The
Red Hook StarªRevue
JULY 2017
Beard Street Compromise? by Sarah Matusek Community Board 6’s (CB6) Permits & Licenses committee meeting on June 26 voted 4 yeas and 1 nay to the approval of an on-premise liquor license for Narrow Water Brewing at 158 Beard Street, contingent upon a stipulation that addresses some community’s concerns. The bar agreed to only stay open until 11 p.m. from Sunday through Wednesday and 1 a.m. from Thursday through Saturday and it won’t have an outdoor space, according to Mike Racioppo, the committee Chair. “The way this meeting went is why I am member of the community board,” Mike Racioppo, CB6 Permits & Licenses committee Chair, told the Star-Revue. Racioppo said he found the stipulation struck a promising balance between business and neighborhood issue. The concern about Narrow Water Brewing’s waste water management was not addressed. CB6 member Victoria Hagman spoke up in support of the application. She is listed as the broker for the applicant’s lease on Beard Street, according to the Commercial Search website. Some Beard Street residents see Hagman’s vocal support of Narrow Water Brewing - without disclosing her relationship to the bar - a conflict of interest. Hagman was not immediately available for comment. REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK -JUNE 25 On a recent Sunday evening, Edna Mieles and her son sat outside their Beard Street stoop. Between 7 and 8 p.m., they counted no fewer than 100 taxis cruise their quiet block between Van Brunt and Conover. The cars hovered like sharks, waiting for weekend revelers to spill out of three bars that flank this mostly residential street. The owner of Greenpoint brewpub Keg & Lantern Brewing Company has applied for an on-premise liquor license to open a similar establishment on 158 Beard St. “As much as we are pro-business, this not the business we want on our block…Our lives matter,” Mieles says. Mieles, a third generation Red Hook (continued on page 15)
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
THE HOOK TO BE INVADED BY THOUSANDS OF RACING FANS by Nathan Weiser
O
n the weekend of July 15, the population of Red Hook will triple as Formula E invades our neighborhood.
Ten teams will race a 1.21 mile course set within the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. The festivities are expected to attract at least 20,000 spectators. Launched in 2014 as the first fullyelectric racing series, Formula E has drawn crowds in cities from Mexico to Marrakesh. Leading up to the Red Hook race, the organizers have tried to decrease the impact on locals as much as possible by keeping traffic and sidewalk activity at normal levels.
Large Snakes Found Dead at Valentino Pier by Sarah Matusek
If you stumbled upon a cluster of decapitated snakes in a park, what would you do? This bizarre question confronted Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse (BBPB) volunteers on a cleanup day at Valentino Pier on Saturday
“Throughout the planning process, we have sought to minimize the impact on our neighbors in Red Hook,” said Formula E advisor Mike Hopper. “With the guidance of local authorities, race day transportation options have been developed to minimize impact on normal traffic and pedestrian flows.”
closely with all local authorities to ensure public and private security staff levels match the needs of an internationally renowned event.”
Formula E organizers have reached out to city agencies to help keep the couple thousand attendees safe.
“Red Hook is severely impacted by traffic and big events often overwhelm our streets,” Menchaca said. “The Department of Transportation will finally install a traffic light at the dangerous Van Brunt and Pioneer (continued on page 8)
“The safety of our event attendees and our Red Hook neighbors is of the highest importance to Formula E,” Hopper said. “We continue to work
morning, May 6. The beach cleaners found around five to seven lifeless - and headless - snakes on the rocks just south of the pier. “It wasn’t one person’s snake collection. That’s a lot of snakes for one person’s Brooklyn apartment,” said Todd Seidman of Red Hook Boaters. Though not present at the pier on May 6, Seidman helped orchestrate a post-discovery discussion about the mysteri-
Table of Contents Happenings..........................................2,3 School News..........................................16 Religious News.....................................4,5 Arts..................................................20,21 Editorial................................................13 Obituary................................................22 Red Hook Star-Revue
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Council Member Carlos Menchaca, whose district includes Red Hook, wants to avoid unnecessary congestion on the streets.
Finally we get a traffic light
ous reptiles with locals over email. One of the volunte ers called 311 on May 6. New York Pulling up the dead snakes. (photo by Noah Diary) City DeNoah Diary, President of partment of Parks & Recreation re- BBPB, recalled one of the sponded to the request and NYC Parks representatives disposed of the reptiles in mentioning that the snakes (continued on page 15) large black bags.
Headless body
Samora Coles
page 5
page 17 July 2017, Page 1
The
Red Hook StarªRevue
481 Van Brunt Street, 8A Brooklyn, NY 11231
July Happenings
(718) 624-5568
Kimberly Gail Price George Fiala S R: Nathan Weiser Sarah Matusek C: Halley Bondy, Arts Laura Eng, Religion Mary Ann Pietanza Michael Cobb, Emily Kluver
1 5
Hot Wood Arts First. First Wednesday’s figure drawing session. $10. 481 Van Brunt Street, 9B. WED. 7–10 pm.
8
Kidney Disease Awareness Education Day. Event hosted by Rev. Robert Lowe and includes keynote speaker Eric L. Adams. Musical guests, giveaways. SAT. Coffey Park, 85 Richards Street. 12-6 pm.
9
S I: S B
Second Sunday’s Sunset TankerTime. Bring your own food and drinks. Musicians play SUN. Mediterranean music star�ng at 9 pm. Mary A. Whalen, Clinton Wharf. 5 pm-12 am.
FOR EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING
Pioneer Works’ Second Sundays program. Includes open studios with ar�sts in residence, exhibi�on, and par�cipatory programs. Unlocking the Truth, a band comprised of three Brooklyn pre-teens, will play. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer St. Second Sundays 4-9pm; concert starts at 8pm.
OR EMPLOYMENT INQUIRIES, email info@redhookstar.com. The Red Hook Star-Revue is published monthly. Founded June 2010.
Community Telephone Numbers:
Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca (718) 439-9012 Red Hook Assemblyman Felix Ortiz (718) 492-6334 State Sen. Velmanette Montgomery (718) 643-6140 Gowanus Councilman Brad Lander (718) 499-1090 Park Slope Councilman Steve Levin (718) 875-5200 CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman (718) 643-3027 76th Police Precinct, 191 Union Street Main phone (718) 834-3211 Community Affairs (718) 834-3207 Traffic Safety (718) 834-3226 Eileen Dugan Senior Center, 380 Court Street (718) 596-1956 Miccio Center, 110 East 9th Street (718) 243-1528
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Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Free movie at Valen�no Pier. 8:30 pm.
TUE.
THUR.
Red Hook Diabetes Support & Education Program (RHDSEP) Diabetes Workshop. Red Hook Library, 7 Wolco� St. 6-8 pm.
15
City of Water Day with the Waterfront Alliance. Includes free boat tours, rowing, kayaking, paddle-boarding; the Con Edison SAT. Cardboard Kayak Race; and the Waterfront Ac�vity Fair and Disney Children’s Ac�vi�es. Varying loca�ons along the waterfront. Events between 8 am-9 pm. For a complete schedule and loca�ons go to the Waterfront Alliance’s website.
18 TUE.
Straight Outta Compton Free movie at Valen�no Pier. 8:30 pm.
Supersmith Meat Hook Pig Roast and Barbecue. Price includes all-you-can-eat food, and beer. Workshop, showroom, beer & wine bar open all a�ernoon. Supersmith, 125 SAT. Dikeman Street. $50. 12-5 pm.
22
Red Hook Diabetes Support & Education Program (RHDSEP) Diabetes Workshop. Red Hook Library, 7 Wolco� St. 3-5 pm.
22
Grand Neptune Ball aboard the Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge. Free food and specialty cocktails. Music by Steve Oates and the SAT. Zac Greenberg Quartet. Fancy dress with a nod to the mari�me 1920s is encouraged. Sliding scale �cket price $50-$100. Waterfront Museum, 290 Conover Street. 8-11 pm.
25
Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group. St. Mary’s Residence, 41 First Street. 6:30-9 pm.
TUE.
Zootopia Free movie at Valen�no Pier. 8:30 pm.
29
Unity in the Community: 2nd Annual Basketball Tournament. Red Hook youth will compete with the NYPD. Volunteers and food SAT. dona�ons needed. Tea Park at Bush and Clinton Streets. Rain loca�on: Miccio Community Center 110 West 9th St. 3-8pm.
ONGOING
P:
Last day of A Tribute to the Sea: BELL 8 - A Sea’scape Exhibit by dancer Deirdre Towers. SAT. This mul�-screen installa�on is named a�er a naviga�onal buoy in the Long Island Sound. Free. Waterfront Museum, 290 Conover Street. 1-5 pm.
For more listings, check out our online community calendar at www.star-revue.com/calendar
Grand Ole Opera by Brent Stewart and Willie Stewart. Curated by Gabriel Florenz. Pieces reflect the ar�sts’ personal stories, and the intersec�on of dogma and different subcultures. Live musical performances will be featured throughout the exhibit’s run. June 9 through July 30, Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer St. NY Harbor Scenes by Bill Mensching. Waterfront Museum, 290 Conover St. Thursday, July 6 through Saturday, October 28, Ar�st’s recep�on July 13, 6-8 pm. (718) 624-4719.
Labs New Artists. 450 photographers of varying ages, experience and geographic loca�ons applied to an Open Call, from which 25 photographers will be selected by a panel of industry leaders. Wednesday, July 12 through Saturday, July 23, Red Hook Labs, 133-135 Imlay Street. (718) 797-1103 Music
Friday, July 7 Wolf Eyes with Jackie Lynn of Circuit des Yeux and Dreamcrusher. This program is a part of the exhibi�on Grand Ole Opera. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street. Doors at 7 pm; concert begins at 8 pm.
MUSIC
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email happenings@ redhookstar.com to list your event.
Friday, July 14 and Saturday, July 15 Sleep Concert. This program is part of the exhibi�on Grand Ole Opera. Sleep is an American doom metal band from San Jose, California. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street. Doors at 7pm; concert begins at 8 pm.
Red Hook East Dev. Office, 62 Mill St (718) 852-6771 Red Hook West Dev. Office, 55 Dwight St. (718) 522-3880 NYCHA Satellite Police Precinct, 80 Dwight St. Main Phone (718) 265-7300 Community Affairs (718) 265-7313 Domestic Violence (718) 265-7310 Youth Officer (718) 265-7314 Auxiliary/Law Enforcement Coordinator (718) 265-7378 Detective Squad (718) 265-7327
Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
July 2017
HAPPENINGS, CON’T MUSIC
Wednesday, July 19, Thursday, July 20, Fushitsusha concert, copresented by Blank Forms. This program is part of the exhibi�on Grand Ole Opera. Fushitsusha is a Japanese rock band specialising in the experimental and psychedelic rock genres. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer St. Doors at 7 pm; concert begins at 8 pm.
Friday, July 21, Concert with Hank Woods and the Hammerheads, as well as Sur�ort and Suicide Slide. This program is part of the exhibi�on Grand Ole Opera. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street. 8 pm.
Friday, July 28, Puce Mary with Pedestrian Deposit and Bob Bellerue. This program is part of the exhibi�on Grand Ole Opera. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street. 8 pm. Saturday, July 29, The Body, Moor Mother, Author & Punisher, and Uniform. This program is part of the exhibi�on Grand Ole Opera. Pioneer Works, 159 Pioneer Street. 8 pm. Friday, July 14 Summer Front Porch Concert Series featuring local musicians Maggie Rothwell, Carole White, Ethan Campbell, and Mary Ellen Schwartz & Steve Dangelo. Free. Red Hook Library Lawn, 7 Wolco� Street. 5-8 pm.
F E AT U R E D Labs new Artists | New York
20 July - 30 July 2017 Red Hook Labs
Labs Gallery is pleased to announce its summer group show, Labs New Artists. The exhibition will feature work by twenty-five emerging, international photographers, unrepresented by a gallery or an agency and selected from Red Hook Labs’ Open Call by a jury of industry leaders. The impressive group of artists will show personal bodies of work that apply fresh techniques and aesthetics to the photographic medium. Red Hook Labs is dedicated to supporting the new talent featured in Labs New Artists, as some are presented in a gallery context for the first time. The exhibition explores contemporary cultural aesthetics, and presents provocative image making. Labs New Artists will celebrate these achievements of a diverse ensemble of exceptional visionaries. Red Hook Labs, 133-135 Imlay Street, Brooklyn, New York 11231 718 797 1103 redhooklabs.com
ARTISANAL GELATO & SORBETTO Named one of the 10 Best Gelato shops in NY State
MAKE & MINGLE It’s summer at last and New Yorkers are signing up to secure spots on Made in Brooklyn Tours’ new Make & Mingle Factory Tour. The first M&M features fashion designer Alfred Stadler who produces collections of bags and accessories from quality materials in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Guests get to tour his workspace and showroom, learn how to make a personal accessory out of leather they can take home with them and socialize after. Make & Mingle takes place on Saturday, July 8th 2017 1:30 PM at the Red Hook Studios, 201 Richards Street in Brooklyn, NY. To learn more visit www.makenmingle.brownpapertickets.com
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718.855.0680 305 Van Brunt St. Brooklyn, NY 11231 DOLCEBROOKLYN.COM
July 2017, Page 3
RELIGIOUS NEWS BY LAURA ENG laura.eng59@aol.com.
SHSS Seminarian Ordained to the Priesthood
T
he Diocese of Brooklyn, under the leadership of Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, celebrated the ordination of ten new priests in the packed Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Clinton Hill on Saturday, June 3. One of the newly ordained is Father Kamil Bober, who when not attending seminary, has spent most of the last four years assigned to Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church. It was at SHSS that he was ordained to the diaconate in 2016. Since his arrival in December 2013, Father Kamil has been well-loved by the parishioners of SHSS, many of whom were present for the ordination. His family traveled from his hometown of Elblag, Poland to be there as well.
RELIGIOUS SERVICES Christian River Of God Christian Center
110 Wolcott Street, 646-226-6135, Secretary, Sister Roslyn Chatman. Sunday- Family Worship 11 - 1 pm Scripture, read in English and Spanish Wednesday- At The Gate 12 noon, Prayer 7 - 7:30 pm, Bible Studies 7 - 8 pm, Thursday Prayer 7:30- 8:30 pm, Friday Youth ABLAZED Ministries 6 7:30pm, Senior Pastor, Donald Gray
Visitation Church
98 Richards Street , (718) 624-1572. Office open Mon-Thursday 9 am- 3 pm. Saturday Mass at 5 pm English; Sunday 10 am Spanish, 12:30 pm English. Community Prayer on Tuesday and Thursday at 8 pm. Baptisms are held every other month. Please call to arrange for Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation and Weddings.
New Brown Memorial Baptist Church
609 Clinton Street, 718 624 4780 Pastor A.R Jamal. Sunday School at 9:30 am. Sunday Worship at 11 am. Bible Study-Wednesday at 7:30pm. Communion every first Sunday
Stretching Far and Wide Global Ministry, Inc.
382 Hamilton Avenue, Studio B 1-800-948-9042 Archbishop Dr. Barbara Jackman, Overseer Rev. Dr. Dwayne Barnes, Pastor Services are held every Sunday @ 10 am Communion every First Sunday stretchingfar.webs.com stretchingfar@aol.com
St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish
467 Court Street, (718) 625-2270 Rectory Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 11:30 am, 1 pm-4 pm, Friday 9 am- 12 noon. Masses: Saturday 4 pm, Sunday 10 am, Monday- Thursday, 9:30 am.
Saint Paul and Saint Agnes Parish
Church Office 433 Sackett St (718) 625-1717 Hours: M-F 2 PM-5 PM. E mail: stpaulandstagnes@ gmail.com. Saint Paul, 190 Court Street- church open daily for prayer and meditation 7 am- 8 PM. Saturday Vigil Mass 5:30 PM (English), Sunday 7:45 am (English), 11 am (Spanish). St. Agnes, 433 Sackett Street Saturday Vigil Mass 4 PM (English), Sunday 9:15 am (English), 11 am (French), 12:30 PM (Spanish). M-T-TH-F-S 8:30 am St Paul’s Chapel 234 Congress St.; Wednesday 8:30 AM St Agnes.
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary- Saint Stephen Roman Catholic Church
125 Summit Street at Hicks Street, (718) 596-7750, info@sacredhearts-ststephen.com Office Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am- 5 am, Friday 9 am- 3 pm, Saturday 9 am- 1 pm Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm, Sunday Masses at 8 am, 10 am, and noon (Italian/English) Weekday Masses during winter months at 8:30 am and 12 noon Confessions: Saturday at 4:45 pm and by appointment. Baptisms every third Sunday at 1 pm.
St. Paul’s Carroll Street
199 Carroll Street Parish Office: 718-625-4126 Sunday Mass at 10 am Weekday Morning PrayerMon.-Thurs. at 7:30 am Weekday masses as announced Holy Days as announced \Church open for prayer Tues. 6-8pm & Sat. 2-4pm http://stpaulscarrollst.weebly.com/
Jewish Kane Street Synagogue
236 Kane Street, 718 875-1550 http://kanestreet.org/ Friday night services, 6 PM Shabbat services, 9:15 AM Sunday Services 9 AM
Congregation B’nai Avraham/Chabad of Brooklyn Heights
117 Remsen St., 718 596 4840 x18 www.bnaiavraham.com, www.heightschabad.com Morning Services: Sunday: 8:45am Monday- Friday: 7:45am Holidays (during the week): 8:45am Saturday: 9:45am Evening Services: Sunday: Shabbat candle lighting time Monday- Thursday: 9 pm Friday: Winter: 5 minutes before Shabbat candle lighting time Summer:
Congregation Mount Sinai
250 Cadman Plaza West, (718) 875-9124, Rabbi Seth Wax Friday services at 6:30 pm; Saturday Prayer and Mysticism Class at 9 am, services at 10 am followed by kiddish lunch. All are welcome.
Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue
Bober recalled being impacted by different priests when he was growing up in Poland, one of whom was inspirational to young people and another who was sports-oriented. “All of those priests of my home parish influenced me and shaped me into the person that I am now,” said Father Kamil. Father Kamil, 27, had thoughts of joining the priesthood when he was a teenager but he also dreamed that he would choose a job that would include his passion for traveling and had even once thought about becoming a police officer. For him “it’s always about service.” Just when he had given up his decision to become a priest, he received a call saying there was an opening in a seminary in the U.S. Father Kamil believes it was God who “put everything upside down” and when he decided to accept the offer at St. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Michigan, he noted “that everything started to make sense and became easier, even learning English...I was surprised but I believe that He leads me through all of this.” After Father Kamil celebrated his first Mass on Sunday, June 4th at SHSS, he blessed his parents, grandmother and sister. He also told all those assembled in the church that they too were his family. That sentiment was shared by everyone, many of whom who were dressed in red to mark the day’s Feast of Pentecost. Some had tears in their eyes as they received their blessings and shared an emotional embrace with the new priest. Also palpable was the pride of Monsignor Guy Massie who has taken Father Kamil under his wing and developed a father/son type of relationship. When asked how his parents felt about him pursuing his vocation so far away from his native Poland, Father Kamil
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said that when they came to Brooklyn a year ago for his diaconate ordination, his family was impressed by the welcome and hospitality and he feels it became easier for them to deal with the distance. Father Kamil is now looking forward to “gaining some experience in the confessional. I had my first opportunity to listen to confessions about a week ago... this is an amazing feeling... I want to spread God’s mercy and forgiveness.” He also views celebrating the Eucharist every single day to be a great privilege and adds “I’m so overwhelmed by this mystery and I hope that I will never be bored of it.” Father Kamil regards his new assignment to the Parish of St. Bernadette in Dyker Heights as “a new adventure and an opportunity to bring people closer to God.” He feels that St. Bernadette is an amazing parish with a wonderful pastor, Father Thomas Caserta, and predicts that his “service there will be fruitful.” Meanwhile, many of the parishioners of SHSS have told Father Kamil to not forget to visit and are looking forward to visiting him when he begins celebrating Mass at his new parish.
Upcoming Events Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West
Hebrew Reading for Adult Beginners on Sundays from 1:15 to 2:15 pm on July 9, 16, 23, 30, August 6, 13, 20, 27 with Rabbi Sue Oren. Under the Bridge@Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, Bridge View Lawn (by Barge Music) on Friday, July 21 at 6:30 pm. Community Shabbat celebration with live music. Challah and juice will be provided, BYO picnic. Prayer and Mysticism Class on Satur(continued on next page)
July 2017
Religion
(continued from previous page)
days from 9 to 10 am.
Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Summit & Hicks Street
Family Movie Night on Saturday, July 29 featuring “Beauty and the Beast” with sing-along with Ms. Evie at 7 pm and movie beginning at 8 pm. Free
St. Agnes Church Sackett & Hoyt Streets
Monthly fundraising lunch Sunday, July 2, 1:30 to 3 pm in St. Agnes Hall, tickets on sale for $7.00. Plus a Grand 50/50! 76th Precinct Community Meeting on Wednesday, July 12 at 7:30 pm in St Agnes hall about new policing policy and to accept questions and listen to concerns of the members of our community. Young@Heart Group, Brownie, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts will resume meeting in the fall.
St. Mary Star of the Sea 467 Court Street Religious
Education
(Grades 1-4) has begun. Classes will begin on Sunday, September 17. Forms available in church, at the rectory and online at stmarystarbrooklyn.com.
St. Paul’s Catholic Church 234 Congress Street
St. Paul’s Church is open from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm EVERY DAY. Please stop in for a visit with the Lord, say the Rosary, pray the Stations of the Cross on your own, sit and relax with Him for a moment, etc.
Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street
Religious Education registration Monday - Thursday from 9 am to 2:30 pm during the summer. Retreat of the Precious Blood of Christ (Retiro Dedicado de Precioso Sangre de Christo) on July 1 from 8:30 am to 8 pm. Healing Mass July 18 at 7 pm in Spanish and July 28 at 7 pm in English.
Registration
Headless Torso Found Near Red Hook May Be Missing NJ Woman by Sarah Matusek
Steve’s new place. (Star-Revue photo)
Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies Expands
Red Hook’s celebrated artisan of soursweet treats, Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies, has expanded to Downtown Brooklyn’s new Dekalb Market Hall. Police surround body across from Waterfront Museum. (photo by George Fiala)
But the jump from the cobblestone streets of Red Hook to a sleek stall downtown doesn’t seem to faze Steve Tarpin, the operation’s owner of 20 years.
Cops may have identified a severed corpse found floating off Red Hook on June 27 as a New Jersey woman who had been missing since Sunday.
“It’ll be business as usual,” Tarpin says. Steve’s Authentic joins 40 vendors selected for the food hall that opened June 16.
Police had released a photo of a Sanskrit tattoo inked on corpse. The woman’s mother went to the 76th Precinct stationhouse and claimed her missing daughter had the same tattoo, NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce announced to the press on June 30.
The 33,000 square foot venue is now the largest food hall in Brooklyn, and includes a show kitchen, cocktail bar, and daily entertainment.
A woman’s headless torso was found floating around the Gowanus Bay and Buttermilk Channel on June 27. Police responded to a 911 call around 11:21 a.m. A Carroll Gardens man who found the body said it appeared “butchered,” reports the New York Post. “This body was dismembered and the cuts looked clean, like it was chainsawed.” 76th Precinct Commanding Officer Elliot Colon was at the scene and told the Star-Revue that this will be treated as a homicide, due to the condition of the body. The cause of death will be decided by the Medical Examiner.
Red Hook Star-Revue
The food hall’s owner and curator, Anna Castellani, sought “authentically Brooklyn/NYC vendors,” writes a DMH spokesperson. Steve’s longstanding presence in Brooklyn made him an appealing addition. Guided by a spirit of authenticity, Steve whips up his signature desserts with hand-formed crusts and real Key limes. Using fresh citrus for Key lime pies is rare - Steve’s is one of only two commercial bakeries in the country that squeezes the real fruit into recipes, reports the American Pie Council. Dekalb Market Hall is located at 445 Albee Square West in Brooklyn. The food hall operates 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Some vendors will open early at 7 a.m. - Sarah Matusek
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July 2017, Page 5
Uncertainty remains in Columbia Waterfront District
T
by Michael Cobb
hough the fate of the Red Hook Container Terminal remains unknown, there is plenty of uncertainty. One only needs to look north to Pier 6 to see how development has radically changed the face of Brooklyn’s working waterfront and realize that the terminal may be next in line. With its future unknown, critical questions lie unanswered. If the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) indeed sells the land, where will Red Hook Container Terminal and its International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) workers go, and what will take its place? Will it be developed largely as a community park like Pier 6 or be inhabited by luxury towers as in Williamsburg?
“Port
Authority Chairman John Degnan, while speaking at Crain’s 2017 Real Estate Conference, told the audience that he supports ‘selling the terminal.’” Photos from the terminal’s website illustrate the appeal to real estate developers. The area has some of the last - and best - unobstructed views of Lower Manhattan. However, delicate matters involving politics, labor, and possibly public opinion remain. Support from Democratic politicians, who traditionally support labor, has been crucial in the past. About 10 years ago, the Bloomberg administration proposed parks and housing for the terminal land, but pushback from the influential Congressman Jerry Nadler snuffed that plan and the container terminal was given a new lease. The ILA retains much of that support today. “Any plan to sell off or close the Red Hook Container Terminal is a nonstarter and that’s something all local elected officials agree upon. In com-
Page 6 Red Hook Star-Revue
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ing weeks, I will be working with other officials at all levels of government to ensure this facility stays open,” said Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez in response to a Star-Revue query. Congressman Nadler told the paper, “I have been a passionate advocate and supporter of the Port of New York and New Jersey - the whole port district for more than 30 years. A strong coalition of elected officials and advocacy groups fundamentally believe that an active Brooklyn container port is imperative for the economic vitality and environmental well-being of the region, and that it’s critical that New York sees its fair share of these benefits. “We believe that the port is a key element in ensuring that our port district overall retains its position of dominance on the eastern seaboard of the United States. As such, Red Hook Container Terminal must remain open and operational. It should also be noted that the Red Hook barging service is an essential part of our region’s overall shipping eco-system, and it takes a significant numbers of trucks off our roads.” However, Port Authority Chairman John Degnan, while speaking at Crain’s 2017 Real Estate Conference, told the audience that he supports “selling the terminal.” But there are conflicting interpretations of what that means. “The Port Authority has definitely not gone on record regarding wanting to sell the Red Hook container terminal. There has been nothing from the NY Commissioners, the Executive Director of the Port Authority, nor Governor Cuomo along that same line; so it is absolutely not the official policy of the Port Authority,” said Daniel Schwarz, Nadler’s communication director. At the same time, PANYNJ insiders have long suspected that the most recent lease extension, given to the Red Hook Container Terminal LLC in 2013, after Sal Catucci’s American Stevedoring was forced out, was to be the last. A new terminal was to be created in Sunset Park. Last year AECOM, a large engineering company specializing in infrastructure work, issued an extensive report (continued on page 15)
July 2017
Ballfields to be closed longer than thought, but they will be pretty when done by George Fiala
T
he saga of the Red Hook ballfields began in March 2012, when the NYC Parks Department hurriedly shut fields 5-8 because of suspected lead contamination. Topsoil was replaced and the fields were back in operation in time for an abbreviated little league and softball schedule. This was the direct result of an extensive USA Today report that identified hundreds of contaminated ex-indus-
“Behind the scenes, the city, under supervision from the EPA, has been preparing extensive plans for reconstruction of the fields.” trial sites across the country. Many factories that emanated pollutants were shut and housing built instead. Other ex-factories were turned into public parks - the case with Red Hook. Columbia Smelting and Refining Works was a business located at Lorraine and Hicks Street. They melted scrap metals, including lead, for reuse. They shut down in 1939, and the factory was razed.
park, levels were generally lower. Across the street, in grassy areas of the Red Hook Houses, six of 16 soil samples tested from throughout the public housing complex had lead levels above 400 ppm. New York City officials said they were unaware a lead-smelting business had once occupied a portion of the park” The public was not generally notified of an eventual plan to reconstruct the fields, and many were surprised when the fields closed again a few years later. What happened was the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation referred the situation to the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA did additional testing and ordered the city to complete the remediation. At a public meeting held at the Red Hook Rec Center on June 13, the EPA and the Parks Department presented a community update. New Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher openly addressed the frustrations felt by park users and went to great lengths to explain why the fields remain fenced off, with no evident work
Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Marty Maher shows what is going on. (photo by Fiala)
now contractors are being sought to do the work. In addition to the toxic remediation, the plans also include flood protection. The fields will be raised a minimum of three feet, and a state-of-the-art artificial grass surface will be installed.
The land was given to the Parks Department, who built the ballfields where the factory once stood. Nobody thought about lead contamination at the time. Lead can retard intellectual growth, especially in young children. For that reason, lead paint for household use was outlawed in 1979.
The plans were approved this month, but the paperwork and procurement will take another year. Construction will only begin next spring, and the fields are scheduled to be reopened in the fall of 2019. EPA oversight should ensure that things follow this schedule - and regular public meetings such as the June 13 meeting - will continue to keep the community informed. Ballfield 9 and soccer field 2, which are less contaminated and are open and in use during the interim, are next to undergo renovation. These fields will be closed when fields 5-8 reopen, and remain under construction for two years.
USA Today learned of the smelting history, and reported in April 2012. They wrote at the time: USA Today tested soil in the park and found elevated levels of lead in six of eight samples taken from the ball fields stretching across the site where the smelter was located. Four of those soil samples, all taken just beneath the ball fields’ outfield grass, showed lead concentrations above 2,000 ppm — five times the EPA’s hazard level for children’s play areas. Elsewhere in the
sion, and the EPA. Finally, the budget must be approved by the Comptroller’s office. This all adds time to the process, but is all necessary for a longlasting solution.
being done. The fields are shut because of the danger from the lead. Behind the scenes, the city, under supervision from the EPA, has been preparing extensive plans for reconstruction of the fields. The plans for fields 5-8 have already been completed and approved, and
In addition to approvals for the plans and the vendors, permits have to be applied for and granted from many city agencies, including the Departments of Transportation, Buildings, and Environmental Protection. In addition, approvals have to be granted from the Parks Department, Community Board, Public Design Commis-
The situation around the remaining closed fields, which include the soccer field inside the track, and the ballfields south of it, as well as the soccer fields between Court and Clinton, is
Wally Bazemore and Ray Hall have been putting pressure on the Parks Department to find out what’s going on. (photo by George Fiala)
less clear. It was evident from the presentation that the agencies have yet to focus on those final fields to be redone, but the hope is that everything will be open by 2023 - or at least six years from now.
The artist rendering for ballfields 5 - 8, showing an articial turf, a raised platform, and reconstruction of the trees.
Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
Our industrial legacy has left behind pollution trails throughout the country. It is a tribute to the press that it took research by a newspaper to spur remediation in our neighborhood.
July 2017, Page 7
Planning for the racing invasion
(continued from page 1)
Street intersection where a mother and child were recently struck down.”
Frantz, are more concerned about delivering all of their gelato to the race area than about getting everyone to the store.
Menchaca wants organizers to make sure that the Atlantic Basin and Brooklyn Cruise Terminal are not overwhelmed with traffic and the pedestrians are safe.
Prepping
“We start on July 2 building the track,” Henderson said. “By the time we are done on July 13 it will look like a permanent race facility.” Besides the track, Formula E will construct grandstands and tent structures at the cruise terminal. Most of the infrastructure will be torn down three days after the race then rebuilt next year.
The councilman encourages high volume events at the Atlantic Basin and Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, but only if the events are properly managed and the neighborhood is respected.
Business boom over race weekend?
Mark’s Pizza Restaurant, which is on 326 Van Brunt St., looks forward to Formula E racing in Red Hook. Tony Kokale, Mark’s owner, is also looking to increase his staff in preparation for event weekend.
This will be the first of many races that Formula E plans to hold in Brooklyn, and they intend to have all of the materials and construction be Brooklynbased. Fencing is the only material that will come from Europe.
“I think it will be good for business,” said Kokale. “I give thumbs up for Formula E. I am trying to hire a couple of more people to be prepared because it is going to be 20,000 people one day and the next day. If they are not hungry then I am in trouble.”
“We will try to keep our roots in Brooklyn or within the five boroughs to have the truest economic impact that we can,” Henderson said. “My company, that I have hired, is Brooklyn based, so they are going to do the physical assembly and paving.”
Kokale thinks that the frenzy from Formula E will be tough for traffic and hard for parking in the area, but for those two days, he hopes it will increase their business sales a little bit. He also thinks that people will walk around that weekend and ask for deliveries. Beyond the likely increase in business that the owner foresees, Kokale is anticipating Formula E for a more personal reason as well. “I am looking forward to Formula E because I myself am a Formula E fan,” Kokale said at Mark’s. “I race cars for fun. I can’t wait to see it. I can go there with no problem but have to see how business goes.” Pierre Alexandre, the owner of Dolce Brooklyn (one block away from Mark’s), is also anticipating an increase in business thanks to the race. “I expect to do better than the best day, which is the bike race,” Alexandre said at Dolce. “The race is two days, so we will add to the staff.”
Custom Gelato planned
Dolce Brooklyn will be customizing a flavor for the Formula E weekend and Alexandre believes that it will be served in a VIP lounge. The owner plans on continuing to sell in the store and hopes that everything will indeed increase. Alexandre thinks that that the national exposure will be a plus and thinks that Formula E will bring people to the neighborhood that do not normally come to Red Hook. “It will be a positive for the area because Red Hook will be on primetime TV,” Alexandre said at Dolce. “It will be a lot of people from Manhattan that never come to Red Hook that will be in the area. That is always positive.” The owner envisions the NYC Ferry being a plus for the area to have for all the fans coming during the weekend. Alexandre, and fellow owner Kristina
Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue
GETTING TO THE RACE • In terms of transportation and getting to the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal that weekend, the subway, rideshare, shuttle bus, bicycle and city bus will all be various options, with some being more convenient, that weekend. • The three different entrances will be at Ferris and Sullivan Street, Pier 11 near the Atlantic Basin Ferry Landing and the intersection of Imlay and Pioneer Streets. • Formula E advises that people don’t drive to the event because there will not be parking on the site or in the surrounding area. • Shuttle bus: Formula E is offering shuttle buses to the Cruise Terminal from two locations. - One pick up spot will be at the Barclays Center at the bus load area on Flatbush Ave. Carroll Gardens at the corner of Smith Street and 2nd Place in Carroll Gardens will also serve as a pick up. • Buses will depart continuously throughout the day from the Carroll Gardens and Barclays Center locations from 7:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. The drop-off area at the Cruise Terminal will be closest to the entrance at Ferris and Sullivan Street. The ticket booth can be found at Ferris and Dikeman. • Subway: According to Formula E, there will be a few subway disruptions on the July 15-16 weekend. The G train will stop at Hoyt - Schermerhorn but will not continue to Church Avenue. The G train will stop at Fulton Street, which will be a short walk to the shuttle bus at Barclays Center. • The F train will bring visitors closest to the race. Once off at Carroll and Smith Street, the shuttle bus at Smith and 2nd Place is only two blocks away. The 2 and 3 trains will also not be operating in Brooklyn. • Formula E will offer a rideshare option during the weekend. Drop-off and pick-up will be on Dikeman Street between Ferris and Conover Street. • Rideshare: For rideshare cars, there will be no parking or a long waiting area, and all traffic must keep moving. Cars will not be able to drop-off or pick-up in any other areas. • Bikes: The Citi Bike station on the intersection of Conover and Coffey Street will be attended by Citi Bike staff to allow for more guests to ride Citi Bikes to the event and ensure that there are docks available for riders. This station will be the only attended CitiBike station in the neighborhood. • Formula E will be setting up a free bike valet at 202 Coffey St. where people can lock their bikes. Formula E advises people to take proper care around event traffic, to not leave their bike overnight and to follow the orange arrows for the proper route in/out of the venue. • Bus: If taking the B61 bus to the event, the Van Brunt and Van Dyke, Van Brunt and Sullivan, Van Brunt and Pioneer, Van Brunt and Verona and Van Brunt and Seabring and Van Brunt and Dikeman stops are all within a few blocks of entrances to the race and will be open during the weekend. • The advisor to Formula E strongly encourages that all ticket holders utilize public transportation to attend the race.
Besides the race itself - where electric cars will drive silently at 125 mph - Formula E has programmed an Allianz eVillage fan zone where visitors can view the latest electric vehicles and hybrid cars and racing simulators, an array of food and drink stands, and autograph sessions with the drivers. Attendees will also have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a racing simulator to win the chance of going wheel-to-wheel against the actual Formula E drivers during the eRace, which is scheduled to take place in the build up to the main competitive event.
Panel Approves Velázquez Flood Insurance Bill Legislation authored by Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez would improve the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Her bill, H.R. 2875, would make a number of necessary reforms, correcting problems in the program that became apparent after Hurricane Sandy. The measure was approved by the House Financial Services Committee. “After Sandy, we heard from homeowners in New York City and up and down the East Coast who saw their claims denied, delayed or underpaid.” Velázquez said. “This legislation would address these shortcomings and protect policyholders from fraud and abuse. “When disasters strike and homeowners find their property flooded, the last thing they need is to encounter bureaucratic resistance recouping their losses from an insurance company,” Velázquez added. “As our climate changes, unfortunately, we’ll likely see future catastrophic weather events, making it all the more important that the federal government’s flood initiative functions efficiently and fairly.” The measure must now be considered by the full U.S. House of Representatives.
www.star-revue.com
July 2017
A Red Hook Fourth of July! Where
to see the
Fireworks The Macy’s 4th of July fireworks will be set off from barges along the East River from 23rd to 41st streets starting around 9:30 pm, and the Jersey City display will take place in front of the Statue of Liberty starting around 9:20. Here are some tried-and-true places to see our nation’s top-notch pyrotechnic displays around Red Hook.
Valentino Park & Pier
The park and pier, home to neighborhood institution Steve’s Key Lime Pie, boasts the clearest views in the area of the Statue of Liberty, Governor’s Island and Liberty State Park. Given the open miles of viewing and free admission, the park and pier are likely to fill up quickly, putting seating areas at a premium.
Pier 44 Waterfront Garden
Immediately behind Fairway is a good open stretch of greenspace with a great view of the Statue of Liberty.
RED HOOK’S LATE NIGHT DELI! All deli items including sandwiches, soda, beer, newspapers, cigarettes, fresh fruit & much more!
Open 7 days til 1 am 368 Van Brunt St.
(718) 875-8848
Remembering Sal and Rosie on this 4th of July
The Brooklyn Greenway
Beginning on the west side of Van Brunt Street at the intersection with Imlay and Carroll Streets, the paved Greenway extends north to where Atlantic Ave meets Columbia Street (and beyond).
Brooklyn Bridge Park
The sprawling Brooklyn Bridge Park extends from Atlantic Avenue all the way north to the Manhattan Bridge, and is full of restaurants, bars, and open green space.
VFW Post 5195 325 Van Brunt St, (718) 624-9313
Please end your 4th with just as many fingers as you started with.
185 Van Dyke Street (next to Valentino Pier Park)
(718) 858-5333 www.keylime.com
Red Hook Star-Revue
www.star-revue.com
Brooklyn’s Original Since 1928 192 Union Street (corner Henry) (718) 643-1719 mazzolabakery.com
July 2017, Page 9
ALL ABOARD! Story, photos and graphs by Kimberly Gail Price
Red Hook has some pretty cool new transportation options, so whether you prefer to travel by land or by sea, the Star-Revue has the scoop on what it’s all about.
HORNBLOWER
On a sunny afternoon ride out of Bay Ridge, Winston was my deckhand. For an extra $1, I rolled my two-toned, purple bicycle onto the ferry, and Winston took over from there. A hundred pennies to not have to fuss with my clunky bike was well worth the money. The 3 pm boat was running a little behind that day - 3: 10 pm - so if you’re on a time crunch, it’s best to check in with the city’s app – because of course there’s an app for that. But as we swiftly made our way into Wall Street, Winston and his crew pecked away to bring the boat back to its correct itinerary. Once on board, I bought an iced coffee at the indoor concession stand. The options there are nearly endless with offerings of beer, wine, soda, coffee, juice… And that’s just the beverage section. If your lips are dry, pick up some Chapstick. Forgot headphones? They’ve got you covered. They sell treats and toys for kiddos, snacks for all diets, and a surprisingly vast array of other items. The cabin seats 150 people, and according to Winston, that’s the boat’s limit. Even though there are seats available on the outdoor, upper deck, the US Coast Guard requires one indoor seat for every buttocks aboard. Winston explains this is in the unfortunate event of inclement weather. And those days are coming, he knows. “It’s going to be awful,” he says of being a deckhand during the harshest seasons. “But you just gotta do it.” Winston is one of 2-3 deckhands on board. His job is to count passengers, to dock and undock at each landing, take tickets, and harness bicycles. “I keep things clean and people happy,” he adds. The new ferry route was immediately very popular on the weekends, but the weekday commuter ferry will “catch on,” Winston says. He explains that other lines are more popular, but this is the newest one, and it will take time for business to pick up. But for a midweek, middle-of-the-afternoon ferry, 31 people aboard didn’t seem unreasonable. And that was only the first stop. Six people got off the boat in Red Hook, and an additional fifteen boarded. The voyage around the city’s waterways offers sights of iconic Brooklyn and her neighboring boroughs: the three bridges, Verrazano, Brooklyn, and Manhattan; Wall Street and the South Street Seaport; the Watchtower; Red Hook’s historic shipping cranes. The ferry windows are splattered with the murky waters of the East River, but the rest of the boat is pristine. The boats are cleaned nightly, and employees follow cleaning checklists on an hourly basis while the ferries are in motion. Between stops – and when all the work is done – Winston takes a few minutes to sit back and enjoy the sail. I ask him if he has any trouble adjusting to the land after a full day at sea. His face breaks out into a full grin. “No,” he laughs, “I don’t
Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue
really have sea legs. So it’s all okay.”
NEW B61
Red Hook has been shy a few buses for several years now, if you know what I mean - *wink, wink.* But earlier this month the MTA rolled into town with a new ride. And it wasn’t subtle. Dark blue buses with bright yellow lettering started stopping at bus stops throughout Red Hook. Some Red Hookers looked out the sides of their eyes as though a busload of little old church ladies might be invading. Instead, the driver, clad in his MTA uniform, cautions riders to “exit through the rear doors.” The only visual similarity on the outside of the bus is the familiar looking sign that tells which bus this is and where it is going: “B61 – Red Hook.” Inside, the bus looks quite similar. The seats are the same, the handrails in all the same places, the floors the same speckled pattern. But there are a few differences. The first is that everything – I mean EVERYTHING – is sparkling clean in a way that only brand-new things can be sparkly clean. I might have seen Mr. Clean’s big bald head riding next to me. The handrails are painted bright yellow, completely free of scratches and marring. The windows still look like real glass. The floors are not dusty, despite the thousands of shoes that tread over them daily. The buses are new. And even though the dread of the B61 is upon us, it’s rather nice to be riding in something so nice and shiny. It just makes commuting a little more fun. The other big upgrade are the numerous charging docks on the bus. Every seat throughout the bus has them. So if you’re phone battery is low, grab the Metro Card and the charger, and head over to a Red Hook bus stop. You might have to wait a bit, though. Only every fourth bus is a pretty one.
My day on the new ferry swift and moving south,” he says. The Red Hook Boaters currently have about 20 kayaks, a couple of interns and a handful of “ace volunteers” like Michael Delgado. He has been involved with the Boaters since 2013. “They gave a lot to me” - by teaching him how to recuse people and how to tow a boat – “so I try to give back.” Delgado shows up nearly every Thursday and Sunday to volunteer. The Boaters raise money through a tip jar on site during boating hours. “It’s nothing to scoff at,” Todd says, referring to the plastic bottle sitting in front of my reporter’s notebook. It’s stuffed with dollar bills, and it’s only 6:30 pm. They also lead the occasional corporate cruise around the harbor for cash. They take school groups on float trips. Although they do not set a fee, most groups donate to the nonprofit. This year’s interns are from the Harbor School on Governor’s Island. Armani Diaz, age 16, and Simon Chen, age 14, realized they have the same birthday as I interrogated them. They also had no idea “kayak” is a palindrome. Or what a palindrome is… Throughout the season, the volunteers take trips together. In recent years,
Red Hookers voiced their own ideas about other transportation alternatives in the neighborhood. Shockingly, four of those surveyed expressed interest in MORE Citibike stations. Others left us notes on the survey, even though no space was provided for them to do so.
Catch a ride on the upgrade because it might be the next big thing. But if it’s date night, you’d be wise to have backup plans. They might be all shiny and new, but it’s still the B61.
KAYAK WITH THE BOATERS
Summer is back and so are the Red Hook Boaters. They’ve got kayaks and paddles, beachfront property and the greatest view in the city. All you have to do is sign a waiver. Oh, and know when to be at Valentino Pier. The Boaters cruise on Thursday nights from 6-8 pm and on Sundays from 1-5 pm, weather permitting. The tide is high tonight, so we can’t go under the pier. Tim Gamble used to live in Manhattan. Then he moved to Red Hook. In 2006, he started Red Hook Boaters in his landlord’s backyard. Then he moved to New Guinea. Todd took over. He runs a tight kayak; he checks every lifejacket himself. He welcomes new boaters and delivers the “20-second what’s what.” He tells them the rules, and gives them basic instruction. He explains how to paddle and turn the boat. He even knows the direction of the wind, and warns the boaters on how it will affect the current. “Tonight, it’s
they’ve paddles to the Coney Island, Newton Creek, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the Statue of Liberty. And Todd talks more about life vests. “The strongest part of the ebb,” I hear him tell a boater as he tightens down a strap. “The thing we worry with most is the fitting of the lifejacket. Because if it’s on right, your head really can’t go under water.” They have life vests in all sizes for babies as young as 6 months old for “little, little guys,” Delgado calls them, children and adults. The boaters welcome everyone from young to old, beginners to experienced. “There are a lot of kids in the neighborhood who have never taken their shoes off in the sand, so it’s a lot of fun when they show up,” Todd says. Kayakers can paddle out for 20-25 minutes on busy nights and afternoons, but otherwise “they can stay out as long as they want,” says Delgado in his thick Brooklyn accent. Kayaking may not be the best choice for a commute, but it’s certainly not a bad option for a Thursday night sunset ride in the New York Harbor. Just don’t forget to drop a dollar in Todd’s tip jar.
“Hate them! [drew a bold X over CitiBike],” Anonymous Survey Number 19 With the new ferry dock, upgraded B61 buses, and the opening of the Red Hook Boating season, the neighborhood has some cool new traveling options.
“I live in Carroll Gardens…” Anonymous Survey Number 7 “Connect us to Sunset Park!” via pedestrian bridges. Anonymous Survey Number 11
The Star-Revue polled a random audience in June to find out how valuable they think the improved modes of transport are. Most people are pretty excited about the new ferry, but the consensus shows people feel the additional buses will affect them personally as much as the new ferry will.
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July 2017
Letter from the Publisher It is with great sadness that I announce my resignation from the Red Hook Star-Revue. In December 2011, I walked into the offices of the Star-Revue. I had nothing to lose, and no idea how much I’d gain over the next five and a half years. From the wee hours to the late, late nights, there was always so much to learn, so much to do. And I feel so lucky to have been able to do so much. I wasn’t supposed to care. After all, that’s what honest, responsible journalism is. Unbiased, straightforward and factual. But the people of Red Hook and beyond made it impossible not to. Your charm and grace, along with a million words of wisdom have changed my life beyond recognition. Inside the office walls, we had a saying. On one shoulder lived “grow.” On the other lived “thrive.” It was always the mission. The newspaper. The community. Each of us personally. In Red Hook, under the wing of the Star-Revue, I have grown and thrived. “It takes a village,” the old adage says. My village is Red Hook. It has been an absolute pleasure to know this neighborhood, to fall in love with a community. So many peo-
ple have touched my life, and I will forever be grateful. Thank you for your constant support, your undying faith, and trusting me with your stories. It has been the honor of my lifetime to tell our stories in the pages of the StarRevue. To the staff – past and present – I have learned so much from every one of you. Thank you for your patience as I learned, standing strong when you fiercely believed in something, and making me a better human being. I admire your dedication and your hard work in all endeavors. Each set of hands will carry forward and continue to shape the voice of the Red Hook Star-Revue. Red Hook deserved a strong advocate and trustworthy voice. It is my greatest hope that in my absence, the StarRevue continues forward with its mission to grow and thrive and to be an intricate part of a growing and thriving neighborhood. My very best to all,
Open 7 days a week for eat in, take out & delivery Happy Hour Mon - Fri 4 - 7pm Stop in and join our beer club.
Publisher and Senior Editor Red Hook Star-Revue
215 COLUMBIA STREET 347-689-4209
The Whisky X by Michael Cobb
O
n Thursday, June 8, the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal hosted The Whisky X, a massive event featuring over 60 whiskies and a live concert by Dan Auerbach. The area is accessible by bus or car, but most attendees arrived on foot. Clusters of well dressed 20-somethings walked through the normally inaccessible industrial environs and parking lots on Bowne Street due west of Van Brunt. Shipping cranes and tugboats silhouetted the evening sky, creating maritime magic. After passing a security check, my pal and I were whisked through cordoned aisles with signs reading “Welcome to the United States” and “Please Have Your Passport Ready,” reminders that the space is usually used as an entry point to the U.S. by tourists disembarking from cruise ships. The cavernous space comfortably accommodated a large, rowdy crowd, presumably well over a thousand. Local brands like Widow Jane, bigger national labels such as Bulleit, and international single malt producers like Glen Fiddich poured samples for all to enjoy. As the whisky flowed, there was a palpable buzz amongst the throngs; people were ready to party.
Red Hook Star-Revue
Also on site were free haircuts and cocktails by The B l i n d B a r b e r, whiskeyinfused c h o c o - Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. (photo by Cobb). lates from Louisville’s Art Eatables, complimentary cigars within Club Macanudo’s cigar lounge, Hudson Made Modern Apothecary personal care products, US Barrels teaching cooperage, D’Amico Coffee Roasters serving free iced coffee, and whisky-infused food for sale from eight Brooklyn food trucks. Unfortunately, the food trucks were hard to access, and the police turned people away from the outdoor eating area due to overcrowding. The highlight of the evening was the concert by nine-time Grammy winning singer-songwriter Dan Auerbach. A relatively mellow set compared to his work with the Black Keys, he played tunes from his first solo album in eight years, “Waiting On A Song.” The album is a love letter to his Nashville home filled with themes of sin, dangerous women, beautiful losers, undying love, and friendship. His fantastic six-piece band featured Gene “Bubba” Chrisman (Elvis Pre(continued on page 23)
OUR TIKI TERRACE IS NOW OPEN!! A PRIVATE ESCAPE FOR THOSE 21+ NOW SERVING
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July 2017, Page 11
LETTERS:
Mike Drop:
Disappointed in Carlos
A TALE OF 2 TEAMS
B
by Michael Racioppo
uffalo, New York and New York City are separated by more than 350 miles. Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets, is about ten miles from 31st Street between 7th and 8th Avenue, and Buffalo is still over 350 miles away. Let’s take a quiz: if a sports team that usually plays in Buffalo were to play against a team that usually plays its games on 31st Street between 7th and 8th Avenue in NYC and the game was played at Citi Field who would be designated the home team? Wrong. Since you applied logic you assumed that the team from Buffalo would be the visitors, but you failed to account for real world corporate and state/municipal dealmaking. This coming January the National Hockey League’s “Winter Classic” will be played between the New York Rangers and Buffalo Sabres. It will be played at Citi Field and the Sabres of Buffalo will be the “Home” team. This anomaly springs from one very peculiar tax break that applies to Madison Square Garden and is contingent on having both the National Basketball Association’s New York Knicks and the National Hockey League’s Rangers remain as “full-time” residents of the building. Playing even one home game somewhere else could cost the arena’s owner, James Dolan, who owns both the Knicks and Rangers, as much as $42 million annually. This was done in the 1980s to make sure that the “World’s Most Famous Arena” stayed that way, and that any threats to leave Manhattan would be so costly as to be empty. The arena now grosses over a billion dollars annually. The owner, James Dolan, is worth over a billion dollars himself. It’s pretty obvious when walking down prime commercial corridors across New York City that we don’t need to be carving out special deals for billionaires and watch as small businesses suffer.
Brooklyn’s Smith Street has been the subject of many articles highlighting such losses. They aren’t just losses for the owners of the business (of course they, and employees, feel it the most), but it is a loss for the communities they served. We begin to lose the uniqueness that has always made New York New York, and is the driving force behind why people - and it’s never been more true than now - want to be here. It’s not just individuality that is at stake, but also easier and local access to necessities or even a place just to go and grab something when you want a snack. For this reason, the state and city should pull every lever possible to ensure that businesses are able to stick around. Maybe even create some levers when necessary. This could be through forms of rent control and tax credits. There has to be a place for the “invisible hand” of the market. Some businesses should close, but even free marketeers must agree that we don’t need state policy using a “visible hand” to tip the scales in favor of putting extra cash in James Dolan’s pocket.
Littleford
I was an early supporter of Carlos Menchaca in his first run for the Council seat in the 38th. My daughter, hosted his first house party. Through the last four years I have been a supporter, a friend but eventually an outspoken critic. I saw Carlos as an inspiring answer to the neglect of the former Councilmember Sara Gonzalez. I saw energy and a person who would use social media to keep the community aware, informed and involved. But within days of his election the opposite was obvious. He ignored a request to help push a bill from the previous Council to license street vendors in a Sunset Park District. The proposal called for about 400 street vendor licenses and provided health care and a variety of support benefits to the vendors. This did not break our working relationship, but it was confusing. But through the coming months we saw that Carlos was not prepared for the job he “won”. Carlos is still widely popular with some segments of the district. And it is easy to understand. Carlos stands very firmly on human rights and immigration issues that all of us progressive individuals believe in. There is no doubt that he supports the rights of immigrants and the LBGTQ community. But his support does not translate into action. So when he stands up on behalf of Muslims, it does NOT filter down to action in Sunset – even simple actions of creating events and programs for our diverse community. His words are empty. This is the problem with Carlos – he loves attention and he loves applause but he doesn’t do the hard work to see that things are done right and he never follows through. When NYC DOT instituted a new traffic pattern for 4th Ave, the community knew something was wrong. The new pattern led to more accidents than in the past. But even more, the plan ignored the hundreds of people biking on 4th each day. When we proposed a protected bike lane Carlos and I were not on talking terms and he had his volunteer “traffic” staffer turn down my requests over and over – all my facts and data were rejected. Only after 3 years of effort when we were winning and DOT had to give in, did Carlos change his position – and when he did he made it sound like this was HIS project from day one. He not only was opposed but he put hurdle after hurdle in our way. Last year, Carlos stood on the Sunset waterfront next to the Mayor and applauded when the Mayor announced he was getting 55,000 giant tractor trailers off the streets. He failed to understand that the Mayor was saying he was getting these trucks off the streets of Newark NJ and bringing them to Sunset Park at 39th St & 2nd Avenue! - Tony Giordano, Sunset Park
Not Disappointed Ted has been an illustrator and cartoonist for the Baltimore Sun. See more of his work at www.tedlittleford.com.
Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue
Carlos is not perfect but he is much much better than his predecessors! And it is undeniable that the District
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has improved. I live in Red Hook and have family in Sunset that have lived there for generations so know what I’m talking about. Judging from your passionate, and at times personal, comment it appears that you have a beef with the guy perhaps because he did not do what you wanted him to and/ or feel that he owed you something. Some of your points are just based upon unfounded projections or are outright misleading. In reference to the 4th Avenue bike lane – this project was originally proposed years ago, modified (no bike lane) and changed back again recently as part of Vision Zero, with some pushing from Lander’s district and Cycling groups. Carlos is a biker, I very much doubt he ever opposed this! Most of the issues that you brought up are either beyond his control, had to be negotiated and therefore they reached a compromise, or you portray them in a subjective manner to say the least. A couple of other times he probably messed up (the vendors thing is a good example if true), but nobody is perfect and perhaps he had other priorities that needed to be considered as well. It seems that you care, work in government or have enough time on your hands to look into these issues. I propose that if you want things to get done your way you run for office and give it a go! Who knows maybe you’d be much better than him, or not! Henry D, Red Hook
A crowded field
Wow interesting how crowded the field got. After Carlos Menchaca unseated Sarah Gonzalez he opened the floodgates. I am in Greenwood Heights now but know Sunset and Red Hook pretty well and it’s not surprising that newcomers, regular middle class professionals aka “gentrifiers”, are becoming more politically prominent and back candidates such as Menchaca. The Chinese population is next. They haven’t been that vocal in the past…For now Menchaca has the advantage and will probably get re-elected. I would not define him as stellar, he’s alright. I work for a city agency and know that it’s a tough job. I do not care for the political gossip the person above is ranting about, the fact that he/she was on “no speaking terms” with the councilman whatever says a lot about emotional maturity and perspective. Some good progress has been attained under Menchaca’s watch, directly or indirectly, that is a fact. New schools will be builty. Traffic is better, streets are safer and cleaner, we will get the Made in NY campus. In terms of the BQX, I think that it’s an interesting project my biggest concern is cost and how we will ALL pay for it. I know that Deputy Mayor Glen and de Blasio are seriously looking into this as a viable project if they find a way around the infrastructure issues. Currently experts are evaluating projects in other cities in Europe and Asia in particular to find answers. We’ll see what happens with that one. JD (markjaa5@aol.com)
July 2017
EDITORIAL: The Coming “Williamsburgization” of Red Hook
T
here are two plans we know of that will shape the future of our waterfront.
won’t be for long as we’ll be ringed by luxury condos, Duane Reades, and a slew of Starbucks.
The first is the status quo. Zoning laws in place ensure old fashioned neighborhood living – a diverse mixture of old-timers, public housing residents, young families and modern workers – living in a mixed-use community where one can see a warehouse next to a crab shack or a clubhouse.
We called the AECOM plan both ridiculous and dangerous. It is no longer ridiculous, and unless things change, it will become the new status quo.
The second plan was created last year by AECOM, one of the world’s largest engineering and construction companies. To create that plan, AECOM hired a former director of the Port Authority, who has also served as the chief executive officer of the Red Hook Container Terminal. That man is Chris Ward, and he is at the front of a campaign to change our neighborhoods forever. If he has his way, high rise luxury towers will rise along our shoreline, from the Columbia Waterfront District all the way around to the foot of the Gowanus. The New York Times called us a “sleepy neighborhood” a few years ago as they touted the now defunct plans of Estate 4. If it were sleepy before, it
Red Hook Star-Revue
The Port Authority is on record now saying that their preference is to not renew the expiring lease of the Red Hook Container Terminal and to sell off that large expanse of waterfront property. Thor Equities says they plan to build office buildings on their long vacant waterfront land next to IKEA. But in fact, they have not received any building permits. They are clearing the land, possibly in anticipation of a long desired zoning change which would allow tall luxury residential buildings instead of the current office/manufacturing restrictions. The Port Authority has hired an global infrastructure consultant with ties to AECOM to draw up a Master Plan for the use of their waterfront properties They told the Star-Revue that they would follow the Master Plan in deciding what to do with the container terminal – while at the same time
Chris Ward and his plan for South Brooklyn
publicly proclaiming they want out of Red Hook. AECOM’s plan calls for 45,000 new apartments in our little town. They also propose extending subway routes to the Columbia Waterfront District and Red Hook. AECOM has plenty of experience building subway infrastructure, most recently the Second Avenue subway. AECOM’s is the only plan out there that we know of. Local politicians have said all the right things about the importance of maintaining a working waterfront – and keeping neighborhoods in scale.
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These are the same representatives who made a show of defending the Long Island College Hospital. One of them even became mayor, but greater powers sold off the hospital. Now, huge, out-of-scale luxury condo towers are being forced upon the otherwise low-rise Cobble Hill neighborhood. Cobble Hill is currently being changed forever. The Columbia Waterfront District and Red Hook will be next... Unless we tell our local representatives that this is not what we want.
July 2017, Page 13
Laugh.
Learn.
Share.
EVERY CHILD DESERVES A HEAD START
Grow.
WHY US?
Contact us to learn more! Page 14 Red Hook Star-Revue
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July 2017
Life on a quiet street may soon change (continued from page 1)
DEAD SNAKES FOUND AT VALENTINO (continued from page 1) would be taken to the city’s Animal Control & Welfare and undergo necropsies, also known as animal autopsies. “The idea was that they would open them up and see if there were microchips,” Diary says. Implanting microchips into pets is a common practice for pet owners to track lost animals. NYC Parks did not respond to inquiries regarding whether the animals received necropsies. The city agency is unable to speculate how the snakes ended up at the pier.
A recent evening on Beard Street, proposed bar at the right. (photo by George Fiala)
resident, joins other Beard Street dwellers in opposition to the new bar. Narrow Water Brewing, the bar’s trade name, would inevitably increase the traffic, noise, and waste that members of the block have already been dealt by the current watering holes. Inebriated visitors have urinated and vomited on her property, says Mieles. For the first time in her life, she has had to consider protecting her home by putting up a fence. Mieles also worries about the waste the new bar would generate - and Beard Street’s incapacity to process it. “Our infrastructure won’t be able to handle the waste water,” Mieles says. “There are sometimes I can’t even flush the toilet.” Beard Street residents were able to meet with Keg & Lantern owner, Kieran Breen, and his lawyer in June. Mieles says she appreciated learning about the bar’s plans straight from the source. Locals can collaborate with liquor licenses applicants to reach compromises around a bar’s operations, but Mieles is pessimistic about any such promises being kept. If Narrow Water Brewing receives a liquor license, will Mieles push back? She doesn’t mince her words. “Absolutely,” she says. “We’re going to fight this tooth and nail.” Breen is fully aware of his bar’s unwelcome reception on the street. Breen says he willing to cooperate with residents to reach compromises. 158 Beard Street’s manufacturing history attracted Breen (the site is a former Dell’s Maraschino Cherries facility). The bar owner will primarily use his Red Hook outpost to create new brews. “We’d like our focus to be on
sour beers and aged beers,” says Breen. Breen’s attention is more on concocting new beers, not the tasting room. “Probably 30% [of the space] would be used for a tasting room. And the rest dedicated for a brewing operation,” says Breen. He points out that the liquor license he’s pursuing, a restaurant-brewer’s license, requires that his brewpub have a restaurant. When Keg & Lantern opened in 2009, Greenpoint Gazette reported, Breen re-hired workers whose jobs at the former establishment - a Polish cafe - had terminated when Breen bought the space. Similarly, he hopes to engage Red Hook locals to help operate Narrow Water Brewing instead of importing current employees.
Local businesses respond
“More power to them,” says Triciann Botta, in support of Narrow Water Brewing, which she considers a “hipster” enterprise. Botta owns Botta Di Vino wine shop on Van Brunt a few blocks from Breen’s potential brewpub. Despite a petition against the bar in circulation among local businesses, Botta was unaware of the liquor license application until asked for comment by the Star-Revue. “I get it…People like to come here to drink because it’s close to the water,” says Botta. “It’s funny - alcohol seems to gravitate here.” Another Van Brunt Street business owner, who asked for anonymity, signed the petition purely in support of her Beard Street friends. She hesitates getting too involved, she says, because the dispute seems “too political.”
BBPB and Red Hook Boaters are both volunteer-run nonprofits. The former offers free “human-powered boating” around Brooklyn Bridge Park. Red Hook Boaters launch their gratis kayaking sessions from Valentino Pier.
An expert weighs in
Adrian Reuter, Latin America Regional Wildlife Trafficking Coordinator at the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), viewed a few photos of the suspicious serpents over an email exchange with BBPB. “I’d say most were adult ball pythons, at least one female, and perhaps one rock python as per the skin pattern and sizes. Both species [are] very common in the pet trade and also commonly bred in captivity,” writes Reuter. In New York City, pythons are illegal to sell or keep as pets. Judging from the pictures, Reuter says the creatures appear less valuable than snakes with more elaborate colorations. “In my opinion these were snakes from captive origin,” the wildlife expert adds. “Clearly nonnative species.” Prior to WCS, Reuter spent five years as the Mexico and Central America representative for TRAFFIC, a nongovernmental network that monitors the wildlife trade. With limited information available to him, Reuter says that animal trafficking is unlikely the cause of the Valentino Pier discovery. “Given the little commercial value of the specimens found...it would make little sense to traffic big heavy adult individuals to obtain little gain per weight/volume,” he writes. Decapitation would indicate “deliberate killing of the individuals and just the objective to get rid of them with no trace of who did it,” Reuter reasons.
termine the cause of death of animals.”
Columbia Waterfront District (continued from page 6)
with their ideas for a reimagined South Brooklyn waterfront. The plan was spearheaded by Chris Ward, former head of both American Stevedoring and the Port Authority, and was meant to spur discussion about local development. That plan calls for large residential towers throughout the waterfront, including the container terminal, as well as a new subway route running through Red Hook and into Manhattan. At a recent Community Board update on the waterfront it was said that this plan is being taken seriously. When asked what PANYNJ’s plans would be if the terminal were evicted, spokesperson Steve Coleman indicated that they would follow the recommendations of a 30-year Master Plan being prepared by a company called Hatch. That report is due out next spring, six months before the end of the terminal’s lease. According to Coleman, “Hatch is in the middle of their work drafting the master plan. The master plan was done at the request of Port Department Director Molly Campbell, who saw a need to develop a long-term strategic vision for the port since no such plan has ever been developed for the entire port complex. The plan covers waterfront facilities that are operated by the Port Authority, which includes those in New Jersey.” While the PANYNJ Chairman has gone on record supporting the removal of the terminal, the ultimate decision rests with Governor Cuomo. Earlier this year Cuomo was sent a letter from Nadler, Velazquez and other local politicians urging a lease renewal, but thus far the governor’s office has been silent. Until he decides, nothing will happen in Red Hook. In the meantime, Hatch is preparing its report. While its website indicates that they will go to the community level to help form the master plan, they have not yet been seen in the neighborhood asking questions. Perhaps coincidently, there are at least two former AECOM employees working at Hatch on that Master Plan.
As solitary animals, the snakes likely perished before they were lumped together on the rocky shore.
Odd precedent
The May 6 discovery of dead snakes in Red Hook isn’t the city’s first encounter of this nature. A 10 foot long dead boa constrictor was found in a Bronx high school parking lot in December 2016, NY Daily News reported. NYPD’s Emergency Services Unit removed the mysterious animal.
Keg and Lantern’s Greenpoint location.
Red Hook Star-Revue
“If you see an injured or dead animal in a park, the best thing to do is leave the animal where it is, give it some distance, and call 311,” writes a NYC Parks spokesperson in a statement. “The more information you can provide 311, the better. NYC Parks does not de-
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No job too big or too small
Toilets, Boilers, Heating, Faucets, Hot Water Heaters, Pool Heaters.
B & D HEATING 218 29th Street 718 625-1396
July 2017, Page 15
OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS Summer at PS 15
Walking through PS 15 Patrick F. Daley Magnet School of the Arts during school hours is a sensory, colorful experience. Lower grade hallways are decorated with art representing the seasons, while fifth grade hallways were covered in rainforest decorations before their graduation. PS 15, a STEAM school (with focuses in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), prides itself on offering project-based, hands-on learning. With those values in mind, it is not unlikely to walk into a classroom full of fourth graders learning how to code. This vibrant school will not go dark during the summer months. The P.S. 15 building, located at 71 Sullivan Street, will host a number of programs for students of varying abilities and interests. The Good Shepherd Beacon Program offers free summer camp every weekday from 8 am-5:30pm. They will serve around 125 students and provide a safe space for children to go over the summer. Good Shepherd Services emphasize preserving learning during the summer through indoor and outdoor activities. Students involved often utilize P.S. 15’s library and playground. This program is also present at P.S. 15 throughout the school year, and provides wraparound services including mental health care and family counseling. The Extreme Kids & Crew program is a play-based organization for kids with disabilities and their families. The program utilizes P.S. 15’s sensory gym, which is full of soft objects including balls, pillows, and barrels. Extreme Kids & Crew has six one-week summer camps taking place at P.S. 15, with up to nine students per session. The program has had partnerships with organizations like Gallop-NYC, which offers horsemanship classes to those with disabilities. The summer camp will also involve field trips, visiting artists, and maintaining the school garden. Summer camp is full for this summer. To take part in Open Play in the sensory gym during the school year, visit: http://www.extremekidsandcrew. org/amp-space/ First To Fifth (FTF), whose name refers to the ballet positions, serves students from Pre-K through second grade. FTF is a fee-based summer camp run by Juilliard-trained dancer L. Hassan Blandford. Up to 25 children can join, and those in the community who do not attend P.S. 15 are also welcome. Dance, visual arts, sports, and water fights will all be a part of the camp experience. Website: http://www.firsttofifth.com/ Through the Trust for Public Land, P.S. 15’s playground is open to the public outside of school hours. Children can experience the community playground, which includes benches, a track and field, play equipment, and more. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will also be continuing postHurricane Sandy work.
Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue
BY SOFIA BALUYUT
Red Hook Schools Host Summer Programs
Local schools are packed with activities throughout July and August. The building at 27 Huntington Street houses two schools throughout the school year: Summit Academy Charter School and P.S. 676 Red Hook Neighborhood School. Throughout the summer, however, the building will be home to another division of the Good Shepherd Services, which serves both schools, as well as children throughout the community. Elementary and middle school students work within two groups with different themes. Younger children have the theme of Sports Through the Ages, where they learn the history and rules of certain games. The camp also emphasizes teamwork and learning to work collaboratively. According to NG Fructuoso-Vasquez, who works with Good Shepherd, this program is the same for all elementary school divisions in South Brooklyn. Middle school programs vary, however. At this location, older students have a theme of Social Media and Blogging. These sixth through eighth graders travel to different ethnic enclaves, including Chinatown and Little India, and use Instagram and their own blogs to document what they learned. Visit the offices at 27 Huntington St Room 140 or contact 646-957-5861 for more information. As of June, there was still space for middle schoolers, and elementary school students were being put on a waitlist. Basis Independent Brooklyn, located at 556 Columbia St, will host its own summer program options for its students, taught by Basis Independent teachers and staff. There are six oneweek programs for Pre-K to 4th graders, with trips options ranging from the Prospect Park Zoo to a chocolate factory to Brooklyn Bridge Park. Other programs are also available for students in grades 1-8, and include focuses in Astronomy, Mandarin Immersion, Lego Robotics, English Enrichment, Minecraft, and more.
Summit Academy’s graduating class - who all received college scholarships courtesy of Ellen Degeneris. (photo courtesy of the Summit Academy)
G
Second Chances
ood Shepherd Services gives struggling students a second chance through their Partnership Schools and Young Adult Borough Centers (YABC) program. In late June, the program celebrated 380 students from Brooklyn who successfully graduated high school after previously failing to receive their diplomas.
In four neighborhoods including Red Hook, Good Shepherd Services collaborates with the NYC Department of Education to run their Partnership Schools. At these locations, students who were either at risk of not graduating or who had dropped out previously were given the opportunity to participate in small all-day classes. This year, 138 young adults graduated through At the South Brooklyn Commuity HS graduation. this part of the YABCs. Taj, a recent graduate from South Brooklyn Community High School in Red Hook, said: “This was our second chance and we all took advantage of it. [W]e wanted better for ourselves. We wanted everything they said we couldn’t have. We wanted to prove to everyone and ourselves that we could do it. And that’s exactly what we did – showed everyone who doubted us wrong.” 242 older adolescents also graduated through YABC programs in neighborhoods including Downtown Brooklyn and Greenpoint, which provided afternoon and evening classes. College preparation, counseling, tutoring in academic subjects, and other assistance were also offered.
Stewardship
Basis Independent families can register at campscui.active.com/orgs/BasisIndependentSchools PAVE Academy Charter School, located at 732 Henry St, will be a part of the Springboard Collaborative program’s New York City launch. Utilizing practices like home visits and small numbers of students grouped by reading level, teachers will work closely with parents and PAVE students to increase literacy and ensure that students stay stimulated throughout the summer months. This program is full. For more information, visit http://springboardcollaborative.org/who-we-are/ourschools/
PS 15 holds it’s Stewardship day every June. It is when teachers and students beautify the school surroundings. Here students plant in the schoolyard.
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July 2017
ra explained.
NEIGHBORHOOD PORTRAIT:
But working in Direct Service meant working nights, and Samora had two young children to think of.
SAMORA COLES
In 2006, Samora found herself searching for a job that would better map on to her two son’s school schedules. As PTA President, Samora received a fax that listed a position with the Red Hook Initiative (RHI) as a Reproductive Health Coordinator.
Samora had started down a path that
“I thought, I could do that,” Samora remembered.
people. This is how you maintain
Her position at RHI had her working with the community, especially young people, on issues of sexual and reproductive health.
their integrity,’ Samora explained.”
Then in 2011, she began working with the woman’s prison system, teaching women in maximum security about reproductive health. After a year in this position, Samora returned to the Red Hook community with a goal. She began working part-time with RHI in order to fund a new vision: The Alex House Project.
by Emily Kluver
S
amora Coles is many things. She is an executive director, a mother of two kids, a fiancé. But according to locals, this incredible woman is more than her titles imply.
You wouldn’t know by looking at Samora that she has had a rough go of it. She gives off an air of happy-go-lucky optimism that few people, even those born into the best circumstances, possess. So it can be hard to imagine that at the age of 17, Samora became a single-mother with little idea of how she was going to raise her child. “[My grandparents] were not too knowledgeable about what to do with a teenage mom. I didn’t know what to do as a teenage mom. I turned to the school and my guidance counselor told me to drop-out. She told me I couldn’t be mom and go to school.” Samora laughed and added, “Had I known my rights I would have told her where to shove it.” Many years after she dropped out of high school, had a baby, and struck it out on her own, Samora would find a way to help those facing the same challenges that she had faced herself.
HISTORY
In her small shared office, located on Lorraine Street in the heart of Red Hook, Samora Coles recalled growing up in Bed-Stuyvesant, under the care of her grandparents.
THE ALEX HOUSE
Back when Samora began working for RHI, the executive director asked her a question: If she could help anyone in her community, who would it be? At the time, she responded that she just wanted a job. But later, Samora returned to the director with what was then only a dream. She wanted to help young moms. In 2012, Samora opened the doors of her new organization, a single-woman operation that she named after her first son, Alex. The program was specifically designed to be a resource that Samora had lacked when she attempted to raise a child as a 17 year-old. In the beginning, the Alex House received small grants here and there to keep it afloat. All the while, Samora worked directly with new moms, offering support and guidance wherever she could. Come 2016, the dedicated professional procured a stable source of funding that allowed her to expand her staff, locations, and programming. She
She was placed in Red Hook. As Samora raised her sons in the Red Hook Houses, she took whatever jobs she could. She worked retail for a time and eventually transitioned into direct care, a role which had her serving mentally challenged adults. Though she didn’t know it then, Samora had started down a path that would come to define her career. “I learned this is how you help other people. This is how you maintain their integrity,” Samo-
Red Hook Star-Revue
‘I learned this is how you help other
“We don’t tell them how to raise their children, but give them information through workshops to help,” Samora explained. “It gives them self-esteem and takes away the stigma of ‘I don’t know what to do.’” She further expressed that by involving prior course graduates in the teaching and training of the next class of parents, the Alex House gives participants “a voice and a choice in the organization.” She hopes that through teaching, participants gain the confidence to move on to bigger and better things. In the future, Samora dreams of opening a physical house to offer transitional living to young parents, in addition to classes and resources like business development. For now, this determined woman is just happy to be able to watch the growth and development of the young people who have been through her programs. “I’m kind of smart, but I’m not that smart,” she said with a good-natured smile. “When writing proposals, I write from my heart. This is a passion for me… It’s not that I think I might want to do this work, I know this is what I’m supposed to do.”
SAMORA THE PERSON
In talking to Samora, her strength of character is obvious. For a single parent, just keeping the family running day to day is an incredible achievement, but Samora has not only survived, she has thrived.
In the early years, Samora worked hard to ensure that her children grew up without feeling like there was anything missing in their home. In the hopes that her sons would never feel like they lacked a father, she kept them close to the grandfather that had raised her as well as the boy’s uncles.
As Samora spoke, she smiled infectiously. “I think my generation…,” she stopped herself and laughed, “Oh, I sound so old. I think my age group had the best time. We just played outside all the time, played games. We had so much fun.”
“I was either gonna get housing in Red Hook or I wasn’t going to get housing,” Samora remarked, grinning.
would come to define her career.
“Like any single mom, when there are challenges, you overcome them,” she explained, touching on difficult subjects without hesitation and without pleas for pity. “A big [challenge] was employment. I couldn’t afford childcare; I had to find a babysitter every night. Making sure we maintain enough food, enough clothing, [my children’s] basic needs…”
“My grandparents were very traditional grandparents,” she said, reaching back into her memories, “We ate dinner together every night, they made breakfast every morning before school, had Sunday dinners. It was very wholesome.”
About four years after dropping out of high school and having a baby, it was time for Samora to strike out on her own. She filled out an application for public housing. When given the opportunity to select her top three location preferences, Samora thought of her mother and siblings who lived in Red Hook. Determined, she wrote down Red Hook in each of the three slots.
“Though she didn’t know it then,
Her sons are now 25 and 17. With one recently graduated from college and the other is working towards his driver’s license, Samora cannot hide her pride in the young men they have become. “They’re really good kids,” she noted, her joy apSamora and some men in her life, including Alex, who is the parent. tallest man in the room. added classes for young fathers and opened programs in Crown Heights to serve central Brooklyn. Through her passion, the organization has evolved into a “peer-led social service support and leadership development organization for young parents living in New York.” In other words, through the Alex House, new mothers and fathers learn how to ease the transition into parenthood from other young parents who have been through the program. They get information and advice on raising children, gain access to important resources, and slowly tear-down the stigma associated with having children at an early age.
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“There’s gonna be times when things go backwards for you. There’s gonna be times when people will tell you no… Keep believing and your dream will come true,” Samora advised. “I really believe there’s nothing you can’t do.” The next round of programs with the Alex House Project begin in September. Any young parents interested in taking classes can email alexhouseinc@ gmail.com. Donations can be sent to 76 Lorraine Street or sent in via their website, alexhouseproject.org.
July 2017, Page 17
Thor Equities’ vacant Richards Street site keeps Red Hook in suspense by Sarah Matusek
D
uring a public meeting at the Miccio Center on December 1, 2016, Thor Equities and their land use council, Fox Rothschild, revealed glossy development plans for 270-280 Richards Street.
Street, though they filed a permit application for the construction of the five-story office complex in June 2016.
Spanning 7.7 acres atop the former site of the Revere Sugar Factory, Thor’s office and retail complex dubbed “Red Hoek Point” would jut 700 feet into the Erie Basin.
“The owners may schedule a new plan exam with the Department and return with a completed application if they intend to move forward with the project,” writes DOB spokesperson Andrew Rudansky.
“Thor has come up with this project not only because it’s economically feasible, which for any developer is a number one consideration,” said Ethan Goodman, Fox Rothschild’s Director of New York Planning & Project Management, “but also because amongst all the potential uses out there, Thor believes this is one that will be met with the most positive reception and success, not only with the office market but also in terms of the community.” The presentation was impressive. Still, locals found it odd that 11 years after Thor’s 2005 purchase of the property for $40 million, not one lease had been signed. Flash-forward to a summer day in 2017: Piles of rubble tower over the razed refinery site. A battered American flag tilts out of the ground. Thor still has no construction permits issued from the Department of Buildings (DOB) to develop on Richards
However, the following month, the DOB disapproved the application on the grounds of incompletion at the time of Thor’s scheduled plan exam.
Will Thor flip?
Red Hoek Point is set to open in 2019, according to the Commercial Observer, but some Red Hookers suspect that Thor will eventually flip the property without building - a card the firm has played before. Helmed by CEO Joseph Sitt, Thor infamously sold off Downtown Brooklyn’s Albee Square Mall after a lucrative rezoning that he supported. Thor bought the property in 2001 for $25 million and profited $100 million from the sale in 2007.
Thor’s property exposing contaminants?
John McGettrick, who heads the Red Hook Civic Association, has voiced concern about the towering debris piles that sit abandoned on the permitless construction site. “The mounds may well contain material that was dredge, and parts thereof
Big piles of dirt are all one sees on the Thor Equities’ lot . (photo by George Fiala) contaminated,” says McGettrick. “As The spill involved No. 6 fuel oil, acthe weather gets warmer and the dirt cording to the DEC’s website. The gets drier, it can be subject to disper- amount and cause of the spill are listed as unknown. sion by wind.”
Surprisingly, neither the city nor the state consider Thor’s undeveloped waterfront plot a brownfield site.
Under Mayor Bloomberg in 2011, NYC began to phase out No. 6 heating oil to help curb air pollution.
The former sugar factory property falls under the jurisdiction of New York State’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Though not involved with New York’s Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), it is located next to the U.S. Dredging Shipyard, a formerly contaminated BCP site. Following the shipyard’s cleanup, Ikea moved in.
As No. 6 oil removal requires excavation, DEC oversees the cleanup of what seems to be a relatively small impacted portion of the 270-280 Richards Street site.
Thor may have dodged brownfield status, but 270-280 Richards Street does have an open petroleum spill that dates back to 2009 - three years into the refinery’s demolition.
Roux Associates, an environmental consulting and management firm, serves as the consultant on the remediation. It is unclear whether the piles of debris left uncovered on the construction site are affected by the open oil spill. Neither Thor Equities nor Roux Associates responded to repeated requests for comment.
Red Hook getting $100 million of flood protection starting this summer
F
or many, Hurricane Sandy was a life-altering event that forced them out of homes and businesses, and made recovery and resiliency among the top words of this decade. For others, it was not much more than a political opportunity. In January 2014, former Vice President Joe Biden traveled to Albany and joined hands with Governor Andrew Cuomo to proclaim a multi-billion dollar federal initiative of New York State infrastructure investments to protect against future weather events. “We have to think in fundamentally different terms about our relationship to the coast,” Cuomo said at the press event. Biden, who according to Politico “lavished” praise on the governor, called Cuomo’s leadership “the kind of thinking we need from governors around the country.” Among the projects included in the $16.7 billion of federal money announced that day was $200 million for a wall around Red Hook that would protect us from future floods. Cuomo
Page 18 Red Hook Star-Revue
by George Fiala
explained that half would come from federal money and half from New York City. As reported last in the April 2015 Red Hook Star-Revue, the $200 million funding had been cut in half – with the governor’s people explaining that the original number was simply a rough estimate. On June 15, a group of government representatives came to the South Brooklyn High School to update the community on the wall. Attendees were told that $100 million Red Hook will be getting these greenHesco Barriers as part of the “down payment” on doesn’t buy much in the way of flood flood remediation. The ones in the photo are being filled with sand as part of Louisiprotection for a city – but in addition ana’s remediation plan. to million-dollar studies, there will be year storm event. The 10-year plan for the balance. Councilmember Carsomething on the ground by the end includes a regrading of some streets, los Menchaca spoke at the school and raising them as well as installing flood called this plan “a down payment” on of this summer. To prevent the kind of flooding that barriers that will be covered by the what will eventually be needed to preRed Hook endured during Sandy heightened elevation. The biggest part serve Red Hook in the face of climate would cost much more than $200 mil- of this projects involves Beard Street change and rising sea levels. lion. The study presented at the meet- and an upgrade to the bulkheads at Red Hook will actually see some temporary storm protection this summer ing offered a simple first step – some- the Atlantic Basin. thing that would offer $100 worth of protection, which turns out to be protection against what is called a “10year storm event.” Sandy was a 100-
The plan must be presented to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for approval and release of the $50 million. NYC is liable
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as the city will be installing “Hesco Barriers.” These are four foot green walls filled with sand and will appear along Beard Street.
July 2017
How can Red Hook maximize waterways? One local has a plan
O
n June 1, aboard the NYC Ferry’s early-morning maiden voyage on the South Brooklyn route, Jim Tampakis felt inspired. “Look at the water,” he instructed a friend. “No traffic. There’s no boat traffic at all.” It being 7 a.m. rush hour, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was likely bumper-to-bumper. The subway a series of overstuffed cars upset by delays. But here on the water, just beyond Red Hook’s Atlantic Basin from where the ferry launched, Tampakis saw potential in the underused expanse. A long-time Red Hook local who heads Marine Spares International and Tamco Mechanical, Tampakis wants to return the waterfront to its historic purpose by developing a shipping network over waterways. With Red Hook’s first e-commerce distribution center on the horizon, Tampakis sees nothing ideal about hundreds more trucks daily loading and unloading along narrow residential streets lined with cobblestone. Trucks took over New York City when shipping and rail freight diminished in the mid-20th century. The bigboned vehicles carry over 90% of cargo that moves through the city, reports the Department of Transportation (DOT)’s Strategic Plan 2016. New York City streets designed in the 1800s are left to cope with modernday trucks in addition to pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles, including spikes in app-based rides like Uber. “To remain a great global center, it’s vital for New York to improve its freight systems,” said Michael Replogle, Deputy Commissioner for Policy at DOT during a Cities Today interview in May.
by Sarah Matusek
locals all hear…Their houses shake at 4 o’clock in the morning, because [the distribution centers receive these trucks] early in the morning.” Tampakis calls for distribution landings similar to Red Hook’s new ferry landing at Atlantic Basin, with five to 10 in each borough’s littoral zone to ensure short trips across the water. “This way they would be doing local deliveries, like they would be loading up a boat like a launch service. Products would be loaded onto these small containers - maybe aircraft containers, which they do now,” he says. Vans would complete the last leg of shipment through local deliveries. Tampakis looks to Staten Islandbased Mike Reynolds for precedent. Reynolds owns Reynolds Shipyard, a company that transports supplies to oil tankers and relieves trucks from having to enter oil depots. In full support of Tampakis, Reynolds calls the underutilization of Red Hook’s waterfront for shipping “a huge waste of resources.” Unlike in Staten Island, where Reynolds owns his shipyard property, the Red Hooker’s ambitious vision would require cooperation between regulatory bodies such as the city, Coast Guard, and New York Harbor, according to the local business owner.
Hatch
The Red Hook Container Terminal’s lease to Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) expires in 2018. For $3.4 million, PANYNJ contracted engineering consulting group Hatch to develop a 30-year port master plan for the container terminal site, to which it will defer. The plan’s content likely won’t be released until 2018.
One potential place for a distribution landing is off the federal property next to Valentino Pier. (photo by George Fiala)
Tampakis sent an email to Hatch introducing his idea in early June. “With the start of the NYC Ferry, and use of the waterways which is long overdue, we can expand on waterway uses for transport services to various key locations throughout the city, and remove the much congested truck and delivery company traffic from the streets of New York,” wrote the maritime boss in his email to Hatch. Tampakis says his plan would create “much needed vocational jobs” and reboot the waterfront’s manufacturing industries. Tampakis has not received a response from Hatch as of press time.
Water - the green option
According to Tampakis’ ambitious vision, whoever develops the waterbased distribution networks would receive subsidies from federal, state, and city government for helping alleviate pollution.
“When you have a vessel that’s burning clean as opposed to 100 tractor trailers on the road…The benefit to the environment is really great,” says Tampakis. “The government is going to benefit because they’re going to do less repairs on the streets, the city is going to benefit because they’re going to have less vehicles in the tunnels and on the bridges…It’s a win-win situation.” When the Star-Revue talked to a Sitex representative in May, the company confirmed that only ground shipping was planned for the distribution center at present. “There’s a feasibility study that needs to be put in place,” says Tampakis, who remains hopeful about his vision for floating freight. “So that this way it gets done right - effectively and efficiently.” The Star-Revue will follow developments to Sitex’s distribution center
“The big players in the private logistics industry are innovating for efficiency, but it’s harder for small truckers to do so…as a city, we are making progress using data, technology, and partnerships to support smarter traffic management.” But unlike DOT’s plans to increase efficiency and curb the emissions for the trucks contributing to the city’s infrastructure headache, Tampakis’ idea involves amphibious options. “The fear would be that we would have these tractor trailers coming into the neighborhood - and they’re all big 53-footers,” says Tampakis, referring to Sitex Group’s acquisition of Red Hook warehouses this May, which will undergo renovation to store and distribute products bought and sold online. Tampakis notes that the tractor section of trucks adds around 20 more feet to their precarious lengths. “So we have these monstrosities coming into the neighborhood in the wee hours of the morning, which the
Red Hook Star-Revue
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July 2017, Page 19
street are super resilient, they’re flood-resistant,” says Prefer. “The plants are colonizing empty ground.” Pioneer Works celebrates these native roots by encouraging their growth in the garden. Bright green sprouts peek through dirt in wooden troughs. These will soon be broccoli, beets, tomatoes, and more. “We’re trying to talk about growing food in the city as a method,” says Prefer, well aware that the modest crop won’t suffice to feed a crowd. Instead, its purpose is educational. Through partnerships with summer youth programs at Good Shepherd Services’ Joseph Miccio Community Center, Red Hook Initiative, and Red Hook Community Justice Center, young people help tend to the patches, which serve as an outdoor classroom for gardening, cooking, and, says Prefer, “healing.” In keeping with all things holistic, a compost bin sits beside the troughs.
Pioneer Works’ Garden Offers a Haven in the Heat
On a Friday in June, Pioneer Works staff Katie Giritlian leaves the green oasis with a coffee in hand. “It’s so beautifully done,” she says admiringly.
Weekend coffee bar
Visitors can caffeinate at Pintail Coffee’s pop-up booth found in the heart of the garden Fridays through Sun-
days. Besides coffee - cold brew and hot - Pintail also serves cookies and soda. “It’s really busy when they do Second Sundays,” says Pintail barista Hannah Parsons, who takes the new NYC Ferry from Manhattan to work. Pioneer Works’ Second Sundays series presents open studios, music, and exhibits that feature artists-inresidence. For some visitors, Pintail’s non-alcoholic drinks are welcome alternatives to the bar that opens during these weekend events, says Parsons. The garden hosts an abundance of summer programming beyond Second Sundays, including community lunches prepared by chef Mariyam Nayeri. Pioneer Works’ next Red Hook Ecology Roundtable on July 12, 7-9 p.m., will explore “the ecological history, present and future of Red Hook’s landscape.” All ages are welcome, and attendees are encouraged to brainstorm how “to promote a resilient ecological future in our neighborhood, with a focus on taking away some action items from each of these sessions.” Send volunteer inquiries or garden program ideas to garden@pioneerworks.org.
by Sarah Matusek
P
ioneer Works’ public garden offers visitors a space for summer zen. For a moment, the rumble of trucks beyond the wooden lattice fence nearly disappears. A brief walk from the NYC Ferry and Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, the garden sprawls next to the art nonprofit’s 150-year-old red brick building at 159 Pioneer St. Landscaped in 2011 atop a former parking lot, the half-acre garden “fosters a resurgence of Red Hook’s wetland landscape, providing space for native plant restoration along-
side medicinal, edible and perennial gardens,” writes a Pioneer Works’ spokesperson. The public can bask in the garden’s offerings of sun and shade from noon till 7 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. Well-kept, the wide gravel path that winds through the green space is also pet-friendly (if you clean up after them). Marisa Prefer, the garden’s Landscape Steward, says that Red Hook vegetation’s proximity to the floodable waterfront makes them especially hearty. “The plants that grow here on the
This Red Hook option is next to a golf course!
M
iniature golf isn’t just for kids anymore. Adults looking to putt around without the din of screaming children can now find respite at Shipwrecked Miniature Golf’s new 21+ lounge area, Tiki Terrace.
Tiki Terrace is a comfortable outdoor balcony space where adults can breathe, drink, and watch the sunset between golf games. To encourage grownups to hang out, Shipwrecked has extended its hours till 10 p.m. on Sundays, 11 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, and 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. “We wanted to turn the terrace into an adult oasis,” said co-owner Chris Schneider. “There are kids running around inside a lot, and we wanted to give adults a chance to relax and get away from the noise.” When they’re not indulging in beer, wine, cider, Sea Dogs (a version of
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by Halley Bondy pigs in a blanket) and personal piz- Shipwrecked has since zas from Table 87, customers can take expanded its food menu advantage of the 11,000 square foot and 80s arcade game indoor miniature golf course: a nauti- selection. Tiki Terrace is cal-themed adventure filled with spe- the latest addition; the lounge actually opened cial effects and original music. Launching Shipwrecked last year back in May when Shipwas a huge gamble for friends and wrecked acquired a lico-owners Schneider and Ryan Pow- quor license. Weather, ers. The two Brooklyn dads quit their however, has gotten in Broadway prop and sound jobs to fo- the way. cus on the venture, signing a 12-year “There have been basilease on the second floor of the non- cally two days since we descript 621 Court St. Yet, the turnout opened the terrace that has been high, and the reviews stellar. it hasn’t been rainy, “I think we have one date in July with- cold, or extremely hot,” out a field trip booked to come here,” Schneider said. “We’re One of the best Red Hook terraces! Schneider said. “Half of August is al- hoping it will pick up in the summer - and espehear all the craziness, you can come ready booked for field trips, and even cially in the evenings when it cools out here, talk, hang out, and be adults,” in the winter people are looking for off.” Schneider said. We’re so lucky to have something to do when it’s cold and nasty. We’ve been happy with the Does this mean Shipwrecked will be- this space.” Find out more about Shipwrecked and turnout. We have a lot of repeat cus- come a prime date spot? tomers.” “If you want to be on a date and not Tiki Terrace at www.shipwreckednyc.
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July 2017
Jalopy offers poignant one-woman show
O
n a Monday night, around 30 people gathered at Red Hook’s cozy, warmly-lit Jalopy Theatre to see Francesca Van Horne perform her onewoman show, Tales from the Trundle. Ms. Van Horne, who also wrote the show, sat stage right and peered out at the audience. But as soon as the lights went down and she began a quietly
“the audience sees Valentina’s marriage disintegrate in the face of her abusive husband, Valentina’s attempts to find new love, and how she comes to find hope in herself.” dramatic walk around the stage which contained only a chair, a pair of black heels, and a gray blanket - she began the first of many convincing transformations. Ms. Van Horne plays a slightly fictionalized version of herself named Valentina, as well as 12 other characters. Throughout the show, the audience sees Valentina’s marriage disintegrate
by Sofia Balayut
in the face of her abusive husband, Valentina’s attempts to find new love, and how she comes to find hope in herself. The show feels intensely personal, more like a friend telling stories in a living room than a theatrical performance. Here, that quality is a strength. After the walk to center stage, the show opens with Valentina bundled in a blanket, shrinking into herself after a harrowing experience with her husband. This scene is artfully executed and almost uncomfortable in its emotional nakedness. Valentina’s gradual development is also well done. Ms. Van Horne switches from the peppy, bubbly Valentina of the past to shouldering the weight of years of marriage in a few seconds, and the slow reappearance of Valentina’s smile subtly creates character development. Ms. Van Horne is also able to skilfully embody a number of different characters, from a SoulCycle instructor to a therapist to Bradley Cooper, with shifts in her posture and vocal inflection. The writing is also moving for the most part, never losing the power of simple, honest lines. When Valentina reflects on her husband, she says, “I thought I could love him into healing.” The script also gives new meaning to the phrase “I come here all the time” at the end of the show.
One of Van Horne’s transformations at the Jalopy Theater. (photo by Jeffrey Smith Georges)
However, there are a few aspects of Tales from the Trundle that hold it back. Despite the indications of place (Valentina’s story often takes her from the U.S. to France), lingering confusion about the logistics of living situations and divorce took me out of the moment. The last scene also feels unsatisfying. Valentina gives a brief monologue realizing her potential and leaving a second toxic relationship, but the development happens too quickly for all the struggle that preceded it. The potential for the unburdening of more truth is there, but
the script does not take advantage of it. A few other moments as well - telephone calls with a sister, interactions with men at a bar - stall the plot. The emotion of the show saves it, though. Even with the different characters, Ms. Van Horne is always sure to tell Valentina’s story. She brings humanity and frankness to a situation so often fought through alone, and leaves on a message of hope. I left grateful for her to have shared it. Francesca Van Horne will be performing Tales from the Trundle in Paris and London throughout July.
Regina Opera concert at Carroll Gardens Library by Nino Pantano
T
he Regina Opera has been a Brooklyn treasure for 48 years. They are currently based in Our Lady of Perpetual Help (OLPH) auditorium in Sunset Park. Their afternoon concert on Saturday, June 3rd was a special event for our wonderful neighborhood library at Clinton and Union Streets. According to Francine Garber-Cohen from the Regina Opera, this was their first concert in Carroll Gardens.
companied her with dexterity and assurance. Ms. Carducci sang the famed aria “Dich Teure Hälle” from Wagner’s Tännhauser with splendid tone and visceral majesty. She also sang “Il Est Doux-il Est Bon” from Herodiade by Massenet with anticipation and triumph. “If I Loved You” from Rogers and Hammerstein’s Carousel followed, sung with sentiment and tapered tones till a resplendent finale.
There were four gifted artists who sang brilliantly, accompanied by the superb talents of Richard Paratley on the flute, Maxine Feldman and Eric Sedgwick playing keyboard, and Kirill Ulanov on guitar.
As part of a lovely musical interlude, flautist Richard Paratley and guitarist Kirill Ulanov played an Edith Piaf favorite, “La Vie en Rose,” followed by Histoire du Tango (Guglielmi, Monnot, and Piazzolla).
Jennifer Greene-Ribeiro began the concert with “I Could Have Danced All Night” from Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady. Her sparkling soprano soaring through this breathless ode to youthful joy. Her second contribution was “Poor Wand’ring One” from Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance with good humor and captivating charm. The coloratura forays with Richard Paratley’s interplay were marvelous and she has a true flair for comedy. “Meadowlark” from The Baker’s Life by Arthur Schwartz was sung with a wistful and bluesy abandon. The tenor Ivan Rivera, accompanied by the talented piano-harpsichordist
Red Hook Star-Revue
L-R-Kirill Ulanov, Jennifer Greene-Ribeiro, Aida Carducci, Ivan Rivera, Richard Paratley, Maxine Feldman, Francine Garber-Cohen & Eric Sedgwick. (Photo by Judy Pantano)
Eric Sedgwick, sang a flawless “Gentle Airs-Melodious Strains” from Athalia by Handel. Mr. Rivera is truly one of the great interpreters of this song. He is like a baroque weapon throwing out rapid fire bullets with skillful abandon. His voice is both radiant and haunting. In his second number, “Semplicetto! A donna credi?” from Gluck’s Alcina, his tenor gave us flourishes, fioritura, penetrating power, elegance and heavenly flights. Rivera is a throwback to another era when “tenore di grazie” (graceful tenors) reigned supreme. “You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught” from Rogers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific was
sung with both defiance and a touch of sadness. Mr. Rivera’s final offering was “Una Furtiva Lagrima” from Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’amore. Rivera magnificently accomplished decrescendos, cadenzas, and scales in this mournful aria, just as he sang it in the opera at the Regina Opera auditorium a few weeks ago. Ivan Rivera can conjure up powerful notes and make them dance. Aida Carducci is a mezzo with an inner soprano emerging in “Mi Tradi” from Mozart’s great opera Don Giovanni. Ms. Carducci has a fearless, vibrant voice and sang this great aria with aplomb. Pianist Maxine Feldman ac-
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Ms. Carducci as the Countess and Ms. Greene-Rebeiro as Susanna beautifully blended their voices in “Sull’aria” from The Marriage of Figaro.Mozart was wonderfully served. I truly thank Francine Garber-Cohen, President and Producer of the Regina Opera for a splendid concert. Without this kind of community outreach, what would happen to this glorious music? Bravo to all!
July 2017, Page 21
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Red Hook Remembers Rose Valenti by Francois Lecompte and Viviana Gordon After almost a century of living in Red Hook, Rose Valenti (née Yodice) passed away on June 5, 2017 at the age of 98. Rose was born on February 1, 1919 at 343 Van Brunt St. Rose was one of seven children with three sisters (Millie, Anne, and Fannie) and three brothers (Dominic, Michael, and Eddie). She attended school at P.S. 30 on Conover Street. She is survived by her son Michael Valenti and husband Marco Valenti, who still lives in their home on Van Brunt Street. At the end of this month, Marco and Rose would have celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. They were married at Visitation Church on June 29, 1947 and gave birth to Michael the following year. Marco and Rose met in 1946 after Marco returned from serving as a medic in the 94th Infantry Division in World War II, where he received a bronze star and purple heart for his service. At the time, Rose was working in a bakery on the corner of Van Brunt and Coffey Streets that was famous for their hot cross buns and apple turnovers, but Marco only had eyes for Rose. Rose was an excellent cook and loved children. After they were married, Rose worked at P.S. 27 for two years before transferring to P.S. 15 when it first opened. Rose subsequently worked at P.S. 15 for 44 years in the school cafeteria where she was beloved by students and staff, including the late Patrick
Rose Valenti
Daly who was a dear friend. Marco and Rose loved to travel and went on many trips to San Francisco and, most fondly, to The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. Rose spent her life giving and doing things for others out of the kindness of her heart. Rose is remembered as a good-hearted and generous person by all, a wonderful mother to Michael, and the “woman of my life” to Marco. Francois Lecompte and Viviana Gordon are tenants of the Valenti home. The Lecompte family and Viviana have fond memories of Rose as a strong woman, even in the last years of her life. They will continue to care for the rose garden which Rose planted in the backyard so it may continue to bloom beautifully every spring.
Red Hook Walks features pizza contest
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Red Hook Walks - spring version, was held in conjunction with the first day of the Red Hook Fest and brought hundreds of strollers to Van Brunt Street. Pictured above was the pizza eating contest, sponsored by Mark’s Pizza. City Council member, pictured above in the blue shirt scarfing down a slice, came in second place. SBIDC, which sponsors the annual event, is planning another one this fall.
The
EVERGREEN LIQUOR STORE INC. 718 643-0739 196 Columbia Street, between Sackett & Degraw evergreenliquor@yahoo.com
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Page 22 Red Hook Star-Revue
Red Hook StarªRevue
The Star-Revue is looking for people to sell ads and write stories. These are paid positions, but it helps if you love your community.
For more information please Tanner Photoemail George@redhookstar.com
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July 2017
Baked founder moves on by Alexandra Corbin
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oliafito. A real Sicilian surname. There must have been a village there of that name. There doesn’t seem to be now, but the name is fundamental to the recent popularity of Red Hook. All in the area who have ever opened a certain orange door with three orange portholes and have walked out with a cup of coffee - should know this name. It belongs to the person who for the past thirteen years, has chosen the right brand of beans to brew. He has enticed us to abandon our diets. “Ok, just this once” turned into weeks, months and years - years of scones, cinnamon buns, lemon bars. Brooksters and fairy cakes and chocolate cloud cookies. As a young teen, this person actually wanted to be a nerd. More specifically, he wanted to be a biomedical genetic engineer. He realized he might not
The big break came when a customer walked in and asked them to make a sweet and salty caramel dessert. As barista, Renato had the flexibility to ask the lead baker to play around with the idea. The next day, the now famous Sweet & Salty cake emerged. have the right temperament for it, but agrees the recipes he perfects is molecular engineering enough. It was intended to be a small bakery cafe with a small wholesale component and has morphed into a new and larger retail location in Tribeca. As I sat over endless Americano’s, he often sat behind me preferring the environment of the physical store to work the books and answer emails. He welcomed so many from abroad who come to pitch their ideas of collaboration, like opening a place in Paris and London and Madrid. He chose the first offshore venue to be in Japan at Tokyo’s Isetan Department Store. And it does well. “Why Japan?” I asked. “It was a dream of mine to own a business that had a boutique global presence. I loved the idea of the store window that said, ‘Los Angeles - New York – London – Paris – Tokyo…’, So when we were offered the opportunity, it was a no-brainer. Also, my first company was called Big In Japan, so I felt like I came full circle.” After roughly 4,500 hours, Renato is
Red Hook Star-Revue
stepping back from his online, on-call life at Baked, but only after thirteen years of steadfast and devoted management. He is indeed from Sicily, where he returned with his family from time to time while growing up. His father, despite immigrating to the states, never stopped believing that Sicily could have offered a place to live. When his father opened his first store in Bushwick in 1958, the entire block was essentially a complete transplant town from that remarkable melting pot of a country. Baked was founded in 2004. The urge had long been needling both Renato and his eventual business partner, Matt Lewis. The two met at an ad agency before Renato left to become the design head of his own boutique agency. When 9/11 hit, he stopped to think - as we all did. He used it to ramp up his life.
Fixed up website
By then, Lewis had opened the Chocolate Bar in the West Village. Renato looked at the shop’s website and wasn’t impressed. He called Lewis, offered to revamp the website, and reminded him of their similar ambition to open a special kind of coffee shop. Renato knew he needed experience, but also knew he needed his day job. Renato, only 28 years old at the time, became the manager of a pastry café in the East Village. He worked for a couple who ran three different places. Renato poured his energies into the little cafe. He left his design company in the hands of his associates, while doing the graphics work himself at night. When the café was turned into a seafood restaurant, a year later, Renato knew he had gained the experience he needed. After a solid week off the job, Lewis called to ask, “Would you like to go into business?” Lewis had already scouted locations and found a place in Red Hook. “Matt prides himself on having his finger on upcoming trends, especially when it comes to real estate,” Renato said of his business partner. “He’s more of a risk taker than I am. I simply cannot bet the house on things.” As they say, everything is relative and for the rest of us, Renato is definitely a risk taker. What he was getting at was that Matt can do it without losing sleep. Behind that pristine, neat presentation and board straight back is a very sensitive human being. The shy gentleman found that the budding partnership suited his deficiencies and his assets. Lewis could bask in the glow of the public eye, but Renato, preferred a quieter, lower profile. A tad of overlap that could have created friction if their responsibilities had not fallen into stride. Lewis became the medium of branding, so he could work from home. Renato handled the daily look and feel of the place down to the
placement of the plant in the window. It’s true; I’ve seen him adjust it.
press from The New York Times. But where was the breakout moment?
Cut back to 2004. The piece of real estate that Matt found was an old Pentecostal Church, “A warren of rooms and doors,” on Van Brunt Street. Red Hook’s major artery was still just a twinkle in the developer’s eye. Fairway was in the works, but there was only 360, a French restaurant; Bait and Tackle; and Hope & Anchor. Lewis was convinced of the imminent gentrification.
“When we started, we had a two-person PR team. They sent O Magazine a box of our brownies, and we never heard back. A couple of months went by, and we get a call from Oprah’s people. They loved the brownies and wanted to mention them in her August issue,” Renato explained. “We assumed it would be a small mention in the magazine, but instead we got a full-page spread of our brownies, which she hailed as her Favorite Thing on her O List.”
A three-month project turned into seven. They first took only the ground floor. After three years, the wholesale business busted out into a flourishing retail trade. Renato worked the counter for a year and a half as the barista du jour. At first, he never saw enough people milling around the neighborhood to sustain a retail enterprise; he was not prepared for things to grow as fast as it did. The first menu consisted of breakfast items as well as cakes, cookies, loaves, tarts, pies, brownies and bars, with a creative assist from any of the Baked bakers who wished to contribute. The big break came when a customer walked in and asked them to make a sweet and salty caramel dessert. As barista, Renato had the flexibility to ask the lead baker to play around with the idea. The next day, the now famous Sweet & Salty cake emerged. Martha Stewart heard about it, and soon after inaugurated what would become her nice long on-air relationship with Baked. When Baked first opened, they earned $0-300 in a 12-hour day. But they hung in there with videos and promos of the actual build out which aired on the food network’s “Recipe for Success.” They cobbled together some decent
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As a creative, decent, and charming man, Renato wants to press beyond his horizon and lend his experience, style and brainpower to others. But you can be sure, his hand is still in the new recipes, new ideas though his physical presence may be elsewhere.
The Whisky X (continued from page 11)
sley, Aretha Franklin) on drums and other well seasoned players. With 140,000 square feet of exhibit space, the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is a surprising find and a unique place to see a concert and attend events. While well off the beaten path, it affords spectacular views of Governor’s Island and Lower Manhattan. As the sun set over New York City, it cast a warm glow signaling the arrival of summer fun. A good time was had by all, certainly this reporter. For more information, visit www.nymetroevents.com
July 2017, Page 23
CELEBRATE THEIR LIFE, LOVE AND LEGACY
E
stablished in 1926, Scotto Funeral Home has been a constant presence in Brooklyn — serving all that seek professional, reliable family service when facing the loss of a loved one. The Scotto and Heyer families are committed to providing personalized and hand tailored services regardless of nationality, orientation or religion. Built on four generations of family funeral directors, Scotto maintains tradition for today’s contemporary society. Services can be arranged for the most formal of funeral masses to the simplest memorial service throughout the tri-state area. For those who no longer live in the South Brooklyn area, the Scotto Signature Service which has become well known is not limited to those looking to return to the old neighborhood for a funeral. Scotto Funeral Home is fully committed to providing the most dignified and personalized services at an affordable price. A member of the Scotto or Heyer family is always on hand to guide you through the arrangements conference with the understanding of the great emotional and financial strain the loss of a loved one often causes.
Scotto Funeral Home is easily accessible for the elderly and handicapped. Restroom facilities are located on the ground level. The funeral home is also convenient for travelers. It is located one block from the F and G trains and between the Battery Tunnel and Brooklyn Bridge. Our brightly lit chapels and attention to maintaining the cleanliness and decor of our facility make Scotto Funeral Home the ideal space for receiving friends and relatives during a wake or memorial service, while all the time feeling at home.
106 1ST PLACE, CARROLL GARDENS
Page 24 Red Hook Star-Revue
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(718) 875-2515
July 2017