This Just In: Transportation Meeting!

This looks like it could be great. I know that Hakeem Jeffries held a meeting regarding some electric meter problems in the CH Co-ops, and those who went were impressed. Town Hall Community Speak Out

Sponsored by State Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries

Mass Transportation – problems and more problems

Need more rush hour service??

*Problems with the A,C,G lines??

*Buses got you down??

*Congestion pricing??

*Residential Permit Parking??

Featuring speakers from MTA & DOT

Wednesday, October 17, 2007, 6:30 pm

Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church (corner Lafayette Ave/So. Oxford St.)

718-596-0100 for more information

Tomorrow: Ribbon-Cutting at Frank White!

Council Member Letitia James and State Senator Kevin Parker to Cut Ribbon on Upscale Brooklyn Café That’s Transforming Atlantic AvenueCouncil Member Letitia James and State Senator Kevin Parker will cut the ribbon on FRANK WHITE, a new upscale café/lounge that’s single handedly pioneering the industrial stretch of Atlantic Avenue that is aligned with auto shops and warehouses to a social destination for progressive and global Brooklynites. Serving gourmet coffee and a menu featuring vegetarian, organic and fair trade selections, fresh juices, smoothies, and teas, Frank White serves up a healthy alternative for this Clinton Hill neighborhood. The swanky venue doubles as a news/reading/screening room and gallery space exhibiting works of local, national and international emerging and established artists.

The indoor/outdoor space is reminiscent of an old world formal dining room complete with distinctive Damask print wallpaper, dark hardwood floors, crystal chandeliers, and antique wood and brocade furniture. The 1200sf garden/patio is designed with a wood deck for outdoor entertaining. For those in the know, Frank White was an alias of the late rapper Notorious BIG who grew up a block away from where the café is located. Students from Sankofa Academy, an independent private school will perform in honor of the opening. Coffee and refreshments will be served. WHEN:            Friday, October 5, 2007 TIME:              10:00AM WHERE:          936 Atlantic Avenue and St. James Place

Me and the Markowitz

Sorry I didn't know in advance, but there was a Clinton Hill Street Fair on Saturday, on Clinton between Willoughby and Myrtle. Looked like some residents selling tasty food, some clothing and jewelry for sale, and a stage with live performances. And, look who I met!

Borough Prez Marty Markowitz! He was super friendly and meeting and greeting CH residents. Personally, I'm anti-Atlantic Yards, but I'll give it up for Marty for his Brooklyn spirit and his ability to be everywhere for everything Brooklyn. He also said he's proud that we're the Bloggiest neighborhood in the country!

Thanks for stopping by, Marty!

Gearing Up for 2008

The next Presidential election is coming sooner than later (thank GOD), and our neighbors in Bed-Stuy are organizing some events to watch the Democratic candidate debates. It's a good reason to motivate: not only make sure you keep abreast of the issues, but also an excellent excuse to visit some of Bed-Stuy's most talked-about hangouts:What: Two simultaneous parties starting at 8:30 pm June 28 to watch the Democratic Debate (hosted by Tavis Smiley, live from Howard University, focused largely on African-American issues).

Where: Common Grounds coffee shop, 376 Tompkins (b/t Jefferson & Putnam) and Bread-Stuy, 403 Lewis Ave (@ Decatur). Both locations are close to the C train.

The events are hosted by Bed-Stuy for Obama, though they'd love to have anybody interested in listening to all the candidates. RSVPs can be sent to bedstuy@brooklynforbarack.org.

Everyone is welcome!

Vanderbilt Yards: An Alternative

UNITY 2007 -  Community Planning WorkshopContact: Rebecca Ferguson (917)348-3741

Community to Develop Alternative to Atlantic Yards Plan

UNITY 2007 Saturday, April 28 10 am – 4 pm Registration opens at 9:30 (free & open to the public) Hanson Place United Methodist Church 144 Saint Felix Place Brooklyn, NY

Looking to the future, community members create UNITY 2007, a Community Development Plan.

Brooklyn, NY – As developer Forest City Ratner (FCR) makes plans to start demolition and clear the way for a planned sports arena and multiple high rise towers in Brooklyn, and as two law-suits that could stop or radically alter the project hang in the balance, an alternative development plan for the neighborhood is gaining steam.  Local residents, politicians, neighborhood organizations, churches, architects and planners will gather on Saturday April 28th for a one day community workshop and design charrette to create the UNITY 2007 Community Development Plan.

Started in 2004 with the support of Council Member Letitia James, and under the leadership of local architect, Marshall Brown, the original UNITY Plan (UNITY stands for Understanding, Imagining and Transforming the Yards), endeavored to bring community stakeholders and professionals together to plan for the development of the 8.5 acre Vanderbilt Rail Yards–a key piece of public land within the Ratner proposal–and promote affordable housing, small businesses and open space without the excessive density of the FCR Plan.  The UNITY 2007 Workshop will revive and expand the original UNITY plan.

Project watchdogs, critics, and opponents are convinced the project will not happen as proposed and want to be prepared with an alternative plan under anticipated scenarios. Participants in the day long planning meeting will discuss housing, jobs, design, open space and transportation.  They will talk about options for the neighborhood if some, all or none of the FCR project is completed.  The result will be an updated set of plans for the future of the Vanderbilt Yards.

"The Forest City Ratner project is definitely not a done deal.  New York development history shows that mega projects like this often die in the final stages.  The UNITY Plan will show New York some real and exciting options for development of the site." Tom Angotti, Director, Center for Community Planning and Development

"Given the Mayor's release of his PlaNYC 2030 environmental sustainability strategy and the failure of the FCR plan to address environmental, traffic and fundamental community needs the UNITY charrette will address how we can properly plan and develop the "yards" to meet our city's present and future needs." Ron Shiffman, Former New York City Planning Commissioner

The UNITY 2007 effort is sponsored by the Hunter College Center for Community Planning and Development, and the Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods.

SCH Meeting: January 17

Society for Clinton Hill General Meeting, Jan. 17, 2007, 7:00 pm St. Luke's Church, Parish House, Washington Ave. (Between DeKalb/Willoughby) Everyone invited. Refreshments at 7 pm. Meeting at 7:30 pm.

AGENDA

1. Announcements

-Call for volunteers and committee members: House Tour, Newcomer's Party, Street Tree & Tree Guard Committee, Landmarks Committee, Other committees.

-Other

2. 70 Leffert's Place, David Conrad Status report on how this free standing Italianate villa was designated as an individual landmark, and what is next.

3. Atlantic Yards- legal issues, Candace Carponter, esq. & Shabnam Merchant Atlantic Yards is now a legal issue on at least two fronts. There are the lawsuits filed by those whose properties are to be condemned through eminent domain. And, there are the lawsuits filed against ESDC for their inadequate Environmental Impact Study and their inadequate response to the questions raised about it. Ms. Carponter will provide a status report on where things stand and will answer questions. Ms. Merchant will discuss the funding of the lawsuits.

4. Broken Angel, 4 Downing St., Brent Porter After a fire in the architectural sculpture/building known as the Broken Angel, there has been a roller coaster of events, with members of the community working to help the owners deal with the Department of Buildings and others to save the building and make sure it is up to code in its structural elements. Come and see a presentation on the building, its architectural features, design elements, construction techniques, and interiors by Brent Porter, professor at Pratt Institute. You will gain a better understanding as to what this building is and why it is worth saving.

Mark your calendars:

1. February General Meeting – (Feb. 21, 2007, Refreshments at 7 pm, meeting at 7:30) Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, 357 Clermont Ave. This will be a joint meeting of the Fort Greene Association and the Society for Clinton Hill. Topics will include Atlantic Yards status report and an update on many of the other development projects in our neighborhoods by Councilperson Letitia James and more. Watch for details.

2. Precinct Council Meeting – Tues., Jan. 16, 2007, 7 pm, location to be announced. Come and hear what is happening on the crime scene in our area and raise questions you might have. Everyone welcome.

3. SAVE THE DATE – Society for Clinton Hill, Newcomer's Party, Fri. 2/23/07, 7 pm Please invite anyone you know who is new to the neighborhood – renters and owners. This is a regular event sponsored by SCH and is meant to welcome people new to Clinton Hill and surrounding areas. Remember, old-timers bring a favorite dish and newcomers bring themselves. Location and other details will follow.

4. MEMBERSHIP – Renew your membership or join SCH at the General Meeting. Your contribution helps pay for mailings and other community activities of our organization. We welcome your participation and greatly appreciate your support.

5. SOCIETY FOR CLINTON HILL HOUSE TOUR – Sunday, May 6, 2007, noon to 5 pm. Tickets: $20 advance sale; $25 day of tour. Many volunteers needed for this biannual event which is the main fundraiser for SCH and supports all the things we do for the next two years. Volunteer at the General Meeting, or contact Wash308@aol.com for all types of volunteer positions and/or sbarnes437@aol.com to volunteer for a house sitter position. We need more than 100 house sitters and many other people to make this amazing event a success.

***

My Two Cents: This meeting sounds great! I plan on being there. First, the CH House Tour is absolutely amazing, and I encourage you all to attend and/or volunteer. It's a really great way to get inside some of the nabe's most intriguing houses. Plus, it only happens every other year, switching off with Fort Greene.  Also, the Newcomer Party is a great idea (though no one invited me when I was new here -- thanks, guys). I make really good salmon toasts, so maybe I'll bring them.

News from SCH

Thirteen's award-winning NEW YORK VOICES series examines the controversy and enumerates the issues in The Battle for Brooklyn airing Friday, October 6 at 10:30 p.m.

Rafael Pi Roman hosts and talks with New Yorkers on both sides of the debate.

"The eyes of most New Yorkers are on downtown Manhattan and the rebuilding of Ground Zero," said John DeNatale, executive producer of NEW YORK VOICES. "But Forest City Ratner's 22-acre development plan for central Brooklyn is one of the largest ever proposed for New York City. It would change the borough as we know it and has implications for all of New York City. We think it's important to give viewers all the facts."

NEW YORK VOICES: The Battle for Brooklyn will feature an interview with the chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation, Charles Gargano, about the potential benefits of the project and about the concerns of local residents. Gargano is the top development official in the state. The public authority he leads not only must approve the plan, but would also be responsible for applying the use of eminent domain to condemn property on the footprint of the site, which has been one of the project's hot-button issues.

On the other side of the debate are Brooklyn residents Daniel Goldstein and Shabnam Merchant, who live at 636 Pacific Street in the footprint of the proposed development. There are three condo and one co-op buildings that would have to be demolished to make room for the project, and Goldstein and Merchant are the only residents left in the three buildings. Goldstein has refused to sell to the developer, and will challenge the use of eminent domain. Goldstein is also the spokesman for Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn (DDDB), which leads a broad-based community coalition with over 700 volunteers that opposes the Forest City Ratner plan.

Also featured in the program is City Council Member Letitia James, who represents the area. James has been a strong opponent of the project ever since it was first announced, and she has taken criticism for her position from community organizations like ACORN, the affordable housing advocacy group, and BUILD (Brooklyn United for Innovative Local Development), which have signed a Community Benefits Agreement with the developer.

NEW YORK VOICES is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York. John DeNatale is executive producer, Rafael Pi Roman is host. Show producers are Bob Morris, Jim Epstein, Suzanne Glickstein, and James Nicoloro. Scott Feinstein is editor.

EVENTS:

• This weekend is Open House New York, both Saturday and Sunday. It is a free open house for architectural gems in all 5 boroughs. Go to www.OHNY.org to view or print the guide. Be sure to check out locations in Clinton Hill and Fort Greene that are not generally open to the public. (If anyone is able to attend, please send me a report -- I have to go to TEXAS this wknd for work!)

• The group show, "Footprints: Portraits of a Brooklyn Neighborhood" opens in Prospect Heights at the Grand Space on October 12. The show features 32 artists who illustrate the transformation of a neighborhood under threat of eminent domain through paintings, collages, videos, drawings and other materials.

• The next General Meeting of the Society for Clinton Hill(SCH) is on Thursday, Oct. 19, 7:30 pm, in the Sanctuary of St. Luke's Church on Washington Ave., between Dekalb and Willoughby. Francis Morrone, the noted architectural historian, author, journalist, lecturer will speak. His topic is, "Does Brooklyn Have a Character Worth Preserving?" Join SCH for an informative and thoughtful evening.

• DDDB Walkathon: Saturday, October 21. It starts at noon at the bandshell in Prospect Park. There will be a short 2 mile walk and a full day of events and a concert after. Sign up to walk or sponsor a walker to raise funds for the Legal Fund. Go to www.dddb.net/Walkathon to sign-up or get more information.

Society for Clinton Hill News

More news on the upcoming meeting agenda, plus area news and links...

The Society for Clinton Hill GENERAL MEETINGWednesday, September 20, 2006, 7:30-9:00 PM St. Luke's Church, Washington Ave., (Dekalb/Willoughby)

AGENDA

1. 7:30 -- 7:45 pm -Church "Transformation" Update -- Richard Nealy & Debbie Dangerfield

A group of volunteers from various organizations using the church meeting rooms has been working on making the meeting space more inviting. They have been working on lighting, floors, organizing storage space and more. You are invited to join this group.

2. 7:45 -- 8:10 pm - Clinton Hill 2007 House Tour -- Co-Chairs, Linda Scher & Brett Truitt

The House Tour is our major fundraising event and the funds raised support all of our activities for the next two years. This will be an important tour because we believe it is our 30th, so we will try to make something extra special of it. It is held every other year, alternating with Fort Greene. It is a huge undertaking involving more than 140 volunteers. This is a great way to get involved and make new friends. There are volunteer opportunities in design, public relations, media, ticket sales, internet marketing, fund raising, house selection, house sitting, party planning, etc. Come and learn more about this event and volunteer for something you have experience in or want to learn more about.

3. 8:10 -- 9:00 pm -- Atlantic Yards Update

The CBN consultants continue to make progress in analyzing the 4000 pages of the DEIS. There is some excellent graphic analysis on the alternate plans on the CBN site now. We are in the final stages now as the public review period of the DEIS comes to an end on 9/29/06, 5:30 pm. You will need to get updated on what the consultants are learning so that you understand the impacts of this proposed project and can submit your own comments either verbally on 9/18/06 or in written form by 9/29/06.

Background:

The Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods (CBN), an umbrella group of more than 40 organizations in CB's 2,3,6 and 8 including the Society for Clinton Hill (SCH) and the Fort Greene Association (FGA,) has raised funds to hire consultants who specialize in reviewing environmental impact studies which are required of developers doing major projects. The CBN consultants are analyzing many topics such as traffic, sewage, shadows, infrastructure (schools, fire/safety), neighborhood character, security and more. This is our opportunity to raise questions or issues before the final EIS is completed and this project is finally reviewed by the ESDC and the Public Authority Control Board.

You might wonder how you can respond to the DEIS. Here are some examples. When the DEIS says that traffic and parking will not be an issue (despite the projected 40,000 new car trips per day) because almost half of the area parking spaces are vacant at 7:30 pm, you can respond with your own experience. When the DEIS says that local schools can meet the needs of the new population of 18-20,000 new residents, and you have kids in the existing schools, you will have a basis for responding as to how that might work or affect your children. When you learn that this project does not provide for any additional public infrastructure such as schools, post office, police, fire, you can respond with your thoughts on how this might work. When you see that the developer is not actually required in any legal way to provide the low-income housing we hear about, you can respond with your thoughts and questions. When you learn that the project might use eminent domain to acquire private homes and property to give to this developer to build an arena, you can respond with your questions and comments. When you see in the General Project Plan (GPP), that the developer can delay most of the below market housing to the second phase of the project and then only if he believes he has made enough profit does he actually have to build it, you can respond with your ideas on how the developer can be held accountable for these important promises. When you see in the GPP that the developer is going to receive almost a billion dollars in direct and indirect subsidies, you might want to question how much affordable housing and how many jobs are actually guaranteed in exchange for these subsidies. As you read the analysis, you will think of many other topics that are relevant to your daily living experience and you will know what kinds of issues you want to respond to. The opportunity for you to submit your questions and concerns is now, and you should participate whatever your position on the project is. We should all work to make Atlantic Yards the best development it can be for Brooklyn regardless of who builds it. We know we all agree on that.

IMPORTANT SITES & LINKS to use in understanding the scope and impacts of this proposed project and in writing your letters. (Warning! These sites are addictive.)

www.atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com for comprehensive analysis of the DEIS, the financial detail, the promised low income housing, campaign contributions from developers, and every other related topic, plus all the useful links.

www.CBrooklynNeighborhoods.homestead.com for the original DEIS, General Project Plan, tools for responding, consultant reports, dates on important meetings, new graphic analysis of the various alternative plans (Ratner, Extell, Pacific, and Unity) and more.

www.nolandgrab.org for cutting edge comment and analysis on the AY project, plus links to all articles, and critical data. This site was dubbed one of the "Top 10 Sites" by Crain's New York recently. It is sometimes funny too.

www.dddb.net for all available information on AY and links to everything else, including the October 21st Walkathon.

www.southoxford.com local block association with comprehensive coverage on AY.

www.empire.state.ny.us/AtlanticYards/. the State sponsor of the AY project, has the original DEIS and General Project Plan documents.

MEETINGS AND DATES:

Monday, 9/18/06, ESDC Public Forum on AY, 4:30-8:00 pm. Klitgord Auditorium, NYC Technical College, 285 Jay St. Everyone welcome to testify about the content of the DEIS, not whether you do or don't support the developer.

Monday, 9/18/06, Fort Greene Association, General Meeting, 7:30 pm, Lafayette Ave. Pres. Church. Jezra Kaye will be doing an update on Atlantic Yards. Everyone welcome.

Thursday, 9/14/06, CBN Forum, 7 pm, Old 1st Reformed Church, 7th Ave. & Carroll St. in Park Slope. Most recent consultants' work including graphic analysis of alternate plans. Every one welcome.

Thursday, 9/28/06, Fort Greene Park Conservancy, Huge Wine Tasting Party, Brooklyn War Memorial, Cadman Plaza, 6-8 and 8-10 pm. Contact: www.fortgreenepark.org You are invited.

Friday, 9/29/06, 5:30 pm. Written testimony on AY is due to: ESDC-AY, 633 3rd Ave., NYC 10017. Please send a copy of what you submit to: cbrooklynneighborhoods@hotmail.com or hard copy to Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods, 201 Dekalb Avenue, Bklyn, NY 11205.

Saturday, 10/21/06, Develop Don't Destroy Walkathon. See www.dddb.net/walkathon.

Saturday, 10/28/06, Fort Greene Park Conservancy- Children's Halloween Festival, Fort Greene Park. Hay rides, free pumpkins, face painting, food, everything for kids and their parents.

Saturday, 10/28/06, PUPS Halloween Dog Costume Contest, Fort Greene Park, noon. A hilarious affair for grown-ups, pets, kids, and crazies. Plan early! The competition is fierce and the media is there.

Tuesday, 10/31/06, Society for Clinton Hill, Children's Halloween Walk. A planned walk with great treats and no tricks at special homes for young children and parents.

(We know this is just a small sampling of events over the next weeks and we apologize for those events we've missed. This is a very active neighborhood, so stay tuned and stay involved.)

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

There are dozens of opportunities to help our neighborhood organizations and to meet people who will become lifetime friends. Right now, CBN desperately needs help staffing the AY Public Forum 9/18 and Atlantic Antic on 9/17, where they will be video taping many of the more than 300 people who showed up to testify on 8/23 and after up to 8.5 hours of waiting, were never called, while children who were bused in by developer Ratner, were allowed to testify right away. If you have video equipment and can help, please contact cbrooklynneighborhoods@hotmail.com.

A Chat with Leticia James

I'll admit, I know very little about politics. What I do know, however, is that Councilwoman Leticia James is a very visible fixture in the community. I emailed her a detailed list of questions and she called me back the very next day! She went through my list verbally, as she's obviously short on time. Props to her for being so quick to give a few minutes to a neighborhood blog!

I took notes while we chatted, so here's the summary:

How long have you been Councilwoman for our neighborhood? Since 2003, after the assassination of Councilman James Davis

What are your responsibilities? Responding to constituent concerns, budgeting, financing affordable housing and parks, and supporting local organizations

What did you do before becoming an elected official? What inspired you to run for public office? Worked in politics for more than 12 years

We hear a lot about "affordable housing." What exactly does that mean? Who actually qualifies? I get the feeling that the "NYC middle class" (who, in any other part of the country would be upper-class based on income) are left out of the equation, meaning single people making less than 80k or so. The affordable housing Ms. James currently works on covers individuals making between 30 and 60k/year. She also works with PACC and non-profit groups on affordable housing initiatives.

Favorite place to dine in Clinton Hill: Night of the Cookers

What amenities do you feel are lacking in the neighborhood? Successful public schools. She hopes her legacy will be the renovation of all parks in her district, as well as meeting the needs of those in public housing. These people have long been ignored, which she feels contributes to the higher crime rate concentrated in these areas.

What would you most like to see open up here? "NOT Atlantic Yards!" She'd prefer a bookstore, ice cream shop, drug store, and "Crate and Barrel and Ann Taylor," two of her personal favorites.

How do you envision Clinton Hill ten years from now? A continually diverse community, where we celebrate children and families.

Name a few adjectives you would use to describe Clinton Hill: "Brownstoney (is that a word?), diverse, community-oriented, active."

Hobbies and interests: Reading, walking to book stores in Park Slope, attending church in the neighborhood, a new interest in studying architecture specifically relating to the neighborhood, visiting schools and stopping into police precincts to thank them for their hard work.

Councilwoman James asked me to remind readers that the primaries are just seven days away! She is endorsing Bill Batson for Assembly, as she feels he'd be a great partner: independent, values the area and most importantly shares her concerns about Atlantic Yards!

Rally Update

I attended today's rally against the new high-rise slated for Greene between Classon and Franklin, and I'm glad I did - I have a much better understanding now of the issues and concerns at hand.

Often times, residents completely shun any sort of new development. This is NOT the case on Greene. Neighbors simply want to ensure that the building's design and construction are respectful to its surroundings.

Here are some of the main points of contention:

• Height: Currently, no buildings on the block exceed five stories. The new building planned will cast shadows over current residents' properties, and will not "fit in" with the current historic atmosphere
• Safety: Reckless demo is being performed on-site, which may lead to injury of nearby residents and damage to surrounding properties
• Neighborliness: Developers have been rude to residents calling with questions and concerns; developers have not asked for feedback from local residents

Point is, no one would rather look at an abandoned lot filled with garbage over a tastefully-done new building. It's the way the developer is going about it that's deplorable! I laud the efforts of area residents to keep the site SAFE and the resulting building tasteful.

One of the best parts of the rally was the sheer diversity of the attendees - young and old of a variety of races and backgrounds. It's one of the area's best strengths.

I hope they'll keep me up-to-date on the latest developments. Various reporters and politicians were present as well -- cool.

Also, we've received a request for information on the Bed-Stuy North Neighborhood Improvement Association. Anyone out there who can fill us in?

CH/Bed-Stuy Rally

THIS JUST IN! A rally will be held Sunday, Aug. 20, to protest the new building on Greeve Ave. between Classon and Franklin. We originally covered this here.

Leticia James helped organize this event, which I think is pretty cool. She seems to really be the kind of politician who is accessible and receptive to the community's needs.