Brooklyn Greenway - Red Hook Workshop TONIGHT

The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is one of my favorite organizations in our fair borough. Against the odds, local activists formed a nonprofit to advocate for a 14-mile continuous Greenway to connect Brooklyn communities from Greenpoint to Sunset Park to our waterfront and parks. BGI's efforts have paid off big, and the Greenway momentum is gaining steam: thanks primarily to Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, more than $20 million of Federal funding has been secured for the project. NYC DOT has agreed to build the greenway - and now YOU have a chance to put in your two cents.

Workshop: Red Hook (CB6)
Tuesday, April 13th
6:30-8:30pm
Red Hook Recreation Center
155 Bay Street

RSVP to brooklynwaterfrontgreenway@dot.nyc.gov.

CBID Honors South Brooklyn Coalition

The Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats had their Annual Awards Dinner this past Sunday night. Among the honorees was a confederation of community activists that spanned several neighborhood civic organizations (dubbed the South Brooklyn Coalition for the sake of brevity) who united to support Superfund designation for the Gowanus Canal. Katia has the summary, pics, and video.

The dashing fellow in the blue shirt? That's me.

The Sarah Palin Network

Very funny.

Earth Hour; Lights Out March 27th

From our esteemed colleague Paco at the Cobble Hill Association:

On March 27th, from 8:30pm to 9:30pm, a world wide event will take place called Earth Hour. It is a simple yet bold way to acknowledge climate change: turn off your lights. In 2009, nearly one billion people in 4,100 cities in 87 countries in each of the seven continents turned off their lights to observe Earth Hour.

And the best part is it won't cost you a cent.

http://cobblehillassociation.blogspot.com/2010/03/earth-hour-is-on-horizon.html

The Intersection of Luxe & Fail

The once mighty Boymelgreen empire continues to crumble. Boymelgreen's bank LibertyPointe last week became the first New York Bank to fail in 11 years; a win by a nose, as the FDIC devoured another NY institution, Park Avenue Bank, the very next day. Unlike Park Avenue, however, LibertyPointe's failure was not immediately followed by criminal indictments. So they've got that going for them.

Boymelgreen is perhaps best known in Brooklyn for foisting the NOvo on 4th Avenue, as well as developingt 75 Smith (aka Luxe & Pop, across from the jail), and the ill-fated Gowanus Village concept that was never developed. A good thing, actually, since the Gowanus Village site will almost certainly require significant remediation during the Superfund process.

Boymelfail Link
http://www.crainsnewyork.com/article/20100312/FREE/100319964

Park Avenue Bank
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62E2Y520100315

Full Schedule Tonight - CGNA, Hate Crime Vigil

We'll be shutting down the CGNA meeting early tonight to stand with our electeds and community leaders to send the message that Carroll Gardens will not accept hateful intolerance.

Schedule:

CGNA Monthly Meeting, 7:00 @ Hannah Senesh Day School

followed by

Hate Crime Vigil, 8:30 @ Luquer Street and Hamilton Avenue

From the Brooklyn Pride Center:

As you may know, a member of Brooklyn's LGBT community was recently assaulted in Carroll Gardens by a group of men shouting hateful, homophobic epithets. There will be a rally on Monday, 3/15 at 8:30pm. Join us and send the message that hate crimes against LGBT people or any other group will not be tolerated.

Lambda Independent Democrats of Brooklyn
Stonewall Democratic Club of New York City
The Brooklyn Community Pride Center

and

Public Advocate Bill de Blasio
NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz
Congressmember Nydia Velazquez
Congressmember Yvette Clarke
State Senator Daniel Squadron
Assemblymember Joan Millman
NYC Councilmember Brad Lander
NYC Councilmember Sara Gonzalez
NYC Councilmember Rosie Mendez
NYC Councilmember Danny Dromm
NYC Councilmember Jimmy Van Bramer

In a vigil to condemn these hateful acts and demonstrate the strength and unity of our community on

Monday, March 15, at 8:30 p.m. at Luquer Street and Hamilton Avenue

Scarano Banned; Good People Everywhere Rejoice

The NYT reports (via Brownstoner) that Robert Scarano, Architect and posterboy for everything that is wrong with self-certication, has been banned from filing construction plans with DOB.

Scarano of course is best known to Carroll Gardeners as the scurrilous fiend responsible for 333 Carroll Street (aka The Carroll Gardens Hell Building), the Satori (aka The Gowanus Bunker), and for the original Heavy Metal design of 360 Smith. Reviled by contextual development afficinados, people of good taste, and those who believe in complying with our building laws, Scarano was specifically targeted by then-Councilman Bill deBlasio for his flagrant, repeated and unrepentant abuse of the zoning code.

Scarano could conceivably be described as an honorary founding member of CORD, as his 360 Smith design proved to be a rallying point that the group coalesced to oppose. (I kid, I kid . . . sort of.)

His comeuppance was long past due.

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2010/03/scarano_barred.php
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/04/nyregion/04scarano.html