Star revue march 2015

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

MARCH 2015

SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER

FREE

A New Vision for Brooklyn Bridge Park

by George Fiala

I

n case you haven’t noticed, a waterfront park has been taking shape just north of the Red Hook Containerport. Brooklyn Bridge Park, conceived of in the 1980’s and 90’s, and built this century, has not been without controversy.

For much of Brooklyn’s history, the Fulton Ferry piers were a busy hub for loading and unloading cargo ships. By the early 1980’s, that activity had for the most part moved to New Jersey and the Port Authority (PA) together with NYC planned to turn over Piers 1-6 to the private sector for commercial and residential development.

In 1992, the PA, then under the leadership of Stanley Brezenoff, was about to sell the piers to developers. It was only community pressure and intervention from the governor’s office that prevented the sale in favor of a park plan that the neighborhood preferred.

Fast forward 23 years and a park has appeared, but the housing issue has not gone away. Pierhouses, a project of the Toll Brothers, is currently rising at the north end of the park and already selling some of the most expensive luxury condos in the city. One Brooklyn Bridge Park, a renovation of the former Jehovah’s Witness printing plant, features condos for as much as $6 million.

Next to One Brooklyn Bridge, RFP’s have been submitted by developers eager to build two additional towers, one of them reaching 37 stories. These towers would also house luxury condo’s, and only a judge’s temporary restraining order is pre-

Long time community leader Roy Sloane making his presentation.(photo by Fiala)

venting construction from beginning.

On March 3rd, at a meeting of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Community Advisory Council, member Roy Sloane presented an alternative vision for Pier 6. His vision is based upon what, in

economics, is called “opportunity cost.”

The term refers to what is lost by making one choice as opposed to another.

According to Wikipedia, opportunity cost plays a crucial part in ensuring that scarce resources are used efficiently and are not restricted to financial costs: they also include lost time, pleasure or any other benefit that provides utility.

A grand park entrance According to Sloane, his plan would create a much grander entrance to the park, creating as much as three additional acres of parkland. There is a strong financial reason to not building now as well. Current trends indicate that the land will be worth much more in decades to come.

According to some Wall Street financial analysts, the park has a sufficiently funding base with the current developments to sustain the park and pier for the next 50 years. Holding on to the property for now is a more prudent choice.

Sloane’s presentation was well received.

The hope is that it could get a hearing at the next board meeting of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC).

Community Board Two divests In other business, CAC co-chair Lucy Koteen read aloud a letter to the CAC from the new Community Board 2 (CB 2) chairperson Shirley McCrae.

According to the CAC charter, CB2 is responsible for appointing a co-chair.

McCrae’s letter informed the group that CB 2 will no longer do so. It said that “the discourse at and resultant actions of the CAC often appear to be adversarial to the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation… it creates a dysfunctional dynamic that I no longer want the community board to be a party to.”

As the CAC is meant to serve as a conduit for the community to communicate with the park corporation, similar to the Gowanus Canal Community Advisory Group, CAC members were left to wonder who CB2 is meant to represent.

The third major topic discussed at this meeting was the rescinding of a stopwork order given to the Pier House.

Views of the Brooklyn Bridge are very important to residents of Brooklyn Heights, especially those who live near or frequent the Brooklyn Promenade.

The current not yet completed building

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:

The alternate plan that adds parkland.

A version of the current plan.

Major points of the Alternate Plan: • A major entrance on Atlantic Avenue would help unlock the economic potential of the Avenue; • It would bring the park 175 feet closer to the residents; • It would be a major relief to Brooklyn Heights to have the primary ingress/egress be on a major commercial street and not through residential streets; • It will eliminate 2,3 or even more lanes of dangerous traffic that park goers must cross; • The upland of Pier 6 is one of the very few places where trees can be grown in the earth so that they can grow large enough to provide much needed shade; • It would be more financially prudent to reserve selling this land for as long as possible. already blocks views.

The BBPDC had always assured the Brooklyn Heights Association that these views would not be disturbed by any construction. Steve Guterman, whose group “Save the View” has collected over 5,000 signatures protesting the height of the hotel, explained the ins and outs of measuring building height, and encouraged the community, and the CAC, to keep pressure on Toll Brothers to respect the neighborhood’s wishes.

The CAC has an impressive roster, in-

cluding representatives from CB 6, The Atlantic Ave. Betterment Association, Cobble Hill Association, Dumbo Neighborhood Association, Brooklyn Heights Association, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund. At-large members include Anthony Manheim, who has been an active park advocate since the 1980’s.

Yet despite this impressive community representation, the CAC bemoaned the fact that they have trouble being heard by BBBPDC and now CB 2.

The

Red Hook StarªRevue

Happenings, etc.

proudly introduces our new website

www.Star-Revue.com For Editorial, Advertising and Help Wanted Inquiries, email info@redhookstar.com, or call 718 624-5568 The Star-Revue is published by Kimberly G. Price & George Fiala

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

Ridgewood Savings Bank Small Business Financial Workshop from 5-7 pm. Benefits, merchant services, banking answers and solutions. 244 Court Street NYC Department of Environmental Protection discusses flooding, sewage backups, water bills, noise and air and water concerns at 6 pm. Registration begins at 5:30 pm at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Community Room, 209 Joralemon Street ReStore Red Hook invites small business neighbors for cocktails at Atelier Roquette at 7 pm. 63 Commerce Street

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

Pioneer Works’ group exhibition Under Construction - New Positions in American Photography opening reception from 6-10 pm. 159 Pioneer

PS 15 PTA IS CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOL! PS 15 PATRICK F. DALY MAGNET SCHOOL OF THE ARTS

**VENDORS WANTED**

**FOOD VENDORS WANTED**

Please come out join the

PS 15 PTA SPRING FLEA

ON SATURDAY MAY 2ND, 2015 10 AM TO 5 PM (RAIN DATE MAY 9TH)

at the large playground.

Application’s can be requested at: EMAIL: ps15pta2015@gmail.com Or 718-330-9280 ext #1251

Making Brooklyn Bloom annual conference at Brooklyn Botanic Garden from 10 am-4 pm. Keynote speech and workshop registration begins at 10 am. Advance registration not required. FREE. 150 Eastern Parkway

SUNDAY, MARCH 15

Red Hook Pilates Open House from 1-3 pm. Visit the studio, watch demos and try out the new Balanced Body Reformer. 414 Van Brunt Street Brooklyn’s Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade at 1 pm. Parade Route: Prospect Park West > down 15th Street to 7th Avenue > To Garfield Place > Up Garfield Place to Prospect Park West > Along Prospect Park West to 15th Street. A second parade takes place at Rocky Sullivans at 7 pm following a day of Irish cultural activities.

Extreme Kids and Crew’s ALL Abilities Bike Clinic in collaboration with NYC Parks Department from 10 am-1 pm at the Red Hook Rec Center.

Each family must bring a bike and a helmet. 155 Bay Street

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

Carroll Gardens Association’s Small Business Series workshop Tax Breaks for your Business from 5:30-7:30 pm. RSVP to (718) 243-9301.

FREE. 201 Columbia Street.

The Gowanus Dredgers annual celebration of programs in Gowanus, Red Hook, Long Island City, Staten Island and the Riverbank State Park Pool. The Dredgers are also looking for carpenters, welders and masons. The Roof of Whole Foods Market from 7-9 pm. 3rd Avenue and 3rd Street.

All monies will go directly to support PTA sponsored school programs at PS 15.

PLEASE SUBMIT ALL APPLICATIONS BY MARCH 31

RELIGIOUS SERVICES CATHOLIC 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. We will visit the sick upon notification.

Saint Paul and Saint Agnes Parish St. Paul’s Church - Rectory & 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) http://stpaulstagnes.org/ 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. Sick Calls: Please call the rectory to arrange for the sacrament of anointing whenever anyone is seriously ill. Marriages: Please call the rectory at least 6 months ahead for an appointment with a priest http://www.sacredhearts-ststephen.com 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 (please see the Calendar) Church open for prayer Tues. 6-8pm & Sat. 2-4pm http://stpaulscarrollst.weebly.com/

Jewish

Kane Street Synagogue 236 Kane Street, (near Tompkins Place) 718 875-1550 http://kanestreet.org/ August 29 30, Shabbat Shoftim Candle Lighting 7:14 PM Shabbat ends 8:17 PM Friday night services, 6:00 PM Shabbat morning services, 9:15 AM Sunday Morning 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 candle lighting time

If your religious institution isn’t listed here, let us know by emailing info@redhookstar.com Thanks!

Page 2 Red Hook Star-Revue

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

FRIDAY, MARCH 20

Fundraiser of Brooklyn Bridge Rotary Club, in conjunction with Operation Wellness Warrior at McMahon’s Public House from 6:30-9:30 pm. 39 5th Avenue

SATURDAY, MARCH 21

Clean & Green: Spring Clean, Plant Propagation Workshop, & Green Roof Rehab at the Gowanus Canal Conservancy’s Nursery and Compost Site, propagate our Spring stock for our nursery, and replenish sedums on our green roof. 11 am-2 pm, 2nd Ave at 5th Street.

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

www.RedHookStar.com

Christmas 2014

Superfund project on schedule

by George Fiala

I

t’s been a rough winter for meetings, as the weather has cancelled quite a few, including the January meeting of the Gowanus Community Advisory Group (CAG). The CAG serves as a conduit between the community and the EPA and was set up to monitor the Superfund cleanup of the Gowanus Canal.

The January meeting was held February 10 and featured an update of the project from Chief Engineer Christos Tsiamis.

The group hadn’t met since November, so there was a lot to tell.

“We are exactly where we want to be - on schedule with the work,” Tsiamis told the audience of CAG members and guests which included representatives from public utilities and elected officials.

“Crews are already working in the canal,” continued Tsiamis. He explained that the current work involves testing various substrates to help decide the composition of the surface that will cover the bottom of the canal after dredging. That cover will prevent toxic chemicals from leaching upwards and re-contaminate the cleaned water.

Tidal currents are also being mapped.

He complimented National Grid as well as local businesses that abut the canal for their cooperation.

Ferrara Brothers, the concrete company that still operates on the Public Place sight, agreed to clear off part of their workspace to accommodate staging operations of the testers. A floating dock will be installed which will be used by barges bringing materials.

Tsiamis even brought some good news relating to NYC. The city has been ordered to build two large holding tanks that will prevent sewage from being flushed into the canal during rain events, as is done currently. Originally, the city was supposed to proved the EPA with the two locations last summer - they now promise to make their final selection by the end of June.

The city has been reticent at first due to the expense and then because of community concerns about having to close Double D park at Degraw Street to place one of the tanks there. Tsiamis said that at recent talks with a whole roomful of city bureaucrats he was told that the decision could come before the end of June. When pressed by someone in the audience, he admitted that it could come a week before - he had no idea, actually.

He explained that when the dredging work finally begins, it will start at the

7th Street Basin and work south. For now, the testing work is being done at the 4th Street Basin, close to Whole Foods. Tsiamis said that was an ideal place to try out the techniques that will be used, as it is far enough from any residences so as not to disturb anyone.

Payment negotiations Brian Carr, the legal expert on the EPA team, spoke of the money situation.

The cost of the cleanup, estimated to be about $500 million, is borne by what are called Potentially Responsible Parties (PRPs). Many like to think that taxpayer money is spent by the EPA to clean up toxic sites, but this is untrue. Lawyers for all the PRP’s, which include the City of NY and National Grid, have been haggling over who will pay what - Carr said that he expects everything to be settled by September. A PRP that some may remember is Chemtura, who operated plants at the end of Court Street. In addition to polluting the Gowanus, the chemical company was also found liable for contaminating the Red Hook ballfields with PCB’s and other toxins.

At the end of the meeting, the CAG voted to admit five new members - all of whom reside in nearby Gowanus Public Housing.

Bridging Gowanus recap The regular February meeting was held on the 24th. Brad Lander, freshly back from a City Council excursion to Israel, presented results from his Bridging Gowanus project.

Bridging Gowanus was a series of public meetings that followed a stakeholder meeting in which the future of Gowanus was discussed. In some ways it resembles a 197A plan, except instead of being sponsored by a community board, it is a politically driven plan, shepherded by Pratt Institute.

The work on the plan is complete, and available for viewing at www.bridginggowanus.com. Lander often speaks of trade-offs - meaning that for the community to ‘get’ something, it might have to give up something.

Chief Engineer Christos Tsiamis makes a graphic point at the February 10th meeting.

public comment period, that being the appropriate place to air complaints.

Following Lander was John Vetter, an EPA consultant whose specialty is archeology and historic preservation. He came seeking volunteers to serve on a consulting group under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. That section mandates the Federal Government to be mindful of historically significant properties when performing things such as Superfund cleanups or building a federal building.

Vetter cited the bulkheads as a major example of Gowanus Canal history.

Some bulkheads go back to the 1850’s, and are historically significant.

The Consulting Party Group would ensure that all bulkheads would be well documented, especially in cases where they will need to be replaced.

The Gowanus CAG meets monthly on the fourth Tuesday of each month.

Meetings are usually held at St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, 41 First Street.

EVERYBODY IN RED HOOK GOES TO

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Some CAG members were critical of the plan. It acknowledges and seems not to challenge new residential developments, saying: “Where new housing is allowed in areas currently zoned for manufacturing, or where increased density might be allowed, developers should be required to include affordable units.”

CAG member Bette Stoltz wondered how existing infrastructure could support an increased population. Lander reminded all that there is currently a

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City Councilman Brad Lander recaps the results of the Bridging Gowanus plan before a rapt CAG audience. (photos by George Fiala)

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March 2015, Page 3

Pile Driving in Red Hook an increasing concern

A

topic that the short-lived Red Hook Coalition attempted to tackle a few years ago was the many vacant lots that dot Red Hook.

As the real estate market has begun to take care of that problem itself, a new problem has taken its place - pile driving.

Since Red Hook is now in a FEMA designated flood zone, most new structures are designed to be elevated - meaning they will be built up and supported by piles driven into the earth. Because of the soil conditions, even houses that won’t be elevated may still use piles for support.

Building is proceeding apace, and according to Civic Association president John McGettrick, pile driving may likely take place at the 23 new townhouses being built on Verona at Van Brunt; 87 Wolcott Street, 15 Luquer Street, 422 Van Brunt and 185 Richards/61 Dikeman.

There are at least two hazards when piles are driven. The driving creates strong vibrations which can damage adjacent buildings. Another side effect is the movement of the earth, especially in soft soil/clay areas, of which Red Hook is one. Soil displacement can undermine neighboring foundations.

Many Red Hook homes, being old and having suffered flood damage, are already on shaky ground - more shaking is not helpful.

With all this in mind, McGettrick invited two gentlemen from the NYC Buildings Department who were featured at the latest Civic Association meeting on March 3 in the PS 15 auditorium. Patrick Wehle, Community Affairs Director, Department of Buildings [DOB]. This is a position formerly held

by Eddie Bautista. He was accompanied

by Ben Colombo, from the DOB Community Affairs, who mostly sat next to

by George Fiala

pecially that of adjacent buildings. A contractor planning to drive piles must notify neighbors ten days in advance, and must work only from 8 am - 6 pm.

Driving can be noisy, and a noise mitigation plan is supposed to be filed with DOB. Stop work orders can be issued when vibrations exceed a certain threshold.

Many important questions came up afterwards, which the two gentlemen promised to field. They did their best, but often had no answer, and promised to get back to people following the meeting.

One very interesting case was not about actual pile driving, but rather a metal stamping machine that has been driv-

“However, many Red Hook homeowners

are

not

wealthy, and are unable and unwilling to incur a hefty legal bill.” ing Veronica Vanaria and her neighbors crazy. Vanaria, who has had to completely rebuild her Van Brunt Street home after Sandy, claims that vibrations from nearby Gotham Metalworks are both dangerous and greatly impinge on her quality of life.

She has been rebuffed in attempts at dealing with the proprietors, and calls to 311 have not yielded any relief. Wehle jotted the information down and promised to look into it. After the meeting, McGettrick spoke to her as well and said he would put the Civic Association behind her complaint.

Earlier this year, an environmental complaint against a neighborhood roof-

Some major pile driving was done last summer when construction of the BASIS school began. It was far enough away from residential housing to avoid any controversy.

er whose smell of burning tar was plaguing the neighborhood was dealt with on a community basis, and a solution was found that satisified both the business and its neighbors.

Sue Amendola complained about demolition taking place on Sullivan Street. She claimed that the noise was so loud it disturbed her from across the street.

Mark Chin commented that he lived near a pile driving site in which the entire project was finished in a day. This rush prevented the buildings department from being able to file a stop order request, since by the time they could act on the complaint, the pile driving was done. Wehle said he had never heard of such a case, but said that DOB can work quickly if need be.

A lawyer who specializes in pile driving cases then addressed the auditorium. He soon got to the crux of the matter. He said that plenty of legal protection exists for buildings adjacent to pile driving activities. Real time vibration equipment can monitor the work, with results shared with DOB. However, there

is a cost to the home-owner that could reach thousands of dollars.

Many homes in NY are worth hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars.

For those property owners, a few thousand is not a big price to pay in order to protect their investment. However, many Red Hook homeowners are not wealthy, and are unable and unwilling to incur a hefty legal bill.

That is a big part of the problem, and one which will stay on the plate of the Civics Association and other local leaders in months to come.

John McGettrick and the two guests from the Dept of Buildings. (photos by Fiala)

PRISTINE COFFEY PARK Complaining about vibrations from Gotham Metal Works.

Wehle and listened.

Wehle began with a long statement about pile driving. Reading from his iPad, he started by saying that pile driving is an ‘as of right’ activity - meaning that no special permission is required from the Board of Standards and Appeals or from City Planning.

He went on to describe two types of pile driving - pounding and auguring.

Pounding causes more vibrations but is cheaper than auguring. Auguring refers to piles that are screwed in the ground.

Other types of piling include helical and wood piles.

He explained that the building department is concerned with safety, es-

Page 4 Red Hook Star-Revue

Last April, a fence that went up closing Coffey Park surprised many Red Hookers. It turned out that the Parks Deparment had a plan to renovate the park paths. At the time they promised that the park would be closed no longer than one year. Eleven months have gone by, and for more days than not there was no evident work performed. This picture, taken through the fence on March 9, shows that nobody has been in the park since the winter snows first covered it. This work could most probably have been finished in a month or two, but NYC contracts give the low bidder a year to complete the job. Most probably it will take more than a year before the park is reopened, and most probably the Parks Department will blame the weather.

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March 2015

The AirBnB view of Red Hook

by George Fiala

A

irBnb is the somewhat controversial web service that enables anyone to turn their apartment into a bed and breakfast, although a meal is not specifically required. An unexpected side effect is the ability to look at a community through the eyes of its visitors.

AirBnB allows the user to scan available listings by neighborhood. On March 6th typing in Red Hook revealed 41 local rentals. Prices ranged from $50 to $500 per night. Each listing comes with a description, photos, availability and best of all - reviews. A reading through various reviews offers a vision of how we are perceived by the growing number of tourists that frequent the neighborhood.

“Gary,” who rented a room on Beard Street, could be hired by the Red Hook Visitors Bureau, if we had one. He says: “ Fernando is an excellent host and easy to work with. His place is comfortable and charming. Red Hook is like a small town nestled in New York. Just down the street is Fairway Market, which not only has an incredible food selection, but also has a patio with probably the best and closest view of the Statue of Liberty. It is excellent for breakfast before you start your New York day. You can take a 15 minute water taxi ride into Manhattan, which is free on the weekends and only $5 during the week. The restaurants in Red Hook, within a 5 minute walk include Hometown Bar-B-Q which was recently given a stellar review in the New York Times, the farm-to-table Good Fork and Fort Defiance with amazing cocktails.

For seafood you have Red Hook Lobster and Brooklyn Crab Shack. Pioneer Works Center for Arts offers cutting-edge exhibits and music in a huge refurbished warehouse with a magical sculpture garden out back. Many of the bars and Hometown Bar-B-Q offer live music. Jalopy which features blues and bluegrass is a 15 minute walk. For local made whiskey and chocolate on can take a tour and tasting at Widow Jane Whiskey and Cacao Prieto. Steve’s Key Lime Pies is next to Valentino’s Peer with kayaking and summer movies. Within a 10 minute bike ride (ask Fernando about borrowing a bike) is the

new Brooklyn Bridge Park with stunning views of Manhattan and a carousel.

The bus system in Red Hook connects you easily to the subway. The nuts and bolts: the bed is super comfortable, the shower hot, the neighborhood cool with innovative food spots, little stores and art spaces. I loved my time in Red Hook and staying at Fernando’s “hideaway!”

A top floor apartment that rents for $135 (plus a cleaning fee), had some of the most literate and enthusiastic commenters: Debra writes: “Home/Made is the 1st floor food establishment and it is delicious! Sadly it was not open during the week and we found only one other good coffee place - Baked.

Several good restaurants within blocks but particularly enjoyed Grindhaus. Also an amazing grocery store within walking distance with organic products. The community seems to be very tight (Christmas lights strung from our window across to opposite apartment to decorate the street for the season) and trying hard to recover from the damage of Sandy. A wonderfully eclectic neighborhood.”

Melissa gushes with some more Red Hook love:

Just about all Red Hook apartments are bright and sunny, if you go by the gorgeous photos one can find on AirBnB. You can rent a loftbed in this apartment at the Luggage Factory for $95 per night. grungy neighborhood. There are some excellent restaurants on the same street, as well at the amazing Fairway grocery, next to the water. We highly recommend bringing bikes, as the riding is very scenic and easy. Our host, Lisa was very friendly and set us up with everything we needed to make our stay memorable.

NY State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman recently issued a report “Red Hook is an authentic and special place with a good balance between bars/ that criticized AirBnB for hosting what food/shops and actual people doing nor- he called illegal activity. The Times mal everyday things-- not everywhere last October reported: “He (Schneiin Brooklyn can boast that these days. derman) was careful, however, to speak Don’t let the extra blocks from of “illegal hotels” rather than “illegal the subway be a deterrent, it’s not rentals.” Airbnb is already too popular that far and Uber is a great option. to dislodge completely, no matter what Look up Pioneerworks events and exhib- the housing laws say. It also delights its, it’s right up the street from here, and travelers, who get a cheaper and usually must see. We didn’t get to eat “downmore interesting place to stay.” stairs” because they had a catering event (menu looked delicious though), but we AirBnb is also criticized for reducing the found a wonderful spot close by called number of affordable apartments left in Orchard, delicious healthy food at unreal the city for renters. A Daily News op-ed prices (so so cheap)! I would (okay I WILL) last August writes: “ Airbnb is sending stay here again, and I’d highly recommend a clear message to city landlords: You it to anyone who is looking for a new way can make more money renting your vato see New York.”

cant units on Airbnb, taking precious units off the market. And Airbnb is effectively encouraging tenants to violate their leases, which could put unsuspecting New Yorkers in jeopardy of being evicted.”

While the legality of these rentals is being hashed out, in the meantime it’s a lot of fun to browse through the website and see what people think of your neighborhood, not to mention getting to see the insides and backyards of your neighbor’s homes!

Elisa chimed in: My husband and I loved staying at this sweet, comfortable apartment because we love Red Hook. It is in the ideal location for exploring this hip and yet still

This backyard comes with the rental of a one bedroom house for $150 a night or $3300 a month.

Red Hook Star-Revue

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March 2015, Page 5

Remembering Frances D’Angelo

by George Fiala I believe Frances lived all her 91 years across the street from De Fontes. Hers was the little white house on the corner of Columbia and Luquer.

I only met Frances twice. The first time was at last summer’s Visitation Church street fair. She was a long time supporter of the Church and that day she was selling raffle tickets at a table next to the Amendola sisters.

I was pretty impressed with her energy and her memory and a short time later, I had one of our free-lancers interview her for a story of reminiscences. These are her words: “Red Hook used to be a big ship town back then. Visitation Church used to have excursions, they’d take us out on a boat around Red Hook. My family has been going to that church since they came to Red Hook. My grandparents went there. My grandfather move to 353 Columbia street in 1910. I still go to Visitation myself. There’s nobody left there that I know from the old days now. Used to be you knew everyone in the neighborhood. Today, most of my neighbors I don’t even know. These days people come and go. “ “On Sundays in the summer there would be a man with a push-cart selling pretzels, and another selling all kinds of fish. We didn’t have ice cream trucks back then.

Sometimes me and my girlfriends would go to the movie theater and then we would go hide in the bathroom so we could see the same movie over again.

Didn’t realize how silly that was back then… but we did it, and we enjoyed ourselves.

Down in Coffey Park and Pier 27 there was a summer program there we used to go to. Then when the Red Hook pool opened we would go there all the time– we’d get there in the early in morning and stay till noon. On some days in the summer my mother and aunt would take us out to Coney Island. We would take the trolley car. It was a nickel for

Frances at the Visitation street fair last summer. (photo by Fiala)

adults and 3 cents for kids but my mom would tell us in Italian, “Just go under the turnstile, go under!”

Red Hook was a really nice place to grow up. We had nothing, but we had fun. I remember how the neighborhood used to be. I’ve lived in this place my whole life.”

I next met Frances in the fall at the annual Luquer Street block festival. That fest still has a Hispanic feel, and loud music was a big part of the day, but Frances didn’t seem to mind at all. I sat with her on a stoop and she told me about her house and the lot next to it. She told me that she sometimes couldn’t get the paper at De Fontes - I’ve made sure I dropped them off faithfully every issue since then.

She had an oxygen tank with her then to help her breathe, but that didn’t stop her from having a good time. She was especially good with the little kids that came by. She told me that she never married, but I think she said that she had nephews and nieces. She seemed to love the children.

A woman came by who said she was a neighbor. She told me how much she loved Frances.

We will both miss her.

Hanging out with Buddy we meet the Valentinos

Last week we met Buddy Scotto at the Carroll Gardens Dunkin Donuts. He told us about his new idea, which is lobbying for a new high school on the Public Place lot, which would serve both Carroll Gardens and Red Hook. While there, I was introduced to Phyllis Valentino, mother of Louis Valentino. Louis was the firefighter who died in 1996 in the line of duty. Red Hook’s Valentino Pier is named in his memory. Phyllis is on the right and still lives in the neighborhood.

Page 6 Red Hook Star-Revue

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March 2015

Andrea McKnight retires after twenty years on the Community Board

by George Fiala

A

t last month’s CBC 6 meeting, the new Chairman, Gary Reilly, announced that after two decades on the board, Andrea McKnight was retiring.

We took the opportunity to visit with Andrea and her husband Jay at their cozy and well appointed home at 495 Columbia Street.

The McKnights grew up in Clinton Hill. I asked Andrea how she became so community minded. “I took part in many voter registrations campaigns back then, working with Shirley Chisholm,” she told me. She was also involved in tree plantings, working with Hattie Carthan, who formed the Magnolia Tree Earth Center. You can still see a beautiful flowering magnolia tree outside their headquarters on Lafayette Avenue.

She moved with Jay, who is a well known professional singer, to Red Hook later on in the 1970’s, “back when everybody in the Red Hook Houses knew each other.” She claims that a loss of this community was what made the Houses a rougher place to live.

The McKnights became community leaders in Red Hook, working with Lou Sones and John McGettrick in the fight against waste transfer facilities, forming the Red Hook Lion’s Club in 1992, and working to bring a savings bank to the neighborhood.

That work was successful, as the McKnights spearheaded an effort to get 3,000 signatures in favor of bringing the Independence Savings Bank to Lorraine Street.

After joining the community board, she became involved in the drafting of

the 197A neighborhood plan. “When I came on board, they had not paid much attention to the NYCHA residents in the plan.” With her insistence, the plan evolved to include the total Red Hook community.

McKnight was a member of the Transportation and Public Safety Committees. Making sure that bus routes served Red Hook was an important responsibility.

Others she worked with included Emma Broughton, Judith Daly, Bea Byrd and Barbara Longobardi. These are all community leaders of the past, and all were vital in leading Red Hook through some rough times.

“It’s important to know what is going on in the community, and to lobby for good outcomes.”

She served as a liaison to CB 6, forwarding tenant complaints when appropriate.

One issue she was involved with recently came up when PAVE opened up on Mill Street next to the C-Town.

Issues with students and delivery trucks were solved, with the cooperation of the DOT, making sure that the students would remain safe and truck could continue to make deliveries.

John McGettrick remembers that it was Andrea who started and led the Friends of the Red Hook Library for many years.

The McKnights with the Dinkins.

Red Hook Star-Revue

The McKnights are still active and vibrant. They continue leading the Lion’s Club. Every Christmas they sponsor a

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Andrea McKnight at her Columbia Street apartment that she shares with husband day and a cute little dog.

toy giveaway and sponsor bus trips to faraway places.

March 2015, Page 7

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Page 8 Red Hook Star-Revue

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Editors Note: John passed away last month. He was our first contributor and we reprint here his first column for the Star Revue. It appeared in our September 2010 issue.

Back in the day Section

Hoover City and Red Hook

by JJ Burkard

Not surprisingly, there were no people from Red Hook living in Hoover City. They were a fiercely proud people who never could surrender their dignity because of hard times.

Bush Street between Clinton and Hicks street was the very last row of houses facing south towards the grain elevator, this imposing structure had been built around the mid 1800s and used for unloading grain ships. This was the major activity on the Red Hook waterfront for over 100 years.

Annually, more grain was shipped from Red Hook by sailing vessels as well as steamships during that period than any other place in the world.

Looking south towards the water and the grain elevator structure from Bush Street we view two huge tin lots approximately a double city lot each in size. Both existed as dumping grounds for the rest of New York City. As children we would play in both of these lots. There were many truck tires, of the solid rubber type - balloon tires having not been invented at that time. The parallel streets opposite Bush street were first Lorraine Street and then Bay street in that order As kids, we called them “the tin lots” and played in the abandoned huts built by the occupants of Hoover City. All three streets, Bush – Lorraine – and Bay streets were bounded

by Court Street on the east, and Hicks St. on the west. And therein was the boundary of Red Hook’s Hoover City as I recollect. After Bay Street South, was water, now filled in. This was around 1934/35, so a good deal of the homeless haven was abandoned or evicted, and work opportunities started to increase as

workers existing in Hoover City type compounds.

The prime occupants of Hoover City in Red Hook were merchant seamen who lost their positions aboard the ships that came to Brooklyn from various foreign nations. These shipping companies could not afford to hire the manpower needed to return home with the cargo so they cut costs by sailing shorthanded. They virtually abandoned hundreds of men every time they set sail, creating a mass of hard working men with no jobs and no place to stay. And even worse, no money. Those who were abandoned chose instead to convert the tin and other waste found in these lots to livable housing. If you can call no water or toilet facilities livable. They did so in order to be close to possible sailing employment. They were intelligent, honest and law abiding people.

Some had wives and children, others single, and they all respected each other despite their dire situation. At the beginning of the Great Depression there were many “Hoovervilles” or “Hoover Cities” across the country. In Chicago for instance there were many unemployed stockyard

I am informed by Mr. Lars Nilsen who heads the Norwegian Immigra-

“The prime occupants of Hoover City in Red Hook were merchant seamen who lost their positions aboard the ships that came to Brooklyn from various foreign nations”

tion Society, that he has records of nearly 800 Norwegian Seamen who were forced to endure those miserable conditions of Hoover City in Red Hook because of their lost work in the shipping industry. Most of

where I lived as a young lad.

I nearly forgot to relate a now comical story about when I lived in 113 Bush Street. It was a heck of a cold winter night and everyone was roused from their sleep by a crashing noise in the slum buildings hallway.

It seems a squatter on the top floor was cold, so he decided to take an axe and chop up the banister for his firewood to keep him warm. All the regular building occupants banded together and wasted no time in evicting this squatter along with his axe and anything else he wanted to take along, but no firewood. I’m sure those good people would have loved to burn that wood in their stoves, but no one dared touch it.

If there’s a moral to this story, it must

Bush Clinton Park, where tin shacks used to house unemployed seamen, was taken over be this - when walking the streets by the Park Department in 1934. Hoover Cities were dismantled as the New Deal began. of NYC today, if you come across a

these men had families back home yet no way could they reach them.

A Norwegian Church on Summit St did their best to assist these men, and local food merchants donated food.

Local churches rendered assistance also, but the Norwegian Salvation Army, and Norwegian Seamen’s Institute predominated in their efforts

to render aid and comfort to these abandoned men. Many, if not all of the Norwegians ended up living in Brooklyn permanently and migrated to the Bay Ridge area.

It’s also safe to say nearly everyone looked upon their plight with pity, even the residents of those slums on Bush Street I mentioned earlier

homeless person covered with newspapers or cardboard to ward off the cold, don’t cringe at the sight, or turn your head and pretend they do not exist. At the very least, look to the heavens and say “There but for the grace of GOD go I.” Or perhaps you can reach in your pocket and come up with a buck or two?

SUBSCRIBe TO THe ReD HOOk STAR-ReVUe While most of our circulation is sent for free to residents of Red Hook, the Columbia Street Waterfront area, as well as part of Red Hook, we can also offer mail subscriptions to interested readers in other parts of Brooklyn and the US. The fee for 12 monthly editions is a modest $6.00. Please send payment by check made out to SELECT MaIL. Please fill out the information below and return with payment to Red Hook Star-Revue, 101 Union Street, Brooklyn, NY 11231.

The Red Hook Star-Revue October 2010 FREE The Hook’s Local Newspaper

Red Hook Court a Model for the Rest of the World

J

ust beyond the BQE and half a block west of Coffey Park, the Red Hook Center For Community Justice announces itself with a friendly wave of the banner bearing its name.

The Center represents what is shaping up to be the most effective form of justice around: deep community involvement on the part of the long arm of the law.

As Alex Calabrese, the sole judge presiding over this one-room courthouse, explained it, “a community justice kind of approach decides to look at what brought that person to the back door - lets identify that, lets solve that, so that they don’t keep recycling through the system.”

by Eliza Ronalds-Hannon

The opportunity to break that cycle has proven compelling to courts all over the world - and their representatives have visited the Red Hook Center looking to imitate its model - because to do so would not only improve the quality of life for residents, but also save an enormous amount of money currently spent on criminal justice procedure. In a time of tighter and tighter budget cuts, that element is increasingly appealing.

At the Red Hook community court, the judge doesn’t hand down sentences of jail time or probation. Instead, this court seeks to marry criminal justice with community need. “Conditions of release” often consist of job readiness training, addiction and/or trauma counseling, and community service.

retributive one. For instance: Instead of sending a man caught using cocaine to jail, which may very well push his family into poverty, desperation, and even crime, Judge Calabrese at the September 76th Precinct Judge Cala- Community Council meeting brese will send that man to drug treatment, and monitor his progress.

This Month we expand our Arts Coverage...

Food!

Music!

Film!

Painting!

Sculpture!

Books!

Thought!

Hanging Out!

NaME _____________________________________________________________________________ He added that such an approach creates, “a better result for the defendant, but most importantly for the community, and for the court system.”

With this mission, RHCJC arrives at a genuinely productive form of “criminal justice,” rather than an essentially

Even in an age when diversion programs and drug treatment are somewhat available in traditional district courts, several factors distinguish the Red Hook Center. First, it processes

please turn to page 3

Transportation Study for Red Hook Begins...

Can a Monorail be the Answer?

R

ed Hook’s past, present, and future is inextricably bound to transportation. As politicians and transport experts consider the best ways to link our neighborhood with the rest of the city, it is important that as residents we inform ourselves of the various options so that we can actively participate in the decision process. This article looks at one particular mode of transportation: the monorail.

by Matt Graber Liberty International Airport. But the use of monorail systems as urban “people movers” has been increasing in the United States and in countries around the world, most notably in Japan.

addRESS ___________________________________________________________________________ Monorail systems are commonly associated with amusement parks and airports – the Walt Disney World

Monorail has the highest ridership of any monorail in the country, and just across the Hudson is AirTrain Newark, linking sections of Newark

35,000 people ride the Yui Rail every day in Okinawa, 12,000 ride the Moscow Monorail, and the Seattle Monorail, which was built in 1962 to connect Seattle Center and Westlake Center Mall, boasts a ridership of 1.5 million per year.

The vast majority of “people mover”

12 PAGES OF ARTS COVERAGE INSIDE!!!

please turn to page 5

The Roaring 20’s are in style with the Red Hook Ramblers p. 14

CITY_____________________________________STaTE______________ZIP ______________________

Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue

Red Hook Star-Revue

John Burkard is an active 80 year-old local historian with a special interest in Fort Defiance and the Red Hook Trail. The Red Hook StarRevue is pleased to have him join our pages.

Presorted Standard Rate US Postage PAID Brooklyn, NY Permit 84

The resilience of these people was astonishing, although at my age I hardly noticed it. But today I can look back and see the determination embedded in their faces and in their hearts, not to let their problems overcome them or deter them from striving to survive. True Red Hookers, never giving up despite the abysmal conditions they were forced to endure. Real John Wayne style “True Grit” you might call it.

New Deal programs helped boost the Depression economy.

The Red Hook Star-Revue 101 Union Street Brooklyn, NY 11231

I

recall when a very young lad around 5 years of age living at 113 Bush Street in 1934-35.

It was truly a slum tenement type building, cold water, and toilets in the hallway. Heat was made by the occupants using wood fires in a cast iron kitchen stove. The people on Bush Street were tough as nails, worked at odd jobs, anything to put together some food for the kids at a time when jobs were unheard of.

Krista Dragomer on Joes Boat p. 10

September 2010

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March 2015, Page 9

Mark’s

Corner O

Op Ed: Save the Car Services

A

BY MARK SHAMES

n February 18, I attended an event at Baruch College about the Implementation of New York City’s Affordable Housing programs. Much of what was said was a restatement of the plan that is online at a NYC website but the human interactions did add texture and there was a preview of certain proposed changes to our zoning code. Such changes will allow for fuller use of building envelopes to match permitted floor area (FAR) and for the production of more single user and varied types of senior housing units. This is an aggressive and creative plan for new housing given that there is a lack of federal support and that there is no longer a supply of acquisition cost free abandoned or distressed sites as existed during the Koch era.

At the same time I continue to believe that even the current pace isn’t rapid enough to achieve the administration’s stated goal and that goal may still leave us with a reduced number of affordable units citywide. Those I spoke to at this event shared this perception. The high demand for market rate housing coupled with very low interest rates gives rise, at this moment, to an extraordinary opportunity for the financing and subsidization of affordable units. This situation will not last indefinitely and while changed circumstances may stabilize land acquisition costs, the net effect will be that the production of affordable housing units will become even more difficult over time.

An exploration of the changing demographics of the City was a significant part of the presentation, as a guide to what types of units will be needed.

This analysis played into the new zoning proposals. The administration projects a City with a larger population comprised of more and smaller households, a fast growing Hispanic population, a growing Asian population, a somewhat smaller percentage of African-Americans and an aging Caucasian population. As an aside, my advice for those entering into politics is to learn Spanish and develop a good relationship with the Bronx Borough President.

The other aspect of the presentation that held particular interest for me was the effort being made to reach out to neighborhoods to make the insertion of denser development less painful.

This is being done through outreach to community groups and by seeking to coordinate such development with enhanced infrastructure and services and minimal displacement of people and businesses. The panelists were more sanguine than I am about how much resistance to development can be alleviated by these efforts. The effort remains worthwhile even though

Page 10 Red Hook Star-Revue

there will never be total buy-in. Continuous good faith efforts such as our own locally driven Bridging Gowanus process once coordinated with an administration effort will certainly aid in minimizing community angst.

For those who have not been following it, Bridging Gowanus is a process started by Councilman Lander with participation by our other elected officials to develop a plausible consensus on local values in reaction to development pressures.

At the Environmental Protection Agency’s Community Advisory Group for the Gowanus Canal (CAG) meeting on February 24th we heard a standard rehash of process complaints and a litany of wishes from the most vocal members in reaction Councilman Lander’s update on the Bridging Gowanus process.

While everyone is skeptical of government follow through, only the Councilman and the representative of the 5th Avenue Committee, who actually are on the front lines in the creation and maintenance of affordable housing, spoke of the economic realities that would require all New Yorkers to accept tradeoffs. For example many people want to see the “Powerhouse” building on the Gowanus Canal that is being “re-imagined” as an arts center, landmarked. However, the owner who does have respect for the past and who wishes to preserve the essence of the building doesn’t wish to see the building formally landmarked. Do we accommodate this altruist or do we make this already unprofitable endeavor even harder to pull off? This is comparatively easy compared to other necessary tradeoffs.

t a recent City Council Transportation Committee hearing, a bill was introduced to mandate an agreement between livery bases when one base wishes to use drivers from another base. Passing this bill would protect consumers and small livery bases, like ours, that serve neighborhoods not served by taxis and green cabs. Unfortunately, the Taxi and Limousine Commission, the city agency charged with regulating the transportation industry, is on the wrong side of this issue.

At the hearing, the TLC Commissioner stated “some smaller bases do not always have enough business to occupy their affiliated drivers or even enough market power to enter into an agreement with another base that has terms friendly enough for smaller bases to accept them and remain profitable.”

It’s true that we do not always have enough business to occupy drivers, but contrary to the TLC’s interpretation, that’s precisely why our small bases need these base agreements, particularly with the bigger bases.

Bases look to dispatch drivers from other bases because they need additional drivers to fulfill their customer service requests. Base agreements protect our small businesses by helping us maintain our driver pool to service our customers and allow other bases to dispatch our drivers when we don’t have enough work for them, thereby maximizing drivers’ incomes.

Without base agreements, other companies will dispatch our affiliated drivers anytime they want, leaving our customers stranded. The bottom line is that if a base wishes to dispatch to our drivers, then that base should have no problem entering into an agreement with us.

The TLC’s argument about “Market Power” is also baseless! These agreements are precisely the mechanism to keep us on equal footing, preventing big bases from taking our drivers whenever they want or need.

All this begs the question: why does the TLC make these arguments? Is it to protect the interest of, and maintain order in the industry? Or is it to make it easier for venture capital companies such as Uber and Lyft to poach our drivers?

I have run a base that services consumers in the Brooklyn for more than nine years. Since they entered the marketplace, Uber and Lyft have systematically poached our drivers, making it impossible for us to honor commitments to our customers and protect our small businesses, which are struggling to stay afloat.

So, why should the average person care about this? Because if companies like Uber and Lyft put us out of business, everyone will have to pay their higher prices for car service.

Here’s the truth: for 30 years, the TLC has allowed base agreements to exist. It was only after Lyft and Uber came to the market that the TLC took up the issue of base agreements to the benefit of the app companies and the detriment of our bases and customers.

If the TLC had bothered to consult with us or with the Livery Roundtable, the industry group that represents the interest of the livery industry, there may have been a different outcome. But they didn’t. And so that is why it is our hope that the City Council passes the base agreement bill.

Jose Viloria, Owner, Elegante Car Service, 5911 4th Ave. #1 Brooklyn, NY 11220, 718-972-5555.

Many of us believe that real estate interests hold too much sway over decisions in New York State government but while I share this view, the essential problem in affordability remains the law of supply and demand. In this City, demand has consistently exceeded supply of habitable residences and to add to the degree of difficulty I am told that the cost of non-union construction is now between $230$260 a square foot. The City’s success is a blessing in nearly all ways, but a curse when it comes to affordability.

What I have never understood is what is meant when we say we are “preserving 120,000 units of affordable housing?” I would really like to know the bottom line on this. How many currently affordable units are at risk of being lost? Is that number limited to 120,000 units and if they are saved will we then not lose any affordable units? When we build and preserve 200,000 units of affordable housing does that mean there will be (continued on next page)

Outside of Scotto’s Liquor store on Court Street (photo by Fiala)

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March 2015

EDITORIAL:

F

The future of our waterfront

or our cover story this week we took a look north at the Brooklyn Bridge Park. In January, we went south for a story about the Sunset Park waterfront.

Both these stories have a relevance to Red Hook.

Mark Shames this month speaks of the relentless pressures of the real estate market. This has been an issue ever since the last farms left the five boroughs. Except for a period in the 1970’s, New York City’s population has moved ever upwards. City government is now planning for a population of 9 million by 2030.

As New York has long been one of the world’s pre-eminent global cities, a steady influx of foreign money has found its way into the NY market. These days that takes the form of parking money into luxury condos - as a well researched NY Times series recently documented.

As long as the money keeps flowing in - builders will look to accommodate it.

In the meantime, we are still a city of residents, workers and school children.

We need schools and parks and places to work. The main role of city government is to keep the city habitable. The alternative is becoming a Potemkin village of gaudy movie sets and tourist attractions.

A glance at the page 1 representation of two large towers occupying Pier 6, at the foot of Atlantic Avenue, is a portent to a continuation of such buildings from Pier 6 through 12 - right through our neighborhood. We’d prefer the alternative idea, keeping it parkland for the next fifty years, hopefully stemming the condo tide for a while.

erport for now. We’re not quite ready for a Brooklyn version of Miami Beach.

It seems to us that the Cruise Terminal is an opportunity still waiting to happen.

For a while, a dedicated group was very upset about the fumes of idling ships.

They effectively lobbied our local officials, the Port Authority and Con Edison to create an infrastructure that would allow the ships to plug into the grid while docked instead of idling on diesel fuel.

The $20 million Shore Power project was eventually put through, and by this summer it will be in operation. However, at the same time that this was happening, the number of ships coming to Red Hook fell by more than half. In addition, nothing was ever done to encourage ship passengers to explore our neighborhoods - they immediately took off to Manhattan to spend their day ashore.

We hope that government will see to it that we become an active port of call once diesel fumes are no longer an issue.

We’re not exactly sure how we feel about Estate Four’s plans for the next leg of our waterways - so we asked you, the readers, for your opinion. Last month we published a page of responses, which turned out to be wildly mixed. It did seem that tourists and real estate interests were very excited, while Red Hook old-timers seemed a bit guarded.

The properties are already bought, and Estate Four will do what they will. We will all be watching and hoping for a successful integration with our existing neighborhood.

John Burkard

We note with sadness the passing of one of our very first contributors.

I started this paper back in the summer of 2010, without really that much knowledge of Red Hook. While I’ve spent much of my life on the outskirts, including Boerum Hill, Windsor Terrace and Carroll Gardens, I rarely ventured across Hamilton Avenue. Actually, I can remember three times. Back in the 1980’s, when smashed car windows were a NYC norm, I used to go to Gowanus Glass on Lorraine Street.

In the 90’s I headed over to Lillies, on Dwight and Beard, on a couple of occasions to hear music. I got lost every time. Another time I read about an anti-war exhibit opening at the Kentler on the eve of Desert Storm. I took a strange bus called the 61, to get there.

But in 2010, my other business relocated from Court to Van Brunt and Union and Red Hook came on my radar.

One thing led to another and I eventually realized that Red Hook was much more interesting than I ever thought,

and what was a neighborhood like this doing without a newspaper.

After a first issue which was mostly photos, I had to really start to understand what’s going on around here. I also started the paper with the idea that knowing about the past was key to figuring out the future, so I started googling Red Hook history.

John had written on the subject for a South Brooklyn blog, and after an inquiry, he graciously accepted my offer to become the paper’s historian.

I remember chatting with him on possible subjects, and what struck me was his memory of a Red Hook Hooverville during the depression. This was a firsthand memory, as he wrote in the first paragraph of his first column: “I recall when a very young lad around 5 years of age living at 113 Bush Street in 1934-35.”

He wrote for us for the first two years of the paper, and maintained a once in a while contact afterwards. I asked him last year if he could write about another passion of his - Visitation Church. I kind of wish I had pursued that harder.

That first year, I invited all our contributors to a dinner at the Good Fork.

I’ll never forget John’s reaction to the menu there. “Can I just get a hamburger?” is what he said.

The best alternative to open, public space on that waterfront is a working waterfront - a vibrant and busier container terminal bringing goods to this part of the Hudson by water. The side benefit of this is less truck traffic - with no shipping here, everything would have to be trucked over from Port Elizabeth and Port Newark.

As we don’t trust our city government to give us hundreds of acres of open space with the “trade-off” of residential and commercial development (see Brooklyn Bridge Park), we’re ok with the contain-

Shames

(continued from previous page)

a net gain of 80,000 affordable units when we are all said and done or will it be some lesser number? The administration has indicated on its website that there are affordable unregulated apartments left in the City, but it is wishful thinking to believe that such unregulated units will remain affordable at the current pace of demand for housing. Even the administration friendly panelists at the forum acknowledged that they no longer know where to tell people moving into the City to look for their first apartment. Neither do I.

Red Hook Star-Revue

www.star-revue.com

March 2015, Page 11

PS 15 students exhibit at Hope & Anchor

by Kimberly Gail Price eryone should treat others with love, no matter who they are,” she said. “They all wanted the STOP big in the name [of the photo,] and I said let’s add more.

Someone mentioned love, and I said that reminds me of a song.” They chose to capitalize LOVE to balance the capitalized STOP.

That’s so Brooklyn!

Maram, grabbed my hand and led me over to her favorite photograph hanging on the walls of Hope & Anchor.

“Eye Am Watching You,” the photo is entitled. She looked up at me and said, “Chocolate eyes!” She pointed at me, and repeated the phrase.

Ms. Julie, who sometimes stops with other teachers in to Hope & Anchor for lunches on Fridays, asked Pete Ascolese, owner, about the possibility of exhibiting the photo essay in his restaurant.

Her teacher, Ms. Julie Cavanagh explained. We both have brown eyes.

Maram giggled.

Maram is part of PS 15 Patrick F. Daly Magnet School’s Academics, Careers and Essential Skills (ACES) program for children with special disabilities.

She was there with classmates, teachers, friends and family to celebrate the completion of a project, as well as the opening of her art exhibit, That’s SO Brooklyn.

The ten students in Maram’s class started with a basic question. “Where do you live, and what’s here that is nowhere else?” They set out in small groups to explore the neighborhood and capture photos of anything they thought defined themselves and Brooklyn.

Inspried by exhibit at BMA The project idea originated out of a current exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum

by Judith Scott (1943-2005). Judith was born with Down syndrome, was mostly deaf and could not speak. She spent 35 years in an institution for people with disabilities.

In 1987, her twin sister, Joyce, moved her to Creative Growth Center in Oakland California, a studio art program that fosters and serves artists who have developmental and physical disabilities.

Judith began sculptural work after being taught specific textile-based processes.

According to the Brooklyn Museum, “For the next seventeen years, until her death, Scott created extraordinary sculptures assembled from found and scavenged materials wrapped and tied in yarn, thread, and other fibers.” Her exhibit will be on display there through March 29.

Pete eagerly agreed because wanted to “keep [the project] in the neighborhood.” He said he was pleasantly surprised by the artistic quality of the work.

“With kids, you never know what you’re going to get. I’m impressed.”

students work towards independence, job skills, communication, social skills and mobility.

“Students in PS 15’s ACES classes have intellectual disabilities and have historically been segregated and separated in both school and adult life [...] children and adults with intellectual disabilities deserve the same recognition of their individual gifts as their peers and should have full access to sharing those gifts, maximizing their opportunities,” she justified. “What could be more Brooklyn than breaking down barriers and stereotypes, and championing the artist in EVERY child?”

Trek through Red Hook The journey of That’s SO Brooklyn began with a trek through Red Hook.

From the school’s home base on Sullivan Street, the students and teachers spent three hours crisscrossing streets and made their way to Valentino Pier.

Along the way, they took more than 70 photos of images that can only be found in Brooklyn “through their lens[es].”

“I think every student took a picture of the blue chair,” Ms. Julie said. “They

captured images from their school community that inspired their senses and serve as a visual representation of the borough they call home.”

Back in class, all of the photographs were conglomerated and became a part of the entire group’s collection. Instead of giving credit to individual students, every child got to take credit for all of the pictures. Each photo was rated by the class by a simple thumbs-up or thumbs-down majority.

Once photographs had been chosen, the class discussed the each and assigned a title. “STOP in the Name of LOVE” was another nearly all of the students took. When they discussed what it meant, the kids didn’t know what the “frisking” sticker meant.

Ms. Julie explained the controversial stop and frisk policy to them “in a developmentally appropriate way.” They discussed the importance of respecting police authority, but that some people disagree with the policy.

“I simplified the conversation to what I feel is the important message - that ev-

Ms. Julie took her students on a class trip to see Judith Scott’s exhibit, Bound and Unbound. “This photography installation marries with the groundbreaking art installation [...] and seeks to continue to break down barriers and stereotypes, while furthering the conversation around self-taught artists and the intersection of disability, creativity, and the disability rights movement,” Ms. Julie said.

On the morning of February 24, Hope & Anchor proudly opened their newest exhibit, That’s SO Brooklyn. Students, who shared credit for the photo essay with all of classmates, individually presented books they had made about where they live at the art opening.

Through the group project and their own presentations, each child learned about the diverse borough they live in.

David talked about the tall apartment building he lives in. Charwin learned about one of her favorite places - Coney Island. Ruanny remembered the visit with Ms. Julie and classmates to the Brooklyn Museum. He escorted me to “Blue Chair’” because in Brooklyn, people like to sit down outside.

Restaurant owner Pete’s favorite, “In the Fast Lane” is a scene he sees often - the view of Van Brunt from his store windows. He also likes “Coffee?,” “Blue Chair,” and “Blue Door” as a set because of the complementary colors.

Learning from her students Even though Ms. Julie is their teacher, she says she learns so much from her students every day. “Lessons of kindness, patience, and love. I learned that perspective is everything - it is the determining factor between a striking photo and just a snapshot, but also it got me thinking more broadly about perspective and its impact on our lives-the way we see ourselves and the way others see us.

PS 15’s ACES students are fully included in every aspect of school life in a traditional school experience. Their curriculum is adapted from their respective grade levels with a strong emphasis on arts, projects based learning, and experiences in the community. Students work towards the same standards as their peers, but with specialized support to make everything accessible. The program focuses on not only academics, but also career and essential skills to help

Page 12 Red Hook Star-Revue

Hope & Anchor was involved in the process by selecting the photos in advance. Bar Manager and Art Curator, Candice Sering went to the school and chose which ones would be on display.

She decided where each would hang in the restaurant to determine what size each should be.

“As my students’ teacher I have a role to play in being by their side as they develop and construct their identities, which are not only influenced by their perspective, but by the way others see them. I want everyone they meet to see what I see: able, gifted, talented, loving individuals who have so much to share.”

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March 2015

That’s SO Brooklyn is a photographic essay completed entirely by ACES students at PS 15 with the guidance of their teachers. The students collectively took all photos, ranked their favorites, and named each selected work within class discussions.

The following thirteen pictures will be on display at Red Hook’s Hope & Anchor through the end of March: “Brooklyn Berries” - Red berries so big, they almost look like tomatoes on the vine.

“The Leaves are Sleeping” - The berries in actual perspective in relation to the size of the tree. The tree is winterly barren, but the berries are thriving.

“In the Fast Lane” - The motion of a skateboarder crossing Van Brunt juxtaposes the idling B61 bus. The image is a direct view from the windows of Hope & Anchor.

“Circles” - Multiple bicycles chained to an iron gate outside of a residential building create various levels of circles.

“Coffee?” - An open rusty drain pipe imbedded in the pavement filled with dark, dank water appears looks like coffee in a stained cup. The cracked lip of the pipe even gives the appearance of a handle.

“Blue Chair” - An aquamarine chair sits on a bespeckled sidewalk against a white contoured wall. The chair is spackled with red and white paint.

“Blue Door” - A navy blue door set inside an aqua colored frame that complements “Blue Chair” is nestled into a dark brown exterior wall.

“Trouble Maker” - A graffiti black and white man in a hoodie sits upon a multi-toned red brick wall cradling a sign that reads, “Art is not a crime.”

“Standing Tall” - Manhattan’s Freedom Tower shoots up into the background sky, while the outer coast of Red Hook plays peek-a-boo in the foreground.

“STOP in the Name of LOVE” - A stop sign tagged with a “frisking” sticker makes a statement that DOT most likely didn’t intend.

“Cruisin’ Past Liberty” - A tug tows a barge, “Blak Slee” across Lady Liberty’s waters.

“Writing on the Wall” - Blue graffiti surrounds rusted iron framed iron windows, while a MLK quote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” is stenciled in a contrasting bright yellow.

“Eye am Watching You” - The top half of a woman’s face depicts dark, thick eyebrows and a straight-on stare. An iconic Red Hook mural, her “chocolate eyes” are watching.

Red Hook Star-Revue

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March 2015, Page 13

Summer Stage announces 30 artists in 30 days

In advance of their 30th anniversary, City Parks Foundation’s Summer Stage performing arts festival will announcing the name of one artist performing in the city-wide festival each day beginning Monday, March 9. The full season will be completely revealed by April 8. Artists will be broadcast on all three Summer Stage social media sites, where fans can share their response to each artist.

Up-to-date announcements will be posted at SummerStage.org, as well as their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages.

SYEP’s Internships

Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides New York City youth between the ages of 14-24 with paid summer internships for up to six weeks in July and August. Workshops on job readiness, career exploration, financial literacy, and opportunities for educational and social growth.

Participants are selected via a lottery system to work with community based organizations with in entry level positions. Internships are available in all five boroughs. The deadline to apply for Summer 2015 is April 10, 2015.

Business can also apply to become a SYEP worksite. Businesses that will have positions available can sign up on or before May 16. They are also encouraged to alert Community Board 6 for help promoting the job openings.

To apply for a summer internship or become a worksite, visit SYEP’s website: nyc.gov/html/dycd/html/jobs/syep. shtml

CB6’s Community Service Awards

Every year, Community Board 6 (CB6) honors youth within the district with Youth Acknowledgement Awards (YAA), as well as the Robert Acito Award for youth Involvement.

YAAs are awarded to youth ages 10-19 who perform group community services or have made outstanding individual contributions in the district.

Robert Acito Awards are named after

the former District Manager who served CB6 from 1980-1993 and demonstrated a strong commitment to the youth of his district. These annual awards are given to an adult who actively contributes to the youth in their community.

Nomination forms are available online at www.brooklyncb6.org/announcements.

BGI founder moderates nature panel Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI) co-founder, Milton Puryear will moderate the 2015

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church performance

ENSEMBLE COMPANIO, a chamber choir directed by Joseph Gregorio, is proud to announce its performance entitled ‘Love’s Faces’ at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, in the Carroll Gardens on March 21st, 2015 at 8:00 pm. The performance is sponsored and coordinated by the Brooklyn Sounds Concert Series.

‘Love’s Faces’ features works by Arcadelt, Passereau, Stainer, Duruflé, Lars-Erik Larsson, and a commission by Vince Peterson; arrangements of popular music by The Beatles, Billy Joel, and Randy Newman; and folk music from around the globe. Admission is $20 for the general public and $10 for students / seniors.

Founded in 2011, Ensemble Companio comprises 24 accomplished choral musicians and performs throughout the northeastern United States. Ensemble Companio was awarded the 2012 American Prize in choral performance (community division) for its vibrant sound and moving interpretations, and was invited to perform at the 2013 Fall Conference of the Pennsylvania chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Ensemble Companio derives its name from a late Latin form of “companion,” whose etymological meaning is “one with whom one shares bread.”

The name reflects the musicians’ belief that sharing in choral music is an essential, nourishing, and healing endeavor akin to the sharing of food. Ensemble Companio’s mission is to build bridges between people through authentic, inspiring performances of the finest choral music.

Maraschino mystery

If you’ve been waiting with baited breath for this issue of the Star-Revue to come out so you could get the inside scoop on February’s biggest news story, well, we’re sorry to disappoint you.

You might think that the neighborhood newspaper with offices a few blocks away from Dell’s Maraschino Cherries might be able to come up with some facts that all the other news media missed, but truth is we are as baffled as anyone.

In case you’ve been holed up someplace, here is a summary of the unfortunate story.

Operating rather quietly not far from Valentino Pier Park, Dell’s, owned for three generations by the Mondella family, has built up one of the largest maraschino cherry operations in the country. Their customers include Chick Fill A, T.G.I. Friday’s and many other large chain stores and restaurants. Operating out of a warehouse without too many windows, all a passerby might have noticed would be bins of white cherries on their way in, and bins of red cherries on their way out, stacked on the sidewalk until being loaded onto trucks.

On February 19, the factory was raided by a whole host of officials, including the Brooklyn DA, NYC DEC, NYC DEP (both environmental agencies), and the cops. While inside checking out some environmental complaints ostensibly made by neighbors, they found a secret garden of grass behind a fake wall.

As this discovery was made, Dell’s owner, Arthur Mondella, went to the bathroom and killed himself with a gun he had strapped to his ankle.

This became worldwide news, as the police uncovered a 2500 square feet growing area for marijuana, as well as a bunch of cash, kept hidden by Mondella.

Despite heavy investigative work by the city’s three daily newspapers, as well as television and internet sites such as the Huffington Post, no more of the story has come out.

The business was closed only one day, and the family is cooperating with the DA’s office to try and find out what exactly was the deal.

We figured that if we could get the real story behind the story - the StarRevue might hit the big time.

Alas, we went to all our local sources, and nobody seems to have any idea about what was going on.

We only found out two things - the guy was paranoid about security - you would be too if you were secretly growing 1200 giant pot plants - and that Michael Buscemi had filed a lot of complaints to the 76th Precinct. He didn’t like the way the workers looked at him, is what we could find out.

If you happen to know the real story - we’d be happy to make you famous.

Just call me, George, at 718 624-5568 and we’ll tell your story to the world.

A law enforcement agent outside Dell’s Cherries on the day of the raid.

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March 2015

Jenny belin’s Art

Our friend Jenny, who exhibits locally at the Brooklyn Collective, 212 Columbia Street, sends us this and tells us that the above painting was inspired by the Gold Diggers of 1933.

Wikipedia tells us that “Gold Diggers of 1933 is a pre-code Warner Bros. musical film directed by Mervyn LeRoy with songs by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics), staged and choreographed by Busby Berkeley. It stars Warren William, Joan Blondell, Aline MacMahon, Ruby Keeler and Dick Powell, and features Guy Kibbee, Ned Sparks and Ginger Rogers.

In 2003, Gold Diggers of 1933 was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”.

Jenny’s website is www.jennybelin.com. The movie is available at Amazon.com

Advertise in the Star-Revue for information call 718 624-5568 or email george@redhookstar.com

Star-Revue Classifieds Home Improvement

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Red Hook Star-Revue

Faucets, Hot Water Heaters,

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Specializing in Construction and Historic Preservation • New construction • Renovations, additions and extensions • Masonry specialist • Concrete floors/radiant heated • Concrete/bluestone sidewalk repair • Flue linings, chimneys and fireplaces • Demolition and waste removal • Violation removals • Landmark Preservation contractor

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Pool Heaters.

B & D HEATING 507 Court Street 718 625-1396 To place an ad in this section call 718 624-5568 or email info@redhookstar.com.

Rates start at $30 per issue.

March 2015, Page 15

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March 2015