INSIDE: GET THE RIGHT RESULTS WITH OUR CLASSIFIEDS SECTION Yo u r World — Yo u r News BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2017 Serving Brownstone Brooklyn, Sunset Park, Williamsburg & Greenpoint AWP/16 pages • Vol. 40, No. 36 • September 8–14, 2017 • FREE SET IN STONE Dumbo’s historic pavers here to stay, city says By Lauren Gill Brooklyn Paper They’re not on the chopping block! The Belgian blocks lining Dumbo’s streets are staying put, despite reports claiming they are in danger of being “ripped out” in order to make the roads compliant with federal standards for the disabled, according to a Department of Transportation rep. “I want to be very clear that the Bel- gian block configuration in Dumbo is not being removed,” said agency spokesman Scott Gastel. “The idea that the char- acter is disappearing from the streets of Dumbo is not true.” The city has been planning to smooth out the cobblestone-like blocks for years to meet national codes that mandate all streets and sidewalks be accessible to people with mobility issues. The His- toric Districts Council, which advocates for landmarked neighborhoods, released a study earlier this week stating that a chunk of the historic enclave’s Belgian blocks aren’t up to federal standards, leading several media outlets to report they may have to be torn out. But instead of being scrapped, the 19th-century relics will be removed, in- spected, cleaned, then smoothed to meet accessibility requirements, according to a spokesman for the Department of De- sign and Construction, which is over- seeing the project. Belgian blocks that can not be brought up to code will be replaced with new ones, according to the rep, who said their net total will not change. The streets are protected under the neighborhood’s historic district des- ignation, but can be altered upon ap- Photo by Caleb Caldwell proval by the Landmarks Preservation The city is not tearing out the Belgian blocks from Dumbo streets, Commission. despite reports, and the Department of Transportation is coming up The transportation department will with a plan to ensure that people aren’t tripped up by the neighbor- go before the commission in Septem- hood’s rail lines. ber with its revised plans to spruce up Photo by Nelson A. King swathes of the nabe — including Ad- ams, Main, and Pearl streets from John installing granite-block crosswalks, and The Belgian blocks, which have to Front streets, Jay Street from John to replacing old rail tracks with crane rails been in place for roughly 150 years, Another day in paradise Water streets, Water Street from Adams so wheelchairs, walkers, or strollers don’t are cherished by residents and visitors Street to Hudson Avenue, and Plymouth snag on them. The unusual layout of from around the world for their old- Barbadian Andrea Mercury portrays Freak Mas’s “Graceful Cosborban Swan” at the annual West In- Street from Main to Jay streets — while streets and rail lines is rooted in Dum- timey charm. dian American Day Parade, which danced down Eastern Parkway on Labor Day. Despite many security it fixes area sewer systems. bo’s industrial past, when freight cars But they regularly cause headaches for changes introduced this year, the parade — and the J’Ouvert event that preceded it — were tinged with The work includes creating concrete would go straight into warehouses, elim- locals who have to tread them daily, ac- violence. Read more on page 12. sidewalks on streets where there are none, inating the need for sidewalks. See STONES on page 13 Stables’ fate: Neigh it ain’t so! Sale of barn to city collapses due to excessive animal-care expenses By Colin Mixson The stables on Caton Place be- to pony up around $250,000 for million to maintain the horses for have trotted it toward the auction Brooklyn Paper tween E. Eighth Street and Coney the horses’ care, according to the three years, and then go into the fa- block before as part of the ongo- This deal fell off the horse. Island Avenue are owned by the attorney. cility and fix up the stables.” ing bankruptcy sale. The bankrupt owners of Kens- Blankenship family. Son Walker But the deal crumbled after the The Blankenships now plan A February auction was called ington Stables will not sell the barn Blankenship manages their oper- family realized it could take as to bring the facility to auction in off when a dark-horse buyer to the city, instead choosing to seek ations for his mother, who actu- long as three years for a manager bankruptcy court on Nov. 8. The swooped in with an offer to buy a more profitable deal at auction ally owns them. to be chosen, which would require parks department’s offer, mean- the facility and develop it into a The family planned to relieve them to pay upwards of $1 million while, is still on the table, a spokes- mixed-use residential building that that could potentially spell the end debts accrued by Blankenship’s on horse care while the city deter- woman said. preserved the stables. of horseback riding in Prospect now-deceased father by selling the mined the winning bid. Those ex- “Parks is disappointed in the The parks department then Park, according to their lawyer, property to the city’s parks depart- penses would be in addition to barn outcome of this deal, given that made its offer, but negotiations who claimed the owners need to ment , which would ensure it re- renovations required by whomever we had a clear understanding dragged on and a judge ruled in pay their creditors. mained open to the community got the management contract, and with the owner to bring the sta- May the barn would return to the “My client has an obligation as a public riding facility. the total sum became too costly for bles under city ownership,” said block if a deal was not reached be- File photo by Stephen Brown to pay her creditors, so she un- The long-time owners hoped to the cash-strapped family, Yaver- Maeri Ferguson. “We want them fore the end of June. Walker Blankenship, who owns Kensington Stables with his derstands that selling the prop- continue managing the barn by en- baum said. to remain a useful public amenity That auction was called off fol- mother, will not pursue an earlier-announced sale of the erty at the best price at this point tering a bidding process they as- “Financially it wasn’t going to and will continue to work toward lowing news that the Blankenships barn to the city, and instead is bringing it to auction in No- is in her best interest,” said Marc sumed would take about a year, work,” he said. “The debtor was that goal.” and the city were close to the deal vember. Yaverbaum. during which they were prepared not ready to spend in excess of $1 Kensington Stables’ owners that was abandoned last week. to lower income tiers. WHO LIVES WHERE? He argued the loss of condomin- iums could be offset by offering An unnecessary luxury A NEW COMPLAINT more housing at just below market SEE PAGE 5 rates and suggested that a financial study be conducted to determine the Beep slams condo plan in offi cial critique of most efficient mix of units. ation center and below-market- The beep also requested the city Crown Heights armory redevelopment scheme rate housing. explore the possibility of allocating But critics slammed the afford- 20 percent of the project’s rental able housing component, claim- By Colin Mixson and demanded a more informed The beep’s appraisal came amid units to the Our Space Initiative, ing only 18 out of the proposed which provides newly built afford- Brooklyn Paper process to determine the publicly a public review process that will 330 units will be offered at rates owned building’s fate. either make or break the deal, and able housing to the homeless. He won’t sell out his bor- within the means of average Crown The Department of City Plan- “My recommendations for the followed similar official condem- ough. Heights residents. And they op- ning will review Adams’s and the Borough President Adams future of the Bedford-Union Ar- nations from Community Board 9 pose the more than 50 luxury con- community board’s recommenda- blasted Mayor DeBlasio’s plan mory site are based on thousands of and its Land Use Committee ear- dos the developer wants to erect tions at a Sept. 19 public meeting to give Crown Heights’ Bedford- community voices that I have heard lier this year. at the site, arguing they will at- before making its own decision on Union Armory to private devel- through various channels over the The city’s plan would grant de- tract wealthy, non-local buyers the armory project. opers, claiming the deal calls for past several years,” Adams said in veloper BFC Partners a long-term and accelerate the gentrification The proposal will then head to too many luxury condos and not a Sept. 1 statement. “Residents of lease to redevelop the historic mil- of their nabe. city Council — which has author- enough affordable housing. His Crown Heights deserve transpar- itary structure on Bedford Ave- Adams specifically panned ity over schemes that put public official critique cited concerns of ency. It is important that we have nue between President and Union Corporation Development Economic York New the construction of any luxury land in private hands — where local residents and activists, who as much information as possible streets on the conditions that the There is no place for condos at the Bedford-Union Armory condos in his review of the plan, Councilwoman Laurie Cumbo continue to criticize the scheme before any final decision is made builder incorporate community site, argued the Beep in his official critique of the mayor’s and instead called for build- (D–Crown Heights) has vowed as wrong for the neighborhood, on these applications.” benefits including a new recre- redevelopment scheme.