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July 1 – July 7, 2015
VOLUME 42
NUMBE R 26
WILLIAMSBURG and Advertiser www.greenpointnews.com
July 1 – July 7, 2015
Iconic Film
GCEF Check-In: MS
Showcasing
Grab a Slice of Pizza History at The City Reliquary This Summer
126 Inaugurates
Southside History to be Screened at BAM continued on p. 3
(718) 389-6067
“Native” Garden continued on p. 4
continued on p. 14
300 Affordable Units Just Over a Year From Completion at Greenpoint Landing
MTA Plan to Reroute Buses Galvanizes Bushwick Neighborhood to Protest By Anton K. Nilsson
The MTA’s decision to reroute two bus lines through a residential block in Bushwick has given rise to a neighborhood protest movement, determined to preserve the calm on their streets. continued on p. 10
Greenpoint’s Place in the History of Baseball By Geoffrey Cobb
In the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, sits a trophy case with 168 gilded baseballs. The balls were won by the once famous, but now forgotten, Eckford Club of Greenpoint. The Eckford club wrote one of the glorious early chapters in the history of baseball. continued on p. 5
Photo Credit Abby Verbosky
By Tanay Warerkar
Work is “officially” underway on three fully affordable housing buildings at the Greenpoint Landing site, one of which will be ready for occupancy as early as next year. On Friday morning, representatives from Greenpoint Landing Associates, the city’s Department for Housing, Preservation, & Development, and elected officials broke ground on
two of the three fully affordable buildings that will together provide 300 affordable units. “For the last decade, we have been a part of the wonderful Greenpoint community and we are so proud to be delivering quality affordable housing to the neighborhood as part of this transformative project.” said Marian Klein, Senior Vice President of Greenpoint Landing Associates. The 300 units consti-
tute a portion of the 1,400 affordable units that will be constructed once the entire Greenpoint Landing project is completed. Those units, in turn, are part of the total 5,500 units that constitute the entire Greenpoint Landing residential project. The first of three buildings at 21 Commercial Street, now a year away from completion, will have 93 units available to residents who make between 40 and
60 percent of the median income in the area. The other two buildings at 5 Blue Slip and 33 Eagle Street will have 103 and 98 units, respectively. Income eligibility for Blue Slip will be between 30 and 60 percent of median income and for Eagle Street it will be between 40 and 120 percent. “It is fitting that this large-scale development begins with three buildings dedicated to affordable housing, a
critical priority of this administration and a longstanding commitment to the community,” said HPD Commissioner Vicki Been. “Greenpoint Landing provides a blueprint for neighborhood planning that is grounded in community engagement and sees re-zonings as a tool to achieve not only high quality affordable housing, but to ensure the plans are in place for continued on p. 2
Greenpoint Tenants’ Forum: A Workshop for Residents By Christopher Gongolski
The major boom in housing costs in North Brooklyn, and the rest of the City, over the past decade, has left many residents with questions and concerns. continued on p. 11