tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88171925655189137002024-02-19T11:14:32.127-05:00Duffield St. UndergroundDuffield Street Undergroundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10744781675486979348noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-42242626770020688392021-11-23T13:00:00.004-05:002021-11-23T13:00:51.280-05:00 Kyle Rittenhouse and African American Suffragists<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What would have the African American suffragists of the 1890s thought about the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict? They certainly would not have been surprised, but I’ve been thinking about them because I think we can learn from their inspiring determination and dedication to fighting white supremacy. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmy8R_yeJRFnOljFh3HFJXCWWIEKMypj0rTPFqUhLPiCPQucDjYDReGTuohv_KXJfv269OB6zCzGIeg5WzIj397Py4Sx4pyYOsemjPafdK6oQZa2_W9ZlcVS0tgOX70jQ36JVoJDxWeI/s367/Garnet+Family+Scan+Colorized+1200%25400.25x.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="367" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQmy8R_yeJRFnOljFh3HFJXCWWIEKMypj0rTPFqUhLPiCPQucDjYDReGTuohv_KXJfv269OB6zCzGIeg5WzIj397Py4Sx4pyYOsemjPafdK6oQZa2_W9ZlcVS0tgOX70jQ36JVoJDxWeI/s320/Garnet+Family+Scan+Colorized+1200%25400.25x.png" width="262" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Back in the 1890s, many people would have called themselves white supremacists. That must have been infuriating here in Brooklyn, where slavery was abolished in 1827 and we had already defeated the slavers in the Civil War. But the Reconstructionist efforts were dead and lynching was on the rise. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">On a superficial level, these African American women merely looked like social climbers. They dressed in poofy dresses, played classical music, and organized literary societies. But how they reacted to Ida B. Wells is really what’s important. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuo7SPred_9V5JiGag4TPIa7w3r4wM4jGh6TS7WoMTCVYNJqn5bq-fAdTTdAarYj0zziMRDMu2Ua_UI1bAUJMvhTZ3n-8FLyphBvzcFiq9WQ9DfNjpn-2Ra9WATP5P9rnhnUJt73ZYTw/s2048/master-pnp-cph-3c00000-3c06000-3c06600-3c06646u.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1605" data-original-width="2048" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFuo7SPred_9V5JiGag4TPIa7w3r4wM4jGh6TS7WoMTCVYNJqn5bq-fAdTTdAarYj0zziMRDMu2Ua_UI1bAUJMvhTZ3n-8FLyphBvzcFiq9WQ9DfNjpn-2Ra9WATP5P9rnhnUJt73ZYTw/s320/master-pnp-cph-3c00000-3c06000-3c06600-3c06646u.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">In 1892, Ida B. Wells’ press was burnt down by an angry white supremacist mob. She had to leave Memphis because the crowd wanted to lynch her as well. Wells wrote about lynching methodically and used facts as a weapon. But what really enraged the white press was the idea that maybe some white women were attracted to Black men. Lynching had wide support among the white community because of the supposed debased character of African Americans. Newspapers like the Brooklyn Eagle justified lynching because the judicial system was too slow to punish African Americans. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">But the Black church women of Brooklyn and New York were the first to support Ida B. Wells. They raised money for her, and supported her emotionally, intellectually, and organizationally. That’s a big reason why Ida B. Wells moved to Gold Street near Flatbush in Brooklyn in 1892. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">These women, like Maritcha Lyons, would have been very familiar with people like Kyle Rittenhouse who went to a protest looking for violence and then found it, leaving two people dead at his hands. They would have been very familiar with a legal system that acquitted him of all crimes, since lynchers were almost never prosecuted. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">What they might have been shocked at is the support that political leaders give to Rittenshouse. Even back in the 1890s, the openly white supremacist newspaper Brooklyn Eagle was critical of lynching. The white leaders recognized that mob rule was bad. Nowadays, so-called political leaders are glad to follow the leadership of gun-toting killers with a depraved disregard for human life.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I’m writing this today because I want to emphasize that we’re not any smarter or better organized than these women and their fancy art shows. We think our ideas nowadays are new. Supporting mental health initiatives, fighting for better education for minority children, mutual aid groups… all this pales in comparison to what they did. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">It wasn’t until 1920 that women got (almost) universal suffrage. It took decades of organizing to expand voting rights that had been limited by gender. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlg37EtZAO2nsAaRa5NI9H_apd0exDSszQmEoSjWu37RQVeGHAxmq4qn-yLnp3gmVR_v652ObxQYYwUi2wiGb1E3C3qn5aAGmsD0fQysUOJyA4OrEPVcMU_Y4fmwtLE5lEmCYlaUuNa1k/s1800/Instagram_10_ROTHBLATT_letter_1109_2021_v2_Page_10.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="1800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlg37EtZAO2nsAaRa5NI9H_apd0exDSszQmEoSjWu37RQVeGHAxmq4qn-yLnp3gmVR_v652ObxQYYwUi2wiGb1E3C3qn5aAGmsD0fQysUOJyA4OrEPVcMU_Y4fmwtLE5lEmCYlaUuNa1k/s320/Instagram_10_ROTHBLATT_letter_1109_2021_v2_Page_10.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">Some of the institutions these women founded are still with us. Dr. Susan Smith McKinney played organ at </span><a href="http://www.bridgestreetbrooklyn.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/About-Bridget-Street.pdf" style="font-family: helvetica;">Bridge Street Church</a><span style="font-family: helvetica;"> for 28 years, and it’s still here. Maritcha Lyons was an educator for 48 years, and her school that was formerly known as Colored School #2 is now PS243 The Weeksville School. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">For me, these women give me hope. They saw worse things than we did. Some witness the Draft Riots of 1863, and then proceeded to fight for education and suffrage for another 50 years. We have heroes here in Brooklyn that deserve to be celebrated. Let’s live up to their legacy. </span></p><p><br /></p>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-56828848517332552662021-09-17T10:13:00.005-04:002021-09-17T10:13:38.193-04:00 The PDC Wants to Turn Off the Light of Ida B. Wells<p> The <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/site/designcommission/index.page">PDC</a> Wants to Turn Off the Light of Ida B. Wells</p><p><br /></p><p>It’s not surprising that there is an anti-CRT anti-Ida B. Wells movement in this country. Ida B. Wells writing was uncomfortable since she gave the specifics of gruesome lynchings. She shone the light on terror in this country, and people who think racism has been solved openly oppose CRT for ideological reasons. </p><p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Don’t have time to read? Ready for action? Write this email!!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Example:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To: KButler@cityhall.nyc.gov; snielsen@mnlandscape.com</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Subject: Testimony at Public Design Commission</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Dear Public Design Commission,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I would like to offer testimony on item 27861 re: Abolitionist Place Park. Please place it on the public agenda.</span></p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: large;">And please <a href="https://www.change.org/p/mayor-bill-de-blasio-the-time-is-now-to-honor-nyc-s-black-women-suffragists">read, sign and share the Sisters In Freedom petition</a>. </span></i></p><p><br /></p><p>The anti-Ida B. Wells tendency of the Public Design Commission is devoid of this ideology, but the impact is the same. On the street where Ida B. Wells lived, on the street where Black suffragists met, on the street where Abolitionists and all sorts of activists worked to name the names of injustice, the PDC thinks there should be no discussion. </p><p>Back in 2007, the NYC Economic Development Corporation spent $500,000 to deny the historical importance of Duffield Street, which has since been renamed Abolitionist Place. In a huge victory for Brooklyn, in February 2021, Landmarks Preservation Commission finally decided to give landmark designation to 227 Abolitionist Place because of its connection to the Underground Railroad. What people don’t remember is that back in 2008, NYC tried to avoid the embarrassment of their attempt an Abolitionist home by signing a contract for $1 million to build a monument to Abolitionist History at Abolitionist Place Park (formerly Willoughby Square Park and sometimes called “Abolitionist Place).</p><p>The publicly revealed proposal has zero reference to either “Brooklyn” or “Abolitionism.” Apparently, the proposal has been revised, but in an act of bureaucratic obfuscation, the EDC has not revealed what revisions they have made. </p><p>What they have revealed is disgust at Underground Railroad history. Am I being too harsh? I don’t think so. The current plan puts a dog run right next to 227 Abolitionist Place, right on top of the tunnels that used to connect it to 223 and 225 Duffield, which were demolished by the EDC. At the exact site of where African-Americans might have found freedom, the EDC plans to let dogs urinate and defecate. If that isn’t disgust, I don’t know what is. </p><p>The EDC does not show its disdain for history by yelling at school board meetings, like the anti-CRT crowd. They use the tools of the powerful. Monday’s meeting is an example of that. We have gotten letters of support from every relevant elected official, from school kids, from scholars and from family members of the Ida B. Wells and other suffragists. None of that matters. They will put their proposal before the Public Design Commission on the “consent agenda.” This assumes that their proposal is so uncontroversial that it’s not worth it to put on the public agenda. It’s not worth debating because everyone agrees, while in fact we have a stunning alliance of people who support Sisters In Freedom. </p><p>The EDC publishes corporate happy-talk press releases about how they love history. But their proposal is completely vague, has no reference to the actual people who made Downtown Brooklyn so important, and fails to educate visitors. </p><p>It’s time to change the narrative. Downtown Brooklyn is as important as the Harlem Renaissance. It was the center of African-American cultural, intellectual, business, religious and political life during the late 19th Century. It was the birthplace of the NAACP, of the women’s club movement, of Black Suffrage, as well as Abolitionism. We have a chance to celebrate that with Sisters In Freedom. We have a chance to throw it all away, as well. Inaction will mean we will fail to honor the great Civil Rights leaders that walked on Duffield Street. <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/site/designcommission/about/contact.page">Please contact the Public Design Commission TODAY</a>. </p><div><br /></div>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-66646408000605209292012-07-27T16:20:00.004-04:002012-07-27T16:20:46.831-04:00Atlantic Yards Report blows away Reuter on Brooklyn reportingWhile Reuters is <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/26/us-growth-brooklyn-idUSBRE86P1UB20120726">reprinting press releases</a>, <a href="http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/">Atlantic Yards Report</a> provides verified reporting. It's not even close.<br />
<br />
Judge for yourself at:<br />
<a href="http://atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com/2012/07/downtown-brooklyn-hailed-for-growth-in.html">Downtown Brooklyn hailed for growth in jobs, income; rezoning lost to history; Barclays Center seen as opportunity; DBP portrays itself as nonpartisan</a>.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-40665131617590998302012-07-27T09:45:00.000-04:002012-07-27T09:45:12.381-04:00Reuters: Economic growth in NY's Brooklyn holds lessons for citiesReuter just published an article, "<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/26/us-growth-brooklyn-idUSBRE86P1UB20120726">Economic growth in NY's Brooklyn holds lessons for cities</a>." It praises the economic growth of Downtown Brooklyn. Of course, there is no mention of the businesses and residents that were displaced or destroyed to create this economic miracle.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-32819465865633265162012-07-26T16:21:00.000-04:002012-07-27T09:49:16.121-04:00City to Downtown Brooklyn residents: Get out of Brooklyn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/assets/photos/35/29/dtg_albeebuildings_2012_07_27_bk01_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/assets/photos/35/29/dtg_albeebuildings_2012_07_27_bk01_z.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
The Brooklyn Paper reports about how the NYC Economic Development agency is destroying the homes of longtime Brooklyn residents to build an underground parking lot and micro-park. The residents will be forced by the City to move to far flung neighborhoods. For more, please read<br />
<a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/35/30/dtg_albeebuildings_2012_07_27_bk.html">Downtown evictees: The city is booting us from Brooklyn</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-52787420586142604352012-01-03T14:40:00.002-05:002020-02-06T15:26:20.320-05:00A list of slave birth in Brooklyn 1799-1801<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQfo71tdtTZes1ErIUdJVEBuHOymBYvVahJs4zwwkCavEFAT37HDqJ_eWRwz3OzUf1VIAIki5KveF0T3FJqo9cKM6lZHWvL2neE6EH5B6NPU49cOO2pJLaZzhpo_x0h6u-QHiK5rLY-4/s1600/BPL_Bk_slaves.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693494163410336066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpQfo71tdtTZes1ErIUdJVEBuHOymBYvVahJs4zwwkCavEFAT37HDqJ_eWRwz3OzUf1VIAIki5KveF0T3FJqo9cKM6lZHWvL2neE6EH5B6NPU49cOO2pJLaZzhpo_x0h6u-QHiK5rLY-4/s200/BPL_Bk_slaves.jpeg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 121px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 200px;" /></a>Want to do your own research on people born into slavery in Brooklyn? The Brooklyn Public Library can help:<br />
<br />
these are the lists of slave births in Flatbush. They begin with the names of all slaveholders in Flatbush, and with the numbers of slaves owned--page after page with a businesslike formality that masks the human impact of the events.<br />
<br />
For more see <a href="https://www.bklynlibrary.org/blog/2012/01/03/slave-births-1799-1801">Slave births 1799-1801</a>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-55790984720798547182011-12-30T17:14:00.005-05:002011-12-30T17:24:53.512-05:00NYT: Albee Square West Residents Endure Deplorable Conditions While Awaiting Relocation<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10N12YuYUHR9PcH7UcnV_jrC7vp3PsVkUkG3F44D592M4zGBKmQYklXTfAQvozX_nWxXfg3v3CbVEImEcavB7Gc2ZnG6EvFZURwpn_vuYYueY-hThLxM0aM91cxGzajgoo_mkhAlFIZY/s1600/6551142753_2a7d00932a.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10N12YuYUHR9PcH7UcnV_jrC7vp3PsVkUkG3F44D592M4zGBKmQYklXTfAQvozX_nWxXfg3v3CbVEImEcavB7Gc2ZnG6EvFZURwpn_vuYYueY-hThLxM0aM91cxGzajgoo_mkhAlFIZY/s320/6551142753_2a7d00932a.jpg" border="0" alt="Image from NY Times - Albee Square West Residents Endure Deplorable Conditions While Awaiting Relocation"id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5692050673824081170" /></a>The NY Times reports on the difficult situation of residents in property owned by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. </div><div><blockquote>“The residents are entitled to relocation benefits which may include Section 8 subsidies and a preference in city-assisted affordable housing,” Mr. Bederman said in an e-mail. “We have already helped move families into NYCHA properties. Additionally, all HPD and HDC affordable housing lottery announcements are being shared with the tenants in an effort to make them aware of other affordable housing opportunities for which they may be eligible.”<br /><br />Mr. Shapiro of FUREE said a shortage of affordable housing has made relocation difficult. He also said that during FUREE’s meetings this past summer, the then 20 tenants of Albee Square West completed surveys about their relocation experience. The results revealed that none of them had been offered housing that was comparable in price to what they were paying at Albee Square.</blockquote></div><div>For more, click <a href="http://fort-greene.thelocal.nytimes.com/2011/12/30/a-purgatory-for-albee-square-west-residents-enduring-deplorable-conditions-while-waiting-for-relocation/#">here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-8872607956496324532011-07-22T12:33:00.005-04:002011-07-22T12:43:29.112-04:00Aloft: Serving cocktails & getting positive press<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyhUAZRAusvZkZK5lsQnoYi5lC45ysOY4IQpckALz4KwYxFziVREBXYy_Ch_ArndirxRyCBnPyMVcJ-QdxfgSStmf7M5VrLsSgzWKf607JJEmPUputJVLaBMSrILaGcraYAfGs60skyA/s1600/mime-attachment1.jpeg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 177px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixyhUAZRAusvZkZK5lsQnoYi5lC45ysOY4IQpckALz4KwYxFziVREBXYy_Ch_ArndirxRyCBnPyMVcJ-QdxfgSStmf7M5VrLsSgzWKf607JJEmPUputJVLaBMSrILaGcraYAfGs60skyA/s320/mime-attachment1.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5632217919042407778" border="0" /></a>Here are two positive articles about the opening of <a href="http://deals.alofthotels.com/Aloft-Brooklyn-New-York-Hotel-3192/so.htm">Aloft</a>, a new hotel across from the Abolitionist homes on Duffield Street.<br /><br />From The Brooklyn Eagle article <a href="http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=5&id=44938">Aloft Hotel Celebrates Opening in Downtown Brooklyn and 100% Occupancy</a>:<br /><blockquote>This writer was certainly the oldest person in attendance at an opening reception for the media and other visitors on Tuesday on the hotel’s second floor outdoor patio.</blockquote><br />Passport Magazine, a gay-themed travel publication, <a href="http://www.passportmagazine.com/blog/archives/3049-Aloft-New-York-Brooklyn-is-Open-for-Business.html">writes</a>:<br /><blockquote>Trendy and comfortable furniture awaits weary travelers. The basis for the hotel’s advertised “style at a steal” is evident. The w xyz bar, re:fuel 24 hour grab-and-go gourmet eatery, and social area (complete with pool table) keep glasses full and guests entertained.</blockquote>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-28576694996628064432011-07-20T14:43:00.004-04:002011-07-20T14:48:06.662-04:00Observer: The New Aloft Brooklyn: Your Freshman Dorm on Steroids<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10HqSNVNFQHWhjd32CTIOZ7rmzvP2xPBnNxaz9GYx6T0mQGRASg70gi0oSHuLZ3anZVJORp__U4cJR4FkRqPWvWFRTIpv7KfnqTYDH0bjcUmQ5f1_qaxfCL1mjF5QYIgYgab2qFXOG08/s1600/Aloft_Brooklyn-14-300x200.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi10HqSNVNFQHWhjd32CTIOZ7rmzvP2xPBnNxaz9GYx6T0mQGRASg70gi0oSHuLZ3anZVJORp__U4cJR4FkRqPWvWFRTIpv7KfnqTYDH0bjcUmQ5f1_qaxfCL1mjF5QYIgYgab2qFXOG08/s200/Aloft_Brooklyn-14-300x200.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631508159834060434" border="0" /></a>The NY Observer does not recommend that your grandmother should stay at Duffield Street's newest hotel. In <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/07/the-new-aloft-brooklyn-your-freshman-dorm-on-steroids/">The New Aloft Brooklyn: Your Freshman Dorm on Steroids</a> they write:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Trendy twenty-something travelers who are still hanging on to their college days will love the new, so-edgy-it’s-almost-painful Aloft hotel at 216 Duffield Street in downtown Brooklyn, which had its official opening last night.<span id="more-168744"></span></p> <p>Pod chairs, bright colors, crazy patterns, brushed steel—they really have all the bases covered. The lobby’s circular front desk features an explosion of bright pink, blue and yellow flowers; the bar is outfitted with steel cafeteria-style chairs; and the desks in the guest rooms come with “plug and play” stations that charge electronics and hook up to the 42-inch televisions (because if you’re going to be hip, you need to appeal to the techies).</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Read the <a href="http://www.observer.com/2011/07/the-new-aloft-brooklyn-your-freshman-dorm-on-steroids/">full article here</a>.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-31517167552316401592011-03-29T15:03:00.003-04:002011-03-29T16:13:26.509-04:00Protest of Unmet Promises of Downtown Brooklyn RezoningThe Brooklyn Daily Eagle <a href="http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=5&id=42321">reports</a> about the latest protest against the Downtown Brooklyn rezoning by <a href="http://furee.org/">FUREE</a>:<br /><blockquote>According to FUREE, the thousands of new residents in the downtown and nearby Fort Greene areas in the past five years were promised good schools and a supermarket in a bid to get them to move into recently built condominiums. Some were also told that adjacent public housing developments would be torn down. What low-income and working class residents are experiencing is nothing short of “economic segregation,” they say, and they are still waiting for the affordable housing and good-paying jobs that were supposed to come under the city’s Downtown Brooklyn Rezoning Plan.</blockquote><br />To read more, <a href="http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=5&id=42321">click here</a>.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-18800641875781697522011-03-25T22:19:00.004-04:002011-03-25T22:33:26.875-04:00FUREE: OPEN LETTER to New Luxury Tower Residents, Area Developers, City/State Agencies, Local Elected Officials and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol37jw0nB9op_dBpzibY4IyMPvXMZFdyVJw4y1we-eQ5InJQ915aGM7N3mnsFCnoVOxfRFdHNpBXdLw4P6ucC7yYn7v3L92dWLIOpe40rrw1-inEXRUGRyGnQAFd6ueMP4recS9m9yoo/s1600/poster.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhol37jw0nB9op_dBpzibY4IyMPvXMZFdyVJw4y1we-eQ5InJQ915aGM7N3mnsFCnoVOxfRFdHNpBXdLw4P6ucC7yYn7v3L92dWLIOpe40rrw1-inEXRUGRyGnQAFd6ueMP4recS9m9yoo/s200/poster.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588210895171758882" border="0" /></a>Atlantic Yards is hardly the only example of abuse of eminent domain or of outrageous backroom deals benefiting private developers at the expense of the public. The most vocal and thorough critic of the Downtown Brooklyn Rezoning is <a href="http://furee.org/">FUREE</a>, and they just published an <a href="http://furee.org/news/open-letter-new-luxury-tower-residents-area-developers-citystate-agencies-local-elected-officia">OPEN LETTER to New Luxury Tower Residents, Area Developers, City/State Agencies, Local Elected Officials and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership</a>.<br /><br />Here are excerpts of their priorities and shared principles for accountable development, focusing on issues most closely related to this blog:<br /><blockquote><ul><li><span><strong>PUBLIC HOUSING: </strong>Real estate brokers must stop making <a href="http://fortgreene.patch.com/articles/residents-in-high-rise-buildings-get-organized">false statements</a> to prospective condo buyers claiming that nearby public housing will be torn down. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) must also clearly reject all policies to privatize public housing and must swiftly open up the hundreds of currently vacant public housing apartments in Fort Greene to families in need. </span></li><li><span><strong>ALBEE SQUARE FAMILIES: </strong>It is a travesty that the <em>only </em>affordable housing development in Downtown Brooklyn is slated for demolition. Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) owes the low-income, immigrant families living in the Albee Square houses who are being <a href="http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=4&id=32763">forced out through eminent domain</a>, genuine relocation assistance to new affordable apartments and decent living conditions.</span></li><li><span><strong>ACCESS TO PUBLIC SPACE: </strong>The proposed new <a href="http://duffieldst.blogspot.com/2010/10/willoughby-square-garage-development.html">Willoughby Square Park</a> (and massive underground parking lot) must not become a pseudo-public space that caters mostly to the surrounding new hotels and luxury tower residents. There must be genuine public input from all stakeholders, including the low-income community members, as the planning process proceeds. Other supposedly public spaces, such as Metrotech Plaza, must not discriminate against or harass low-income area residents and youth of color.</span></li></ul></blockquote>Read more <a href="http://furee.org/news/open-letter-new-luxury-tower-residents-area-developers-citystate-agencies-local-elected-officia">here</a>.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-1258163831371236602011-03-25T21:54:00.006-04:002011-03-26T21:30:49.110-04:00Hotel 718 in the press, with some amnesiaA couple news outlets have reprinted the V3's press release about the Hotel 718, the soon-to-be opened hotel on 231 Abolitionist Place, also known as Duffield Street. Here is a sample of how Downtown Brooklyn is now being marketed—this was published in <a href="http://www.americanbankingnews.com/2011/03/24/v3-hotels-taps-benchmark-hospitality-to-operate-new-independent-hotel-in-downtown-brooklyn/">American Banking and Marketing News</a>, <a href="http://www.sunherald.com/2011/03/24/2970295/v3-hotels-taps-benchmark-hospitality.html">SunHerald.com</a>, <a href="http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/154000320/4050741.html">HospitalityNet</a> and (with slight variation) <a href="http://newyorkrealestate.citybizlist.com/18/2011/3/24/Benchmark-Seated-as-Hotel-718s-Manager.aspx">CityBiz</a>:<br /><blockquote>The property is within walking distance of MetroTech Center, court buildings and both the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, offering easy access to Brooklyn’s rich cultural amenities. These include the world-renowned Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn Museum of Art, Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Frederick Law Olmsted’s masterfully-designed Prospect Park, and countless vibrant and diverse cultural and entertainment attractions day and night.</blockquote>The biggest irony in these articles is <a href="http://www.americanbankingnews.com/2011/03/24/v3-hotels-taps-benchmark-hospitality-to-operate-new-independent-hotel-in-downtown-brooklyn/">this statement</a>:<br /><blockquote>The 19-story, $25 million hotel is set to open in November 2011 and will celebrate the heritage and culture of Brooklyn, New York.</blockquote><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52o0fOduZHHDtlbbwnwB3YjMQ3pDc_9EmtHWaA7WPeQl1-5ynaPVeVYrI-6jU1dY_3wTbclgcwZvFWF6TJPcBMKuSlmxeAyZJdgeOZ4bUywGNiiiKprAajwt_6kFuZh-hE7pc8_LDzUY/s1600/2011_3_hotel718.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 171px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg52o0fOduZHHDtlbbwnwB3YjMQ3pDc_9EmtHWaA7WPeQl1-5ynaPVeVYrI-6jU1dY_3wTbclgcwZvFWF6TJPcBMKuSlmxeAyZJdgeOZ4bUywGNiiiKprAajwt_6kFuZh-hE7pc8_LDzUY/s320/2011_3_hotel718.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588206403762269042" border="0" /></a><br /><br />For those who aren't aware of the important historical significance of Abolitionist Place, it was the home of several important abolitionists, and is likely a stop on the Underground Railroad in a city that was violently anti-Abolitionist. The home at 231 Duffield/Abolitionist Place was built around 1850, and while it was not as famous at 227 Duffield, it was potentially even more important. The new hotel "celebrated" this history by demolishing the previous building without giving anyone a chance to study the unusual architectural features.<br /><br />At least Curbed gives a much more <a href="http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2011/03/24/new_downtown_brooklyn_hotel_does_it_by_the_numbers.php">insightful and snarky coverage</a>. The photo here is from their article.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-76784693698750728402011-03-24T13:27:00.004-04:002011-03-24T13:30:02.437-04:00V3 Hotel now called "Hotel 718"<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2011/03/duffield_build.php"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DZBi8Plvvl5OUToJx9PfdzDkj1sPxZSY1CaeQ2xtzxS3kpIH3J1aXSL-iFM_LVRiUgMpPZS33N3LEp6s2jH6iG_dc5Do5vSfdzlFyu2_jeBqLtQpTwjQyvCOl7MTztBPEYoWWgvTrZI/s200/v3-duffield-0311.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587699937834327234" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2011/03/duffield_build.php">Brownstoner reports</a> on the new name of the V3 hotel at 229-231 Duffield Street:<br /><blockquote>A <a href="http://www.lhdaily.com/index.php?title=BENCHMARK-HOSPITALITY-INTERNATIONAL-ANNOUNCES-25-MILLION-HOTEL-ADJACENT-TO-BROOKLYN-S-HISTORIC-DOWNTOWN&id_actu=33509&home=actu_detail.php&lang2=en">press release</a> brings new info about the <a href="http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2011/01/v3_chugging_alo.php">V3 hotel rising at 231 Duffield</a> in Downtown: It's going to be dubbed "Hotel 718" and is scheduled to open in November. The release also says the 128-room property will have a 75-seat bar and restaurant, and amenities will include "spa services, a fitness center and cardio room, and 24-hour Brooklyn-centric concierge services."</blockquote>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-14576642993176377232011-03-24T13:05:00.004-04:002011-03-24T13:14:24.042-04:00Abolitionist-deniers lose funding<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://boropolitics.com/stories/2/10/02_10_dbp_layoffs.html"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 192px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVaDJU-VylshgR0rEs0j-hPHTaD3JF7HiJS40Ks36gaojIVeY1WU0yCDscYgyZPuyA1FzK5imZlz5QbMkOkfHK_aKb1WNK6qe3M7Hz6faI-nbr6RVCaHlPyshi0STQlcSabhlmcOJSD4/s320/02_05_markowitz_state_of_boro_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587695861848297442" border="0" /></a>The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, one of the great cheerleaders for demolishing the Abolitionist and Underground Railroad history on Duffield Street, are losing some of their generous taxpayer support. While schools and firehouses are facing massive cuts, Borough President Marty <a href="http://boropolitics.com/stories/2/10/02_10_dbp_layoffs.html">Markowitz came to the defense of the highly-capitalized partnership</a>:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>Markowitz indicated the city should continue to help defray the cost of running the DBP.</p> <p>“I applaud Downtown Brooklyn Partnership’s work, and it is absolutely critical that the City continue to support our vibrant downtown — New York City’s third largest business district — and emphasize economic development here as new hotels, Class A office space, residential developments and retail businesses come on line,” said Markowitz.</p> <p>But City Council member Lew Fidler feels that DBP salaries are too high, with several members getting fairly high six-figure salaries, including President Joe Chan, who makes $220,000.</p> <p>“There are other ways of planning for and promoting downtown Brooklyn other than an organization funded with public money,” said Fidler. “There’s already a lot of big developers and BID (Business Improvement Districts) that can contribute.”</p></blockquote><p></p><p>Read more at <a href="http://boropolitics.com/stories/2/10/02_10_dbp_layoffs.html">BoroPolitics</a>.<br /></p>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-19118348287670402142011-03-24T13:01:00.004-04:002011-03-24T13:05:14.940-04:00City Point dumps scandal-tainted developer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSih5nkGZXytSpLGZSgM3fr3rkBjLrWfPP05bggsE_9oYhIRwSHZ-PdBpKySkJz5FbJlhg9mg0yq2RRK9utoAzhNS5T8Y98-8zFKMNrw6AandFELb403NA_7TqtVdTP3gScBcmxn6P-Eg/s1600/33_16_citypointmallrendering_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 223px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSih5nkGZXytSpLGZSgM3fr3rkBjLrWfPP05bggsE_9oYhIRwSHZ-PdBpKySkJz5FbJlhg9mg0yq2RRK9utoAzhNS5T8Y98-8zFKMNrw6AandFELb403NA_7TqtVdTP3gScBcmxn6P-Eg/s320/33_16_citypointmallrendering_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587693542292990274" border="0" /></a>The massive City Point development, which is getting $20,000,000 in tax-exempt federal stimulus, is dumping Aaron Malinsky, the developer associated with the Carl Kruger corruption scandal. Read the Brooklyn Paper article <a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/12/dtg_citypointkruger_2011_3_25_bk.html">here</a>.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-42666807706830561142011-03-24T12:54:00.004-04:002011-03-24T13:20:12.076-04:00Aloft Opening now scheduled 5/5/11I put <a href="http://ny.therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/new-hotels-to-debut-in-nyc-in-2011-including-the-nolitan-and-mondrian-new-york-and-aloft-brooklyn-and-dream-downtown">March 31, 2011</a> into Google Calendar as the opening date of aloft hotel on Duffield Street. What a surprise! It's been rescheduled to May 5, 2011, according to the <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3192">Starwoods Hotel website</a>.<br /><br />Back on October 13, 2010, <a href="http://duffieldst.blogspot.com/2010/10/hotels-coming-slowly-but-stores-are.html">we reported</a> the scheduled opening date to be January 20, 2011.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-30471245321361480312011-03-10T21:02:00.004-05:002011-03-10T21:08:09.259-05:00Kruger scandal touches City Point in Downtown Brooklyn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80WvqXy3FzgHzvTNdaVYmn4DeOHcbHtXFuRoMdiu8ikMEHW3Td4xmBexYWZ3MDfShOhnsjjRJsBVgIM3aI94zrCJidY8Fsbzg5grmoAmvD_uzDd_16uN2g1yaK4yKASbIQYSum-Bxql0/s1600/Carl_Kruger.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 132px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg80WvqXy3FzgHzvTNdaVYmn4DeOHcbHtXFuRoMdiu8ikMEHW3Td4xmBexYWZ3MDfShOhnsjjRJsBVgIM3aI94zrCJidY8Fsbzg5grmoAmvD_uzDd_16uN2g1yaK4yKASbIQYSum-Bxql0/s200/Carl_Kruger.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582638333026253826" border="0" /></a>The bribery scandal implicating State Senator Carl Kruger touches on some Downtown Brooklyn issues. In <a href="http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/developer-at-brooklyn-navy-yard-charged-in-bribery-case">Developer at Brooklyn Navy Yard charged in federal bribery case</a>, the Real Deal reports this:<br /><blockquote>Prosecutors allege Aaron Malinsky, a principal with PA Associates, made the payments to an entity called Olympian Strategic Development, wand that money was used to improperly benefit Kruger (see complaint below). Kruger allegedly received at least $1 million in bribes from Malinsky and others between 2006 and 2011, investigators said.</blockquote>The article continues:<br /><blockquote>PA Associates is developing a 50,000-square-foot retail building at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn.</blockquote>Read <a href="http://therealdeal.com/newyork/articles/developer-at-brooklyn-navy-yard-charged-in-bribery-case">more here</a>.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-25702691769306821832011-03-07T15:20:00.004-05:002011-03-07T20:04:14.524-05:00BK Paper: Downtown BK population up 2,900%<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJTJ7BjD5I6ZbCOhZx4nd3X7XfnuA618mNrYuHDtWX3H3M_ySw2BuU_YUPBSBnhzVdT8AImG5CDYS3yDyQQRvRTNxy296zn61g6pzIMkKMflQYP_9KL52j_973uDgb_8rPespbJEK8JQ/s1600/dtg_downtownboom_2011_3_11_bk01_z.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNJTJ7BjD5I6ZbCOhZx4nd3X7XfnuA618mNrYuHDtWX3H3M_ySw2BuU_YUPBSBnhzVdT8AImG5CDYS3yDyQQRvRTNxy296zn61g6pzIMkKMflQYP_9KL52j_973uDgb_8rPespbJEK8JQ/s200/dtg_downtownboom_2011_3_11_bk01_z.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581507238888978274" border="0" /></a>The Brooklyn Paper writes about the dramatic population growth of Downtown Brooklyn due to the rezoning in <a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/10/dtg_downtownboom_2011_3_11_bk.html">Boom! Downtown population is exploding faster than the Sun Belt</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Twelve thousand people now live in Downtown, up from a mere 400 residents in 2000. That’s a 2,900-percent increase during the same time when the population of the city overall grew about five percent.</blockquote>To read the article, <a href="http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/34/10/dtg_downtownboom_2011_3_11_bk.html">click here</a>.<br /><br />The primary goal of the rezoning was the increase office space, but instead it mostly created office space, displacing small entrepreneurs.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-74342313190960100982011-03-01T10:20:00.002-05:002011-03-01T10:23:25.022-05:00BK Eagle: Tight, Family-Based Ownership Still Rules Fulton MallThere an interesting article on the new Downtown Brooklyn. Here's a bit from <span class="f24"><a href="http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=5&id=41665">Tight, Family-Based Ownership Still Rules Fulton Mall</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>Michael Chera and his Allied Property Group, which owns 523 Fulton, told The Real Deal that he sees Fulton Mall as a “34th Street and Times Square hybrid,” where national chains within reach of the middle class can prosper.<br /><br />Stanley and Isaac Chera of Crown Acquisitions, who in partnership with Eli Gindi own 490 Fulton and were responsible for bringing Syms/Filene’s Basement to the mall, still have 38,000 square feet of street-level retail to lease.<br /><br />“In the last 60 to 90 days, interest in the property has intensified immensely,” Isaac told The Real Deal. “I’m on the street at least three times a week with different tenants. They’re doing their homework.”</blockquote><br /><br />Rea</span><span class="f24">d <a href="http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=5&id=41665">more here</a>.<br /></span>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-25610088000924708552011-01-27T11:21:00.003-05:002011-01-27T11:28:00.311-05:00Developer seeks approval to damage Underground Railroad Station<span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >Here is news from the Hopper-Gibbons advocates. The building on West 29th Street in Manhattan was not only an important stop on the Underground Railroad, it is very important to New York City for its role in the Draft Riots of 1863:<br /></span><blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >OWNER WILL APPEAL DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING'S ORDER TO DEMOLISH 5TH STORY:<br /><br /> I understand that Mr. Mamounas is planning to appeal the Department of Building's order to demolish the illegal 5th story addition to the Hopper Gibbons house. He has 30 days to appeal this order to the Board of Standards and Appeals. At best, this could delay the demolition of this addition for months. At worst, the Board could well decide to let Mr. Mamounas keep the 5th story addition in place, as they have allowed other owners to do in past rulings. This would be not only a great blow to New York City and American history, particularly that pertaining to the lives of African-Americans and Quakers, but to the architectural integrity of this special oasis of 4 story row houses in Manhattan. <br /><br /> FIRE SAFETY ISSUE AND VIOLATION OF SLIVER LAW:<br /><br />Besides, the Department of Buildings has repeatedly stated that they are concerned that the building must meet fire safety standards and that that's why they let Mr. Mamounas build corridor and apartment walls and doors on the 5th story even after they ordered him to tear it down. However, an 1847 inhabited building can never be brought up to fire safety codes. On that basis alone, apart from the historical importance of the Hopper Gibbons house, the Board of Standards and Appeals must not let Mr. Mamounas get away with retaining the 5th story. It wouldn't be safe. Not only that, but the sliver law only allows a height of only 52 feet. <br /><br /> Also bear in mind that when the building was landmarked in February 2010, Mr. Mamounas' building permit had already been revoked, as I was informed by the Department of Buildings. So, when Mr. Mamounas supposedly amended his plans to conform with the 4 story requirement in February 2010, am I not correct in my assumption that the application should have been under the purview of the Landmarks Preservation Commission, rather than the Department of Buildings?<br /><br /> At this point, I think we have to deluge Mayor Bloomberg and Deputy Mayor Steven Goldsmith with the message that we need to preserve the original 4 story height of this row house for the above-mentioned historical, architectural, legal, and safety issues. <br /><br /><span>Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg<br /> City Hall<br /> New York, NY 10007<br /> PHONE 311 (or 212-NEW-YORK outside NYC)<br /> <br /> FAX (212) 312-0700<br /> <br /> E-MAIL:<br /> </span><a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mayor.html" target="_blank">http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/<wbr>html/mayor.html</a><span><br /><br /></span>Deputy Mayor Steven Goldsmith<br /></span> <span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" >City Hall<br /> New York, NY 10007<br /> (212) 788-3000<br /> FAX (212) 788-2460<br />[ or perhaps <span>MEDIA CONTACT: </span><span><br /> Stu Loeser/Marc La Vorgna (212) 788-2958</span>]</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:100%;" ><br /></span>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-27403150384326359562010-12-07T21:14:00.003-05:002010-12-07T21:19:02.301-05:00Developers of Underground Railroad Building Under InvestigationThe Manhattan building at the center of the Draft Riots of 1863 and an important Underground Railroad station is being illegally modified. <a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/">DNAinfo</a> reports in <a href="http://www.dnainfo.com/20101119/chelsea-hells-kitchen/underground-railroad-landmark-developers-investigated-by-buildings-officials">Developers of Underground Railroad Building Under Investigation</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>The Department of Buildings is investigating whether a developer is illegally continuing construction on a 150-year-old Chelsea row house that was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.<br /><br />The probe follows complaints by neighbors about ongoing work on a fifth floor addition to 339 West 29th St., also known as the Hopper-Gibbons House, which makes it taller than the buildings next door. That's significant to preservationists because former residents fleeing Civil War riots used the level roofs to escape.<br /><br />"It feels like they are slicing away a piece of history with a serrated knife," said neighbor Fern Luskin, a CUNY art and architecture historian who said she had in recent weeks she repeatedly witnessed construction on the partially-built fifth floor. "It's very angering that this owner has not the slightest care in the world."</blockquote>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-70262626166912542202010-10-22T10:12:00.004-04:002010-10-22T10:18:22.263-04:00Willoughby Square Garage Development Opportunity RFP<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1nvI7WDf3B6eMSP5Qky6OcXB34rInQo6_kJe0cW_dX31-MbKulRgJIDUyNIAyuI9IfhdT8TMr7JDFSSFDxPXD4FrdCgEozA0whXrivDkA5lKrPe3fjU1nPFcVqGvsUc91KTwjlNEdWA/s1600/NYCEDCLogo.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 201px; height: 68px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV1nvI7WDf3B6eMSP5Qky6OcXB34rInQo6_kJe0cW_dX31-MbKulRgJIDUyNIAyuI9IfhdT8TMr7JDFSSFDxPXD4FrdCgEozA0whXrivDkA5lKrPe3fjU1nPFcVqGvsUc91KTwjlNEdWA/s320/NYCEDCLogo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530874559600391906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Want to build a parking lot on the site of an Underground Railroad station? Now's your chance! Here's the <a href="http://www.nycedc.com/ProjectsOpportunities/RFPsRFQsRFEIs/Pages/Opportunity140_PC.aspx?utm_source=Crain%27s&utm_medium=Ad&utm_campaign=RFPWill_0910">Request for Proposals by the NYC Economic Development Corporation at Willoughby Square</a>:<br /><blockquote>New York City Economic Development Corporation (“NYCEDC”) is seeking proposals for the development and operation of an underground parking garage (“the Garage”) and the construction of an approximately 1.15-acre street-level public space on top (“Willoughby Square”). Through this RFP, NYCEDC expects to select a developer to successfully develop and operate a below-grade garage under a long-term ground lease with the City. Respondents can submit garage proposals that accommodate up to a maximum of 694 spaces.<br /><br />NYCEDC is currently developing schematic designs for Willoughby Square. The selected developer is expected to complete this design process at its sole cost and expense. The selected developer will also be responsible for the construction of Willoughby Square on behalf the City, for which the City expects to make funds available.</blockquote>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-71520166255636829522010-10-15T15:59:00.004-04:002010-10-15T16:06:11.075-04:00Observer on Willoughby Sq: Mayor's Latest Libertarian ParkRemember that the Bloomberg administration wanted to confiscate 227 Duffield to build a micro-park and parking lot? 227 was saved, but the Observer rips into other aspects of the plan.<br /><br />Here are some highlights from "<a href="http://www.observer.com/2010/real-estate/brooklyn-willoughby-square-latest-libertarian-park">Brooklyn's Willoughby Square: Mayor's Latest Libertarian Park</a>" by Matt Chaban:<br /><blockquote>[New NYC parks] are being built by the public sector but maintained through private development on or near the parks—in the case of the former, through multi-use piers; the latter, residential development, though the Brooklyn Bridge Park plan has drawn considerable scorn and is currently under reconsideration.<br /><br />Never mind that there may not even be enough money coming in through said development to keep the parks going.<br /><br />With Willoughby Square, and the much larger Governors Island just across the harbor, the city has taken its plan a step further toward the Libertarian ideal of private-public space, which is what concerns so many critics: that eventually such spaces will cease to be public at all, more admission-only amusement parks than public amenities. (This is already common practice at many National Parks.)</blockquote><br /><a href="http://www.observer.com/files/article/Willoughby_Square.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 309px; height: 195px;" src="http://www.observer.com/files/article/Willoughby_Square.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-81651338112672914802010-10-13T12:12:00.003-04:002010-10-13T12:24:57.333-04:00Hotels coming slowly, but stores are changingOne of the hotels being built on Duffield Street has new delays. Hotel reports in <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2010/10/13/102241/10/hotels/Brooklyn_Won_t_Get_Aloft_Until_January">Brooklyn Won't Get Aloft Until January </a>:<br /><blockquote>Opening a hotel in New York City is a treacherous business--there are always delays. Which is what Starwood is finding as it tries to get the city's first two Aloft Hotels up and running.<br /><br />Aloft Harlem has had a busy dance card of opening dates, with the latest not too far off on October 21. That was also meant to be the big day for Aloft Brooklyn, but HC reader AboutGirl was right when she said that she'd heard this opening had been pushed back as well. According to its website, Aloft Brooklyn is now scheduled to open on January 20, 2011.</blockquote>Aloft's delays haven't prevented existing businesses from being pushed out. NBC New York, as well as the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, seem to think that certain shoppers are invisible. Fulton Street is bustling... unless you are blind to certain demographics, like the writer of <a href="http://www.nbcnewyork.com/blogs/threadny/THREAD--104782284.html">Filene's Basement/Syms to Open in Brooklyn</a>:<br /><blockquote>It seemed like only a matter of time before chain stores set their sights on the somewhat desolate strip of real estate at Brooklyn's Fulton Mall. Joining Aeropostale and H&M—both of which should be opening soon—Filene's Basement/Syms announced it will open its first Brooklyn store at the Fulton Mall in early 2012.</blockquote>raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8817192565518913700.post-73690386587459934832010-07-27T11:55:00.008-04:002010-07-27T13:16:40.828-04:00Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote about Thomas TruesdaleJim Driscoll, historian at the Queens Historical Society and a longtime advocate of the historical importance of 227 Duffield, pointed out that Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote about Thomas Truesdale, previous owner of 227 Duffield. Here is <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=54kMAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA332&ots=qUi4mDxelM&dq=%22ralph%20waldo%20emerson%22%20My%20wall%20street%20cotton%20broker&pg=PA332#v=onepage&q=truesdale&f=false">a quote from Emerson's journal</a> from 1847 (pages 332-333):<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2StDMkg_E_qpH4qLcTkqOPvYXxaq76nZnXLAgontIZOlrTzluzikvIFA-Xev0q8ekSTs8eTq7BWIkjMTGDvYNlIXYx5ez9ERMCF4Ad0tJ6WQGicGB-zAc2JNgaCr3a1TA4_yOMbUP7NY/s1600/JournalOfRalphWaldoEmersonP332.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 358px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2StDMkg_E_qpH4qLcTkqOPvYXxaq76nZnXLAgontIZOlrTzluzikvIFA-Xev0q8ekSTs8eTq7BWIkjMTGDvYNlIXYx5ez9ERMCF4Ad0tJ6WQGicGB-zAc2JNgaCr3a1TA4_yOMbUP7NY/s400/JournalOfRalphWaldoEmersonP332.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498616185032159202" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Emerson was one of the most prominent American intellectuals of the time. He was one of the greatest spokesmen against slavery, and Mr. Driscoll thinks this passage might possibly indicate the attendees of an Underground Railroad meeting.raulistichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17683032122056788279noreply@blogger.com