Coney Islanders Demonstrate

The Gowanus Lounge shot video of the "Save Coney Island" demonstration at City Hall Friday.

Related posts here.

UPDATE: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle provides in-depth coverage of this issue. Excerpt:

“ 'I think a lot of positive things have come out of this protest already, and it hasn’t even started,' said [Dianna] Carlin, the owner of the hot pink boutique Lola Staar who was evicted by Thor Equities in February. She said she spoke to Sitt on the phone for an hour last week, and he offered her a new lease for the coming season.

'It was really extraordinary that he took that long to speak to me and he seemed really willing to listen to my views,' said Carlin. 'But I made that clear to him that regardless of if he offers this agreement to me or not, I would continue my work with opposing condos in the amusement district.' " Story here.

Apartments Over Fairway Ready To Go

A tipster to Curbed reports that the "amazing apartments" over Fairway are finally ready: "Thought you'd like to know we got a call yesterday that the Fairway apartments now have their certificate of occupancy. Move-ins start sometime in April." See more here.

Photo by Nautical2K, Creative Commons license

Strober Brothers Gone!

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle informs us that the large lumber and building supplies company that one could see down on Pier 3 from the Brooklyn Heights Promenade has disappeared (not actually without a trace, but to Greenpoint):

"Without so much as a 'Bob’s your uncle,' the Strober Brothers Organization, a large building supplies company, has moved from Pier 3 beneath Brooklyn Heights to 11 West Street in Greenpoint. This move was officially completed on Tuesday, March 27, and pretty much completes the removal of tenants from Piers 1 to 6, the site where most of Brooklyn Bridge Park will be constructed...."

Circle Line Statue of Liberty Tour Boat to Leave from Brooklyn Bridge Park?

The NY Times informs us of the possibility that Circle Line Statue of Liberty sightseeing boats may one day soon pick up touristas from the yet-to-be-built Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Says the Times: "Boats operated by Circle Line Sightseeing, the company that currently takes tourists to the statue and Ellis Island, leave only from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and Liberty State Park in Jersey City. City officials want to expand that service to other areas they plan to redevelop, including Governors Island and Brooklyn Bridge Park."

Several companies are expected to bid against Circle Line for the new contract, which would run for 10 years starting in the fall, according to the Times. More details here.

Photo by Vanessag, Creative Commons license

No More 'Cobble Hill Envy': CSA Coming to Heights

Brooklyn Heights residents no longer need suffer from Cobble Hill envy, says Chowhounder correspondent Peter. Now Heights residents will be able to purchase a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share and get fresh, crisp organic produce every week.

It works like this: In the spring, CSA members buy a "share" of the farm's produce which helps cover the anticipated costs of the farm operation and pay the farmer a living wage. In return, members receive their cut of the farm's bounty throughout the growing season, as well as quite a bit of satisfaction from helping to keep a family-run organic farm in the black.

Pick up will take place Wednesdays at the Unitarian Church on Monroe Place (thank goodness for those Unitarians!). See here for details.

See here for all NYC locations.

Photo by CP Storm, Creative Commons license

Watchtower Continues to Sell Its Heights Property

Neighbors Ask: What Will Become of the Vast Network of Underground Tunnels?

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society — the Jehovah’s Witnesses — will be offering for sale the large property it owns at 169-171 Columbia Heights, formerly the Standish Arms Hotel, the Brooklyn Eagle has learned.

According to the Eagle's Dennis Holt, the Witnesses use this 12-story building for residential purposes.

The Watchtower has been in the process of reorganizing its operations, transferring many of them to facilities in upstate New York. See here for more.

More comments on the Brooklyn Heights Blog.

UPDATE: The Brownstoner blog latched onto this story Thursday and the comments have been pouring in.

Some correspondents focused on the benefits to the area's tax base (once the JWs have left). Others wondered when the religious group would sell the nicely renovated Bossert (on Montague Street). One Brooklyn Heights neighbor notes that no matter what you think of the JW's, they don't seem to add to the parking hassle in the nabe: "... guess it's all their carpooling, their Dumbo parking lot and the 24-hour shuttle buses for church members."

But perhaps the most interesting comments focus on the vast network of tunnels connecting most of their Brooklyn Heights buildings, and what will become of them when their buildings are sold: "... They have built an extensive system of tunnels connecting most of their buildings underground and providing them with a safe haven when Armageddon comes, which was supposed to have been in the 1980's but has been pushed back. They will need to seal the tunnel entrance under the Standish Arms now..."

Second Fire in Four Months, At 42 Remsen Street in Heights

Tuesday evening at about 7:45 at least seven fire trucks responded to a fire in Brooklyn Heights that could be smelled all the way down in Cobble Hill. It was the second fire in four months (the last around Thanksgiving) at 42 Remsen Street between Hicks and Montague Terrace. The fire broke out on the third floor, as can be seen in these pictures by photo journalist MK Metz.

A correspondent to the Brooklyn Heights blog said: "This same apartment had a fire on Thanksgiving weekend. Apparently there is a not so right in the head woman living there who collects a lot of paper and garbage ... The family that lives on the ground and parlor floors, who financed the rebuilding of the outside staircase which won them building a Heights Assn award a few years back and had a very, very nice apartment were understandably beside themselves. I believe they suffered a lot of water damage then, and I don't even think that they had moved back in yet. This obviously is much worse - it looks like the building may need to be gutted..."

UPDATE: The full story has now been posted to the Brooklyn Eagle Web site. See here.

At Least One Real Estate Frenzy Ends: St. Charles Borromeo School to Be Restored, Reused

First there was the fire. Then there was the closing. Finally, there was the real estate frenzy, reports Mary Frost in a Brooklyn Daily Eagle story about the "unfounded rumors that the historic Catholic school building — occupying a nice chunk of prime real estate in Brooklyn Heights — would be sold."

Apparently, the days of unbridled speculation are now over, says the Eagle. The Diocese of Brooklyn has issued its final word on the fate of the Sidney Place school, which was damaged by a basement fire on Feb. 6 and subsequently closed.

According to diocese spokesperson Frank DeRosa, the building will be restored "with the intention of reopening at a later date as a Catholic-based educational facility of some kind. One possibility for the restored facility is an early childhood program under the auspices of Catholic Charities."

Read the Eagle story for more about this Brooklyn Heights real estate "Feeding Frenzy."

City: Developer Joe Sitt a 'Huckster'?

The NY Post says that City officials have called developer Joseph Sitt -- the man promising a "Vegas-glitz makeover for Coney Island" a huckster with a history of flipping properties for a fast buck.

One Post source said, "He's done it already in Coney Island and other Brooklyn projects like [Downtown Brooklyn's] Albee Square Mall, and who's to say he won't play the city again?" For more see here.

Previous post on the Coney Island redevelopment plan here.
Photo by Slava, Creative Commons license.

Holding a Bake Sale to Save Domino Sugar Plant

Some Brooklyn residents held a bake sale to try to help save the Domino Sugar Plant, according to NY1. Members of the Waterfront Preservation Alliance sold foods they made using Domino Sugar to raise awareness about the structure that they're trying to landmark. See the full story here.

Photo by Dyobmit, Creative Commons license