Politics
August 20, 2008
Connor Opponent Sets Sights on Brooklyn Bridge Park
Daniel Squadron, a Democrat running for State Senate in the 25th District, which stretches from Carroll Gardens to Williamsburg, and across the river to Battery Park City and the Lower East Side, has made Brooklyn Bridge Park a key issue in his campaign. Yesterday he laid out his vision for the park, which did not include additional private housing. "Our communities, our borough and our city deserve a real, world-class park with year-round recreation – without having our waterfront turned into a de facto backyard for luxury condo towers," he said. So how to pay for it? City and State dollars that he vows to secure and the hotel, which he supports. (He's supported by the hotel industry, members of which stood with him yesterday.) His vision also includes parkland designation at the State level; year-round recreation options; a commission on linking Governor's Island, Hudson and East River Parks and BBP; and "an immediate public 30-day audit of projected costs and revenues, including those expected from the existing development at 360 Furman, the proposed hotel and other potential revenue generation within the park to prevent delay and ensure the park's operating budget is sustainable," according to a press release from his office. Folks will be re-evaluating the park later in the week, too. On Friday morning, Project for Public Spaces will hold a workshop on waterfront park planning.
Connor Opponent Contests Plan for Condos in Brooklyn Bridge Park [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]
Kid Talks BBP Plan [Brooklyn Heights Blog]
July 25, 2008
Will 'URR Home' Be Part of Abolitionism Project?
According to sources, the city is close to choosing a team to commemorate the Abolitionist movement in Downtown Brooklyn, a project announced last November shortly before the city changed course on its decision to seize a Duffield Street home many believed was involved in the Underground Railroad. While the preservationists who fought to save that home had hoped it would be turned into a museum and included in the $2 million project, its part-owner, Joy Chatel, had been at the same time fighting to stave off foreclosure. In February, the Post reported she owed more than $300,000 to Bayview Loan Servicing. We checked city records and found that just last Friday the debt was transferred to an LLC registered under a prominent family in Crown Heights. Other sources said Chatel could look to generate capital by selling her air rights gained after the 2004 Downtown Brooklyn rezoning that, ironically, paved the way for eminent domain in the first place. The city had hoped to raze the entire half block across the street from the aloft/ Sheraton hotels so a one-acre public plaza and underground parking garage could be built. Eventually, a judge convinced the city to build around the hot-button home where two prominent abolitionists lived during the 1800s.
Councilwoman Letitia James said two of the frontrunner teams in the commemoration project include The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA) and the Weeksville Society with the Brooklyn Historical Society, both of which said they would consider using Chatel's home in their project. We were able to get into contact with Weeksville executive director Pamela Green. While she couldn't reveal too many details about their entry, she explained that the city's money couldn't be used to help pay off Chatel's home. Chatel wasn't aware she was mentioned in either proposal, but was flattered, and declined to give information on the financial status of her home that she's fought for nearly four years to save. But with all the interest the modest four-story building generated—historians from across the country became involved -- $300,000 seems like a small amont to raise for such a unique museum opportunity.
Historic Home in Peril [NY Post]
City Won’t Seize Alleged URR Home [Brooklyn Eagle]
City to Commemorate Abolitionist Movement [Brooklyn Eagle]
Illustration from queenoftheclick.
July 7, 2008
Backyard Politics: Benches for Barack
Here's one way for Democrats to make a campaign contribution that promises immediate payback. For 40 bucks, Benches for Barack — a grassroots fundraiser advertised on lampposts and on Craigslist — will build you a garden bench. $25 goes toward building supplies and the remaining $15 gets donated to the Obama campaign.
A pair of bright neighborhood kids, 18-year-old high school grads Harry Fishbein and Emma Dillon, build these sturdy benches in the basement of Harry's Cobble Hill home and cheerfully deliver them to doorsteps around Brooklyn, free of charge. The benches are 18 inches tall, 4 feet long, and about 10 inches wide, and turnaround is quick. We received ours, which is painted a muted sage green, within hours of sending an email to Benches for Barack.
June 27, 2008
Council to City: Don't Do Us With Your Development!
On Monday a bunch of City Councilmembers (including Al Vann, Tish James and Bill de Blasio) are going to introduce a bill that would, in theory, make the ins and outs of public-private development a little more transparent. The legislation would mean "community impact reports" have to be available before a project receives tax breaks or bond financing so that the public can get a sense, say, of how many jobs the development is supposed to create, or how many businesses it's going to displace. A representative for Councilmember Vann's office says he's introducing the bill because of his longstanding concerns over new development not addressing—or in some cases helping to cause—poverty in communities. And Councilmember de Blasio has this to say about the impetus behind the proposed law: "Development should be done with the community, not to the community. It's impossible to make good development decisions without knowing the real impact that a project will have, including how many jobs it will create and businesses it will affect. With this bill, residents and businesses will have a much better idea of a project's larger effects, and community members will have enough information to voice their concerns effectively."
January 9, 2008
Brownstoner Democratic Primary Results
Well, it looks like Barack Obama is more popular in Brownstone Brooklyn than in New Hampshire. Of the 393 readers who voted Democratic in our online poll yesterday, 51% opted for the senator from Illinois. Hillary Clinton came in second with 29% and Edwards a distant third with 15% (there's something the two areas agreed on). The other most interesting number: 28% of respondents said that they would support Mayor Bloomberg instead if he were to decide to run. Only 7% of respondents reported being Republican. Surprised?
Update: We've added a lot more detail on the jump.
Which Way Are Readers Leaning in the Presidential Race? [Brownstoner]
January 8, 2008
Which Way Are Readers Leaning in the Presidential Race?
Speaking of politics...While New Yorkers won't weigh in on the presidential race officially for about another month, we thought the occasion of today's New Hampshire primary would be a good opportunity to see which way Brooklynites (or a certain blog-reading subsection, at least) were leaning. Please take the five-question Democratic Primary Poll on the link. The polls will close at 8 o'clock tonight and we'll have the results for you in the morning. In the meantime, any predictions for how the real primary will go today?
Brownstoner Primary Poll [Survey Monkey]
December 18, 2007
Council Debates Bill Aimed at Abusive Landlords
Not a shocker: A bill currently before the City Council that’ll give tenants increased protection against landlord harassment isn’t sitting well with landlord advocates, according to an article in today’s Sun. Critics of the bill—which would give tenants the ability to seek restraining orders against verbally and physically abusive landlords, and owners who’ve deliberately withheld services—say it will lead to unnecessary litigation. "The proposed legislation is extraordinarily broad and, at the same time, extremely vague," said the vice president of the Real Estate Board of New York, Marolyn Davenport. "This vague language will result in an avalanche of frivolous suits." Some Councilmembers have introduced separate legislation that would also allow landlords to sue for tenant harassment, but the landlord harassment bill has broad Council support and the Bloomberg administration’s blessing, and it’s expected to pass. Who says New York’s not still a renter’s town?
Bills Favoring Tenants, Landlords Spark Debate Over Rights of Each [NY Sun]
Photo by Daily Gusto.
November 5, 2007
The Beep Bunch: Let the Mudslinging Begin
Looks like we’re in for two long years of sniping. Although the race for Brooklyn’s next borough president is in its infancy, the two politicians who’ve announced their candidacy to replace Marty Markowitz in ’09—councilmembers Charles Barron and Bill de Blasio—are already trading barbs, and the vituperative Barron has also slammed another possible candidate, Markowitz deputy Yvonne Graham. Unsurprisingly, Barron’s using the race card against both de Blasio and Graham, saying the former has sided “with the white power structure at City Hall” by voting against naming a street after Sonny Carson, and that Graham has been put into the race to divide the black vote. A de Blasio rep responded to Barron’s comment by saying that "voters will realize that Bill is the only candidate who can unite all of Brooklyn and represent everybody." Meanwhile, a number of other politicians are also considering joining the fray, including Chris Owens, Sen. Carl Kruger, Assemblyman Nick Perry, City Councilman Michael Nelson, and Sen. Velmanette Montgomery.
Eight Politicians Weigh Run to be New Brooklyn President [NY Daily News]
Barron as Boro Prez: The Implications for Brooklyn? [Brownstoner]
De Blasio Announces Run For Borough Prez [Brownstoner]
July 23, 2007
Barron as Boro Prez: The Implications for Brooklyn?
In the wake of the controversy over his efforts to name a street in Brooklyn after the black activist Sonny Carson, Charles Barron announced yesterday his bid to succeed Marty Markowitz in 2009 as Borough President. "We've had a cheerleader. Now we need a real leader in Brooklyn," quipped the current councilman who represents eastern Brooklyn. In addition to his current battle with Christine Quinn over the firing of his aide for making threatening remarks, the former Black Panther has a rather contentious relationship with the NYPD, something political experts point to as a potential hurdle to getting elected. Putting aside the question of electability (The Post cites Bill de Blasio, Domenic Recchia and Yvonne Graham as possible competitors), we're curious to hear readers' thoughts about what a Barron borough presidency would mean for Brooklyn—and Brooklyn real estate. Affordable housing and race relations are two of things Barron has already put on the top of his list.
Barron Poised for Historic Run at Brooklyn Boro Prez [NY Daily News]
Charles Barron To Announce Candidacy For Borough President [NY1]
Councilman Barron Eyes Brooklyn Borough Presidency [Gothamist]
Barron in Brooklyn Beep Race [NY Post]
February 5, 2007
Council Tries to Clamp Down on Self-Certifiers
The City Council gave a unanimous thumbs-up on Thursday to a new bill that would prevent repeat offenders from continuing to abuse the city's self-certification program. Under the new legislation (which Mayor Bloomberg is expected to sign into law), anyone caught twice falsely certifying building plans would lose the right to sign off on projects. (Kinda like when Mr. S lost his privileges last summer.) Some council members want to see the self-certification program tossed altogether but that sounds unlikely. "What we don't want to do is ever put such a level of regulation that we unfairly or unnecessarily slow down the building process in the city of New York," said council speaker Christine Quinn. "If the reforms we put in place don't go far enough and we see that, we can always come back to the question." We don't think self-certification needs to be eliminated; penalties and enforcement just need to be stepped way up.
Council Moves Against Scofflaw Builders [NY Sun]
Cheating Architects Get Spanked [Curbed]
Photo by Lawrence L.