Brooklynites Pray For Help With Subprime Mortgages; God Listens

Mortgage foreclosures are up in several areas of Brooklyn. Church leaders step in to help.

Brooklyn Bridge Park Planning Workshop for the Disaffected

A public planning workshop has been announced by a group of organizations that have been critical of the current plan for Brooklyn Bridge Park. The session will take place Thursday, February 28, from 7 to 9 p.m., in conference rooms B and C of Long Island College Hospital, Hicks Street at Atlantic Avenue.

Multiple groups are sponsoring the event, including the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, the Cobble Hill Association, the local Sierra Club chapter and more, according to the Brooklyn Eagle.

The groups contend: “There was never a public planning process for Pier 6 as part of Brooklyn Bridge Park even though a public planning process was promised by the city and the state."

More here.

Commandant's Mansion, Vinegar Hill, Brooklyn

Taking a walk in Vinegar Hill, we ran across the Admiral's Mansion at Little and Evans Street. Overlooking the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the mansion was built about 1810.

This graceful building was the home of various Naval Yard commanders, including Commodore Matthew Perry.

UPDATE: The mansion is more properly called the Commandant's Mansion. You can find more information in this article in the NY Times.

Photo of mansion by MK Metz
Photo of Commodore Perry Library of Congress; Wikipedia

Public Scoping Meeting Re Toll Brothers Gowanus Canal Project

The Department of City Planning sent CB6 a statement declaring that Toll Brothers must prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Here are some quotations from the statement sent from CB6:

"Enclosed is the Positive Declaration for CEQR No. 08DCP033K, 363-365 Bond Street.

"A public scoping meeting has been scheduled for March 13, 2008 and will be held at the New York City Department of City Planning's Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York 10007. The meeting will begin at 2:00 PM. Written comments will be accepted by the lead agency until March 24, 2008.

"... Toll Brothers, Inc. is proposing discretionary actions in connection with the redevelopment of one block and a portion of a second block fronting the western shore of the Gowanus Canal... The proposed development would include residential, commercial and community facility uses. The project site comprises Block 458, Lot 1, which is bounded by 1st Street to the north, the Gowanus Canal to the east, 2nd Street to the south, and Bond Street to the west...

"The proposed actions consist of the following discretionary approvals under ULURP:
*A zoning map amendment
*A zoning text amendment
*Special permits
*A possible demapping of portions of 1st and 2nd Streets"

According to the statement, the proposed project may require approvals from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the US Army Corps of Engineers, a State Pollution Discharge Elimination Systems (SPDES) permit from NYS DEC, a Tidal Wetlands permit, a Protection of Waters permit, a Long Island Well permit. Approvals may also be necessary from the city and state agencies for the allocation of funds for affordable housing.

Toll Brothers wants to develop approximately 605,380 gross square feet, including 447 residential units, 130 of which would be affordable; 1,500 gsf of commercial space; and 1,500 gsf of community facility space. 260 accessory parking spaces would be provided below grade. The proposed development would include the construction of a publicly accessible waterfront along the entire project site fronting the canal.

"The project site is adjacent to the Carroll Street Bridge ... Construction of the proposed project is anticipated to be completed by 2010."

The original documents from the Department of City Planning are available at the District Office for review during normal business hours.

Dramatic Brooklyn Fire Rescue -- Kids Hanging Onto Window Ledge

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Purchase Building Still Stands. Police Blockade of New Dock Street Ends.

Surrounded by a faux green grass fence, the Purchase Building, at 11 Water Street under the Brooklyn Bridge, still stands -- though not for long. The building is going down any time now, to improve the view of the planned Brooklyn Bridge Park.

The building served as the temporary headquarters of the OEM (Office of Emergency Management, now at 165 Cadman Plaza), after Rudi's ill-fated bunker went down with the World Trade Center. After that, the OEM and the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office used the building to sift through material holding human remains from the World Trade Center.

The highly stylized sign on the front reads "Purchase Department; City of New York."

Now that the Purchase building is empty, the police car blocking access to New Dock Street is gone. For the first time in years we could walk all the way to -- but not into --the esplanade under the Brooklyn Bridge (photo left), scene in pre-9/11 days of some great BBQs. Unfortunately, the esplanade is still fenced shut. A request is in to the city to reopen it.

Pre-9/11 you could walk from the River Cafe onto the esplanade, then continue north on to Empire State Park.

Of course, the park wasn't quite so fussy back then. Local artists planted herbs around the rocks and left miniature art offerings to the gods. A raccoon lived in one of the trees.

- Purchase Building Out; Spitzer Photo Op In
- Emotional Visit to the Purchase Building

New, Improved Renderings of Planned 360 Smith Street in Carroll Gardens

Someone sent CORD several renderings of the planned 360 Smith Street "Oliver House" over the last couple of days. In the bottom rendering, one can see the views from the Second Place side of the building.

Says CORD's Triada Samaras, "It is very easy to see how the scale dwarfs Second Place and Smith Street ... Unfortunately the scale of this building is IMMENSE and certainly far out of context on our litttle, narrow streets in CG!"

More renderings can be found at the Carroll Gardens Petition blog here. More than a thousand signatures so far.

- A List of Questions
- Carroll Gardens Landmarking Meeting
- DeBlasio to Meet with 360 Smith Street Petition Signers
- Size DOES Matter on Second Place
- Brooklyn Wednesday in Brief
- Smith Street: Zombies? Performance Art?
- 'Stop Scarano' Rally at DOB Today
- Brooklyn's Smith Street Today
- 'Protect Our Homes in Carroll Gardens' Petition

Stroller Mafia Alert in Downtown Brooklyn, and More Brooklyn in Brief, Presidents' Day Weekend

- Has the Belltel lofts' private Google forum been "hi-jacked by a bunch of stay at home moms with Entitlement Complex?" Should couples who contemplate having children even live in Downtown Brooklyn in the first place? Do we hate the Stroller Mafia? Is "imposing the will of your ovaries and whoever's sperm you're drunk on on the rest of the building in which you live beyond selfish and irresponsible?" Curbed

- Comment alert: A new, inexpensive, Indian buffet has opened in Dumbo. DumboNYC

- The nine luxurious Clocktower Residences at One Hanson Place are ready to roll. Prices range from $2.750 million to $5.875 million. Talk about views! Curbed

- Some idiots (for want of a better word) have destroyed seven trees at the Seba Avenue park, and they're not likely to be replaced. Gerritsen Beach

- The block is zoned residential only, so how is it that plans for an oyster bar at 303 Hoyt Street, next to the Black Mountain Wine Bar, are proceeding? Pardon Me For Asking

- So what is the reason for Schnack's "descent from glorious burger haven to rundown, just-about-to-be-closed burger shack?" A Brooklyn Life

- An assault takes place at the Pavilion movie theater. Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn

Brooklyn Gals Go On Four-State Shoplifting Spree

We always said that Brooklyn's lack of decent shopping malls would lead to extreme behavior.

Chunky Salsa Gets Closer: Landmarks Approves Brooklyn Trader Joe's

It's been a rough couple of weeks for Cobble Hill Trader Joe's stalkers, with all of the Trader Joe's not coming/yes coming rumors flying around.

Thank goodness yesterday Brownstoner got to the bottom of the delay: The grocer’s plans had to pass muster with the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The store submitted additional documentation a few days ago, says Brownstoner, and the LPC "green-lighted the application."

Does this mean we can all, like, get a life?

LPC Gives Trader Joe's the Go-Ahead Brownstoner

- Trader Joe's: It's On the Map
- Trader Joe's to Open 'Late Spring?'
- The Future Trader Joe's
- Will Trader Joe's Be Haunted by the Spirits of Bankers Past?
- Everybody Gonna Hula to Brooklyn Trader Joe's
- Sovereign Bank Moving to Make Room for Trader Joe's
- All Trader Joe's comments on McBrooklyn