INSIDE : SUMMER IN BROOKLYN WWW.BROOKLYNPAPERS.COM Happy Fourth! We’ve included a U.S. flag on our back page. Including The Midwood, Kensington and Ocean Parkway Papers Display it proudly. GOD BLESS AMERICA Published weekly by Brooklyn Paper Publications Inc, 26 Court St., Brooklyn 11242 Phone 718-834-9350 AD fax 718-834-1713 • NEWS fax 718-834-9278 © 2002 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 20 pages including 8 pages GO BROOKLYN • Vol.25, No. 26 DTG, PSG • July 1, 2002 • FREE LAW SCHOOL TOWER OK’D By Patrick Gallahue jected the proposal for the 265-foot-tall dorm ex- The Brooklyn Papers pressed neither shock nor outrage at the planning commission’s decision, however, and instead said The controversial plan for a Brooklyn Law they had generally anticipated the judgement. School dormitory in Boerum Hill took a giant “It’s what I expected,” said Judy Stanton, the ex- leap toward becoming a reality Wednesday ecutive director of the Brooklyn Heights Associa- when the City Planning Commission unani- tion, which came out against breaking the special mously approved plans for the high-rise On fire! Downtown Brooklyn zoning limits. “The planning structure. commissioners have indicated at every hearing and The building has been the target of almost unani- every public discussion that they thought this proj- mous disapproval from neighborhood associations ect was a good one.” because it would break a hard-won zoning limita- “Well, they’re mostly developers on the City tion imposed just last year. Planning Commission and also people that are pro- Community groups that have unequivocally re- See TOWER on page 9 Heights mourns 9-11 hero fireman / Tom Callan / Tom By Patrick Gallahue The Brooklyn Papers A little over a month after his remains were identified, hero Firefighter Vernon Cherry, of Papers The Brooklyn Ladder Company 118 in Brooklyn Heights, was laid to rest on Saturday. On a scorching Saturday afternoon, a firebreather tries to heat things up Cherry’s funeral service was held at the Church even more — to the delight of the crowd, at Coney Island’s annual Mer- of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, on maid Parade. At left, two “mermaids” try to cool off by sitting on a cooler. Cranberry Street between Hicks and Henry streets, Below, a beer-lover kicks back and enjoys a few cold ones (on her head!) in around the corner from his firehouse. For many, it front of the Cyclone roller coaster, which turned 75 on Wednesday. was a return to the site of an emotional collective commemoration held last October, for the eight members of the Middagh Street firehouse killed on Sept. 11. In the ensuing weeks and months since Octo- ber’s ceremony, the men from the firehouse that have been discovered, have each been honored in singular services — and on Sunday it was Cherry’s turn. A singer and a cook, the author of the coveted lasagna recipe “Vernon Mo Lasagmo,” and a fire rig operator with a bold driving style — which earned him the nickname “Cowboy” — Cherry was, above all, known as a cheerful, harmonious man with an easy laugh. “Vernon’s rhythm was his family, the melody of Darien Cherry weeps as he’s handed the helmet his life was his music and the harmony of his life of his father, Vernon, Saturday. AP / Raddiffe Roye See CHERRY on page 10 Boost for Armory By Patrick Gallahue and after 4 pm the facilities would be open to pri- / Greg Mango / Greg The Brooklyn Papers vate schools, community leagues and neighborhood Callan / Tom At the urging of Park Slope Councilman organizations. Bill DeBlasio, Mayor Michael Bloomberg “This was an extraordinary possibility,” DeBla- and City Council Speaker Gifford Miller this sio said. “To have this much space available to See ARMORY on page 9 The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn week allocated $250,000 each towards the Papers The Brooklyn renovation of the 17th Regiment Armory, located on Eighth Avenue between 14th and 15th streets. The funds are a small step towards completing a $15 million proposal first presented to the commu- nity last April at a meeting of the Park Slope Civic Council. The plan would turn the vast crumbling Anchorage moves to ‘Tobacco’ road building into a 61,600-square-foot, state-of-the-art community athletic facility. The Brooklyn Papers The annulment, however, has Two long-time presenters of based presenter of public arts ly lease on the Anchorage, that told The Brooklyn Papers, The plan’s author and champion, Take the Field Reasons of national security accelerated use of the Tobacco the arts in Brooklyn, Creative projects, which has put on sea- national security concerns would “There were safety concerns ex- Inc., an organization dedicated to rebuilding public Warehouse on Water Street at Time and Arts at St. Ann’s, are sonal shows in the Anchorage halt its summer program, accord- school athletic facilities in New York City, intro- have canceled the 20th season pressed by law enforcement. the foot of Dock Street in DUM- currently in the planning stages for almost 20 years, was notified ing to Creative Time spokes- Brooklyn residents are probably duced designs to convert the armory’s currently va- of Creative Time’s arts presen- BO as an arts venue, a use first of sponsoring events at the ware- in the early spring by the Depart- woman Sarah Bacon. cant drill floor, into a sports facility encompassing a seeing the increased police pres- tations in the Anchorage of the proposed by supporters of the house shell this summer. ment of Citywide Administrative The Brooklyn Bridge, along ence in and around the bridge at track and basketball, volleyball and tennis courts. Brooklyn Bridge. planned Brooklyn Bridge Park. Creative Time, a Manhattan- Services, which manages its year- with the Statue of Liberty, has The garrison portion of the building, would be used this point in time. Here at DOT for community space. been considered a potential tar- we respect anything that law en- With several hundred public, private and get for terrorist attacks by intel- forcement asks of us regarding parochial schools inside a four-mile radius of the ar- ligence agencies since Sept. 11. security.” mory, the plan has been promoted as much for its Most recently, claims of cap- Cocola, however, would not public benefits as its enrichment to the surrounding tured al Qaeda operative Abu specify if it was federal, city or a community. A car-free P’Park? Zubaydah, that the bridge was state law enforcement that re- “We forget how densely populated we are,” De- within al Qaeda’s crosshairs, led quested the Anchorage closure. Borough President Marty Creative Time has presented Blasio said. “Hundreds and hundreds of schools The Brooklyn Papers The group currently lists the five Markowitz to cancel his arts shows in the Anchorage within a radius of miles. To me this was something council members whose districts border we had to invest.” The anti-car Transportation Alter- “Brooklyn Bridge to the World” since 1983, when it was first Take the Field President Richard Kahan said that natives may be developing the politi- the park as supporting a three-month festival that had been scheduled opened to the public for the cen- when the plans were first introduced he envisioned cal muscle to temporarily close the study of a car-free park. Those council for June 2. tennial celebration of the Brook- the athletic facilities would be open to the public gates of Prospect Park to traffic to members are Bill DeBlasio (Park Slope- Tom Cocola, a spokesman lyn Bridge. The space offered Borough Park), David Yassky (Brooklyn from 6 am to 8 am. From 8 am to 4 pm, the hall study the effects a car-free park would / File for the city Department of one of the most unique venues could be made available to the Board of Education have on the surrounding communi- Heights-Park Slope), Angel Rodriguez BP Transportation agency that for visual and performing arts in for local public schools currently lacking facilities, ties. See CAR-FREE on page 9 Momentum is building for trial ban on park cars maintains the space, this week See TOBACCO on page 10 Cop charged in DUI death of motorcyclist Independence By Heather J. Wilson Stefanos Kiladitis, of 67th mother, Kallaipi sat sobbing aloud, “Why?” legedly drunken cop. Week holiday The Brooklyn Papers Street, was knocked off his in front of her son’s casket. She and her husband, Kiladitis was heading bike and hurled through the Overcome with grief, she Eltherios, had made the gut- west on Fort Hamilton Park- The Brooklyn Papers’ offices A police officer faces air June 19 after off-duty po- could barely rise to hug the wrenching decision to re- way around 10:30 pm last manslaughter charges for will be closed for our annual lice officer Victor Wilson al- many family and friends move their son — known to Wednesday when Wilson Independence Week vacation, / Greg Mango / Greg allegedly driving under legedly made a left through paying their respects at his his friends and family as slammed into him with the the influence of alcohol July 1-7, and The Papers will a standing red light at 88th wake. “Little Steve” — from life driver’s side of his 1995 not publish next week. Our when he ran a red light Street. Kiladitis never re- Kallaipi Kiladitis was support at Lutheran Medical Chrysler Cirrus as he made and plowed into a 21- gained conscious and died among the many mourners Center Saturday, three days a left turn from 88th Street. offices reopen Monday, July year-old Bay Ridge man after being taken off life at the Dahill Funeral Home after he was thrown from Eltherios Kiladitis told 8, and The Papers will pub- The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn riding his motorcycle on support three days later.