Our friends at the Brooklyn Heights Association have told us that the expert panel appointed by Mayor de Blasio to study and make recommendations about the repair of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway below Brooklyn Heights “met last Thursday, April 25 evening with representatives from 16 community organizations, local elected officials, and DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg and her staff.” The panel’s chair, Mr. Carlo Scissura, said this would be “just the beginning of the community engagement process and promised that a public hearing would take place within the next few…
Can Terriers Dance? Brooklyn Heights in March Madness?
It’s a strong possibility that Brooklyn Heights will be represented in this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, a.k.a. “The Dance,” a.k.a. “March Madness.” The St. Francis College Terriers now hold first place in the Northeast Conference; if they can hold that lead through the remainder of the regular season (the worst they could do now is end in a tie with last year’s NEC champ, Bryant) they will be the top seed, and therefore have home court advantage, in the three round NEC Tournament, which has its opening quarterfinal round on Wednesday, March 4. If the Terriers win the Tournament, they get invited to
BHA’s Exec Director Peter Bray Leaving; Replacement Sought
The Brooklyn Heights Association has announced that “with much regret, … it has begun a search for a new Executive Director to replace Peter Bray, who will be leaving his post at the end of June to attend to a serious health issue within his family.”Mr. Bray has served as BHA’s Executive Director since September, 2015. In addition to his work over the past months to promote alternatives to the City Department of Transportation’s plan to replace the Brooklyn Heights Promenade with a temporary six lane highway for a period of not less than six years during the renovation of the Brooklyn Queens Expressway, he…
More Height for Brooklyn Heights? Nets Star Thaddeus Young Settles Here
Stories in both the Wall Street Journal and New York Times note that power forward Thaddeus Young, a Memphis, Tennessee native who recently signed a $50 million contract with the Brooklyn Nets, has become the first team member to move to Brooklyn, and specifically to Brooklyn Heights. Although the Nets became Brooklyn’s team and began playing home games in Barclays Center in 2012, basketball operations and training have remained in New Jersey. A new practice facility is scheduled to open in February in Industry City, on the Sunset Park waterfront. Young said he’s eager to have a shorter commute both to the practice facility and to Barclays Center. According to the WSJ and Times stories, other teammates are…
Montague Street Businesses Show the Love with Instagram Contest, Giveaways
Through February 14th, The Montague Business Improvement District wants to spread the love! It’s as simple as posting to Instagram:How Can You Win?:>>Follow @montaguebid on Instagram.>>Post pictures of what you do, buy, eat or drink on Montague Street by February 14th.>>Tag a BID businesses and use the hashtag #ilovemontaguestreet.Winners will be contacted by direct message, so keep your peepers peeled to your DMs.Win flowers, fashion eyewear, meals, hotel stays, workouts, haircuts, beauty, self-care goodies and chocolate parties from businesses including:Bossert Management GroupBrown Harris StevensChocolate WorksCohens Fashion OpticalDellarocco’sGrand Canyon DinerHeights CafeJames Weir FloralKeihl’sLantern Kitchen ThaiOrangetheory FitnessPinto
St. Francis College “Big Splash II” Friday Evening
Our local and highly regarded small college, St. Francis, is not only an academic powerhouse but also a contender to be reckoned with in basketball and in water sports. This weekend the college will celebrate “Big Splash II”, a celebration and reunion, and a fundraiser, for the Terriers’ men’s and women’s swimming, water polo, and diving teams. All are invited.This Friday evening, December 11, from 6:30 to 9:30, at Founders’ Hall, 180 Remsen Street (between Clinton and Court) “Big Splash II” will give you an opportunity to meet current and former aquatic athletes and coaches at a gala event, and to contribute to the teams’ future success. Srdjan Mihaljevic, a 2001 St. Francis alumnus, vice…
NYFEST 2016 Soccer Tournament at Brooklyn Bridge Park Saturday
All day this Saturday, April 16, NYFEST 2016, a charity soccer tournament, will take place on Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5. The action starts at 8:00 a.m. when the first round of the Industry tournaments kicks off; these continue until 6:00 p.m. A Youth Soccer Showcase goes from 9:00 a.m to 1:00 p.m. Starting at 1:00 p.m. there will be a “Heroes” exhibition game pitting the FDNY against the NYPD. Many other games and activities are planned; more information here.
Local Electeds to Join BQE Rally on Promenade Saturday
This in from A Better Way NYC:State Senator Brian Kavanagh, State Assembly Member Jo Anne Simon, and City Council Member Stephen Levin just announced that they will be joining Comptroller Scott Stringer at a press conference this Saturday calling for a community-driven solution to the BQE reconstruction.Please show your support this Saturday, January 12th, at 11a.m. on the Promenade at the Pierrepont Street entrance.
No Garbage, Organics or Recycling Collection New Year’s Day; Alternate Side Rules and Parking Meters Suspended
Our friends at Community Board 2 have advised us that, according to the City Department of Sanitation, there will be no pickup of garbage, organics, or recyclables on Tuesday, January 1. Those who normally receive pickup of these items on that day should put them out for pickup following 4:00 PM Tuesday. Also, according to the Department of Transportation, alternate side of the street parking rules and parking meter regulations are suspended all New Year’s Day.
Street Milling and Paving in Brooklyn Heights Next Week
With apologies for the late notice they received from the City’s DOT, the Brooklyn Heights Association has notified us of street milling and re-paving to be done each weekday next week (Monday, July 21 through Friday, July 25) from 7:00 a.m. until about 4:00 p.m. on many Brooklyn Heights streets. Parked cars will have to be removed from these streets on the affected days; otherwise they will be towed. A list of affected streets, and days when they will be affected, is here.
Apple Tree Pruning Time at Poplar Street Community Garden
This Saturday, July 26, from 11:00 a.m. until some time in the afternoon when the trees all get pruned, it’s apple tree pruning time at the Poplar Street Community Garden, at Hicks and Poplar streets. Come by and lend a hand; if you haven’t done it before, there will be experienced pruners there to show you how and lend you the proper equipment. Bring sturdy gloves if you have them; if not, there may be some spares you can borrow. If you’re lucky, you may get a spare apple or two to take home. Or, if you’re of the “Work fascinates me, I can watch it
Ducks Deluxe in Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park has become a favorite spring to summer resting place and breeding ground for ducks. Back in March, I spotted this mallard drake on the uplands of Pier 1. More photos and text follow the jump. In June I saw this mother duck and three ducklings paddling between Pier 2 and Pier 1. A mother and four mostly grown youngsters catching some sleep on rocks above the Spiral Pool near Pier 2, about a week ago. Preening in the water along the landward side of Pier 1. Bottoms up! Resting on a stump, landward