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Yo u r Neighborhood — Yo u r News® BrooklynPaper.com • (718) 260–2500 • Brooklyn, NY • ©2014 Serving Brownstone Brooklyn and Williamsburg AWP/14 pages • Vol. 37, No. 9 • February 28–March 6, 2014 • FREE GATEWAY BUG Bklyn Bridge revamp plan raises noise fears By Matthew Perlman cars on a service road on the Manhat- Residents of the cooperative build- The Brooklyn Paper tan-bound side of Adams and moves ings overlooking the bridge ramp also A massive overhaul to the Brooklyn the bridge traffic one lane closer to the worry that construction work for the Bridge entrance-way that the city says neighboring apartment complex Con- project will kick up dust and rattle their will make it safer for pedestrians and cord Village, which residents say will nerves and are demanding that the city increase traffic noise so much it could bicyclists could make neighbors’ lives a do an environmental study before lift- threaten their well-being. ing a single jackhammer. noisy nightmare, residents warn. “Noise is not a matter of comfort, “There’s such a large population The revamp proposal widens and but a matter of health,” said Denise Photo by Elizabeth Graham extends the walking and bike path in Maher, a Villager and member of the of both young and old people here,” Adams Street resident Denise the center of Adams Street, replacing activist group Everyday Adams Street, said Concord Village resident Anita Maher says the city’s plan to re- the cement and metal barriers that are which formed in response to the pro- Maldonado. “What’s this going to do vamp the run-up to the Brooklyn there now, which planners call “the cat- posal. “The public health of the peo- to us?” Bridge will bring bridge traffic tle chute,” with trees and plants. It also ple who live on Adams Street should The proposed sprucing-up extends too close to her building. eliminates one of two rows of parked be the biggest concern.” See BRIDGE on page 3 PIER PRESSURE Company responsible for collapsed dock Photo by Stefano Giovannini in G’Point never inspected underwater Junior’s is trying to sell its iconic Downtown building, which has been a family-owned restaurant since the 1920s. By Danielle Furfaro and the operator never bothered so all the docks will be safer The Brooklyn Paper to peek under the waterline, a now,” said Shanna Volkman, What you don’t see is what source close to the investiga- a Williamsburg resident and gets you. tion said. The sudden crum- regular rider. “At least no one The city let the company that pling left commuters who rely got hurt.” Junior’s for sale runs the East River ferry pier on the boats shaken and hop- Inspectors found the India in Greenpoint where a ramp ing that the operator will take Street pier, gangway, and barge collapsed during a snowstorm safety more seriously. to be safe just 10 days before the Photo by Jason Speakman Sky’s the limit for developers on Feb. 13 perform its own in- “I hope the collapse means ramp fell into the icy waters, The East River Ferry pier at India Street went hurtling spections on the structure — they will raise the standards See PIER on page 5 into the drink on Feb. 13. By Matthew Perlman DeKalb Avenue since the 1920s, when The Brooklyn Paper his grandfather ran a restaurant there. Get your cheesecake while you Junior’s opened in 1950 and the fam- can, Brooklyn. ily bought the building in 1981. Junior’s restaurant has put its iconic The booming real estate market building on the mar- Downtown has con- The latest plot twist... ket. But the owner vinced the family it says not to worry — FIRST THEY is time to sell, Rosen Junior’s may close for said. Heights Cinema building is on the block a while as a developer CAME FOR THE “We’ve seen the tears it down to build a CHEESECAKE... neighborhood change By Matthew Perlman ment building on the spot. The ana, has been trying to replace many times over,” he tower on the spot, but SEE PAGE 3 The Brooklyn Paper cinema is wearing this latest the low-slung theater with a the iconic cheesecake said. “We’ve been get- The building that houses the threat to its existence on its five-story residential building dispensary will return ting unsolicited offers Brooklyn Heights Cinema has sleeve. since 2012, but city preserva- to the ground f loor of whatever is con- for many years.” hit the market, but the theater’s “The worst part of it is that tionists shot down his design structed. Bob Knakal, a partner at realtor owner says he will do whatever there’s a sign out there say- not once , but twice . “I don’t want people to panic,” said Massey Knakal, is marketing the it takes to keep the projectors ing ‘For Sale or Lease,’ ” said The building between Or- Alan Rosen, third-generation owner of property, and said since it went pub- humming. Kenn Lowy, the theater’s cur- ange and Cranberry streets is the famous eatery. “You’re always go- lic last Tuesday his office has been The tiny Henry Street movie rent owner who helped save the not landmarked, but sits in the ing to have your cheesecake in Down- flooded with inquiries about the prime Photo by Elizabeth Graham house has seen its share of clo- fledgling operation three years Brooklyn Heights Historic Dis- town Brooklyn.” slice of land below the two-story res- Brooklyn Heights Cinema owner Kenn Lowy wants to sure scares over the past two ago. “It makes people in the trict, which means that plans to Rosen’s family has occupied the taurant. make sure people know the credits have not rolled on years as its landlord has pitched neighborhood nervous.” demolish the building have to building at the busy intersection “As booming as Brooklyn has be- his picture palace just yet. multiple plans to build an apart- Lowy’s landlord, Tom Caru- See CINEMA on page 12 of Flatbush Avenue Extension and See JUNIOR’S on page 3 SPIKED! A bike lane for Bond Street By Megan Riesz The route has logged 31 crashes Lee holds forth The Brooklyn Paper that injured cyclists since 1995, A city plan to paint an 18-block- according to data compiled by long bike lane along Bond Street the group Transportation Alter- on gentrifi cation in Boerum Hill got the thumbs natives . up from members of a local panel The proposed path is five By Matthew Perlman last week. feet wide and bikers-only ex- The Brooklyn Paper The new lane will carve out cept between Third and Doug- White newcomers to Brooklyn are much-needed space for two- lass streets and between Wyckoff doing the wrong things, according to wheelers and make the road safer and Schermerhorn streets, where the borough’s filmmaker laureate and in the process, city reps said at it morphs into a shared lane for prodigal son. a community board meeting on cars and bike riders. Spike Lee dropped by Pratt Institute the proposal on Feb. 20. The Downtown-bound route for a Black History Month lecture on “This will increase awareness will improve access to Brooklyn’s Feb. 25 and his talk extensively mined of the presence of cyclists,” trans- office core as well as the Manhat- the hot-button issue gripping his be- portation department rep Craig tan and Brooklyn bridges, accord- loved former neighborhood and bor- Baerwald told Community Board ing to a city spokesman. ough — gentrification. 6’s transportation committee, But the effort will be moot “There was some b------- article in which gave the proposal its stamp Photo by Jason Speakman if cops do not stay vigilant in the New York Times saying ‘the good of approval after just eight min- The proposed 18-block bicycle route cuts through Gow- keeping drivers where they be- of gentrification.’ ” he said, perhaps re- utes of presentation. anus and Boerum Hill towards Downtown. See BOND on page 6 ferring the Feb. 21 “ Argument over a brownstone neighborhood” about the debate over creating a Bedford-Stuyve- sant Historic District. “I don’t believe that.” With gentrification comes unfair dis- Drop-dead date for LICH ruption, he said. For instance, the iconic black cineaste explained, it was pale- State will ditch hospital in May if no buyer bites complexioned transplants who rang the alarm about his planned 2009 Michael By Megan Riesz will give preference to plans that lyn Supreme Court Judge Johnny Jackson tribute party in Fort Greene The Brooklyn Paper keep it open as part a settlement Lee Baynes hailed the settlement, Park . Long Island College Hospital reached with staffers and activ- which ended a yearlong court bat- “All of a sudden the white people will close in May if the state does ists last week and announced on tle over the fate of the hospital, in Fort Greene said, ‘Wait a minute, not find someone to take over the Friday. But no matter which de- and said that the new bidding ru- we can’t have black people having Photo by Elizabeth Graham hobbled hospital by then. veloper–medical company part- bric will favor whichever team a party for Michael Jackson to cele- Brooklyn’s filmmaker laureate Spike Lee let loose Photo by Paul Martinka The state will reopen the bid- nership is picked or when it is will provide the most medical ser- brate his life — who’s coming to the an epic rant about gentrification during a lecture A protest outside LICH in ding process for redeveloping the given the keys, the state says it vices, but added that the paper- See SPIKE on page 1 at Pratt Institute for Black History Month.