The
Red Hook StarªRevue
JANUARY 2017
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FREE
RED HOOK ENTREPRENEUR AIMS TO TRANSFORM ELECTRIC CAR INDUSTRY by Halley Bondy
I
magine a world where fueling your car is as easy as riding in the EZ-Pass lane. You stop your car momentarily over a manhole cover-like structure in the road - then, zap! You’re fueled! No pumps, no fumes, and in theory, no hassle.
It sounds like science fiction, but a startup called HEVO, which stands for Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Optimization, has been quietly working on this groundbreaking technology in a Commerce Street space for years. In 2017, wireless charging could become a reality, eliminating the nightmarish obstructions facing electric car drivers today. HEVO is starting its ventures in Red Hook, where it is also developing an electric car share program for residents. Currently, HEVO is in talks with Red Hook developers regarding pickup points and wireless charging stations for the car share. “Red Hook can be a beacon for this market. It’s an underserved neighborhood, and an electric car share is a way to bring clean transportation to the residents,” said HEVO CEO Jeremy McCool. The wireless technology works around the interaction between the car and a receiver embedded in the road. A system is connected to the local electric grid and fitted to the bottom of the car. When the car links up to the receiver - which may look like a manhole cover - induction takes
“Red Hook can be a beacon for this market. It’s an underserved
neighborhood,
and an electric car share is a way to bring clean transportation to the residents,” said HEVO CEO Jeremy McCool. place in the form of electromagnetic resonance. Through this “handshake,” HEVO aims to charge cars for 5-15 miles for every mile driven. Between drives, users can manage things like location data, settings, and payment systems through the cloud.
Offices around the world
Aside from Red Hook, HEVO has offices in Silicon Valley and Amsterdam, with additional projects pending throughout New York City and in Jersey City, Georgia, The Netherlands, and more. To McCool, a veteran of the Iraq War and sustainable development expert, the electric car takeover is imminent. Only two things stand in the way. One of them is the notion that electric cars are obscure items for rich people. “We need to change the perception that electric cars are expensive. They are actually cheaper when it comes
Engineers doing an installation at the Commerce Street shop. (photo courtesy of HEVO)
to ongoing maintenance and fueling, and the $35,000 Telsa Model 3 is coming in 2017,” McCool says. HEVO does not have a relationship with the Tesla dealership on Van Brunt Street. However, McCool says the second hindrance - the inconvenience of fueling - is very real. “There’s no curbside fueling for public use in this city,” McCool said. “There are only a few places you can charge, and you really have to know what you’re doing in advance. You’ll see exclusive pay-as-you-go garages where an attendant has to park your vehicle and plug it in…or there are options like Duane
Reade or Park Slope CVS charging stations, but you have to be a member of some specific vendor service, and sometimes you have to call the vendor to wake up the system. It’s terrible.” Though he’s basically a Silicon Valley startup CEO, McCool’s background lends itself more to the blue-collar car industry. Hailing from New Mexico, McCool received primary education in Alabama and an undergraduate degree in Oklahoma. “Many of my friends and mentors are hydrocarbon and natural gas people,” (story continues page 15)
Stoves out for Christmas
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by George Fiala
he Grinch came early to some Red Hook tenants as National Grid cut off the cooking gas last year. Service is not expected to be restored until at least February, as NYCHA scrambles to install new pipes. On December 1, 2016, National Grid ordered NYCHA to replace the corroded gas lines in several Red Hook Houses. The four buildings affected - 116 Bush, 124 Bush, 829 Hicks and 831 Hicks - include 130 apartments.
Naqi Ullah attempts to explain to bewildered rent payers why they cannot use their stoves. (photo by Fiala)
Red Hook Star-Revue
On Monday, December 19, NYCHA Capital Projects and Management called a community meeting at the Miccio Center to discuss the outage. Interested and outraged residents
forced to cook on electric hotplates for three weeks showed up to find out from NYCHA exactly what was going on. NYCHA’s speaker was a gentleman named Naqi Ullah. He is a NYCHA Construction Project Manager for NYCHA Capital. Ullah has worked with NYCHA for two years, and previously worked in construction for two private companies. Almost everyone in the audience came to find out why their gas service was shut off, and when it would be restored. They also wanted to know whether they would be required to pay their full rent while not having a basic
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(story continues page 15)
January 2017, 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
RELIGIOUS SERVICES Christian
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
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
Happenings, etc. For more events and community meetings, visit our website at www.star-revue.com and click on the “calendar” tab. To get your event listed in this section, email editor@redhookstar.com and include “happenings” in the subject line.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, JANUARY 7 & 8 Take your tree to Mulchfest 2017 from 10 am - 2 pm at various locations. The chipping locations are: Cobble Hill Park, Columbia & Carroll Streets, Coffey Park, Red Hook Park and Lorraine and Henry Streets. For more locations you can visit www.nyc.gov and search for “Mulchfest.”
SATURDAYS, JANUARY 7 AND 14
Friends of Carroll Park will be collecting non-perishable items for donation during their Annual City Harvest Food Drive from 1-4 pm. Drop of food at the park house in Carroll Park, 237 Carroll Street.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 10
The Red Hook West Tenant Association monthly meeting. The meeting will be at from 6:30-9:30 pm. 428 Columbia St. Rm 1C.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18 The Red Hook East Tenant Association monthly meeting from 6:30 - 9:00 pm at 167 Bush Street 1B.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19
Pioneer Works will host New York Times bestselling author Dava Sobel in conversation with Lia Halloran to discuss Sobel’s new book, The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars. 159 Pioneer Street, 8 pm. BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s forum “A New American Dream: : Role of Global Benchmarking in Education - Lessons for Parents and Schools” at 7 pm with special guest Tue Halgreen. The leadership event will discuss the role of global benchmarking for 21st century technological advances. 556 Columbia Street.
SUNDAY, JANUARY 22 Pioneer Works will host the third annual Software for Artists Day for artists and developers to illustrate new software/hardware tools available for contemporary art practice from 10 am - 7 pm. Juan Cortes, Laura Chen, Sam Lavigne and Allison Parish. 159 Pioneer Street.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 24
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
The Gowanus Canal Advisory Group (CAG) monthly meeting, at St. Mary’s Residence, 41 1st Street, 6:30-9 pm
Stretching Far and Wide Global Ministry, Inc.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26
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 pm4:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am - 12:00 noon. Masses: Saturday 4:00 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 8:30 am-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 noon (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.
The Red Hook West Tenant Association Executive Board election from 4-8 pm. 428 Columbia Street - 1C.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1
Hot Wood Arts first Wednesday’s figure drawing session from 7-10 pm, $10. 481 Van Brunt Street 9B.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3
BASIS Independent Brooklyn volunteers will be hosting a social mixer for Red Hook Art Project from 6-8 pm. For tickets, donate on RHAP’s website: www.Redhookartproject.org/social-mixer. 183 Richards Street.
The
St. Paul’s Carroll Street
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/
Red Hook StarªRevue
481 Van Brunt Street, 8A, Brooklyn, NY 11231
FOR EDITORIAL, ADVERTISING OR EMPLOYMENT INQUIRIES, email: info@redhookstar.com, or call (718) 624-5568
Jewish
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
The Star-Revue is published by Kimberly G. Price & George Fiala
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: 9:00pm Friday: Winter: 5 minutes before Shabbat candle lighting time Summer: 7:30pm Saturday: Shabbat candle lighting time
Noah Phillips, Associate Editor Nathan Weiser, Emily Kluver Reporters Halley Bondy, Arts Laura Eng, Religion Mary Ann Pietanza
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 9:00 am, services at 10:00 am followed by kiddish lunch. All are welcome.
The Red Hook Star-Revue is published monthly. Founded June 2010.
If your religious institution isn’t listed here, let us know by emailing info@redhookstar.com Thanks! Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue
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January 2017
Heated contest for Red Hook West TA Prez by Noah Phillips
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n January 26, the Red Hook Houses West Tenant Association (TA) will hold elections for its executive board. Across the city, TA executive boards act as gobetweens for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and its many residents. The president of the board also acts as spokesperson for their residents and is responsible for dispersing Tenant Participation Funds. Lillie Marshall has been TA president of Red Hook West since 2001. Marshall is challenged by Andrea McKnight, who has run twice previously. “There’s pros and cons on both sides,” says Bea Byrd, a Red Hook West resident and NYCHA board member who served as TA president between 1995 and 2000. “You could say they’re both community activists, and they’re vying for a position. I just hope whoever wins is going to do the best they can for the residents.” The executive board consists of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and sergeant-at-arms. While residents vote for these administrative positions independently of one another, they are usually arranged in slates of candidates centered around the position of president.
Low Membership
Of the over 3,000 residents of Red Hook West, only 8% are members of the TA. Residents can join until the election begins at 4 pm in the Red Hook West TA office 428 Columbia Street 1C. Voting will continue until 8 pm. “That’s the challenge of the Tenant Association, to bring out their membership, to bring out the residents,” says Byrd. “If they know that you really care about their concerns and you’re willing to listen to them and make something happen for them, they will begin to come out.” In addition to holding the presidency of the Red Hook West TA, Marshall is the Chair of the Brooklyn South Council of Presidents, an association of TA heads. Marshall, who has repeatedly announced imminent retirement, says there is more for her to do. “I started to retire but I have a few more things that I am working on which no one can get done but me,” Marshall wrote in an email to the StarRevue. “Most of the players and workers already know who I am and what I will get done with or without them.” Some of Marshall’s priorities have included refurbishment of the Red Hook Senior Center, installation of cameras, and NextGeneration NYCHA, a strategic plan developed by Mayor de Blasio meant to avoid a federal takeover of New York’s public housing. She also advocated strongly for the community garden across from the library on Wolcott Street. “I have done a good job all these years,” wrote Marshall. “I am out in the field every day and the tenants see me out here making sure all of their needs are taken care of. I do not knock on
Red Hook Star-Revue
doors checking to see if a person has a problem, but if they come to me, rest assured I take care of it.” McKnight and her supporters, however, believe that despite Marshall’s efforts, it is time for a new executive board. “The reason I’m running is to make a change,” said McKnight in an interview after the nominations meeting in December. “The main thing is to give a voice to people who do not have a voice, and to do something for youth.” McKnight is a founding member of the Red Hook Lions Club and helped to organize the Friends of the Red Hook Library group. She also served for a time on Community Board 6. She hopes to increase the linguistic, cultural, and ethnic diversity of the TA. She also wants to increase transparency and information flow, claiming that when information about programs comes down from NYCHA, the current executive board doesn’t disseminate it equitably among residents. “There’s no watchdog on this office,” says McKnight.
TPF Money
One of the powers of the TA president is the allocation of Tenant Participation Funds (TPF). TPF consist of $25 per tenant per development allocated by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to housing authorities across the country. In New York, NYCHA keeps a portion of the TPF, but TA presidents have dis-
Bazemore notes that NYCHA, already billions of dollars underfunded, will likely be
Lillie Marshall together with Lorna Montalvo of IKEA at the re-opening of the restaurant last year.
Andrea McKnight at her Red Hook West home where she has lived since 1979. (Fiala photos)
leaders. Wally Bazemore, who has lived in the Houses on and off for 60 years, ran unsuccessfully for TA Vice President three years ago. He says that there is a tendency for TA presidents to become complacent.
Trump as president, whoever wins will not have room to be shy about using their bully pulpit. Bazemore notes that NYCHA, already billions of dollars underfunded, will likely be vulnerable to even more extreme cuts over the next several years.
“You can’t be given a title and just sit there and think that things are going to fall in your lap. You have to motivate the community and you have to be motivated,” says Bazemore. “NYCHA attaches strings to you. If they don’t want to send money for your Family Day, they won’t unless you buck dance for them. But that’s good, because that means you have to be creative and take advantage of your surroundings.” Bazemore also says that with Donald
“I’m hoping that whoever gets in really sees the future and really has a strategic plan for this community,” says Bazemore. “We’ve gone as far as we can go just on good faith, just trusting in the system. That hasn’t worked so far.” Regardless of who wins on January 26, it is clear that the TA president will have a lot of work to do in 2017 and going forward. As Byrd says, “The best of luck to the two slates and let the best woman win!”
vulnerable to even more extreme cuts over the next several years. cretion about how to direct the rest. Common uses include annual family days, educational trips, computer classes, job placement services, and after school programs. If the funds aren’t drawn upon, NYCHA retains them. The NYCHA press office had not responded to a query about whether or how the money had been used over the last several years as of press time. There are many other items of concern to residents of Red Hook West, including garbage disposal, roof repair and toxic mold, outstanding maintenance requests, job programs, and rent increases. In addition, NYCHA residents are impacted by all of the same issues that affect the rest of the neighborhood such as resilience, private development, and public transportation. TA presidents have an important role in advocating on behalf of residents on these items as well as building coalitions with other neighborhood
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January 2017, Page 3
RELIGIOUS NEWS BY LAURA ENG laura.eng59@aol.com.
Annual Presepio Blessing at Guido Funeral Home
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ne of the most joy-filled Christmas celebrations in our area took place - perhaps ironically - at F.G. Guido Funeral Home on the evening of December 22 with the blessing of a grand 18th Century presepio (in America, presepi are known as nativity scenes).
The event was hosted by Frank Guido and his daughter, Maria-Ray Guido, proprietors of Guido Funeral Home, the oldest family-owned funeral home in Brooklyn. The family has been in business since 1883. The parlor is housed in a National Landmark Greek Revival mansion in Carroll Gardens. The annual blessing had always been a family affair, but in recent years the Guidos have opened the celebration up to the community. This year’s ceremony began and ended with prayers offered by Monsignor Guy Massie and included Bible readings of the Christmas story, which alternated with Christmas carols sung a capella by the Ghostlight Chorus and members of the Youth Chorus of Sacred Hearts/ St. Stephen Church. Midway through the ceremony, a figure of Baby Jesus was carefully placed in the manger by Frank Simon DeSimone, Maria-Ray’s eight-year old son.
St. Francis of Assisi
The first presepio was a living one created in a cave on the outskirts of Greccio, Italy by St. Francis of Assisi back in the 13th century. The idea of staging living nativity scenes became popular throughout Catholic countries and eventually the living scenes were replaced with life-sized statues which were eventually scaled down to miniature figures. By the 18th century, presepi were very popular most especially in Naples and had become something not just for the nobility but also for the middle class. While all presepio scenes include the Holy Family as well as shepherds, angels, animals such as oxen and sheep, and the Three Kings, traditional Neapolitan presepi are a panoply of an entire town and include figures of villagers, shopkeepers, and street vendors which were representative of the people who owned them and their livelihoods. For example, if you were a butcher, your presepio would surely have a figure of a butcher prominently exhibited. The displays often led to competitions between families as to who could produce the most impressive presepio. The Guidos’ presepio dates to the 18th century and has been in the family for generations with Frank Guido adding many pieces over the years, usually acquired through antique dealers. All of the approximately 100 figures are
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Presepio at Guido’s Funeral Home. (photo by Laura Eng)
Neapolitan in origin except for two which were made in Genoa and are distinctively different in appearance. It takes about a week to assemble the entire elaborate scene. Maria-Ray pointed out that the right side of the presepio includes a caravan from the East including the Three Kings, the Moorish travelers accompanying them whose countries of origin can be traced by the type of sword they carried, and a young traveler probably from Africa holding an umbrella-like instrument of bells. She also explained that the left side was filled with figures of local Neapolitan villagers including a baker, a winemaker, a chestnut seller, and a woman carrying a basket of lemons which are reminiscent of the town of Sorrento from which the Guido family came. The presepio also includes many animals, including pets, and an old family chicken coop which had been refurbished into a stable. Directly behind the Holy Family at the center stands a soaring Christmas tree adorned with ribbons, candles and angels. There are additional angels perched on invisible wire high in the air above.
Carefully restored
The Guidos’ presepio is truly a museum-quality, treasured work of art and has been restored by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute. That restoration is most notably evidenced in the detailed fabrics and embroidery on the Three Kings and other noble figures. But to Maria-Ray Guido, the presepio and the occasion of its blessing has a more personal meaning in which the historical collection is inextricably linked to her loved ones as well as those of the people assembled. As she said in her welcome as the ceremony began, “We are sending the music up into the heavens for the people who are not with us; this is the only way we can cel(continued on next page)
January 2017
Religion
(continued from previous page)
ebrate the holiday with them... They are always in our hearts.”
Upcoming Events
Assumption BVM Church 55 Cranberry Street The 175th Anniversary celebration, the Yale Spizzwinks will perform on Saturday, January 14 at 7 pm. The Spizzwinks are the world’s longest running all-male underclassmen vocal ensemble. Tickets available at the door: $15 for adults; $10 for students and seniors. Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West Prayer and Mysticism Class on Saturdays from 9-10 am, for those interested in the Kabbalah. Oratory Church St. Boniface Parish Duffield and Willoughby Streets Father Dennis’ Book Club on January 29: White Noise by Don DeLillo and on February 26, Go Tell It On The Mountain by James Baldwin at 1 pm, Aula Maxima. New members welcome.
Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church Summit & Hicks Street Observation of the Feast of St. Stephen on Sunday, January 15 at 10 am, celebrated by Bishop Neil Tiedemann. Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament every Saturday from 4-5:15 pm and on First Fridays from 7:15-8:30 am followed by Mass. St. Agnes Church Sackett & Hoyt Streets Sounds on Sackett will resume in the Spring. Details available on soundsonsackett.com. Adult Religious Education - For adults who are interested in being baptized, receiving communion or being confirmed, please call (718) 625-1717, leave your name, phone number and email address and you will be notified when classes are to begin. St. Mary Star of the Sea Church 467 Court Street Weekly Saturday Vigil Mass has been changed to 4 pm. Please take note. St. Paul’s Catholic Church 234 Congress Street Young Adult Group - For a young
Neapolitan Presepio figurines (photo by Laura Eng)
adult between 21-39 who feels misunderstood and alone. For more information please call the rectory (718) 625-1717 or email stpaulandstagnes@ gmail.com Religious education - see information under St. Agnes listing.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 199 Carroll Street Third Friday Supper for Charity on January 20. All proceeds support parish outreach. Enjoy great food cooked up by great parish cooks, the convivial gathering, and not having to shop, cook, and clean up at home! This is a convenient “drop in affair”, so you may come to eat between 6:30 and 8 pm. $15 for adults, $5 for children, max per family: $30. Bring friends, bring people you don’t know, and in the love of the Lord, you can even bring enemies. Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street Feast of the Epiphany on Saturday, January 7 at 5 pm celebrated by Bishop Neil Tiedemann. Light refreshments to follow. Philip Retreat on Friday, January 13 from 6-9 pm, Saturday, January 14 and Sunday, January 15 from 9 am - 6 pm. Cost is $35; for more information, call Frances DeLuca at (917) 816-0197. Healing Mass on Wednesday, January 11 at 7 pm in Spanish and on Friday, January 27 at 7 pm in English.
Locals to MTA: Bring back the B71!
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t is well known that Red Hook and the Columbia Waterfront District don’t have much in the way of public transportation. To help, many locals would like to see the B71 brought back to make life easier for residents and workers. The B71 operated until 2010, when service ended due to budget cuts. It served the Columbia Waterfront District and Prospect Park as well as other areas. Residents and community advocates alike say that returning the bus to the area will make it much easier for residents without cars to get around. Nino Pantano, a longtime resident of the Columbia Waterfront District and whose father had a shoe store on Union Street, has been a major advocate for restoring the bus line along with his wife, Judy. “The seniors, school kids and general population must have this bus restored,” Pantano said. “We have only the B61 bus here and with the expansion in population in our local and surrounding neighborhoods, we must have more service now.” Pantano believes that putting this new line back in service will make it easier to get to schools and doctors in Park Slope, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the Brooklyn Public Library, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, Medgar Evers College and other places in Brooklyn.
Nothing happening at present
Councilman Brad Lander, whose district includes the Columbia Waterfront District, supports bringing back the B71. However, his office says that progress is currently at a standstill. “I am not sure quite sure if it will be approved next year,” Lander’s office said. “It is something that we are
Red Hook Star-Revue
by Nathan Weiser
Bridge Park, which didn’t exist back in 2010, has now been open for a few years and is a destination for tourists as well as residents of Brooklyn.
working on. We definitely support it. We want the bus to be back in service.” One person who works in the area who thinks the line’s return would be of real benefit to the community is Ben Fuller-Googins. He is the Programming and Planning Director at the Carroll Gardens Association (CGA), and thinks it would help people who have far commutes both to and from the area.
The proposed route for the B71 is different than the original, and attempts to accommodate more neighborhoods than previously. The new route would skip areas with a lot of traffic on Union Street and Eastern Parkway, and would extend the route to Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, more of Crown Heights and more of the Columbia Waterfront District.
CGA helps organize domestic workers in the neighborhood, and many of those workers come from Flatbush and Crown Heights. “These workers, who often work from the early morning until late at night, need to take a network of buses and subways,” says Fuller-Googins. “Restoring the B71 line would give more travel options and create more reliable and efficient commute times for domestic workers.” He thinks that relating the issue to lowincome workers and residents makes clear that restoring some variation of the B71 isn’t just a transportation issue but also relates to race and class, involves broader questions of what developing an equitable city looks like. Fuller-Googins thinks that it would make an impact if workers had the option of only taking the bus.
The MTA cut the previous B71 partly due to low ridership, but officials think the new route will be more popular. The B71 bus was discontinued in 2010, despite neighborhood protests. (file photo)
Park was severed.” Lander’s “Bring Back the B71 Bus!” petition also said that the Union Street bus that went from the waterfront to Eastern Parkway was a vital way of connecting the Waterfront District to Cobble Hill, Gowanus, Park Slope and Prospect Heights. The office’s petition stated that the route needs to return since so many more families and businesses are in these neighborhoods. Brooklyn
Fuller-Googins feels it important to recognize that transportation policy disproportionately impacts low income workers and residents. “We know that limited transportation access amplifies existing barriers for low-income workers, disproportionately people of color, who are likely to not own cars and therefore depend on public transit to get to work, school and shopping,” Fuller-Googins said. “Many people who work in these communities such as restaurant and domestic workers cannot afford to live here and require long commute times.”
Petitioning the MTA
In October of 2015 Lander’s office started a petition to get the bus line restored. So far, 1,687 people have added their names. “Students lost their route to school,” the petition said. “Seniors lost the bus that took that took them to the grocery store and shopping on Fifth Avenue. The link up to Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum, or down to Columbia Street and Brooklyn Bridge
Members of the state legislature rally for the restoration of the B 71 bus.
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January 2017, Page 5
LETTERS:
Mike Drop:
Carson vs Capra by Michael Racioppo
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’m a devout agnostic, and as we brace for the Trump era, my inner atheist has been gaining confidence. However, I admit I’ve got a soft spot for Christmas. Maybe it’s the idea of Christmas, or having been fortunate enough to receive some great presents over the years (Nintendo 64 comes to mind.) Or, when it all boils down, it could just be that I love Frank Capra’s classic movie It’s a Wonderful Life, and it’s message that is by no means Christmas specific. I make sure to watch it every year and would never deny that I get a bit choked up as Jimmy Stewart’s character, George Bailey, stands up to Lionel Barrymore’s repulsive and ruthless Potter in the name of affordable housing for the people of Bedford Falls. As Clarence the angel shows us, without George and his father before him Bedford Falls would be under Potter’s complete monopoly, with its citizens paying exorbitant rents for his slums. As George Bailey’s father notes just before his death, he believes creating affordable housing for working people satisfies “a fundamental urge. It’s deep in the race for a man to want his own roof and walls and fireplace, and we’re helping him get those things.” For those of us not living in Bedford Falls, we have to push for a government that enacts policies that creates and preserves affordable housing. In the city, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability are excellent starts. But clearly, changes should be made to overcome some of the community’s concerns. On the national level we have the humbug prospect of Potter’s fields. Dr. Ben Carson will be Trump’s Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary. When an agency exists to create and ensure access to housing for all people and the person in charge of this - Carson calls such work social engineering, it’s very hard to be the least bit hopeful. My logic may be as solid as thinking that a Jolly Fat Man visits every gentile house in the world and bestows gifts on all that are “nice,” but I hope that Secretary Carson is visited by his best angels and realizes that the people in our cities who rent, and live paycheck to paycheck, deserve a decent affordable home. At HUD, he can do that by supporting expansive funding for new housing while also enforcing fair housing rules. I’ll be the first to admit my thinking may be as implausible as having a guardian angel come down and show someone why the world is better due to them being born, but I hope that this message (an esoteric update of this great scene in which Bailey tells Potter off in defense of working people) reaches Trump’s nominee to head HUD. So here goes: Just remember this, Dr. Carson, that the people in our cities do most of the working and paying and living and dying in this country. Well, is it too much to have them work and pay and live and die in a couple of decent rooms and a bath? Anyway, George Bailey didn’t think so and neither do I. People are human beings to him, but to your boss, a warped, frustrated old man, they’re cattle. Well, in my book George Bailey died a much richer man then Trump will ever be. P.S. As the Trump era begins, the role of state and local government will be even more important than it already is. In that vein I have to say I’m very glad to see, in the 44th Assembly District (which overlaps with Councilmembers Menchaca and Lander) the newly elected Bobby Carroll is off to an excellent start with the hiring of longtime aide to Comptroller’s Stringer and Liu , Dan Campanelli as his chief of staff. I’m confident Bobby and Dan will work together to prove government can work, and can be a solution, despite what we’ll be hearing from Washington. Michael Racioppo is the Executive Director of the Gowanus Canal Community Development Corporation and the Vice Chair of Community Board 6
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Movin On
We liked Red Hook years before gentrification hit. Most people that have lived there for generations have been forced out already. But in any neighborhood that becomes trendy, this usually follows. So on to the next hood. - Jennifer Lewis Gonzalez
Sickening
I would hope that your readers view AECOM’S promotional video. Under this plan, this wonderful neighborhood would disappear. It would simply be gone. In its place would be a manicured massive esplanade of towering glass. This world would be unaffordable to anyone living here now. Another stretch of waterfront will stolen from the people and the marine industries that have been at Red Hook’s heart will be forced out. The most sickening aspect of that video is the nuance that Red Hook must be saved from itself! - Patrick Casey
Deplorable
On your piece about what Trump will mean for RH, I found many things interesting. You started by saying you did speak to Trump supporters but for the sake of their businesses, they chose not to identify themselves. How sad is that? That the totalitarian Left, who consider themselves the bastion of tolerance have created an atmosphere that others are not entitled to an opposing view as well as facing the wrath and at times violence on the part of the left. A man in Park Slope had a brick thrown through his window because he had a sign supporting Trump. The Left does not tolerate opposing opinions- just like communists and dictatorships. Trump’s election was embarrassing? Compared to what? A lifelong criminal in Clinton who committed treason as Secretary of State in Benghazi, lied repeatedly about it, sold national security information and uranium to the Russians for personal profit? She would be in jail were it not for The Obama Dep’t of Injustice. I mean The Clintons stole furniture on their way out of The White House. Look these things up - you won’t read about them in The Times. You go on to mention homeland security and urban development. I have news for you: there is no homeland security as we have no borders and let everyone into this country without being vetted- American is not a dumping ground- being in America is a privilege not a right. As to urban development, look up the 10 worst cities in this country as defined by crime, jobs, and income, you will find each and every one had been run by democrats for long periods of time. Inexperience? I will gladly take inexperience over proven ineptitude, terrible judgment, and corruption over her entire career. Inexperience may mean not being beholden to failed ideas..... ICE? Much less expensive to
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pay more ICE agents than deal with the much greater and more serious expense of paying for unvetted illegal aliens and their very high crime rate (look it up). Stop and frisk under Giuliani and Ray Kelly was a major factor in making America one of the safest major cities in the country, an amazing turnaround. Cops do not frisk those who are not suspicious. If many minorities are being frisked, it’s because they commit a disproportionate amount of street crime. Obamacare is a disaster. It was one big lie from the start and it was an intentional lie. It was about having power over the people not about Obama being a great human being who wanted to give more people health care. This law built on blatant lies has raised health care costs immensely for many people. It has put businesses out of business because they can’t afford the cost of healthcare and employees are subsequently let go or reduced to a 29-hour work week. Those who have gained health care including illegal aliens. Are doing so on the backs of the American middle class which is socialism. It is not my job to be over taxed to give illegals healthcare. Finally everything you quoted Trump as saying about unleashing American untapped energy reserves, untapped oil and coal reserves and CLEAN COAL is absolutely necessary. Overregulating all of these is foolish and terrible for the economy because you can’t rely on nothing but windmills. Coal and oil are not EVIL. They are necessary and there is tremendous effort and awareness that we keep them as clean as possible. But the purpose of killing these businesses are the same forces that would favor socialism over capitalism. There are reasons that almost 6000 counties nationwide went for Trump and less than 500 for Clinton. I think that instead of hating Trump and blaming everyone but themselves, liberals and democrats can instead learn from this defeat and get more in step with The America the rest of us believe in. - Jerry Parks
Special Guest
Bishop Neil Tiedemann will return to Visitation BVM Church on January 7, at 5:00 p.m. to celebrate mass. Bishop Tiedemann was administrator for seven years at Visitation and now he is returning to say this mass. Refreshments will follow. - Elsie Tweedy
Visitation Wedding
Hello I do not know the particulars of renting a church but this wedding was beautiful from the decor to the costumes some were crazy and did not belong in a church, but did they know where they were going my guess, the costumes were something out of a story book I have the pictures. Besides their costume the people were very friendly, no butts or extra tits hanging out they were dressed in expensive attire they all looked beautiful to me, big extravaganza for a Halloween wedding I thought. Sister Rosanna is very right “Stop Judging” This is 2016 we are not back in the times everything around us has changed expect the unexpected you don’t like it, well its done continue on with your life Be Happy in 2017. Henrietta Perkins.
January 2017
OBITUARY: BRENDAN J. DUGAN
St. Francis College announced the passing of President Brendan J. Dugan on December 18, 2016. He was 69. President Dugan worked in commercial banking for 40 years before becoming President of St. Francis College on July 1, 2008. Before that, he was Chairman of the College’s Board of Trustees and was instrumental in completing the $40 million Campaign for Big Dreams, a transformational project that resulted in the building of the Anthony J. Genovesi Athletic Center, the Academic Center, and set the stage for the Eileen C. Dugan Life Sciences Center which opened during his presidential tenure and houses the College’s fast-growing Nursing program. Upon being named President of St. Francis College Mr. Dugan made clear that his mission was “to offer working class families a College that provides a great education at an affordable price and one that makes sure its graduates are not just prepared to enter the job market but will be productive in all aspects of their lives.” He was a board member of the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy. In the past he was active with the New York Bankers Association and was a member of its Board of Directors and Legislative Policy Committee.
Brendan J. Dugan
President Dugan cherished his Irish heritage. His family hailed from Kilcar County, Donegal. He was honored by both the St. Patrick’s Society of Brooklyn and The Great Irish Fair. Brendan J. Dugan is survived by his wife Barbara A. Dugan, his sons Joseph (Stephanie), Michael and Patrick (Christina), and his six grandchildren (Brendan C., Ryan, William, Helena, Colin, and Mary. He is also survived by his sister Patricia Curtin and brother Brian.
Interim president announced
The St. Francis College Board of Trustees has named Timothy J. Houlihan Interim President of St. Francis College. Dr. Houlihan currently serves as Provost of St. Francis. Houlihan joined St. Francis College in 1999 as Assistant Dean of Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of History. He was promoted to Associate Dean, then Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean before becoming the College’s first Provost on July 1, 2011. He retained his title of Vice President for Academic Affairs.
OP ED: The Pan-American Accountability Act
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by Khary Bekka
onald Trump being elected into office as America’s next president after some of the statements he made, has exposed an ugly truth about the state of the nation. In a country that is predominately European populated, we have at hand a territorial dilemma that encompasses race relations in America and has the potential to linger and divide the country for years to come.
The sudden reality of Trump’s election instantaneously shattered the hope and ignited the fear of many immigrants of Latino and West Indian descent. Considering the impact that Trump’s immigration agendum will have on communities of color, it’s an ideal time for the Latino and West Indian community to re-think and re-strategize our own immigration agendum towards nation building our native countries. Acknowledging that we have at hand a territorial dilemma evidenced by Donald Trump being elected into office, it is an opportune time for people of Latino and West Indian descent in this country to become pro-active agents in the struggle for social reform in impoverished countries across the globe. For many years many of us have sat back content with waxing in the complex culture of this country while
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many of our native countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and West Indies have been in a state of waning. When we collectively gather our sense of accountability to the cause, this will in effect curve the immigration dilemma and debate within the American political arena. With a progressive nation-building effort in place spurred by American immigrants and like minded people, there will be no avenues for politicians to play on sentiments of racism resulting to the use of rhetoric that degrade and dehumanize people. However, it is essential that we open our altruistic eyes to see that North America itself is not an exclusive region of the world endeared as God’s favored land, but an inclusive part of the world puzzle and united front of humanity. In the wake of what may well be a pivotal transitional period for immigrant communities, there is an opportunity for people of Latino and West Indian descent to turn the uncertainty looming above Trump’s election into certainty towards our resolve going forward. With transparency, commitment and effort on the part of the people, organizations and Latino and West Indian interest lobbyist we can create a better future for not just Americans, but for humanity as a whole.
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January 2017, Page 7
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Red Hook StarªRevue
JULY 2016
Red Hook StarRevue SAYS BYE TO 2016
Mermaids on display in Boerum Hill by Mary Staub
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n the surface, Coney Island’s Mermaid Parade may seem like it is all about glitz and glam, costumes and crowds, pomp and personas. What has drawn Luke Ratray, a Carroll Gardens photographer, to the parade for the past twenty years, though, is the people behind those personas. Every year since 1996, Ratray has set up his old-fashioned film camera along the Coney Island boardwalk during the parade to find and capture the individuals behind these created identities. “The pageantry is fun, but not as interesting,” said Ratray. “The parade happens because people show up. It happens because people want it to happen. I’m more interested in the personality of those people.”
Some of the participants in the June 22 meeting; CGA founder Buddy Scotto is in the middle. (photo by George Fiala)
The images that Ratray has shot of these people over the past twenty years are on view for the first time this summer, through July 24th, in “Coney Island Mermaids, 1996-2016” at the Boerum Hill gallery Urban Folk Art Gallery.
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In 1980, Ronald Reagan gave an inaugural address that included the phrase, “government is not the solution, it is the problem.” That same speech also included a very powerful, upbeat message, as follows:
The
“I believe we, the Americans of today, are ready to act worthy of ourselves, ready to do what must be done to ensure happiness and liberty for ourselves, our children, and our children’s children. And as we renew ourselves here in our own land, we will be seen as having greater strength throughout the world. We will again be the exemplar of freedom and a beacon of hope for those who do not now have freedom.”
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NOVEMBER 2016
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The Fish Gods of Erie Basin by Noah Phillips
Paulie McDonald is looking for striped bass tonight. “They’re the biggest, meanest thing out here,” says McDonald, “and that’s what I’m trying to catch.” McDonald is standing on a crumbling concrete bulkhead behind one of the long brick warehouses that define the Red Hook landscape. Even as he speaks, McDonald’s eyes are fixated on the tip of the fishing rod planted in the bucket in front of him. It’s around 1 in the morning in late October, and a bit chilly. “The fishing gets pretty good this time of year, but it’s cold, so you’ve got to be kind of diehard,” says McDonald, who is 32 and has a construction shop in Red Hook. “I’ll come out, I’ll suffer. A little bit of weather isn’t going to stop me.” McDonald and his friends have been fishing in Red Hook for more than ten years. Until recently, they caught a huge diversity of fish, from bait like bunker and minnows to larger game fish like herring, bluefish, blackfish, fluke, and striped bass. But in early October, the ecology of Erie Basin was disrupted when work began at a new development on site of the old Revere Suger Refinery. Per the local fishermen, the work has clouded the water and possibly released long-encapsulated toxic materials into the water column. “I go down there every day and I see what they’re doing, and how they’re doing it, and it just bothers my mind,” says Robbie Giordano, another local fisherman and neighborhood barman. “I haven’t seen any dead fish floating yet - that’s because most of them are smart enough that they get a taste of the water and they get out of there.”
Erie Basin
Look at a map of Red Hook, and Erie Basin immediately draws the eye. Roughly 90 acres in area, it is formed by the artificial peninsulas of Van Brunt Street on the west side and Columbia Street on the east side. The basin also separates the Buttermilk Channel to the east and Gowanus Bay to the west. Erie Basin was built in the 1840s by
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It is the first sound bite that propelled a generation of Americans into believing that our government is the enemy.
William Beard and Jeremiah and George Robinson as an offloading point for goods coming down the Erie Canal from the Midwest. It was a major part of what made Red Hook and New York - one of the biggest shipping centers in the world.
Robbie Giordano prepares his gear for a night of fishing in Erie Basin. (photo by Noah Phillips)
“Erie Basin is very deep in some places because it was created to use as ship dockage. There were ship repairs there, there was off-loading of rice, grains, sugars, big ships with deep hulls would need to go in there,” says Giordano, who has lived in Red Hook for the last ten years and has fished Erie Basin for the last eight. “A lot of people don’t know this, but Erie Basin actually has an opening on both ends.”
the way along Brooklyn. The first relief point is Erie Basin.” The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) designates parts of Erie Basin as a Priority Marine Activity Zone as well as a Significant Maritime Industrial Area. The IKEA site, formerly a U.S. Dredg-
ing Shipyard Site, was restored as part of DEC’s Brownfield Remediation Program. Rodney Rivera, who works at DEC’s Long Island City office, also says that Erie Basin is prime real estate for many forms of life. (continued on page 3)
Red Hook StarªRevue Tony Sterling The
Giordano, 45, has been fishing since he was two years old. He majored in Fisheries and Marine Technology at Kingsboro College, and worked for the New York Water Taxi until a traffic accident put him behind the bar at Verona Lounge. He says that Erie Basin’s natural geography makes it one of the best spots in New York Harbor to fish.
case unsolved
MARCH 2016
OSunny Balzano's beautiful life T
Federal Sandy money will modernize and beautify Red Hook Houses! see page 8
The
FREE
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
by Nicole Rothwell
n October 5, 2014, How- acquitted at trial and Gray’s case ard “Tony” Sterling was was dismissed on September 16, murdered in Red Hook, 2016. The DA’s office could not Brooklyn. For the last two years, comment beyond this because “Erie Basin has been a tremendous by George Fiala Bobby Boomer and Omar Gray both cases have been sealed. source of life in terms of fish ecology were held in pretrial detention, “There was clearly reasonable and bird ecology,” says Giordano. “The only to be this past Au- ondoubt, they picked hisreleased adventure started a I can but only in guess my opinion, I up a pawater quality used to be probably the gust and Tuesday. September andhe thought we might Onrespectively. the way to work, don’t per think should’ve beenbe interesthighest of any as far as clarity, oxygen ed to write about it. They were right. stoppedmorning by the when longshoreIt was a I Sunday charged,” Lawrence Fredella, levels, and condition overall than anyman’s union – catching up on waterSterling was fatally shot in his Boomer’s defense attorney, said I know that many of you reading this where else in New York Harbor.” front news as well as home. The murder of enjoying Sterling, coffineea phone interview. article will know much more about He says that clear ocean water is andwas donuts withtomy friends there. As Red Hook and Sunny's, as I only took who known some as the Fredella said the prosecution arpushed along the southern shore of I wasClause was leaving union office a a big interest in both in 2010, when I “Santa of Redthe Hook,” was gued that Boomer and Gray had Brooklyn, flushing Erie Basin every 12 little before pm,community. I caught theIn tail end began publishing a community newsa tragic loss for1the attempted robbery at Sterling’s hours with the tide. of a Leonard interview the paper here. December 2014,Lopate Gray and Boom-on residence, and that Boomer shot Someone just published a ”You can actually see it happening. er radio. were arrested forhad his murder. Sterling in his legI before leaving. However, am not without my own book about Sunny's Bar in Red Hook. You see chocolate milk on one side The Brooklyn District Attorney’s “They Red Hooktheir history. Back around 1987, made allegation and this greenish clear water moving ThisOffice was big news toinme! In fact, the at the end of my marriage, I was hav(DA) confirmed an email based on, what I thought was, against it on the other side,” says GiorSultan, was going be ing an especially rough day at my to author, the RedTim Hook Star Revue that tofaulty witnesses and also video dano. “There’s a deep channel that signing bookswas that very Boerum(continued onreading August and 16, 2016, Boomer Hill home on and pagefelt 5) the need comes all the way from the Breezy evening at the Court Street Bookstore. to flee to a place even more depressPoint jetty along the Belt Parkway, all I attended along with a Star-Revue ing than me. reporter. I got into my car, armed with a RollSunny Balzano was sitting in the front ing Stones www.star-revue.com November 2016, 1 to the cassette, andPage headed row wearing an enormous hat and very end of Van Brunt Street. What is scarf, and made some remarks follow- now Fairway was then an old, abaning the reading. On my way out, I left doned warehouse surrounded by junk a stack of Star-Revues, in case anyone and debris. A decrepit cyclone fence Star-Revue office is now located. there might be further interested in separated the street from the water. I I first heard of Sunny’s sometime after our neighborhood. got out of the car to take a look. I was the millennium while traveling on a The adventure could have ended right astonished to see the Statue of Liberty flight to Chicago. It was listed as one of there; but a few days later, a package in plain view, a beacon amidst all the America’s "best bars." I was surprised that a best bar could be in Red Hook. detritus. showed up at the office. That was still when I still thought of I finally opened it that evening, and lo I like to tell this story because now, all Red Hook as a place to avoid. and behold, it was that book, Sunny’s these years later, I come to that very Nights, sent to me by Random House. spot every day as that’s where the When I finally realized the gem of (continued on page 17)
ALSO INSIDE
Osvaldo is a Red Hook hero - page 14
Harriet Zucker rescues dogs - page 9
Red Hook StarªRevue
FEBRUARY 2016
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EMPOWERMENT THROUGH BASKETBALL
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f you are between the ages of 17 and 24 and want to change your job prospects while improving your life and like basketball then the Rebound program at the Miccio Center is one worth pursuing. The program’s official schedule is from Tuesday through Thursday from 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. From 10:30 until noon participants will be able to go through valuable workshops where they learn about work readiness, financial literacy, conflict resolution and life skills. From noon until 1:30 p.m., the young adults receive basketball instruction with life lessons incorporated.
a trade school.
Red Hook's authentic Irish Bar
ALSO INSIDE
The Rebound program initially began in East New York and it has moved onto Red Hook based on the success it saw during its first year in East New York. According to Tricia Blanchard, who is the assistant director of external relations of Good Shepherd, who oversees the program, they had an opportunity to expand so they expanded to the Miccio Center.
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- page 13
March 2016, Page 1
In December, the Rebound
Raga at Pioneer Works
“Anybody can join,” program director Mark McCaskill said. “As long as they are trying to do something positive with themselves. We feel that if they want to do something with themselves we can really help them. I know we can help them.”
- page 14
People who are trying to find work or are trying to get into or finish school are encouraged to join this program. It could be college, it could be high school equivalency or it could also be
Red Hook b a y o be eno a ed u ng ommun y dea
he
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n the summer of 2014, Community Board 6 (CB6), held a meeting at the Red Hook library to discuss an experiment called Spaceworks that was in planning for the branch. This was a Bloomberg-era idea in which underutilized space in city owned properties would be repurposed. The Red Hook community came out in force on that steamy evening to tell CB6 and the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) that instead of losing part of their library to a dance studio, they wanted a better library. Faced with such a vehement protest, BPL was forced back to the drawing board, and in April of this year, they partnered with an organization called NYcPublic.org to conduct a charrette at PS 15 to find out what exactly the community wanted for its library. On Wednesday, October 6, BPL came back to the Red Hook branch with an update. David Waloch, BPL Executive Vice President, who presided over the August 2014 meeting, returned to say that the Spacework plan has been
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he
Red Hook StarRevue - pages 8,9
Miracle on Mill Street Red Hook holds another Summit - page 7
(continued on page 15)
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February 2016, Page 1
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Red Hook Star Revue ª
I s The Red Hook PSA Commun y Cop
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The Star-Revue believes that now more than ever local governance must protect our interests. However, that can only be accomplished with an active and involved citizenry. It is our job as community journalists to provide information that can be used to demand government does “what must be done to ensure happiness and liberty for ourselves, our children, and our children’s children.” With that in mind, we present four big stories from our pages in 2016 which illustrate the power of local constituencies in influencing and redirecting government to protect our interests.
OXFORD NURSING HOME A year ago Red Hookers were pondering the results of Community Board 6 (CB6) actions regarding a proposed zoning change that would allow The Oxford Nursing Home to build a for-profit nursing home on a lot next to Pioneer Works. The building would have towered over all adjacent structures. A December 2015 CB6 committee meeting held at PS 676 brought out a large crowd, where the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce and members of the 1199 union representing nursing home workers spoke in favor. A large number of community residents spoke against. The committee voted the proposal down. A week later, however, the full CB6 overturned the committee’s recommendation. A member from Park Slope told us that we ought to “grow up” and accept change in the form of large buildings. Park Slope is protected against large developments as they are a landmarked community, with any new building restricted by law to six stories.
Red Hook StarªRevue
Ferry ocat on st
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Red Hook loves Valentines Day!
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We have an incoming administration that seems bent on eliminating as much government as possible, including agencies regulating the environment and business practice. Immigrant and reproductive rights are also threatened.
(artist rendering courtesy NYCHA)
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o Be ome Pea emake
The next step in the process was a public meeting in Borough Hall hosted by Borough President Eric Adams. It was scheduled right before Christmas, but that did not prevent a large Red Hook contingent from attending. The meeting was made memorable by a question from Adams’ Deputy, Diana Reyna, in reference to Oxford’s purchase of land not zoned for a nursing home. “Why did you buy in a manufacturing area? Why did you buy the land if it was not zoned right? Did you even consider other locations?” It was a question that went unanswered by the Oxford legal team. Councilman Carlos Menchaca arranged a follow up meeting with Adams and his staff. It took place at the Red Hook Library on Wolcott Street. At this meeting Adams listened carefully to proponents for and against.
Both East and West Tenant Association presidents spoke in favor, saying that the development would bring a needed nursing home as well as jobs into the community. Others reiterated the inappropriate character of the proposed institution to the neighborhood. A salient and previously unsaid point against the project was made by Van Brunt Street resident Alexandros Washburn, who pointed out that the location was in a FEMA flood zone. In every instance of an upcoming major storm, the nursing home residents would have to be evacuated. Bad outcomes can often occur when sick, elderly people are forced to leave their location. The question then became why build a nursing home in a potentially dangerous area. In March, the Borough President’s report came out against the project. They did not have the final say, so they also included a series of conditions - including height and density restrictions - to be met if the City Council approved the proposal. In May, based upon the recommendation of Councilman Menchaca, the proposal was defeated in the City Council. As he himself wrote in our June issue: “I took the decision to support or oppose this development very seriously. At many meetings beyond the required land use hearings, I listened to the developer, Red Hook residents, workers, resilience experts, and local business operators. Weighing all the benefits and risks, the project proved to be unsafe and wrong for Red Hook’s longterm best interests.” Indeed, without the support of an elected official listening carefully to their constituents, dangerous and out of place things would be located in communities all the time. Older Red Hookers remember many fights about waste transfer stations which the Giuliani administration kept trying to locate here - disproportionately to other New York communities. But having an elected official who listens does no good if we do not use our voices.
STRONG PLACE DAYCARE In March we reported on the potential closing of a valuable Red Hook resource, the city funded Strong Place for Hope Day Care facility. The site’s landlord was threatening to sell the building, located at 595 Clinton Street, because the city would not fund necessary repairs. The day care serviced over 100 children of lower-income families unable to pay for a private service.
In our June issue, we reported that the city was indeed in the process of purchasing the building. Strong Place Executive Director Lorraine Pennisi said of the success, “This was really a combined effort of the community, the families, and our local politicians. It was Councilman Carlos Menchaca, Councilman Stephen Levin. It was the Borough President, you know, everybody was petitioning the mayor’s office. I don’t believe this could have been done without the mayor’s office getting involved in this as well. “ She continued, “The parents are so, so, so happy. We also provide employment to people in the community. We are really a part of this community. We love what we do and we are very happy to be able to continue to be able to serve the families.”
FEMA MONEY FOR NYCHA Over the course of the history of this newspaper, we have attended numerous NYCHA meetings at the Miccio Center where we saw little real achievement. Over and over again, tenants voiced the same complaints, getting the same response – we’d like to fix things up, but we don’t have the money to do it. One of the effects of Hurricane Sandy has been to bring money to NYCHA. After the storm, Democrats in Congress were able to allocate almost $48 billion to New York and New Jersey for storm relief. Of that money, NYCHA received $3.2 billion, and aided by Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, almost $440 million was directed to the Red Hook Houses. Armed with this money, NYCHA did the right thing and hired first class architects and engineers. In our March issue, we published a story titled “Best NYCHA meeting ever.” We wrote: “Instead of having to listen to NYCHA employees who sometimes seem to talk down to residents, this presentation was made by members of a design team noticeably eager to be part of an improvement in the lives of residents. They actually referred to the development as a ‘campus’ - a term more often used for more upscale groups of buildings, such as colleges or Google’s offices.” What especially impressed us was that much of the design team was present to meet tenants and hear directly from the neighborhood – and seemed excited at the prospect of improving things. We wrote:
A meeting discussing strategies for keeping the center open was attended by City Councilman Menchaca. A deadline of March 25 was set for the closing of Strong Place. The only hope was for the city to purchase the building.
“It was gratifying that suggestions made by residents at previous meetings were actually heard and incorporated into the design. These include a nicer walk to Smith and 9th Street, keeping Centre Mall as open space, friendlier and better lighting, the playground upgrades, and no loss of parking.”
We reported in April that Menchaca’s office was able to convince the city to place a non-refundable deposit while negotiations to purchase the building were taking place. This allowed the deadline to be extended.
In October, reporter Noah Phillips went to visit the architectural firm responsible for the design, Kohn Pederson Fox Associates (KPF). He spoke to Jill Lerner, who is in charge of the Red Hook project. She told him:
David Estrada, Menchaca’s chief of staff, said at the time that “a child of one of the employees in the councilman’s office went to Pre-K there. This is a neighborhood institution. It is extremely important. That is why we are going to the max to try to protect the school.”
“We decided that Red Hook was where we felt we could make the biggest contribution. Red Hook’s a really interesting changing community. The Houses have a very interesting footprint architecturally, two parts that were built in different times, and the campus has architectur-
al integrity. In addition it has a beautiful tree canopy, and it has a lot of landscape potential. We felt this would be something that we could really build on, leveraging the FEMA dollars to make a better and more resilient community.”
The duo had worked to organize tenants of 63 Tiffany Place, a failed luxury condo rehab that was turned into rent-stabilized units in 1995. Last year there were a number of tenant complaints, including rent overcharges, and they came to the CGA for help.
The
Red Hook Star Revue SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
He went on to say that the Atlantic Basin is one block from the bus and two blocks from public housing. EDC’s chosen location featured ice floes, choppy water and extreme winds. He called Atlantic Basin the perfect location due to its centrality in the neighborhood (off of Pioneer Street and a quick walk from the Red Hook Houses). He also said the cost might be less, as ferries could dock right by the land, eliminating the need for any gangway or floating barge. The EDC announced their decision on July 20, and in yet another community victory, decided to dock the ferries at the Atlantic Basin. “Atlantic Basin has the potential to become a vibrant community asset that highlights cultural resources like PortSide and Pioneer Works while serving as an inter-modal transit hub,” wrote Councilman Menchaca in our August edition. He continued: “I congratulate the Red Hook residents and business operators who dedicated their time and expertise analyzing various EDC-proposed ferry landing locations.”
The importance of local
These four stories, covered in detail last year in our pages, all demonstrate that a community that bands together can be successful at achieving positive outcomes. Through local efforts - including that of our local representatives - we were able to save a needed school, block an unwanted development, locate a ferry in a sensible spot and take part in the creation of a revitalized Red Hook Houses we can all be proud of. The work doesn’t stop. Cities are always in transition, and a well-informed community is vital in ensuring that our neighborhood evolves with intention, rather than through the de facto machinations of exogenous forces. Rest assured that the Red Hook Star-Revue will continue chronicling this tale in the upcoming year.
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January 2017
Red Hook Star-Revue
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The workshop was well attended. At that meeting, someone suggested creating a permanent entity to address tenant rights, Vergario and Ben created a new flyer introducing a tenant union and armed with a list (continued on page 3)
Photos: Top Left, 1997, Women Blowing Bubbles; Top center: Mermaids 2008, Jenny Fisk cyclone costume on bridge: Top right: Mermaids 2002; above: Mermaids 2002, two women, roller skates, fish face, wings, goggles. Luke Ratray photos.
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Other attendees of the December CB 6 land use meeting opposed the zoning change, including a number of local community leaders, residents, and business interests. John McGettrick is a long-time Red Hook activist and president of the Civic Association. He made his mark fighting against the city placing numerous waste-transfer stations in Red Hook in the 1990s. Jim Tampakis has operated a marine supply business on Richards Street for many years. Victoria Hagman operates a local real estate agency and is a member of CB 6. Robin Goeman is a Van Brunt Street resident and an elder-care attorney. All spoke out against the proposal.
a successful effort
to defeat a proposed zoning change in May after hearing the community’s concerns about the relocation of a nursing home to Red Hook. The nursing home’s supporters included some of the largest development lobbyists in the city.
The Oxford Nursing Home is a forprofit healthcare facility located in Fort Greene. In 2003, they purchased almost a full block of land near the waterfront after the New York State Health Department told them that the Fort Greene location was no longer viable due to the age of the building. The land purchase and their promise to eventually relocate granted them waivers to continue operating in Fort Greene. Last June, Oxford came to a Red
asked
why
Oxford
bought all that land when it wasn’t zoned for a nursing home – a question that the law firm could not quite answer." Hook Civic Association meeting with lawyers, lobbyists and an architect to present their plan to the neighborhood. Many at the meeting were shocked and surprised by the location of a medical facility in a floodplain, as well as its size. The proposed complex would have consisted of three 7-9 story buildings. Most nearby buildings are only four or five stories tall. Menchaca met with the developers in June 2015. “I expressed to them my concerns about maintaining manufacturing uses, locating vulnerable nursing home residents within a flood zone, the scale and
Red Hook Star-Revue
July 2016, Page 1
the toxic Gowanus Canal; many of their tenants opposed the plan.
los Menchaca led
"Reyna
www.star-revue.com
by George Fiala
ouncilman
Carlos Menchaca at the City Council Zoning Subcommittee meeting chaired by Donovan Richards. (photo by George Fiala)
Opponents of the nursing home said the large building was out of scale for the neighborhood. Despite Oxford’s guarantees, many doubted that the nursing home would supply care for local residents. In addition, manufacturing in the vicinity would be displaced, and the spot-zoning was illegal. Opponents also echoed Menchaca’s position that a flood zone is an illogical location for an elderly and vulnerable population.
Davidoff Crutcher & Citron is an elite firm that specializes in government While CB 6’s Land Use Committee relations. Founder Sid Davidoff was voted against Oxford’s proposal, the a member of former NYC mayor John Lindsey’s administration, and is today close with Mayor Bill de Blasio, according to the NY Post. In January, they wrote, “Sid Davidoff and other politically connected lobbyists April Fools Day, 2016 have seen their city-related business over the past two years skyrocket while scoring sweetheart deals and other positive results for clients after The proposed nursing home would have private sit-downs with the mayor, re- towered over the surrounding buildings cords show.” A spoof publication of the Red Hook Star-Revue, no information below is meant to be true or offensive.
context of the project, resilience, and impact on the community,” he told the Star-Revue. “Residents and business owners in Red Hook deserve responsible, sustainable growth in line with my long-standing commitment to preserving manufacturing zones, developing local employment, and preserving essential aspects of Red Hook’s neighborhood character.”
Blue Pencil Lunar Revue
The
Menchaca also directed the developers to engage with the community. After community input, Oxford made a slight alteration to their initial plan, and filed a Universal Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) with the City Planning Commission. The plan was granted initial approval on November 24, 2015, which began an accelerated process starting at Community Board 6 (CB 6) and ending at the City Council.
The Chamber is a pro-business group organized to support business development. Union 1199 SEIU represents healthcare workers at Oxford, and has always been very politically connected.
full board later overturned that decision a week later. At this general board meeting, Oxford addressed residents’ complaints in a letter distributed to members. The letter was prepared by the nursing home’s lawyers and signing by Oxford’s owner, Barry Braunstein.
The Mayor’s new BrooklynQueens Trolley scheme
Tenant Association presidents are CB 6 held a land use committee often called upon for support of new meeting in early December. Oxford, projects coming into the neighborrepresented by Howard Weiss and hood. However, their support does Nora Martins of the firm Davidoff not necessarily represent the majorfter announcing his voices. Hutcher & Citron LLP, brought in the ity of their tenant’s ambitious plan to Marshall of Red Tenant Association Presidents of Red Presidents Lillie trolley system and aFrances Brown Hook East and West, the Brooklyn Hook West, build February, Mayor both supported Chamber of Commerce, and mem- of Red HookinEast, Bill de has propbeen to Blasio build out bers of union 1199 SEIU to testify in GBX’s failed plan touring the neighborhoods of his from real erty using dredged materials favor of the nursing home. estate buddies where the streetcar might possibly double, triple or quadruple their property values. www.star-revue.com
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In March, he graced Red Hook with his appearance. Although he has no known major campaign donors in the area, he was hoping – in lieu of the neighborhood’s new popularity among developers – to make new friends.
COMMUTER FERRY
“The community is unanimous in its displeasure of the EDC idea.”
Fuller-Googins and Vergario's next step was to organize a “Know Your Rights” workshop, held at the Miccio Center on May 4. Flyers promised that participants would “learn about rent regulation laws and other housing code laws that protect tenants.” The flyer also said, “We will talk about our rights to quality repairs, and how to fight landlord harassment. Also, learn more about how you can get involved in the fight to grow COMMUNITY POWER to prevent displacement.”
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KPF promises continuing community outreach, and NYCHA has already held job fairs with the promise of local hiring as construction begins – something else demanded by residents.
In our May article, titled “Ferry Location still up in the air,” we quoted Time Gilman-Sevcik, a Red Hook resident, saying:
After some success with the Tiffany Place residents, Fuller-Googins and Vergario realized a need for some sort of local organization to address similar issues that other residents in the area were facing in the midst of an ongoing gentrification.
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JUNE 2016
These include power plants, playgrounds, and a landscape that promotes community as opposed to isolation.
Red Hookers turned out in droves at CB6 hearings as well as Brooklyn Borough Hall and St. Francis College to try and make EDC understand the folly of those locations – especially when the underutilized and protected Atlantic Basin was available.
rganized under the aegis of the Carroll Gardens Association (CGA), the Southwest Brooklyn Tenant Union held its inaugural meeting last month. The union is an outgrowth of the work of Ben Fuller-Googins, CGA Programming and Planning Director, and Manon Vergario, CGA Community Organizer.
(continued on page 7)
The FEMA money can only be used for resiliency related improvements, and not for things such as improved elevators or mold abatement. Devin Ratcliff, KPF’s project manager, said that nonetheless, “one of things that we really made a strong effort to do was to make sure that everything funded by FEMA that is part of the project benefits the residents of NYCHA on a day-to-day basis.”
In August 2015, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) shocked much of Red Hook by announcing that a new Red Hook commuter ferry stop would be located either at the far end of Van Brunt Street or at Valentino Pier. The ferry service, which will connect much of southern Brooklyn to Manhattan and even the Bronx, is scheduled to commence sometime in 2017.
by George Fiala
O
“What’s funny is that someone who creates an identity for himself and becomes someone else often reveals more about them,” Ratray said the day before the exhibit’s opening reception last month. “They’re telling me more about who they are. My attempt is to always get someone to reveal something of them-
The less important reason he stopped by was to give Red Hookers details about the changing landscape of their coveted community. He was also overheard whispering to an administration official, “What a fantastic photo op!” while his microphone was still live. With charts, posters, reports, a PowerPoint presentation, hot chocolate and warm cookies he baked himself, the mayor began by saying, “Let’s be clear: I like trains – especially big ones.” Mayor de Blasio went on to provide much anticipated details about how the people would flock to his coastal catastrophe. Unusually logical, his first report and hand-drawn poster addressed ways to work around the MTA’s refusal to allow transfers. “The MTA is making this process more difficult by thwarting my halfbaked ideas,” he began. “However,
Jerry Armer, longtime CB 6 member, told the assembly that the letter by Floppity Eerzo had changed his position. He subsewe have developed other methods to quently voted in Oxford’s favor. The work around stubborn majority of thetheir board followedrefusal suit. to see it my way. Smiley face, please Less than two weeks later, Borough don’t read the emojis again this time, President Eric Adams held a pubyour Honor… Oops!”
Editor’s note: The (continued Blue Pencil onLunarpage 3) Revue has intentionally not reported on the slides of a crying de Blasio June 2016, Page 1 and his whining about how everyone hates him that immediately followed his issues with the MTA. The mayor went on to describe how every passenger seat whether “luxury” or “affordable” would be equipped with ejector switches and complimentary parachutes that would propel straphangers “near” or “close to” existing subway and bus stops, including the currently defunct 2nd Avenue line. “The US Coast Guard will be on constant alert for passengers trying to connect from the streetcar to lines in Manhattan and Staten Island. We know that initially there will be issues to deal with, but in the end, we expect the survival rate to be somewhere between 89-96%. “We anticipate a few hundred thousand passengers may land in local waterways while getting used to the new traffic patterns; it’s a major adjustment. I applaud the Coast Guard in advance for the thousands of lives they will save with this new initiative we are calling ‘Zero Swimmers’,” de Blasio said. When pressed on what he meant by affordable and luxury cars, the mayor explained that, “We live in a ‘Tale
Mayor de Blasio introduces the BQ Trolley at a press event in Red Hook. (photo by Liddell Blurry) who are wearing shiny shoes will be eligible to ride in the luxury cars; if you are wearing dusty boots, I think it only makes sense that you belong on the affordable cars.”
of Two Cities.’ We must be willing to provide accommodations for both of those cities if we are going to coexist in the same communities.” He went on to explain that 30% of the cable cars would be affordable, while the remaining ones would be designated for luxury passengers. “We’re not going to make this process complicated,” he said. “You won’t have to file tax forms or provide documentation to identify which car you’re allowed to ride in. Straphangers
The cost of both cars will be exactly the same. However there are a few distinctions between the designs. Luxury cars will be outfitted with velvet seat cushions, an open bar and a live jazz band. Seats will be available for all luxury riders. Affordable cars will have less seats available, less qualified drivers, and all passengers will be required to enter and exit through the rear door. As part of another his city-wide initiatives, de Blasio also promised the (continued on page 3)
EPA and City’s imaginative solution to Gowanus park problems by Cleft Hoof
The APRIL 2016
The city proposed the $28 million water park plans in late March, with the mayor’s office declaring it would be willing to bury the hatchet if the Parks Department could commission rides with “hilarious” names like The Poop Chute, The Swirly Flush, and a 120-foot drop that doubles as a bidet called the Pipe Cleaner (though the latter was nixed in later proceedings), all whirling majestically over the Gowanus Canal. In the initial mockups, the slides resemble sewage pipes, while the water has been dyed brown and pumped with a flour-based powder, thickening it into a slippery, sludge-like substance.
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t long last, the impasse between the City of New York and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has come to an end over the Gowanus Canal cleanup efforts. After years of infighting over a location for a pollutant retention tank, both sides have agreed to comply with the EPA’s mandates - but there’s a creative catch: a sewage-themed, family-friendly water park will run the length of the canal as soon as July.
Red Hook StarªRevue
The City’s lawyer, Robert Fox - who until now has been at loggerheads with the EPA regarding their plans to bury a tank under Thomas Greene Park near the Wyckoff Gardens Housing Development - issued this statement at a press conference Tuesday: Artist rendering of proposed Swirly Flush amusement area. (photo courtesy DEP)
“I think that we can all agree that this is the best solution for the (continued on page 9)
$100 MILLION MISSING FROM RED HOOK IFPS FUNDING by George Fiala
aims to make the waterfront community more resilient and better protected from future storms.” It is further stated that “The Red Hook IFPS will cost approximately $200 million in total"
O
n January 7, 2014, Vice President Joe Biden came to Albany to announce-together with Governor Andrew Cuomo - a $16.7 billion federally funded package of programs to strengthen New York's infrastructure against future storms. The money was part of the $50.5 billion in emergency money that congress granted to New York and New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy. According to an article in Politico, “the state would build a $200 million flood protection system in Red Hook, Brooklyn.” A whole host of other projects were announced, including subway seals, bridge repairs throughout the state, new tidal gates and drainage systems including at the area airports, and the creation of micro-grids to provide emergency power. In a press release issued by the Governor’s office, dated December 16, 2014, another mention of the $200 million number is made. The release is headlined: “Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio Announce Integrated Flood Protection System Study and Design For Red Hook.” It is subheaded “State and City Each Commit An Initial $50 Million to Launch the Initiative, Which Will Make the Brooklyn Waterfront Community More Resilient – Part of Comprehensive, Citywide Resiliency Plan.” The release announced the issuance of the initial RFP for creation of the Integrated Flood Protection System (IFPS) and went on to say that “the project, for which the City and State are each committing an initial $50 million, for a total of $100 million,
Red Hook Star-Revue
This press release was filled with supportive comments from Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, Borough President Eric Adams, Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, Assemblymember Felix Ortiz, Councilmember Carlos Menchaca, and Co-Chair of the Red Hook NY Rising Community Reconstruction Committee Gita Nandan. But the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which has been executing the RFP process, now says that “The study began in October of 2015 and is expected to be complete in approximately one year. "For subsequent project phases, the City and the State have committed $50 million in Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds and $50 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funds for a total of $100 million in funding to be used for environmental review, permitting, design, engineering and construction.”
The slide shown at the January 2016 public meeting showing reduced funding.
A - The Feasibility Study is being healthy children and families.” performed to better understand the Councilman Carlos Menchaca is scope and costs for an IFPS in Red sure that whatever it ends up costing, Hook. The Preferred Project advanced through the HMGP application and “The Red Hook IFPS will subsequent FEMA and HUD approvals will need to be assessed, designed cost approximately and built within the anticipated available budget.”
$200 million in total, as
The
Public informed in January
Red Hook StarªRevue
Sometime between December 2014 announced in January.” and February 2015 funding for Red Hook’s flood protection program, December 2014 which would hopefully mitigate future flooding, has been cut in half, with no official announcement from the governor’s office, which is manag- whether $100 million, $200 million or Further research of documents availmore, the right storm protection sysing the money. able online reveal that this cut was tem will be built. "The money must be SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY already decided more than a year ear- Borough President Eric Adams, com- AUGUST 2016 found," he said. lier. An EDC Q&A, dated February 27, menting on the budget changed said: 2015 includes the following: “We look forward to hearing more “Q - In the pre-proposal session pre- from the City and the State in the days The next public meeting of Red Hook’s sentation, it was stated that the total ahead about how they plan to make NY Rising Committee will be held at cost of the project including the fea- the IFP program whole through crit- the Miccio Center this Thursday, April sibility study, design and engineering ically-needed funds. The residents of 7 at 7:30 pm. Questions and comments and capital costs for construction, is Red Hook deserve nothing less than will be taken by representatives of the By Noah Phillips $100 million. Is that sufficient – does a truly resilient and sustainable com- local rising committee as well as reprethis reflect actual project costs? munity where they can safely raise sentatives from the City and State. aheim Smallwood, a 23-year- er was vague, according to Nasser. old resident of Red Hook, was As of Friday July 29, no arrests had fatally shot Tuesday, July Page 19 been www.star-revue.com April 2016, 1 made. outside his home at 75 Bush Street. This was first revealed locally on January 21, 2016, at a public meeting at the Miccio Center. One of the slides presented characterized the total funding of the IFPS at $100 million.
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Death ends life on the mend
Smallwood was raised in the Red Hook Houses. He is survived by his mother, brother, and young son Jalyn, who was holding his father’s hand when the shooting occurred. Smallwood was attacked shortly after 8 pm after returning home from the Miccio Center, where he had made an appointment with career coaches and signed up for a GED program. Smallwood returned to Red Hook two months ago after five years of incarceration. “He was a kid from around here just like all the other kids,” remembers Trequan Bekka, who works at the Miccio Center and Good Shephard Services. “He was taking the first steps to get himself going… he took the initiative, taking steps to be there for his son.” Detective Nasser at the NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information’s office says that the shooting was definitely intentional, possibly relating to some kind of dispute. Witnesses’ description of the shoot-
“He was a kid from around here just like all the other
kids,” says Bekka. “He was taking the first steps to get himself going… he took the initiative, taking steps to be there for his son.” Lillie Marshall, President of the Red Hook West Tenants Association, was with him that evening at the Miccio Center. “When I left, he was signing up for the GED program,” says Marshall. “His life was snuffed out two hours later.” Ms. Marshall had known Smallwood since his birth, having lived in the same court as his mother. “I watched him grow up,” says Marshall. “He paid his dues, he did his time, and to come back and go out like that, that was rough.”
A vigil marking the spot where Smallwood was attacked, at 75 Bush Street. (photo by Noah Phillips)
Bekka, who is a few years older than Smallwood, remembers the victim as lively and confident. He says that this shooting is a symptom of a larger problem of gun violence in the community, and of the elevation of that violence in Black and Hispanic music and television since the drug epidemic of the 80s and 90s. “We’re still seeing some of that
backlash,” says Bekka. “We’re in a bad space, and we glorify it.” But Bekka hopes that Smallwood’s death will inspire change. “You start to see the hurtfulness of it, the pain of it… it’s going to show our young people, you know, look at what we’re doing,” says Bekka. “We’re still a young culture - it’s just going to take time.”
New Red Hook ferry to dock at Atlantic Basin
The
by Noah Phillips
Red Hook Star Revue ªT
SEPTEMBER 2016
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY
he NYC Economic Devel- various EDC-proposed ferry landing opment Corporation (EDC) locations. ended nearly a year of The City started looking at expand expandspeculation July 20 when it ing ferry service in New York under announced that the Red Hook Com- Bloomberg, in 2013, as a way to un unmuter Ferry will dock at the Atlantic lock private development in Red Basin. The South Brooklyn ferry route, Hook. However, Red Hook communi communischeduled to launch in 2017, is pro- ty leaders were taken aback in August NEWSPAPERjected to serve at least 6,000 Red HookFREE 2015 when EDC announced their two residents, according to a press release proposed locations for the Red Hook by the EDC. Ferry landing on property owned by The Atlantic Basin was the first choice of the Red Hook community as expressed by those who attended public hearings throughout this past year. “Atlantic Basin has the potential to become a vibrant community asset that highlights cultural resources like Portside and Pioneer Works while serving as an inter-modal transit hub,” wrote Councilman Carlos Menchaca. “I congratulate the Red Hook residents and business operators who dedicated their time and expertise analyzing
the O’Connell Organization at the Beard Street Pier, or Valentino Pier. AtMeeting attendees suggested the At lantic Basin, and Community Board 6 adopted a resolution urging EDC to consider the that location instead. The fracas continued at a September 2015 public hearing in Borough Hall. Speakers emphasized the Atlantic Basin’s proximity to Van Brunt Street businesses, the Red Hook Houses, (continued on page 3)
Red Hook Star-Revue
Local businessman Jim Tampakas was front and center in the campaign to convince EDC that they needed to consider the Atlantic Basin as the best location for a local commuter ferrry that most of the community could get to easily. (photo by Fiala)
www.star-revue.com
August 2016, Page 1
Red Hook’s Professor at Large By Noah Phillips
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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.
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Red Hook StarªRevue
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!” JANUARY 2016 says Washburm. “Yes, we may need protection, but there’s got to be a better way.”
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Miniature golf coming to Red Hook!
Some like it - too much for others...
Story Page 7
Red Hook Star-Revue
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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 by Halley Bondy than 18,000 people and caused a radioactive melthen it comes to a lowdown at the Fukushima Nuclear Power plant. But critstress, family-friendly ics, including UN officials and the wife of the Prime activity that everybody Minister, have said that the sea walls will damage ecoloves, miniature golf systems and tourism, according to Russia Today. has few rivals. Yet finding a mini golf “Maybe course it’s going work technically,” Washin to New York is about assays easy burn, “but not going to on work quality of- life.” as it’s finding parking thefor weekends Moreover, there guarantee it would and that isn’t goes any double during that the cold work technically. months. Sea walls can only withstand a certain amount of force, and during rainstorms could Four years ago, friends Chris Schneion page 3) der and Ryan Powers (continued had a harebrained idea. They would quit their full-time jobs on Broadway – workSeptember 2016, Page 1 ing in props and sound design respectively - and channel their talents into an indoor miniature golf course. There would be a game, naturally, but their vision also included a bona fide Ryan Powers and Chris Schneider will be opening their new indoor golf emporium at 621 Court Street next month. (photos courtesy Shipwrecked) plot line, characters, an original mu-
W
sical score, special effects, and other elements harkening their theatrical backgrounds. More importantly, their own kids would have something to do - yearround. “Once we had families of our own, we realized how little there is to keep everyone entertained constantly,” Schneider said. “People love mini
golf because anyone can play it. You don’t have to be skilled, and it’s something that anyone from the kids to the grandparents can enjoy together.” This year, Schneider and Powers will realize their fun, oddball dream. In February (if all goes as planned), Brooklyn will have its only indoor mini golf course: Shipwrecked, A Nautical Adventure Mini Golf Experience.
Across from Red Hook Park
Shipwrecked is located on the second floor of 621 Court Street across from the Red Hook Ball Fields. Though it’s still under construction, the complex is decidedly impressive in scope and vision. The 11,000 square-foot loft space is partitioned, with each room serving as an act in a theatrical sea(continued on page 5)
ALSO INSIDE
Justice Center's Karen Gopee becomes a Criminal Court Judge - page 12
A conversation with Felix Ortiz Felix Ortiz has represented Red Hook and Sunset Park in the NY State Assembly for over 20 years. Last year, following the removal of Sheldon Silver as Assembly Speaker, Ortiz became the Assistant Speaker for the new Assembly leader Carl Heastie. We have gotten to know Felix well over the past five years publishing the StarRevue, as well as his Community Liaison Karen Broughton. Both are familiar faces in Red Hook. We dropped in on Felix right before Christmas to find out more about the duties of a NY State Assemblyman. His Sunset Park office was filled with both Christmas cheer and constituents needing help. Star-Revue (SR): We are curious to find out about your new duties as Assistant Speaker as well as what exactly an Assembly member does. Felix Ortiz (FO): The State Assembly is composed of 150 members while the State Senate has 63. Our main purpose is to allocate resources, which entails creating a budget to present to the governor. The biggest power of the legislature is the outcome of that budget, and how we do the negotiations to make sure we protect our constituents - ensuring that needed services will continue. If, for one reason or an-
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RED HOOK'S NEW TENANT UNION
Ratray’s great passion throughout his photographic career has always been for capturing people. People who create identities for themselves are of particular interest to him. These images often expose more about an individual than images of a person standing naked.
here has never been more uncertainty about the future of our federal government in my lifetime than right now.
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other, we have to make cuts to make the budget balance, the Assembly and the Senate have to come together with the governor and agree about what services can be cut, and by how much.
Rosa is part of what makes Red Hook special - page 13
We are constantly looking at how money comes in to the state, and compare it to the projections, making sure we are on track. Starting every September, the Senate and Assembly get together to analyze the numbers. By December Felix Ortiz walks with Senator Chuck Schumer observing the devastation after Hurricane Sandy. we have a good idea of education, health care, corrections, how much money we will have to work with as we negotiate law enforcement around the state, the next budget. The fiscal year begins and programs for people with disabilin July and the budget has to be ready ities and mental health programs. by April 1. (SR): What about lawmaking?
(SR): What kinds of programs are funded by the state?
(FO): The State has sovereignty over local municipalities. Municipalities make local ordinances regulating their own local area. We are always looking at the local laws. Occasionally we will feel that a local law is a great
(FO): Among the things we fund are
(continued on page 6)
Right now, things are going well with revenues, and we have an indication that we will have a surplus of between one and one and a half billion dollars.
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Theater Uzume brings the arts to the people - page 14
January 2016, Page 1
January 2017, Page 1
Red Hook Houses receive kitchen appliances by Emily Kluver and Noah Phillips
T
he New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is in the process of replacing refrigerators and stoves for many of the residents of the Red Hook Houses. The new appliances are being paid for through the state budget as part of $100 million of capital funding for NYCHA, according to the New York State Division of the Budget office. In 2015, the New York Daily News reported that NYCHA had originally planned to put the funding towards repairing leaking roofs in eighteen of their developments, as they outlined in their published repair plan. Residents of many NYCHA properties have long complained about leaks, which tend to affect those on the top floors most of all. People have reported fear for both their health and safety. Within the developments targeted for roof repairs, creeping toxic mold has become a major health concern. One resident even reported being afraid to touch a light switch because of all of the water coming in to the apartment, according to the New York Daily News.
State agencies under Governor Cuomo rejected NYCHA’s roof repair plans, stating that the funds could not be used for “routine capital funding activities.” Instead, the money went to local assembly democrats for “small-scale projects of less than $2 million each.” The upgrades chosen by Assemblyman Felix Ortiz were initiated by the residents themselves, who had been complaining at Tenant Association (TA) meetings about the quality and age of their kitchen utilities. This spring, many of these tenants brought their complaints directly to the office of Ortiz during their annual lobbying trip to Albany, which is organized by TA presidents Lillie Marshall and Frances Brown. “[Ortiz] came through for us,” says Wally Bazemore, a NYCHA resident and organizer. The trip was “fun and enlightening,” Bazemore continued. NYCHA is responsible for evaluating which tenants will receive refrigerators, stoves, both, or neither. So far, GE refrigerators have been delivered to many residents located on Clinton
Karen Broughton with housing resident and her new fridge. (photo courtesy Broughton)
Street according to Karen Broughton, Ortiz’s local representative. “It’s based on need,” says Jeffrey Wice, special council to Ortiz. “I’m hoping that as many residents as possible will qualify, but right now they’re assessing which needs more immediate replacement, the refrigerator or the stove.” Bronx City Councilman Ritchie Torres
Shop Red Hook
criticized this use of funds as “feel-good” and questioned why the money would not be put towards “critical needs.” Though there is obvious need for updated appliances, whether or not these needs should be addressed before NYCHA is able to stop the roofs of thousands of their residents from “leaking like sieves” is another question.
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ADVERTISE IN THE RED HOOK STAR-REVUE!
Is your business looking for a unique way to reach a diverse, involved community? We are South Brooklyn's hometown newspaper, with a dedicated local readership. Whether you’re a new business looking to introduce yourself to the neighborhood or an old favorite, the Star-Revue is the place to be seen. For information and rates, please contact Noah Phillips at noah@redhookstar.com or call our office at (718) 624-5568.
Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue
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January 2017
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK:
Does Thor Equities plan to resell 280 Richards Street?
T
here’s reason to be skeptical of Thor Equities’ Red Hoek Point plan.
Many people in the community have raised questions about the project itself – if space might be made for local nonprofits, if the construction would jeopardize our neighborhood’s historic cobblestones, if the new tenants would change the character of Red Hook, if the development will economically benefit the community in any way (through local hiring or tech internship programs), and others. But in the mind of this reporter, the question of whether or how the project - as presented - would benefit the community is secondary. The primary issue is whether Joe Sitt plans to build on the former Revere Sugar Refinery site at all.
Due diligence
There’s reason to think he won’t, and it’s important that the community and our surrogates on CB6 - do due diligence on that question before giving a perfunctory thumbs-up to the project the only way it can: through its parking permit. “Joe Sitt has a reputation for buying property, getting some kind of zoning change that raises the value of it, and then selling it,” says Kelly Anderson, who directed My Brooklyn, a documentary about redevelopment of Downtown Brooklyn. “He doesn’t seem like somebody who is highly ethical in business dealings, that seems pretty obvious... It just seems like Sitt will say whatever he needs to say in the
by Noah Phillips
moment to get what he wants.” Past instances of this pattern include Thor Equities involvement in Fulton Mall as well as in Coney Island. In both cases Thor Equities purchased large swaths of land, worked to rezone the areas, and then sold for huge profits. Sitt doesn’t need a full rezoning or even a variance to build Red Hoek Point, but he does need a Special Permit from the Board of Standards of Appeals (BSA) to reduce its required number of parking spaces. If granted, the permit would significantly increase the value of the property - especially in concert with the other improvements Sitt is making. Further, the permit would transfer if Sitt were to resell the property, according to Carlo Costanza, Deputy Director of BSA. If Sitt was to unload his augmented property on a new owner that also wanted to build offices, it wouldn’t necessarily go back to BSA, and there certainly is no guarantee the community would have another opportunity to weigh in.
Does the math work?
Here’s a bit of speculative arithmetic: • Thor Equities purchased 280 Richards Street for approximately $40 million.
Thor Equities makes their case before the local community board. (photo by George Fiala)
• At the December 1 CB6 Landmarks/ Land Use Committee meeting, Thor Equities’ representatives said that they hadn’t yet figured out what the rent would be in the Red Hoek Point space. This is almost certainly untrue as it would be a fundamental part of the business plan. Sohne estimates that rent would come to $50 per square foot per year, which comes to less than $40 million per year.
• The work they’re doing now on the site (repairing the bulkheads, expanding the footprint into the water, and leveling off the land) will probably not cost more than $10 million.
• At that rate, it would take at least 14 years for Thor Equities to see a profit on this massive development.
• Local developer Marshall Sohne (who supports the project as presented) estimates that the total cost of construction will come to $500 million.
Alternatively, Thor Equities, having invested around $50 million in preparing the site for development and obtaining this special permit, could turn around and
sell the property for a profit right away. In short, Red Hook needs to seriously consider the otherwise unforeseen consequences of approving this parking variance before getting too caught up in smaller demands like those listed above. The point of this piece isn’t that the Red Hoek Point, or any other office space, wouldn’t be a good use of the 280 Richards Street site. The point is that exogenous developers coming into neighborhoods have a moral obligation to be up front about their intentions, and Thor Equities has enough of a track record of bait-and-switch for the burden of proof to rest surely on their shoulders.
Local land-use expert holds open office hours by Noah Phillips
I
f you walk south from Hamilton Avenue on Van Brunt Street, you’ll start off in either M1-1 (on the left) or M2-1 (on the right). Before you get to the MX-5 by Dry Dock and Fairway, you’ll pass through a section of R5. That’s where you’ll find land-use expert Alexandros Washburn, who has set up open office hours in his home to explain what the heck all these classifications mean.
“If you have a thought, we can draw it and express it and quantify it, and turn it 3D,” says Washburn, a veteran city planner, industry professor at Stephens Institute of Technology, and founding director of the Center for Coastal Resilience and Urban Xcellence. “We can start seeing how it would fit into the bigger mix of Red Hook.”
“The point of these open hours is to have a way for people from the community to walk in and put their ideas, thoughts, hopes into the language of zoning,” says Washburn. “This is just a way for people to come in that’s informal - that’s not in the format of an official meeting.”
The open hours are currently set for Wednesdays from 2-4 pm on the ground floor of Washburn’s house at 373 Van Brunt Street. Visitors will have access not only to the expertise of Washburn and his research assistant, Jason Beury, but to all the tools of their trade – including specialized software, handbooks, and large blackboards.
Zoning regulations, though often invisible to New Yorkers, affect us at every scale. They determine not only the size and shape of our buildings and neighborhoods, but the activities permitted within them. Yet understanding the esoteric and jargon-rich realm of land use regulations can be a huge challenge for everyday New Yorkers.
“Now we’ve got this incredible ability with computer modeling, and visualization, and dynamic models,” says Washburn, who has spoken to the Star-Revue before on this subject. “We have so much greater an ability to figure out how things could be if you put in this rule or that rule. It’s really not that hard to test out outcomes.”
Enter Washburn.
Washburn is quite willing to dive into
Red Hook Star-Revue
A recent Wednesday afternoon at Washburn’s (photo by Phillips)
specific details. One guest walked in to learn more about permitted uses for his Van Brunt Street building, which houses a business on the ground floor and apartments above. He learned that he could convert the ground floor to residential as-of-right, but that he could not convert the commercial space to either an animal pound or a crematorium. “MX sounds very appealing as an approach because it allows mixed uses,” explains Washburn. “But it hasn’t done the mixing it was supposed to
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do. Typically, all of the zoning gets sucked up into residential.” Washburn is also interested in the broader picture. He believes that change is inevitable in Red Hook and hopes that these open hours will provide a forum for the community to be proactive about shaping that change. “The watchword of zoning is to prevent the worst, permit the best, which is actually a hard thing to do,” says Washburn. “We’re trying to do some community planning on what Red Hook is going to be like.”
January 2017, Page 11
JANUARY SHAPE-UP
A New Year on the Rocks by Emily Kluver
O
n New Year’s Day, people all over the country resolve to be different, better, healthier. Millions promise that the coming twelve months would bring a whole new self. Specifically, a more fit version of themselves. The procrastinators, the couch potatoes, and the busy bees often hang up the towel before the end of the first month. They are busy. Tired. Or simply bored. Many believe that their struggle with the gym is their only fitness option. At Brooklyn Boulders (BKB), a rock climbing gym located on Degraw Street and 3rd Avenue in Gowanus, people of all ages and fitness levels are able to work toward their goals in a fun, mentally stimulating, and supportive environment. It’s not all about losing weight or gaining strength. Manager Anthony Bagnoli notes that BKB is a place where “humans can express and develop every aspect of themselves - physical, intellectual, creative and social - all in one place.” With membership, the gym offers free yoga, acroyoga (a combination of acrobatics and yoga), fitness, and capoeira classes in addition to a small gym. However, their big selling point is 22,000 square feet of wall space ded-
Local options to keep resolutions by Nathan Weiser
V
arious fitness related goals are common themes among New Year’s resolutions. In Red Hook, the Sol Goldman Recreation Center and the Miccio Community Center offer programs that can be utilized to help accomplish those goals. For a $150 yearly membership fee for ages 25-61, the Rec Center has classes throughout the week that you can go to that range from basketball instruction to self-defense class. Membership for the Rec Center costs $25 for seniors (62+), veterans, people with disabilities and young adults (18-24). Youth ages 1-17 can use the facility for free with an ID. Starting in January, on Wednesdays
Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue
icated to rock climbing, a sport which involves individuals working through courses made up of plastic grips set on large walls to reach the top. These rock courses range from straightforward beginner-level courses to complicated challenges designed to push climbers to their limits. But, in addition to physical fitness, the gym works to create co-working spaces. They offer free wi-fi and work tables to encourage professionals to come and mix their work with their physical fitness. Brooklyn Boulders additionally offers monthly musical performances, community events, and a monthly lecture series. Sticking with a gym can be a challenge, but exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. Activities that engage individuals within a wider community and offer engaging activities can help people stick with their goals and achieve results. Whether you love rock climbing, basketball, yoga, martial arts or even racquetball, 2017 may be the year to hang up the gym membership and try something a little outside the box. Brooklyn Boulders, 575 Degraw Street, (347) 834-9066. Open weekdays 7 am – midnight, weekends 8 am - 10 pm. from 2-3 pm and Friday from 6:307:30 pm, any member can come to participate in High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). Highlights of this class include sculpting the body into a work of art and disciplining the mind and body to stay strong when fatigued. HIIT classes also teach the overall importance of heart rate monitoring and staying in shape. Another available class that the Rec Center offers is “Crazy Cardio and Insane Abs” on Wednesday from 3-4 pm and Thursday from 6-7 pm. Participants in this class learn about heartrate monitoring and developing a stronger mindset. According to Elijah, who instructs these classes, New Yorkers of all ages are welcome to attend. The HIIT and the Crazy Cardio classes are ongoing throughout the year. Senior Basketball and Fitness begins
ALTERNATIVES TO THE GYM
Of course, every person is different. Alternative fitness activities in the area for different budgets, locations, and interests include a wide variety of activities.
Yoga/Pilates
Yoga is a form of exercise deeply connected to spirituality, philosophy, and mental wellness. It increases flexibility and strength in addition to offering people a way to lose weight. Pilates is a form of exercise that focuses on core strength in the abs, lower back, and hips, improving coordination and balance. The countless Yoga and Pilates classes available in Red Hook, Carroll Gardens and Gowanus allow people to reduce stress and improve their mental and physical fitness. These classes can be offered at individual studios or within larger gyms.
Martial Arts
Martial Arts studios are available across local neighborhoods and kickboxing at the southern end of Carroll Gardens. Both offer the chance to hone your aggression.
Ballroom dancing
Ballroom dance clubs in Carroll Gardens and surrounding neighborhoods offer classes and events where people can combine creativity with their fitness goals. Saturday, January 14 from 8-9 am. The program includes three-on-three basketball games and various other exercises for seniors. The program will continue every following Saturday through March 25. The Rec Center’s hours are 6 am-8 pm Monday through Friday; 8 am-4 pm Saturdays. This gives one plenty of time to get a workout in early in the morning, afternoon or evening. The Rec Center isn’t the only local fitness option, of course - the Miccio Center has a program for kids interested in basketball. Pro Hoops is a free fitness activity at the Miccio Center every Friday from 5:15-7:15 pm for kids ages 8-18. Good Shepherd Services partners with the District Attorney’s office to organize this program, according to Nigel Bell, the assistant program director at the Miccio. Kids, adults and seniors who get in-
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Crossfit
Crossfit gyms work on building a close-knit communities to support adherence to your goals. Locally, there are two of these gyms now open on Van Dyke Street in Red Hook and Degraw Street in Gowanus for those who need a little extra motivation to stay active.
Rec Center
And, as always, the Red Hook Recreation Center offers basketball, swimming, billiards, ping pong, and more traditional fitness classes. Their cost is $150 per year, with major discounts for anyone under the age of 24, over the age of 62, veterans, or with physical disabilities.
Outdoors
Outdoor resources, particularly popular in the summer months, include a variety of parks. Locals can play basketball at places like Coffey Park or Carroll Park and soccer or baseball at fields outside the Red Hook Recreation Center. Those willing to make the trek will find that Brooklyn Bridge Pier Park in Brooklyn Heights has a variety of sports courts available to the public including basketball, handball, and shuffleboard, no-cost fitness equipment, and roller skating.
The Rec Center lobby (file photo)
volved in any of these activities will be well on their way to fulfilling their fitness related resolutions.
January 2017
Carroll Gardens library gets a homegrown mural by Halley Bondy
F
rom her birthplace in Michoacán, Mexico to her current home in Brooklyn, artist Maria de Los Angeles brings a fascinating life story - and with it, a mural for Carroll Gardens families. In December, the Carroll Gardens Library unveiled De Los Angeles’ new mural: a colorful composite of drawings by local kids who were inspired by books like Charlotte’s Web, Curious George, Goodnight Moon and more. The welcoming piece greets library goers as soon as they enter the building.
Inspired by books
During three separate workshops in the library, children of all ages were asked to select a book that inspired them, then to interpret the book through their own illustrations. Guided by Los Angeles, the kids came up with colorful works ranging from words to faces and bridges. The paintings were then pieced together on an 80 by 120 inch canvas by De Los Angeles, a professional artist who lives in Bushwick. “I wanted it to be playful and unschooled,” said De Los Angeles. “I’ve been through a lot of education - but I wanted this to be more like a sketch. I wanted it to be free, and to make it closer to the children’s drawings themselves.” De Los Angeles wasn’t familiar with many of the selected books. She was born in Mexico and smuggled into the US when she was 11 years old. De Los Angeles was then raised in Santa Rosa, California. She eventually graduated from Pratt - followed by Yale - for art.
Riding an impressive art career that spans both coasts, De Los Angeles is currently an artist in residence at the Museo del Barrio in East Harlem. “The mural is about paying it forward,” said De Los Angeles. “I got an amazing education. I never would have imagined going to Yale as an undocumented kid. I think that everybody,
“A children’s mural was a big break from the immensity of the political situation.” every child, should be what they want to become.” With her status threatened by the impending Trump administration, much of De Los Angeles’s artwork is centered around the politics of citizenship and belonging. Her current The new mural hangs cheerfully above the entrance to the Carroll Gardens Library at exhibit at Museo del Barrio features the corner of Henry and Union Streets. (photos by George Fiala) watercolor, mixed media, and dresses collaged with political themes. ever. They are so genuine.” from Santa Rosa Middle School - her When a library volunteer approached De Los Angeles once created a mural alma mater. De Los Angeles to work on a kid’s mu- for a children’s hospital in California, “Education is really important,” said ral in Carroll Gardens, it was admit- but this is the first time she gleaned in- De Los Angeles. “Creating programs, tedly a reprieve. spiration directly from kids in a work- interactions, and getting children to shop setting. She plans to embark on experience positive things - and meet “A children’s mural was a big break more collaborative efforts in the fu- people from different backgrounds from the immensity of the political ture, including a piece with students will help them as people growing up.” situation,” she said. “It has more to do with the daily lives of those who come into the library, and so they don’t have an empty wall. When children enjoy the work, it’s the biggest compliment
Maria De Los Angeles at the unveiling of the mural on December 10
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January 2017, Page 13
A fresh face for fried chicken by Emily Kluver
A
t the corner of Henry and Sackett Street, the smell of freshly cooked chicken stops me in my tracks.
Unlike the familiar greasy scents associated with popular fried chicken chains, the smells from Purbird are more like your mother’s kitchen - assuming your mother knows her way around poultry. The storefront is filled with light coming from the large front windows. The place is spacious for the city and wellmaintained. Clean and simple, just like the food. Purbird’s chicken - grilled instead of fried - became popular in Park Slope soon after the restaurant opened in 2011. Due to the success of their first storefront, Comerford Lekkas and her husband decided to open in a second
location in the Carroll Gardens area. Behind the counter, you may find the restaurant owner, Christina Comerford Lekkas, asking people what they would like to eat, how they liked their meal, and simply how they are doing. It’s one of those places where people learn your name. Purbird opened Henry Street about five months ago. The restaurant aims to “serve made-at-home quality food at a price that doesn’t kill you.” The location has a storied Carroll Gardens history. Starting in 1921, Cammareri Brother’s Bakery supplied much of South Brooklyn with Sicilian style loaves of bread. Much of the world knows of the bakery as it was the central focus of the movie Moonstruck, filmed in 1987.
Cher walked into the basement of what is now Purbird in the 1987 movie “Moonstruck.”
The
Red Hook StarªRevue
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.
To
neigh-
borhood dismay, Maybelle’s shuttered its doors last year, opening the way for Purbird.
friendly atmosphere where people can feel good about what they’re eating.”
Food at this restaurant is made fresh to order and should cost you around $6.50 - $9.50 per person. It’s fairly simple food, but it’s done well.
Taking a bite out of my own grilled chicken sandwich, I think I understand exactly what she means.
Available on location, by delivery and takeout, customers can order whole or half-grilled chicken, salads, or sandwiches and wraps, as well as a variety of sides. Comerford Lekkas explains that Purbird’s mission is to create a “casual
RED HOOK
BAIT & TACKLE
Seaborne
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
DJ
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.
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
Purbird is located at 502 Henry Street. They are open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 11:30 am-10 pm, Sundays from 11:30 am - 9 pm, and closed Mondays. Delivery takes 45 minutes while takeout takes 20 minutes. You can order at the restaurant, by phone at (718) 8570007, or online at purbird.com
BAR DIRECTORY
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.
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.
Page 14 Red Hook Star-Revue
The bakery closed in 1998, replaced by the popular coffee shop/ b a k e r y Naidres, itself replaced by Maybelle’s in 2011.
Purbird delivers “made-at-home” quality food at the corner of Henry and Sackett.
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
www.star-revue.com
RESTAURANT & BAR
GOWANUS
Cozy Italian bar & bistro with full menu. Mon-Thur 11am–midnight; Fri 11 am–1 am; Sat 10am-1am; Sun 10 am-midnight. (718) 499-3400. 457 3rd Ave. Games, cocktails, craft & classic beers, pub food. Mon-Thur 4 pm-2 am; Fri 4 pm-4 am; Sat 2 pm-4 am; Sun noon-2 am. (347) 532-8787. 406 3rd Ave.
Lowlands Bar
Local dive with a large back patio and paninis. Mon-Thurs 5 pm-4 am; Fri 1 pm-4 am; Sat 10 am-4 am; Sun 1 pm-4 am. (347) 463-9458. 543 3rd Ave.
YOUR AD HERE!! $810 for 6 months $1440 for one year
January 2017
GAS OUTAGE (continued from page 1)
service that every apartment renter expects - the ability to use a stove.
preach. I’m not here to tell people what to do. We care about the American future interest, and hopefully the future interest of our descendants.”
ing need for a large experimental headquarters, which landed them at the 1,800 square foot garage and office space at 102 Commerce Street.
Civic Association holds a big September meeting
Unfortunately for NYCHA, the wellmeaning Ullah was evidently a better technician than public speaker. The audience - who did not receive many The Red Hook Civic Association drew answers to their questions - left dubia larger crowd and had a larger agenous and angry. They faced the upcomda than many of the earlier meetings ing holiday with only a one-burner hotthis year. The September meeting plate to cook their Christmas feasts. was held in the PS 15 auditorium and Three days later, Brian president John McGettrick heldHonan, sway NYCHA’s Director of Government Reover a number of local topics. lations, came to Red Hook with some He began with a tirade against city answers. He addressed crowdmore of anand state government asa even gry residents with less techno-babble money has been slashed from the and vaunted more hard facts. Th e meeting much Integrated Flood Protook place in the crowded lobby tection Program. Originally slated of as831 a Hicks Street, one building involved in $200 million project by the governor, the gas He clarifi ed the it was cutoutage. in half (as reported firstsituaby tion, explaining that the gas is off unthe Star-Revue) earlier this year. When til new pipes are installed. And new asked why, McGettrick was told that pipes cannot be installed until asbesthetos$200 million iswas simply a typoabatement done. Which means graphical error. that there will be no cooking gas in the It four now buildings seems cutuntil in half again, as the at least February. city has moved from the IFPS budget NYCHA says they are working as fast as they to can it'stoflawed Build Back program, meet their ownItFebruary deadline. which has run into huge cost overruns In the meantime, a group of local while many in flood areas are still out volunteers spearheaded by Assistant of Speaker their homes. Felix Ortiz and Councilmem"It's four years since Sandy, and we ber Carlos Menchaca got together and areserved still no closer to any sort of at real up a free holiday meal the flood protection," saidbefore McGettrick. Miccio Center right Christmas.
To that end, McCool says an integra- There, HEVO has been testing its techtion plan is necessary to avoid exclud- nology for two years. They plan to hit the ing millions of combustion engine market in 2017. George Fiala workers from the rising tide ofby electric. To learn more about HEVO, visit www.
“Everyone knows the electric car is heimminent, feels that and a balance willtobegalvanize struck it’s going and some stands theirjobs,” usthose who are removed afraid forastheir age monitored. heissaid. “Roughneckers in places like Texas and Oklahoma to benew given Someone asked about need the many training and job opportunities. It No Parking signs at many corners. can It be done. It’s not likethese they don’t want was explained that 'daylight' to, it’ssigns just that beingturns given corner helpthey’re trucks not making the opportunity.” on our narrow streets. It was pointed out that NYC has a in 55 sustainable foot limit on McCool’s interest entruck traffic that is never enforced, ergy came from the military, where he and theseassigns kind of legitimize the served an infantry platoon leader larger trucks. He McGettrick out in Baghdad. led forcespoint into comthat alsothe prevent batthey during 2007 smushed Iraq surge,cars. where The subjectonwas theenergy new forhisnext perception global comprofit detox center being built on Van pletely changed. Brunt Street across from Dry Dock “I got to see firsthand how much oil Wines and Spirits. Mary, co-owner of had to do with our time there,” he said. Dry Dock, felt that the owners snuck “I was willing to do anything possible in their building without informing to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. It the community, leaving her to wonbecame my purpose.” der what kind of neighbors they will McCool returned to the U.S. to study end up being. urban policy and we sustainable deMcGettrick said that were treated velopment at Columbia University, shabbily by the community board. where he learned about the burgeonThe center's previous application a ing world of electric cars. After locagraducouple of years ago for a nearby ating, he secured a spotatfor tion caused controversy theHEVO boardin the ACRE program at NYU’s Tandon The conversation moved to the new and so this time they simply bypassed School of Engineering, proCiti Bike stands throughout the neigh- any community oversightwhich and are vides services and staffi ng to blosborhood, which some feel has been building it as-of-right. The original soming (continuedMcGettrick from page 1)said he would filings overdone. for startups. the new building were as a tryhetosaid. get someone from DOT to dishotel with rooms - this only year recently “I never want to come off as Productlarge to launch cuss this at the October meeting, but the real the nature of the had construccondescending to them. We don’t was Eventually, company a grow-
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Christmas Joy at Rec and Miccio Centers by Nathan Weiser photos by Jay Tanner, Nathan Weiser and George Fiala
The Sol Goldman Red Hook Recreation Center as well as the Miccio Community Center hosted holiday themed events to give back to Red Hook kids on Saturday, December 17. Flyers throughout various neighborhood buildings advertised the events. Approximately one hundred children came to play and receive presents. The beginning of the celebration had games for the kids, which were organized by a Parks Department employee. The children could also sit on Santa’s lap, do arts and crafts, run around the gym, and eat pizza and other refreshments. Many parents took pictures of their kids enjoying the various activities. After Julian Morales from Carlos Menchaca’s office and Karen Broughton from Felix Ortiz’s office arrived, the main attraction began. There were raffles for 20 turkeys supplied by Fairway Market as well as three new bicycles donated by Ms. Andrea Keyes and her family. Ms. Keyes, Morales, and Broughton all took turns reading out raffle numbers to announce the lucky winners. After everyone who won enthusiastically received their turkey and bicycle it was then time to distribute the toys. Menchaca’s office and Affinity donated many toys. Families formed a line from the gym to the lobby to receive their present. Each family entered a room and chose a toy. Then it was time to leave. Later that day, the Red Hook Lions Club, led by Jay and Andrea McKnight, held their 22nd annual toy drive. On that cold and wet day, holiday cheer and gifts filled the Miccio Center as well. The Lions Club gathered people from the community for a holiday meal followed by each child choosing a toy that they wanted. Lions Club International is the world’s largest service club organization with 1.35 million members in 206 countries. The Red Hook Lions Club was chartered in 1993.
Cultural Outreach at BASIS by Emily Kluver
In a socially and economically globalized world, the need to be culturally aware has increased dramatically. That’s why BASIS Independent Brooklyn, a private school in Red Hook, has unrolled a new curriculum. “We wanted to build a program around international and cultural awareness,” says BASIS Head of School Hadley Ruggles. “We wanted students to look outside of their own world beyond their zip code, community and family.”
Holiday celebrated in Columbia Waterfront
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) recently issued a report on global competency, which noted, “If young people are to co-exist and interact with people from other faiths and countries, open and flexible attitudes, as well as the values that unite us around our common humanity, will be vital.” In the classroom, BASIS students will look at themes of family, community, and heritage. They will also be connecting with students in other BASIS network classrooms in the US and China. Jo Goldfarb, director of communications at BASIS, explained that these programs will be present in all classrooms. Last month, for instance, kindergarteners spent several weeks sharing images of their home, their family, and their stories with students in Shenzhen, China. The middle school students have also been active with the program. In December, they completed a “Cultural Ambassadors” project in collaboration with Columbia University. The students performed in short video talks in which they explored either their own culture or another culture present at BASIS. In the videos, students discussed topics relevant to a specific culture, government, or place. Examples included pollution in Chinese cities and New Delhi, political policy in China, and the Syrian refugee crisis.
The Carroll Gardens Association held their annual Christmas tree lighting at Human Compass Park, at the corner of Sackett and Columbia Street on Friday, December 9. Toys were distributed, Santa was brought to the park by the Red Hook Raiders (the local firehouse), and food was generously donated by local merchants including Mazzat, Big Apple and 40 Knots.
Page 16 Red Hook Star-Revue
Goldfarb noted that this program aims to “to cultivate empathy and understanding for 21st century learners about to enter an increasingly interconnected marketplace.” And while BASIS’s new programs spend a good deal of time looking outward at the world, Goldfarb added that “the diverse cultures that make up Red Hook has been a big part of the discussion.”
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January 2017