GET FREE TICKETS – SEE INSIDE FOR DETAILS Yo u r NeighborhoodYo u r Neighborhood — Yo u r — News Yo u r ® News® BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2010 BROOKLYN HEIGHTS–DOWNTOWN EDITION AWP/16 pages • Vol. 33, No. 51 • December 17–23, 2010 • FREE INCLUDING DUMBO POLS & BIKE LANES: BIG TOP Beep sings ARENA! bike anger Testifi es at hearing with Ratner, Ringling Bros. showtune, fury in heart ink deal to bring show By Alex Rush The Brooklyn Paper to Barclays Center Borough President Markow- itz is so opinionated about bike By Aaron Short March, 2013, about six months lanes, that he’s even singing about them! The Brooklyn Paper after the arena is slated to open Markowitz sang the song, The development of Atlantic near the intersection of Flatbush “My Favorite Things” from Yards has been sometimes com- and Atlantic avenues. “The Sound of Music” at a City pared to a three-ring circus — A spokesman for Atlantic Council hearing on Wednesday but now the real thing is com- Yards developer Bruce Ratner — with the lyrics rewritten to ing to Prospect Heights. said that the Ringling Bros. show Photo by Stefano Giovannini emphasize the danger of having The producers of the Ringling would be the same “Greatest Show A great show like this is coming to the Barclays Center. the Department of Transporta- Brothers and Barnum & Bailey on Earth” mega-production that tion install bike lanes without Circus announced on Friday that fills Madison Square Garden, a “We have three circuses on tour tertainment. “It’s not necessarily teed to be the best night of your public comment. they had inked a deal to bring one rival arena, though a spokesman at the same time and they all have the same show as MSG.” 8-year-old boy’s life. “Strollers and schleppers of their productions to the under- for the circus was not 100 per- nine to 10 elephants,” said spokes- That said, Quenqua said the But in a statement, Ratner and skaters and joggers, hol- construction Barclays Center in cent sure. woman Nicole Quenqua of Feld En- Barclays version would defi- focused on the circus. iday lanes just for egg-noggers, nitely be bigger than the pop- “I can’t wait to see circus ele- but let’s not forget cars — it’s get- INSIDE ular one-ring tent show that has phants marching down Flatbush ting insane,” Markowitz crooned. But what does Marty’s prospered for two summers in Avenue and into the Barclays “These are a few of my favor- holiday card say? ite lanes.” Coney Island . Center, where they will entertain SEE PAGE 2 And Feld doesn’t only trot ladies and gentlemen and chil- See BIKE on page 2 Beer on Bruce? out clowns and elephants. The dren of all ages,” the developer company produces 48 other fam- said. “We look forward to the Could be, if you take the subway ily friendly shows that will also Barclays Center creating memo- fill the Barclays Center upon ries that will last a lifetime.” (For completion, including Disney the record, Quenqua would not By Aaron Short by transportation advocates ing and park-k- Tish backs bike on Ice, freestyle motorbike rac- confirm whether the elephants ing on con-n- The Brooklyn Paper as an incentive to get future ing events such as AMA Aren- would in fact be marching down Take the train to a Nets game Barclays Center ticketholders gested Prospect Heights and Fort Greene streets. across and Nuclear Cowboyz, Flatbush Avenue.) — and get a free beer! to take the subway and regional and the stupendously thrilltastic Ratner and a veritable cir- It’s one idea being floated rail to the arena instead of driv- See BEER on page 13 monster truck demolition event, cus of public officials broke lane slowdown Monster Jam, which is guaran- See CIRCUS on page 13 By Thomas Tracy The Brooklyn Paper Talk about pedaling in two dif- ferent directions at once! Councilwoman Letitia James CURB YOUR TICKETS (D–Fort Greene) has signed onto Councilman Lew Fidler’s (D–Ca- narsie) call for public hearings that Lawmaker wants reduce hydrant parking zone could curtail the city’s free-wheel- ing, bike lane-laying ways. By Alex Rush ers to paint markings to the left and right a ticket, but also create roughly four ad- “I want more bike lanes, but The Brooklyn Paper of all 109,800 hydrants in the five bor- ditional parking spaces per block. I also see a benefit in the com- oughs. That bill works in tandem with “Parking is valuable in this city and munity board determining if they Here are two laws that would defi- Letitia James nitely measure up. another bill by a Queens lawmaker that I think that a combination of both these are necessary,” she said. “They’re A South Brooklyn councilman wants would allow drivers to park five feet closer laws would improve the quality of life for the voice of the people.” the city to paint red lines on curbs so to a hydrant. New Yorkers,” said Greenfield. James is the only legislator in the and David Greenfield (D–Mid- that drivers know exactly how far they “The original 15-foot rule was issued Presently, drivers can be hit with a Brownstone bike belt to sign onto wood) have all signed on. must park from a fire hydrant — and so that fire trucks could parallel park next $115 summons for parking less than 15 Fidler’s bill, which would require Bike activists were disap- he wants to cut down the “no parking” to hydrants,” Greenfield said. “But those feet from the pump, and without a tape public hearings before a bike lane is pointed. Photo by Bess Adler zone from the longstanding 15 feet to trucks don’t have time to parallel park, they measure in the glove compartment, it’s constructed. But the bill has broad “We don’t want to slow down the Councilman David Greenfield is just 10 feet. just pull up next to the hydrant. So they tough for many residents to know just backing in Southern Brooklyn, as goal of building safer streets,” said backing a bill that would allow you Earlier this month, Councilman David don’t need a huge amount of space.” how far that is. That’s where the red paint Michael Nelson (D–Midwood), Do- Kim Martineau, a spokeswoman to park within 10 feet of a pump, Greenfield (D–Midwood) proposed the An extra five feet on either side of a hy- bill comes in. menic Recchia (D–Coney Island), for the bicycle advocacy group down from the current 15. legislation that would require city work- drant would not only spare some drivers See HYDRANT on page 13 Jumaane Williams (D–Flatbush) Transportation Alternatives. Tower power FDNY’s ‘tunnel’ vision Skyscraper plan moves forward Agency puts kibosh on underground fi lm series By Alison Fox cluded in the proposal. By Gary Buiso The Brooklyn Paper Four of the nine opponents who spoke The Brooklyn Paper Brooklyn Heights’ community board against the proposal live at 75 Living- A popular Gowanus-based film narrowly backed a “Skyscraper Historic ton St., the residential tower that is in- series is out more than $7,000 af- District” for Court Street last Wednesday cluded in a 20-building zone that is ter fire officials put the kibosh on a night, bucking many locals who actually mostly comprised of commercial of- sold-out series set for an abandoned live in the proposed landmark zone. fice buildings such as 16 Court St. The subway tunnel 10 feet below Atlan- At its monthly meeting, Community residents said that 75 Livingston should tic Avenue. Board 2 voted 16–10 in favor of the new be excluded from the zone because it Rooftop Films received the 11th- already has put more than $5 million district , which would designate certain hour notification from the FDNY on into historic preservation. towers on Livingston, Court and Mon- And co-op owner Paula Ingram Friday night that it had to cancel its tague streets as worthy of historic pres- poorly named “Trapped in the Tunnel” added that the buildings in the zone Photo Callan by Tom ervation. The vote came capped a con- event because of safety concerns. aren’t even worthy of historic dis- Real-estate broker Paula Ingram, tentious meeting where many property trict designation given how paltry the “Any serious incident inside owners complained that renovation or who lives at 75 Livingston St., still during the screening could result Brooklyn skyline is compared to the Photo by Andy Outis repairs in their buildings would end up opposes the historic district. in many deaths,” a Fire spokesman one across the river. The FDNY cancelled Rooftop Films’ latest attempt to screen a movie costing more due to requirements in- “Court Street is not Fifth Avenue. Court said in a statement. “[It] could un- side landmark districts. social and cultural history.” necessarily put the lives of our mem- in the abandoned subway tunnel under Atlantic Avenue. Claustro- Street is not Central Park West,” said In- phobiacs can breathe easier. “Any additional costs that landmark- gram, who works as a broker for commer- But the Landmarks Preservation bers at risk as well.” ing would impose will get transferred cial properties. She was echoing a letter Commission dismissed concerns Dan Nuxoll of Rooftop Films, to tuition,” said Ray Levin, a lawyer that building officials sent to the city last about added costs and about the ar- which hosts screenings citywide, tunnel in August — with nary a peep … this is something they have allowed for Brooklyn Law School, which op- week, which argued that the historic dis- ea’s worthiness, arguing that the pro- said he was disappointed, especially from the agency.