GREENPOINT | WILLIAMSBURG & BUSHWICK Since 1974 Since VOLUME 47 | NUMBER 17 MAY 2, 2019 (718) 422-7400 25¢ Brooklyn Eagle Group Study: Williamsburg, Bushwick had the most alcohol-related emergency room visits in Brooklyn Greenpoint is full of bars with outdoor seating — but there won’t be many outdoor ads for booze anymore. An order from Mayor Bill de Blasio, which takes effect immediately, bans any alcohol-related ads on bus shelters, newsstands, phone booths, LinkNYC kiosks and recycling containers. See page 2. Greenpoint Gazette file photo by Lore Croghan Barges and breweries: Sofar Sounds hosts secret concerts in B’klyn’s most unique locations By Scott Enman Frustrated with issues plaguing larger events Greenpoint Gazette — like deafening music and disruptive crowds on their cellphones — founder Rafe Offer set out to From the top of a ski jump in Norway to change the stigma surrounding concerts. the highest floor of the Willis Tower in “A big component of Sofar is discovering Chicago, concert series Sofar Sounds is re- artists, but the other component is discovering defining live music events with secret per- places and discovering the city a little bit bet- formances in offbeat locations. ter,” Sofar New York City Director Stephanie What started as a group of friends hosting Mitchell told the Greenpoint Gazette. parties in their living rooms in London has “These are spaces that people often don’t grown into an international following with think they’re going to experience music in, and events in more than 350 cities. we really love to celebrate those moments where Sofar’s intimate gigs are held in both res- we’re able to work in really unique spaces.” idential and commercial settings, and Brook- The series started in London in 2009, and lyn’s unique urban makeup of waterfront began regularly hosting events in New York in warehouses, factories and industrial buildings 2011. Reminiscent of the rave scene where at- provides extravagant, unconventional venues tendees don’t receive the party’s location until for the gatherings. shortly before it begins, Sofar uses a similar Right: A Sofar concert was held in the Brooklyn His- model to keep their parties underground. torical Society’s Othmer Library. Photo by Nick Ellsworth Continued on page 4 22 Thursday,Wednesday May 2, 2019, April 6, 2016 / Williamsburg / Bushwick Study: Williamsburg, Bushwick had the most alcohol-related emergency room visits By Scott Enman benefit the most from the new mayor’s office cited in its an- of 70.6 percent of print ads in the Friendly & Professional Greenpoint Gazette policy. nouncement of the ban. It was Bronx subway system were for Advertisements for beer, Williamsburg and Bushwick the only part of the borough alcohol. Tax Prep Services wine and liquor will no longer be had the most emergency depart- where there were 301 to 400 The executive order comes Save time, money and headaches with permitted on city property as a ment visits for alcohol-related emergency visits per 100,000 weeks after the New York City full-service accounting and tax services. result of an executive order injuries in Brooklyn, according residents. Department of Health and Men- signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio to a New York State Department “There’s no doubt that far too tal Hygiene launched a media on Friday, and two North Brook- of Health study from October many New Yorkers struggle campaign promoting safer INCOME TAX PREPARATION lyn neighborhoods may stand to 2014 to September 2015 that the with serious substance misuse drinking habits, and it’s already issues, among them excessive being praised by doctors as a Free Confidential SERVING GREENPOINT FOR OVER drinking,” de Blasio said. “This way of decreasing youth drink- Initial Consultation 50 years! order banning alcohol ads from ing. city property reaffirms our com- “Alcohol is just as dangerous New clients, mitment to health equity and our as many prescription drugs,” Dr. call or visit us online stand to protect the well-being of Alan Kadish, president of the today and schedule all New Yorkers.” Touro College and University your consultation PIZZA • RESTAURANT The order, which takes effect System, told the Greenpoint to discuss your HOT & COLD CATERING immediately, bans any alcohol- Gazette. “While a ban is unrea- accounting needs 745 Manhattan Avenue related ads on bus shelters, sonable, restricting advertise- with a qualified professional. Tel. (718) 383-9463 newsstands, phone booths, ments makes sense to decrease Fax (718) 383-3590 LinkNYC kiosks and recycling youth alcoholism.” Free Delivery! containers. In 2016, there were more 156 NASSAU AVENUE NOW ACCEPTING CATERING ORDERS FOR THE HOLIDAYS. Any ads currently on display than 110,000 alcohol-related Teresa GREENPOINT | Brooklyn 11222 HOME & OFFICE CELEBRATIONS — 7 days a week! will be permitted to finish their emergencies in the city, with 718-349-2171 347-419-2808 contract, but the companies will 2,000 New Yorkers dying from Piasecki, OFFICE: CELL: EMAIL: [email protected] Party Tray Specials not be allowed to renew the alcohol-related diseases the agreement. Venues where alco- same year. CPA WEBSITE: www.cpapiasecki.com (small or large) hol is served like sports stadi- In 2017, nearly one in five • Baked Ziti or Spaghetti • Lasagna • Stuffed Shells • Manicotti ums, restaurants and concert New Yorkers reported binge CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT • Ravioli • Penne Alla Vodka • Meatballs • Sausage & Peppers halls are exempt from the ban. drinking on at least one occasion • Chicken Parmigiana • Veal • Eggplant Parmigiana • Garden Salad The impetus for the ban in a month span. comes from a study from the “In New York City, we see Also Available National Center for Biotechnol- far too many deaths related to al- 3ft & 6ft HERO SANDWICHES ogy Information, which revealed cohol,” Health Commissioner Create your own! that high exposure to alcohol ads Dr. Oxiris Barbot said. “We Choose from these fresh ingredients: can lead to an increased likeli- know exposure to alcohol adver- Ham or Salami with Lettuce & Tomato hood and quantity of alcohol tising can lead to drinking more Your choice or cheeses; including fresh made Mozzarella! consumption. alcohol, more often – behavior We also have a full menu of HOT HERO SANDWICHES The report focused exclu- that can be harmful and even *Please allow 2 days notice for all hot or cold catering orders sively on the Bronx and showed fatal. Today’s ban of alcohol ads All orders include serving supplies and condiments that beverage ads outnumbered on city property will help protect food ads overall, and the vast communities from the burden of majority were for alcohol. A total harmful alcohol advertising.” Greenpoint Gazette (USPS PE # 21460) J.D. Hasty, Publisher [email protected] Legal Advertising: Gina Ong [email protected] Display Advertising: Katrina Ramus [email protected] Telephone: 718-643-9099 Greenpoint Gazette & Advertiser (USPS PE # 21460) is published weekly, 48 times a year except the first week of January, first week of July, last week of August and December by EBrooklyn Media, 16 Court Street, 30th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11241. Subscription rate: $25/year. Periodicals postage paid at Brooklyn, New York. POSTMASTER: send address changes to the Greenpoint Gazette, 16 Court Street, 30th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11241. Founded in 1974 by Ralph Carrano & Adelle Haines 2 Wednesday, March / Williamsburg / Bushwick Thursday, May 2, 2019 | 3 Neighborhoods flooded by film crews could get relief under a proposed ‘Bill of Rights’ By Mary Frost Greenpoint Gazette It’s one of the most fre- quent complaints made by residents of Brooklyn’s sce- nic neighborhoods: film crews and their paraphernalia flooding local streets, taking up parking and disrupting de- liveries to local businesses. New York City Coun- cilmember Inez Barron says that beleaguered New York- ers deserve a “Bill of Rights” protecting them from such in- cursions. Barron, who represents Brooklyn’s District 42 (D- East New York, New Lots), has introduced two bills aimed at helping residents who have a hard time getting to their homes, parking spaces or Access-A-Rides because production compa- nies have taken over the area. Adding to residents’ frustra- tion is the perception that dif- ferent rules seem to apply in different neighborhoods, or The Greenpoint ZIP code of 11222 had the greatest number of daily film permits issued in Brooklyn last year. Next came Brooklyn Heights/DUMBO even from block to block. in the 11021 ZIP Code. Third was Boerum Hill in 11217. Data from NYC’s Open Data project In Community Board 1’s On Tuesday, production Greenpoint/Williamsburg parking assistant Martin neighborhoods, 5,659 daily Davis, of Iconic Parking, was film permits were issued in holding parking spaces open 2018 — roughly a quarter of all with traffic cones on Mon- film permits filed in Brooklyn. tague Street for a Maybelline (Some are student films and commercial shoot that was photo shoots, and so are con- scheduled for the next day. sidered “low impact.”) Davis said that he often Another area slammed by allows people to park in the frequent filming in Brooklyn is spaces that he is trying to Community Board 2’s Brook- hold open if they tell him lyn Heights/DUMBO/Boerum they’ll just be 20 minutes, or Hill neighborhoods. In 2018, even an hour and a half, as the city issued 1,851 daily film long as they are gone when permits for this area, or roughly they say they will be. five a day. “They be nice, we’ll be Last year, business own- nice,” Davis told the Gazette. ers on Montague Street in “We do allow a lot of parking Brooklyn Heights told the Greenpoint Gazette the day before a shoot.” But that pro- “never on shoot day,” he added.