We mourn the tragic loss of Richard Schwartz

With great sadness, the Cobble Hill Association mourns the tragic loss of Assistant Attorney General and Cobble Hill resident Richard Schwartz, killed during last night's powerful storm. Lightening struck the steeple of Christ Church, causing nearby scaffolding to fall in his path.  He was our neighbor and friend. Richard will be greatly missed by the Cobble Hill community.

State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman expressed his condolences as well stating "For over 25 years, Richard served the people of New York State with integrity as an expert antitrust lawyer in the Office of the Attorney General's economic justice division. New York is a better place because of Richard's commitment to fairness and legal excellence. Richard's loved ones are in our thoughts and prayers as we mourn the untimely loss of one of our own."

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Richard's friends and family.

Music in the Park - CANCELED TONIGHT

Due to a severe weather alert, this evening's concert in Cobble Hill Park has been canceled. Please check back for a rain date to be announced. You can also still hear plenty of great music from tonight's scheduled performer, Kelly McRae, by watching her embedded video and visiting her website at the link here.  Kelley McRae

 

New development coming to Cobble Hill

A stretch of Congress Street will soon see many new developments as developers plan to renovate four historic townhouses and to build five more. The entire project has been approved by Community Board with seven specific conditions, including window realignment and changes to the stoop designing more appropriate material to build stoops than metal. Now it will go before the Landmarks Preservation Commission. The Real Deal has a complete write up on this story at the link below.
http://therealdeal.com/blog/2012/07/25/developers-plan-townhouse-row-in-cobble-hill/

Cobble Hill Landmarks Meeting

This Thursday, The Landmarks/Land Use Committee of Community Board 6 will be reviewing four applications for proposed work within the Cobble Hill Historic District. If these properties are located near you or you have an interest, we strongly urge you to attend this public hearing at 6:00PM this Thursday evening at the Cobble Hill Health Center, 380 Henry Street

Jul 26; Landmarks/Land Use Committee Meeting

Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a rear yard addition at 285 Clinton Street
(between Baltic/Kane Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District.

Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a new building at 437 Henry Street (between Degraw/Kane Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District.

 Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for alterations to the first floor primary façade and for corrections regarding LPC Notice of Violation for work done without a permit to the rooftop parapets and bulkhead at 177 Pacific Street (between Clinton/Court Streets), Cobble Hill Historic District. 

 Presentation and review of a Certificate of Appropriateness application submitted to the Landmarks Preservation Commission for the removal and replacement of existing store front lighting, metal trim, signage and awning at 236 Court Street.(between Warren Street/Baltic Streets)Cobble Hill, Historic District.     

Meeting Time and Location: 
Cobble Hill Health Center, multipurpose room
380 Henry Street (between Warren/Congress Streets)
Brooklyn, NY 11201  Time: 6:00 PM, Thurs, July 26th.

Community Health Fair, Saturday 7-21

This just in from our neighbors at Suny Downstate Long Island College Hospital -

Would your kids enjoy touring tour an ambulance or having their faces painted?  How about you - would you like to watch a demonstration of CPR and have a free asthma screening?

Come to  

Downstate LICH's annual Community Health Fair!  

Date: Saturday, July 21

Time: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Place: Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 6
(entrance on Atlantic Ave. & Furman St.)

Clowns * Body Mass Index (BMI) screening * Face painting * Asthma screening * Meet the docs * Ambulance tours * Diabetes screening... and much more!

Get on the Bus!

Great news coming from our local elected officials and the MTA.  Several of the devastating cuts in service made in 2010 are being restored, with a few brand new bus routes actually being established. Additionally, the G Train extension to Church Avenue will now be made permanent. Plenty of coverage of all those details are available either here NYT, here News, here Post, or here WSJ .

Reposted from thebergennetwork.com

However, what is left off the list is one of the routes that directly affects the Cobble Hill, the old B71 bus route. Assemblywoman Joan Millman has just started a Change.org petition to bring back the B71 bus along Union Street, and she will be testifying at the MTA Board meeting next week. She will speak in favor of restoring the B71 which provided safe and reliable transportation for the many residents of the Columbia Street Waterfront District, Carroll Gardens, Gowanus, Park Slope, Prospect Heights and Crown Heights. Top give her the support she needs in her testimony,  please read and sign the petition by Tuesday July 24th.

The petition can be found at: https://www.change.org/petitions/joseph-j-lhota-chairman-and-chief-executive-officer-restore-the-b71-union-street-bus-in-brooklyn#

Free Music in the ParK, tonight @ 7pm

Join us tonight for the 2nd week for free music in Cobble Hill Park.  

TONIGHT - two performances!

Thursday, July 12 
Suzanne Sherman Propp  
(Family Friendly Folk)

The Crustaceans 
(Acapella w Colgate13 Alumni)

And next week the series continues with ....

Thursday, July 19 – Zenon Garcia & Ada Pasternak (Folk Jazz Combo)

Thursday, July 26 –  Kelly McRae (Singer/Songwriter) 

All concerts begin at 7PM at Cobble Hill Park

This year's concert series has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of our longtime community supporter Ridgewood Savings Bank, as well as new sponsor Brooklyn Bridge Realty, and returning sponsor and neighbor to the park Ted & Honey who not only helped support the event monetarily but also provided the July 19th musical performance of their very own barista, Zenon Garcia.

Court Street Parking gets Improved

Last week, one of our readers spotted new black stumps placed in the sidewalk on Court Street. Just a few days later, it became apparent; those stumps were the bases for recently installed Muni-Meters on Court Street. This a plan that has been in the works for months and the Cobble Hill Association appreciates our Department of Transportation's advance notice and discussions on the issue. Commercial corridors citywide have been getting this treatment which offers more payment options for drivers, more parking spots per block, and in some select cases variable peak pricing so the cost of a space can wisely change based on the demand for it.

But what's to come of all the existing meters? Right now they have the below pictured message... 'Please pay at Muni-Meter.' However, those will be removed (possibly by the fall) and the old meter racks will be retrofit to become bicycle parking. This is a simple addition that will help reduce dangerous clutter on our sidewalks when too many bicycles are locked up to a street sign or other pole. Keep an eye out for those changes, and now be sure to feed the Muni-Meter!

Music in the Park - Kickoff TONIGHT!

Join us tonight for the kickoff of the Cobble Hill Association's 2012 "Music in the Park" concert series in Cobble Hill Park. It's a wonderful neighborhood tradition of FREE family-friendly music under the stars organized by Bryan Johnson.

TONIGHT

Thursday, July 5 – The Claremont Strings (Classical Favorites)

 

And then the series continues with ....

Thursday, July 12 – Suzanne Sherman Propp (Family Friendly Folk)

                                The Crustaceans (Acapella w Colgate13 Alumni)
Thursday, July 19 – Zenon Garcia & Ada Pasternak (Folk Jazz Combo)

Thursday, July 26 –  Kelly McRae (Singer/Songwriter)

All concerts begin at 7PM at Cobble Hill Park

Rain Date for all concerts is the following Friday when possible.

This year's concert series has been made possible by the generous sponsorship of our longtime community supporter Ridgewood Savings Bank, as well as new sponsor Brooklyn Bridge Realty, and returning sponsor and neighbor to the park Ted & Honey who not only helped support the event monetarily but also provided the July 19th musical performance of their very own barista, Zenon Garcia.