, this "gives Duffield advocates a chance to use political pressure to change the footprint of properties threatened with governmental confiscation."

UPDATE: Raul Rothblatt sent us this statement about the eminent domain findings:
"In response to the Eminent Domain Procedure Law Petition filed by advocates for the residents and businesses of Downtown Brooklyn, the City is withdrawing its eminent domain findings and holding a new hearing. This does not mean the City is starting over on the issue of historic preservation, but it gives Duffield advocates a chance to use political pressure to change the footprint of properties threatened with governmental confiscation. This is pretty unprecedented in the world of New York eminent domain law. This appears to be an important victory to those challenging the Downtown Brooklyn rezoning. Please stay posted as the situation develops."

- Some people are robbing bars in Brooklyn in broad daylight -- at gunpoint. The bars that have been robbed are Bait and Tackle on Van Brunt Street, Floyd on Atlantic Avenue and Moonshine on Columbia Street. Gowanus Lounge

- The city's plan to dump the last working port in Brooklyn and turn it into a "trendy brew pub and marina" now appears all but dead in the water. NY Daily News

- It was supposed to be the "exclusive" East Side, but this week's episode of "Gossip Girls" was filmed mainly at in Brooklyn Heights, at venues like the hallowed halls of Packer Collegiate Institute and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Oh -- and nobody rides in stretch limos anymore, Chucky boy. Gothamist

- Bring back the Bay Ridge ferry! Green Brooklyn

- Excellent ratter in Bay Ridge: four rats in two/three weeks, one of which was eight inches long, not including the tail! Bay Ridge Eagle In related news, New York was named on Thursday "the U.S. city most vulnerable to a rat attack!" Reuters

- Long-time Brooklyn tenants band together to fight displacement. NY1

- New York Magazine swears off Britney Spears. For good. This time. Really. NY Magazine

- Is it any surprise that sexually transmitted diseases were found in the Gowanus Canal? (We didn't know canals could even -- you know -- do it.) Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn prosecutors apparently have mounted a criminal investigation into two Bear Stearns hedge funds that collapsed during the sub-prime crisis. It's a tough case. London Times

- Buildings Shooting Up in Downtown Brooklyn, Why Offer Incentives?
- Goodbye Duffield Street Underground RR Homes
- Video Explains All: Brooklyn's Duffield St. Houses
- Lawsuit to Save 'Duffield Seven' from Downtown Brooklyn Plan
- Brooklyn Underground Railroad Home for Sale for $4.5 Million
- Underground RR Consultants Tried to Pull (Another) Fast One
- Atlantic Yards Consultant Bill Up to $4.8 Million
- Red Hook Lane Demapped, No Longer Exists
- Is $500,000 Underground Railroad Study Bogus?

Photo by MK Metz