PICTURE THIS Rendering of A-Park-Ment Tower Ignites Firestorm of Angry E-Mails
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BROOKLYN’S REAL NEWSPAPERS Including The Brooklyn Heights Paper, Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill Paper, DUMBO Paper, Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Paper and the Downtown News 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 • 18 pages •Vol.28, No. 29 BWN • Saturday, July 23, 2005 • FREE PICTURE THIS Rendering of a-park-ment tower ignites firestorm of angry e-mails By Jess Wisloski The Brooklyn Papers Proving that a picture is truly worth a thousand words, a com- munity activist and longtime sup- porter of the plan to build a Brooklyn Bridge Park set off a flurry of anxious e-mails this week when he distributed a com- puter-generated image of what he believes a planned 30-story con- dominium tower at the park’s U.N. Photo / Evan Schneider southern end would look like. Borough President Marty Markowitz, pictured last month with Kofi Annan, U.N. Secretary-General, is Roy Sloane, a member of the Cob- building bridges that may result in the international agency setting up permanent offices here. ble Hill Association who owns a small advertising agency and special- izes in graphic design, circulated an e-mail with an image he created de- picting how the park would appear from a western-facing view at At- lantic Avenue. U.N.-BELIEVABLE “My goal was to get an accurate picture out there and have an open discussion,” said Sloane, who oppos- es plans by the park’s state-appointed development corporation to finance Seek permanent office the annual $15.2 million operating budget by building five luxury resi- dential buildings. Unlike most parks in the city, space in D’town B’klyn Brooklyn Bridge Park, which is planned for the waterfront roughly be- tween the Manhattan Bridge overpass By Jess Wisloski say, even if they don’t decide upon “We went to the U.N., we made and Atlantic Avenue, is mandated to be The Brooklyn Papers Brooklyn as a temporary facility, our pitch and came home,” he Below, left, Cobble Hill Association member Roy Sloane’s rendering of what he believes a proposed 30-sto- said. self-sufficient, paying for its own cost- Borough President Marty they still would consider Brooklyn ry tower at the entrance to the planned Brooklyn Bridge Park waterfront development would look like. The ly maintenance. The city and state for a full-time expansion,” said Adams told The Brooklyn Pa- Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation subsequently released its version of the tower view (below, Markowitz has been lobbying Greg Atkins, Markowitz’s chief of pers this week that the U.N. was have agreed to finance the estimated United Nations officials to relo- right) and also overlayed what they believe to be more accurate dimensions onto Sloane’s rendering (above). $150 million it will cost to develop the staff. also eyeing Brooklyn for a perma- open space, commercial and housing cate to Downtown Brooklyn Atkins noted that the July 12 nent relocation of some type. development. during the planned reconstruc- meeting, which included Brooklyn “I think the thing that struck me Since the plans for the housing tion of the international body’s Chamber of Commerce President about the meeting was first, that were introduced to media and select general headquarters in Man- Kenneth Adams and Downtown the undersecretary made it clear community groups late last year, sub- hattan — and the effort may be Brooklyn Council Director that Downtown Brooklyn is cer- sequent meetings held by the Brook- paying off. Michael Burke, did not include tainly still on their radar screen lyn Bridge Park Development Corpo- Word out of meetings between any real estate developers. [for the temporary relocation], but ration (BBPDC) and its lead designer, Markowitz and U.N. Undersecre- “In fact, we aren’t even ready to the thing that was a surprise was the landscape architecture firm tary General Christopher Burnham be talking to developers in Brook- that he also mentioned his interest Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates this week was that Brooklyn is not lyn, but we took a delegation of in Downtown Brooklyn long- (MVVA), have shown attendees vari- just being looked at for the seven- business, educational institution term, that it is a possible site for ous renderings of what the park year relocation of their headquar- and community leaders to go talk some function of the U.N. perma- would look like from a multitude of ters and General Assembly, but is and we went to speak to Chris nently,” he said. viewpoints as well as a model. also being seriously considered for Burnham about why Brooklyn Crain’s New York Business re- None of the images showed pro- a permanent relocation of some would be a great possibility,” ported Monday that the U.N. had posed luxury high-rise residential support staff. Atkins said about the half-hour narrowed the potential sites for the See PICTURE SPARKS on page 17 “Undersecretary Burnham did meeting. See UN MOVE on page 13 Fort Greene sex MTA won’t shop turns heads show hand Refuses to release bid info By Jess Wisloski the 8.4-acre site likewise would not The Brooklyn Papers be made public until after the MTA Despite mounting pressure from board review of the bids. Forest City Ratner, the develop- community groups, the Metro- ment company with whom the MTA politan Transportation Authority has been negotiating for more than a said this week it would not make Jerry Speier year, and Extell Development, a Man- public the details of two bids sub- hattan-based company that submitted / Greg Mango / Greg mitted by developers seeking to a last-minute bid, both hope to secure Potter’s field build over the Atlantic Avenue rail development rights for the site. The storage yards until the authority’s rail yards stretch east into Prospect Brooklyn Public Library librarians Marilyn Ackerman, Michael Santangelo and Alli- board had completed its review of Heights from the intersection of At- son Henden surrounded by the latest Harry Potter installment, “Harry Potter and them. lantic and Flatbush avenues. The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn the Half-Blood Prince.” BPL set a new record with its initial purchase of 1,155 Aspokeswoman for the state au- Both Forest City Ratner and Ex- The Planet Pleasure shop at 527 Myrtle Ave. in Fort Greene. copies. Online reservations for the book topped 1,150 copies before last Satur- thority also told The Brooklyn Pa- tell officials have declined to make day’s release. Reservations can be made at www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org. pers that an independent appraisal of By Jess Wisloski Other neighbors have taken more civil See REFUSAL on page 17 The Brooklyn Papers forms of resistance to the shop. To say that the new, neon-pink-lit, Sharon Barnes, who lives nearby, said she was concerned about what the shop shaded-window storefront of Planet would mean to the burgeoning strip on Pleasure, a sex shop on Myrtle Avenue Myrtle Avenue. — which also features surveillance “Of course, everybody would be con- Musician, body art expert dies on bike cameras and a door buzzer — has cerned about this because it’s a main shop- turned a few heads would be a gross ping street, and we’re working on making it understatement. By Ariella Cohen It was Alexander’s passion May acknowledged unsafe, better,” she said. for bicycling and speed that led crowded conditions along the But to presume, as many passersby do, for The Brooklyn Papers “To have what most people would asso- to his demise — he was killed Bay Ridge waterfront on Shore that the Fort Greene store — more tamely ciate with pornography right out there If one thing is certain in the July 11 in a biking accident on Parkway’s “narrow” bike and referred to as an adult novelty shop — along with the basic services, it alarms wake of the tragic death of merely peddles pornographic magazines, the Shore Parkway path along pedestrian path and was looking them,” she added, pointing out that the lifelong Bay Ridgite Keith the waterfront in Bay Ridge. for funds to finance its repair. videos and DVDs is ludicrous, says owner shop, at the corner of Steuben Street, Alexander Bonanno, it is that Michael Rizzi. According to eyewitnesses, “The accident is so senseless. moved in next to Castro’s, a well-known his memory will live on, and They only have some of those things, he Alexander, who did not wear a Keith crashed while trying to insists, and to his way of thinking, a very See PLEASURE on page 8 under, the skin of many of helmet, hit the guardrail that avoid hitting a kid,” said his classy selection, at that. A postcard adver- those who knew him. separates the road from the girlfriend, Melissa Medina. “I tising the business states that it is “Right PAGE 9 Perhaps best known for his highway. He had been trying to had just decided to stop riding next door from ‘White Castle” and features expertise as a body artist — spe- pass a child who was veering there,” she added. such things as adult video, sex toys and cializing in piercing, cuttings back and forth between left and Alexander opened Brook- lubes & lotions — “What Ever You Plea- and brandings — the 41-year- right on the narrow lane. His lyn’s first-ever body piercing sure” [sic]. old Alexander (as an adult he head hit the railing and he bled studio, Modern American Body “Our store is like a Banana Republic if dropped the Bonanno) lived the profusely before he died.