Defending Fort
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WHY ‘FEDDERS’ IS SUCH AN INFAMOUS HOUSEHOLD NAME: SEE P. 19 BROOKLYN’S REAL NEWSPAPERS Including The Bensonhurst Paper 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 • © 2005 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 20 pages •Vol. 28, No. 11 BRZ • Saturday, March 12, 2005 • FREE Defending Fort Ham Vito’s report says it’s vital By Jotham Sederstrom The Brooklyn Papers On the heels of a De- partment of Defense man- date to slash a quarter of the nation’s military installa- tions, Rep. Vito Fossella on Monday released a final report defending the Fort Hamilton Army Base as cru- cial to national security. Prepared over the course of a year by the 23-member Task Force to Save Fort Hamilton, the 66-page report cites the 35,000 soldiers who pass through the base’s recruitment program each year and the / Tom Callan / Tom role the base plays in national security in making its case against closing the 180-year- old garrison. The Pentagon’s Base Realignment and Clo- Callan / Tom sure Commission is expected The Brooklyn Papers file The Brooklyn to announce its recommenda- tions by May. The Fort Hamilton report will be delivered to Defense The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn Secretary Donald Rumsfeld this week, said Fossella. On Monday, Rep. Vito Fossella announced his Fort Hamilton “This is to justify and ex- Task Force Report, which found that the historic base must ON THE UPSWING plain what we all know to be remain open to protect the city from terrorist attacks. the obvious,” said Fossella, flanked by members of the task lions of people who come here while providing support to force outside the army base, on on a daily basis.” New York and New Jersey in Coney Island is now a hot commodity Fort Hamilton Parkway at Fossella said the task force 101st Street. “This base not securing New York Harbor. found that the base meets all The Bay Ridge-Staten Is- By Jotham Sederstrom three decades and structures that have In the meantime, the neighborhood test, the refurbishing of the old Para- only benefits Bay Ridge, but seven criteria that the Base Re- all of New York and the mil- land congressman added that The Brooklyn Papers long sat dormant have seen their val- has seen the rebirth of summertime chute Jump, which may become the alignment and Closure Com- by staying open, the base actu- ues nearly double just in the last year. throngs with the success of Keyspan site of a pavilion, and plans to mod- mission uses to judge the merits Asoon-to-be-released plan for PAGE 9 ally saves taxpayers $1.3 mil- From the barren, weed-strewn lot Park at West 17th Street between Surf ernize the New York Aquarium. of each installation. Among lion a year because it also the redevelopment of Coney beside Keyspan Park to the former Avenue and the Boardwalk, which But what really has property own- them, he said the base keeps an Island that is intended to restore site of the famed Childs Restaurant, draws thousands to see the short-sea- ers, speculators and potential develop- active Military Entrance Pro- houses the Army Corps of En- gineers, which would other- the former seaside resort area to developers are betting on a revitalized son single-A Brooklyn Cyclones base- ers licking their chops these days is cessing Station, provides a se- Coney Island, particularly its C-7 ball team, as well as a brand new, the city-backed redevelopment plan, cure location for training and wise have to shell out rent at its place as the borough’s main another location. attraction has sparked a real estate amusement district. Members of the grand subway hub at Stillwell Avenue the details of which are expected to be occupies land close to major Coney Island Development Corpora- that reopened in May. released by this summer, although no transportation systems. The latest base cuts will boom, say real estate agents and tion (CIDC), the group charged with Added to that has been the national exact date has been set. Additionally, said Fossella, mark the fifth round of clo- land owners. reinvigorating the area, expect to re- attention and thousands of visitors Michael Harari, a broker with Woody Allen on the report argues that the base sures by the Department of A slew of undeveloped lots that lease a draft of their plans within who hit Coney island for the annual Massey Knakal Realty, a commercial ‘Melinda & Melinda’ provides security for military Defense, which began seeking have languished for much of the last months. July 4 Nathan’s hot dog eating con- See CONEY on page 5 movements within the city See FORT HAM on page 6 Capano bows out of ‘06 council race By Jotham Sederstrom that he would forego his cam- The Brooklyn Papers paign for the 43rd Councilmanic seat and instead endorse fellow Only weeks after formally Republican Pat Russo, who he announcing his candidacy, was expected to face in a primary and just days after sitting election. down for interviews with the Russo is now the sole declared Kings County Conservative challenger to Gentile, a Democrat Party, Bay Ridge City Coun- who is up for re-election in 2006. cil hopeful Bob Capano said “Due to personal family rea- he would not seek to unseat sons, I will be unable to commit / Jori Klein incumbent Vincent Gentile the time and energy over the next next year. Republican Bob Capano has nine months necessary to be suc- Citing “personal family rea- dropped out of the race for cessful in the race to represent the 43rd City Council District,” sons,” Capano said on March 8 Bay Ridge’s council seat. said Capano. Papers The Brooklyn Although he declined to elabo- rate on his reason for bowing out, sources say that Capano ran into History at Borough Hall unexpected financial troubles af- ter learning on March 3 that fi- Borough President Marty Markowitz unveils portrait of Brooklyn’s first black state Supreme Court Justice, Oliver Williams, in Borough Hall’s Golden pitches nancial assistance had fallen courtroom. The portrait is the first of a black dignitary to have a permanent place on the walls of Borough Hall. With Markowitz at the unveiling through for his 18-year-old sis- on Feb. 24 are (from left) Edna Moshette, Williams’ son Oliver L. Williams, Williams’ daughter Ann Messinger, state Supreme Court Justice ter’s education at Wagner Col- Yvonne Lewis and portrait artist Donovan Nelson. lege in Staten Island. His family’s ballfield dollars primary earner since his father died in 1997, Capano indicated to By Jotham Sederstrom allies that, rather than push for- The Brooklyn Papers ward with an expensive political campaign, he would invest in his Sports fans who scoff at pitcher Pedro Martinez’s pricey sister’s college tuition. $53 million contract with the New York Mets and shed Asked to confirm those inten- City, state & Bruce agree: tears over Yankee slugger Jason Giambi’s steroid use, take tions, Capano said, “No com- note: pint-size athletes in Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst are ment. I believe personal is per- doing more with less — and loving it. sonal and private is private.” Thanks to more than $60,000 in state funding, more than a thou- Consequently, Capano said sand future homerun kings, soccer stars, Heisman winners and that he will be returning some jump-shot geniuses will begin their seasons fresh, with new equip- $15,800 in political contributions ‘Yards the place for Nets ment and uniforms. The budget allotment, to be spread throughout to about 170 donors. independent and Catholic youth programs throughout southwest The decision comes on the Brooklyn, was secured by state Sen. Marty Golden. heels of Capano’s resignation as By Jess Wisloski to build a basketball arena and 17 the project. veloper’s Forest City Ratner Cos. “This funding will go towards the purchase of new equipment and a community liaison for Brook- The Brooklyn Papers residential and office high-rises A press release from the mayor’s will move Ratner’s New Jersey Nets office touted the agreement as bring- basketball team to Brooklyn for a supplies to help grow our sports programs and to allow for our young lyn Borough President Marty Mayor Michael Bloomberg, on 21 acres of property emanat- players to have the best available opportunities to learn and to excel in Markowitz, a title he had held ing from the intersection of ing “over 4,000 units of mixed-in- period of no less than 30 years. They sports,” said Golden, whose 22nd Senatorial District encompasses Bay since hired by Markowitz’s pred- Gov. George Pataki and real come housing,” and Bloomberg will also develop mixed-use, multi- Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst and Marine Park. “I’m proud to ecessor, Howard Golden, in estate developer Bruce Ratner Flatbush and Atlantic avenues. called it an “historic project that will family housing, and office and retail support the efforts of the parents, the coaches and the players, which 1999. Although he said he would signed a “memorandum of The memorandum of understand- continue to energize the borough of space, of which 4.4 million square will keep America’s pastime, as well as other sports, alive throughout continue to support local Repub- understanding” March 3 that ing (MOU) calls for the city and the Brooklyn.” feet will be housing, 321,000 retail See BALLFIELD on page 6 See CAPANO on page 4 officially spells out Ratner’s plan state to each pay $100 million for According to the MOU, the de- See ARENA on page 17 ©The Brooklyn Papers.