Wine Country… in Bed-Stuy?
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Twitter.com Facebook.com/ Volume 59, No. 120 MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2013 w B BrooklynEagle.com BrooklynEagle @BklynEagle 50¢ BROOKLYN Library Supporters TODAY Plan to Speak Out At Hearing Today SEPT. 30 Library supporters across New York City plan to make Good morning. Today is their voices heard at a City the 273rd day of the year. Council oversight hearing on The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of Monday. The topic of the 1 Sept. 30, 1902, carried the p.m. hearing, held by the sensational news that Lt. Committee on Cultural Af- Commander William Bro- fairs, Libraries and Interna- nough, assigned to the bat- tional Intergroup Relations, is tleship Kearsage at the “capital construction needs Brooklyn Navy Yard, had and the potential disposal of “blown out his brains” with libraries in New York City.” a revolver. The Eagle specu- The Pacific branch in lated that Bronough’s pro- Boerum Hill and the Brooklyn motion to executive officer of Heights branch of Brooklyn the ship was too much for Public Library are two of the him to handle. After other of- city’s libraries facing sale and ficers heard the shot and dis- redevelopment, along with the covered his body, they were Central Library in Manhattan, BRING ON THE BLING! Here’s another step in the upscaling horrified and grief-stricken. which faces draconian shrink- age, and the Mid-Manhattan of the ever-popular Fulton Mall: Crystal king Swarovski quietly No one offered any motive, and Science Industry and opened its doors Thursday, Sept. 26 at 490 Fulton St. The sparkly and indeed, Bronough was Business Libraries, which face shop, as seen in photos here, is just up the street from Swedish happily married with a daugh- closure. (The Pacific branch powerhouse retailer H&M, which recently joined the growing ter in a local private school. has received a reprieve However, one source told the roster of national and international credit-worthy tenants on through the efforts of City Fulton mall, which through good and bad times has been Eagle there was a “wave of Council Member Letitia suicides” in the Navy. James.) See story page, 2. Brooklyn’s Numero Uno shopping street since the 1800s. See brooklyneagle.com for more photos. Eagle photos by Lore Croghan BETTE MIDLER, FOUNDER OF the New York Restoration Project, recently unveiled the flood-prone Gowanus Gar- den as a transformed storm- resilient space. See story, page 2. Photo by Mia McDonald Judge: Community Groups Get a Seat at the Table in LICH Case Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Carolyn Demarest decided on Wednesday that six Brooklyn community groups would be allowed to intervene in legal issues BROOKLYN’S SADAM ALI IS FINALLY READY FOR HIS MOMENT being decided in her court in the spotlight as the headliner for Monday night’s concerning the ownership of nationally televised fight card at Downtown’s Barclays Long Island College Hospital (LICH). See story, page 2. Center. See sports, page 8. Eagle file photo by John Torenli Wine Country… In Bed-Stuy? PARTYGOERS AT THE Toast of Brooklyn, which celebrated the history and potential of Bed- Stuy, where some hope a $20 million revitalization project will spur an economic revival. See page 11. Eagle COMMUNITY EDUCATION COUNCIL 20 President Laurie Windsor Katinas by Paula photo (left), pictured with District 20 Superintendent Karina Costan- tino at a Bay Ridge luncheon, is one of NIA’s six award win- Photo by Seitu Oronde Photo ners. See page 11 for story. Monday, September 30, 2013 • Brooklyn Daily Eagle • 1 Library Supporters Plan to Speak Out at Monday Council Hearing that can be invested in other BPL fa- Group Seeks Library Sale Moratorium cilities to help address $300 million By Mary Frost in the skyscraper replacing the li- in deferred maintenance across the Brooklyn Daily Eagle brary is priced at $60 million. borough,” BPL said in a statement. Library supporters across New Citizens Defending Libraries BPL said it wanted to lock in a con- York City plan to make their voic- (CDL), a group pushing for a moratori- tract in Brooklyn Heights before the es heard at a City Council oversight um on library sales, says the deals ap- end of the Bloomberg administration. hearing on Monday. The topic of pear to be structured to benefit the Library user Justine Schwartz the 1 p.m. hearing, held by the Com- developers rather than the public. says she is upset that the Business mittee on Cultural Affairs, Libraries More than 13,000 people have Library, which currently shares the and International Intergroup Rela- signed CDL’s online MoveOn.org peti- building with the Brooklyn Heights tions, is “capital construction needs tion protesting the sales and the over- branch, will be moved to Grand and the potential disposal of librar- all defunding of the city’s libraries. Army Plaza, far from its user base ies in New York City.” “Proposals to sell-off the Brook- and inaccessible to the handicapped. The Pacific branch in Boerum Hill lyn Heights and Pacific library In a statement she has submitted and the Brooklyn Heights branch of branches mean that Monday’s over- to the City Council, Schwartz says, “I Brooklyn Public Library are two of sight hearing is an important one for have filed a complaint with the ADA. the city’s libraries facing sale and re- the people of the 33rd District,” said The Grand Army Plaza library is not development, along with the Cen- City Councilman Stephen Levin, assessable by subway for the handi- tral Library in Manhattan, which who represents Brooklyn Heights capped. There are no elevators at that faces draconian shrinkage, and the and parts of Greenpoint, Boerum stop. I am the voice for those who Mid-Manhattan and Science Industry Hill, Park Slope and other areas. “I can’t make it into the library because The Brooklyn Heights branch library is one of several facing sale and redevelop- and Business Libraries, which face clo- encourage everyone to make their of their physical restrictions. I have ment. Photo by Mary Frost sure. (The Pacific branch has received voice heard about the need for excel- trouble with my knee and climbing a reprieve through the efforts of City lent libraries in our communities by the subway stairs now is agony.” help from librarians, books, DVDs to the Woolworth Building) in Man- Council Member Letitia James.) attending or submitting testimony.” Schwartz says that while she is and more, she said. “It’s a hardship hattan, in the 16th Floor Committee The Donnell Library, sold in BPL says it needs to sell the fortunate enough to be able to af- being handicapped and closing Room. If you have any questions, 2007, is being shrunk by more than valuable Brooklyn Heights and Boe- ford a car service if multiple stair- down my library in Cadman Plaza is please call Ms. Thompson at 212- two-thirds, from 97,000 to 28,000 rum Hill properties because years cases are involved, many people heartless and wrong.” 788-7348 or 718-875-5200. Please ar- square feet. The New York Public of budget cuts have mired it in debt. are not. “They won’t be able to en- The hearing will be held be- rive a half hour early (12:30 p.m.) to Library is netting only $39 million The sale of the Heights’ property “is joy free career development classes, ginning at 1 p.m. at 250 Broadway go through security, and bring valid from the sale, while the penthouse intended to generate capital funds computers and WiFi,” along with (across from City Hall Park and next photo ID with you. Judge: Community Groups Get a Seat at the Table in LICH Case No Decision Yet About Public Advocate, Nurses, Healthcare Workers By Mary Frost in Cobble Hill. SUNY has refused to ing over the standing of the Pub- Brooklyn Daily Eagle provide the names of these interest- lic Advocate and groups represent- Brooklyn Supreme Court Jus- ed parties to stakeholders. ing nurses and staff at LICH: the tice Carolyn Demarest decided on De Blasio and the civic groups New York State Nurses Association Wednesday that six Brooklyn com- filed a “Motion to Intervene” in the and 1199 SEIU. “Those motions were munity groups would be allowed a case as stakeholders in the hospi- argued, but she did not yet rule,” voice in legal issues being decided tal’s future in late August. Walden said. in her court concerning the owner- “We are gratified that Judge De- “We’re thrilled they have a seat ship of Long Island College Hospi- marest rejected SUNY’s attempt to at the table, said de Blasio spokes- tal (LICH). quash the community’s important person Wiley Norvell. “The judge is SUNY Downstate Medical Cen- role in this litigation, and the Com- taking additional time to render a ter, which has been stymied in its munity groups are equally grateful decision on the standing of the Pub- attempts to close LICH, had con- to the Public Advocate, Bill de Bla- lic Advocate,” he confirmed. tested the legal standing of the sio, for paving the way for their suc- The legal proceedings could ex- groups, which include The Boerum cessful motion to intervene in these tend well past the Mayoral elec- Hill Association, Carroll Gardens law suits,” said attorney Jim Walden tions, where de Blasio, who long- Neighborhood Association, Cobble of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, who ago committed to saving LICH, is Hill Association, Brooklyn Heights represents both the community the front runner. Association, Wyckoff Gardens Asso- groups and de Blasio. Nurses and 1199 members said ciation and Riverside Tenants’ Asso- Besides the community groups, they hoped to be included, as mem- ciation.