Bushwick Inlet Park Finally Paid
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INSIDE: GET THE RIGHT RESULTS WITH OUR CLASSIFIEDS SECTION Yo u r World — Yo u r News BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2016 Serving Brownstone Brooklyn, Williamsburg & Greenpoint AWP/12 pages • Vol. 39, No. 48 • November 25–December 1, 2016 • FREE SOUND OFF Beastie Boys’ Ad-Rock, hundreds rally against racist graffi ti in Adam Yauch Park By Ruth Brown a positive way to react to such an Brooklyn Paper ugly thing.” He’s gotta fight for your Local families found the offen- rights. sive message on train-shaped play The Beastie Boys’ Adam “Ad- equipment in the State Street recre- Rock” Horovitz rallied with hun- ation area last Friday and reported dreds of Brooklynites and fans it to state Sen. Daniel Squadron’s on Sunday after some jerk graf- office, which sent city workers to fitied swastikas and the phrase “Go scrub it off that night. Trump” in Adam Yauch Park — Neighbors have now covered the Brooklyn Heights playground the spot with hearts, flowers, and named for his late bandmate, who Tibetan prayer flags, as Yauch — grew up around the corner. though born into a secular Jewish family — was a Buddhist. The emcee encouraged the Police are investigating the van- crowd to keep fighting similar acts dalism as a hate crime, though of racism that are on the rise in the plenty of amateur online detec- wake of President-elect Donald tives are dismissing it as a prank. Trump’s win — and he dropped a Office Squadron Daniel Sen. of Squadron said he did consider few famous lyrics in process. Parents found swastikas whether publicizing the swasti- Photo by Caleb Caldwell “We can’t and we won’t and and the phrase “Go Trump” kas would give the perpetrator the Beastie Boys member Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz speaks we don’t stop,” he said, quoting scrawled on playground attention he was seeking, but de- against racist pro-Trump graffiti in Adam Yauch Park — his band’s 1994 song “Sure Shot.” equipment when they took cided condemning them was the named for his late bandmate — at a rally on Nov. 20. “Keep your eyes open, stand up their kids to play in Brooklyn only “moral” thing to do. for each other, don’t be afraid to Heights’ Adam Yauch Park “If it is a prank, then the worst step in or enlist the help of oth- last Friday. we’ve done is send a strong mes- “This kind of graffiti has been isn’t even the first post-election at- ers — because this is home-grown sage and become stronger as a popping up all over the country tack in the area — a man punched terrorism for real.” community,” said Squadron. “If because we’ve elected a president a woman at a Boerum Hill bar on Horovitz wasn’t the only star and faith leaders. And attendees it’s serious and we do nothing, we who’s given our children the mes- Nov. 12 after overhearing her say- who turned out — his wife, fem- say it warmed their hearts to see risk our Republic itself.” sage that it’s okay to write ‘white ing she’s disappointment in the elec- inist rocker Kathleen Hanna, and so many people band together Squadron called on Trump to power’ in their high-school hall- tion results . actor Ben Stiller shivered along in response to the anti-Semitic denounce this and other acts of rac- ways, that it’s okay to attack women Brooklynites can report any with the huge crowd at the out- scribbles. ism being carried out in his name and girls, that Latinos and Muslims incidents to the District Attor- door event, which included rous- “It’s humbling to share simi- — and Horovitz also blamed the and Jews are bad people, and that ney’s hate crime hotline at (718) ing group sing-alongs of “We Shall lar vibes with all of our neighbors president-elect and his pals for in- you can electroshock the gay out 250–4949, District Attorney Eric Overcome” and “This Land is Your coming out,” said Carroll Gardens citing racism and bigotry during of somebody,” he said. Gonzalez told the crowd, vow- Land” and speeches from area pols resident Corrie Zaccariah. “What the election campaign. Photo by Caleb Caldwell He noted that the park graffiti ing to prosecute perpetrators. Sold! Bushwick Inlet Park fi nally paid for the taxpayers and now we can move but says he was willing to sell it to De- years,” said Brodsky. “But the city had City buys CitiStorage for $160M forward.” Blasio for less so long as the city came to come a lot closer to the value than Williamsburg developer Norm Brod- a little closer to what he believed is the what it did initially.” By Ruth Brown to force it to honor a decade-old prom- sky rejected a $100-million offer from true value of the land. Still, the sale probably never would Brooklyn Paper ise to transform the lot into a sprawl- the city to buy his burnt-out CitiStorage As a longtime local, he too wanted to have happened if it weren’t for Assem- blyman Joe Lentol (D–Greenpoint) and ing green space. warehouses at Kent Avenue and N. 11th see the city make good on finishing the Photo by Stefano Giovannini Put it in park! Street in June, but the various parties park that it first pledged to build in 2005 especially Councilman Steve Levin (D– At one point, park activists pro- Mayor DeBlasio has reached a “We’re stunned but ecstatic,” said quietly continued negotiating. in exchange for rezoning the neighbor- Williamsburg), who just didn’t let it rest, jected messages on the side of $160-million deal to buy the final stretch Greenpoint resident Steve Chesler, of Brodsky had bragged that he could hood for luxury high-rises, he says — both Chesler and Brodsky say. the CitiStorage complex noting of Williamsburg waterfront land the city activist group Friends of Bushwick In- score upwards of $300 million for the just not without getting a cut. The pols were the go-between for the that it was supposed to be park- needs to finish Bushwick Inlet Park, let Park. “We’re very happy the proper- industrial land — and claims he had “The city was always my first choice two parties, keeping negotiations alive land. Now it will be. finally ending locals’ years-long fight ties are in safe hands with the city and two other, higher offers on the table — — I’ve been in the neighborhood for See PARK on page 10 HELLO, TROLLEY! DOWNTOWN LAYS INTO MAYOR’S STREETCAR PLAN Hit the brakes They’re skirting the law Downtown to streetcar bigs: City needs Feds’ permission to run streetcar Yeesh, enough transit already past federal courthouse — but doesn’t have it By Lauren Gill month , and are now visiting com- By Lauren Gill Brooklyn Paper munity boards for feedback. Brooklyn Paper They’re not on board. In Community Board 2’s dis- Objection! Downtown-area residents nei- trict, they want to direct it out of The city wants to run its planned ther want nor need Mayor DeBla- Cobble Hill Downtown-bound streetcar in front of the Eastern sio’s streetcar running along their along Atlantic Avenue, then District federal courthouse on already transit-rich roads, they onto Court Street. From there, Cadman Plaza East, which has told city officials at a Commu- it will either run through Down- been blocked off with barriers town along Willoughby or Tillary and guards since 9-11. But city nity Board 2 Transportation Com- streets, or continue along Cadman officials haven’t actually asked mittee meeting last Tuesday night, Plaza East to Dumbo, where it will the Feds’ permission to reopen slamming the entire Sunset Park- run along Front and York streets the thoroughfare, they admitted to-Queens trolley as a waste of to Gold Street. at a recent community meeting, $2.5 billion that could go much But locals said directing the and residents are skeptical they’ll further on less-flashy transit in streetcar away from the river and get it now — especially from the far needier areas. into a neighborhood that’s already new guy in charge. Community News Group / Lauren Gill “I think it’s an outrageous lousy with subway and bus stops “You’re never going to be able waste of money and it should be NYCEDC The city wants to run the streetcar through Cadman Plaza defeated DeBlasio’s stated purpose to put a streetcar on Cadman Plaza East, which has been under federal control since 9-11. going to other modes of transpor- of the project, which is to connect The proposed routes Downtown. East,” said Community Board 2 tation,” said committee member transit-starved waterfront neigh- Transportation Committee mem- Bill Harris. borhoods and job hubs. committee member Jon Quinn. The streetcar spokespeo- ber Jon Quint when officials came The Cadman Plaza East leg of the only connection planners are Streetcar honchos revealed po- “When you’re getting to sub- “Aren’t you losing the whole con- ple countered that they’d lose a to present the plan at a committee the $2.5-billion trolley is just one proposing for getting the train to tential routes for the Brooklyn- way connections, you’re going cept, which is to serve the un- large swathe of travelers by only meeting on Nov. 15 . “President of several potential routes the city Dumbo — a neighborhood that Queens Connector earlier this away from the waterfront,” said derserved communities?” See TROLLEY on page 10 Trump is not going to let you.” is considering Downtown , but it is See COURT on page 10 Yellow & Black Who said Black Friday was the only day to SAVE BIG?! 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