SATURDAY • JULY 24, 2004 Including Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill Paper, Downtown News, DUMBO Paper and Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Paper Brooklyn’s REAL newspapers Published every Saturday — online all the time — by Brooklyn Paper Publications Inc, 55 Washington St, Suite 624, Brooklyn NY 11201. Phone 718-834-9350 • www.BrooklynPapers.com • © 2004 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 18 pages • Vol. 27, No. 29 AWP • Saturday, July 24, 2004 • FREE TA SHAFTS D’TOWN PLANNERS Won’t connect two / Tom Callan / Tom Metrotech stations By Deborah Kolben The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn The Brooklyn Papers The new Atlantic Terminal Mall, at the crossroads of Atlantic and Flatbush avenues, where one of the nation’s largest Target department stores Just a month after the city passed a massive EXCLUSIVE held an opening party Tuesday night. The retailer will open for business on Sunday. rezoning plan for Downtown Brooklyn that is and connect them underground, allowing a free expected to bring soaring skyscrapers and thou- transfer between the lines. sands of new workers to the area, the Metropolitan But in a letter addressed to both New York City Transportation Authority has pulled back funding Transit President Lawrence Reuter and MTA Exec- for much-need subway renovations in the area, a utive Director Katherine Lapp, a copy of which downtown business leader charged this week. was obtained by The Brooklyn Papers, Michael Brooklyn’s on Target Assemblywoman Joan Millman said the prom- Burke, executive director of the Downtown Brook- ised improvements were “the lynchpin” that lyn Council, decried the state-run agency’s decision clinched support for the Downtown plan. to pull funding for that project. Local elected officials and community leaders “I am writing regarding the … decision to de- For preview, store imports have long complained that the Jay Street-Borough fund the Jay Street/Lawrence Street subway station Hall A, C and F station and the Lawrence Street M reconstruction project,” Burke wrote in the letter, boldface Manhattan names and R station are in dire need of renovations in or- dated July 9. He went on to urge that the subway der to accommodate the 43,000 new workers ex- station fix-up money be restored. to mingle with Brooklynites pected over the next decade. A project was said to Citing the Downtown Brooklyn Plan, Burke be in the works that would upgrade the two stations See LAWRENCE on page 4 By Deborah Kolben space in which everything from bicy- The Brooklyn Papers cles to organic eggs will be sold. [The mall will open to the public The lighting was unflattering at 10 am on Sunday, July 25, for a and the margaritas overly sweet, grand opening celebration that will but nobody seemed to notice at the continue until 3 pm.] star-studded opening in Downtown Comedian Sandra Bernhard, the Brooklyn of one of the nation’s evening’s master of ceremonies, wel- Slope sportsplex largest Target department stores. comed guests to the sparkling new Yes, Target. aisles in her own special way. Callan / Tom Even executives from the Min- “Look at this alarm clock,” she nesota-based chain said they had said, pointing to one shopper’s mer- never before seen anything like it. chandise. “You’ve been oversleep- That’s because most of their store ing, you’ve been laying up on your set for armory openings don’t include a cadre of lazy fat Brooklyn ass. And look at tattooed hipsters or an albino Bur- what you got tonight, you got your- Papers The Brooklyn By Deborah Kolben non-profit organization dedicated to rebuilding mese python, let alone a sprinkling self an alarm clock. Ooohh child, Target mascot “Bullseye” the dog was on hand for the party, which The Brooklyn Papers public school athletic facilities, will spearhead the of celebrities. you be waking up. I feel good, I got also featured off-color comedian Sandra Bernhard. effort along with the city departments of Education In preparation for their — and the an alarm clock at Target.” The crumbling 14th Regiment Armory in and Homeless Services. Atlantic Terminal mall’s — grand Bernhard then briefly boomed her Park Slope will be converted into a $16 mil- The cavernous drill floor of the armory, on opening at Atlantic and Flatbush av- own rendition over Janis Joplin’s dose more than 30 years ago. and near the girl’s clothing section. lion public sports facility for residents and Eighth Avenue between 14th and 15th streets, will enues this Sunday, Target invited sev- “Mercedes Benz.” DJ Paul Sevigny, who often plays “Target’s cool. I’m down with nearby schools, Mayor Michael Bloomberg be converted into a multi-sports facility with a eral hundred media darlings, bold- “If Janis Joplin were still alive she on the Lower East Side and lives in Target,” Sevigny, the brother of ac- announced this week. track as well as basketball, volleyball and tennis faced names and Coney Island’s would be here shopping at Target,” Manhattan, was responsible for the tress Chloe Sevigny, said when For the past two years, Councilman Bill DeBla- courts. Circus Sideshow to its 192,000- Bernhard said, referring to the ’60s evening’s music and set up his asked about how he felt about work- sio has championed the proposition and this week, The armory will also continue to house a 70-bed square-foot, two-level emporium, a rock singer who died of a drug over- turntables across from the escalator See TARGET on page 7 the mayor announced that Take the Field Inc., a See ARMORY on page 4 Recall Davis 1 year later Superhero The Brooklyn Papers gunned down by a political rival in Greene, Prospect Heights and Crown By Deborah Kolben the balcony of the council chambers. Heights. book sale This week, friends, family, colleagues It was a year ago this past Friday While Davis’ political career may have By Deborah Kolben and even former political rivals from The Brooklyn Papers that Councilman James Davis, a min- been short, he left an indelible mark on the throughout the district and beyond looked ister and former police officer, was neighborhoods he represented — Fort for different ways to remember the anti-vi- THIS WEEKEND They may have X-ray vision, super strength and olence advocate and political maverick. the ability to cling to walls, but even superheroes At a tree-planting ceremony at the need a hand raising funds. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Tuesday morn- That’s why this weekend the Brooklyn Superhero Supply ing, Council Speaker Gifford Miller, who Co. — at 372 Fifth Ave. between Fifth and Sixth streets in did not always see eye-to-eye with Davis, Park Slope — is hosting a three-day book fair in the back of called his late colleague a “mighty oak its one-stop superhero shopping center, which sells every- among a tree of politicians.” thing from capes to anti-matter devices to hideout maps. The next day, July 21, the City Council Major book publishers from across the city have donat- renamed a City Hall lounge in Davis’ honor ed upwards of 10,000 books to the store which, starting and put up a plaque bearing his portrait — this fall, will run a non-profit tutoring center known as one he often included in campaign literature. 826NYC for children ages 6 to 18. Proceeds will go to- But a pair of dueling memorial cere- ward operating the mentoring center. monies on the first anniversary of his as- In addition to what their calling “dirt-cheap” books, 826NYC will be running superhero skills contests — in- / Jori Klein sassination, Friday, July 23, threw a politi- cal wrench in to the otherwise solemn cluding “Heroic Hopscotch,” to test aim and balance, and week of events. “Diabolical Double Dutch,” to judge speed and accura- Davis’ brother, Geoffrey Davis, organ- cy. Prizes will be awarded. ized a commemorative memorial celebra- / Jori Klein The book fair, which started Friday, will con- tinue on Saturday, July 24, from 10 am to 8 The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn tion at the Rose Castle Ballroom in Crown pm, and on Sunday, July 25, from 11 am Prospect Park Admistrator Tupper Thomas, Brooklyn Musuem Director Arnold Lehman, Coun- Heights with the Rev. Al Sharpton and ac- tress Melba Moore expected to appear. to 6 pm. For more information contact cilman Michael Nelson, Geoffrey Davis, Thelma Davis, Queens Councilman David Weprin, City the store at (718) 499-9884 or visit Council Speaker Gifford Miller, Brooklyn Children’s Museum President Carol Enseki, state Sen. On the same day, Davis’ estranged half- The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn the Web site at www.826nyc.org. Carl Andrews, Brooklyn Botanic Garden President Judith Zuk, Councilwoman Letitia James brother, a reverend who lives in Florida, and Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz at James Davis memorial tree planting. See DAVIS on page 4 BEGINSPAGE ON 8 Beautiful Legs This 3 day pass This Summer! 330 Flatbush Avenue has been exclusively created Brooklyn, NY 11238 Take care of those varicose veins. 718.783.5152 www.fitnessventures.net New clients only with this card. Some restrictions may Call the Brooklyn apply. 3 day pass must be activated within 5 days of inti- for YOU! tal consultation. Limit one per person. Offer expires 7/31/2004. Vein-Laser Center today! 263 7th Avenue • (718) 499-7755 330 Flatbush Avenue (bet. 7th Ave. & Sterling Pl.) • (718) 783-5152 • www.fitnessventures.net ©The Brooklyn Papers. Established 1978. Phone 718-834-9350. Celia Weintrob, Publisher (ext 104) • Neil Sloane, Editor (ext 119) • Lisa J. Curtis, GO Brooklyn Editor (ext 131) • Vince DiMiceli, Senior Editor (ext 125) • Ed Weintrob, President (ext 105) 2 AWP THE BROOKLYN PAPERS • WWW.BROOKLYNPAPERS.COM July 24, 2004 No room at Navy Yard … for an arena by residential development.