The
Red Hook StarªRevue
SEPTEMBER 2015
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FREE
The Great Atlantic Basin Mystery by George Fiala
R
ed Hook has been home to many mysteries. Cherry factories, toxic sludge and HP Lovecraft are just a few. People in Red Hook today are scratching their heads trying to figure out why the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC), will do just about anything to avoid sharing Atlantic Basin, a huge expanse of local waterfront, with us. The latest dustup occurred at the 76th Precinct last August 20. That was the scene of a Community Board 6 (CB6) Transportation Committee meeting. That is where EDC made their first local presentation of their plans for a Red Hook commuter ferry, a service ordered by the Mayor as part of a general upgrading of East River ferries Everyone in the room, including John McGettrick, Jim Tampakas, IKEA’s Lorna Montalvo, Est4te Four’s Massimilo Senise, and Adam Armstrong fully expected that once Red Hook
were told that the new ferry landing would either be at the end of the Beard Street pier, or possibly Valentino Pier. As the floor was opened up to questions, all the locals spoke up in utter disbelief. They told EDC that Atlantic Basin was better located, had parking, was better sheltered from the elements and what exactly were they thinking? What they are thinking is that they’ve already decided on what they’ve decided, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. So what’s up with Atlantic Basin? First of all, to get there, all you have to do is walk down Pioneer Street past Pioneer Works and you will see a gate with an open door. Walk through the door, slant a bit towards the right and you’ll see a large expanse of water, with land on three corners. That’s the Basin. Look right past the opening to the river and you’ll see Governor’s Island. It is that close. Look to your right and you’ll see lots of parking spaces. It is usually devoid of cars - it’s a resource waiting to be taken advantage of. The whole place is. You’ll see a huge metal shed. At one time this shed served as a warehouse for goods shipped in and out of the basin. Things like cocoa and coffee beans, bananas, and lumber. Right now it is used to recycle bottles and cans by Phoenix Beverage, an EDC tenant whose main facility is further down the pier. They were forced to rent the shed as part of the deal that put them on Pier 7.
Ferry riders would have to walk up through the gate at the end of Van Brunt and all the way down the walkway next to the Beard Street warehouses if EDC puts a commuter ferry stop there. (Fiala photo)
finally got a commuter ferry - which people have been asking about for years, there would be no doubt about it sailing from the long underutilized Atlantic Basin - that great expanse of protected harbor specially built for the maritime industry in the 19th century. But no. After sitting through a mind numbing presentation explaining all sorts of trivialities having to do with barge design and water depths, we
Red Hook Star-Revue
You can walk right up to the basin, and if you like, sit down and stick your feet close to the water. One could easily could imagine a million uses for this valuable land. They would include maritime, entrepreneurial and educational and recreational activities. In fact, at different times over the past fifteen years EDC has floated ideas about what might be at the basin. They were floated and then sunk.
A history of RFP’s In 2007 EDC issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the development of a marina. The Cruise Terminal was already open next door at Pier 12, and the Red Hook Containerport was in the process of receiving a new ten year lease. Both were already under the post 9/11 security regulations imposed by Homeland Security and the Coast Guard. (continued on page 5)
This is a photo taken from behind Fairway last winter. It shows the ice-filled water. The area, especially the walkway next to the Beard Street warehouses at the top of the photo, is often especially cold with a stiff wind coming in off the water. We have photoshopped a ferry into the photo showing where it would be headed if the EDC plan for a ferry terminal at the far end of Van Brunt Street is adopted. (photo and collage by George Fiala)
NURSING HOME UPDATE by George Fiala
J
ust before the summer, a presentation was made to the Red Hook Civic Association at PS 15, and to Community Board Six (CB6) at the Miccio Center, regarding an application to build a nine story nursing home right in the middle of Red Hook, close to Pioneer Works. The South Oxford Nursing Home is a Fort Greene facility that has needed a new building for some time. They purchased land in Red Hook in 2003 and have promised NY State that they would eventually upgrade to a modern facility. In the meantime, they have been renting their property to a welder and for parking. Finally, this spring, they filed paperwork with the Dept. of City Planning (DCP) requesting permission to build. They have begun a ULURP process which begins with DCP and ends with the NY City Council. The process also includes the CB6, the Brooklyn Borough President, City Planning, and the mayor. Approval of the zoning change is essential if the nursing home will be built. (continued on page 3)
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September 2015, Page 1
FREE Neighborhood Services Frank McCrea from the NYC Department of Aging is at the Miccio Center every Monday from 10 - 2 pm. He will help you solve any problem you may have dealing with any NYC agency, such as child welfare, support groups, benefits, etc.
and referrals for victims of crime. Accompaniment to partner agencies and criminal justice appointments. Located at the Community Justice Center, 88 Visitation Place. To make a referrall call Laura Volz, 347 4049910 or email lvolz@nycourts.gov
Free CPR Training Class at the Red Hook Public Library Help Save A Life, Learn CPR. Join us Tuesday July 14th at 6:30pm for a Free non certifying CPR Training hosted by the FDNY. Learn compression CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator. Includes hands on participation and giveaways!
Stronger Together services are free and prioritize Red Hook and other local NYCHA development residents. Their services include Adult Education, Job Readiness, Community Services, which include benefits counseling, legal advice, financial coaching and tax preparations. The services are free because the Red Hook Initiative, Fifth Avenue Committee, SBIDC and Brooklyn Workforce Innovations have been paid by the NY City Council to provide these services. So take advantage of them! For information call 718 8586782 or go the the Red Hook Initiative at 767 Hicks Street (at W 9th).
Sandy Recovery Worforce1. Services for NYCHA residents include career counseling, resume editing, interview advice, job recruitment events with Build It Back contractors, Vouchers for pre-apprenticeship, construction skills and other job training programs. 1906 Mermaid Ave, 2nd Fl; Brooklyn, 11224 Tel: (646) 927-6093 Hours: 9am to 5pm. Lots more information at http://www.nyc.gov/html/sbs/wf1/html/sandy_ recovery/home.shtml. Karen Blondel who lives in the Red Hook Houses is always available for additional guidance. Her number is 718 809-2070 Free use of computers at the Justice Center. Not everyone has access to a desktop computer, and yet many job and educational opportunities require one. So the Justice Center offers its computers to the community for free, every Wednesday from 10 am - 1 pm, room 101. The Justice Center is on Visitation Place between Richards and Van Brunt. For more information call Sabrina Carter 718 923-8261 Brooklyn Workforce Innovations - Certificate courses in TV/Film production, woodworking and cabinet making, cable installation as well as driving lessons are available. For information stop by 621 Degraw Street (near 4th Avenue) or call 718 2372017. www.bwiny.org OpportunityNYCHA - the REES program administers the “Section 3” program. This is a HUD mandate that requires employment and other economic opportunities coming from the Federal Government to be directed towards public housing residents. NYC has a similar program requiring that 15% of the labor amount of NYCHA contracts greater than $500,000 to go NYCHA residents. Eligibility requirements, according to Karen Blondell, are that you must either be 1 - on the lease, 2 - economically disadvantaged (receiving SNAP benefits), or 3 -live withing 10 blocks of a NYCHA development. To register call the REES Hotline at (718) 289-8100. Examples of opportunities include web development, home health aide training, NYPD tutorial, NRTA Construction Training. REES conducts information sessions at the Brooklyn office every Tuesday and Thursday at 8:30am. Address: 787 Atlantic Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238. Red Hook Cares (Counseling and Restorative Services). Including advocacy, case management
The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills provides training and employment in the unionized construction industry. CSKILLS has placed more than 1600 New Yorkers into union apprentice programs over the past 15 years. To be considered you must be 18 years or older, be a legal citizen, HS or GED, 9th grade reading and math scores and available to attend training 5 days a week 7 hours a day. Their website is www.constructionskills. org. It looks like the best way to navigate that website is to check under apprenticeship training and choose a union program, and also to go to useful links, where you can find a whole host of other opportunities, including Helmets to Hardhats - a workforce program for veterans. Free Summer Camp for Middle Schoolers. Monday thru Friday from 10 am - 5 pm. Applications are available by calling Ms. Samora at 718 858-6782, or stopping by the Red Hook Initiative, 767 Hicks St The Child Place for Children with Special Needs holds a Read and Play afternoon in the Red Hook library every Monday at 1 - 2:00 pm. Kids 5 and under. Parent or guardians must accompany children, who will be able to meet, make friends and play! Red Hook Library, 7 Wolcott Street The Red Hook Library offers a free Lego Club for Red Hook youngsters. It meets at the library the last Friday of the month at 4:30pm. Next meeting is Friday, June 26. Celebrating Red Hook Celebration, Saturday July 25 from noon - 10 pm. Free booths are available for Red Hook residents to exhibit and sell things they make. For more information write to Kimberly@ redhookstar.com or call 718 624-5568 If you have a listing that you feel appropriate for this page, email george@redhookstar.com. There is no charge, as this is a free service as well!
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 St, (718) 624-1572. Office open Mon-Thursday 9 am - 3 pm. Saturday mass 5 pm; Spanish mass at 7 pm. Sunday 10 am English, 12:30 pm Spanish. Community Prayer Tuesday and Thursday, 8 pm. Youth Group Meetings on Friday, 4:30 - 6 pm. Baptisms are held every other month. Please call to arranged for baptisms, communions and weddings.
St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish
467 Court Street. (718) 625-2270 Rectory Hours: Monday-Thursday 9 am-11:30 am, 1 pm-4 pm, Friday 9 am- 12 noon. Masses: Saturday 5:30 pm, Sunday 10 am, Monday- Thursday 9:30 am. Religious Education grades 1,2, 3 -Register now for this September! Please visit our website for more information and to view our weekly bulletin www.stmarystarbrooklyn.com
Saint Paul and Saint Agnes Parish
Church Office 234 Congress Street (718) 624-3425 Hours: M - F 830am-12 St. Agnes Church Office 433 Sackett Street, 718-625-1717 Hours: M-F 1pm-430pm Email: stpaulstagnes@gmail. com St. Agnes: Saturday 5pm Vigil Mass Sunday 9 am (English), 11:30am (Spanish) St. Paul’s: Saturday 5pm Vigil Mass Sunday 8 am & 9:30am (English); 11am (Spanish) Monday & Tuesday 8:30am (St. Paul’s) Wednesday & Thursday 8:30am (St. Agnes) Saturday 8am (St. Paul’s)
Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary - Saint Stephen Roman Catholic Church
125 Summit Street at Hicks Street info@sacredhearts-ststephen.com Saturday Vigil Mass 5:30pm Sunday Masses: 10am & 11:45am (Italian/English) Weekdays Masses: Tuesday Through Saturday 8:30am Confessions: Saturdays 4:45pm and by appointment. Baptisms: Every Third Sunday At 1pm. Please call the rectory one month before to make arrangements.
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/
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
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
If your religious institution isn’t listed here, let us know by emailing info@redhookstar.com Thanks! Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue
Happenings, etc. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4
Red Hook Initiative Block Party, 12 pm - 4 pm, Dance, food, BBQ, Games, prizes and raffle, Whip/Nae Nae, W 9th ST bet Henry and Hicks, Noon - 4 pm
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Back to School Bash with activities for kids, food and beverages from 3-8 pm at The Stadium in Red Hook across from the Red Hook Pool. Donated school supplies are being accepted. To volunteer, donate or more info, contact JNEWS at (347) 932-6525
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
The 7th Annual Columbia Waterfront Fall Festival from 12-5 pm. Local food, retail, children’s rides, activities, live music and a community garden tour. Columbia Street from Degraw to Union, and Union Street from Columbia to Hicks. This year’s 6th Annual Pig Island will take place on Saturday, September 12th, and include 20+ chefs serving up specialty pork dishes made from pork sourced locally from Flying Pigs Farms. Pig Island’s mission is to support NY State farmers by purchasing heritage hogs with proceeds from the event going directly to support NY farmers. At IKEA, 11:30 am - 4 pm. $85
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
Brooklyn Book Festival, the largest free literary event in NYC, from 10 am-6 pm at MetroTech Commons in Downtown Brooklyn presents an array of national and international literary stars and emerging authors. Children’s Day is Saturday, September 19 from 10 am-4 pm for ages 2-11. More info at brooklynbookfestival.org
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Jumbo’s Day at Rocky Sullivan’s. Help Hope Live for Michael “Jumbo” McGuire. To benefit the Southeast Kidney Transplant Fund. Noon until ? 34 Van Dyke Street
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27
The 41st Annual Atlantic Antic from 12-6 pm along Atlantic Avenue from Hicks Street to 4th Avenue. Local and national vendors, restaurants, boutiques, crafters will be featured, in addition to live music, a block entirely dedicated to children, and thousands of visitors throughout the day. 2015 Tunnel To Towers 5K Run & Walk - race through the Battery Tunnel Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation. Race begins at IKEA parking lot. Registration necessary https://www.crowdrise.com/T2TNYC. 9:30 am - 4 pm
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 NYC Celebration of Mexican Independence at Council Chambers in City Hall at 5:30 pm. Hosted by Speaker Mellissa Mark-Viverito, Councilmembers Carlos Menchaca and Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, and the New York City Council Black, Latino and Asian Caucas. RSVP by noon on Friday, September 25 to (212) 788-9221
Community Telephone Numbers: Red Hook Councilman Carlos Menchaca.................. 718 439-9012 Red Hook Assemblyman Felix Ortiz...........................718-492-6334 Red Hook State Senator 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
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September 2015
Menchaca casts doubt on nursing home proposal (continued from page 1)
The government entities given oversight over zoning are guided by public opinion. In many cases, changes are harmless, and the applications proceed through the system with little opposition. However, sometimes developer’s have plans that can change the face of a community. Cobble Hill is dealing with that right now, as developers plan huge residential towers to replace the shuttered local hospital.
“I’ve spoken at length with community partners and residents, and am in agreement that in addition to the potential for increased traffic, flooding, and utility burdens,
One community that has dealt with many ULURP proposals over the years is Greenwich Village, a community constantly dealing with the expansionary New York University.
the site is simply inappropri-
In 2011, the community board chairperson for the Village, Jo Hamilton, wrote in the Villager newspaper:
serve.” - Carlos Menchaca
“Community boards are often faced with two distinct courses of action: We can just say “no” and oppose a development outright, or, we can try to negotiate with a developer to try to seek concessions that could benefit our district. Both approaches have their risks and rewards.
“I am opposed to the Oxford Nursing Home project as presented to myself and to the community. I’ve spoken at length with community partners and residents, and am in agreement that in addition to the potential for increased traffic, flooding, and utility burdens, the site is simply inappropriate for the vulnerable population the project seeks to serve.
It is certainly true that some projects would be so destructive to the character of a neighborhood that they should never be the subject of any bargaining. The impact of the proposed West Side Stadium a few years ago comes to mind. But unless political support is lined up early, the community board risks winning a short-term battle at the community level, but losing the war. Many of these projects proceed despite a board’s concerns and objections, and the community loses its ability to help shape the outcome. This is what happened with the Trump Riverside South project a decade ago. Constructive dialogue with a developer can be appealing on the surface. The community gains the opportunity to weigh in on design, density and bulk and advocate for amenities, such as parks, schools and affordable housing. But the downside is that the immediate neighborhood is burdened with having to absorb changes that will forever compromise the area’s quality of life.” After the Oxford presentation, CB6 District Manager Craig Hammerman was quoted in the Brooklyn Paper as saying “We give the applicant a lot of credit for coming to us early before the application is certified for review.” Council Member Menchaca is fully briefed on the proposed ULURP and has his own opinion:
The
ate for the vulnerable population the project seeks to
Development—in Red Hook and otherwise—needs to be thoughtful, engaging, and responsible; this project does not represent that model. Additionally, the preservation of the manufacturing zone is an incredibly important foundation of my platform and vision for the City at-large, and will help to ensure the long-term economic development possibilities of our local community.” The City Council has the last word on the disposition of zoning applications. In most cases, the Council will defer to the local council member’s recommendation. While the Mayor can overrule a Council decision, the Council can override the mayor with a 2/3 vote. The Oxford Nursing Home will be appearing at an upcoming CB 6 Land Use meeting, and this time their application will be voted on. CB 6 meetings are open to the public. Menchaca’s office is planning a town meeting to discuss the nursing home issue. In the meantime, he is asking everyone to let him know their feelings on the proposed nine story facility. Comments can be emailed to info38@ council.nyc.gov, or sent in person or by mail to his District Office,4417 4th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11220.
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 The Star-Revue is published by
Kimberly G. Price & George Fiala Halley Bondy, Nathan Weiser, Mary Ann Pietanza, Marc Jackson and Connor Gaudet, contributors
Red Hook Star-Revue
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September 2015, Page 3
RELIGIOUS NEWS
PHARMACY NOW OPEN!
BY LAURA ENG laura.eng59@aol.com.
Feast of the Assumption is Celebrated at Outdoor Masses
Two local parishes ventured outside their church buildings and celebrated outdoor Masses in honor of the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary on Saturday, August 15.
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The parish of Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary/St. Stephen held a noontime Mass in front of the church on Summit Street which was closed to traffic. The altar was set up on the top of the center staircase between the two open doors and was covered with a white scalloped cloth embroidered with cursive blue “M’s,” stars, and golden crowns, all symbols of Mary, the Blessed Mother. The Mass was concelebrated by Monsignor Guy Massie and Father Cletus Forson of SHSS, and Father Joseph Nugent, pastor of St. Agnes/St. Paul parish. Directly above the altar was a strikingly ornate statue of the Blessed Mother with her arms outstretched and a halo of stars, signifying her assumption into heaven. This statue is a replica of one found at the Church of the Madonna dell’Assunta in Cielo in Monte di Procida, Naples. Parishioners of SHSS led by Mgr. Massie made a pilgrimage to Italy last fall and visited a number of the towns and churches, including the church dedicated to the Madonna dell’Assunta, to which many former and current parishioners can trace their roots. Mgr. Massie acknowledged local devotees of the Madonna dell’Assunta who were in attendance at the outdoor Mass. In celebration of Ferragosto which is the Italian public holiday to mark the Feast of the Assumption and also represents the Italian tradition of taking vacation in August, everyone was treated to ice cream after the conclusion of the Mass. Later in the day, at 7:00 in the evening, the parish of Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary also celebrated an outdoor Mass in honor of the Feast of the Assumption at the foot of the Louis Valentino Pier. Father Claudio Antecini, Pastor of Visitation Church, led the Mass before a simple altar decorated with flowers. Alongside the altar stood a lovely blue and white statue of the Blessed Mother and in the background, to the left of the pier, stood the also lovely Lady Liberty. Attached to the railings and flapping in the breeze were flags representing all the native countries of Visitation parishioners. With the sun beginning to set, and the voices of the congregation
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singing to a guitar accompaniment with lots of “alleluias” interspersed by Father Claudio, it proved an uplifting, glory-filled experience for all those in attendance. Present at the evening Mass was Phyllis Valentino, the mother of fallen Firefighter Louis Valentino for whom the pier is named. The Assumption Mass coincides each year with Firefighter Valentino’s birthday and Father Claudio made mention of him in his homily. Firefighter Valentino perished in
the line of duty in February 1996 and would have turned 57 this year. The trend towards outdoor Masses, seems to be embraced by the parish communities who have attended in increasing numbers. And although the settings and styles of both Assumption Masses were markedly different, the response to both was overwhelmingly positive.
Upcoming Events
Annual 9/11 Interfaith Memorial Service - Hosted by the Brooklyn Heights Clergy Association on Thursday, September 10 at 7:30 pm on the Promenade, near the Montague Street entrance.
Congregation Mount Sinai 250 Cadman Plaza West High Holy Days - Schedule of services and information on getting tickets can be found at https://www.congregationmountsinai.org/prayer-holidays/ high-holidays/. Under the Bridge, a laid-back community Shabbat celebration with incredible live music - perfect for families, kids, and people of all ages, all backgrounds are welcome. Bring your own picnic dinner. Challah and grape juice will be provided. Friday, September 18 at 6:30 pm, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pier 1, BridgeView Lawn.
Sacred Hearts/St. Stephen Church Summit & Hicks Streets Book Club - Next meeting to discuss Catch 22 by Joseph Heller will be on Monday, September 21 at 7:00 pm in the Parish House at 108 Carroll Street. Choral Ensembles - All groups (adults, youth and children) meet on Wednesdays in the Choir Loft. For information regarding times and age groups, contact James Lake or Evelyn Troester at music@sacredhearts-ststephen.com Religious Education Program Open registrations will be on Sun(continued on page 13)
September 2015
EDC quashes yet another opportunity to revitalize the Atlantic Basin
(continued from page 1)
Atlantic Basin encompasses almost a million square feet of space. A 2007 RFP envisioned a marina and, according to Gary Buiso’s article in the Queens Ledger, “maritime support services, including marine repair and refitting, boat sales, dry dock storage and fueling facilities.” The RFP went on to say “Preference will be given to proposals that maximize public access to Atlantic Basin and improve the waterfront experience for visitors and residents, as well as those that include an integrated job apprenticeship[ or vocational training program for local residents.” This sounds much like a plan that Tom Fox, a founder of the NYC Water Taxi company, together with the Durst Organization, current owner of NY Water Taxi, has been lobbying for over the past ten years, with no success thus far. Nothing came of that RFP, and in 2010, EDC issued another one. This one, entitled “Atlantic Basin Upland Programmer,” asked for proposals for use of the bus staging area at Pier 11 of the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. “It is contemplated that the Program may consist of a variety of commercial and/or non-profit uses such as festivals, markets, arts and entertainment events,” stated the RFP document. Prior to issuing that RFP, EDC held a community roundtable to solicit ideas from the Red Hook community. It was held at the Cruise Terminal on January 20, 2010, and is summarized in the RFP. Among the ideas listed were the following: • Campground • Fela Market/Green Market/Food & Wine Festival • Special Events including circus, carnival, concerts, theatre • Equestrian events, volleyball, sporting events • Ferry Connection • Red Hook regatta • Outdoor sculpture site/ outdoor art Again, nothing came from these ideas or the RFP.
Armer knew As mentioned earlier, most of the Red Hookers who showed up at the CB6 meeting expected to hear that a new ferry terminal would be placed at the Atlantic Basin. After all, the basin is easily accessible to most parts of Red Hook, either by walking, biking or the B61 bus. In addition, there is plenty of available parking for those commuters wanting to drive to the ferry. It is close to many of the new housing being currently built, including the Est4te Four project just up the road. Pioneer Works, which has become a respected arts institution and attracts thousands of visitors from Manhattan and elsewhere, is just down the street. There was at just one person attending the meeting who knew what was
Red Hook Star-Revue
“We spoke to City Council Member Carlos Menchaca, who has established a relationship with EDC over the use of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park. He told us that indeed,
of this part of the Citywide Ferry Service sometime in 2017. She basically told the audience that it’s too late to make any changes. The Star-Revue could not find anyone who was consulted by EDC prior to the issuance of the RFP, although John McGettrick is certain that EDC did in fact consult with the leaders in the Rockaways in choosing potential sites for their terminal We spoke to City Council Member
Carlos Menchaca, who has established a relationship with EDC over the use of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park. He told us that indeed, he will see to it that the community will be heard, regardless of what EDC says. There will be an Environmental Review Public Scoping Meeting Borough Hall at 6 pm on Monday, September 28. Perhaps the mystery of the Atlantic Basin will be solved by then.
he will see to it that the community will be heard, regardless of what EDC says.” in store. Jerry Armer, CB 6 member and long time community activist, had read EDC’s RFP for Citywide Ferry Operators. That RFP was issued on March 27, 2015, and laid out EDC’s ferry plans. In it, and in the accompanying draft Environmental Impact Statement, available on the EDC website, they describe the two potential sites that were announced at the meeting. Neither one was at the basin.
(above) Jim Tampakas shows EDC a Red Hook map to try and show them why the Atlantic Basin is the logical place for a Red Hook commuter ferry terminal. EDC’s Lydia Downing (right) is not buying. (photos by George Fiala)
One choice is to the left of the existing Water Taxi stop behind Fairway. Commuters would have to go through the gate at the end of Van Brunt onto the walkway next to the Beard Street warehouses. This is private property owned by the O’Connell Organization. EDC’s Government & Community Affairs Director Lydia Downing told the surprised audience that this was the first choice, and is only dependent upon ongoing negotiations with the property owner. If that doesn’t work out, their second choice would be to attach a ferry terminal to the end of Valentino Pier. Their only reservation had to do with possibly impeding Statue of Libery views - not interfering with fishing, or park-goers, or any environmental consequence.
Some of the little used space at the Atlantic Basin that could become a parking lot for the ferry terminal.
At one point Downing looked out over the audience and did offer “I guess everyone is curious why we wouldn’t choose the Atlantic Basin.” They claim that the Atlantic Basin is off limits when a ship is docked at the Cruise Terminal. Jim Tampakas, owner of Tamco Mechanical, 54 Richards Street, immediately objected, saying that he was in possession of a letter from the Coast Guard that contradicted this. The ILA, Local 1814, the union that provides porters and other workers at the Cruise Terminal, had also never heard of such a restriction.
Sign at Atlantic Basin (we’ve been there at night as well).
Back in April this ship anchored by the Beard Street buildings. Evidently they were hired by a potential ferry operator checking the depth.
Downing, looking vexed, told Tampakas that if indeed he had such a letter to please provide it. But it was evident that EDC has already made up their minds. They already have all the RFP respondents and are in the process of choosing the operators - and are planning a rollout
For some reason EDC believes that Red Hookers would love to have commuter ferry traffic to disrupt our quiet meditations in our little gem of a park.
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September 2015, Page 5
Red Hook Parks Update: Councilman Menchaca stewards a process to get us a better deal than a $2 million bathroom by Nathan Weiser
T
he proposed $2.4 million restroom facility, which was originally slated to be built in Louis Valentino Jr. Park, was stopped based on community disapproval, and council member Carlos Menchaca’s office is currently in the planning stages of what to spend that money on.
also went up because new services had to be brought in. These included
According to CB 6 District Manager Craig Hammerman, the price of the restroom was originally $1.8 million. “Because of Hurricane Sandy and new building code requirements it had to be redesigned and that is why they had to add money to it,” Hammerman said.
for something totally different
Back in 2012, there was a restroom facility built in Elmhurst that cost $2.3 million. People who were against that project said that it was “overkill and wasted taxpayer money,” but that restroom in Elmhurst Park in Queens was not reversed like this one in Red Hook. A local contractor is currently building a 3 story residential building on Van Brunt Street. That building will have three full bathrooms to go along with five bedrooms. He was very surprised to hear that a bathroom could cost $2 million. Labor and supplies to erect his building are only $600,000. According to Hammerman, the rules that the city has on procurement forces the city not to do projects in the cheapest way possible. “The city has to follow certain procedures, and a lot of it is to safeguard against corruption,” Hammerman said. He thought the cost of the restroom
“A situation like this, where money was set aside for one project and then will be used based on community objections, is unprecedented for Community Board 6.” water, sewer, and electrical service. He believes that it was on par with city spending since it had to follow the procurement rules, but he gives Menchaca a lot of credit for leaving the decision for the new project up to the constituents. A situation like this, where money was set aside for one project and then will be used for something totally different based on community objections, is unprecedented for Community Board 6. Hammerman was not able to think of an example like this, but thinks that it is possible that it has happened elsewhere. Part of the reason that this money will be used to improve parks in the area and not for a restroom is that the money was set aside by the previous council representative. “The current councilmember, as is his right to do, decided that based on the feedback he received from his constituents
The cement baseball field at the south end of Coffey Park is in need of resurfacing or perhaps repurposing. (photos by George Fiala)
that there were probably better park priorities to spend that money on,” Hammerman said. Councilmen Menchaca’s office is now trying to figure out the best project to build based on interest from his constituents in Red Hook. An initial planning meeting was held last May. An update on the status of the parks was given, and residents were told that everyone’s ideas were important, according to Director of Organizing, Julian Morales. In June, there was another community meeting. Every park in Red Hook was discussed and constituents offered ideas for improvement. The next step was a meeting in July with Marty Maher, who is the Chief of Staff for the Brooklyn Borough Commissioner for Parks to go through the ideas. Maher identified viable projects. “After that meeting, folks felt like they wanted to have more ideas incorporated in the process, so we put out an online platform where folks could submit ideas,” Morales added. “We are in the process of reconvening to go through these ideas.” The goal for this project is to make it so that everyone in the Red Hook community can have a say in what park project this money will be used for. Some of the possibilities that were approved by Maher during July’s meet-
ing were: 1. Refurbishing the showers and toilets at the Red Hook Recreation Center 2. Resurfacing the southern end of Coffey Park 3. Building a skate park at Bush Clinton Park 4. Adding Astro turf, a skate park and an adult fitness area at Harold L. Ickes Park. Barbara Smith, who has lived in Red Hook almost 11 years and is on the Red Hook West Tenant Association, has an idea of what should be improved in the area. “I have one pet peeve here,” Smith said. “I worked on it last year and I am going to work on it again.” Her pet peeve is that the playgrounds for children in NYCHA should be improved. According to Smith, they haven’t been improved in the last few years. Hammerman thinks that the money should be used on a park that will be able to bring in and affect as many people as possible. “Clearly a skate park might not serve a wide enough population, but refurbishing showers and toilets at the Red Hook Recreation Center, that is the kind of a project that everybody could potentially benefit from,” Hammerman added. This could be studied more because if a group in Red Hook does not have access to a skate park, and if the showers and toilets in the Red Hook Recreation Center are functioning, then Hammerman believes that the skate park could be a higher priority. There have been two ideas so far that have gained the most traction.
CB 6 District Manager Craig Hammerman makes a point at a parks meeting last year at the Red Hook Library.
Page 6 Red Hook Star-Revue
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One is at the recreational side of Coffey Park. The blacktop area behind where there is a playground, sprinklers, handball court and basketball court, has been very underutilized. According to Morales, the community has thought about having everything from volleyball, to soccer, to tennis available in that area. (continued on next page)
September 2015
Council Member Carlos Menchaca leads a meeting concerning Valentino Pier Park. Brooklyn Parks Commissioner Kevin Jeffries is in the suit to Menchaca’s right.
The second area that has seen a lot of ideas is the Harold Ickes Playground, which is next to the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel on Hamilton Avenue between Van Brunt St and Woodhull St. They have received a lot of support from the NYCHA Houses to build a skate park in this area. The office will follow the lead of the constituents when deciding what the next project will be and when it will begin. “The sooner the better because we want to get ground breaking and we want to get this rolling, but we are going to leave it up to them,” Morales added. They would ideally like to make the decision through participatory budgeting because it gets more people engaged, but they don’t have the resources to do it like they normally do. Either way, they will want input from the majority of the community.
Red Hook Star-Revue
Morales emphasized that they want to get as much input from the constituents as possible. There will be another meeting this September where all the ideas are announced and finalized, and he thinks that whatever is decided on will be heavily utilized based on the fields that are currently closed due to lead contamination. To stay abreast of these meetings and offer your own input, you can reach Julian Morales at Jmorales@council. nyc.gov | (718) 439-9012.
Learn Metal Work in Red Hook! Fall classes at She-Weld begin Sept. 19. Workshops in Knife Making, Welding, Blacksmithing, Copper Working. Visiting National & International Guest Master Blacksmiths.
Basketball is a popular Red Hook pastime.
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See www.She-Weld.com for class schedule or call 917-482-4721.
September 2015, Page 7
Mark’s
Corner
“Both of the major candidates currently seeking the Democratic nomination for President contrast favorably with anyone in that other party. Unfortunately that party dis-
BY MARK SHAMES
Political Season looms
P
olitical junkies are focused on a presidential election that is over a year away and primaries half a year down the road. There is even idle speculation about a potential Mayoral race in New York City, I have read no less than 5 pieces in the last week, for a race that won’t take place for another two years. Alas, for those of us focused on those things local and in the here and now there is very little to talk about. There is one judicial primary contest that is barely within shouting distance and that is for a seat in the Sixth Municipal District of Kings County Civil Court of the City of New York. That judicial race is emblematic of the anemic state of reform politics in Brooklyn, since the resignation of former Chairman Lopez. The Kings County Democratic Party Organization (County) has never pretended to be a reform-oriented organization and while it has made some modest accommodations to quiet things down, for better or worse, it proudly maintains many of its old habits. The most prized concession by County’s highly regarded current Chairman, Frank Seddio, allows for greater autonomy among the various fiefdoms in Brooklyn. This has greatly reduced resentment of the central organization. It has, also, had the desired effect of dampening the zeal to agitate for further changes. Nothing of import changes in the insider nature of judicial selection nor has the use of the election law to restrict ballot access been reined in. Chairman Seddio acknowledges trying to disqualify the challenger in the Sixth Municipal District judicial race by invalidating her petition signatures. This is not surprising, but what is disappointing is that it was done on behalf of an incumbent who previously had represented that he was a “reform” judge. County did not succeed in denying the insurgent access to the ballot, but the failure of the “reform” clubs to raise any objection is distressing. Given the demographics of the district and penchant of voters for female judges, this will be another test for County. In the race to replace former State Senator Sampson it is assumed that the pick of the Thomas Jefferson club will win. In the nearest interparty political contest there is the race for District Attorney in Staten Island to replace Dan Donovan who has become the area’s Congressman. The race pits a former
Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue
Congressman and Councilman Mike McMahon against a long time Manhattan prosecutor. Apparently there will first be a primary between them for the Conservative Party ballot line in September followed by the general election in November. With regard to the judicial race I have no strong feelings about who would best serve us on the court in the coming years. As an aside while talking about the courts, Acting Supreme Court Justice Devin Cohen had the wisdom to pluck a person of great integrity and the best of lawyers at Independent Neighborhood Democrats, Devin Robinson, Esq., to work for him.
qualifies itself from consideration due to a worldview that is warped by climate change denial, disrespect for women, and an indifference to basic security for ordinary people. “
No one is the perfect vessel for our hopes and dreams. Our country is too divided to even think such a thing possible. How effectively policies are promoted and then how they get executed by an administration is crucial. It is in the realization of goals that practiced hands such as Hillary’s and those around her are most needed
and will prove most helpful in guiding the energies of the young. Two sayings come to mind “if you want new ideas read old books” and “been there, done that”. You save a lot of time in a short term, if you begin with some perspective, a solid foundation and a full roster of qualified appointees.
Family Day 2015
For Staten Island District Attorney, I am biased. Despite some policy differences with Mike McMahon, I have the highest regard for his work ethic and commitment to fairness and justice. He will certainly be a terrific crime fighter, but one who knows that there is more to the office than a conviction rate. He has ably served the citizens of Staten Island before and if given the opportunity he will do so again.
Some national thoughts Both of the major candidates currently seeking the Democratic nomination for President contrast favorably with anyone in that other party. Unfortunately that party disqualifies itself from consideration due to a worldview that is warped by climate change denial, disrespect for women, and an indifference to basic security for ordinary people. Hillary Rodham Clinton is the better choice for the Democratic Party and our nation. Her years of public service in so many high profile positions in the caldron of our nation’s capitol have prepared her for this most difficult task. Our nation is divided, so it is a mistake to buy into the narrative that she is divisive anymore than there is truth to the assertion that President Obama is divisive. Experience is invaluable and is a deciding factor when coupled, as it is here, with a sufficiently progressive policy agenda. Even if Vice President Biden were to enter the fray, the election of a woman as president breaks the tie in their equally impressive years of service to our nation. I am no fan of identity politics, but Hillary’s election would transcend mere symbolism. Hillary became my standard bearer the moment that Elizabeth Warren made it clear that she would not seek the nomination.
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September 2015
READER SUBMISSION:
NEWS FROM THE NORTH:
Brooklyn Unites to Stop More Housing in Brooklyn Bridge This was sent to us by Judi Francis, Cobble Hill resident, community activist, and President of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund. In an unprecedented show of unified support, fifteen local civic associations along with Leticia James, NYC Public Advocate, the national planning firm Project for Public Spaces and the NYC Sierra Club, have come together to submit testimony to the State regarding the proposed modifications to the General Project Plan guiding development in Brooklyn Bridge Park. At stake is the future of Pier 6 in Brooklyn Bridge Park. As the attached testimony outlines, the funds from the two proposed housing towers at the park’s Atlantic Avenue entrance, are not needed to maintain the park. The communities’ joint testimony also outlines many other concerns that have not been addressed in the City and State plans for this very popular destination. Patrick Killackey, President of the Brooklyn Heights Association said, “This testimony is the first time all community groups surrounding the park have spoken in one voice. The BHA has worked very hard over the past year to pave the way for this joint testimony and it reflects an incredibly strong coalition of support.” Judi Francis, President of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund, a longstanding coalition of local communities advocating the park, said, “We are gratified that the BHA and all BBPDF supporting organizations - representing more than half a million people – along with over 80,000 city-wide Sierra Club members have signed on to the testimony. We could not be more clear: These housing towers are not needed to fund the park, and so, should not be built.” Martin Hale, Chairman of People for Green Space Foundation, a new park advocacy group, said, “We delivered two large boxes filled with over 3,000 letters from park-users, urging the State to halt further housing in the park and recover the three precious acres at this important park-entrance. Thousands more letters and postcards have been sent from people throughout the region, in addition to over
Red Hook Star-Revue
4,000 signatures on the Change.org petition. We urge the Governor to restore these lands for park-lands.” State Senator Daniel Squadron and Council Members Stephen Levin and Brad Lander issued this statement: “It’s rare to see this many community groups come together with such a unified voice. As the July 30th hearing made clear, this decade-old plan for Pier 6 based on outdated assumptions is wrong for our community and wrong for our park. We’ve seen significant changes since the park plan’s formation, including: changed flood zones, unanticipated and significant proposed development at the LICH site, a continued and increasingly urgent school overcrowding crisis in surrounding neighborhoods, and an overburdened transportation system that gets more crowded every year. We stand united with every civic and neighborhood association surrounding the park in calling on ESD to reject the proposed modifications, independently consider alternatives, require a new EIS, and reject the park staff’s attempt to rush forward. We’ll continue to push for a plan that fixes Pier 6, and addresses these real concerns.”
Editors Note: Mary Ann Savarese sent this to us the other day, and we are delighted to share it with our readers. My mother, Dorothy Bullen Savarese was born on Beard Street in Red Hook on April 29, 1920. She lived in Red Hook her whole life and passed away on August 17, 2014 at the age of 94. I thought the people in the neighborhood might like to read about just how much Red Hook meant to her. So here is a copy of what I wrote for Mom’s funeral mass at Visitation Church. My mother loved Red Hook. When people began moving out of the neighborhood in the ‘70s, people asked my mom if she thought about moving too. Her answer was always a simple, “No.” But when the neighborhood changed even more, people changed their question to: “Why don’t you move?” My mother changed her answer to: “Because Red Hook was where I was born, and Red Hook is where I will die.” People thought after my father passed away that my mother would surely leave Red Hook to be near her family. And even though she visited us weekly, even staying on the weekends, she couldn’t wait to head back to Red Hook. “It’s good to be home,” she would say as she blessed herself the moment she saw the Hamilton Avenue sign. The question about moving continued to be asked over the years and I have to admit I was one of those people. I didn’t understand why she wouldn’t leave. There came a time when Mom could no longer visit us and so we began visiting Mom, spending days and overnights with her. And on those visits, vivid memories of growing up came back to me. I remembered walking home from Visitation School at lunchtime listening to the sound of the church bells that always rang at noon. I remembered playing stick ball, kick the can, and co-co-leave-e-o with all the kids on the block. I remembered roller skating up and down Beard Street, knowing exactly where the bumps and the cracks in the sidewalk were, even the short cut through Cowheys. And I remembered my mother sitting outside on the stoop on summer evenings, talking to the neighbors as they passed by. And the more time I spent in Red Hook, the more I remembered. It was then that I realized why my mother loved Red Hook so much and why she didn’t want to leave. You see, Mom started having trouble with her memory after she got sick. But Red Hook helped her remember,
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Dorothy Savarese at her 80th birthday.
because this is where all her memories were. Memories of her family and friends. Red Hook was where she grew up, where she went to school, and where she met my father. It was Visitation Church where she married Dad and where they baptized the four of us. Visitation is where we went to school, where we received communion and confirmation. It is where the girls were married too. And when the grandchildren were born, Mom took Kara, John, David, Dorothy Marie, and Matthew for long walks through the neighborhood telling them what it was like to grow up in Red Hook. Mom always made sure to stop at the Statue of Liberty before coming home. They learned all about Lady Liberty, who lives in Red Hook and watches over it. Well, it took a hurricane to get my mother to leave Red Hook. I sometimes think my father helped navigate the piling that crashed through the basement window of her house during the storm. He knew it was time for Mom to be closer to the family. Over the last two years, we had the chance to spend more time with Mom and take care of her. And we knew how to do that very well. You see we learned from the best. Growing up, we saw Mom take care of our grandmother when she was sick. We remembered how Mom took care of my sister Dorothy around the clock for months when she had Rheumatic Fever. There was the trip to Bear Mountain when my sister Florence broke her arm on a school trip, and the countless trips to Long Island College Hospital when my brother John and I got stitches. There were the measles, the mumps, and the chicken pox too. And when we were older, we saw how strong my mother was while she took of my dad before he passed away. Well Mom, we brought you back to Red Hook today. Back to the neighborhood and the church that you love so dearly. I will always remember you as a wonderful mother and a mother who loved her family. But I will also remember you as the Lady Who Loved Red Hook. And just like Lady Liberty, who lives and watches over Red Hook, I think you will be heaven watching over Red Hook too. I love you, Mom. And I know you love me more.
September 2015, Page 9
Red Hook gets its very own record store
I
f you thought you weren’t into records, or if you’ve ever felt intimidated by the too-cool brinksmanship of vinyl collection (think High Fidelity), you haven’t been to the new record shop at 360 Van Brunt Street. When you first enter, you rather feel like you’re in a friend’s living room -- if your friend happens to have a widely eclectic, 4,000-strong record collection. The atmosphere is informal. You’re free to browse as long and hard as you want. You’re free to test the goods on the store turntables. You’re also free to chat with Red Hook resident Bene (pronounced “benny”) Coopersmith, the store’s earthy and knowledgeable owner who seems to love to talk about records just as much as he loves to sell them. “Nobody should feel intimidated here,” he said during an interview in the store. “I just want to open up the door and see what kind of conversation happens.” Coopersmith hasn’t placed any advertisements. The store doesn’t even have an official name yet, though he says Swoopy’s Groove Palace — inspired by his nickname, Swoopy — is a working title. Yet, since he opened his doors in July, Coopersmith has already generated moderate buzz, an ethos of inclusivity, and a vision for expansion that includes music lessons and events. The records at Swoopy’s Groove Palace (again, working title) come from Coopersmith’s personal collection, and from customers who sold their records to the store. It would be futile to pigeonhole the collection since it ranges so much: from gospel to reggae to modern rock, from well-known artists like Aretha Franklin to Armenian folk artists to exercise gurus from the 80s (I couldn’t help but purchase one of the latter). You can get lost and giddy flipping through the racks, discovering beautiful or bizarre album art, great music, or kitschy surprises from all over the world.
by Halley Bondy
Though it seems like a dying industry, vinyl sales are actually up by 260 percent since 2009 according to Nielsen, and more mainstream artists are releasing vinyl LPs in spite of the digital tide. Yet, record shops are irrefutably difficult to sustain in New York. Stores with decades of legacy are being priced out of their homes, while juggernauts like Amazon and Urban Outfitters remain the top vinyl sellers. Coopersmith hopes that diversifying the space will help him combat the odds. He plans to build a studio in the store’s back room, for example, where instructors can give music lessons. He also mentioned that the back area of the store can be converted into a stage for events. “It’s not just a record store,” he said. “We want this to be a center for education and events. We want to be part of the community. I just think that’s smart business.” Raised in Newtown, Connecticut, by a very musical family (his father is a singer/songwriter), Coopersmith moved to New York at age 18. He started going to Sunny’s in 2002, where he sometimes plays bass in the band Nymph. Won over by the neighborhood, he moved to Verona Street in 2009. For years, he worked every Sunday at the 5th Avenue Record & Tape Center in Park Slope, where he developed his name within the community of collectors. Unfortunately, after 42 years of business, 5th Avenue Record & Tape Center will lose its lease in De-
cember due to financial issues. Coopersmith was inspired to open up his own shop based largely on his experiences in Park Slope, where he really fell in love with records. “Records are beautiful objects. Sometimes just holding a record and imagining what it contains is even better than listening to it,” he said. “I want this to be a shop where you can do that.” There are high hopes for Coopersmith’s shop, and not just from Coopersmith and superfans like Darryl. The building’s owner Scott Pfaffman -- who has seen a half a dozen businesses come and go from 360 Van Brunt since the 1990s -- said that he hasn’t heard so much buzz about a business in the space since the acclaimed restaurant 360 opened there in 2002. “Bene [Coopersmith] is the real deal,” Pfaffman said in a phone interview. “He has lots of contacts and he’s already established in the subculture. Frankly, he doesn’t even need the publicity from newspapers. That record store is going to be famous.” The storefront space at 360 Van Brunt Street has undergone so many evolutions it could fill a book. Through the decades, Pfaffman, a sculptor, has rented it to eclectic entrepreneurs for bargain prices while he’s lived in a residence behind the store. Most recently, the traveling Spanish-language library Libreria Donceles occu-
The storefront has housed everything from a saxophone repair shop to a home base for Occupy Wall Street’s Red Hook volunteer arm. With the exception of the traveling library (which had already planned to leave the space), most businesses failed in the space before they got off the ground.
Of course, Coopersmith is operating in an entirely different Red Hook than Erhart was. The neighborhood is decidedly more gentrified and famous than it was in the early 2000s, and he should benefit from the massive music-loving crowd drawn by Pioneer Works. Time will tell whether or not Swoopy’s Groove Palace becomes the second successful business to grace 360 Van Brunt Street in the past two decades, but Coopersmith said he’s hoping to make a lasting impact.
“It’s open and free here. Nobody’s hounding you to purchase anything,” said Darryl. “It’s a small collection but there’s a very wide variety, and they offer fair market value for my records. I’ll definitely keep coming back.”
Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue
pied the space before leaving in June. Once the library left, Pfaffman said he considered renting the space to a beekeeper, a skateboard designer, and a shoe store owner -- but ultimately, he chose the enterprising Coopersmith, who also happens to be an independent renovations contractor. Coopersmith set to work re-doing the floors and incorporating old elements of 360 Van Brunt Street into new ones. Old mirrors remain, for example, from its brief days as a spin class venue.
The French restaurant 360 was the glaring exception, offering a novel dining experience back when Red Hook was totally off the mainstream radar. 360’s owner Arnaud Erhart said in a phone interview, however, that while the restaurant was a success, it was never financially -- or for him, psychologically -- sustainable, so he closed up shop in 2007.
One customer named Darryl looked so comfortable chatting with Coopersmith and playing records in the store I actually thought he worked there. He clarified, and told me he drives to Swoopy’s Groove Palace from Brighton Beach every week to buy and sell records.
Prices at Swoopy’s range from $2 to a few hundred for the odd rare record (a rare Milton Wright record recently sold for $700, Coopersmith said), but most of them hover in an affordable range. There are also a handful of cassettes and VHS tapes on sale, as well as sound components like receivers, speakers, and turntables.
Bene Coopersmith, owner of the newest incarnation at 360 Van Brunt storefront.
To be a total buzzkill, I asked him if he thought the space might be cursed. “I do believe in magic. But, 360 [the restaurant] was a huge success, so no way,” he said. “I don’t think this space is cursed. I think I just needed to help make it smile again.”
This is how music was browsed in the old days, and again at 360 Van Brunt.
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September 2015
Looking Back: A Brief History of 360 Van Brunt Street by Halley Bondy
B
ack in 1997, the Atlanta, Georgia-born sculptor and contractor Scott Pfaffman bought the 360 Van Brunt Street storefront -- which was a leaky, abandoned dry cleaning place -- for $45,000. He originally thought he would build an art studio there. Pfaffman and the storefront, however, would embark on a journey that would survive multiple businesses and Hurricane Sandy, and ultimately, they would change the face of Red Hook time and time again.
ally the perfect combination.” After years of renovations, Erhart opened 360, a French restaurant with an affordable prix fixe (just $20), and a menu that changed every day. “We wanted our friends and neighbors to be able to afford it,” Erhart said, “Which meant we had to do a lot
Pfaffman first opened an unofficial café in the storefront, but eventually he rented the space to a friend who ran a saxophone repair store. The store stayed open two years before shuttering its doors. Meanwhile, Pfaffman’s friend and fellow Red Hooker Arnaud Erhart had just hit hard times. 9/11 had scared off Erhart’s investors, forcing the restaurateur to pull the plug on a new venue in the city. After a “few bottles of wine,” Erhart said he and Pfaffman formed plans to build a restaurant in the 360 Van Brunt storefront. “What started as a joke became a dare,” said Erhart said in a phone interview. “In many ways, it was actu-
“I have been blamed for gentrification of the neighborhood,” said Erhart. “We had limos pulling up. Hollywood types loved it because nobody bothered them.” But, 360 was too small, and its prices were too low. Even though tables were filled every night, and even though Erhart had a sweet rental deal with Pfaffman ($1,100 a month, according to Pfaffman) the profit wasn’t enough to hire a staff, leaving Erhart to do a considerable amount of heavy lifting. Erhart himself would shop for ingredients in the morning and work on the books at night. It all became too much, and according to Erhart, he felt burnt out. In 2007, after five years of business, he shut the doors to 360 for good.
Red Hook was a different neighborhood back in the 90s, featuring a high concentration of welders and craftspeople, as well as families who owned houses for generations. With rentals rare and almost no outsiders paying attention to Red Hook, residents like Pfaffman could enjoy the beautiful waterside neighborhood in total tranquility and isolation. “Coffey Street in the 90s was the best time ever,” said Pfaffman in a phone interview. “It was so remote, even the criminals couldn’t be bothered to come out here.”
had never even heard of the neighborhood now saw it as an off-beat destination. Soon, there was no stopping the influx (though, a reservation was a must). Famous people, such as the Coen brothers, were known to drop by from time to time.
Arnaud Erhart, who began a legendary Red Hook restaurant on a dare.
of compromising money-wise.” Ingredients were locally sourced, the wines were carefully selected by Erhart -- who was an experienced sommelier -- and the quality of the food and experience became legendary. A glowing review by the New York Times began with: “I dream about finding restaurants like 360, a storefront in Red Hook, Brooklyn, where passion, generosity, commitment, eccentricity and skill outweigh any semblance of good common sense.” Besides Hope & Anchor, 360 was the only proper restaurant in Red Hook at the time, Erhart recalls. Outsiders who
Red Hook Volunteers, an arm of Occupy Sandy. However, they ran out of money and left in 2014, Pfaffman said. In 2015 Pfaffman welcomed a temporary business, the traveling Spanish library Libereria Donceles, which left in June. In July, A record store tentatively named Swoopy’s Groove Palace took over the space. Red Hookers are waiting with bated breath to see if it becomes the first business to make a serious impact since 360. Through it all, Pfaffman said he never intended to become some grand curator for the neighborhood (though he had also co-founded Kentler gallery with Florence Neal in the 90s). As Red Hook gentrified and became
Erhart would eventually leave Red Hook and move to Vieques, Puerto Rico, where he now owns a scuba business. “It was a labor of love, and I got so much out of 360,” he said. “But rents in New York are too insane, and I was ready for something new.” After 360, the Italian restaurant O’Barone took over the space, followed by a short-lived spin class. Both businesses hit setbacks and never got off the ground. Certainly, they never held a candle to 360. Sandy hit in 2012, leaving the basement of 360 Van Brunt Street completely destroyed and the ground floor flooded with six inches of water. After endless work and a little help from FEMA, Pfaffman rebuilt, and 360 Van Brunt Street became home to the
Scott Pfaffman
more of a destination for outsiders and investors, 360 Van Brunt Street has remained an unpredictable rotating door of eccentric characters in need of affordable rents, which Pfaffman has obliged. “The neighborhood is still filled with interesting people, only now they’re interesting people with money,” he said. “I never had any curating intentions with the space -- I’m just lucky that interesting people live down here, and that I can offer them the cheapest storefront rent in town.”
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STAR THEATER MUSICIANS JAM EVERY MONDAY 8 - MIDNIGHT
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(718) 246-8050 Red Hook Star-Revue
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September 2015, Page 11
An Urban Nomad - John McGill Banned by Kimberly Gail Price
O
ics for a soft porn foot-fetish song for YouTube. And I said if you just put ‘soft porn foot-fetish song for YouTube’ on a T-shirt, you’ll make more money. Then he went to take a s---. When he came back, I had 20 minutes Michael had previously worked in Los of foot fetish for him.” Angeles as a cameraman. When his John and Michael met at an open daughter was born, he began work- mike night at Court and Sparks, a ing in graphic design. Once she was now shuttered bar on the edge of Red raised, Michael decided to once again Hook. Broz was fascinated with Mcpursue filmmaking. nut this time, he Gill’s “intense and deep, unedited lyrics,” as well as his artistic ability. They wanted to create his own films. Michael started looking for projects as soon collaborated on John creating he moved further away from graphic live drawings as a performance piece, design. He joined a Meet Up group in addition to his musical routines. n the evening of May 23, 2013, Michael A. Broz pointed at John McGill and said, “You’re my character!” The next day the duo embarked on the project.
On May 24, one day after Michael’s revelation, he and John started filming. The film was shot over the next five weeks in a handful of days. “Initially, I just wanted to get back into After the meeting John phoned Mi- film,” he said. “I cut my teeth on John chael and invited him to a music stu- McGill.” dio where he records with Adam Mey- As the story unfolded, and as John’s er because John joked that Michael tale was being told, Michael realized his original intention of “capturing was supposed to bring beer. Michael quipped back, “I got there and and packaging” John’s music was there was no beer. I think I went back only the beginning of a much bigger picture. “Initially, I just wanted to get out to get it.” back into film. There was discovery On that fated night, Michael realized along the way. It was a story to tell,” he said. called POV (Pont of View). When he expressed interest at the first meeting, a director asked him if he had a story. He did not. The director asked if Michael had a character. He didn’t.
McGill at work on a painting
John McGill Banned (JMB) was the result of more than 10 hours of footage. The entire movie is completely unscripted. As we see John working on a variety of projects throughout the city, he recounts bits and pieces of his life.
“There are things in there he did have a character. And that char- that I didn’t want, but as I began to acter, John McGill, also had a fascinat- see it, it’s a story. What I like about it is that it’s instantaneous; nothing ing story. John was working on lyrics to a song. planned, no scripting. That’s kind of “Adam asked me to help them do lyr- the way I draw,” John said.
Teddy Roosevelt famously said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” John says, “Life is always in motion; I’m riding the wave.” John’s father used to tell him, “Take it easy; do it McGill is a familiar face around the neighborhood. (photos by right. If you Michael A. Broz) can help somebody along the way, “keep trimming it down to get to the help them.” All of this is reflected is core of the story.” The result is a one his art, his music and his mortal ex- hour film that inspired, entertains, istence - unplanned, unscripted, mo- touches and baffles. ment to moment. “It was always about the story. The A press release describes the film themes that run through it became as a “ridiculously entertaining, dark an arc - became a structural element comedy/biopic that shadows Brook- that [also] ran through it,” Michael exlyn’s own artist, craftsman, nomad plained. and enigma. The film looks at the “We were waiting tooth and nail to see nomadic life of John McGill living in what we’d done,” John said. “I didn’t and around Brooklyn, dealing with plan to do it, I was just doing it. If I’d the random and formidable demons thought about it, it wouldn’t be what shaping his life.” it is. You just have to hit it. And you get JMB reveals an ever-optimistic man what you get.” with tragic memories that have On September 3, Atelier Roquette shaped his present day life. John is will host a screening of the film along revealed as a craftsman, “a jack-of- with a variety of other elements. all-trades, master of none.” Each “Nomophobia,” a new short about scene tells a mini story of his portrait life without smart phones, created by through his own perspective. Michael will also be shown. ComeThe film was accepted into the Art dian, Mara Weisband will emcee the of Brooklyn Film Festival and made evening. John’s band, also called John it’s world screening premiere among McGill Banned, will be playing. John’s more than 40 other films at St Francis artwork will be on sale and he will also College on May 15. Michael was one be doing live drawings all night. of five directors chosen for a talkback The show begins at 7:30 pm at 63 Comsession following the premiere. merce Street in Red Hook, Brooklyn. The editing process took more than Suggested donations of $12 will go tonine months because Michael had to ward supporting the documentary.
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Religious News (continued from page 2)
day, September 13 after all Masses. Opening Parent Meeting will be held on Catechetical Sunday, September 20, beginning with attendance at the 10:00 Mass and the meeting to follow in Cabrini Hall. Calls may be made to the Religious Education Office at 718596-0880.
St. Agnes Church Hoyt & DeGraw Streets French Mass each Sunday at 11:00 am
St. Mary Star of the Sea 467 Court Street New Religious Education Program (Grades 1, 2, & 3) - registration is ongoing through September 10. Registration forms are available in the back of church and at the rectory, during office hours, or may be downloaded at www.stmarystarbrooklyn.com,
St. Paul Episcopal Church 199 Carroll Street Annual Fall Rummage Sale - Saturday, September 12, 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Books, jewelry, clothing, shoes, toys, household items, estate items, eclectic collection of CDs and DVDs. Come down and browse; you will be pleasantly surprised at what you can find and buy at bargain prices. Jazz@Mass returns, under the direction of renown jazz musician, Willie Martinez. “Come join us for a service where worship meets jazz in a relaxed, low Mass setting inspired by the lazy days of summer, all for the glory of God!” September 27 from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon.
Visitation BVM Church 98 Richards Street September 11 Remembrance Mass, to remember those who lost their lives, and to pray for them and for peace in the world. Friday, September 11 at 6:00 pm on the Louis Val-
entino Pier. Mary’s Hall - If you are planning a party, including a graduation, wedding, baptism, or Sweet 16 celebration, please consider using the completely restored Mary’s Hall. The cost is a donation for the upkeep of the church. Call Sr. Frauke at 917-5154225 for more information. Religious Education Program Registration is open from Monday - Thursday, 9:00 am - 2:30 pm at the rectory. Sunday classes for First Communion and Confirmation start September 13, from 11:20 am - 12:20 pm. Wednesday classes for First Communion start on September 16 from 3:15 pm - 4:15 pm. Wednesday classes for Confirmation start on September 16 from 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm. For more information please call the parish office at 718-624-1572.
Citi Bike news
Citi Bike stations are coming to Red Hook, Gowanus, Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill in 2016, and they want to know where you want them placed. Citi Bike did not install stations in any of these communities in the initial rollout of the program in 2013, nor were they included in the 2015 expansion. But according to a release from Councilman Brad Lander, the “great new transportation resource” will be “moving forward with a long-promised expansion, doubling the system from 6,000 to 12,000 bikes, adding
many new neighborhoods, and finally expanding into ours!” Citi Bike and the Department of Transportation are requesting feedback to make informed decisions about where to place stations. Lander is also sponsoring legislation to ensure the bike sharing program is available to all neighborhoods, instead of those that provide a substantial profit margin. “Bike share shouldn’t only be available in neighborhoods where it pays for itself.” To suggest a location, visit www. nycbikeshare.herokuapp.com.
Breast Cancer event coming up at Prospect Park
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks are the largest network of breast cancer awareness events in the nation, uniting nearly 300 communities with a shared determination to finish the fight. By signing up, fundraising, and participating in one of our noncompetitive, three- to five-mile walks, you will help us be there for everyone in every community touched by breast cancer. You will help those who are currently dealing with a breast cancer diagnosis, those who may face a diagnosis in the future, and those who may avoid a diagnosis altogether thanks to education and prevention. Locally, Making Strides will be taking place at Prospect Park on Sunday, October 18. For further information please contact Christina Hall or Janett Florindo at 1 800.227.2345 or go to makingstrideswalk.org/Brooklyn
EVERYBODY IN RED HOOK GOES TO
celebrates MARK’S Back to School RED HOOK PIZZA RISTORANTE
326 Van Brunt Street (bet. Pioneer & King)
Open daily 10 am to 11 pm, Sundays 11 am - 10 pm. Free Delivery Available
(718)624-1628 Fax (718)624-2145
All Credit Cards Accepted ($10 min)
Red Hook Star-Revue
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(718) 624-0690 September 2015, Page 13
Columbia Street Festival
The Carroll Gardens Association, Inc. (CGA) is proud to announce that its 7th Annual Columbia Waterfront Fall Festival will be held Saturday, September 12th, 2015 from 12PM -5PM –rain or shine- along Columbia Street from Degraw to Union and Union Street from Columbia to Hicks. The festival takes place through the heart of the Columbia Waterfront District, showcasing 50 craft and food vendors, community organizations, along with over 30 local businesses and neighborhood restaurants. New businesses soon to be debuting in the community will be featured including Carla Hall’s Southern Kitchen. The Chew co-host and Top Chef Participant will be previewing selections from her first restaurant inspired by Nashville hot chicken. This year there will be two performance stages of music, dance, and programming. Local Southwest Brooklyn bands will feature a range of music including folk, reggae, AfroLatin Jazz, and Rock. In addition to exploring the new tastes, shops, and music of the neighborhood, visitors can take advantage of several community organizations sharing their resources. The Brooklyn Public Library will have its Bookmobile set up with collection of 6,000 books that visitors can check out as well as sign up for a library card. ID NYC will have a booth where visitors can register for an appointment to secure New York City’s first municipal ID. The NYPD Community Affairs Bureau will be setting up a rock wall for youth to learn basic rock climbing skills.
Contest Answer
Reader Anneliese Semotan sent us this photo asking us -
“CAN YOU GUESS WHERE THIS LITTLE HOUSE STOOD HERE IN RED HOOK?”
In addition to other community groups, Councilmember Brad Lander and his office will share information on the upcoming Participatory Budget season. Residents will have the opportunity to learn about the process and submit ideas for funding. Finally, the Fall Festival is honored to be occurring in conjunction with a street renaming ceremony honoring Lydia Buffington who will have a corner sign of Luquer Street named after her. Buffington, raised in Carroll Gardens, spent a life dedicated to public service in Southwest Brooklyn.
Adopt a Grandparent Festival
Cobble Hill Health Center, located at 380 Henry St., is sponsoring a street carnival for children of all ages to celebrate their Adopt-a-Grandparent Program on Sunday, September 20, 2015 from 11:00 am-3:00 pm. The Carnival will be held on Congress Street between Hicks and Henry Streets. The free event will feature fun things guaranteed to please every kid: rides, popcorn, cotton candy, a dog show, pony rides, a clown and a strolling magician. During the carnival, community members will have an opportunity to meet some of Cobble Hill’s residents and sign up for their Adopta-Grandparent Program, which pairs people from the community with individual residents. This is the program’s fourth year and there are over 50 relationships that came out of the last event held in 2012. “Grandchildren” visited, called on the phone, sent birthday cards (continued on next page)
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Well, she told us and now we know.
An unsightly, aluminum siding house stood in the middle of the block on Wolcott Street across PS 15 and its schoolyard. It was occupied by squatters when I first saw it. We walked past it many times, a flea ridden dog always barked at us from behind the fence, but one day, about 10 - 12 yrs. ago, the dirty grey siding was gone and there was this interesting wooden house. I was thinking, mostly hoping, that maybe someone was going to restore this house, then I realized that someone just stripped the siding for cash. Within a few days the whole block was under construction, the little house gone - but not forgotten! Well, we didn’t get a correct answer, but we did get nice emails from Jeanine Reeves Erica Furtaw Debbie Ford and Phyllis Micillo Now here’s this month’s question. This is a very recent photo - where is this located? Email us at contest@ redhookstar.com
Page 14 Red Hook Star-Revue
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September 2015
(continued from previous page)
and made sure to keep up with their “grandparent.” This program is only one of many that Cobble Hill Health Center runs to bring the community into the facility. “We continuously strive to find unique ways to create a fulfilling experience for the elderly and infirm,” said Tony Yang-Lewis, Cobble Hill’s Administrator. “Many of our residents are all alone in the world. This program adds a very important dimension to their lives, the warmth of friends and family.” Several volunteers commented to Karen White, the Director of Volunteers that they felt they got more than they gave. “There are so many kind people in Brooklyn who are seeking ways to give back to our senior community,” says Ms. White. “This program gives our residents a chance to tell their life stories to others and connect with the community in a safe and loving way. But it also enriches the lives of our volunteers.”
Fall Rummage Sale
St. Paul’s will be a holding their Annual Fall Rummage Sale on Saturday September 12, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It will be in the Church’s Parish Hall and along the Carroll Street side of the church.
gain prices. Stock up on some good reads in both hardcover and paperback or pick out a new frock to wear on your fall adventures from our vintage clothing racks. We also have an eclectic collection of CD’S and DVD’s to choose from, and the usual bricker brac, knick knacks you have come to expect from sales like this.
Jenny belin’s Art
Our rummage sales are a neighborhood tradition. Come down, shop and visit with your friends and neighbors, we would love to see you. You never know what you are going to find there. St. Paul’s is located at 199 Carroll Street off of Clinton Street.
The Star-Revue Online While we love paper, there are also a number of ways that we communicate electronically: 1 - Our Email Blast List - sign up for it at www.redhookstar.com 2 - Our online calendar - keep current with local events as we hear about them - at www. redhookstar.com 3 - Our newspaper blog where you can read and share selected articles - at www.star-revue.com 4 - We also have two Facebook pages and a Twitter feed
Come down and browse our goods. You will be pleasantly surprised at what you can find and buy at bar-
Our friend Jenny, who exhibits locally at the Brooklyn Collective, 212 Columbia Street, sends us this and tells us “ how I imagine my cat looked as a kitten.” Jenny recently made a new fan - Mary Louise Parker - who bought a series of paintings. Jenny’s website is www.jennybelin.com
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September 2015, Page 15
The importance of looking sharp This year Red Hook Houses held Family Day on August 15th. Red Hook East celebrated right in the middle of Centre Mall. Red Hook West held their Family Day on the same day, at the same time, right in the middle of the newly refurbished Coffey Park. We had fun at both of them, enjoying Hal’s hamburgers off the grill on the east side, as well as Anthony Watson’s hot dogs on the west. There was something that we noticed walking from one to the other. All the lawns were newly mowed, and they looked great. The Red Hook Houses were spiffed up, and just that little extra thing made us think that a well mowed lawn should and could make everyone feel a little better about where they live. We also noticed garbage bags placed around so residents enjoying the outdoors have a place to put their trash. We are told that there are some new managers and supervisors that NYCHA has put in place, who are responsible for a little better upkeep. We hope it lasts!
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September 2015