Monday, April 30, 2018

WINNING PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING PROJECTS ANNOUNCED

The Capital Project for Kensington, "Resurface the Soccer Field in Albemarle Playground," and the Expense Project for Kensington, "Women's Self-Defense for the Resistance," are among the winning projects in this year's participatory budgeting vote.

Projects are paid for from tax money that the city government allocates to New York City Councilmembers' budgets. 

The other winning capital projects are
  • Replace Derelict Kindergarten Sinks at P.S. 282
  • Make P.S. 118 Schoolyard Accessible and Safe
  • Senior Fitness Playground
  • Harmony Playground Improvements

The other winning expense projects are

  • Media Lab at Park Slope Women's Shelter
  • iPads to support P.S. 77 students with autism
  • Study of Endangered Bats in Prospect Park
  • Outreach Plan for Elementary School Diversity

A complete list of the projects that were voted on is on Councilmember Brad Lander's website.
  

Saturday, April 28, 2018

HOW MANY RESIDENTS AND TALL BUILDINGS ARE APPROPRIATE FOR CATON PLACE?



Community Meeting
on the Development of Caton Place
Tuesday, May 1st, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Developers have been busily making plans to erect tall buildings on several pieces of property on Caton Place between
E. 8th Street and Coney Island Avenue.

In response, neighborhood residents will gather for a small-group workshop and community discussion about the prospective uses of the land and their potential impact on the neighborhood.

The community meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 1st, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., in the auditorium of the P.S. 130 Upper School at 713 Caton Avenue. 

Co-sponsoring the meeting are Councilmember Brad Lander, Assemblymember Robert Carroll, Community Board 7, and the neighborhood group Stable Brooklyn.
 
These potential uses of the land will be discussed:



  • 51 Caton Place: Kensington Stables, at 51 Caton Place, has been sold to John Quadrozzi, who is doing business as Prospect Park Stable LLC. He has agreed to keep the stable open for at least five years and keep Walker Blankinship, son of former owner Edna Blankinship, as manager.
In addition, Quadrozzi "will be seeking a zoning variance to build residential units atop the stable. He expects the addition to top out at around seven or eight floors," according to Crain's New York Business. No statement has been made about how many units would be built.

  •  57 Caton Place: The warehouse at 57 Caton Place would be replaced by a nine-story, mixed-use building containing 107 residential units (including 27 permanently affordable units), 10,000 feet of ground-floor commercial space, and enclosed parking for 74 vehicles, according to the rezoning application that has been filed.
Community Board 7 will hold a public land-use hearing on the application on Wednesday, May 9th (details below); neighborhood residents need to decide on May 1st what they do or don't want done with this property and then show up at the hearing on May 9th to tell the board about it.


  • Caton Place: A developer has purchased International Baptist Church's parking lot, next to the warehouse at 57 Caton Place. The developer's plans are not yet known.



  • 72 Caton Place: In the parking lot of Calvary Cathedral of Praise, a developer plans to erect an eight-story, 109-foot-tall CubeSmart self-storage building. The property is already zoned as a C8-2 district; all commercial uses (except large, open amusements) as well as certain community facilities are permitted in C8 districts. Therefore, no rezoning or special approvals are needed to proceed with the plan for a storage facility.

Public Hearing about 57 Caton Place

On Wednesday, May 9th, at 6:30 p.m., Community Board 7 will hold a public hearing on Application #C170213 ZMK, which seeks a zoning change for 57 Caton Place from C8-2 and C2-4 (commercial) to R7A (residential).

Immediately after the public hearing,
the community board's Land Use/Landmarks Committee will meet to discuss the application. Committee meetings are open to the public. 

The public hearing and the committee meeting will take place in the P.S. 130 Upper School auditorium, 713 Caton Avenue, between E. 7th and E. 8th streets, in Windsor Terrace.
 

FOUND: MISSING SENIOR ABE RUIZ-ALONSO


Good news: a niece of Abe Ruiz-Alonso reports that her uncle has been found.


Friday, April 27, 2018

MISSING SENIOR: ABE RUIZ-ALONSO


A Silver Alert has been issued for Abe Ruiz-Alonso, a 77-year-old Hispanic male from Brooklyn. He has Alzheimer's Disease and may be in need of medical attention.

Description: 5'5" tall, 180 pounds, gray hair, and gray eyes. He was last seen wearing khaki pants, a green jacket, and black shoes at McDonald Avenue and Avenue C at approximately 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 26th.

If you see him, call 9-1-1.


COLD BREW IS BACK AT WINDSOR COFFEE


Windsor Coffee is serving Cold Brew coffee again. The imported beans for this seasonal coffee drink are not available during the winter months.

Cold brew is created by steeping medium-to-coarse ground coffee in room temperature water for 15-18 hours and then filtering out the grounds. The result is a richly-flavored, clean cup of coffee without sediment. Cold Brew uses time, rather than heat, to extract the coffee's flavor.

Iced coffee and a variety of other specialty iced drinks are also served at
Windsor Coffee. Iced coffee is brewed like any regular coffee, cooled down, and then poured over ice.

Everything served
at this friendly, neighborhood coffee ba, owned by Karen and Mark Newfeld, is Brooklyn-based, including Oslo coffee, Brooklyn Biscuits, and Colson pastries.

Location
Windsor Coffee
144 E. 4th Street, Windsor Terrace
just north of Fort Hamilton Parkway, next to Hair Care by Yolanda
https://www.facebook.com/Windsor-Coffee-1917585921857432/


Thursday, April 26, 2018

GIFT-GIVING PARTY FOR KITTENS


"Kitten Shower"
Sunday, May 6th, noon to 4:00 p.m.

A "Kitten Shower" on Sunday, May 6th, from noon to 4:00 p.m. at Sean Casey Animal Rescue (SCAR), will feature a bake sale, games and prizes, and kittens.

Help SCAR save kittens' lives by bringing a donation from its Amazon Wish List to the Kitten Shower. Items on the wish list will help supply foster parents with everything they'll need to care for kittens from newborn to about eight weeks old, when they're ready to be adopted.

Learn about fostering opportunities at the Kitten Shower.

Location 
Sean Casey Animal Rescue
153 E. 3rd Street
between Fort Hamilton Parkway and Caton Avenue
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn
(718) 436-5163
info @ nyanimalrescue.org
http://nyanimalrescue.org
http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NY637.html
https://www.facebook.com/SeanCaseyAnimalRescue
https://www.instagram.com/nyanimalrescue
https://twitter.com/nyanimalrescue
https://websta.me/n/nyanimalrescue

Sean Casey Animal Rescue is open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. every day.


Support local, independent small businesses!

Wednesday, April 25, 2018

DISCO NIGHT



Disco Night
Saturday, April 28th, 9:00 p.m. until ?

Put on your your your your your Boogie Shoes and Hustle over to Disco Night at Denny's Pub with DJ Chet Tozzi. When you're there, you'll feel Mighty Real!

Location
Denny's Pub
106 McDonald Avenue, corner of Church Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
(718) 435-2156

Support local, independent small businesses!

FLEA MARKET AND SEEDLINGS SALE

Flea Market and Seedlings Sale
Saturday, April 28th, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 pm.
Sunday, April 29th, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The East Fourth Street Community Garden's two-day Flea Market and Seedlings Sale will be stocked with clothes, books, jewelry, toys, housewares, baked goods, and more.

The sale will be held on Saturday, April 28th, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 pm., and Sunday, April 29th, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Location
The East Fourth Street Community Garden
179 E. 4th Street
between Caton Avenue and Fort Hamilton Parkway
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn
http://eastfourthstreetgarden.tumblr.com
https://www.facebook.com/groups/246036418909475

 

BUILD STRONGER READERS AT WINDSOR TERRACE LIBRARY (FREE)

Team Up To Read
Saturday, April 28th, May 5th, May 12th, and May 19th,
2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Team Up To Read is a free interactive series designed for children ages five to nine and their parents or other caregivers to help improve reading skills with tips and fun activities, all while encouraging a lifelong love of reading. 

Participants are eligible to receive giveaway books for their home libraries.

A Spanish interpreter is available to assist families at the Windsor Terrace location.

The program is held on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. through May 19th. Additional information can be found online here.


Location
Windsor Terrace Library
160 E. 5th Street, off Fort Hamilton Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 686-9707
http://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/windsor-terrace


Tuesday, April 24, 2018

AGENDA FOR COMMUNITY BOARD 12 PUBLIC MEETING (FREE), APRIL 2018

Community Board 12 Board Meeting
Tuesday, April 24th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Community Board 12 (Kensington, Borough Park, Midwood) will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, April 24th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The board's monthly meetings are open to the public. The public is invited to comment during the Public Session (agenda item 6).

Agenda:
  1. Pledge of Allegiance
  2. Chairman's Remarks - Moshe Wieder
  3. Presentation from Brooklyn Public Library - Nailia Rosario - Mapleton Library Reading Garden - 17th Avenue & 60th Street
  4. Variance Committee Report - David Shlomovich - Bobover Yeshiva Bnei Zion - 1360 36th Street
  5. Housing Committee Report - Larry Jayson - Hamaspik of Kings County Group Home - 1471 49th Street
  6. Public Session
  7. District Manager's Remarks - Barry Spitzer
  8. Adoption of February & March Minutes
  9. Old Business
  10. New Business
  11. Attendance
  12. Adjourn
Location
Amico Senior Center
5901 13th Avenue, 3rd Floor
corner of 59th Street
Borough Park, Brooklyn

Enter the building on 59th Street. 

ICE ON TRIAL: A KENSINGTON PEOPLE'S TRIBUNAL


ICE on Trial: A Kensington People's Tribunal
Friday, April 27th, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

From the host, DRUM - Desis Rising Up & Moving 
Join community members who have been directly affected by the immigrant detention system gathering for a people’s tribunal to hold Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) accountable for its culture of secrecy and systemic abuse.
The tribunal is one of a series of coordinated people’s tribunal across the country as a part of the #ICEonTrial campaign. The campaign comes with a rise of retaliation by ICE against activists, as the agency is emboldened to be less transparent, unaccountable and act with increased impunity under the Trump administration.
The charges against ICE:
-ICE is not complying with its legal obligations to migrants
-ICE does not live up to the moral and ethical standards of our community
-ICE oversees a detention system that is inherently inhumane, dehumanizing, and exploitative

Location
Avenue C Plaza
Avenue C at McDonald Avenue
Kensington, Brooklyn
map

Monday, April 23, 2018

GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY PRIORITIZES COMMUNITY SAFETY IN TREE MANAGEMENT



Green-Wood Cemetery is committed to community safety. Recently, the cemetery removed or pruned over eighty trees along its perimeter that were deemed a potential danger to pedestrians, cars, and cyclists. More details about this initiative can be found in the press release below.

--------------------------------------------------

THE GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY
PRIORITIZES COMMUNITY SAFETY IN TREE MANAGEMENT

More than 80 trees along Green-Wood’s perimeter deemed
to be a potential danger to pedestrians, cars & cyclists
have been removed or pruned
 
(BROOKLYN NY)  In a massive three-month effort to protect the community from potential danger, a team of arborists from The Green-Wood Cemetery removed or pruned more than 80 trees from around its 4.5-mile perimeter that had been deemed hazardous to pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

The trees, many of which were Norway maples – an invasive and particularly aggressive species – grew along Green-Wood’s fence line.

Joseph Charap, Director of Horticulture and Curator at Green-Wood, said, “Norway maples have very shallow roots, which outcompete other vegetation and damage pavement.  They also have a very tight root mass which weakens the tree as it ages. Doing preventive maintenance like this is not only good for the trees, it’s good for our neighbors.”

Plans are underway now to replace the removed Norway maples with native trees. The new trees will be planted at a greater distance from the fence. 

The grounds of The Green-Wood Cemetery include more than 7,000 individually inventoried shade and ornamental trees. They represent 400 species, cultivars, and hybrids, over 40 taxonomic families and more than 89 genera.

Green-Wood’s trees range from seedlings planted within the past few months to grand old specimens that have graced its landscape for well over 100 years. They represent some of the oldest and largest of their kind (including one national- and two state champions) in the New York City area.   

Richard J. Moylan, president of The Green-Wood Cemetery, added, “Visitors to Green-Wood have enjoyed our magnificent trees since 1838, and we are committed to carefully managing our tree collection so they can be enjoyed by many generations to come.”

Moylan also thanked the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Urban and Community Forestry Project for its endorsement and grant support of this perimeter tree management program. 

###

About Green-Wood: Incorporated in 1838, The Green-Wood Cemetery stretches across 478 pastoral acres in Brooklyn and boasts extraordinary works of nineteenth- and twentieth-century sculpture, statuary and architecture.

Home to thousands of historic figures, The Green-Wood Cemetery offers tours of its grounds, concerts, book readings and other public events throughout the year.

Green-Wood has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior.

The Green-Wood Historic Fund is a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit membership organization created to maintain Green-Wood’s monuments and buildings of historical, cultural, and architectural significance; to advance public knowledge and appreciation; and to preserve the natural habitat of one of New York City’s first green spaces.

For more information, please visit www.green-wood.com.

FLEA MARKET AND BOOK AND PLANT SALE

                           P.S. 130 Flea Market and Book Sale
                        Sunday, April 29th, 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Press Release - For Immediate Release
PS 130 PTA to Hold 3rd Annual Flea Market and Book Sale
By Sally Skinner
April 22, 2018

Brooklyn, NY – The PS 130 PTA is holding its third annual Flea Market and Book Sale on Sunday, April 29, 2018, from 9 am to 1:30 pm at the PS 130 Lower School, located at 70 Ocean Parkway.

The Flea Market and Book Sale is open to the public and will feature a huge array of books (for adults and kids); gently used baby and children’s clothes, shoes, and gear; toys, games, and puzzles; household goods, including small appliances; home décor; sporting goods; and accessories. 

The PTA’s Garden Committee will also be selling plants (herbs and annuals).

The PTA welcomes donations from the community. They can be dropped off at the back door of 70 Ocean Parkway on Saturday, April 28, between 9 am and 2 pm.  (No adult clothes, children’s underwear and socks, or bulky items will be accepted; all items should be clean, in good shape, and free of stains and rips. Items that are broken or have missing parts will not be accepted.)

"This event is a win for our entire community," said PS 130 PTA Co-President Ashley Kreamer.  "By allowing neighbors to donate items that we sell at a very reasonable price, we are helping to keep useful items out of the trash and offering them directly back into our community, while raising funds to support important PTA initiatives like direct support to classroom teachers, professional development, and needed supplies."

Items will be priced to sell, and all funds raised will be used to support the PS 130 PTA.  Baked goods, drinks, and assorted snacks will also be available to buy.

Contact
Sally Skinner
PS 130 PTA
917-608-9760
ps130flea @ gmail.com

Location
P.S. 130 Lower School Cafeteria
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn 

The entrance to the cafeteria is through the playground on Fort Hamilton Parkway, near E. 5th Street.

Sunday, April 22, 2018

COMMUNITY MEETING OF ALBEMARLE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION



Community Meeting of Albemarle Neighborhood Association
Thursday, May 24th, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 

The next community meeting of the Albemarle Neighborhood Association will be held on Thursday, May 24th, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Members and non-members alike are invited to attend. Admission is free.

Meeting location 
Flatbush Jewish Center 
Hanid Room
327 E. 5th Street 
at the corner of Church Avenue 
Kensington, Brooklyn 

Enter the synagogue via the ramp on E. 5th Street. Use the stairs or the wheelchair-accessible elevator to go downstairs to the Hanid Room.

 --------------------



About Albemarle Neighborhood Association

Albemarle Neighborhood Association (ANA) is the oldest neighborhood association in Brooklyn. Since its founding in 1973, it has worked to advance Kensington's quality of life.


ANA's meetings are free. They are open to the public.

Meetings provide a place for Kensington's residents to address safety, security, and quality of life issues. ANA helps create a safe and stable neighborhood by working closely with its members, other neighborhood residents, city agencies, and elected officials to address key issues.

Saturday, April 21, 2018

NEW DINER OPENING SOON, RUN BY THE OWNERS OF BUTTERFUNK KITCHEN AND BROOKLYN COMMUNE


The owners of the soon-to-be-open Sumner's Luncheonette announce
"In just a few short days, Sumner's will open. Giving you that old school Southern Luncheonette feel. Featuring dishes like Chicken and Waffles with an Amish Twist. Chicken Fried Steak with Whiskey Jerk Hot Pickles, Crispy Cornmeal Catfish Sandwiches and a whole bunch of Southern Style desserts.
Did we mention the Happy Hour and the focus on Local Craft Beers and Southern Peach Sangria. We told you something good is about to happen."

Chef Chris Scott (of "Top Chef" fame) and Eugenie Woo own and operate the two-year-old Butterfunk Kitchen and the eight-year-old Brooklyn Commune. The latter closes this weekend and will be replaced by Sumner's Luncheonette.

Sumner's will be a retro diner serving old-school classics with an Amish Soul Food twist. It will be open for lunch and brunch.

Location
Sumner's Luncheonette
601 Greenwood Avenue
at the corner of Prospect Avenue, next to Butterfunk Kitchen
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

Support local, independent small businesses!

Friday, April 20, 2018

SEVERAL WEEKENDS WITHOUT F TRAINS BETWEEEN CHURCH AND STILLWELL


F trains will not run in either direction between Church Avenue and Stillwell Avenue on weekends from Fridays at 9:45 p.m. to Mondays at 5:00 a.m. until May 14th. The suspension is to accommodate structural improvements and signal interlocking modernization.

Free shuttle buses will provide alternate service. Transfer between F trains and buses at Church Avenue.

F service will operate as usual between 179th Street and Church Avenue.

Shuttle buses operating between Church Avenue and Stillwell Avenue will stop at Ditmas Avenue, 18th Avenue, Avenue I, Bay Parkway, Avenue N, Avenue P, Kings Highway, Avenue U, Avenue X, Neptune Avenue, and W. 8th Street.

For direct service between Coney Island and Manhattan/Downtown Brooklyn, take the D, N, or Q instead. Transfer between D, N, and Q trains and buses at Stillwell Avenue. Transfer between Q trains and buses at West 8th Street.


MORBID ANATOMY OPEN HOUSE AND GARDEN PARTY IN GREEN-WOOD CEMETERY


Morbid Anatomy Open House and Garden Party
Friday, April 27th, 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

An open house and garden party will celebrate Morbid Anatomy's free exhibit--"The Power of Images: Life, Death, and Rebirth"-- currently on display in the Fort Hamilton Gatehouse at Green-Wood Cemetery.

The exhibit, on display on Saturdays and Sundays, from noon to 5:00 p.m., through June 24th, includes art, books, artifacts, and ephemera from Morbid Anatomy, Green-wood Cemetery, and collectors.

The reception will include a tour of the newly-installed Morbid Anatomy Library by creators Joanna Ebenstein and Laetitia Barbier and an opportunity to meet artists and collectors who contributed to the exhibition.


Other features of the reception will be a tour by Allison C. Meier highlighting the design and symbolism of Green-Wood's extraordinary funerary monuments, music by Friese Undine, and complimentary refreshments.

The exhibit and library space are not handicap-accessible.

The cost of admission to the reception is $5 for members of Green-Wood and Brooklyn Historical Society and $10 for non-members. Order tickets on Green-wood's website here.

The blog for Morbid Anatomy: Surveying the Interstices of Art and Medicine, Death and Culture is at https://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com.


Location
Fort Hamilton Gatehouse
at the Fort Hamilton Parkway entrance to Green-wood Cemetery, across from Micieli Place
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

Nearby public transportation includes the B67 and B69 buses and the F and G train stations at Fort Hamilton Parkway and Church Avenue.


Saturday, April 14, 2018

GROWING HOUSEPLANTS FROM CUTTINGS (FREE)


Growing Houseplants from Cuttings with Susan Braverman
                Saturday, April 21st, 2:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Learn how to start vigorous new houseplants expertly from cuttings. Start or increase your plant collection without spending any money!

In this free, interactive workshop led by Susan Braverman, participants will learn how to

  • make cuttings using various methods,
  • root cuttings in water/soil, and
  • care for their plants.

Each participant will take home two potted plants and a how-to guide on cutting propagation. Supplies for the class will be provided.

Adults and families are welcome to attend.

Limited space. Call 718.686.9707, or register online at www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar. Free.


Susan Braverman is a Horticultural Therapist Master and founder of Urban Oasis, a rehab program that includes an inner city farm, two greenhouses and a farmers market. In a partnership between the nonprofit GreenWorks Team and Brooklyn Public Library she has worked with neighborhood residents and people with disabilities on community gardening projects.

This program is made possible by ZipCar.  


Location 
Windsor Terrace Library
160 E. 5th Street, off Fort Hamilton Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11218
(718) 686-9707
http://www.bklynlibrary.org/locations/windsor-terrace

Friday, April 13, 2018

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION AT PROSPECT FARM (FREE)


News from Prospect Farm

 

       Come one, come all, to our Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 21, from 11 AM until 2 PM.  We will have planting and compost demonstrations, children's activities, music, a plant and bake sale, and more!  This event is free, but donations are accepted.
      Prospect Farm is located at 1194 Prospect Avenue in Brooklyn, just below the Seeley Street overpass.

Copyright © 2018 Prospect Farm, All rights reserved.
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                       Earth Day Celebration at Prospect Farm
                     Saturday, April 21st, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Prospect Farm's Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 21st, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., will kick off the growing season.

Activities for all ages will be offered at the child-friendly event, including

  • composting demonstrations,
  • garden tours,
  • music,
  • face painting,
  • scavenger hunt,
  • plant sale, and
  • baked goods sale.

This is a free event. Donations are always welcome. Prospect Farm is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization; donations are tax-deductible.

You can RSVP on their Earth Day event page on Facebook.


About Prospect Farm
 

"Since March 2010, Prospect Farm has been a community project development toward producing healthy local food as an alternative to industrial food. Our objective is diversity in food production and membership. We are slowly creating healthy soil through our community composting project and farm without chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides."

"Prospect Farm is a community association with membership open to all. Members improve and farm the land and sustain ties with local residents, businesses and organizations. We support the Brooklyn Food Coalition and other initiatives for food sovereignty and food justice."

Location
Prospect Farm
1194 Prospect Avenue
next to the Seeley Street Bridge
Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn

https://prospectfarm.org
@ProspectFarmBK
https://www.facebook.com/ProspectFarmBK

THAI TONY'S IS ELEVEN YEARS OLD




KARMABrooklyn congratulates Thai Tony's
as it approaches its eleventh anniversary.

Enjoy homestyle cooking in a relaxed atmosphere.

Thai Tony's
3019 Fort Hamilton Parkway
between E. 2nd and E. 3rd streets
Windsor Terrace - Kensington, Brooklyn

Support local, independent small businesses!