P6 P12 P9 Nets P13 THE BROOKLYN SMART NOTHIN’BUT drop two By Gersh Bright ideas ETS more ANGLE Kuntzman mom A holiday gift guide N games BROOKLYN’S REAL NEWSPAPERS Including The Brooklyn Heights Paper, Carroll Gardens-Cobble Hill Paper, DUMBO Paper, Fort Greene-Clinton Hill Paper and the Downtown News Published every Saturday — online all the time — by Brooklyn Paper Publications Inc, 55 Washington St, Suite 624, Brooklyn NY 11201. Phone 718-834-9350 • www.BrooklynPapers.com • © 2005 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 18 pages BWN •Vol. 28, No. 48 •Saturday, December 10, 2005 • FREE THE SURVEY SAYS... PAGE 7 ‘Park’ BORO’S BIZ towers FEARS 2006 shrink, By Gersh Kuntzman • Nearly 70 percent of businesses believe they will The Brooklyn Papers hire new employees next year. Un-happy New Year! • The city needs to do a better job in Brooklyn. Near- That will be the cheer of many Brooklyn business- ly 80 percent cited potholes and poor streets conditions es as the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 1, 2006, ac- as a problem. Litter was a concern of 64 percent. cording to a just-released report by the borough’s • Amajority — but not a strong majority — be- grow Chamber of Commerce. lieves the city school system is moving in the right di- Only 31 percent of business owners believe they rection. The 53 percent who said the school system is will have a good year in 2006 — a marked contrast getting better is a jump from only 40 percent who an- to the 80 percent of companies that expected good swered that way last year. By Ariella Cohen things as they went into 2005. • Only 18 percent of business owners oppose The Brooklyn Papers Roughly 55 percent think 2006 will be worse or Bruce Ratner’s plans for a 24-acre commercial, resi- Bowing to critics, planners of the Brooklyn Bridge about the same as 2005. dential, retail and athletic complex at Atlantic Yards; Park waterfront development have proposed bringing Chamber President Kenneth Adams attributed the pes- sixty-one percent support it — numbers almost iden- down the height of some of the commercial buildings that simism to higher energy and real estate costs. Fuel ex- tical to last year’s poll results. would subsidize it. penditures jumped to number three on the business own- • Wal-Mart still has a lot of ’splaining to do. The But the smaller buildings would come at a cost. ers’ list of “obstacles to growth,” right behind health care company is in the midst of a large public-relations One building, on Furman Street at the foot of Joralemon Street and insurance costs, those perennial revenue-sappers. campaign, yet only 33 percent of Brooklyn business- — which was not slated for residential development in prior ren- “Brooklyn businesses did well in 2005, but they’re es support a big-box Wal-Mart in the borough — and Andrew Schwartz Andrew derings — would now be converted to high-end condos. looking at 2006 with caution,” Adams said. only if “a suitable location could be found.” Forty- And in one “Brooklyn is a small-business economy, and those four percent oppose the discount retailer. scheme, a 30-story types of economies are very dependent on external Big support for Ratner, but little support for Wal- condo tower rising forces. We don’t have large margins for error. If the Mart — but Adams did not see a contradiction ‘Produced’ near Atlantic Avenue, bills go way up, it’s a big deal.” “Small business owners support projects they think would shrink by 10 The survey was sent out after Labor Day to all will strengthen the marketplace by bringing in new cus- in Brooklyn stories — but a 1,200 members of the Chamber of Commerce, but tomers or new investment, but they think Wal-Mart neighboring building answered by only 177 businesses, or 14.7 percent. threatens the vitality of marketplace,” Adams said. Nathan and Uma star in first would grow in height The survey also showed that: “And some just don’t like the company.” film shot at Steiner Studios to compensate. Critics slammed such changes as merely tinkering around the edges of a misguided park-and- residential scheme. “They are switch- Build it and they will lounge: A plan- ing up the chess ner’s vision of Brooklyn Bridge Park. Less Vegas, more Coney pieces — they aren’t improving the game,” said Judi Francis, president of a group that opposes the current development plan. But designers clearly tried to fix some gripes. Another new plan for beachfront Mecca scales down original On John Street in DUMBO, planners trimmed a proposed res- idential building by 100 feet. And instead of a 15-foot-wide side- By Ariella Cohen a longtime player in the sea- walk at the Atlantic Avenue entrance, which critics said did not side attraction’s future. properly welcome the public into a park, visitors will pass The Brooklyn Papers through a 70-foot, tree-lined entrance. Sitt’s plan for a 19-story Reality has already hit Planners also eliminated a controversial roadway — covering Joe Sitt’s development plan condo tower and retail center that area with grass. for Coney Island. has drawn intense fire from But the changes weren’t enough for Atlantic Avenue Better- Where only a few months community members. ment Association President Sandy Balboza: “Shorter here, taller ago, Sitt was hawking an in- “I don’t know why they there— residential development on Atlantic just isn’t going to door, Vegas-style complex keep trying this in Brooklyn,” benefit the avenue.” with a water park, a climbing said Zigun, “Don’t they ever Both Balboza and Francis got a sneak-preview of the latest plans wall, a blimp port, and a learn that amusement parks on Wednesday at the office of park designer Michael Van Valken- House of Blues theme restau- and bars where people get burgh. The private meeting was the latest in a series of public discus- rant, new schematics now drunk and loud don’t mix sions meant to quell the tide of criticism that the $150-million plan show a more subdued face well with housing.” has provoked in the neighborhoods that will surround it. for his proposed amusement For now, the condos are The development will stretch from the Manhattan Bridge to Mecca. just another sandy mirage — Atlantic Avenue when it’s complete in 2012. Sitt’s “Stillwell Walk” unless Sitt can get the city to The new design will be unveiled to the public on Tuesday be- would run from Surf Avenue change the zoning to even al- fore it moves into the final round of environmental assessments to the Boardwalk, from W. low a residential use. and ultimate approval in Albany. 15th to W. 12th streets. If it’s built, Coney land- marks such as Ruby’s Bar on the Boardwalk, and Faber’s Fascination, an old-time game salon on Surf Avenue, would be demolished. New plans for development along the Boardwalk in Coney Island (above) have been scaled-down since original glitzy Instead of those vintage plans were revealed in September (below). amusements, Sitt bets on bringing in the Board- walk’s only movie theater or even a circus. Sitt owns 12 acres of prime, albeit faded, Board- walk properties near Still- well Avenue. He presented the plans to Community Board 13 last Thursday. Sitt did not return re- peated calls from The Brooklyn Papers. Coney Island insiders Callan / Tom — who’ve seen plenty of “renewal” plans burst faster than balloons in a carney sideshow — viewed the new designs with some optimism. Papers The Brooklyn “It’s better than it was, but it still needs some work,” said Dick Zigun, A winter welcome founder of the Coney Is- A snowman either has his arms raised in glee or is shooing away some pesky Canadian geese land Circus Sideshow and after the season’s first snowfall, at DUMBO’s Empire Fulton-Ferry state park on Sunday. – Henry David ‘We were born to succeed, not to fail’ Thoreau BE A WINNER IN 2006 – JOIN THE PAPER TEAM Great people, great company, great career – great life! January openings in EDITORIAL, SALES and WEB departments Go to BrooklynPapers.com and click on Job Opportunities ©The Brooklyn Papers. Established 1978. Phone 718-834-9350. Celia Weintrob, Publisher (ext 104) • Gersh Kuntzman, Editor (ext 119) • Lisa J. Curtis, GO Brooklyn Editor (ext 131) • Vince DiMiceli, Senior Editor (ext 125) • Ed Weintrob, President (ext 105) 2 DTZ, FGZ THE BROOKLYN PAPERS • WWW.BROOKLYNPAPERS.COM December 10, 2005 Holiday ARE YOU Gift Woman refuses to STRESSED Baskets surrender her Gucci OUT? starting at $49.95 Introducing Dr. John Guo By Lilo H. Stainton cops arrested a man after he The Brooklyn Papers allegedly attacked a security Ruyi Bodywork of Brooklyn 107 Atlantic Ave. POLICE BLOTTER guard who said he saw the The mugger could have Treatment for: (bet. Henry & Hicks) her wallet. 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