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July 31, 2009

Berkeley Carroll Expansion Stirs Up The Neighborhood

A meeting on Wednesday night over a planned expansion by the Berkeley Carroll School brought out a wave of opposition from neighbors on St. Johns Place and Lincoln place concerned about the impact on their quality of life that a larger building (which would also fill in the rear open space) and rooftop play area would have. (Check out a photo of the rendering here.) The concerns of those opposing the project were summarized in an email we received: "We believe that the proposed expansion of the School is in contravention of the law, will threaten the integrity of the neighboring properties, will further reduce light and air to residents while substantially increasing noise attributable to the proposed new elevated roof-top playground and will significantly compromise the quality of life for neighboring residents and threaten the residential, landmark character of our neighborhood." There also appears to be a lot of ill-will in the community from expansion projects that the school did in the '70s and '80s that negatively impacted neighbors. The school, through its headmaster, had this to say about the rationale for the expansion: “The way our kids work [in school] has changed. They do a lot more group work, collaborative work and we need space for that. The library is all filled up. We’re looking to create more study space to do the work.” The meeting ended up with "shouting and name-calling," according to one reader who was there, but there were promises of a follow-up meeting to continue the dialogue.
Town-Gown Showdown Over Berkeley Carroll Expansion [Brooklyn Paper]

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they're going to knock down the gym? that's what's indicated by the picture, but it doesn't seem right to me. i think the gym is landmarked, and really they're planning on knocking down the one-story extension in the back.

Posted by: sloper at July 31, 2009 9:45 AM

Guys - kids first.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at July 31, 2009 10:43 AM

I know the building next to BC's athletic center and its occupants well. When they renovated that a handful of years ago, they caused that bldg to partially collapse and have to be evacuated, many families came home one day to be told they could not enter their house and had to live at a hotel for months. There continued to be issues with the building from the collapse and throughout it all BC was not co-operative. I would definitely be wary of their construction plans!

Posted by: WTbound at July 31, 2009 11:11 AM

BC is not tearing down the gym that fronts Lincoln Place. They plan to tear down a one story annex in the backyard, and use that space plus the existing playground to dig down one level, and then build what appears to be a two story new structure over that entire space, which will include placing a new playground and new A/C units on that roof. Construction has the potential of undermining the foundations of neighboring buildings (no ground tests have been done yet to determine stability) and the new structure will completely block light and air from apartments at 209 Lincoln Place and the brownstones on St. John's, and create even greater noise from the new playground and A/C units on the roof.

What is BC teaching their kids if they are showing them that you can do whatever you want regardless of its impact on other people? Do their donors and supporters know that their contributions are being used to destroy a neighborhood? This is about our homes, our families, the quality of our lives, and the security of each of our largest life investment.

Posted by: The Lorax at July 31, 2009 11:15 AM

Let 'em expand all they want. The more kids who go to places like Berkeley Carroll, the less of them will be packed into public schools.

One of the administrators at my daughter's school said he thought that with so many people gatting wiped out in the stock market, more private school kids will be showing up at public schools. Considering that her middle school already had a minimum of 37 kids in each class, I don't want to think about what things will be like in September. (speaking of quality of life).

Posted by: Sparafucile at July 31, 2009 11:16 AM

AH NIMBY at its best.....while not an exact analogy remember this situation (as well as the PS 133 situation) when all the ANTI-AY people proclaim themselves against eminent domain only for private development and how if they were seeking to use ED for schools, etc....they'd be fine with it. Its a lie - here people oppose building schools (and will likely file as many frivolous claims as possible) simply because they dont want to be inconvenienced by construction.

Posted by: fsrg at July 31, 2009 11:31 AM

What a bunch of whiners. When you buy a home next to a school and school yard you should have the intelligence to assume that there will be noise and that there is the possibility for building expansion. Berkeley has existed for over 100 years…none of this should be a surprise or alarming. I would assume that the school will be doing everything well within the scope of the law and building code. If this were a public school people would be welcoming the extra space.

Posted by: PHfamily at July 31, 2009 11:52 AM

That's the thing - you are assuming BC will do everything within the scope of the law and to code when their past history shows repeated violations of both. I don't even live in PS, so not sure why I keep writing other than I saw the immense stress inflicted upon BC's neighbors with their last expansion and would hate to see anybody go through this. I'm not talking light and noise, I'm talking people's homes collapsing and being evacuated, etc.

Posted by: WTbound at July 31, 2009 12:18 PM

WTBound, I know one of the families who were affected by the last expansion go-round. It was as you said: their house was compromised by BC's construction; they were abruptly evicted; they had to live in a hotel for months; no apologies were ever made; the administration treated them like whiners. So, if BC gets flak for expansion plans, they have only their history to thank. BC should consider hiring an ombudsman to establish better community relations.

Posted by: Brooklyn Chicken at July 31, 2009 1:12 PM

Yes, any history of previous construction incidents should be taken into account. However, that was presumably a different location, construction team and set of circumstances. The neighbors that were complaining about the latest expansion plan due to perceived light/air and noise issues seem ridiculous to me. When they bought their properties the school and the school yard existed, so none of this should seem surprising. There is no way any construction site in NYC, especially a school, could possibly get away with anything that was not approved by the DOB or were codes were not followed. The DOB has many more inspectors than it used to and the addition of the 311 hotline has allowed them to be much more aware of what is going on.
Is the site as of right or are they applying for any variances?

Posted by: PHfamily at July 31, 2009 2:12 PM

Please, enough name calling - "NIMBYs, whiners, ridiculous," etc. We're not opposed to Berkeley Carroll's desire to create a better environment for their students - they have every right to do so. We just would like to see them do it in a way that doesn't have such a negative impact on our homes.

Posted by: The Lorax at July 31, 2009 2:25 PM

I understand the frustration of the BC neighbors but I don't understand there is to debate. Blocking sunlight is hardly sufficient grounds for stopping construction of a building. If these plans are to code then they can do it. Plus the other points above are very strong, that more space in more schools, as many schools as can afford to expand, is desperately needed. If this were being done at another school those same neighbors of BC would be thrilled. That's classic NIMBY.

Posted by: traditionalmod at August 2, 2009 12:44 PM

From the 10/17/08 issue of Gowanus Lounge:

Community Outrage Mounts About Slope’s Elite Berkeley Carroll School
October 17th, 2008

Let’s just say this has not been the best week or so for the Berkley Carroll School in Park Slope. Let’s, in fact, say that unless its administration, staff and the privileged families sending their children there are impervious to public relations nightmares, scorn and charges of hypocrisy and mistreatment of employees, that it’s been a week from a Steven King novel. First, there was the news that it was closing its Child Care Center. Then, came the horrendous and maddening story of the school’s efforts to evict a senior citizen from her rent-controlled apartment of 50 years so that it could expand its space. The school charges up to $29,000 a year in tuition so that some of Brooklyn’s wealthiest residents can send their chidlren to school there. There are a couple of emails full of outrage at the Park Slope institution making the rounds via the Park Slope Parent group. First, there is this one about the school’s “appalling” behavior regarding the closure of the Child Care Center:

My wife said it best: “Just imagine if any of us was subject to the following scenario: asked to come to the basement during our work day, told that our school was being closed, and that our job of 10+ years was terminated, and that our employer would “try to work something out for us,” that we had no severance, no employment, nothing, and then sent back to attend to our responsibilities.”

This is what the head of school and board of trustees have told the 18 staff members and two substitutes at the Child Care Center. The school has displaced 54 families, cashing their tuition checks knowing full well that they would not live up to their obligations to allow their two and three-year old kids to finish at the school.

This school has violated the most sacred commitment it could make to its students and faculty. A higher institution of learning has thrown their students and faculty out, without offering any of them anything concrete. And most of all it has violated its public trust…long after this set of students are gone, the school has not reached out to the community in an effort to transition the center to new leadership. I’m appalled.

Here’s another email with more rage directed at the institution:

The Headmaster of BC and a member of the Board of trustees met with toddler parents tonight. We were all shocked about how cold and businesslike they were. They refused to be open to an option to extend the program which the PR rep at Methodist said was still open. They are laying off a dozen veteran teachers and staff and had no HR person to talk to them or give them any clue about severance. Was anyone else at the meeting who was as disgusted as I was. What a shameful display by such a community based school.

What we haven’t seen in the emails is outrage at the outrageous treatment of the elderly woman it is threatening to evict from her home of 50 years. It is a separate issue from the closure of the Child Care Center and shoddy treatment of both employees and parents, yet does say something about this bedrock Park Slope institution. There’s been plenty of discussion about the eviction situation, though, over at Brooklynian.

Also, this is an interesting comment to the above that someone sent in:

It is unfortunate that the child care center of the Berkeley Carroll School had to close. However, the way in which their employees were treated in light of this calamity was dreadful. Moreover, the mishandling of employees, regardless of the situations at this school is not without precedent.

Unquestionably, the Berkeley Carroll School is one of the finest institutions in terms of education. This is because of their unusually dedicated teachers and staff, and the pride they display not only in their crafts, but the compassion and understanding they bring to the classroom and beyond.

Unfortunately, as a former employee of BCS, I have seen the way some of its dedicated employees were treated when the school had its issues with them; it was simply…off with his or her head!

I cannot complain about my treatment, but I was appalled at the way some of my former colleagues were let go without regard for their futures, and especially without regard to the dedication and hard work these people offered the school.

There are a handful of people who pull the strings at the school. It is they that make rash decisions without any thought to the aforementioned dedicated service of many of its employees. The school took full advantage of them during their tenure, and then simply threw them over on the information provided by people who had a private agenda/vendetta or simply just not enough information.

The Board and the administration should look a lot closer not only at their policies, but at those who wheel and deal in the name of the school. These are a handful of people who are totally intolerant and have so much pull that the Head of School, the Board, and most of the administration are completely taken with their “recommendations” instead of using their own judgment when it comes to hiring and firing. This should include how a person will survive if they had to be let go.

This is a community school. Those members of the community whose children attend the school should be aware that the way teachers and staff are treated is the way their children will be handled.

Berkeley Carroll is a fine institution. Its educational programs are superb, as are its staff, at least for the most part. It’s time for introspection on the part of the Head of School and the administration who work closely with a talented group of outstanding people who deserve better when push comes to shove.

Albeit, the

Posted by: ThrushcrossGrange at August 16, 2009 4:58 PM

From the 10/17/08 issue of Gowanus Lounge:

Community Outrage Mounts About Slope’s Elite Berkeley Carroll School

Let’s just say this has not been the best week or so for the Berkley Carroll School in Park Slope. Let’s, in fact, say that unless its administration, staff and the privileged families sending their children there are impervious to public relations nightmares, scorn and charges of hypocrisy and mistreatment of employees, that it’s been a week from a Steven King novel. First, there was the news that it was closing its Child Care Center. Then, came the horrendous and maddening story of the school’s efforts to evict a senior citizen from her rent-controlled apartment of 50 years so that it could expand its space. The school charges up to $29,000 a year in tuition so that some of Brooklyn’s wealthiest residents can send their children to school there. There are a couple of emails full of outrage at the Park Slope institution making the rounds via the Park Slope Parent group. First, there is this one about the school’s “appalling” behavior regarding the closure of the Child Care Center:

Here’s another email...

And someone commented:

Unfortunately, as a former employee of BCS, I have seen the way some of its dedicated employees were treated when the school had its issues with them; it was simply…off with his or her head!

Posted by: ThrushcrossGrange at August 16, 2009 5:42 PM

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July 31, 2009

Berkeley Carroll Expansion Stirs Up The Neighborhood

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