CB2 Gives Thumbs Up to Dock Street
By a margin of 30 to 7, Community Board 2 voted in front of a full-house to recommend that Dock Street, Two Trees’ proposed mixed-use development in Dumbo, be approved; the vote, which carries only advisory weight, was the first step in the ULURP process. The proposal, which was revised significantly after community opposition blocked…
By a margin of 30 to 7, Community Board 2 voted in front of a full-house to recommend that Dock Street, Two Trees’ proposed mixed-use development in Dumbo, be approved; the vote, which carries only advisory weight, was the first step in the ULURP process. The proposal, which was revised significantly after community opposition blocked an earlier version four years ago, carried the day largely, it seems, because of developer Two Trees’ crafty decision to include space for a much-needed public school, a project that the city has already set aside $43 million in funding. When we look at what [the community board] has asked for in the past, the need for a middle school tops that list, board member Lincoln Restler said. Resident Sidney Meyer, reported the Brooklyn Paper, spoke for many of the people in the room opposing the project when he made the point that, It’s a mistake to build anything that close to the bridge — it’s an icon for the entire city of New York. A school can be built somewhere else. The next step in the ULURP process will include a hearing held by the borough president on January 27 from 4 to 9 p.m. at Borough Hall.
Walentas ‘Dock’ Project Sails Ahead [Brooklyn Paper]
CB2 Approves Dock Street DUMBO Project [BH Blog]
CB2 To Vote Tonight on Dock Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
Dock Street Moves Forward — Second Vote on Saturday [Brooklyn Paper]
Full House, No Vote at Dock Street Hearing [Brownstoner]
How Does Dock Street Stack Up? [Brownstoner]
The Next Step for Dock Street [Brownstoner]
DOE: It’s Time to Examine Dock Street [Brownstoner]
Two Trees Plans Mixed Use Building Next to Bridge [Brownstoner]
Dock Street Plans (Marina and All) Go 3D [Brownstoner]
Dock Street Protesters: 20% There on Signatures [Brownstoner]
I am the Sid Meyer who is quoted in the article. I am not a NIMBY. In fact I live in Boerum Hill. I support many of the currently planned(put probably won’t be built) proposals. I support the public place plans the Gowanus Plan the Brooklyn Bridge park plans etc…I sit on Brooklyn Speaks that supports a realistic plan for Atlantic Yards with REAL community input. I oppose anything being built so close to the Brooklyn Bridge above the roadway. I am not anti-school. I want good UNION jobs with decent pay and benefits. I resent those who really don’t know who want to support this project. I haven’t vilified the Walentases who I have the utmost respect for. I don’t begrudge the developer making money. But there are icons that should be protected. The Verizon splash on the building in Manhattan(as well as that building) aren’t my idea of protecting the public interest.
Yes jobs are important and a school is important but aren’t somethings sacred? The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the few really sacred things in NY. People complained when the view of the Statute of Liberty from Greenwood cemetery was going to be disturbed did you think they were NIMBY’s of the dead? some things should be sacred and this is one of the few sacred things in NY. Jobs and a school can be done somewhere else….even if in this time of fiscal need it needs to cost more.
Its a bad plan at a bad sight….make it part of the park…
One more point and then I’m done.
PS8 scored a D the year before last.
There was plenty of room for a better grade through even slight improvement.
Instead, somehow, unbelievably, the rate of progress actually dropped precipitously and the school got an F,
how, how, how, can anyone in their proper un-medicated mind think this is just a fluke or a false blip?
I am waiting for the future analysis of this because I think there is more here than we are being told.
I fall somewhere in between ITM and sam on this one. On the one hand, one shouldn’t quickly dismiss the “F” grade. Let’s consider it a learning experience and try to identify and correct the deficiencies at PS8. On the other hand, to me at least, this grading system can be very misleading and does a disservice to decent schools, such as PS8, that are unquestionably doing better than so many schools that were awarded a higher grade. That much is clear by every other measure used and based on the achievement awards it has recently received (i.e., Brooklyn’s Rising Star Public Elementary School). How much faith can we put into a grading system that resulted in 7 or 8 schools going from an F last year to an A this year? It just doesn’t make sense.
Sam – what do you know about my race or socioeconomic standing?
My only objective on this matter and others I may chime in on is to point out that things are not always as they appear and that the back story to almost every event in this dense urban environment is much more complicated and intresting then one might think.
Anyone want to get into disecting all of the players (lawyers, politicians, etc.) in the Dock Street issue? It might not be a surprise to some but the personal agenda’s of many of the players (and I am not talking about the developer) override the interests and agenda of the public that they are elected by and apppointed to serve.
ITM, what you are saying is a crock! It is typical of the excuses rich people use when confronted with something singularly unpleasant and disagreeable. You need an intervention.
PS 8 not only got an F but it was a numerically low F.
It was appalling in every possible way.
I went to meetings and the African American parents got it. They were outraged. The White parents were in Prozac-land, denying anything at all had gone wrong. La-la-la….we know how nice the school really is….la la la. My advise to you is to wake up and smell the coffee! And not be so arrogant and condesending to people who know every bit as much as you but reach a different conclusion.
Sam – as I said, I read the report card and the explanation of how the grading works. I have listend to numerous presentations of the reports. Did/have you? My analysis is my own and based on the facts. Your analysis is based on pure speculation. The grade relates to a rate of change calculation where a certain grade improvement is scored relative to a different grade’s improvement. Notice I said improvement. For example, a class that scored a D last year and a B this year would get a good grade (~ B) for the improvement. A class that scored a B+ last year and an A- this year would get a poor grade (~ F) for improvment as the rate of change (improvement) is less.
It might be a good idea if you conducted a little more due diligence before making such speculative claims. Do you even know what the underlying assessment scores were for PS8?
ITM, I do not accept your analysis of the school test results. If the test was flawed and unfair, it was equally so for all schools and most schools did very well, A’s and B’s. PS 8 got an F, along with the very worst schools in the city. Your argument would make more sense if the school receiced a C and folks believed it deserved a B. But an F is an F. And there were not many schools that received F’s. I believe even the board of ed was shocked by how little kids were learning at the school. I think it unwise to reject the test that however flawed, every school participated in. To deny that something went very wrong there last year is to fly in the face of the facts.
In the words of Winston Churchill: “You are entitled to your own opinions but not to your own facts”.
BK RE Vet – the assumptions you have made based upon your observations about the demographic composition of Brooklyn Heights are not quite right. For example, most of the families that live in the Heights disappear on the weekends to their second homes – hence so few people around.
Why do you think the Heights would go nuts if PS8 were improved? Who wouldn’t want free and convenient educational options in their neighborhood? There are two other private instituions in the neighborhood already that are 5 times the size of PS8. Why would a public school option not be welcome?
Sam – disclaimer: I am not affiliated with PS8 in any way. The grading system used by the DOE relates to the rate of change in performace of a particular grade in a particular school in comparision to other comparable grades at other comparable schools. The comparable set of schools that was used this year was poorly chosen. The grading system is overly complicated and applies disproportinate weight to components that don’t get to the educational capabilties of each child. You should really read the entire report and the paper that explains the grading system. I have. I would like to hear if your opinion changes once you have digested all the facts. You usually have some constructive commentary on this site but you are way of base with your claims related to PS8 performance and by association what that particular school should be entitled to.
I am indifferent to Dock Street bulk and use variance issues. I do believe however that the placement of a school there is not in the taxpayers best interest. The school and preservation issues should not be linked in any way. I am also indifferent as to what properties the taxpayer currently own that the DOE/SCA improves.
The point that I am trying to make is that there is significant existing unused taxpayer assests that could be put to use in addressing the middle school issue. It is beyond irresponsible for the DOE/SCA to not properly evaluate the assets and options they have in hand before they allocate funds and make a verbal commitment to take space in a private development, especially a development that is going to leverage the DOEs commitment to get their contentious project approved. The DOE is not acting in the best interest of all taxpayers by committing to this project. It’s actions are only benfiting a singe private entity at the expense of the taxpayer. They should not have participated in this project at this level at this time.
Benson – while I do not disagree with the logic behind your idea that flexibility should be the goal and therefore a leased space is in the DOEs best interest. I am not sure the developer would interested in a “come and go” as you please arrangement with any of its tenants, especially one that would be using so much space.