Red Hook Star-Revue, September 2016 by George Fiala

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

SEPTEMBER 2016

FREE

SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

Red Hook’s Professor at Large By Noah Phillips

entered, tan, and slightly scraggly, it isn’t hard to picture Alexandros Washburn as a fisherman in his mother’s native Greece. Although the Stevens Institute of Technology professor and veteran urban planner has no formal role on any of the citizen’s committees or research teams or councils of public officials attempting to guide Red Hook’s future post-Sandy, Washburn is hard at work generating ideas that defy traditional definitions of resilience here and around the world.

ters. City and state-sponsored groups such as NY Rising and OneNYC have worked to develop plans making Red Hook resilient, and devoted resources to investigating and promoting techniques such as an Integrated Flood Protection System (IFPS).

“I must say, I feel like I’m getting traction,” says Washburn. “On the scientific end of it, it feels as things have accelerated this summer.”

“I don’t want to wait for politics to solve our problems, I don’t think politics will,” says Washburn, who has worked at every level of government. “The storms aren’t waiting, the weather’s not waiting, climate change isn’t waiting.”

After the 2012 hurricane that devastated Red Hook and other nearby waterfront communities in New York and New Jersey, billions of dollars have poured through federal, state, city, and private coffers to both rebuild after the storm and prepare for future disas-

But Washburn isn’t satisfied with these processes, and he isn’t satisfied with an IFPS. In Washburn’s view, politicians and government workers’ biggest weakness is that they don’t communicate with each other well – this presents a big problem for communities waiting for guidance and assistance.

Luckily, says Washburn, Red Hook may be able to do the work of resiliency from the ground up. “Red Hook is the potentially world changing exam-

CITIBIKE INVADES RED HOOK

ple,” says Washburn. “I can critique the city, I can critique the feds, and I can also come up with solutions that cut across jurisdictions and political boundaries.”

Solving the right problem

The Red Hook IFPS Project is being coordinated jointly by the Mayor’s office of Recovery and Resiliency and the NYC Economic Development Corporation. In a brochure distributed after an April public meeting at the Miccio Center, the Red Hook IFPS Project defined an IFPS as follows: “An integrated flood protection system (IFPS) consists of various permanent and deployable features (for example: a permanent wall, deployable gates, landscape features, drainage modifications, street elevations) that integrate with the urban environment and work together to reduce flood risk from coastal flooding and sea level rise.” The Governor’s office originally promised $200 million for this project, but, as the Star-Revue has reported, that number was recently clarified to be $100 million. Washburn says that while effective construction of an IFPS might have been possible for the original figure, there’s “no way” it could be built for the latter. But Washburn has other problems with the IFPS. “My problem with that from day one though is, we love the sea! We don’t want a wall that’s in our face!” says Washburm. “Yes, we may need protection, but there’s got to be a better way.” As an example of poor planning, Washburn cites the ‘Great Wall of Japan,’ a 250-mile series of sea walls under construction along the coast of that country. The government announced the $6.8 billion project shortly after the 2011 tsunami disaster which killed more than 18,000 people and caused a radioactive meltdown at the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant. But critics, including UN officials and the wife of the Prime Minister, have said that the sea walls will damage ecosystems and tourism, according to Russia Today.

Some like it - too much for others...

Story Page 7

Red Hook Star-Revue

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“Maybe it’s going to work technically,” says Washburn, “but it’s not going to work for quality of life.” Moreover, there isn’t any guarantee that it would work technically. Sea walls can only withstand a certain amount of force, and during rainstorms could (continued on page 3)

September 2016, Page 1

Community Telephone Numbers: Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca............... (718) 439-9012 Red Hook Assemblyman Felix Ortiz........................ (718) 492-6334 Red Hook 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 Community Center, 110 East 9th Street... (718) 243-1528 Red Hook East Dev. Office, 62 Mill St...................... (718) 852-6771 Red Hook West Dev. Office, 55 Dwight St.............. (718) 522-3880 Brownstone Republicans...info@brownstonerepublicanclub.com NYCHA Satellite Police Precinct, 80 Dwight Street 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

Happenings, etc. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7

Join the folks at Hot Wood Arts for their monthly First Wednesday’s figure drawing session. $10. 7–10 pm, 481 Van Brunt Street, 9B.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

Kentler International Drawing Space is pleased to present the opening reception for Language Landscape, a new exhibition by Brooklyn artist Golnar Adili. Adili’s work is inspired by Persian poetry and the preserved letters of her late father. 6- 8 pm, 353 Van Brunt St.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 The Carroll Gardens Association presents the Southwest Brooklyn Fall Festival. Located in the heart of the Columbia Waterfront District, the SWBFF will feature venders, performers, and politicians. 12–5 pm on Columbia and Union Streets. Summit Academy Charter School's 8th annual Community Back to School Health and Wellness event, coined "Summit Academy Back to School the Healthy Way." Residents from Red Hook will have the opportunity to receive blood pressure and diabetes screenings, get information about medical insurance, learn about local healthcare services and sample healthy meal alternatives prepared by a professional chef. IKEA Park, 1 Beard Street noon - 5 pm

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11

The Schiller Institute NYC Community Chorus will perform Mozart’s Requiem as part of a special FDNY Memorial Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph at 856 Pacific Street at 12:00 pm.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Joseph Gerson, director of the Peace & Economic Security Program, will discuss the U.S., NATO, and Putin’s Russia at a community forum at Brooklyn Commons. 388 Atlantic Avenue from 7-9 pm.

RELIGIOUS SERVICES Christian

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15-18

River Of God Christian Center

110 Wolcott Street, 646-226-6135, Secretary, Sister Roslyn Chatman. Sunday - Family Worship 11:00 - 1:00 pm Scripture, read in English and Spanish Wednesday - At The Gate 12:00 noon, Prayer 7:00 - 7:30 pm, Bible Studies 7:00 - 8:00 pm, Thursday Prayer 7:30 - 8:30pm, Friday Youth ABLAZED Ministries 6:00 - 7:30pm, Senior Pastor, Donald Gray

Jalopy Theatre and School of Music will celebrate its 10th anniversary with a weekend of music. More than 30 bands over the weekend at both the Theatre and the tavern next door at 317 Columbia St.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

609 Clinton Street, 718 624 4780 Pastor A.R Jamal. Sunday School at 9:30 am. Sunday Worship at 11:00 am. Bible Study -Wednesday at 7:30pm. Communion every first Sunday

CELEBRATING RED HOOK! Come to the third annual Celebrating Red Hook Festival at Erie Basin Park behind IKEA. We’ll be celebrating everything that makes our community unique and dynamic with food, live music, and fireworks! 12-9 pm. ‘Raak the Block, hosted by Raaka Chocolate, will offer free tours of their chocolate factory on Seabring Street as well as food, live music, and a bouncy castle. 2–8 pm at the Raaka Chocolate Factory at 64 Seabring Street.

Stretching Far and Wide Global Ministry, Inc.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

Visitation Church

98 Richards Street , (718) 624-1572. Office open Mon-Thursday 9 am - 3 pm. Saturday Mass at 5:00 pm English; Sunday 10:00 am Spanish, 12:30 pm English. Community Prayer on Tuesday and Thursday at 8:00 pm. Baptisms are held every other month. Please call to arrange for Baptisms, First Communion, Confirmation and Weddings.

New Brown Memorial Baptist Church

382 Hamilton Avenue, Studio B 1-800-948-9042 Archbishop Dr. Barbara Jackman, Overseer Rev. Dr. Dwayne Barnes, Pastor Services are held every Sunday @ 10:00 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 9:00 am - 11:30 am, 1:00 pm-4:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am - 12:00 noon. Masses: Saturday 5:30 pm, Sunday 10:00 am, Monday - Thursday 9:30 am.

Saint Paul and Saint Agnes Parish

Church Office 234 Congress Street (718) 624-3425 Hours: M - F 830am-12 St. Agnes Church Office 433 Sackett Street, 718-625-1717 Hours: M-F 1pm-430pm Email: stpaulstagnes@gmail.com St. Agnes: Saturday 5pm Vigil Mass Sunday 9 am (English), 11:30am (Spanish) St. Paul’s: Saturday 5pm Vigil Mass Sunday 8 am & 9:30am (English); 11am (Spanish) Monday & Tuesday 8:30am (St. Paul’s) Wednesday & Thursday 8:30am (St. Agnes) Saturday 8am (St. Paul’s)

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 9:00 am - 5:00 am, Friday 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, Saturday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:30 pm, Sunday Masses at 8:00 am, 10:00 am, and 11:45 am (Italian/ English) Weekday Masses during winter months at 8:30 am and 12:00 noon Confessions: Saturday at 4:45 pm and by appointment. Baptisms every third Sunday at 1:00 pm.

Pioneer Works presents the Second Annual Red Hook Regatta at Valentino Pier. The regatta will feature a fleet of 3D-printed, radio-controlled boats designed and constructed by members of the Red Hook Initiative’s Digital Stewards. 1–5 pm.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group Full Meeting @ Mary Star of the Sea, 41 1st Street, 6:30-9 pm, community invited

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199 Carroll Street Parish Office: 718-625-4126 Sunday Mass at 10 am Weekday Morning Prayer - Mon.-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/

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Kane Street Synagogue

236 Kane Street, 718 875-1550 http://kanestreet.org/ Friday night services, 6:00 PM Shabbat services, 9:15 AM Sunday Services 9:00 AM

Contributors: Mary Ann Pietanza, Diana McClure

Congregation B’nai Avraham/Chabad of Brooklyn Heights

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September 2016

A local solution to a global problem

(continued from page 1)

cause communities to flood from the inside. As one alternative, Washburn suggests ‘poldering,’ a technique used around the world but most associated with the Netherlands which uses dikes to create artificial water barriers between the land and open water. The Dutch have used this technique since the 11th century to control flooding and create farmland. Washburn would alter the purpose of polders. “I want to leave the water in it,” says Washburn. “In fact I want to turn that water into a recreational asset, I want it to be a stormwater asset. I would like that water to get cleaner by the day – eventually I would like to swim in it!” A polder, says Washburn, would help protect Red Hook without dominating Red Hook, the way a sea wall might. “We would have the protection of whatever device was necessary but it would be off in the distance,” he says, “and between us would be a certain amount of water that we could control the height of, we could control and improve the quality of.” The water inside the polders could circulate with the water outside, or not. The True Meaning of Resilience More important than the specific solutions, says Washburn, is a neighborhood’s approach to resilience. “Ultimately, it’s a question of getting the city, people, and water to play well together,” says Washburn. “But the first and most important part of that is people. We have to want it, we have to care about each other enough to make a decision, and then we figure out how to do it.”

to Massachusetts, the greatest concentration by far of the sensors are in and around New York City waterways, including one sensor in Red Hook. NYHOPS data is available in real time and uses forecast models to predict currents, salinity, water level, water

"With this model, you can see how your beautiful idea for a waterfront permeable surface is going to help or hurt." temperature, and other information pertinent to storms. The system is overseen by the Davidson Laboratory, where Washburn works, and he says that the data gave scientists at Stevens a fairly accurate forecast of how Sandy would impact Red Hook, including which streets would be flooded. Washburn is also working to involve the neighborhood in creating a finegrained topographical model of the

Once a community has made a decision, it can devote its resources to getting the finances and engineering technicalities resolved. “The better you do socially the easier it is to handle the technical challenges,” says Washburn. “The hardest thing to do is to decide just to do it. The first step in getting something done is deciding to do it, and decision making is democracy, it’s politics, it’s community building.” According to Washburn, resilience is not the ability to recover from setbacks or disasters, but to learn and grow from those experiences in such a way that a person, community, or city is better than ever before. A key factor in decision-making around resilience is having the best information possible. That means both understanding our current situation as well as possible and being able to accurately model potential changes. “The better data you have, the more accurate your predictions will be,” says Washburn. The New York Harbor Observing and Prediction System (NYHOPS), is one vital tool in this pursuit. NYHOPS consists of more than one hundred high-resolution sensors all along the Mid-Atlantic seaboard. While the range of the sensors in NYHOPS extends from Maryland

Red Hook Star-Revue

area using Lidar scanning. Lidar scanning employs lasers, optics, and scanners to create three dimensional models of spaces – it’s used by both scientists and cartographers (like those at Google Maps) to generate precise information about continents, coasts, and ocean floors. Technology for Lidar has gotten more and more compact in recent years, and Washburn has a grant to teach people how to use handheld Lidar equipment to map their own communities. “We need to get it to the level of resolution where you can see how [the topography] effects drainage,” says Washburn. Couple the Lidar model with a bathymetric understanding, and layer them both with a hydrology model, and you can begin to see what the impact of ISPS or polders would actually be. “Without this model, it’s basically a shot in the dark,” says Washburn. “But with this model, you can see how your beautiful idea for a waterfront permeable surface is going to help or hurt.

And if it helps, we have confirmation, now it helps us decide yes, let’s do this!” Washburn is planning a three-day community workshop in October to teach Red Hookers how to use the Lidar scanning equipment. He then hopes to take his process to a favela in Brazil, as part of a grant from

Red Hook – a local solution to a global problem

As many as 760 million people around the world are at risk of losing their homes due to rising sea levels, if climate change continues unabated. Washburn views Red Hook as a laboratory for developing tools that can be used in communities as far-afield as Brazil or Singapore. “If we think our politics is tough, what about a village in the Philippines?” says Washburn. “This is a global problem; this is why Red Hook is exciting as a potentially global solution.” Red Hook may be well equipped to serve as a flagship coastal neighbor(continued on page 5)

Tiffany Place tenant woes by Noah Phillips

requested deadline of August 19.

ensions have intensified between the tenants of 63 Tiffany Place and their landlord, CHT Place LLC.

A 70-unit building located on the northern extreme of the Columbia Waterfront District, 63 Tiffany Place was originally built as a luxury development. When units failed to sell, it was taken over by the Related Company in the 1990s. They received a number of tax abatements and government funds and became subject to rent regulation, which created affordable housing for the neighborhood. But tenants are alleging that CHT, which bought the building in 2010, is not abiding by these standards. “Since 2010, the number of rent stabilized units has decreased from 70 to 40,” according to Ben Fuller-Googins, Program and Planning Director at the Carroll Gardens Association (CGA). “We believe the management company is waging a campaign to turn these remaining units into market rate units, displacing longtime residents, and deepening housing disparity in the community.” According to Fuller-Googins, the longtime residents are largely retired public work-

The association is planning to follow up with CHT in the coming weeks, perhaps with a press conference in front of their office in Flatbush.

63 Tiffany Place, near Hicks ers. A group of tenants facing harassment and illegal rent hikes last summer went to CGA seeking help. The community group helped them form a tenant association to organize against the new landlord. The Tiffany Place Tenant Association (TPTA) sent two letters to CHT in November and December 2015 requesting a meeting to discuss these issues; they were told that a meeting was not necessary. Through the winter, many residents pursued individual court cases against CHT, in consultation with Brooklyn Legal Services. On August 11, the TPTA sent another letter with an in-person delegation to CHT’s office in Flatbush, along with additional letters of support from community leaders and elected officials. Despite assurances, CHT did not respond by TPTA’s

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Ted de Barbieri, Assistant Professor of Clinical Law and Counsel at the Center for Urban Business Entrepreneurship at Brooklyn Law School, has worked closely with residents there. He sent his students to help field questions from residents at Tiffany Place. According to Barbieri, CHT is obliged to keep all of its units at 63 Tiffany Place rent stabilized, as well as rent only to individuals within a set income range. “Tenants and landlords are in tension generally in the city - landlords seeking rent escalations, consistency in rental payment collection, and limited maintenance costs; tenants seeking low rents,” writes Barbieri. “Buildings like 63 Tiffany play [an important role] in keeping workers closer to their places of employment. Losing such a building - or units in the building - can have a serious negative impact on the economic diversity of the neighborhood, the borough, and the city.”

September 2016, Page 3

RELIGIOUS NEWS BY LAURA ENG laura.eng59@aol.com.

Mother Emanuel, Powerful Show at NY Fringe Festival

ed Hook resident Christian Lee Branch, has cowritten and co-stars in a new critically acclaimed American docu-musical play which was featured in the 2016 New York International Fringe Festival. Mother Emanuel, possibly the most powerful piece of theater on the New York stage this season, vividly portrays the last hours in the lives of the nine victims of the mass shooting that took place at Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015. A lifelong parishioner of St. Paul-St. Agnes Parish, Branch, 28, grew up in Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill. His whole family is dedicated to the parish where his mother, Norma, is the choir director and his father, Leroy, is a lay deacon. Branch is also the musical director of Mother Emanuel. He co-wrote the show with Rajendra Ramoon Maharaj, who conceived the idea, and directs and choreographs it with playwright, Adam Mace. The collaboration was originally about something entirely different, but when the massacre in Charleston occurred, the focus of the project shifted to the lives lost there. The cast of four, Marquis Gibson, Lauren Shaye and Nicole Stacie, along with Branch, masterfully weave from one character to another. The one-act play is set during a bible study class at Mother Emanuel Church, but also include flashbacks in the characters’ lives. Despite the serious subject matter, the play is dotted with a good deal of humor and even unbridled joy as each victim and their background is brought to life. The audience, continually referred to throughout the performance as “church,” is easily encouraged to interact and clap along during a number of traditional roofraising gospel songs. One distinctive aspect of the Mother Emanuel story is that after the killings, many of the family members of the victims publicly stated that they had forgiven the killer. This theme of forgiveness is not touched upon during the show but after meeting the beloved pastor, Reverend Clementa C. Pinckney and his faith-filled flock, one understands their unwavering trust in God and the benevolence that they undoubtedly shared with their families. According to Maharaj, Mother Emanuel may be extending its off-off Broadway run and is scheduled to play next year in Philadelphia at the New Freedom Theater. If the opportunity arises, witness firsthand the extraordinary performances of Branch and his fellow cast members as they honor and

Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue

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Christian Lee Branch, left, and the cast of Mother Emanuel. (photo by Michela Rynczak)

celebrate the memory of the Charleston Nine.

HAPPENINGS/UPCOMING EVENTS Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West Under the Bridge - Monthly community Shabbat celebration at BridgeView Lawn, Pier 1, Brooklyn Bridge Park on Friday, September 16 at 6:30 pm. Challah and grape juice will be provided. All are welcome. Hebrew School registration is now open. High Holy Days reservations are now being accepted. Join us as we usher in the New Year 5777. Information can be found at www.congregationmountsinai.org/prayer-holidays/high-holidays or by calling Bob Kahan at (718) 875-9124. River of God Christian Center 110 Wolcott Street Women’s Retreat on November 4-6, will include a trip to the Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster, PA. Save the date. Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church Summit & Hicks Street Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows (Madonna Addolorata) on September 11. Procession at 4 pm, fireworks at 8 pm and Mass celebrated by Bishop Raymond Chappetto at 8:15 pm. Email carry@ mariaaddoloarata.com to help carry Our Lady in the Procession. Welcome Back BBQ on Sunday, September 18 at 1 pm in the church yard. Covered dishes, food or monetary donations are welcome. 150th Anniversary Gala on November 13, 2016, 4 pm cocktails, 5 pm dinner at El Caribe Country Club. Cost is $135 per person. For information e-mail 150@SacredHearts-StStephen. com. Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) - Learn more about the Catholic faith, become baptized, complete the sacraments. For information, call (718) 596-7750 or email NArkin@SacredHearts-StStephen.com. St. Mary Star of the Sea Church 467 Court Street Registration for our 2016-17 Religious Education program for children, including 1st Holy Communion classes, (continued on next page)

September 2016

Religion

(continued from previous page)

is ending soon. Classes start September 18. Information and registration forms are available at www.stmarystarbrooklyn.com, in church and in the weekly bulletin. Call the rectory for assistance. Celebrate the life of beloved parishioner, Tiffiny Gulla on Wednesday, September 28 at 7:30 pm. More information is available on the website and Facebook page.

Big Hat Day at the River of God Church last month was a big success. Shown are a few of the many entrants. (photo by Fiala)

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 199 Carroll Street Annual Fall Rummage Sale on Saturday, September 10 from 10 am-2 pm in the Parish Hall and in front of the church, weather permitting. Jazz @Mass series - This year’s celebration which will honor the memory of longtime parishioner Irving King on September 25 at 10 am.

Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street Healing Mass on September 14 at 7 pm in Spanish and on September 30 at 7 pm in English. Visitation Youth Ministry Movie Night featuring Little Boy: Believe the Impossible on Saturday, September 10 following the 5 pm Mass. Monthly Parents Workshop on September 20 at 6 pm. This month’s theme will be “Our Father.” For more information, call Silvia at (718) 6241572 or Laura at (347) 484-2778. Liberation & Healing Congress - October 28-30. Beginning on Friday at 7 pm with a Healing Mass, from 9 am-5 pm on Saturday, and from 9 am to 6 pm on Sunday, concluding with a Healing Mass. Tickets are $30 for entire weekend or $20 for one day. For

Washburn (congtinued from page 3)

Municipal ID returns to Red Hook

St. Paul’s Catholic Church 234 Congress Street Young Adult Group - For young adults between 21-39 who feel misunderstood and alone. For more information, call the rectory (718) 625-1717 or email stpaulandstagnes@gmail.com

hood in the global resilience project, especially if Red Hookers are able to organize and implement their plans without government coordination. The amount of technical resources at our disposal, from scientific tools like NYHOPS to Lidar scanners to equipment as apparently mundane as the internet, gives this part of Brooklyn a real edge in global efforts to make our communities more equitably sustainable. In addition, our social infrastructure is relatively developed – since Sandy, Red Hookers are relatively informed about and engaged with resilience issues and city laws give us, through our municipal representatives, a relatively large amount of control over zoning. “We have a lot of expertise in our community. We have some people who know a bit about the subject, from shopkeepers to councilpeople,” says Washburn. “We’re pretty well informed as a community, and we’ve been through it, we know the consequences of doing nothing. So if anyone could do this from a community perspective, it’s Red Hook.”

Residents in Red Hook will have a local “Pop Up” IDNYC enrollment site available for them to sign up for the City’s and free municipal identification card.

Swedish Crayfish Party Ask a Restaurant co-worker for more details and to purchase your tickets. Seating is limited. Purchase your tickets today!

IDNYC is partnering with the Red Hook Community Justice Center to host the popup beginning Monday, September 12 through Friday, September 23. An appointment is required and can be made online at www.idnyc.appointment-plus.com.

Friday, September 16th, 2016

IDNYC cardholders are eligible for numerous benefits including: one year free membership at 40 cultural institutions across the five boroughs like the Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, and the Brooklyn Academy of Music; entertainment discounts at movie theatres, sporting events, theme parks, Broadway shows; and health and wellness discounts for gym memberships at the YMCA, access to the BigAppleRX Prescription drug discount, and other various offerings.

Member price:

For more information, visit www1. nyc.gov/site/idnyc/index.page.

Brooklyn Bridge Rotary Club installs new officers

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The Brooklyn Bridge Rotary Club, which meets twice a month at Marco Polo's in Carroll Gardens, held an installation ceremony last month in the garden of Court Street's Enoteca. From left to right: Celia Weintrob, treasurer; Kimberly Gail Price, secretary and Gala Chair; Lizzette Muniz, president; Sandra Dowling, vice president; Wayne Muratore, past president. (photo by George Fiala)

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September 2016, Page 5

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September 2016

Michael Little – Surfer, Entrepreneur, and One Cool Dude By Noah Phillips

he surfing was good this morning – so good that Michael Little is heading back to Long Beach after closing up his new Pioneer Works coffee stand. “My morning started at 6 am, I was in the water just after 7. It’s hard to do that without caffeine,” says Little. “I’ve always had a coffee in my hand as long as I could remember.” Little started his “residency” at Pioneer Works on August 14. He’s stationed in the garden in a corrugated tin structure adorned with surfboards and enhanced by gentle reggae. “There’s something about my surfboards being here that is maybe evocative of a different place,” says Little. “While you’re standing in line waiting for two minutes for a drip coffee, you’re taken to somewhere that is diametrically opposite to the New York experience, the concrete jungle, and all of that.” Little owns Pintail Coffee, an espresso pop up on the Lower East Side located in a vintage clothing store. He says that surfing was the catalyst for his presence in Red Hook. Little came to Pioneer Works on a catering job, and thought it would be an excellent location to store his surf boards. Red Hook is on the way to Long Beach, where he surfs. He was told that indeed he could store his surfboards in the garden, but the payment would be setting up and operating a coffee bar open every day. How long will he stay there?

“We don’t have an end date for summer ending here,” says Little. “Obviously, it’s a shipping container in a garden – inclement weather will be one of the larger determinants of the longevity of this enterprise.” It turns out Little feels quite at home in the neighborhood. “My formative years were spent in a coastal, small town,” says Little. “It was a fishing and shipping community, so there’s just a piece of my DNA that when I bike out in the mornings and see the cranes, it feels like home.” He got his MFA in creative writing at Syracuse University, where he created an undergraduate composition course called Global Trauma. Fifteen years ago, he relocated to the Lower East Side and taught American History at a high school in South Bronx. “When you teach in the South Bronx, there is so much more of a need than,

Little tending to his newest venture in the Pioneer Works garden. (Fiala photo)

neighborhood. He helped mentor a group of high

“In a garden, being able to bring coffee, halfway to the beach, it all fit in a way that Bushwick or Midtown West wouldn’t.” you know, open a textbook and we’re going to learn about history,” says Little. “You’re a teacher, you’re a mentor, a counselor, a friend, a role model to these kids. And that fired up more cylinders for me than sitting in a classroom teaching kids that were paying 30 grand a year to go to Syracuse.”

school seniors in a design course, and they used his space as a pop up shop. He also served on the executive board of the Lower East Side Business Improvement District (LES BID), where he worked to “make sure small businesses had the same opportunities” as the large corporations remaking his neighborhood landscape.

He surfed throughout that time, and in 2011, he stopped teaching to open a surf shop in his Lower East Side

“Just from the small level day to day, that I think is as important as the ever increasing reality of global multina-

tional businesses and social development,” says Little. “I think the smaller connections in a community are what speak to me as far as retaining the cultural texture of what it means to me to be a New Yorker, what it means to me to be a human.” And Little is excited to be part of the cultural texture of Red Hook, even if it’s just temporary. “One of the things that felt right about this - in a space that I’m new to - is the residency component,” says Little. “In a garden, being able to bring coffee, and being halfway to the beach, it all fit in a way that maybe Bushwick or Midtown West wouldn’t.” And after work – it’s on to Long Beach with his surfboards.

Red Hook inundated with new Citi Bike stands by Noah Phillips

bike-share programs in 11 other cities. Citi Bike and the City of New York agreed to expand service this summer. At least 139 new stations are slated to be completed by the end of this year, mostly in Southwestern Brooklyn and upper Manhattan. The plans have had mixed reactions from Red Hookers, many of whom are upset about the loss of parking spaces.

New Citi Bikes on Columbia and Lorraine

here were plenty of complaints last year about the lack of Citi Bike locations in Brooklyn - especially in our transportationstarved community. Well, we may have gotten more than we bargained for as numerous halfblock long Citi Bike locations have sprouted up seemingly overnight. Citi Bike is owned by a company called Motivate, which also operates

Red Hook Star-Revue

“Many of the residents have their own bikes. A bike rental is not needed at this location. It is not a necessity,” wrote one Facebook commentator. “This has taken away much needed parking spaces.” Another commenter wrote, "This is annoying. Where is the community input? How many does this make? There is one on Van Brunt already. We do not need them all over."

Cheaper than a health club

Others are more positive about the program. “I believe it’s an excellent idea that encourages people to use more environmentally friendly form of transportation and helps improve the health of residents,” wrote another

F a c e b o o k e r. “With a $5 a month fee for NYCHA residents for 45 [minutes] a day use, it’s cheaper than most gyms, and let’s be real - not everyone has space for a bike in their home.” John McGettrick, head of the Red Hook Civic Association, thinks Citi Bike will “most definitely” benefit Red Hook overall, especially the planned station at the library. But he does have concerns about the location of one planned station at the intersection of Richards and Coffey Streets. “I agree and have agreed for some time that that’s not a good location,”

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says McGettrick, adding that the narrowness of the throughway and the fact that Richards is two-way might lead to traffic accidents. McGettrick has reached out to the commissioner, and is hopeful that he will be receptive to the community’s feedback.

September 2016, Page 7

LETTERS:

MIKE'S SAY:

The Mayor and LICH

Fall Previews

BY MICHAEL RACIOPPO

f you pay close attention to my Twitter feed, it is clear that I watch a lot of “Law and Order” and, it’s over-the-top, "ripped from the headlines" style.

While I'm writing a column and not producing a prime time TV show, I'd like to take my shot at "riffing" the headlines I'd like to see this fall. While it will have to wait until November, there can be no bigger blockbuster and more compelling prime time headline than "Hillary Clinton becomes our First Woman President in Historic Landslide Victory over Trump." However, prior to that headline in September we will see featured, "Senator Montgomery wins Democratic Primary." Star-Revue readers who in Red Hook, she's your senator. The primary election is Tuesday, September 13. She deserves re-election as she and her staff work very hard on constituent concerns, supplementing her lifelong dedication to helping at risk youth. Yet another, though relatively obscure - if below the fold - but certainly important, headline will be “Connie Melendez Elected Countywide as Civil Court Judge.” I've been impressed when hearing her speak; colleagues who are in the legal profession confirm my opinion. The last headline I'd like to see is, "Councilman Brad Lander’s Bridging Gowanus Seen as Model for Community Participation in Addressing Housing Crisis." While that may be a long headline, it is also - as far as city's issues go - the most pressing. For those unfamiliar with this effort, it can be most succinctly described as Lander’s efforts to give voice to the Gowanus community. It is an experiment in direct democracy, as we engage with City Planning in determining the contours of a realistic future. Making this process work is most important because if we don't figure out how to calm the natural skepticism toward change, we will still get change, but unregulated change in response to Nimbyism. We have a shared city with shared problems. We are going to create clusters and enclaves of parochial towns, while those who can least afford to shoulder the brunt will be pushed out of their homes and neighborhoods.

De Blasio abandoned LICH when he realized he could make big money from developers who wanted to buy and demolish the site to build luxury housing. He really has gotten into PAY TO PLAY.. .. This happened even before the rezoning proposal passed in the City Council….a proposal that will encourage overdevelopment all over the city. Well, people are waking up. These proposals are being shot down by the communities and their council people all over the city. Basically they don’t want these preposterously large hi rise buildings — with a few “affordable” units as a sop — going up in low density neighborhoods and they fear the impact they will have — higher density, higher rents, so called gentrification, overburdening of the

schools, hospitals, parking, transportation, etc., more traffic — all the negative results of de Blasio’s master plan. His arrogance is unbelievable, his unpopularity growing every day. He gives a bad name to progressive politics. Let’s hope he will be a one term mayor. - Ellen Grove

More disgrace

It is an absolute disgrace that LICH was allowed to close and this whole vast area of Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Heights, and Boerum Hill was left without a hospital. I will never forgive Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio for allowing this to happen. And what exactly does Mayor de Blasio think that he should be getting credit for; a “small health facility” just doesn’t cut it. This whole thing stinks and I hope that Mr. Bharara gets to the bottom of it. - Laura Eng

SHORTS: Money for feral cats

A local group of animal advocates is raising money to address the growing colony of stray and feral cats in Red Hook. Represented by Hilary Basing, the group hopes to trap, neuter, and return (TNR) the cats on the waterfront along Imlay Street. “Over the years, the cats were being fed, but most have not been spayed, neutered, or vaccinated,” wrote Basing in her online pitch. “Their numbers have quadrupled and they continue to suffer. There are simply too many and some have died of tragic deaths and of preventable disease.”

As of August 29, the group had raised $692 of their $1,600 goal. Money raised will pay for transportation and medical treatment, at a rate of $50 per cat. In addition, the group is coordinating colony kitten adoptions due to cleanliness and safety concerns on behalf of the young felines. “Any funds leftover in this campaign will be donated toward food and shelters for the colony,” concludes Nasing. “Any funds that are not raised, will be covered by begging and pleading.” To donate, search for “Red Hook cats” on www.youcaring.com or email hilarybasing@gmail.com.

In case I lost you, I'm saying that if we don't create more housing supply especially affordable apartments - demand will force the most vulnerable among us out of their neighborhoods. Balancing the needs of a city at large, while also dealing with the concerns of local and immediate interests, is a tough task with multiple valid viewpoints. To confront this takes an elected official with guts. I give serious credit to Councilman Lander as he perseveres in the face of criticism, with some expressing very loud reluctance to reach consensus on issues surrounding the Gowanus Canal and potential rezoning and development. As I've mentioned in previous columns, whatever your positions, get involved. Check out bridginggowanus.org to find out how to participate. While we're at it let’s throw in "MTA Expands F Train Service." More in the realm of wishful thinking "Giants Ready to Win another National Championship." Feel free to contact me with any questions, comments or concerns at racioppomike@yahoo.com or follow me on Twitter at @mike_racc. Mike Racioppo is the Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation and the Vice Chairman of Community Board 6.

YOU’RE DOiNG

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ON YOUR fiRST DRiVING LESS0N,

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A COMiC BY MARC JACKS0N THANKS FOR AGReeiNG T0 TeACH ME,

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Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue

(continued on page 16)

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September 2016

OP ED: Bridging Gowanus - an opposing view by Rita Miller, LucyDeCarlo, Triada Samaras

rad Lander's office recently sent out an announcement reopening his Bridging Gowanus initiative - the "next step" in the reshaping of our neighborhood.

are actually here to weigh in?

It asks us to complete a survey. The Bridging Gowanus website has a little button on top labeled, 'WEIGH IN." This is not an accident since your opportunity to weigh in can hardly be called a survey at all. In fact, the definition of the word, "survey", is to examine or look at comprehensively; to inspect carefully, to scrutinize.

Sure, you can argue that an online survey allows you to participate no matter where you are, but is it really fair to distribute an exercise as convoluted, confusing and time consuming as this and expect people who are on vacation to respond?

Indeed, this is NO SURVEY. Instead you are expected to respond to a series of suggestions with either a plus or minus response. Unfortunately, you are only allowed two or three pluses, and only one minus. You also cannot enter a minus unless you enter at least one plus. In addition, there are many categories and pages and ideas lumped together and that you are restricted to use only your predetermined pluses and minuses. Are you confused yet? That's too bad because before you even can begin you must click on the 'UNDERSTOOD" button, which explains the rules before you even see the entire format. To be fair, you are able to go back and forth and reread the instructions and there are reminders as you proceed that you are either plus or minus deficient/excessive. We didn't know we would need such deep boots to wade through this and we quickly got stuck in the muck. And frankly, given the limited choices and the deliberately constrictive mode of responding, we were wary of submitting anything at all. So, we didn't. Did we mention that it must be submitted by Sept 15th? Wouldn't it allow for a broader response if its circulation and expiration dates were during the time of the year when most people

Labor Day is the 5th. Neighbors returning from summer holidays are often very busy the first few weeks of September when so many things are beginning again.

What is the reason that the cut off date cannot be extended till the end of October, November or even December? This is so important—what's the rush? Why wouldn't Brad Lander, our representative in the City Council, which is responsible for zoning changes, want the most thoughtfully considered responses possible? He is either including us in the process or not. We have some questions for Lander and comments for regarding these socalled "overreaching goals"— below is just a small sampling: • Why is it necessary to build multistory housing along the banks of the Canal when the Canal is the epicenter of the flood zone? • Why are there no suggestions regarding a broader area of manufacturing/work/living spaces? The "weigh in" talks about "strengthening" manufacturing but does not talk about expanding more manufacturing and artist living space. Haven't we learned that people who live and work in the same place have a deeper investment in the area and enrich the fabric of the entire community? Why are we not talking about thoughtful improvements to infrastructure? We have a chance here to try something genuinely unique, practical and exciting; Not to mention less taxing on

our current infrastructure which we all know darn well will never catch up with Brad's plan! Why is it necessary to add more and more stories to residential buildings in order for the city to provide adequate transportation, education, sanitation, and recreational facilities to the people that are already here? How does increasing an already densely populated area accomplish what cannot be accomplished now? New York's municipal government is not going to do any better—the only thing besides the population that will expand will be the inadequacies. Why is it necessary for developers who are in the business of making money to receive tax abatements? Most times, they do not live here. They do not ultimately deal with the effects of their developments on the community. As a friend of ours in the construction business once told us, "the cellar, the first floor and roof are your real costs—every single story you add to that is more and more gravy." Yet whether their product(s) impact the neighborhood positively or negatively—they are given extended relief from paying property taxes. Where is OUR relief? We are, after all, the ones who put up with the noise, the dirt the grime the inconveniences of their construction phases. And quite often, there are negative effects on the neighboring homes and businesses once projects are complete. In spite of this— good, bad or indifferent, our property taxes go up every year. There is something wrong with that. Rising home values and our rising property taxes in our community tell me that we are more than helping to support NYC. The "some is good, more is better" at-

Brad Lander, speaking at the first Bridging Gowanus public session. (Fiala photo)

titude is sometimes true—and when it comes to money, let's be honest—its real. But the "more and more" should not have to come from us alone— those who wish to make money here should be willing to pay what it takes or there is no deal. You would think someone who is supposed to represent us would be the most interested in US. It appears however, as though it's Lander's plan or the highway. You can see the survey for yourself by googling "Bridging Gowanus Online Survey." No matter what you call it or how you frame it—whether you punch in plusses and minuses with whole hearted fervor or mild amusement—understand that this "exercise," just like the earlier phase of the Bridging Gowanus process, is skewed to obtain a desired result and it is going to be used to justify that result. Rita Miller, LucyDeCarlo, Triada Samaras are the cofounders of CG CORD/Coalition for Respectful Development. They can be reached at cgcord@gmail.com

We will never forget; we will always remember

he Star-Revue feels it is important to honor and remember the fallen victims of 9/11.

Fifteen years have elapsed since terror reigned on the streets of our city. No one who remembers those tragic days is unaffected. Even more so for New Yorkers; this was personal. In the coming weeks, memorials and remembrances will appear all across the city. Two blue beams will shoot up into the night sky. Sidewalks will be chalked with inspirational words. Within and around these symbols of loss, a somber and reflective hush will descend upon our streets. Our shared memories of the devastating chaos in September 2011 will always affect us, but we have a choice about what to do with those memories. We can choose, we must choose,

Red Hook Star-Revue

what and who those memories will turn us into. How will we remember the dark days of the past? Will we remember with fear, or can we remember with pride the multitudes of heroes who risked and gave their health and their lives to save strangers? Can we stay connected to our humanity amid the painful memories, just as these brave souls were connected to the humanity and pain around them?

member the heroes. Let us remember compassion and love for our fellow human beings. Our lost brothers and

sisters, in uniform and out, deserve to remain legends through our memories, and through our symbols.

Moments of crises suspend reality and bring people together. An embrace with a stranger. A helping hand to safety. A lit candle, a white rose. A city undivided. These are the memories worth holding onto. In the days leading up to the anniversary of the most horrific attack on our city, and country, in history, let us re-

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September 2016, Page 9

Celebrating

Red Hook

The Red Hook Star-Revue’s 3rd Annual Celebrating Red Hook on Saturday, September 17 will showcase all of the various trades and artisans of the community. Each year, we strive to build the festival - not only to include more of the area - but also to build the sense of community.

on Van Brunt Street and come in a variety of flavors including strawberry basil, hazelnut and ricotta honey.

Celebrating Red Hook began in 2014 has become an annual tradition for a full day of celebrating all that makes our community unique and dynamic. Each year, the festival grows, bringing out the best of what makes Red Hook truly exceptional. Celebrating Red Hook highlights all of the various arts and culture in our own backyard.

Underneath the preserved shipping cranes, nine musical acts will perform throughout the day. The wide variety of musicians will bring jazz and R&B, traditional folk, modern electric originals, reggae, honky-tonk, country rock and original rock to the heart of the festival. A second stage will host acoustic and other various acts.

Children of all ages will be delighted with face painting, giant bubbles and larger-than-life Jenga™. Families can experience a walkthrough the local marketplace with Red Hook offerings of all sorts.

IKEA will close the night with their annual fantastic display of fireworks over the Erie Basin.

IKEA FIREWORKS TO FOLLOW

A crowd favorite last year, Fort Defiance will be back with their refreshing Tiki Bar to revive your spirit with spirts.

Celebrating Red Hook is generously sponsored by WABC, New York Water Taxi, Fairway Market, Investor’s Bank, Joseph P. Addabbo Family Health Center, and Ridgeway Savings Bank.

Celebrating Red Hook is a community wide festival hosted by IKEA Brooklyn and organized by the Red Hook Star-Revue. This year’s event will be held at Erie Basin Park behind IKEA at 1 Beard Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231. Raindate is Sunday the 18th.

One of Red Hook’s newest additions, Dolce Brooklyn will be serving scoops of happiness. Their gelatos and sorbets are hand made

Red Hook Art Project (RHAP), a local art tutoring program will have prints of students’ artwork for sale as well as an ongoing interactive project throughout the day.

2016 Musical Lineup

1:00 pm: Stan Kosakowski 1:35 pm: HAPPS 2:00 pm: The Eephus Band 3:00 pm: William Robertson 4:00 pm: Berst 5:00 pm: The Sanghatones 6:00 pm: Sean Kershaw and the New Jack Ramblers 7:00 pm: Andi Rae Healy and the Back River Bullies 8:00 pm: Union

September 17, 2016 12 - 9 pm

Erie Basin Park 1 Beard Street, Brooklyn, NY

Celebrating all that makes our community unique and dynamic Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue

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September 2016

Red Hook Star-Revue

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September 2016, Page 11

Huge music festival coming to town by Halley Bondy

ow in its second year, The Brooklyn Americana Festival is bringing non-stop folk, country, bluegrass, rock, and more to venues throughout Red Hook and DUMBO from September 23-25. Grab your bike and dancing shoes, and try to catch all 60 bands playing in venues along the three-mile stretch between Sunny’s Bar and Superfine in DUMBO. Entry is completely free. The artists are predominantly local, including Red Hook favorite Smokey’s Secret Familythe Jalopy regular Hubby Jenkins, and the Maybelles, which is fronted by the festival’s DUMBObased organizer, Jan Bell. Six of the bands in the Brooklyn Americana Festival lineup are touring, including San Francisco’s Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards and New Orleans’ own Luke Winslow King. “We call it ‘Americana’ because it’s inclusive,” said Bell, who is originally from Yorkshire, England. “It’s a broad genre that spans across the ocean, where I’m from. Music is a powerful way to bring everybody together, in any language, from any background especially in times of terror and strife.” The festival will extend further into Red Hook than last year, with Sunny’s and Bait & Tackle added to the roster of venues. Other locations include Jalopy Tavern, Brooklyn Bridge Park, The Archway in DUMBO, Superfine, and 68 Jay Street Bar. Sunny’s Bluegrass Jam, a regular Saturday event, is included in the lineup as well.

Honoring local venues

“I want festival goers to get a taste of what happens at these venues year round,” Bell said. “I don’t want to say, ‘Hey, I’m doing a festival, so here’s something completely different.’ I want to honor what is already happening.” The festival has its origins back in 1999, when Bell started curating a stage at the DUMBO Under The Bridge Festival, which became the DUMBO Arts Festival. When the event halted in 2014 due to overcrowding, Bell decided the music should live on. “I don’t see why I should stop,” Bell said. “I’ve always been one of those artist organizer types. When I was a kid, I’d put on plays and get all my friends to be in them.” Luckily for us, Bell is sticking to DUMBO and Red Hook. “I don’t want to live in a place where I don’t know my neighbors, or where you have to go to hear music and there’s a two drink minimum and a surly bartender,” she said. “In this neighborhood, we do know our neighbors and their kids’ names. It’s real daily life. I keep coming back to New York because there are many small villages here.” Bell is hoping for more funding in the future, and to eventually expand the

Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue

programming in Red Hook. However, she doesn’t want the festival to balloon out of control. “I don’t want it to become this crazy festival where you can’t walk down the street,” she said. “I want there to be just enough of a mix of local Brooklynites, American visitors, international visitors - a really nice healthy mix. For me keeping it grassroots is really important.” Learn more about The Brooklyn Americana Festival at www.bkamf.com.

Jan Bell (third from left) and the Maybelles.

BROOKLYN AMERICANA FESTIVAL SCHEDULE 2:30 pm Eva Salina

5 pm Hubby Jenkins

3 pm Silver City Bound

6 pm Karen Poliski

Jalopy Theatre, 315 Columbia St, Red Hook.

4 pm Queen Esther

6:30 pm Will Scott

5 pm Luke Winslow King

7pm Bobtown

The Chapin Sisters, Laura Cortese and the Dance Cards, The Tillers, Queen Esther, Beth Bombara, and Rashad Brown.

6 pm The Maybelles

Opening Night Gala – Friday, September 23 at 8 pm

7 pm M Shanghai String Band

Red Hook Bait and Tackle Friday

68 Jay St Bar

9 pm Paranoid Larry

4 pm Sunshine Nights

10 pm Joseph Huber

2 pm Dylan Charles and the Layton Sisters

5 pm Joseph Huber

Saturday

6 pm Gin Daisy

3 pm The Maybelles

7 pm Feral Foster

9pm Aron Blue and the Bootleggers

4 pm Jesse Lenat

8 pm Clarence Bucaro

5 pm Beth Bombara

9 pm Landry McMeans and Palomino

6 pm Curtis Brewer

10 pm Rench

7 pm Palomino Shakedown

11 pm Alex Battles

7 pm Casey Neill

8 pm Dogs

Sunday, Sept. 25

Saturday

9 pm Greg Humphreys Electric Trio

Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 6

9 pm Bluegrass Jam

Saturday, Sept. 24 Brooklyn Bridge Park – Pier 6

2 pm Nikolaus Shubeck and The Ava- Sunday lanches 7 pm Seth Kessel and the two cent band 3 pm The Dang-it Bobbys

2 pm The Jalopy Chorus

4 pm Annie Keating

In The Archway at the Manhattan Bridge

Pete Lanctot and the Stray

10pm Jack Grace Sunny’s Bar Friday 10 pm Smokey’s Secret Family

Columbia Street Fair arrives on schedule September 10

he Annual Southwest Brooklyn Fall Festival will take place on September 10th on Columbia and Union Streets in the Columbia Waterfront District. The Carroll Gardens Association (CGA) organizes the annual street fair, which will feature businesses, community service providers, children’s activities and live music. The festival “is one of those things our organization has always done and always will,” says Ben Fuller-Googins, Program and Planning Director of CGA. CGA anticipates a more than 2,500 attendees and almost 100 community-based groups. Fuller-Googins says that elected officials such as Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Congresswoman Velazquez, Assemblywoman Jo Anne Simon, State Senator Daniel Squadron, and Councilmember Brad Lander have already confirmed their attendance. The Fall Festival runs from noon until 5 pm. Activities for children are generally set up on Union Street close to Hicks. The rest of the block, as well as Columbia Street is full of local vendors including many local merchants. Among the merchants this year are The House of Pizza and Calzone, Mazzat, Red Hook’s new Dolce Gelato,

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the Brooklyn General Store and Cacao Prieto. The festival is made possible by neighborhood sponsors Santander Bank, NY Water Taxi, TD Bank, Investors Bank, and the NYU Langone Medical Center. “The Fall Festival highlights distinct neighborhood culture, while celebrating a shared Southwest Brooklyn identity,” Googins said. “We pride ourselves on being 100% Brooklyn, showcasing homegrown artists and artisans, performers, and local cuisine.”

September 2016

Addabbo’s New WIC Program by Noah Phillips

bout one thousand Red Hook women, infants, and children can now receive vouchers and nutritional counseling at the Addabbo Family Health Center as part of the USDA’s WIC program. The August 9 ribbon-cutting ceremony for Addabbo’s Red Hook WIC site was attended by community members, Addabbo leadership, and elected officials. “We are truly glad to have the WIC program here,” says Bea Byrd, who serves on both the boards of Addabbo and NYCHA. “It took a little time and a lot of patience and a lot of help from our state partners. We asked, and we got it, and for that I am truly grateful.” Ms. Byrd added that until now, mothers needed to go far outside of the neighborhood to receive WIC assistance. The WIC program started in the 1970s as a supplemental nutrition program to assist pregnant mothers and their young children to stay healthy. In addition to offering food vouchers, the program encourages breastfeeding and provides nutritional counseling to mothers in both group and personal settings. Red Hook mothers will be able to redeem their vouchers at any supermarket that has applied to and been approved by the USDA. Currently, C Town on Mill Street and Fairway both accept WIC vouchers. Addabbo Family Health Center, which is based on the Rockaway Peninsula,

The

Dr. Marjorie Hill, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, and Red Hook West tenant leader Lillie Marshall at the WIC kickoff.

offers WIC services at several other sites in Queens. Zimmie Baiden, director of Addabbo’s WIC program, says that the Red Hook location has been in the works since December 2014 when it was first included in Addabbo’s grant application to the New York State Department of Health. Nineteen months and countless meetings later, Addabbo’s WIC clinic opened its doors on July 7. The ribbon was cut at the grand opening ceremony by Addabbo Executive Director Dr. Majorie Hill, Bea Byrd, and Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez. “This is a win-win, because it is right here where we need it the most, and it is a success story to tell the nation,” Velazquez remarked. “Here we are today bringing a new program into this community health center to connect those that are most vulnerable… Given the political climate in Washington, this is so important. This is a success story that we need to talk about.”

Red Hook StarRevue

BARS!

There are so many to choose from. In this day and age, so modern in many respects yet so arcane in others, the familiar sight of a long countertop placed before a shelf of bright gleaming shiny multicolored mysterious profane delicious bottles of warmth and good cheer is a comfort and a joy. Whether you are drinking alone, looking to mingle, or already have one or two friends of your very own, Red Hook and its environs has the saloon, cocktail lounge, dive, drinking hole, cantina, or sports bar for you.

BAR DIRECTORY

RED HOOK

BAIT & TACKLE

Quiet cash-only cocktail lounge. Mon-Sat, noon-3 am; Sun noon - midnight. 718-852-4888. 228 Van Brunt Street.

Sunnys

You won’t ﬁnd any food at this crusty establishment, but you will ﬁnd a lot of taxidermied animals. 3pm-4am M-F, 1pm4am Sat & Sun. (718) 451-4665. 320 Van Brunt St. LIVE MUSIC 9PM MONDAYS

Botanica

Fancy cocktails and rare beers - from the folks who brought you Widow Jane distillery next door. Mon. closed; Tue, Wed 3-10 pm; Thu, Fri 3 pm -12 am; Sat 12 pm - 2 am; Sun noon-11 pm. (347) 225-0147. 220 Conover St.

When you drink at Sunny’s you’re drinking history - this bar has been around for over 100 years. LIVE MUSIC Thu, Fri, & Sat nights. Mon closed; Tue 4 pm-2 am; Wed-Fri 4 pm-4 am; Sat 10 am–4 am; Sun, 10 am–midnight (718) 625-8211. 253 Conover St.

Verona Wine Bar

A new, low-key, family owned place. Excellent tapas, mixed drinks, and wine (of course). Mon-Tue closed; Wed-Thur 3 pm-midnight; Fri-Sat 3 pm-3 am; Sun 3 pm -9 pm. (929) 3376014. 253 Van Brunt St.

ROCKY SULLIVAN'S

outdoor patio & karaoke. Sun-Thur 4 pm-2 am; Fri-Sat 4 pm-4 am. (917) 733-1054. 200 Columbia St.

The Hop Shop

Extensive beer list with a friendly atmosphere. Mon, closed; Tue-Thur, 5 pm-midnight; Fri 5 pm-2 am; Sat, noon - 2 am; Sun noon-midnight. (718) 852-2184. 121 Columbia St.

Jalopy Tavern & Theater

Half solid bar with tasty drinks and food, half kickass venue and music school. Live music almost every night. Mon-Thur 4pm-2am; F,ri 4 pm-4 am; Sat noon-4 am; Sun 11ammidnight. (718) 395-3214. 317 Columbia St.

Mazzat

A wholesome, warm, friendly Mediterranean restaurant with tapas and full bar. Noon-10pm daily. (718) 8521652. 208 Columbia St.

Phil’s Crummy Corner

Lively sports bar with fresh, authentic Puerto Rican food. Mon, closed; Tue, Wed & Sun, noon-2 am; Thur-Sat noon-4 am. (718) 246-1252. 323 Columbia St.

Fort Defiance

Ice House

Neighborhood atmosphere with full kitchen and full bar. Weekly trivia, Irish classes, and live music most nights, including jam sessions. (718) 246-8050. 34 Van Dyke St.

Bar Tano

COLUMBIA WATERFRONT

Halyards

Cocktails and food in the heart of Van Brunt. Mon, Wed-Fri, 10 am-midnight; Sat, Sun 9 am-midnight; Tue 10 am-3 pm. (347) 453-6672. 365 Van Brunt St. Cozy laid-back tavern with punk music, decent bar food and a back patio. Noon-4 am daily. (718) 222-1865. 318 Van Brunt St.

Hometown Bar-B-Que

Barbeque joint with rustic aesthetic and live music on weekends. Fri-Sat, noon - midnight; Sun noon-10 pm; Mon closed; Tue-Thur noon-11pm. (347) 294-4644. 454 Van Brunt St.

Hope & Anchor

Brooklyn-style diner with karaoke Fri & Sat from 9 pm-1:30 am. Mon-Wed 11:30 am-11 pm; Thur-Fri 11:30 am 1:00 am; Sun 9 am-10 pm. (718) 2370276. 347 Van Brunt St.

Red Hook Star-Revue

Seaborne

B61

A friendly bar with wide-open windows, sidewalk seating, and Alma Restaurant upstairs. Mon-Fri 4 pm- 4 am; Fri 5:30-11 pm; Sat 2 pm-4 am, Sun 1 pm-4 am. (718) 643-5400. 187 Columbia St.

40 Knots

Cheap drinks, $1 pool table, juke box

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RESTAURANT & BAR

GOWANUS

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September 2016

FALL EDUCATION

t’s September, and that means it’s time for the Star-Revue’s first annual Back to School guide, featuring Q&A’s with some Red Hook’s dearest educational institutions. We sent questions to every school in Red Hook, and these were the responses we received.

fers learn-to-work programs as well as many other community partnerships. Are you adding any new activities or programs this year? This year SBCHS is adding co-ed track and field as well as driver’s education. In addition, we are continuing our garden program and our partnership with the Red Hook Justice Center’s Peacemaker Program, which we started last year. How do you keep parents in the loop?

South Brooklyn Community High School started as a program first at John Jay High School in Park Slope and then at the Miccio Center. We became an accredited high school and moved into our current building in 2001.

SBCHS offers monthly parent meetings, which are often on a particular theme, such as financial aid for colleges. In addition, students’ counselors do weekly parent outreach, we host regular mandated parent teacher conferences, and we have a monthly newsletter. SBCHS’ school leadership team has parent members, and parents can also track their children’s grades through an online report system. Finally, at the end of every year we hold an awards ceremony honoring everyone in our community, including parents.

What makes your school unique?

How do you handle bullying?

SBCHS has a partnership with Good Shephard Services, and is a transfer school for students who have struggled at or dropped out of other schools. Our students are between the ages of 16 and 21, and we have a student to staff ratio of 6 to 1. Every student has a counselor, and we of-

We have a very small student to staff ratio, and we very very carefully monitor our students’ relationships. At the first hint of potential conflict, we act on it immediately. If a conflict does occur, the students will address it with their counselors. Parents may be involved in the mediation. We also ad-

South Brooklyn Community High School

How many students attend SBCHS? 157 When was SBCHS founded?

dress bullying in group advising sessions. How does your school integrate itself into the community? Through our student partnerships. In addition to our work with the Red Hook Justice Center we collaborate with Dance Theatre Etcetera. Many of our alumni work in other programs in the community as well. What skills or interests do you look for when hiring new teachers? We look for a high level of competence, but also a sensitivity to traumainformed practices. It takes a special person to work with our population. People who come here really want to be here.

Summit Academy Charter School

How many students attend Summit Academy Charter School? 320-350 When was your school founded? Summit Academy Charter School was founded in 2008 and welcomed its first class of scholars in 2009. What makes your school unique? We set high expectations for our scholars and provide a loving, caring, and supportive space for everyone on board. From leadership to our staff, we believe that every kid has the capacity to strive in greatness. (continued on page 16)

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September 2016, Page 15

FALL EDUCATION Our local schools speak (continued from page 15) Are you adding any new activities or programs this year? Yes! Here at Summit we are introducing new programs and activities this year that have derived from 95% of our seniors receiving acceptance letters from colleges. These programs and activities include an academic lab, a coding class, a tech and engineering class, Genius Hour and an increase in musical productions. How do you keep parents in the loop? Here at Summit we keep parents in the loop by making a school newspaper titled Summit Times, which includes everything that’s happening for that week. We’re also creating a Tuesday Tribune which also includes what’s happening in the week, but mostly focuses on what events and trips are coming up as well as the prices of Summit gear and other stuff pertaining to summit uniforms.

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In addition, scholars’ advisors keep in contact with parents, updating them on their child’s behavior, grade average, Parent-Teacher Conference date, and social, mental, and emotional states. How do you handle bullying? We have the scholars that are involved sit down and talk it out, and then we address the scholars’ parents for a parent and scholar meeting. From there we take steps to ensure that that type of situation doesn’t happen again. How does your school integrate itself into the community? Scholars are required to fulfill a certain amount of community service hours. This helps scholars learn what giving back and benefiting their community means. Also, we host our own events which invites the Red Hook community to attend and be part of something green, educational, and fun. We create and host our own health fair, canned food drives, toy drives, fundraisers, and walks. Our way of integrating is very authentic because it comes from our heart. What skills or interests do you look for when hiring new teachers? We look for someone who believes that our scholars have the abilities to strive in all areas - someone who understands and has the commitment to what a teacher is and whose main concern isn’t about the money.

BASIS Independent Brooklyn

How many students attend BASIS? 675 serving Pre K – Grade 12. When was BASIS founded?

30+ Bands • 2 Stages • Workshops Art & Photography • Film Screenings For more info & tickets visit www.jalopy.biz or 315 Columbia St. Brooklyn, NY Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue

BASIS Independent Brooklyn was one of two flagship independent schools that opened in Fall 2014 (the other was BASIS Independent Silicon Valley). We started in 1998 as a charter school system in Tucson. What makes BASIS unique? Our program is rooted in the liberal arts and sciences and offers a wellrounded, accelerated curriculum. Additionally, all elementary students

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take engineering, physical education, fine arts, drama, and music, integrated math and science, humanities, and an interdisciplinary, project-based course called Connections. In the elementary years, all students have two teachers: A Subject Expert Teacher, responsible for delivering high level academic content in each classroom, and a Learning Expert Teacher who is responsible for ensuring what that content is. Our students are all required to take a minimum of six AP classes, which is well within their grasp after years of accelerated learning in the early grades. Are you adding new programs or activities this year? The way we develop our enrichment offerings is very student-led. We allow students to be entrepreneurs and create their own clubs and activities, which is a strong learning opportunity. Some examples of what we currently offer in Brooklyn are a Minecraft club, ballet, soccer, fencing, cooking club, Model UN, and more. How do keep parents in the loop? Students are put in the driver’s seat of their own education right from the start - homework assignments are not posted online, but rather children keep a “Communication Journal” that includes everything from teacher’s notes to homework assignments to test scores. Still, students, parents, and teachers are an important triad that sometimes must all meet. We engage our parents in a number of social events, including Coffee with Administration, picnics, and family carnivals. Most importantly, however, we ask for parental support at home! How does your school integrate itself into the community? Our students have participated in the Red Hook Senior Games and the Red Hook Garden Clean-up. They have visited many local sites from the Red Hook Library to local restaurants on Van Brunt. We enjoy both utilizing and giving to the community! How do you handle bullying? We have very few bullying issues. We have implemented a code of conduct that promotes respect for fellow students and staff members. In particular, the school adheres to a zero tolerance policy toward any language or behavior that intimidates, belittles, or causes physical or emotional injury to others. What do you look for in teachers? We look for not only pedigree but the ability to engage a student. To measure this, a candidate must go through a number of rigorous interviews including meetings with our central teacher recruiting staff and administration onsite. The last stage of any interview is always the demo lesson, when a teacher is required to perform a 25-minute lesson to a group of students who will then evaluate a teacher based on his or her ability to excite and inspire them to continue studies in the field.

September 2016

FALL EDUCATION A special talent creates a Red Hook institution by Halley Bondy

hen Tshawn attended PS 27 elementary school, his mother Tiffiney Davis was concerned about his future. She lacked financial resources and lived in a Red Hook neighborhood full of pitfalls for young African-American men, she recalls. Moreover, Tshawn seemed to have trouble communicating with people. When school volunteer Deirdre Swords approached her with the harebrained idea of teaching art to

in-depth training, or they tend to be chaotic,” Swords said. “At best it’s distracting, and at worst it can derail everything for kids who are really interested in art.”

Program celebrating tenth anniversary

Over the past decade, Swords has been developing the Red Hook Art Project (RHAP), an afterschool and weekend non-profit program dedicated to artsy, at-risk kids. Currently, about 20 students are enrolled in the program aged 8-17 learning fine art,

“This program can help change kids’ mindsets and help them build healthier relationships." her 9-year-old in an afterschool setting, Tiffiney was skeptical. “She told me Tshawn was a talented artist, and that drawing would help him express himself,” Tiffiney said. “At first I didn’t understand. I thought he needed to do more reading and writing. Where I come from, drawing didn’t get you anywhere.” Tiffiney took the plunge, however, and she is thankful she did. Because of his work with Swords, Tshawn not only learned how to express himself, he learned how to compile a portfolio that eventually landed him at the prestigious Edward R. Murrow High School. Now, he’s painting, drawing, and working on his own clothing line at F.I.T. college. It’s an incredible success story for the books - but it didn’t stop at Tshawn. After working with him, Swords who has an MFA in fine art - was inspired to help more kids in the Red Hook area who have serious talent, but who lack the resources and information to get into good schools. Arts education is well known to be linked to academic achievement in other subjects, yet it’s often marginalized in public education. “Few schools in the area offer any

music, writing, and more with the help of 10 volunteers. Classes are usually between six and eight students, and include everything from portfolio-building to screenprinting to creating gallery shows. Homework help in various subjects is also available. RHAP isn’t a one-off program; volunteers follow kids through the years to make sure they stay on track and navigate the tricky New York City school system successfully. The results are outstanding. Because of RHAP, four more students got into Edward R. Murrow High school this year alone, with one more hoping to transfer. “It’s very uplifting to experience the students’ joy when they make art,” Swords said. “It’s something they have a tendency to do, but they haven’t been able to find the space and time to do it. When they’re given that, the joy just pours out of them.” RHAP is located in a small storefront at 183 Richard Street. Tuition is free with a $25 optional monthly donation.

RHAP's sole employee

As managing director, Tiffiney Davis– yes, Tshawn’s mom - is RHAP’s sole employee. Inspired by her own son’s story, she now develops RHAP’s network of students, parents, and volunteers on a full-time basis.

Deirdre Swords is the founder of RHAP. She is in Coffey Park, where her students recently painted the giraffes on the park house. With her is RHAP student Gabriel.

Tshawn, head to redhookartproject. org for more information. “I’ve watched my son blossom dramatically within the last couple of

years, and I’m so proud of him,” Tiffiney said. “This program can help change kids’ mindsets and help them build healthier relationships. Students are really happy about it.

“I wanted to share what I experienced with other parents who also are also low income,” she said. “I want to show people that it opens doors.”

Tiffiney Davis with RHAP student Alliyah at a recent fundraiser. (photos by Fiala)

Red Hook Star-Revue

Not everyone can join this seemingly utopic program, however. There is an application process. Students have to demonstrate a serious passion for art or music, and they need to show examples of work they’ve done. If they pass, students undergo a month-long trial period to determine whether or not they can adapt to the classes; the volunteers aren’t trained to handle special needs, very disruptive, or extremely distractible students.

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September 2016, Page 17

FALL EDUCATION

Strong Place for Hope's future now secure by Nathan Weiser

he Strong Place for Hope Day Care on Clinton Street in Red Hook is experiencing better times now than earlier this year. The space is secure and there is now no danger of it closing. “The community is happy, my employees are happy, my parents are happy, the children are always happy and the staff is happy,” said Lorraine Pennisi, the executive director. “I am happy that we are continuing to serve this community.”

Enrollment at the day care is currently back to full capacity. “Last summer we were at 100% enrollment, and once this building situation happened, our enrollment was struggling. We are now back to 100%,” Pennisi said. “People in the community need us here.” In early spring 2016, Strong Place faced the possibility of closure after a disgruntled landlord put the building up for sale. He was frustrated that the city would not invest in maintenance and upkeep costs for the publicly funded day care. An online petition to save Strong Hope collected 1,685 signatures and was sent to Councilmen Carlos Menchaca and Steven Levin’s, and Mayor Bill de Blasio’s office. The city intervened at the 11th hour, sparing the day care from imminent closure. Strong Place Day Care is the only not-

for profit day care in Red Hook. They are completely city funded and an Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) Early Learn facility. According to its website, “ACS protects and promotes safety and well-being of NYC’s children and families by providing child welfare, juvenile justice and early care and education service.” Inside the day care’s walls, last year’s theme was a tribute to heroes. When Pennisi decided on the theme last September, she didn’t know the foreshadowing of how many heroes the day care would need in the coming year to keep the facility open. “The city really went to bat for this community,” Pennisi said. “The Mayor [was the one who] ultimately decided that this was so necessary. Councilman Levin and Councilman Menchaca both came to graduation in June when we had our Pre-K graduation.” Borough President Eric Adams’ office, Menchaca and Levin sent a joint letter to ACS’s Commissioner Gladys Carrion on February 26 advocating ACS to keep the school open. “Ultimately, the value of Strong Place for Hope Day Care goes beyond the measure of money,” the letter said. “Parents - the majority of whom work full time - rely on them to provide their children with quality early childhood services and care. Given the lack of

similar programs in Red Hook, Strong Place for Hope is a crucial service in the community. We implore that ACS evaluate the situation, and look forward to you saving Strong Place for Hope Day Care from closure.” Menchaca was a proponent of the day care throughout the whole process when it was in danger of closing. “I commit my unwavering support to our district’s youngest New Yorkers and to working with Strong Place to ensure that it remains in our neighborhood for generations to come,” he said. This is a year-round day care facility because, the executive director says, this is what working parents need. The day care is open for the community from 8 in the morning until 6 in the evening. Strong Place gets extra funding for the

Pre-K classes. Pennisi said that dance, sport ball and music will be offered for the first time beginning in the fall. Sport ball is an activity where the Pre-K kids are introduced to multiple sports including learning how to kick a soccer ball, hit and throw a baseball and use a hockey stick. Pennisi thinks that sport ball is important in many ways; she even prefers it to the dance class. “It helps the children with their hand eye coordination, it grows their motor skills and it gets them moving - which I think is important,” Pennisi added. They will learn music theory in the music class. Also, the kids will learn musical notation, about half and quarter notes, as well as keys on the keyboard. “They will learn lots of different genres of music,” Pennisi said. “I am very excited about that.”

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September 2016, Page 19

Shore Power System operational, but not yet in use; Congresswoman seeks explanation by Noah Phillips

he Shore Power System at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal has not yet been handed over to the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) for use, despite a statement by the Port Authority that the handover was targeted for August.

Sources at EDC confirm that the system is operational and that most ships that make port calls at the BCT have been configured to plug into the system. However, certain “cosmetic” details have yet to be resolved, such as installing fans and stairs at the facility. EDC is hopeful that the Shore Power System (SPS) will be used for the September 8 birthing of the Queen Mary 2. “The outstanding items impacting official turnover from the PA have nothing to do with the functionality and operation of the system for future calls,” wrote an EDC source in an email. “Management will be handed over pending final work to the system. There is also a third and final inspection scheduled for Thursday [September 1].” Shore power is a method of reducing port pollution by plugging ships into electrical grids on land, rather than idling their engines by burning fuel. The SPS at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is the first on the U.S. East Coast, and has been in development since 2010.

Carnival Corporation currently has a preferred birthing contract with EDC. Carnival owns the Queen Mary 2, the Regal Princess, the Crown Princess, and the Caribbean Princess - these four ships will make 44 of the 48 remaining calls at BCT between now and December 31, 2017, when Carnival’s current contract expires. Sources at EDC say that Carnival will likely be the next primary user as well. When the contract expires, the electricity rate as supplied by the NY Power Authority will be renegotiated, and will likely be lower than the current rate of 12 cents per kilowatt hour. None of the three other ships currently scheduled to call at the BCT will be using the SPS. Two of these are small yachts not owned by Carnival. The other is the Aurora, part of Carnival’s P&O line, which will dock twice in September 2017. After the 2017 negotiations EDC will endeavor to keep SPS running, but there is no guarantee. Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez sent a letter to EDC on August 20 to clarify the cause of the delay. “I am pleased that the construction of a shore-supplied power (‘shore power’) system at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal appears to have been com-

Photo courtesy of NYC Economic Development Corporation

pleted,” begins the letter. “While we have certainly come a long way, I am concerned about delays in the system's launch. For these reasons, I want to urge you to commence the ‘shore power’ system's operation as soon as possible.” Congresswoman Velazquez cited figures from the Bluewater Network, an environmental advocacy group, equating an idling cruise ship’s emissions to those of 12,400 cars.

“After all the investment in such a system, and having passed tests with the ships outfitted with ‘shore power’ capability, it is a shame that recent port calls by the Queen Mary 2 have not been able to utilize the ‘shore power’ system,” concluded the Congresswoman. “I am hopeful that we can begin the use of the ‘shore power’ system well before this tourist season is over.” As of press time, EDC had not responded to the Congresswoman’s letter.

Red Hook ballfields a leaden mess

n Thursday, August 4, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Parks Department held another meeting at the Miccio Community Center to update the community of remediation of the Red Hook ball fields. They announced the timeline for construction of the fields and the process place before the construction can begin. As part of the investigation of the former Columbia Smelting and Refining Works smelting plant, the EPA sampled soil from the block where the plant once stood as well as many fields in the complex. The results showed lead in the surface soils from the former Columbia facility at elevated levels in ball fields 5-8. These fields contained the highest level of contamination and were the first to be closed. Lead from the Columbia Smelting plant was also found in soils at ball field 9, but the results didn’t show elevated levels of lead in the surface soils. The Parks Department is working with the EPA to perform removal action on fields 5-8. Natalie Loney, who is the community involvement coordinator with the EPA, emphasized that the design will take community input into consideration. The EPA has included more bike racks and perimeter lighting in

Page 20 Red Hook Star-Revue

by Nathan Weiser

their designs as suggested. Gregor, the on-scene coordinator for the remediation at the Red Hook ball fields, said that part of the reason that these fields needed to be closed is that children under six are most sensitive to health effects of lead contamination.

“with a real expectation that we will open for baseball in the spring,” Jeffrey said.

Jeffrey noted that the timeline could not be accelerated.

The EPA sampled the fields from 0-1 feet, 6-12 feet, 12-18 feet and 18-24 feet. Twelve inches of soil will be removed and replaced to eliminate exposure. NYC Parks has finished soliciting requests for proposals and has submitted the work order to the NYC Office of Management and Budget for approval. The contractor has also completed the geotechnical investigation for this phase. Detailed engineering drawings for every area of the site are being made, including layout, storm water management and equipment. As part of the remediation the fields will be elevated 11 inches up from current the 8.45 inches. Kevin Jeffrey, the Brooklyn Parks Commissioner, said that NYC Parks did an aggressive hydro-seed earlier in the summer on baseball fields 1-4 to see if they could be open this year. After modest effects, the Parks Department decided the fields should remain closed. They will hydro-seed again in October and November,

Someone walking through the Red Hook ballfields will find many of them boarded off with wire fences. At this point, the track and ballfield 9, which is between Bay and the Henry Street basin remain open - the other baseball and soccer fields are closed until the lead is removed from the soil beneath them. The four baseball fields between Bay and Lorraine Streets are due to reopen in October of 2018, at which time field 9 will undergo remediation. All the fields except for soccer fields 1,3 and 6 will be reopened in the spring of 2020 - the three remaining fields will take until 2022. Brooklyn Park Commissioner Kevin Jeffrey is hopeful that the four baseball fields close to the Grain Terminal may possibly be used next season, although that is not a given.

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September 2016