Important Hearing on Admiral's Row

(If anyone attends this meeting and wants to email me a report to post, that would be great.  This week I am buried in grad school paper writing.  Email reports to clintonhillblog-at-gmail-dot-com.)

(photo by bb2087)

The issue of what to do with the crumbling houses located in the Navy Yard has been a heated one.  Currently, they are slated to be removed and replaced with a giant grocery store.  The press release below is clearly in favor of the plan, although many feel differently.

I'm hoping to do several posts on the Navy Yard in the coming weeks, so stay tuned.  My general position is that the Row should be preserved, but that the Navy Yard in general should be open to the public and used as community space.

For additional info, check out this independent project regarding the history of Admiral's Row, run by a friend of mine.

December 7, 2007

PLEASE JOIN COUNCIL MEMBER LETITIA JAMES, WITH BOROUGH PRESIDENT MARTY MARKOWITZ; CONGRESSMAN ED TOWNS; STATE SENATOR VELMANETTE MONTGOMERY; ASSEMBLYMAN JOSEPH LENTOL; ASSEMBLYMAN HAKEEM JEFFRIES; COUNCIL MEMBER DAVID YAASKY; REV. MARK TAYLOR; COMMUNITY LEADERS AND RESIDENTS; FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE AND PUBLIC MEETING TO SUPPORT THE SUPERMARKET DEVELOPMENT PROPOSED BY THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (BNYDC)

All are invited to a press conference and public meeting to support the transfer of property in the Navy Yard (Admiral's Row) from the Federal Government to the City of New York, who will lease the land to the BNYDC for development.  The event will take place on Tuesday, December 11th beginning at 6:15 PM.

For twenty years BNYDC has worked closely with the community to acquire Admiral's Row Houses, to then convert the deteriorated and unsafe buildings into a community asset, including a major supermarket and community retail stores.  The proposed supermarket development will provide fresh produce for an underserved community, over 500 new retail and industrial jobs (local hiring commitment), and an on-site BNYDC Employment Center for easy access to job placement opportunities.

The Economic Development Committee of Community Board 2, as well as elected officials at all levels of government support the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation's re-development plan.  BNYDC has a strong track record of retaining the Yard's history, and is committed to historic preservation whenever possible.

WHAT:  BNYDC Public Meeting about the Transfer of Admiral's Row Houses

WHEN:  Tuesday, December 11th - Press Conference at 6:15 PM, Forum from 7 PM - 9 PM

WHERE:  Daniel Hale Williams Public School 307 - 209 York Street (near Gold Street)

Contact:  Ray Martin (Office of Council Member Letitia James) - (646) 942-3180, and Richard Drucker (Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation) - (718) 907-5936