April 3rd Meeting Reminder & Flyer

Please save this date and encourage all members of the community to attend. You can click on the flyer image above to enlarge it. If you have the time, print and distribute.

Please note: in preparation for the April 3rd event, there is a planning meeting this Saturday, March 29 at 11:30 AM in the Carroll Gardens Branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, located on the corner of Clinton and Union.

76th Precinct Community Council Meeting: April 1, 2008

Come to the 76th Precinct Community Council Meeting

Meet the Commanding Officer, Deputy Inspector Michael Kemper

Get the latest crime statistics for:
*Cobble Hill
*Gowanus
*Carroll Gardens
*Red Hook

Get information on:
*Gun stop
*Anti-graffiti
*Counterterrorism
*Crime prevention
*new programs

Voice any concerns, ask questions, or just attend and take home valuable information!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008 at 7:30pm
Red Hook Community Justice Center at 88-94 Visitation Place

For additional information call Community Affairs at (718) 834-3207

Plans for 340 Court St. to be Revealed 4/3/08

Reminder: Public Scoping Meeting for Toll Brothers Gowanus Project Tomorrow!

Thursday, March 13, 2008
2:00 to 5:45 PM
&
6:00 to 8:45 PM

City of New York Department of City Planning
Spector Hall
22 Reade Street
New York, New York 10007.

Written comments will be accepted by the lead agency through the tenth day following the scoping meeting (before Monday, March 23rd).

See this post for more information.

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn Atlantic Yards Meeting Tomorrow, Thursday, March 13th

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn Community Meeting:

Thursday, March 13, 7PM

Hanson Place United Methodest Church, Main Sanctuary

144 Saint Felix St. at Hanson Place (Entrace on Hanson)

Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Subways: 2, 3, 4, 5, B, D, N, R, Q, and LIRR to Atlantic/Pacific St.; G to Fulton St.; A to Lafayette Ave.

Speculation has been increasing recently that Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards project could be falling prey to the triple-whammy of a slowing economy, the crisis in sub-prime mortgages and the global credit crunch. Big real estate deals all around the country are being put on hold or are being shelved altogether, and Ratner's planned City Tech tower project, which would have been Brooklyn's tallest building, unraveled two weeks ago (CUNY scuttled the deal because Forest City Ratner's building "would be too expensive, too slow and too controversial").The Atlantic Yards project is turning into the deal that couldn't get done.

All of which makes next Thursday's community meeting even more important...

Find out the latest on the community's fight against the destructive Atlantic Yards project, including news on the political and legal effort to stop the project. Find out how to get involved. Also, learn about the UNITY Plan, the community's alternative plan to develop the rail yards with truly affordable housing, community-friendly open space without the abuse of eminent domain. City and State politicians will speak and be available for Q&A.

Invited Elected Officials: Councilmember Bill DeBlasio, Councilmember Letitia James, Councilmember David Yassky, Assemblymember Jim Brennan, Assemblymember Hakeem Jeffries, Assemblymember Joan Millman, State Senator Eric Adams, State Senator Velmanette Montgomery

Sponsored by:

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn

Society for Clinton Hill

Fort Greene Association

Park Slope Neighbors

Friends and Residents of Greater Gowanus

Bears Community Garden

South Portland Block Association

The meeting is open to all. Please save the date, and bring a friend.

Public Scoping Meeting for Toll Brothers Gowanus Project This Thursday, March 13

As the Department of City Planning website announces,

"A public scoping meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, March 13, 2008 from 2:00 to 5:45 PM and from 6:00 to 8:45 PM at the City of New York Department of City Planning, Spector Hall, 22 Reade Street, New York, New York 10007. Written comments will be accepted by the lead agency through the tenth day following the scoping meeting.

Copies of the Draft Scope of Work and the Environmental Assessment Statement may be obtained from the Environmental Assessment and Review Division, New York City Department of City Planning, 22 Reade Street, 4E, New York, New York 10007, Robert Dobruskin, Director (212) 720-3423; or from the Office of Environmental Coordination, 253 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, New York 10007, Robert Kulikowski, Ph.D., Director (212) 788-2937."

These documents can also be found on the Department of City Planning website in pdf form.


The Toll Brothers wants to build approximately six hundred units of housing, ranging in heights up to 12 stories in a three acre space. It will, among other things, involve remediation of the contaminated portions of the site and remapping streets. Since the area isn't zoned for this type of development, several steps must be taken before any work can begin.

One of these procedures is a special meeting called a "scoping hearing," where the residents of our neighborhood get to speak their mind about the things they like or dislike about the proposed project.

The following is a list of subjects that the developer must address. Look over the list. Whether you are concerned about how larger sized buildings will affect your sunlight, how the additional housing will affect the amount of raw sewage flowing into the canal, or how the additional cars will affect the parking and traffic conditions, this is your chance to speak up. You may speak of any other concerns you may have; it does not have to be a topic on this list.

At the spoking hearing, each person has 3 minutes to orally communicate their concerns. There is also an opportunity to fully address your concerns in writing. The written comments must be sent-in before March 24, 2008.

Here is a list of possible subjects:

Land use, zoning and public policy, socioeconomic conditions, community facilities and services, open space, shadows, historic resources, urban design/visual resources, neighborhood character, natural resources, hazardous materials, waterfront revitalization program, infrastructure, solid waste and sanitation services, energy, traffic and parking, transit and pedestrians, air quality, noise, construction impacts, public health.

Please contact the USBA or one of our linked organizations, such as Friends of Bond, CORD, or FROGG for more information.

Spread the word and take this opportunity to make an impact in our community.

Stop Work Order for the Clarett Group at 340 Court St.

Due to a problem with the safety netting at the 340 Court St. site, the New York Department of Buildings has issued a Stop Work Order. The log of the initial complaint can be viewed below.

If you witness work being done on the site before the Stop Work Order is lifted, or that is unrelated to the resolution of the protective netting issue, please call 311 to make a complaint. You may also contact Councilman Bill de Blasio's office at 718-854-9791.

You can check the status of the Stop Work Order and other construction issues at the DOB website.

Community Meeting with the Clarett Group Scheduled

The much anticipated meeting with the Carroll Gardens community and the Clarett Group (the developers of 340 Court St.) is set for Thursday, April 3, 7:00 - 9:00 PM. The meeting will be held at the P.S. 58 Carrol School, located at 330 Smith St. All members of the community are encouraged to attend the event. The more attendees there are, the more our concern and commitment to Brooklyn and Carroll Gardens is displayed.

During the meeting, the Clarett Group and representatives from the architecture firm hired for the project, Rogers Marvel, will present plans and renderings of the condo building and townhouses that will replaces the former ILA building at 340 Court Street. There will be a short presentation from the Union-Sackett Block Association and time for a question and answer session.

Please save the date and look out for updates and flyers. Spread the word! If you are interested in helping with the preparation for this meeting, please attend the USBA meeting this Saturday at 11:30 AM at the Carroll Gardens branch of the Public Library.

Meeting Announcement: Saturday, March 8