So, now, it looks like the Battle of 360 Smith Street has gone to the squirrels. Well, squirrel brochures, at least. We’ll let the reader that emailed us the scan of the flyer being distributed outside the Carroll Street F Train stop (on trees that might be cut down to make way for construction) explain: […]

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[Photo courtesy of Gowanus Canal/flickr] What you are looking at is a photo of a black-crowned night heron that makes its home on the shores of the Gowanus Canal. It has been given the name Manzana. Like all creatures one finds in, on or near the Big G, it represents the triumph of spirit and […]

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[Map courtesy of the Pratt Center for Community Development] Here’s a handy color map produced by the Pratt Center for Community Development of the “exclusion zones” for the 421-a tax abatements, AKA the developer tax break, because it provides huge tax abatements to developers that sometimes benefit very wealthy property owners. The tax break was […]

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More than 100 opponents of what they call “epidemic abuse of eminent domain in New York City and New York State” gathered at City Hall yesterday to mark the second anniversary of a critical Supreme Court decision. The group included property owners, tenants, advocates and elected officials. “We haven’t seen this level of eminent domain […]

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Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images. In the Blogs: $20M for Property at Driggs and Metropolitan [Brownstoner] Miss Heather Tells You How to Ride the B61 Bus [newyorkshitty] Petition Against 360 Smith Monster Development Project [423 Smith] Participate in the Green Brooklyn Blog [Green Brooklyn] Future Atlantic Yards Site as Seen […]

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If we were to bet on one idea that’s risen through the grassroots that may have a shot at seeing the light of day in a reasonable amount of time, at this point we’d be putting some money on the idea of restoring express service to Brooklyn’s F Line. Not only has the idea made […]

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From a GL reader comes an intriguing question about big loads of construction material being driven through Williamsburg, destination unknown. To wit: I live on Grand St. in W’burg, one of the designated truck routes through Brooklyn, and I’ve noticed that over the past several nights, there have been convoys of 3-5 oversize load flatbeds […]

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One bit of fallout from all of the attention being paid to the Coney Island plans of developer Joe Sitt and Thor Equities–and the public perception that this is Coney’s “last year”–is that the Coney Island Development Corporation feels that it needs to bring in a hired PR gun. Sarah Ryley reports in the Brooklyn […]

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Writer Adrienne Onofri emailed to note the publication of her new book Walking Brooklyn. It’s a walking guide to Brooklyn that’s described as hitting: Brooklyn’s most interesting and notable neighborhoods, providing a mix of information about culture, history, architecture, places to eat, venues to visit, and more. From a walk through the Russian-influenced Brighton Beach, […]

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Developer Joe Sitt spent two hours in Coney Island last night making his pitch to residents and reporters and trying to drum up support for his embattled redevelopment plans. “It’s in your hands,” Mr. Sitt said of the future of project, noting that he is reluctant to build without the support of residents, the press […]

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The Coney Island presentation made by developer Joe Sitt and by Thinkwell Creative Director Chris Durmick about Thor Equities Coney Island plans contained a number of new details. The presentation leaned heavily on the designs for Stillwell Avenue, the Bowery and a passage that has been dubbed Front Street as well as Coney Island Park. […]

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In this clip from last night’s meeting in Coney Island at which developer Joe Sitt spoke at length, Mr. Sitt notes criticism of his project on “the blogs” and in the press and says that he will not build in Coney Island if he doesn’t have support from the community and “to some degree” the […]

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Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images. (We apologize for the delay in posting today due to our Coney Island coverage.) F Train Petition Delivered to MTA [Brooklyn Streets] Any Bed-Stuy Blocks Vying for Greenest Title? [Bed-Stuy Blog] Broad Support for Domino Designation at Landmarks Hearing [Brownstoner] Domino Plant Plans and Landmarks […]

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We’ve been reading and linking to the new City Room blog from the New York Times, and have been reading the Brooklyn stories it’s picking up with interest. Yesterday, Patrick LaForge revisited remarks made on the Brian Lehrer show by Pete Hamill, in which the columnist and writer called blogs “useful therapy,” but not journalism. […]

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Just as the temps get into that muggy, incredibly hot territory in the 80s and 90s, New York City pool season approaches. Funny how that works. In any case, New York City pools open on Saturday. The “Double D” Pool in Thomas Greene Park is located between Nevins Street, Third Avenue and Douglass & DeGraw […]

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We’re running a drawing of the new “Brooklyn Bridge Park Beach” which will open sometime next week, because we think it’s cool. But, for great photos, you should go over to Brownstoner and to BK11201. Here’s some of the details from the Brooklyn Bridge Park website: Cost: FREE! Hours: 11 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., 7 […]

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The purge of Community Board 6 members several weeks ago by Borough President Marty Markowitz and City Council Members David Yassky and Bill deBlasio continues to reverberate a bit. It’s worth noting that some people are now calling for board members to be elected in order to end the kind of political control that led […]

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The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative is holding a fundraising benefit event on the “beach” at the new East River State Park in Williamsburg tomorrow (6/28). The Greeway is the wonderful new waterfront linear park that would run from Greenpoint to Red Hook. It is at a fairly advanced stage of planning, but still faces hurdles as […]

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[Photo courtesy of lexacor/flickr] The sharp eyes and lens of lexacor caught this image of a “Thor Summer 2007” t-shirt in Coney Island on Mermaid Parade Day. While anti-Thor forces used the day to protest Thor’s plans in Coney, the developer had a presence too. Thor sent in the parade’s only bona fide marching band, […]

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If you have been following the saga of the Red Hook vendors, you know that the main issue is the refusal by the Parks Department to continue issuing temporary use permits to them. Instead, the city is going to put the concession for using the park out for competitive bid. Sounds like a good deal […]

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While the focus has been on the big eminent domain issue surrounding the Atlantic Yards development, the are many, many such cases around Brooklyn and all of New York City right now. And so, the “Rally to Fight Eminent Domain Abuses” on the steps of City Hall tomorrow (6/27) at 1PM will provide everyone with […]

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There’s a new blog in Ditmas Park called–surprise–the Ditmas Park Blog. It’s the work of Ben Smith and his wife Liena, and looks to be a very valuable addition to the information flow about Ditmas Park. Mr. Smith an NYC blogging veteran. He’s a staff writer for The Politico and a co-founder of Room Eight. […]

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If McCarren Pool can have concerts and dance performances, the Red Hook waterfront can have opera. Specifically, Giacomo Puccini’s Il Tabarro. The performance will be staged on the Mary A. Whalen, a former tanker that is being converted to a floating exhibition space and headquarters by PortSide New York. Set your iCals for September, which […]

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The idea of creating a swimming pool to go along with the new ice rink at the Lakeside Center in Prospect Park may have gone over like a lead balloon with the Prospect Park Alliance, but the organization says it’s considering a seasonal roller on the site. Local officials, including City Council Member Letitia James […]

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Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images: Still Coney: How Did Coney Become Such a Hot Property? [NY Mag] 2007 Mermaid Parade Hoopla [Kinetic Carnival] Mermaids on Parade! Vid [Daily Intel] The Coney Island Cyclone [Erica’s Blog] Coney Mermaid Parade [Brooklyn Heathen] Revelers on the Boardwalk [Jonathan Barkey/pbase] Not Coney: Here We […]

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