110 Livingston News & Blog

According to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, it’s kinda sorta official that TJ’s is moving into the Two Trees’-owned Independence Bank space at Court Street and Atlantic, bordering Cobble Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, and Brooklyn Heights. This follows up on Marty Markowitz’s general statement that the company was seeking space in Brooklyn, back in March, and rumors the store was headed to One Brooklyn Bridge Park.

This certainly would bring up the level of grocery availability in the neighborhood, which has been limited by the paltry Key Food on Atlantic. We’d be disappointed though if local favorites like Sahadi’s and Pacific Green suffered as a result of this newcomer. If this does materialize it will be a different kind of Trader Joe’s experience–a landmark building with stately high ceilings and windows. We’ll go way out on a limb and predict that many will be very excited by this development.

• Trader Joe’s Coming to Old Independence Bank Building (BDE)

The Brooklyn House of D will reopen—Commissioner Martin Horn of the NYC Department of Corrections made it clear last night at a community forum on the city’s plan. Not only that, with current zoning, the city has the right to double the size of the facility.

It appears that the community has no say as to whether or not the rezoning and expansion will happen. But it does have a say as to how it will happen—how quality-of-life issues such as safety, parking and aesthetics will be addressed by the city and the property developer. The community does have choices: if and where to include retail and residential development in the plan, how to make the complex less aesthetically offensive and where to place entrances, exits and parking.

At least five different community groups were represented at the meeting, held at the Belarusian Church at Atlantic and Bond. They offered competing arguments on whether and how the jail should reopen.

Given that it is almost a sure thing that we will have a working jail in the middle of our neighborhood within the next five years, community members must come together around common values for integrating the jail into the community, and clear list of community priorities for the city and developer to address as they create a plan.

Commissioner Horn failed to adequately address the safety issues raised in light of past incidences when weapons were hidden on private property for released prisoners to pick up on their way out of jail. Horn also did a poor job of convincing us that prisoners will only be transported to the courthouse through an underground tunnel or by vehicle, rather than by walking across the street. These and other safety issues should be of primary concern for the community groups, and should be raised immediately with Councilman David Yassky.

Commissioner Horn seemed unwilling to pick up the phone to discuss safety and parking issues with his colleague, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. We strongly encourage these men to work together for the sake of the Downtown Brooklyn community.

(more…)

• Atlantic Yards to receive special tax breaks? Ire builds (NY Observer, Brownstoner)
• Brooklyn’s Newest Beach Now Under Construction at Brooklyn Bridge Park space (NY’ology)
• Biking Dutchman Hijacks Governors Island Planning Meeting (Daily Intel)
• New Court-Livingston-Schermerhorn BID (BDE)
• An F Express Train? Downtown Brooklyn Partnership says Yes (First & Court)
• Spawn of J Condo for Gowanus (Curbed)
• Lucky Smith St.: Lucky Jeans Store Moving In (McBrooklyn)
• 16 Court St. sells for $107 Million (Bklyn Paper)
• Two Trees Planning Building Adjacent to Bklyn Bridge (Brownstoner)
• Tall-ish building for Court St.’s Longshoremen Site (GL)
• Belltel 40% sold (Brownstoner)

Photo of brooklyn trees in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden by Luke Brown

Several local community groups are hosting a panel discussion on the proposed expansion of the Brooklyn House of Detention. The City has proposed that the facility double in size, and is exploring options for encasing the building with residential and/or commercial development. The meeting is taking place tomorrow, Thursday, June 21, at 7 pm at the Belarusian Church at Atlantic and Bond.

The Corrections Commissioner Martin Horn will be present. This is a great chance to learn about plans and make your opinions heard. The event is hosted by the Atlantic Ave. Betterment Association, the Atlantic Ave. Local Development Corporation, the Boerum Hill Association, the Brooklyn Heights Association, and our neighbors 53 Boerum Place. Discuss the issues in our neighborhood forum.

 Date: Thursday, June 21st
    Time: 7:00PM
    Location: Belarusian Church, Corner of Atlantic & Bond

For more information of the City’s proposed plans, see the EDC’s page on its “request for expressions of interest” (RFEI) from developers. The proposed plan basically includes: “up to 238,500 gsf of commercial and/or residential space, … developing 27,000 gsf of ground-floor retail along Boerum Place, Atlantic Avenue, and Smith Street, and Establishing a pedestrian-friendly streetscape that activates the area and masks the Detention Center uses.” Download the full RFEI here (pdf).

• House of Detention to Double in Size, May Open on Short Notice
• Walentas to Propose House of D Condos

UPDATE (6/21/07): the Sun has an article on the issues today, titled Neighborhood Criticism Mounts Over Brooklyn Jail.

In the meta-site news category, we’re very happy to report our 110 discussion forums are alive and well, with over 1000 posts by 150+ registered members. We appreciate all the residents and neighbors that have contributed to make the boards a useful resource and a good way to connect with future (and current) neighbors. If you’re in contract in the building and haven’t signed up, please do. The residents’ forum is private and limited to building residents.

If you’re a neighborhood resident please feel free to post in the neighborhood discussion, open to the public.