Atlantic Ave Tunnel's Screening Derailed

Yesterday's planned film event in the Cobble Hill treasure known as the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel was unexpectedly shut down. Brooklyn Historic Railway Association head Bob Diamond was working with Rooftop Films, who recently announced this statement (via Gothamist) 

"We received a phone call from Battalion Chief Martorana of the New York Fire Department telling us that they were insisting that we cancel this weekend's events in the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. The Brooklyn Historic Railway Association has been running tours in the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel for years....Unfortunately, the FDNY has informed us that at this time they do not feel that it is not safe for any number of people to have access to the tunnel."

In addition to this special Rooftop films event, the tunnel offered monthly tours and was soon to be filmed in depth for national TV when its founder, Bob Diamond, said just last week "National Geographic TV is going to start shooting the one hour Atlantic Avenue Tunnel documentary this weekend! It's expected to air in November, 2011." Not sure how FDNY's new opinions affect all of those decisions but the CHA will offer any updates it can. 

UPDATE!!! Just got word from Bob Diamond that there may not actually a Fire Chief Martorana at FDNY.  Did someone impersonate a city official? Gothamist explores the question a bit here... http://gothamist.com/2010/12/11/diamond_speaks_out_about_tunnel_clo.php
Image via http://www.undercity.org/photos/AtlanticAve/index.htm

Rooftop Films go underground in Cobble Hill

Cobble Hill is rich with history and Bob Diamond regularly showcases one of the neighborhood's gems - the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel. Though his tours tell the amazing tale of its century old past and its odd rediscovery... this time the Tunnel will be home to very different scene cause NYC's beloved Rooftop Film series is going underground, using the tunnel as a venue this Demeber 11th.  More info below, excerpted from the Rooftop Films website...

• Rooftop Films is best known for showing underground films outdoors, but in December we will be taking some of those films back where they belong: UNDERGROUND, into the Atlantic Avenue Tunnel in Cobble Hill. On December 11th and 12th, Rooftop will take two programs of short films from the dark underbelly of the independent film world and screen them deep inside the oldest subway on earth.  Prior to the screenings, urban spelunker Bob Diamond will be conducting a tour of the tunnel, and his recounting of the history of this historic treasure is not to be missed. So buy your tickets now and we'll see you on the other side of the street.

And following the screening, we'll all head over to Last Exit Bar and Lounge at 136 Atlantic Avenue for complimentary drinks courtesy of Sailor Jerry.

For full line up of films, check out the original post at http://www.rooftopfilms.com/2010/schedule/70-trapped-in-the-tunnel

Street Cars from the Past in Brooklyn's Future?

Brooklyn Historic Railway Association.

Just days after local papers and blogs spoke of Bob Diamond possibly leaving the borough and ending the not-to-be-missed Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours, the Department of Transportation finally announced they're beginning a "Study To Determine Feasibility Of Streetcars In Brooklyn." This is wonderful news for transit-starved Red Hook as well as all of its neighboring communities. Special thanks to Representative Nydia Velázquez and Brooklyn Street Car guru, Bob Diamond, for persistent years advocating for the innovative and sustainable form of transportation.

"Once again, we're looking back to the future with our transportation network," said Commissioner Sadik-Khan. "Once ubiquitous in New York City's streetscape, streetcars remain part of the transportation mix in cities from Toronto to Melbourne, and we need to consider all options to improve transit access in underserved neighborhoods like Red Hook."

The full DOT press release can be read here...
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2010/pr10_040.shtml

and check out a related posts about it at the WSJ here, Streetsblog here, 2nd Ave Sagas here, and the NYT here.

Atlantic Avenue Tunnel Tours back on Track

Cobble Hill may be full of life above ground, but it's also got a rich history below. Bob Diamond of the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association has been offering tours of the Atlantic Avenue tunnel he discovered in 1980 and resurrecting the notions of a Brooklyn Street Car system. Just a week ago he said "Feds have $280 million earmarked for streetcars, City blows grant" and decided to throw in the towel after many years of personal labor that secured dollars but did not yet bring an active street car system to the surface.

Thankfully, local pleas have persuaded him to stick with the project and he's now combined everything on the new streetcar plan onto one convenient webpage, with detailed subsections hyperlinked here: http://brooklynrail.net/new_brooklyn_streetcar.html

The Cobble Hill Association is glad to have Bob Diamond's dedication both preserving the borough's history as well as planning for it's future. For more info, check out links from our friends at McBrooklyn, the tunnel's Wiki page, and of course, the detailed info on the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association website.