The Eagle’s Lore Croghan was allowed into the Bossert Hotel, now preparing for a “soft opening” in August, and got great photos (follow the link, after clicking “Read full story” below) of the lobby’s elaborate decor, along with a peek at one of the hotel rooms, and some spectacular shots from the rooftop terrace outside what will be a bar. Bars and restaurants will not be part of the “soft opening”; they will open later at an unspecified time.
St. Francis Men’s Soccer Looks To Repeat Last Year’s Success
When the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s soccer team opens their season tomorrow in Philadelphia against St. Joseph’s University, head coach Tom Giovatto will field a radically different lineup from the 2013 Northeast Conference title champions that captured the Terriers’ first NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament berth since 1998.Gone is a majority of the offense that in 2013 powered the Terriers to a 12-6-1 record, most notably Kevin Correa, who transferred this summer to the University of New Mexico.Correa, the Terrier’s leading scorer last year with 13 goals, was a third team All-American selection as well …
SFC Water Polo Opens Defense of 2013 Eastern Title Saturday at Princeton
Less than a year ago the St. Francis Men’s water polo team delivered perhaps their finest performance of the season in beating Princeton University 11-9 to capture their second-straight College Water Polo Association (CWPA) championship and advance to the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Tournament for the send year in a row.A lot has changed since the Terriers big win last November 24 at Brown University.Five players have been lost to graduation, including three-time All-American…
BHA Issues “Call to Action” on Clark Street Station Closure
The Eagle reports that the Brooklyn Heights Association has issued a “call to action” concerning the possible one year closure of the Clark Street subway station while its ramshackle, breakdown-prone elevators are repaired. The MTA has so far failed to give an answer as to whether it intends a complete shutdown. A complete shutdown would greatly inconvenience many subway riders, and could spell death to several businesses, some of long standing, in the arcade connected to
On The Day Jeter Celebrates Retirement, BH Softball Starts Anew
Yes, sports fans, it’s true: the Yankees #2 man (sorry, no one can ever supplant the immortal Babe!) will celebrate his imminent retirement tomorrow.You could pay your respects at the Stadium Tickets range from $90 to $3,562 on StubHub and sit passively as “El Capitán” receives an assortment of inane gifts How many remember that the Yankees gave Phil Rizzuto a cow when his number was retired? Where is that cow now?.Or, you could do what Jetes does: play. And “The Commish”—Tony Lacitignola—has just the thing for you, frustrated athlete who works too much: The Brooklyn Heights Athletic Club Coed Adult Softball League.Opening Day for the league is…
Will Hell Freeze Over? Bossert Said to Have “Soft Opening” in August
Brownstoner reports that the Bossert Hotel, at Montague and Hicks streets, may have a “soft opening” in August, followed by a “hard opening” in September. The owners have applied for a liquor license, in which they have disclosed these details:The liquor license will cover a restaurant on the ground floor and a bar in the lobby (which will have live piano music), two ballrooms (used for weddings and other events) and a bar on the 14th floor that has both indoor and outdoor …
St. Francis Men’s Water Polo Opens Home Slate Tonight at 7:30pm
St. Francis Brooklyn men’s water polo squad opens the home portion of their 2014 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Northern Division schedule tonight with a match against local rival Iona College (2-11; 2-3 Northern Division) at the Generoso Pope Athletic Center.The Terriers (4-6; 3-1 Northern League) are led by newcomer Bora Dimitrov, a junior transfer from Diablo Valley College who has compiled 23 goals in his first season wearing SFC red, white and blue. Junior co-captain Liam Veazey has registered 14 goals and 8 assists, while sophomore Ilija Djuretic…
Mothers’ Day Instagram Contest
Montague Street businesses are sponsoring a Mothers’ Day Instagram contest. The rules are: (1) take a photo of your mom and post it on Instagram; (2) tell why you love her; and (3) tag with #montaguelovesmoms and #ilovemontguestreet, as well as the name of any Montague Street merchant. Prizes will be awarded; more information here.
Hot Time at the Pope Center! St. Francis Water Polo Opens at Home with a Win Over Iona College
Last night the hottest spot in Brooklyn Heights was underground. It was standing room only on the deck of the Generoso Pope Center pool at St. Francis College as its men’s water polo team played their first home match of 2014 against Iona College.When a Terrier meets a Gael, guess what happens? The Terrier kicks butt, as SFC cruised to a 17-7 win over their beleaguered guest to improve their Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Northern Division record to 4-1.St. Francis—5-6 over all and winners of four straight—was led by four goals from senior defender Balint Toth. Senior driver Vuk Vujosevic…
Weekend Offers Tough Home Matchups for St. Francis Brooklyn Water Polo
Riding a five-game winning streak that has pushed their record over the .500 mark for the first time this season, the St. Francis Brooklyn men’s water polo team (10-9; 8-1 CWPA Northern Division) closes out its Collegiate Water Polo Association’s (CWPA) regular season schedule at home this weekend with key matches against Brown, Harvard and M.I.T.At stake for the Terriers is a possible fourth straight Northern Division title and ninth in the last ten years.First up today at 4pm for St. Francis, ranked 17th in the latest CWPA …
DOT Representative Tells Poplar Street Residents it Remains Committed to “Temporary” Promenade Destruction; a Heights Resident Responds
At a recent meeting with Poplar Street residents, the city Department of Transportation’s representative, Tanvi Pandya, made it clear that DOT isn’t giving an inch in its desire to effectively destroy our neighborhood by demolishing the Promenade for a minimum of six years (good luck with meeting that timetable) and putting a six lane highway in its place. A Heights resident has responded by sending this letter to City Council Speaker Corey Johnson:Dear Mr. Johnson,I am writing to you as I …
Kids’ Craft Event at Brooklyn Women’s Exchange Sunday
This Sunday, April 13, the Brooklyn Women’s Exchange, 55 Pierrepont Street (between Hicks and Henry) will host a craft workshop for kids five years old and up, accompanied by a caregiver. The project will be to create lovely sachets just in time for spring; (see illustration here). Stop by anytime from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. No RSVP needed. Suggested donation is $5.00 per family.Looking ahead, silhouette artist Deborah O’Connor will be at the Exchange Friday, April 26th (10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.), Saturday, April 27th (10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.) and
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
Brooklyn Heights Public Library Slated for Redevelopment/Partial Sale
Architect’s rendering of the proposed new library with residential rental units above.I just noticed the news that the Brooklyn Public Library is selling the land of it’s current Brooklyn Heights branch for $52 Million to developer Hudson Companies who will build a new library and market rate apartments on that space.The new library will be physically smaller than the current but the press release says there will be more “usable” space in the new than currently available. Market rate for the area which is across from Cadman Plaza will make the apartments among the most expensive in …
St. Francis Women Advance to NCAA Tournament
Brooklyn Heights will be represented in an NCAA basketball tournament this year: the women’s tournament. While the St. Francis men’s team fell to Robert Morris in the Northeast Conference tourney final (they will, however, play in the NIT), the women Terriers reversed this, defeating the Robert Morris women on the Colonials’ home court 77-62. They now advance to the first round of the women’s tournament, and face the top seeded University of Connecticut team Saturday.
BQE and Mega-Jail Dominate BHA Annual Meeting
It was standing room only at the Founders Hall Auditorium of St. Francis College for Tuesday’s Annual Meeting of the Brooklyn Heights Association. As the Eagle’s Mary Frost reports, BHA President Martha Bakos Dietz said the BHA had submitted to the City’s Department of Transportation an alternative plan that would avoid putting a temporary six lane highway in the present location of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, and that the DOT has said it is considering this alternative, as well as “three to five others.” Ms. Dietz also announced that the BHA will hold a town hall meeting on the BQE …
The “Martians” Are Coming! Matt Damon Touches Down in Brooklyn Heights
Last summer Brownstoner reported Actor/Producer, Matt Damon was in contract at The Standish on Columbia Heights for over $16.6 million. The deal has been widely-reported as the largest residential sale in Brooklyn to date. Now, it appears the Oscar and Golden Globe winning “Martian,” his wife, Luciana Barroso and their children have finally landed at the 6,218 square feet 12th-floor penthouse. The sprawling abode is a combination of three units and boasts a 3,366-square-foot terrace.The intel comes from a Facebook friend of your correspondent who also resides on Columbia Heights. When the source witnessed “many truck loads of stuff being moved in” earlier this week, they conducted a bit of their own “Good Will Hunting.&#…
Alice’s Tea Cup Coming to Hicks and Middagh
We’ve been alerted by reader Andrew Porter thatthe whimsical teahouse, bakery and restaurant Alice’s Tea Cup will open this year at the corner of Hicks Street and Middagh Street in Brooklyn Heights, across from PS 8.The photo is from their present location at 102 West 73rd Street, in Manhattan.
New Life for 186 Remsen? Bye-bye 192 Montague?
In a post this past September I speculated about the future of 186 Remsen Street (photo, by C. Scales), which I have long liked as an example of Victorian Romanesque architecture. In the post I noted that the building had been acquired by Up Ventures LLC, who had filed plans for a fourteen story hotel on the site. Being east of Clinton Street, the site is outside the Brooklyn Heights Historic District, with its fifty foot height limit on new construction, but it is in the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District, …
Emily Blunt & John Krasinski Buy “A Quiet Place” in Brooklyn Heights
The Real Deal and WSJ report A-Listers Emily Blunt (“Mary Poppins Returns”) and John Krasinski (The Office) have purchased adjacent apartments at The Standish for a cool $11M. Sources close to the deal say once combined the renovated apartment will take up an entire floor of the building.The power couple, who starred together in the horror-suspense flick, “A Quiet Place” directed by Krasinski, joins Matt Damon and family at the famed building on 171 Columbia Heights. Damon’s penthouse purchase for $16.6 broke Brooklyn sales records.Welcome to the neighborhood!
Recent Developments on BQE Controversy
There have been several recent developments concerning the plan to repair the cantilevered portion of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway that lies below Brooklyn Heights and its Promenade, including the City Department of Transportation’s “innovative” proposal to replace the Promenade with a six lane highway while the two levels of the BQE below are repaired. This would cause complete loss of the use of the Promenade for a period the DOT estimates as six years and, according to public health expert Laurie Garrett, as reported by Mary Frost in the Eagle, would cause dangerous increases in airborne pollutant levels in the Heights.More developments are summarized very well in another Mary Frost Eagle story. City Comptroller Scott Stringer…
Last Minute Weekend Suggestions
Hoops fans can get a preview of things to come at the Tobacco Warehouse, Water Street at New Dock Street, on Friday and Saturday (August 23 and 24) evenings starting at 7:00, as the Under Armour Elite 24 Tournament presents the cream of upcoming high school players from the classes of 2014, 15, and 16–some of the 2014 class have already committed to major college programs–divided into two teams: Team Bed-Stuy and Team Coney Island. The action starts Friday with slam dunk and skills contests, and climaxes Saturday when the two teams play. More info and team rosters are here. Bargemusic has three…
St. Francis, NEC Misery Has Company: Wagner Suspends Player For Season
In an apparently unrelated but parallel development to the ongoing investigation of four St. Francis Brooklyn men’s basketball players, it was reported Tuesday by Cormac Gordon of the Staten Island Examiner that Wagner College junior Jay Harris, the Seahawks’ leading three-point threat, has been suspended for the remainder of the season for what has been described as a violation of school policy. Ominously, this is the same violation that was cited in connection with junior Brent Jones, freshman Wayne Martin…
St. Francis’ Martin, White Arrested; Jones, Santavenere and Mystery Player Status Unclear
On Friday, Mark Morales of the Daily News reported that St. Francis Brooklyn men’s basketball player Anthony White was arrested recently by the New York Police Department in response to domestic violence charges. White, 19, a sophomore guard for the small college located in Brooklyn Heights, was alleged on February 3 to have choked his 20-year old girlfriend and to have destroyed her personal property after accusing the woman of infidelity. According to the Daily News article, the victim further alleged that she had been the victim of a sexual assault in December 2012 by three St. Francis players. One of the three players was identified as Terrier freshman Wayne Martin, who was accused of unwanted sexual advances. …