The Choice to Serve

SATURDAY • MAY 29, 2004 Including Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill Paper, Downtown News, DUMBO Paper and Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Paper Brooklyn’s REAL newspapers Published every Saturday by Brooklyn Paper Publications Inc, 55 Washington Street, Suite 624, Brooklyn NY 11201. Phone 718-834-9350 • www.BrooklynPapers.com • © 2004 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 18 pages including GO BROOKLYN • Vol. 27, No. 21 BWN • Saturday, May 29, 2004 • FREE ON THE HOOK City: We wasted 1/2-million on pier study NOT JUST NETS THE NEW BROOKLYN By Deborah Kolben and Neil Sloane The Brooklyn Papers City officials shocked waterfront activists this week, announcing that a nearly half-million-dollar, taxpayer- funded plan for the future of Piers 6-12 — completed just last month — was “outdated.” The study, for which the city Economic Development Cor- poration and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey jointly paid a consulting firm more than $400,000, was originally scheduled for com- pletion in January. Last week, after months of stonewalling, EDC officials acknowledged 3-year / Tom Callan / Tom that the study had been completed, but said it would not release it to the public. On Monday, confronted dock with The Brooklyn Papers’ exclusive report on their agency’s refusal to release The Brooklyn Papers File The Brooklyn the pier study — and with a deal An aerial view of the piers along Columbia Street. Despite an expensive study funded by taxpayers, the future of the piers remains uncertain. Freedom of Information re- quest pending — an EDC of- Sources say ficial said the agency would release the analysis, but then Catucci stays called it all but worthless. “We changed our mind,” By Deborah Kolben said EDC Vice President An- The Brooklyn Papers CB6 panel gives Ikea thumbs-up drew Genn, pressed by a American Stevedoring, a Community Board 6 water- shipping company that em- By Deborah Kolben The landmarks and land use occupying the 22-acre former New — those concerned about bringing public housing projects that ac- front committee member to ploys 600 people, has been The Brooklyn Papers committee voted overwhelmingly York Shipyard site — roughly be- jobs to the neighborhood and those count for most of the neighbor- explain the discrepancy be- operating on the Red Hook tween his statement and The A plan to build an Ikea store on in favor of welcoming the tween Dwight and Columbia who fear Ikea traffic will destroy hood’s population. and Columbia Street piers Swedish home furnishings giant. streets along the Erie Basin. their quality of life and that better Papers’ May 22 article, which without a lease since the end the Red Hook waterfront moved a Some of those supporters at- quoted an EDC spokesman of April. step closer to city approval For the past several months the The proposal has been tearing at uses could be found for the valuable tended Thursday’s meeting wear- as saying the agency would But on Thursday the com- Thursday night when a Com- communities in and around Red the seams of an already socially and waterfront property. ing yellow “Ikea Great Idea” T- not release the study. pany, which runs the only munity Board 6 committee rec- Hook have has been battling over economically divided community, Ikea has successfully rallied sup- shirts and baseball caps. And while that news came container port in Brooklyn, ommended approving the plan. the prospect of the big box store splitting Red Hook into two camps port in the Red Hook Houses, two See IKEA on page 4 See PIER STUDY on page 4 See DEAL on page 4 The choice to serve Junior ROTC is thriving despite war concerns By Kristen Saloomey JROTC as a freshman, attracted by the not blood and guts and chemical young men and women who complete for The Brooklyn Papers obstacle course and rope bridge on weapons and post-traumatic stress disor- the training and decide to go on to mili- which the battalion trains. He has talked der and shell shock,” said Jane Friedson, tary service, but we’re equally proud of The Fort Hamilton High School to two recruiters, one from the Army a member of Brooklyn Parents for Peace. those who don’t decide to wear a uni- cafeteria in Bay Ridge is filled and one from the Air Force, about en- “They’re selling it to people who form again.” with students on a recent school listing in ROTC when he goes to col- aren’t old enough to ask the right ques- Kotakis said about 50 high schools a day, but instead of baggy jeans and lege, which would prepare him for a job tions,” she added. year add JROTC to their curriculum. mini-skirts, the dress of the day is as a military officer after graduation. Nationwide, 39 percent of high However, the actual number of students olive drab and brass buttons. “There’s so much stuff I would not school students completing an Army involved in the program decreased They stand in straight lines, shoulders have known if it weren’t for ROTC,” JROTC program last year indicated slightly this year, from 272,746 to square, faces serious, feet marching in Salem said. that they planned to enlist in either about 267,000. synch. A patch on the right shoulder iden- The “junior” program, designed for ROTC or a branch of the military after At Fort Hamilton High School, stu- / Jori Klein tifies these would-be soldiers as among high schools and partially funded by the graduation, according to Paul Kotakis, dents enrolled in the program take two the 150 members of the Tiger Battalion, Department of Defense, stresses team- national spokesman for the Army JROTC classes. One fulfills a physical the school’s Junior Reserve Officer Train- work, citizenship and leadership. But its JROTC. That percentage rose from 34 education requirement; the other is ing Corps (JROTC) program. close relationship with the military has percent the previous year. Leadership Education Training, which “This is the first real team I’ve been some Brooklyn parent groups concerned “One of the misconceptions is that incorporates survival skills, first aid and Papers The Brooklyn on,” said Mahmoud Salem. “I was nev- now that our country is at war in Iraq. JROTC exists as a training ground for lessons on drug and alcohol abuse. Fort Hamilton High School students and Junior ROTC Color Guard members (left to er that athletic. I’m more active now.” “The entire approach of military re- service in the military,” said Kotakis. Recruiters have long been a common right) Mahmoud Salem, 17, Katlin Davila, 15, Maria Hernando, 16, and Billy Hondros, 16, Now a senior, Salem joined the cruiting is almost to make it a game. It’s “We’re obviously quite proud of the See TO SERVE on page 14 stand at attention during a ceremony at the school on Tuesday. PAGE 7 2-day Marty party Smith St. hotel in works By Jotham Sederstrom next weekend — Saturday, June 5, and Sun- By Deborah Kolben who is constructing a 12-story con- Borough President Marty Mar- The Brooklyn Papers day, June 6 — promising everything from fire- The Brooklyn Papers do at the corner of Atlantic Avenue kowitz, one of Brooklyn’s loudest and Smith Street — across the boosters, praised the $35 million Standing alongside a sword swallower, works to concerts to movies on the beach. While the city may have Markowitz touted the festival as a fun- street from the decommissioned project. a contortionist and Brooklyn Cyclones drenched weekend both for baby boomers who emptied out a jail on a gritty Brooklyn House of Detention — “The development of this hotel is mascot Sandy the Seagull, Borough grew up riding the old Thunderbolt roller coast- strip of Atlantic Avenue, a has added a 70-room hotel to his further proof of Brooklyn’s grow- President Marty Markowitz announced er and their kids, who never had the chance. developer is trying to bring a plans. ing popularity as a tourism and Long speeches plans Monday for this year’s borough “There is never a reason to leave Brooklyn new kind of overnight facility “It’s going to be the best hotel in business destination,” Markowitz celebration, which will take place in to enjoy summer,” Markowitz said outside right next door. Brooklyn,” boasted Will Kim, de- said. stall ‘Homebody’ Coney Island. Borough Hall as Ravi the Mystic, a contortion- A boutique hotel. velopment director for Boymel- Boymelgreen purchased the “Brooklyn Best,” will be a two-day party See MARTY on page 14 Developer Shaya Boymelgreen, green. See HOTEL on page 5 Improving Home Improvement® 118 Second Avenue at 12th Street (near Pathmark) ©The Brooklyn Papers. Established 1978. Phone 718-834-9350. Celia Weintrob, Publisher (ext 104) • Neil Sloane, Editor (ext 119) • Lisa J. Curtis, GO Brooklyn Editor (ext 131) • Vince DiMiceli, Senior Editor (ext 125) • Ed Weintrob, President (ext 105) 2 DTZ THE BROOKLYN PAPERS • WWW.BROOKLYNPAPERS.COM May 29, 2004 els w Mugged on Henry St. Je y B SATNICK * * * * * * *EN By Deborah Kolben one punk, who pulled out a OP S We ❤offer quality jewelry, preci- HR The Brooklyn Papers handgun to emphasize his 24 AYS sion timepieces and fine giftware Hartley F. Satnick 7 D * point * * * * A woman walking home 84/76 BLOTTER at prices to fit every budget. * * The victim, 26, handed over The only Certified along Henry Street was his cell phone, MetroCard and stopped by two bandits Master Watchmaker Enjoy our large, shaded garden Hammers face ing shoes. $20 and the men fled. who demanded her cash. The car was parked on Wa- in the The victim, 28, was nearing When a young man picked Rhymin’ reason up a hammer on May 19 and ter Street near Old Fulton A woman walking home Borough of Brooklyn Middagh Street when a man Street.

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