Meeting: Put in Your Two Cents About How to Use Brooklyn Bridge Park

How should Brooklyn Bridge Park be used? Do you have ideas about recreation or cultural programming? Transportation or access? Landscape design?

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and other involved organizations are holding an "input" meeting on Monday, November 26, from 6:30-9:00 pm at Congregation Mt Sinai, 250 Cadman Plaza West, in Brooklyn Heights.

The future 85-acre park will stretch 1.3 miles along the East River from north of the Manhattan Bridge to Atlantic Avenue.

See here for an overview of the park plan. See here for FAQs.

A Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy release says: "In addition to a general statement of goals and major recommendations, the final Strategic Plan will include suggestions for potential partnership arrangements and strategies, recommendations for interim uses during park construction, general recommendations for types of major facilities, infrastructure recommendations, a timeline for implementation of programs and construction of facilities and venues, and a financial plan for self-sustaining programming which carefully balances public and private uses."

Their web site also had a form where you can share your ideas here.

Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy

Schermerhorn House: Affordable Housing for Artists and Homeless

The Actors Fund and Common Ground Community have joined forces to develop a 217-unit residence for single adults right in downtown Brooklyn, on Schermerhorn Street. Half of the building will target individuals affiliated with the performing arts and entertainment industry, and half will house formerly homeless individuals living with HIV/AIDS or mental health needs.

Schermerhorn House will feature numerous “green design” elements, including rooftop gardens and a high efficiency boiler system. Situated over two subway tunnels, the building is cantilevered to keep its weight off the tunnels below.

Eligibility for Schermerhorn House is based on federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Guidelines. An applicant's gross income from all sources (employment, benefits, asset interest) cannot exceed $29,760 and not be less than $18,500. Monthly rents start at $630.

Call for an application now; applications will be available in December. Schermerhorn House Hotline: 212.221.7300 ext. 264

Common Ground

Photo by MK Metz

Bush Pardons Thanksgiving Turkey

Sorry this video source went belly up.

Questions About the Shut Down Coney Island Meeting -- Especially, 'Where Do You Get 500 Matching Yellow Hats Made Really Fast?'

A public hearing on Mayor Bloomberg’s Coney Island redevelopment plan was shut down Monday night, and questions abound:

1. Where did State Sen. Carl Kruger find 500 people to bus in on short notice, effectively shutting the meeting down? Brooklyn Eagle

2. Why were the 500 bused-in people all wearing matching yellow hats reading “Bloomberg’s Plan: How much? How long? Who pays?” Brooklyn Eagle

3. Is Bloomberg’s proposal similar to “many failed plans” to revitalize Coney Island considered over the last 50 years? Brooklyn Paper

4. How much will it cost to buy out developer Joe Sitt, whose Thor Equities has spent somewhere between $100 and $200 million to buy land in Coney’s amusement zone — land that the mayor now wants to buy, rezone as parkland, and have an outside theme park operator develop as an all-year attraction. Brooklyn Paper

5. If the meeting was canceled because of the unexpected appearance of 500 people all wearing matching hats -- then where did the pre-printed cancellation letters handed out by the CIDC come from?! Kinetic Carnival

6. The Plans: Everyone familiar with them raise your hand. (One difference: Thor's plan dedicates 4 acres to amusement park type stuff; the city's plan dedicates 15 acres.) Brooklyn Eagle

7. Where can we get 500 matching yellow hats made really fast? Cafepress

Photo by Duluoz Cats, Creative Commons license

In Memory of a Pleasant Little Seating Area

"It wasn’t much," said the Brooklyn Eagle. Just a pleasant little seating area on the cobbled path running through the park that wraps around the Brooklyn Supreme Court and Surrogate Court building.

It consisted of four benches, a few old-fashioned street lamps and some Belgian block.

But no matter, because it’s gone now.

More here.

Photo by MK Metz

Huge Drilly Thing at 340 Court Street in Brooklyn

A "huge drilly thing" has appeared in front of the old Longshoreman's Association building at 340 Court Street, says the Pardon Me For Asking blog. "When Clarett Group... announced that they would be moving quickly at this site, they sure were not joking" says PMFA. More here.

- Developer Promises to Limit Height at 340 Court Street; Will Build Three and Four-Bedroom Units

- 'Something Big' About to Happen at 340 Court

Manhattan Lights -- From the Brooklyn Heights Promenade

Photo by MK Metz

Debbie Almontasser Sues City

Just one more indication that something is very wrong with the New York City Department of Education: Debbie Almontasser -- a stalwart Brooklyn educator, attacked by right wing web sites who answer to no one -- has resorted to suing the DOE for a measure of justice. Brooklyn Eagle

Brooklyn Heights Church Swears in New Minister Via Cell Phone

The First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn and its new senior minister, the Rev. Dr. Patrick T. O’Neill, overcame an unexpected adversity Sunday, the date of his scheduled installation at the landmark Heights church.

Hours before the service, a broken toe had sent the Rev. Dr. O’Neill to the emergency room, and he remained hospitalized -- as the 5 p.m. installation began, via cell phone.

Installation by cell phone: Brooklyn Eagle

Photo Strip Booth in Brooklyn?

A posting on a local e-list: "Does anyone know where there is an old school photo booth where you get the strip of photos while you wait?"

One answer: " At Bubby's restaurants. There's one in Dumbo and one in Tribeca."

Any more?

Photo by D&E, Creative Commons license