76th joins the twittersphere

Word just came in that Captain J. D. Schiff of our local precinct has brought the 76th into the world of Twitter. Their account has the handle @76PrecinctNYPD and it will not be used for announcing crimes in progress, but rather for soliciting information regarding CRIMINAL activity. Be sure to follow them as they enjoy the speed of social media, and always feel free to contact them via email at
76Precinct@NYPD.org or in person at the monthly community council meeting which meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7:30 P.M at 191 Union Street. 

Be safe

We have a wonderful neighborhood that residents can enjoy at all hours of the day, but please also remember to be careful and alert, especially when out late at night. Shortly after midnight last Friday, a man was robbed at knife point at the northeast corner of Congress and Clinton Streets. One young male was arrested in conjunction with the robbery, but two other assailants remain at large.  Our excellent 76th precinct is on the case, but if anyone has additional information on the crime please do share with our officers by calling the station (718) 834-3211.

The Patch has the full report here.
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/man-robbed-at-knifepoint-outside-of-cobble-hill-park

Improving the approach to Brooklyn Bridge Park

The Cobble Hill Association has long pushed for pedestrian safety improvements for our residents and visitors approaching Brooklyn Bridge Park. While some positive changes have come to fruition, there is certainly still more to do. Fortunately, another group now also hopes to bring about improvements.

The newly created Atlantic Avenue BID recently met with urban designers of Planning Corps, to explore ideas for making the tunnel under the BQE more interactive, appealing and useful to pedestrians passing through on their way to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Think this is a worthwhile project to get underway in our neighborhood? Voice your opinions in the comments section below and be sure to read the full story from DNAinfo here.  http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20120815/columbia-street-waterfront-district/atlantic-avenue-bid-plans-improve-bqe-underpass#ixzz23pL0izcJ

Christ Church Update

Photo courtesy Marie Viljoen @ http://66squarefeet.blogspot.com/

Many neighbors have been inquiring about Christ Church since the recent lightening storm that caused major damage and resulted in terrible tragedy.

Christ Church's Father Ron Lau gave us this update today.

The tower is being partially dismantled (and the stones stored) until the engineer deems it safe to open the street and our buildings. All four pinnacles are down now. This was the slow part, as they are round and the basket is rectangular. Now that is done they have commenced dismantling the walls and buttresses, probably down to just below the bell chamber louvers, or perhaps the clock faces, depends on what they find as they work. The tower is massive (walls are approximately 8 ft thick at buttress base and 4 ft at bell louvers and 3 ft up top). The long range plan, from the engineer's point of view, is once the tower is stable/safe, reopen the Parish House (offices and preschool), make a repair to the roof and the NE corner walls, remove the rubble from the church (75% of the rubble is in the church), clean the church, repair the organ (which is now full of grit), and then address the tower restoration. I have been asked to refer all questions in the future to The Rev. Canon Shawn P. Duncan, Canon for Media and Mission, who serves as Chief Information Officer for the Diocese of Long Island. sduncan@dioceseli.org

Court Street cheered by Crain's

Defying gentrification and a poor economy, much of Court Street's rich history remains today from Cobble Hill to Carrol Gardens. This weekend, Crain's ran an article lauding the success of those who've stood the test of time and turned a profit.

In the 13-block strip between Warren Street and Fourth Place, nearly 20 longtime, mostly Italian-American mom-and-pop stores still do a healthy business. They range from cafés to a clothier—many of them dating back to the early decades of the past century, and nearly all of them boasting one or two antidotes to the ravages of age and relentless change.

Read the full Crain's article HERE. And for a truly great history of Court Street, check out Forgotten NY's amazing digital walking tour HERE. 

New President at Suny Downstate - LICH

After 13 years, Dr. John LaRosa recently left his leadership role as president of our neighborhood hospital and will be replaced by a new full time president, Dr. John Williams, who begins a two-year term August 20th.

Dr. Williams is senior vice president at Verras Health Care International, a for-profit consulting firm he joined in May..... SUNY Board of Trustees Chairman Carl McCall, in a statement, called Dr. Williams "precisely the person we have been looking for to lead Downstate through its financial restructuring while maintaining its impeccable service to the Brooklyn community and all of New York state.

For more info, see Barbara Benson's article in Crain's here.