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LOOK FOR BREAKING NEWS EVERY WEEKDAY AT BROOKLYNPAPER.COM Yo u r Neighborhood — Yo u r News® BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2011 BROOKLYN HEIGHTS–DOWNTOWN EDITION AWP/14 pages • Vol. 34, No. 8 • February 25–March 3, 2011 • FREE INCLUDING DUMBO NEW PARK TAX? Critics say idea is dead as other housing alternatives emerge By Laura Gottesdiener “The Park Improvement District they The Brooklyn Paper proposed is not going to happen,” said Brooklyn Bridge Park could raise state Sen. Daniel Squadron (D–Brook- one-quarter of its massive mainte- lyn Heights). “There are viable alter- nance budget through a new tax on natives to the current plan” to include local businesses and residents — but housing in the park. that idea is dead in the water, say crit- The construction of housing and other ics, who think there are better ways to revenue-generating uses stems from a raise the money. 2002 agreement between the city and Photo by Stefano Giovannini A consultant hired last year to search state that the $350-million park raise Tamer Hamawi and Emelie Kihilstrom are co-owners of Colonie, for revenue to maintain the park with- its own maintenance budget so it would a restaurant on Atlantic Avenue that donors helped build. out building residences within its wa- not be a drain on city coffers. terfront footprint released a draft report But the proposed 20- to 30-floor on Tuesday that predicted that $1 mil- luxury high-rises have long been the lion to $4 million towards the park’s 1.3-mile waterfront development’s most $16-million maintenance budget could controversial feature, so last year, park Kickstarting come from a new tax on residents and planners created a Committee on Al- business owners within a quarter-mile ternatives to Housing. of the park. On Tuesday, the committee’s con- But the scheme — called a “Park Im- sultant issued a draft report that found provement District” — is so unpopular $2.5 million to $7 million in new reve- your dinner that before the ink dried on the study, A consultant hired to seek alternatives to housing inside Brooklyn nues, including the controversial new the proposal was already being blasted Bridge Park thinks $4 million could be raised by taxing residents and park improvement district. Fancy eatery opens — with as “insulting” and “a scare tactic.” businesses in a quarter-mile zone near the park. See PARK on page 11 your help — in Bklyn Heights By Linnea Covington $1,000 bought an eight-person, fam- for The Brooklyn Paper ily style dinner. Maybe Al Gore should take The goal was to raise $10,000 On the roll again credit for this restaurant. by Nov. 1 — but by year’s end, Colonie, the biodynamic, artisa- the trio had raised $15,371 from nal eatery that just opened last week 91 backers. Unicyclist beats rap in sidewalk-riding caper on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn “Social networking is the great- Heights has more than just a great est tool,” said Rosenberg. “We did it By Laura Gottesdiener Petersen’s legal troubles date back state law defines a bicycle as having chef and three committed owners: to raise money and to get the word The Brooklyn Paper to 2007, when he was ticketed for rid- at least two wheels, and the judge dis- it also has the power of the social out. And it worked.” He’s “Free Wheel-y!” ing on the sidewalk of Madison Street missed the case this week. network behind it. Like a charm, in fact; long be- Unicyclist Kyle Petersen was back near his Bedford-Stuyvesant apartment. Dismissal or not, Petersen’s legal Eight months ago, owners Elise fore Colonie opened on Feb. 17, in his slightly unbalanced saddle again Then, on Nov. 2, 2010, cops again hit cycle continues. Rosenberg, Emelie Kihlstrom, and people were talking about the res- on Tuesday after a judge dismissed a Petersen with a summons for the same Last year, he filed a $3-million suit Tamer Hamawi set up an account taurant, the blogs had picked up disorderly conduct charge against the alleged violation. This time, the high against the city for the wrongful ar- on the then-obscure fundraising the thread, and the foodie com- one-wheeled wonder for riding on the roller tried diplomacy. rest . website Kickstarter, announcing munity in Brooklyn and beyond sidewalk two months ago. “I told the cops that I’d been through “The police had no business detain- their eatery and seeking donations was watching. “I’m quite relieved,” said Petersen. this before and that unicycling on the ing me and stopping me, and it shows a so that said restaurant could some- It helps, too, that Colonie’s sea- “I was just happy that common sense sidewalk is completely legal,” Peter- pattern of behavior among the NYPD,” day actually exist. sonal American menu goes hand in won the day.” son said. said Petersen. In exchange for cash, the trio hand with Brooklyn’s latest trend: Peterson is best known for entertain- So cops summonsed him for some- Petersen says his civil suit is not about offered incentives: pledging $50 biodynamic eats. File photo by Bess Adler ing the multitudes at MCU Park as the thing else: disorderly conduct, court his personal agony, but about winning to the effort got you a round of “This is a trend, but we strongly A judge has dismissed all charges unicycle-riding vendor for the Brook- papers show. protection for everyone, whether they drinks for four people. A grant of See COLONIE on page 11 against sidewalk-riding uni cyclist lyn Cyclones — but off the field, he’s For the record, riding a unicycle on use wheels or not. Kyle Petersen. less entertaining to cops. the sidewalk is actually legal because See ROLL on page 11 Sunnier sequel for Pavilion By Laura Gottesdiener Dan Kluger of South Slope. “But I’ve us every day to see how much it [the The Brooklyn Paper found the place has gotten really run- theater] has deteriorated.” Coming soon to Park Slope’s Pa- down.” In the same letter, Brunetti dispelled vilion Cinema: “Renovation II — The This winter hasn’t been easy for the the bedbug rumor, writing that “there is no evidence that we have bedbugs,” Sequel.” old theater, which opened as the Sanders in 1928, closed in 1978, and was reborn but quickly adding, “If bedbugs were The rundown multiplex on Prospect as the Pavilion 14 years ago. Inconsis- ever to be discovered in the theater, Park West — which hasn’t been refur- tent heating, broken seats and unsub- we would not sit idly by.” bished since its original grand reopen- stantiated bedbug rumors have increas- Sure enough, two weeks ago, the ing in 1996 — is finally getting a make- ingly plagued the film house. Pavilion’s corporate owner, Cinedigm, over, and theatergoers are relieved that CNG / Laura Gottesdiener This year, the disrepair became so approved a renovation, and “things are the rumored bedbug haven will soon The seats in the Pavilion movie egregious that General Manager Ross underway,” said Brunetti. “I’m really Community Newspaper Group / Laura Gottesdiener have functional seats. theater feature rips, tears and Brunetti issued an apology to the neigh- excited.” Ross Brunetti, the general manager of Park Slope’s Pavilion movie “We used to come here a lot,” said even some missing seatbacks. borhood in February, writing , “It pains See PAVILION on page 11 theater, looks ahead to the upcoming renovations. Comptroller DATA SMOG Bike lane foes and supporters wants you! hopeful about new crash data Tell John Liu who to audit MEAN By Alex Rush in the grassroots, in the commu- The Brooklyn Paper nities,” Liu said at the ask-for- Streets Photo by Bess Adler Here’s your chance to bust a an-audit town hall meeting last The battle for Brooklyn’s byways Michael and Alice Halkias, owners of the super-posh Thursday at the Brooklyn Public shady city agency! Comptroller John Liu came Grand Prospect Hall on Prospect Avenue are pushing Library’s Central Branch. Comptroller John Liu is ask- to Brooklyn last week to let By Natalie O’Neill ahead with their 11-story hotel plan. The comptroller heard almost ing Brooklynites to suggest agen- people request audits. The Brooklyn Paper cies that should be audited for fi- 20 audit recommendations at the Is that an public meeting, but people can still Friends and foes of bike lanes nancial mismanagement — and can’t wait for a new city bike- he’s promised to pursue at least submit their suspicions of mon- on city-owned property are also ambulance in crash data law to take effect — one resident’s allegation of waste etary waste and fraud online at fair game to be inspected. Hall under fi re because both sides think it will the bike lane?! within a few weeks. www.comptroller.nyc.gov . City The comptroller’s office usu- show they’re right. “Nobody in city government agencies are audited most often ally audits about 60 organizations SEE PAGE 5 Just about everyone in this cy- But Grand Prospect refuses at any level knows exactly every- — at least once every four years — each year. cling-obsessed borough is happy thing that’s going on the ground, but private businesses that operate See LIU on page 11 to budge on 11-story hotel that the City Council passed a “People don’t feel safe.” trio of bills last week that will But Noah Budnick, a spokes- require officials to gather colli- By Gary Buiso 110-foot building proposal so man for the cycling advocacy sion statistics — and release data The Brooklyn Paper that it complies with the 50-foot group Transportation Alterna- about two wheel-related fatali- limit imposed in 2005.

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