77TH YEAR, NO. 3,949
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
TWO SECTIONS
50 CENTS
VIDEO: Police Seek Public’s Help to ID Perps in Violent Jewelry Store Robbery SEE PAGE 3
Old Watchtower HQ Is Now ‘Kushner City’
THERE’S STILL A NEON SIGN WHERE THE NAME “WATCHTOWER” HAS GLOWED FOR DECADES IN THIS RENDERING OF THE GROUP’S FORMER HEADQUARTERS, which is being renovated by the Kushner Cos. See page 2. Rendering by Columbia Heights Associates/Volley Studios
A First Look at Kushner Cos.’ Watchtower HQ Makeover By Lore Croghan
Brooklyn Heights Press
Whose name will replace the Watchtower’s on the iconic redneon sign on top of the former Jehovah’s Witnesses headquarters in Brooklyn Heights? Renovation is getting underway at 25-30 Columbia Heights, which is being transformed into a campus with about 635,000 square feet of Class A office space and about 35,000 square feet of stores and public space for arts and culture. The complex now belongs to the company Jared Kushner headed until he stepped aside to become a senior adviser to his father-in-law, President Donald Trump. A new tenant at the five-building complex will presumably obtain the right to put its name in lights where the word “Watchtower” has glowed for many decades. The neon sign could serve as a big brand-enhancement tool. Its red letters are visible to people on the Lower Manhattan shoreline, on East River ferry boats and in Brooklyn Bridge Park. A spokesman for the Kushner Cos. and 25-30 Columbia Heights co-owners CIM Group and LIVWRK Holdings declined to comment when the Brooklyn Heights Press asked whether the largest tenant will get to put its name on the neon sign — or if a smaller tenant might be allowed to pay a fee for the rights to the sign. The spokesman also declined comment about what the asking rents will be for space in the complex.
The Complex’s New Name Is Panorama The developers have given 25-30 Columbia Heights a new name — Panorama — and unveiled new project renderings. The campus will be big enough to house an estimated 5,000
workers at full capacity, the developers said in a news release. Most of the office space will have 11-foot ceilings. There will be 20 private and public terraces. The developers plan to leave intact a skybridge and a parking garage. “Panorama will mark a shift in what America’s best companies expect in an urban office setting,” Asher Abehsera, LIVWRK’s founder and chief executive officer, said in a statement. “Panorama will be more than just a place to work,” Abehsera said. “It will be a thriving community offering the best visibility and views in New York City, world-class office space and an opportunity for tenants to infuse the campus with their culture from the very start.” The former Watchtower complex is located outside the boundaries of the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. So Kushner Cos. and its partners will not be required to seek the approval of the city Landmarks Preservation Commission for their remodeling designs. The Jehovah’s Witnesses sold their former headquarters complex to Kushner Cos. and its investor partners for $340 million in August 2016, city Finance Department records indicate. The deal was part of the sell-off of its Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO real estate holdings because of the religious group’s relocation of its headquarters to Warwick in upstate New York. In the past few years, Kushner Cos. and various investment partners have paid the Watchtower more than $1 billion for property in Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO. The other purchased properties, which are located in DUMBO, include a cluster of former Bible-printing plants that have been turned into a hip office complex called DUMBO Heights and a parking lot at 85 Jay St. with about 1 million square feet of development rights.
Jared Kushner stepped aside from the leadership of the Kushner Cos. — the new owner of the Watchtower headquarters — to serve as senior adviser to his father-in-law, President Donald Trump. AP Photo/Evan Vucci
This rendering shows retail space that Kushner Cos. plans to create at the former Watchtower headquarters at 25-30 Columbia Heights.
We Can Expand Your Reach To New Customers EXPONENTIALLY Using Images and Social Media Along With Our Popular Websites and Blogs 2 • Brooklyn Heights Press • Thursday, June 1, 2017
Call Today! 718-422-7400
Rendering by Columbia Heights Associates/Volley Studios
VIDEO: Police Seek Public’s Help to ID Perps in Violent Brooklyn Heights Jewelry Store Robbery By Mary Frost
Brooklyn Heights Press
The New York City Police Department is asking for the public's assistance in identifying four thugs who carried out a violent robbery on Court Street in Brooklyn Heights during rush hour last week. Three of the four robbers, wearing construction outfits and masks, can be seen on newly released surveillance video as they hurl over the turnstiles at the Borough Hall station following the robbery. Cops described the perps as four black males. The heist took place at roughly 5:21 p.m. last Thursday, when three of the men, disguised as workers, burst into Court Jeweler at 60 Court St., between Joralemon and Livingston streets. The fourth man stood outside the store as a lookout. The robbers brutally pistol-whipped the shop’s 67-year-old proprietor, tied his hands behind his back with zip ties and made off with piles of cash, jewelry and gold. They then fled toward the nearby subway. One eye witness, Rachel, told the Brooklyn Heights Press that she saw one of the perpetrators as he escaped the crime scene. “He had on a ski mask, and he had a construction hat on top of the ski mask,” she said. The victim’s face was gushing blood, she added. The shopkeeper was taken to NewYorkPresbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital in stable condition. Court Jeweler was described by a Downtown Brooklyn Partnership posting as an “old school jewelry repair shop that’s serious about the craft with an attention to detail to match.” Many people who formed a crowd on the street said the attack was a terrible shame. “That man’s been here for years,” said one bystander, referring to the proprietor. “My mother used to shop here.” Neighbors said they were worried about what happened to Stella, a rescued German Shepherd who would always sit either on the floor behind the shopkeeper's feet or in the lower half of his display window.
Police interview witnesses at the scene.
Cops want your help identifying these men who brutally robbed a jewelry store on Court Street in Brooklyn Heights last Thursday. The men escaped by running into the Borough Hall subway station. Video courtesy of NYPD Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or
Heights Press photo by Mary Frost
for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypd-
crimestoppers.com or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. All calls are strictly confidential.
The proprietor of the jewelry repair shop was savagely pistol-whipped during the robbery. Heights Press photo by Mary Frost Thursday, June 1, 2017 • Brooklyn Heights Press • 3
World Science Festival Returns to Brooklyn
Hands-On Tech, Astronomy, Chemistry, Nature Lessons for All By Mary Frost
Brooklyn Heights Press
The annual World Science Festival brings hands-on, immersive science activities to New York City this week, with a number of fascinating weekend events in Brooklyn. Projects in Brooklyn Bridge Park include a participatory performance piece by Pilobolus and MIT involving LEDlighted umbrellas with colors controlled by attendees. All ages will enjoy stargazing with astronomers and experts including Bill Nye and astronauts Yvonne Cagle and Leland Melvin. Scientific sails in New York Harbor will also be launching from the park. Nature enthusiasts can join in the Great Fish Hunt at several Brooklyn locations, including Brooklyn Bridge Park, Bush Terminal Piers Park, Kaiser Park and Valentino Pier. Attendees will strap on a pair of waders, cast a net and discover what’s living under the water. A number of smaller venues will also be hosting activities. Chemistry enthusiasts can check out the chemical reactions of baking at Four & Twenty Blackbirds Bakery in Gowanus; urban farmers can learn how to raise fish and grow plants at OKO Farms in Bushwick. Kids can get a microbiology lesson at Brooklyn College. Many events are open to all comers. But some require RSVPs and waiting lists are already forming, so it pays to get online and sign up soon. The festival runs now through June 4. Visit worldsciencefestival.com for full details.
4 • Brooklyn Heights Press • Thursday, June 1, 2017
The World Science Festival brings a number of events to Brooklyn this week, including a participatory performance piece by Pilobolus and MIT involving LED-lighted umbrellas, shown above. Photo by Oriel Pe’er, courtesy of the World Science Festival
This full color poster, printed on high quality stock and suitable for framing (24x36) is available for $17. Can be mailed directly in protective mailing tube. Call Katrina, 718-643-9099x103 (kat@brooklyneagle.com) Thursday, June 1, 2017 • Brooklyn Heights Press • 5
Children’s Musicals About Muslim Experience Premiere for Ramadan
Two new musicals that bring Muslim and non-Muslim audiences together will premiere during Ramadan. Muslims consider Ramadan, which began at sundown last Friday, May 26, as their holiest month. Based on a lunar calendar, Ramadan begins around 11 days earlier each year of the secular calendar, rotating around the seasons, with the daytime fasts lasting longer during the spring and summer. Ramadan is a time of fasting and special acts of charity. It is during Ramadan that Muslims believe Mohammad received the revelations that were compiled into the Qu’ran. Muslims are commanded to fast from all food, water and pleasurable activities during daytime hours. Moreover, Muslims are commanded to refrain from all negative or uncharitable speech or actions — a discipline that’s particularly more challenging to uphold when hungry or thirsty for long stretches. Another challenge presents itself: how to maintain the discipline of abstention and prayer times when one’s schedule doesn’t always provide for it — such as school-mandated lunch hours. Muslims pause all activities to pray formally five times daily, throughout the year. The very endeavor to incorporate these practices into the school day is the subject of the musicals, which the Brooklyn Children’s Theatre has created and is premiering this weekend. Together, they will tell stories of what it means to be American and celebrate the recognition of Eid as a public-school holiday. These musicals allow non-Muslim and Muslim children alike to experience the culture and everyday experiences of their classmates and neighbors, to learn about the local New York City history, and develop confidence in their own voices and identities. In a time of increased divisions and fear of what is unfamiliar and different, these musicals are meant as models on curing fear and hatred: through exposure, engagement and empathy.
Amy White Graves, executive director of Brooklyn Children’s Theatre, states, “It’s important for children to see themselves portrayed as heroes on the stage. Since we started this project, our Muslim students have taken great pride in sharing their culture, and our nonMuslim students have embraced their Muslim peers with new understanding.” The spring productions are “All of U.S.” and “The Ten-Year Test.” “All of U.S.” is written by Scott Evan Davis, Kareem Fahmy, Amy White Graves, and a team of Muslim and non-Muslim students in BCT’s summer play writing class. In the play, Muslim
and non-Muslim children give their different perspectives on what it means to be an American. “The Ten-Year Test” is written by Aizzah Fatima, with music by Craig Baldwin and lyrics by Robert Yarnall. The Ten-Year Test chronicles the story of getting Eid added as public school holiday, after 10 years of petitioning by New York City school students. Show dates/times are: Saturday, June 3, at 4 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, June 4, at 2 and 6:30 p.m. All performances take place at the Brooklyn Music School, 126 St. Felix St. in Fort Greene,
The Brooklyn Heights Synagogue’s Pride Shabbat on June 9 will focus on the needs of transgender youth and their families. The presenter, Nick Teich, grew up and became bar mitzvah at the Heights Synagogue, where his parents are members. Now, Teich, LCSW, is the founder and CEO of Camp Aranu’tiq & Harbor Camps, the world’s first overnight camps for transgender youth and their families. Since 2009, he has
worked year-round to prepare for and run these camp programs. He is the author of “Transgender 101: A Simple Guide to a Complex Issue.” He has a deep personal interest in helping transgender people to be themselves. The Pride Shabbat service begins at 6:30 p.m. with a wine-and-cheese “Pre-neg” half an hour before the worship. The following week, the Brooklyn Heights
Synagogue presents another Pride event, a viewing of Eddie Rosenstein’s film, “The Freedom to Marry.” This film chronicles the inside story of the same-sex marriage movement through the eyes of those who led the fight. The viewing begins at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 9.
Dr. Matthew Burdette, who served as Wisdom Year Seminarian Intern at St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church over the past year, was ordained recently to the transitional diaconate.
He had earned his doctorate in theology at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, just as he was joining the St. Ann’s parish last year. During his time at St. Ann’s, he served as a preacher, teacher, and volunteer
The players present a song about sweets during one of the plays.
Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Children’s Theatre
Founder of Camp for Transgender Youths Gives Talk for Synagogue’s Pride Shabbat
These original musicals are part of Brooklyn Children’s Theatre’s “Muslim Voices” series, funded by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Arts. Brooklyn Children’s Theatre (BCT) is an after school musical theatre program serving more than 1,000 children in Brooklyn. Professional writers and composers create mini-musicals specifically for BCT’s students to ensure that every child has the opportunity to grow as an artist and a person. We believe that theatre should be for every child, not just those who can afford it. 700 of our students are lowincome or living in family shelters.
AT RIGHT: Nick Teich
Photo courtesy of the Brooklyn Heights Synagogue
St. Ann’s Bids Godspeed to Deacon Matthew Burdette coordinator. He offered classes on the foundations of Christianity, and facilitated a well-received Conversations on Race series. On May 17, he was graduated from the General Theological Seminary, where he was enrolled in the Anglican Studies diploma. He was ordained to the transitional diaconate two days later at Trinity Cathedral in Trenton, in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey. Last weekend St. Ann’s bid farewell to Deacon Burdette and his wife, Evie, as they begin a new chapter of ministry.
Greek Festival Starts June 5
Brooklynites have savored Greek specialties at Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral’s weeklong festivals for 40 years now. This year’s festival runs from Monday, June 5 through Saturday, June 10. Fairgoers will experience the best in homemade Greek culinary treats and pastries! Dance the night away on Friday and Saturday nights! Shop in the Agora and Flea Market. The cathedral is at 64 Schermerhorn St. For more information, call 718-624-0595 or visit Facebook.com/stsconstantineandhelen or Instagram @NAK_FESTIVAL. 6 • Brooklyn Heights Press • Thursday, June 1, 2017
Deacon Matthew Burdette is pictured with the Rev. Katherine Salisbury, associate rector of St. Ann & the Holy Trinity Church, right after his graduation from General Theological Seminary.
Third Annual ‘Live at the Archway’ Series To Feature Free Concerts and Events
A group performs on stage at Live at the Archway. By John Alexander
Brooklyn Heights Press
Live at the Archway is an annual series of free summer concerts and events that take place Thursdays at 6 p.m. under the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO — one of the only covered outdoor spaces in NYC. The series, co-curated by Clara Schuhmacher of the DUMBO Business Improvement District (BID) and Tanya Rynd, owner of the popular DUMBO restaurant Superfine, reflects the neighborhood’s diversity and commitment to the arts. This year’s event introduces “The Artist Interactive,” featuring a different DUMBO
artist each week in a pop-up gallery in the archway. “Live at the Archway … reflects DUMBO’s creative spirit and Brooklyn’s diverse culture,” said Schuhmacher. She said the series “encompasses a broad range of musical genres, including salsa, R&B, jazz and classic rock, together with some of today’s emerging indie bands, performances by modern dance companies and five evenings of social dance.” The 17-week series kicks off on June 8 with a performance by Colombian fusion group Los Cumpleaños, preceded by an opening set in the Pearl Street Triangle by the all-female Brazilian
Spectators gather to watch an evening performance under the Manhattan Bridge.
Photo by Noemie Trusty
drumline FogoAzul NYC. Live at the Archway celebrates the diversity and artistry of Brooklyn, and the borough’s talent is given prominent representation throughout the series with Los Cumpleaños, PopGun Presents: Rodes Rollins, Hip Hop Dance Conservatory, White Wave Dance, 79.5 Band, Ghost Train Orchestra, Big Sky Works, the Hot Sardines and Gaijin à Go-Go’s leader singer Petra Hanson, all hailing from Brooklyn. “There’s nothing quite like sitting below the Manhattan Bridge — having a beer with friends, listening to great music and taking in some art, all at the same time,” said DUMBO
BID Executive Director Alexandria Sica. “We can’t wait to bring another set of unique and diverse artists to the neighborhood this summer.” The Lighthouse is open during Live at the Archway events for food, beer and wine at its kiosk location under the Archway. These family-friendly events take place rain or shine. The Archway under the Manhattan Bridge is a public plaza on Water Street between Adams Street and Anchorage Place in DUMBO. For more information and for a list of upcoming Live at the Archway events, visit DUMBO.is.
Photo by Tory Williams
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8 • Brooklyn Heights Press • Thursday, June 1, 2017
BROOKLYN EAGLE
Eagle photo by Lore Croghan
Reflections On Red Hook
Henry Street Basin’s waters mirror the picturesque Red Hook Grain Terminal. For more on the neighborhood, see EYE ON REAL ESTATE, inside.
Volume 17, No. 40
Two Sections
THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017
$1.00
Celebrations Covered Borough for Fleet Week New York 2017
Soldiers from Fort Hamilton offered the USS Kearsarge a 15-gun salute.
Eagle photo by Paula Katinas
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Charles Oki/Released
Fleet Week New York was celebrated throughout last week. As part of the celebration of our country’s maritime services, more than a dozen U.S. Navy ships, patrol boats, Coast Guard cutters — and a Royal Canadian Navy ship — arrived at the New York Harbor to participate in the Parade of Ships. The ships could be seen along the Hudson River from Battery Park to just south of the George Washington Bridge. The theme for this year was “Celebrating the Sea Services and commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Seabees.” For 75 years, members of the Naval Construction Forces, known as the Seabees, have demonstrated their skills as fighters and builders. City streets were flooded with sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen all week, and there were numerous exhibits, military band concerts and aviation demonstrations around the borough and city. On Wednesday morning, it was the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hamilton in Bay Ridge that led the way as Brooklyn residents welcomed U.S. Navy ships arriving at New York Harbor for the start of Fleet Week. Also on Wednesday, a group of U.S. Navy Divers assigned to the Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit came to the New York Aquarium in Coney Island to swim with marine life, entertain kids and showcase their abilities. — Eagle reporting by Paula Katinas, Mary Frost and Scott Enman
Navy Diver 1st Class Sean Dargie, assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2, performs a somersault for a tour group at the New York Aquarium during a community relations event as part of Fleet Week New York 2017. 2 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 1, 2017
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• Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 1, 2017
Brooklyn Historical Society Opens First Offsite Gallery in DUMBO
Guest curator of “Shifting Perspectives” Marilyn Symmes shows the gallery space devoted to Coney Island.
Shifting Perspectives: Photographs of Brooklyn’s Waterfront Premiers in Empire Stores By Andy Katz
Special to Brooklyn Eagle
The Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) celebrated the formal opening of its first offsite location in the Empire Stores building at 55 Water St. in DUMBO with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and inaugural exhibition “Shifting Perspectives: Photographs of Brooklyn’s Waterfront.” “This is such an important exhibit,” said state Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, (D-Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO-Vinegar Hill.) “People don’t realize how important the waterfront has been to the history of Brooklyn.” Planned in collaboration with Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation and Midtown Equities, BHS at DUMBO will be the sole cultural institution in the 360,000-square-foot building, which will also include restaurant, retail and office spaces. “Three years ago, we realized we couldn’t just be a single location, not in such a large and diverse borough as Brooklyn,” BHS board Chairman Jim Rossman explained. “We needed to project ourselves into the community … We had the opportunity to be here by the water where tens of thousands of people are.” “This is an amazing opportunity to see how we became this great place,” Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams said. “That we are able to co-exist — that is what makes this borough so special.” Guest curator for “Shifting Perspectives” was Marilyn Symmes. Formerly director of the Morse Research Center for The Graphic Arts at Rutgers University, Symmes’ published work includes “Impressions of New York: Prints from the NewYork Historical Society” (2005). Symmes drew on an impressive collection of 65 images from 25 photographers, including Berenice Abbott, Rudy Burckhardt, Bruce Davidson and Chester Higgins. The earliest images include stereograph shots of Manhattan Beach from 1889 and sepia-toned views of Brooklyn ferry slips with a fin de siècle Manhattan in the background.
Symmes devoted one gallery room to Coney Island, where Robin Michals’ somber view of a post-Superstorm Sandy landscape — the Parachute Jump standing forlorn amid stormstrewn wreckage and against a still-threatening sky — commands the viewer’s immediate attention, while the arrangement of Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao’s “Coney Island Fog” — done just the year before — puts it at a right angle to Michals’ print, offering visual relief to the devastation with soft light and colors muted in night and fog. On the wall farther left are small, monochrome prints of playful beach scenes by Lucille Fornasieri Gold and Anders Goldfarb. The entire gallery is set within a warehouse and factory space that once formed the core of the Arbuckle Brothers Coffee empire. Agiant winch divides the space in two. One of its buttresses served to anchor the red ribbon, which Adams and BHS President Deborah Schwartz finally cut after several tries with a pair of scissors that were plainly more massive than sharp. Also on hand for the opening were City Councilmember Stephen Levin; state Sen. Daniel Squadron; NYC Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Tom Finkelpearl; President of Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation Eric Landau; Principal of Midtown Equities Jack Cayre; Vice Chair of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation JoAnn Witty; Senior Vice President of Bank of America Connie Verducci; Michael Crane of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy; and entrepreneur Peter Aschkenasy. Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy board member Michael Crane recounted growing up in nearby Brooklyn Heights before becoming a DUMBO pioneer: “This whole area used to be completely deserted after dark,” he said, “You couldn’t even get a pizza delivered. We’d call and offer the guy 10 bucks extra. But they’d always say, ‘No way!’” “Shifting Perspectives: Photographs of the Brooklyn Waterfront” will be on view until Sept. 10.
State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon examines Coney Island beach scenes.
ABOVE: Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams applies maximum force to cut the red ribbon. INSET: Brooklyn Historical Society President Deborah Schwartz (left) with guest curator Marilyn Symmes. Eagle photos by Andy Katz Thursday, June 1, 2017 • Brooklyn Eagle •
Our World In Pictures VIRGINIA — Soldiers Prepare for Memorial Day: Soldiers of the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment pass out flags for headstones for “Flags In,” at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday in Arlington. Soldiers are placing nearly a quarter of a million American flags at the headstones in the cemetery in a Memorial Day tradition. AP Photo/Alex Brandon BRAZIL — Rallies Against President Continue: Demonstrators torch the Ministry of Agriculture during an anti-government protest in Brasilia on Wednesday. Brazil’s president ordered federal troops to restore order in the country’s capital following the evacuation of some ministries during clashes between police and protesters who are seeking the leadAP Photo/Eraldo Peres er’s ouster.
6 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 1, 2017
A Special Section of BROOKLYN EAGLE Publications
June 1-7, 2017
Brooklyn Eagle’s Discovery Series Takes on ‘Beer & Bites’ in Park Slope BEERMEISTER KENNETH JIMENEZ (LEFT) AND EVENTS MANAGER MIRANDA GONZALEZ STAND BEHIND THE BAR AT KING’S BEER HALL FOR A “BEER & BITES” EVENT, part of the Brooklyn Eagle’s Discovery Series. See pages 3-5INB. INBrooklyn photo by Andy Katz
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Calendar Events June 1-7 Arts Doubled A sculpture exhibition of work by Jennie Nichols and Daniel Wiener. Both artists use mold-making as their medium. Nichols’ works are more or less precise and true to the cast object, while Wiener uses molds as tools to create disparate forms in an improvised intuitive process. When: Thursday through Sunday, through June 11, 1-6 p.m. Where: Bushwick/Studio 10 (56 Bogart St.) Afterglow A solo exhibition of paintings by Emily Roz. When: Thursday through Sunday, through June 11, 1-6 p.m. Where: Williamsburg/Front Room Gallery (147 Roebling St.) Sights in the City During the summer of 1980, under the direction of his photographer father, Jamel Shabazz armed himself with a Canon AE1 SLR camera and began to photograph the landscape of his native New York City. Composed of color and black-and-white photographs taken between 1980 and 2016, many of which have never been published, “Sights in the City” is the testament of Shabazz’s visual journey. When: Tuesday through Saturday, through June 17, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Where: DUMBO/United Photo Industries Gallery (111 Front St.) This Land Is ... This show features work by 800 Brooklyn students and offers youthful artistic commentary on modern socio-economic and political issues, from immigration and health care to gun violence. When: Tuesday through Sunday, through June 18 (Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sunday, 12-6 p.m.) Where: Fort Greene/BRIC Arts (647 Fulton St.)
Kajahl: Obscure Origins This exhibition presents a focused survey of Kajahl’s portraits, which combine iconography from African, Asian, European and Pre-Columbian traditions. The fusion of these symbols results in the creation of enigmatic artworks that bring the forgotten past into the foreground and reanimate minor artifacts of history into transformative assemblages. When: Thursday through Saturday, through June 18, 12-5 p.m. Where: Clinton Hill/Tillou Fine Art (59 Cambridge Place) S.B. Walker: Walden Walker’s photographs illustrate the way this once pristine landscape is now viewed and used. Using a large format camera, Walker captures both the grandeur and the cotidian 100 years after Thoreau. When: Tuesday through Saturday, through June 23, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Where: DUMBO/Janet Borden, Inc (91 Water St.) Multilocational See multilocational artworks by Natalia Nakazawa and Cecile Chong. Multilocational is defined as “of, pertaining to, or being present in more than one location.” It subtly plays on the words multicultural or multinational, or “of mixed ancestry or residence.” When: Fridays, through June 25, 3-6 p.m. Where: Park Slope/Old Stone House (336 Third St.) Georgia O’Keeffe: Living Modern This exhibit takes a new look at how the renowned modernist artist proclaimed her progressive, independent lifestyle through a self-crafted public persona, including her clothing and the way she posed for the camera. The exhibition expands our understanding of O’Keeffe by focusing on her wardrobe, shown for the first time alongside key paintings and photographs. It confirms and explores her determination to be in charge of how the world understood her identity and artistic values. When: Wednesday through Sunday, through July 23, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. (Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.) Where: Prospect Heights/Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway) Forged Worlds This outdoor photography exhibition showcases work by seven artists whose photographic practices revolve around the physical construction of fictional landscapes. Installed on a fence beneath the Manhattan Bridge, this photo installation invites viewers to take a closer look and perhaps allow themselves to be carried away — if even for a moment — in thoughts and lands so strange, yet so familiar, so close to home. When: Daily, through July 31, 2017 Where: DUMBO/Manhattan Bridge (Adams Street, Plymouth Street and Anchorage Place) Truman Capote’s Brooklyn: The Lost Photographs of David Attie In the spring of 1958, a young photographer named David Attie was led through the streets of Brooklyn Heights and to the Continued on page 10INB
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Brooklyn Eagle’s Discovery Series Takes on ‘Beer & Bites’ in Park Slope King’s Beer Hall Beermeister Matches Artisanal Brews with Classic Pub Fare
The Brooklyn Eagle Discovery Dinner is in full swing at King’s Beer Hall. By Andy Katz
Special to
Brooklyn
“Beer,” a sage once proclaimed, “is proof that God loves us.” If that is so, then there was plenty of love flowing at King’s Beer Hall in Park Slope when the Brooklyn Eagle’s Discovery Events series gave Beermeister Kenneth Jimenez the opportunity to pair some of his favorite IPAs, stouts and pilsners with some of Chef Nicholas Destefano’s signature dishes. Approximately 20 Brooklyn Eagle staffers, friends and associates lined a brace of long tables inside the St. Marks Place neighborhood tavern. Big-screen TVs hanging from either end displayed soccer and basketball games, a pool table was set in one corner, oversized Jenga games rested on wood barrels leading to the open kitchen and a state-of-the-art jukebox used electronic displays to list each tune as it filled the queue. Jimenez started the evening by pairing one of the hall’s bestselling dishes, Chef Destefano’s chicken and waffle tenders, with Wrought Iron IPA.
INBrooklyn photo by Andy Katz
“This IPA uses Apollo hops for a tone of extra bitterness, but there’s also a caramel texture that pairs off nicely with the waffles,” Jimenez explained. Next up were teriyaki wings paired with Bronx Spring Pale Ale. “Loved it,” said Randy Mancuso. His companion, Bonnie Meeg, agreed: “Definitely my favorite — the chicken went nicely with the beer.” In fact, the teriyaki wings/pale ale combination was a favorite of many Discovery diners. “The Bronx Spring Pale Ale is made with Black Neck and Chamomile teas to increase its earthiness,” Jimenez said. “That makes it a perfect match for the sweet, spiciness of the teriyaki.” “Beer culture has expanded exponentially,” Jimenez went on to explain. “There are so many micro-brews, artisanal brews available now than ever before. So it makes sense to pair them with food flavors and textures, just as wine has done for centuries now.” Continued on page 4INB
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Brooklyn Eagle’s Discovery Series Takes on ‘Beer & Bites’ in Park Slope
Beermeister Kenneth Jimenez presents the first round of beers.
Executive Chef Nicholas Destefano brings out the first course of chicken tenders in waffle batter.
INBrooklyn photos by Andy Katz
Continued from page 3INB “I’m more of a wine-with-my-food guy,” Chef Destefano admitted. Having taken over the kitchen at King’s Hall only a few months prior, Destefano has been applying his own recipes, leaving Beermeister Jimenez to apply the correct beer pairings. “We definitely hope to do more events like this,” Manager Miranda Gonzalez said as the evening drew to a close. “People aren’t yet asking for beer pairings very often, but there’s definitely more sophistication about beers in general among our customers.” Some Discovery diners found the emphasis on wings oppressive. “Too many wings,” said one participant on the way out. “The beers were first-class, but you found yourself buried in chicken wings after a while.” In addition, not all of the pairings were equally successful against the diners’ palates. “The parm coating was too strong for the chicken,” Mancuso said. “It really overpowered all of the other flavors. Also the hot wings were a bit too strong, too hot.” Sitting across the table, Meeg nodded in agreement. “It didn’t help,” Mancuso added, laughing, “that I couldn’t reach the bleu cheese sauce — it was far down the table, and I didn’t want to be a pest.” Continued on page 5INB
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A toast to the first round of IPAs. Continued from page 4INB Classic hot wings with Austin Pineapple Cider was Jimenez’s boldest pairing of the evening. “Nick [chef Destefano] uses Scotch Bonnet peppers for his hot wings, so when I paired them with the cider it brought the acid from the pepper into play with the citric acid from the cider to bring a nice complexity, and also sooth some of the burn from the Scotch Bonnet.”
INBrooklyn photos by Andy Katz
Jimenez’s expertise in brewed libations derives from a longtime love affair with nightlife: “I’ve always loved the scene, the celebratory nature of club life, the congeniality, the spirit of it — and alcohol plays a big role in that. With the rise of beer culture throughout the United States, places like this are becoming more and more popular.” King’s Beer Hall is located at 55 St. Marks Place in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Discovery Series diners toast another round.
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(See answers on page 15.)
HOW TO PLAY: ill in the grid so that e ery ro , e ery col n, and e ery o con tains the nu ers 1 through only once Each o is outlined ith a darker line ou already ha e a e nu ers to get you started Remember: You must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column, or 3x3 box.
See answers on page 15. B • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette •
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What Sitex Group Paid for Est4te Four’s Red Hook Industrial Properties
Here’s a glimpse of the shoreline Red Hook properties recently purchased by Sitex Group, a real-estate investment firm that specializes in industrial properties. By Lore Croghan Brooklyn
Meet Red Hook’s new Working Class Hero — to borrow a phrase from the late, great John Lennon. We’re speaking of Sitex Group, a real-estate investment firm that focuses on industrial properties. The Englewood, New Jersey-based firm, which is headed by Brian Milberg and David Friedman, recently closed on purchase deals for a cluster of six industrial properties in Red Hook. The total price was $105 million, city Finance Department records indicate. The seller was Est4te Four, a high-profile developer that first made its name in Milan, Italy. (No, that’s not a typo. The developer spells its name with a “4.”) Est4te Four had big plans for the properties, which it had assembled into a single development site by purchasing them from multiple sellers. The developer was going to turn the 13.5-acre site into Red Hook Innovation Studios. Marketing materials from Cushman & Wakefield described the planned development as a campus for tenants from “the creative, tech, media, fashion, music and art sectors” with four new office buildings, a waterfront promenade and a park. But now you can say addio per sempre (in other words, “farewell forever”) to Est4te Four’s plan. The investors from Englewood have declared their intentions: They’re going to modernize the buildings and rent them to industrial businesses, according to the Commercial Observer, which first reported Sitex Group’s multiproperty purchase. Specifically, Milberg told The Real Deal, the immediate use of the properties will be “last-mile distribution,” which means delivering products to their final destination. This is promising news for everybody who hopes that bluecollar job-generating businesses won’t be driven out of Red Hook by upscale development.
The properties that make up the newly purchased site are a combination of buildings and vacant land along Red Hook’s shoreline. Part of the site juts out in a point into Buttermilk Channel. Right alongside the point, there’s a sandy beach in Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier with iconic cement blocks that spell out — more or less — the words “Red Hook.”
Deal Details, Dollar by Dollar So. Here are the details of Sitex Group’s purchase deals, property by property, as revealed by Finance Department records, compared with how much Est4te Four had paid for them. In each case, Sitex Group made the purchases through Red Hook Industrial Center LLC, which has Sitex Group Principal David Friedman as its authorized representative. Est4te Four did its buying through LLCs with various names. • Red Hook Industrial Center LLC just paid a combined $25 million for 219 Sullivan St. and 44 Ferris St. In 2014, in two separate transactions, Est4te Four had purchased 219 Sullivan St. for $10 million and had bought 44 Ferris St. for $6 million — a total of $16 million. • Red Hook Industrial Center LLC just bought 68 Ferris St. for $42.4 million. In 2014, Est4te Four had purchased the property for $17,503,250. • Red Hook Industrial Center LLC just paid $13.6 million for 100 Ferris St. In 2014, Est4te Four had paid $5,614,250 for the property. • Red Hook Industrial Center LLC just bought 242 Coffey St. and 300 Coffey St. for a combined $24 million. In 2014, Est4te Four had purchased 242 Coffey St. and 300 Coffey St. for a combined $9,907,500.
It is a picturesque red-painted brick building that’s located directly across the street from Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier. Finance Department records corroborate this news. They indicate that 202 Coffey St. hasn’t changed hands since 2012, when Est4te Four bought it through an LLC for $11.8 million. A rep for Est4te Four told the Commercial Observer that the development firm will use 202 Coffey St. for film and photo shoots. As readers will recall, Est4te Four first became well known as the redeveloper of the Zona Tortona in Milan. Est4te Four turned the run-down warehouse area into a fashion district with offices, showrooms and studios for prominent designers. Now that Est4te Four has dropped its plan to build Red Hook Innovation Studios, its biggest project in the neighborhood is the condo conversion of 160 Imlay St. Construction continues to progress at the century-old former New York Dock Co. building. Right before Christmas, the ghost-white, cast-in-concrete building was tightly wrapped in plastic sheets to keep workers from being buffeted by winter winds. When we stopped by 160 Imlay St. the other day, the plastic had been removed and replaced with construction netting. We could see that glass has been installed in many of the iconic building’s window frames.
Est4te Four Is Keeping One Waterside Industrial Building
The Commercial Observer reported that Est4te Four is holding onto one building that it had planned to incorporate into its Red Hook Innovation Studios development, namely 202 Coffey St.
INSET: There are numerous industrial businesses still to be found in Red Hook — including Buckeye Terminals, whose shoreline location is pictured here. INBrooklyn photos by Lore Croghan
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Erie Basin Park And Other Scenic Red Hook Shoreline Sites
Gigantic cranes in Red Hook’s Erie Basin Park are reminders that this stretch of shoreline was home to the historic Todd Shipyard. By Lore Croghan INBrooklyn
We’re still sorry the shipyard is gone. Ghostly reminders of its glory days live on in a park behind the IKEA in Red Hook. Gigantic cranes loom along the shoreline of Erie Basin Park. There are broken piers fenced off from public access. Cast-off machinery and coils of rope are artfully displayed. We took some photos to share with those of you who run out of time and energy to visit the park after shopping at the Swedish home-furnishings megastore at 1 Beard St. See brooklyneagle.com for additional pix. Years ago, when the New York City Planning Commission gave IKEA the go-ahead to demolish Todd Shipyard and build a 346,000-square-foot store and a parking lot, the commission stipulated that the retailer include a park on the site. The historic shipyard dated back to the 1860s. IKEA and Erie Basin Park both opened in 2008. Despite the sad, sad reason for its existence, the park is photogenic. It is one of many Instagram-worthy shoreline spots in Red Hook.
Court Street’s End Court Street looms large in the lives of those who live and work in Brooklyn Heights and other Brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods. Continued on page 9INB
Artfully displayed ropes in Erie Basin Park, behind the Red Hook IKEA.
INBrooklyn photos by Lore Croghan
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Here’s a glimpse of 106 Ferris St. from Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier. 8INB • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • Week of June 1-7, 2017
Historic warehouses grace Red Hook’s shoreline behind Fairway supermarket.
When you are ready to move out of NYC, or a vacation home close to NYC, here are 10 Top Reasons you should talk to me:
INBrooklyn photos by Lore Croghan
10) Valhalla Dam honors 9/11 with a solemn memorial. The dam features a playground, comfortable picnic areas, walking trails, events from outdoor movies to weekly Heritage Festivals, even a Winter Wonderland with Santa and a New Year's Eve celebration.
Erie Basin Park and Other Scenic Red Hook Shoreline Sites Continued from page 8INB Did you know it ends on the Red Hook shoreline? There are handsome ships docked behind a fence at Buckeye Terminals at 722 Court St. Its owner, Buckeye Partners LP, is involved in liquid petroleum-products transportation, storage and marketing. This spot, where it runs into Bryant Street, appears to be the end of Court Street. But if you turn right and walk a short distance along Bryant Street, suddenly you see a short road sprouting to your left. That’s the very last leg of Court Street. We started to take pictures of this dead-end block, but a voice boomed out over an invisible loudspeaker and told us photos aren’t allowed. So if you stroll down there, remember to mind your manners. You are being watched.
Behind the supermarket, which is located in the 1870s-vintage Red Hook Stores at 480-500 Van Brunt St., there’s a shoreline walkway. In one direction, visitors strolling along the walkway see historic brick warehouses on a pier jutting into the water. In the other direction, they see century-old Lehigh Valley Barge #79, AKA the Waterfront Museum, serenely floating nearby. Not far from this walkway’s exit onto Conover Street, there is an entrance to the Pier 44 Waterfront Garden. There is public access to this private park, whose design and installation were funded by Red Hook landlord Greg O’Connell. The Pier 44 Waterfront Garden has a boardwalk, and a fine garden where irises and peonies are blooming.
The Red Hook Grain Terminal
At the end of Coffey Street, there’s a sweet little beach embellished with concrete blocks that spell out the words “Red Hook.” More or less. The letters are jumbled, but everybody gets the point. The beach is part of Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier. It’s a great place to gaze out over Buttermilk Channel and get glimpses of the Statue of Liberty, Governors Island and the World Trade Center.
You don’t have to be a trespasser to take good pictures of the Red Hook Grain Terminal. Photographers who are brave enough to sneak into the extraordinary hulking building on the shoreline get amazing shots, of course. But if you don’t want to risk an arrest, go to Red Hook Park on a gloomy day. The waters of the Henry Street Basin, which surround the long-vacant grain terminal, reflect it like a mirror.
Red Hook Stores and the Pier 44 Waterfront Garden
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Louis Valentino Jr. Park and Pier
INSET: Pretty posies in the Pier 44 Waterfront Garden.
That’s some fine scenery behind the Fairway.
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MYBROOKLYNCALENDAR.COM Continued from page 2INB Brooklyn waterfront by an unexpected guide: 33-year-old Truman Capote. The images Attie took that day were to illustrate Capote’s essay for Holiday magazine about his life in Brooklyn. Decades later, these largely unseen photographs are being exhibited for the first time. When: Wednesday through Sunday, through July 31, 12-5 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Heights/Brooklyn Historical Society (128 Pierrepont St.) Next Stop: Second Avenue Subway Tracing nearly 100 years of history, the New York Transit Museum’s newest exhibit explores how the Second Avenue line fits into New York’s past, present and future transportation landscapes. When: Tuesday through Sunday, through Sept. 3, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday hours, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.) Where: Downtown Brooklyn/New York Transit Museum (Corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street) Infinite Blue The works of art in “Infinite Blue” feature blue in all its variety — a fascinating strand of visual poetry running from ancient times to the present day. In cultures dating back thousands of years, blue — the color of the skies — has often been associated with the spiritual, but also signifies power, status and beauty. The spiritual and material aspects of blue combine to tell us stories about global history, cultural values, technological innovation and international commerce. When: Wednesday through Sunday, through Nov. 5, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Thursdays, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Where: Prospect Heights/Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway)
Books & Readings Mike Tyson in Conversation With Paul Holdengräber In association with Greenlight Bookstore, catch a one-night-only presentation of “Mike Tyson in Conversation with Paul Holdengräber,” the founder and director of “Live from the New York Public Library.” When: Thursday, June 1, 7:30-9 p.m. Where: Flatbush/Kings Theatre (1027 Flatbush Ave.) Book Signing – 100 Things Spider-Man Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die Meet comic book expert and author Mark Ginocchio as he signs copies of his new title, “100 Things Spider-Man Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die.” When: Saturday, June 3, 4-6 p.m. Where: Bay Ridge/The Bookmark Shoppe (8413 Third Ave.)
Educational
Hack the Park: A Race Against Time This Amazing Race-style hack competition takes small teams on a journey through Prospect Park, revealing crazy, amazing, hidden facts and stories of specific locations, buildings and monuments. Plus, dive into the park’s history, biology and modern relevance. When: Saturday, June 3, 12:30-3 p.m. Continued on page 11INB
Kings Theatre presents “Mike Tyson in Conversation with Paul Holdengräber” on Thursday, June 1. Image courtesy of Kings Theatre
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MYBROOKLYNCALENDAR.COM Continued from page 10INB Where: Prospect Park NYTM Train Operators Workshop Drop by the computer lab to take control of a New York City subway car and operate it over virtual miles of track, using some incredibly realistic software. Limited capacity. When: Saturday and Sunday, June 3-4, 3:304:30 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Heights/New York Transit Museum (99 Schermerhorn St.) Community Dance Class All ages and skill levels are welcome to come for a series of community dance classes taught by Ronald K. Brown and members of his company Evidence, A Dance Company. When: Monday, June 5, 6:30-8 p.m. Where: Fort Greene/Mark Morris Dance Group (3 Lafayette Ave.) Tree Identification For Families Join Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Environmental Educator Christina Tobitsch on a tree walk fit for the entire family. Tickets are required. When: Wednesday, June 7, 6:30 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/Pier 2
Family Fun Fab Friday’s Kids’ Concert: Anza’s Spanish Sing-Along Anza’s love of music and children is ever so present during this group sing-along. Anza’s Spanish sing-along features songs, guitar, flute, animal puppets and bubbles to make learning basic Spanish words fun, social and engaging. Perfect for children ages 12 months through 5 years of age. When: Friday, June 2, 10-11 a.m. Where: Clinton Hill/Putnam Triangle Plaza (Fulton St. and Grand Ave)
games, music and face painting. All ages are welcome to enjoy fun for the entire family. When: Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Where: Bushwick/Brighter Choice Community School (280 Hart St.) Block Party Join the inaugural Beam Block Party, where students and teachers from all over New York City and the Beam staff will showcase projects, experiments and thingamajigs. Eat, celebrate and boogie-down, and maybe even learn something from one another. When: Saturday, June 3, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Where: Cobble Hill/ Outside of Beam Center (60 Sackett St.)
to Brooklyn Bridge Park this year along with “Umbrella Project,” an amazing participatory performance piece by Pilobolus. Attendees can take a look through WSF’s high-tech telescopes for an up-close view of the moon, Jupiter, and other celestial objects. Then, grab an LED-lighted umbrella and jump into “Umbrella Project.”
Image courtesy of Hack the Park
When: Saturday, June 3, 7-11 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/Pier 6 Kids Drawing and Poetry Workshop Kids can join artist Jesse Chun for a workshop on drawing, poetry and combining the two. Continued on page 12INB
World Science Festival World Science Festival brings stargazing back
Image courtesy of FAB
Family Fun Day Please join the families and students of Brighter Choice Community School in a day of fun and exploration. Come inside and tour the school, take a workshop, then head outside for
“Hack the Park: A Race Against Time” will take place on Saturday, June 3 at Prospect Park.
FAB Friday’s Kids’ Concerts presents “Anza’s Spanish Sing-Along” on Friday, June 2. eek o June 1 7, 2017 • INBROOKLYN — A Special Section of Brooklyn Daily Eagle/Brooklyn Eagle/Heights Press/Brooklyn Record/Bay Ridge Eagle/Greenpoint Gazette • 11
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MYBROOKLYNCALENDAR.COM Continued from page 11INB When: Saturday, June 3, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/99 Plymouth St. The Rock and Roll Playhouse Presents: The Music of The Kinks Each workshop is 60 minutes long and is specifically designed
for children ages 7 and under, but all members of the family are welcome to this family show. When: Sunday, June 4, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Where: Williamsburg/Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave.) Pirate School with Billy Bones the Good Pirate Come experience the madcap comedy of Pirate School. This laugh-riot solo show allows families the chance to live out their dreams of high seas adventure with eccentric props, immersive participation, antic sound effects, slapstick, magic, bubbles, puppets and more. When: Sunday, June 4, 2 p.m. Where: Red Hook/Red Hook Showboat Barge (290 Conover St.) Family Bowl Bring the whole family and get your bowl on. When: Saturday, June 3, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Sunday, June 4, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Where: Williamsburg/Brooklyn Bowl (61 Wythe Ave.) School Lunchtime Concert Series Showcasing middle and high school students from throughout Brooklyn, offering live music and performances in Columbus Park at the steps of Brooklyn Borough Hall. When: Wednesday, June 7, 10 a.m. Where: Downtown Brooklyn/Brooklyn Borough Hall
Film
2017 Brooklyn Film Festival: KidsFilmfest The Brooklyn Film Festival organizes the “KidsFilmFest,” an annual event dedicated to kids. When: Saturday, June 3, 1 p.m. Where: DUMBO/Made in NY Media Center (30 John St.) Varda in California A six-film series commemorating Agnes Varda’s brief relocations
The World Science Festival will be at Brooklyn Bridge Park on June 3. Image courtesy of Brooklyn Bridge Park Alliance in the late-1960s and ’80s to California. When: Daily, through June 13 Where: Fort Greene/BAM Rose Cinemas (30 Lafayette Ave.)
Health
Yoga for Toddlers Toddlers have a chance to explore the exciting world of yoga under the supervision of an experienced and expert instructor. Age Group: Birth to 5 years old. When: Thursday, June 1, 10:30-11 a.m. Where: Williamsburg/Leonard Library (81 Devoe St.) Kayaking Glide along the water while kayaking with the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse at the Pier 2 floating dock. Children under 18 must have an adult guardian present. When: Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park/Pier 2
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Great Photos from Around the City — And Around the World — Appear Every Business Day in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle.
OUR WORLD IN PHOTOS: THE PARACHUTE JUMP IS LIT UP AS ROLLERCOASTER ENTHUSIASTS ENJOY A SPIN ON THE THUNDERBOLT
in Coney Island on a beautiful spring night.
INBrooklyn photo by Bonnie Meeg
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Our World In Pictures PERU — City Honors Performer with Parade: A clown dressed as comic book character Captain America takes part in a march celebrating Peruvian Clown Day in Lima on Thursday. Hundreds of professional clowns gather annually on this date to honor the late and beloved Tony Perejil, who died on May 25, 1987, after spending years bed-ridden in a hospital. He was known as the Clown of the Poor because he would perform in impoverished neighborhoods to which he would donate a portion of his proceeds to improve the communities’ infrastructures. AP Photo/Martin Mejia
PHILIPPINES — Citizens Flee Fighting: Residents evacuate to safety after a Muslim militant siege in Marawi on Thursday. Army tanks packed with soldiers rolled into the southern city to try to restore conAP Photo/Bullit Marquez trol after ISIS-linked militants launched a violent siege that sent thousands of people fleeing for their lives and raised fears of extremists gaining traction in the country.
Thursday, June 1, 2017 • Brooklyn Eagle • 7
Our World In Pictures MARYLAND — Naval Academy Holds Graduation: U.S. Naval Academy graduates throw their hats into the air in celebration at the end of the Academy’s graduation and commissioning ceremony in Annapolis on Friday. AP Photo/Patrick Semansky
SRI LANKA — Landslide Destroys Homes: People watch military rescue efforts at the site of a landslide in Bellana on Friday. Mudslides and floods triggered by heavy rains killed dozens and left many more missing. AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena
8 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 1, 2017
Thursday, June 1, 2017 • Brooklyn Eagle •
Brooklyn Native Creates New Series Based on Classic ‘The Wizard of Oz’ ‘Ages of Oz’ Adds Exciting Dimensions to an Iconic Work By John Alexander Brooklyn
aily Eagle
& Schuster
Photo courtesy of Brian Keith
urtesy of Simon
10 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 1, 2017
an Giacobino co
Brooklyn-born and raised “Ages of Oz” co-creator Gabriel Gale.
Cover art by Se basti
Gabriel Gale, who was born and raised in Bay Ridge, has immersed himself in the legend and legacy of L. Frank Baum’s “The Wizard of Oz” series of books. Gale, whose pen name is derived from Oz heroine Dorothy Gale, has created the first volume of a planned threenovel prequel to the beloved Baum classic that is focused on the origin story of Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. In “Ages of Oz,” Gale, along with Lisa Fiedler, has provided the perfect framework for an inspired new book that follows the beloved Glinda on her travels down the red-brick road. Readers will discover an entirely new dimension to Glinda as she was depicted in the original “Wizard of Oz” and the hit Broadway play “Wicked.” The Glinda in Gale’s universe is an empowered young woman much like Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games” trilogy. She serves as a model for teens and young women and as a figure of empowerment. The main theme of the book is learning how to think for yourself while on a journey to seek the truth. In the story, Glinda is turning into a force on her way to becoming the most powerful sorceress in all of Oz. In Fiedler’s and Gale’s book, Glinda’s peaceful life in Oz is shattered when her mother is imprisoned for practicing forbidden magic. As she is ripped from her home by a fearsome bounty hunter sent by Aphidina, the Witch of the South, Glinda soon uncovers a startling truth: the Oz she’s always known is not good and right — it’s a world governed by the wickedest of the wicked, overrun with tyranny, corruption and dark power. Glinda’s mother is actually a high-ranking member of a secret society whose mission is to overthrow the four wicked witches and set the stage for the return of the rightful ruler of Oz. With the help of a feisty, purple-haired girl named Locasta, Glinda sets across the unforgiving landscape to rescue her mother. They are soon joined by Ben, a revolutionary New Yorker, and a mysterious girl named Shade. Armed with their individual gifts, these unlikely heroes mount an epic attack on Aphidina to free Glinda’s mother and save the future of Oz from the Wickeds before it’s too late.
Gale, who currently resides in Bay Ridge, graduated from Fort Hamilton High School and attended Cooper Union’s Art school for his undergraduate degree and received his master’s degree from Columbia University. Gale has worked on this project for 10 years and calls it “a culmination of a whole lot of passion, research and drive to get an Oz story that is 100 years in the making into this project.” Gale told the Brooklyn Eagle that there will a number of signings and events at various locations throughout the borough and the city in the fall. “We will be at Oz-Stravaganza, in Chittenango, N.Y. June 1 to 4, which is the largest Oz convention on the East Coast,” said Gale. It all started for Gale when he first discovered Baum’s book as a young boy. “I read the Oz books at the 73rd Street Bay Ridge branch of the Brooklyn Public Library. I was fascinated from then on. After graduating from Columbia, I decided I wanted to create my own ‘Lord of the Rings’ type of work. And the Oz books returned to mind and I went back and researched them. I met with the family and I met with many of the world’s leading Oz experts, and I put all of that research into ‘Ages of Oz.’” Among the family members Gale met with were Baum’s grandsons. He also learned that Baum’s mother-inlaw was Matilda Joslyn Gage, the famed author and women’s suffragist and Native-American activist. Gale claims that Gage inspired Baum to include strong and powerful women in his works. “We designed ‘Ages of Oz’ as an overarching brand that can keep going,” said Gale. “It’s about a 1,000 years of Oz history, and Glinda’s story falls right in the middle, so we can go backward or we can go forward. ‘Ages of Oz’ is both a prequel and a sequel to L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, and eventually we will take you in to what Oz looks like today, and Oz in the future. That’s why it’s called ‘Ages of Oz,’ because it deals with multiple time periods.”
Who Knew? Meryl Streep’s Mother Was Born in Brooklyn
An Interview With New Streep Biographer Michael Schulman
By Peter Stamelman
Courtesy of HarperCollins Publishers
Special to Brooklyn Eagle
When HarperCollins sent me a review copy of Michael Schulman’s “Her Again: Becoming Meryl Streep” my initial reaction was, “Is there really anything new to learn about Meryl Streep?” Even the cover photograph of a young, pensive Streep, chin resting on her hand, annoyed me. It’s now been 40 years since she made her first screen appearance opposite Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave in Fred Zinnemann’s “Julia” and 45 years since she made her Broadway theater debut in “Trelawny of the Wells,” produced by Joe Papp (resilient survivor of a destitute Brooklyn childhood and legendary New York theater impresario.) Is there really anything we don’t already know about the “world’s greatest actress”? It turns out the answer is yes. For example, who knew that Streep’s mother was born in Brooklyn and later studied at the Art Student League? Or that Streep’s father, the son of a traveling salesman, would one day sob while watching his grandson in a high school production of “Death of a Salesman”? The book’s author, Michael Schulman, has pulled off a Sherlock Holmesworthy act of dogged and determined sleuthing and has written a compulsively readable biography. Schulman, who is a contributor and arts editor at The e orker and a frequent contributor to The e ork Times and anity air, has unearthed people and episodes from Streep’s past that clarify and illuminate why she is who she is. The biography avoids both hagiography and slander. Schulman is neither Mr. Bernstein from “Citizen Kane” nor the reporter from “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence” (“When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”) Instead, although he’s an admitted fan, he is fair and balanced, and unlike Fox News, has no agenda. To read the intervie , go to brooklyneagle.com.
ABOVE: Author Michael Schulman
Photo by Lev Kuperman
Thursday, June 1, 2017 • Brooklyn Eagle • 11
Brave New World Rep Offers Searing Update of August Strindberg’s ‘Miss Julie’
Trouble on the trading floor: Erin Treadway as Julie and Michael Castillejos as Juan in “Ms. Julie, Asian Equities.” By Lore Croghan Brooklyn Eagle
Scandal on the trading floor! And you can see it unfold, up close and personal. Julie Harper, director of equity sales at HadleyMoore Investment Bank, has sex with a janitor and lives to regret it. She’s the title character in a searing adaptation by Leegrid Stevens of “Miss Julie,” August Strindberg’s 1880s play. This new version of the Swedish playwright’s “naturalistic tragedy,” as Strindberg called it, is a brutal meditation on race and class divisions in contemporary America. It is called “Ms. Julie, Asian Equities.” It’s really something. Put it on your calendar pronto. The production’s run is scheduled to end on June 3. This is the world premiere of Stevens’ adaptation. It is being staged as a sitespecific production on Brooklyn’s only trading floor, which is at the Brooklyn Academy of Global Finance in BedfordStuyvesant. It is directed by Rebecca Martinez. “Ms. Julie, Asian Equities” is being presented by Brooklyn-based Brave New World Rep, a theater company co-founded by actress, director and writer Claire Beckman. The group is an endlessly inventive stager of immersive theater productions. It became well-known in 2005 by presenting “To Kill a Mockingbird” on the front porches of Victorian houses in Ditmas Park. More than 2,000 people attended the performances.
Photos by Doug Barron
Julie and Juan start off by quoting Shakespeare to each other. But soon enough, the poet who comes to mind is Dante and his “Inferno,” as Julie relentlessly, hellishly torments Juan and herself. The two characters say a boatload of shocking and hurtful things — which is exactly what Strindberg had in mind. Stevens’ adaptation hews faithfully to Strindberg’s original play about the great divide between aristocrats and servants. Both are full of disturbing moments and harsh observations about human nature. The adaptation is very timely at this American moment, when immigration, deportation and a proposed Mexican-border wall are hot topics. “Ms. Julie, Asian Equities” runs through Saturday, June 3. Performances are free to the general public. Due to its mature subject matter, the play is not recommended for children under 15. The venue is the Brooklyn Academy of Global Finance at 125 Stuyvesant Ave. in BedfordStuyvesant. Go to bravenewworldrep.org to see a list of performance dates and to register for tickets.
Juan (played by Michael Castillejos) shares a moment with Christina (played by Jacqueline Guillén) in “Ms. Julie, Asian Equities.”
Sex in a Supply Closet In “Ms. Julie, Asian Equities,” Brooklyn playwright Stevens, who has a master of fine arts in playwriting degree from Columbia, turns the man Julie casts her eye upon into an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. Juan makes a living by scrubbing floors and cleaning toilets, but has big ambitions. He and Julie have sex in a supply closet on the night of a holiday party for the building-services workers at HadleyMoore. Another janitor, watching on security cameras, sees them duck into the closet. It’s the middle of the Great Recession. How will Julie find another Wall Street job if she gets fired? The three-person cast does a superb job with this scathing work. Erin Treadway plays Julie. Michael Castillejos plays Juan. Jacqueline Guillén plays Juan’s fiancée, a hard-working foodservices employee named Christina. Treadway carries us compellingly through Julie’s rapid mood swings from self-loathing to scorn for Juan, from forced merriment to desperation.
INSET: Julie (played by Erin Treadway) has a pensive moment in “Ms. Julie, Asian Equities.” 12 • Brooklyn Eagle • Thursday, June 1, 2017
In this adaptation of August Strindberg’s “Miss Julie,” Juan (played by Michael Castillejos) is a janitor with big ambitions.