Amazon filming @ Ted & Honey

Cobble Hill is already a coveted spot for families and businesses, now once again it's the desired locale for another film shoot. Word just came in from CB6 that Eyeball NYC will be in production this week on a commercial for Amazon. 

"We will be filming at Ted & Honey Cafe and on Verandah Place from approximately 7:00am to 3:00pm on Tuesday September 27th. For the purposes of staging scenes and parking production vehicles, street parking will be held in advance on oth sides of Clinton from Kane to Verandah Place... We appreciate the opportunity to shoot in Cobble Hill and will do our best to hold only the space necessary, and operate in as clean and quiet a manner as possible. We look forward to working in Brooklyn (aka home); thank you very much for helping to keep the production industry strong in New York City."

Another addition to Brownstone Brooklyn

Wanted to share the good news that the Cobble Hill Blog and NY Post have already sent out...

The NYC City Council finally approved a 50 foot cap on new development in Boerum Hill, the great neighborhood immediately adjacent to Cobble Hill.  The rezoning area is bordered by Atlantic Avenue to the north, Court Street to the west, Fourth Avenue to the east and sections of Warren and Wyckoff streets south. We are happy to see Boerum Hill now under the same landmark guidelines as our own Cobble Hill which will ensure future developments maintain the character we've all come to love.

NY Post: Councilman Steve Levin, who represents the historic, landmarked Boerum Hill neighborhood said many of the its homes were build more than 150 years ago and the rezoning “is going to make sure that … historic character is preserved in perpetuity.”
“Everyone saw that there was a great need for this rezoning,” he said.

BQE Emergency Repairs

CHA President Roy Sloane sent along this emergency notice...

Part of the eastbound lane of the BQE (adjacent to Grace Court and therefore under the Promenade) caved in earlier this morning. It is 'just' the asphalt itself, not the supporting steel structure. 

Presently, DOT are plating the area and putting up jersey barriers to keep cars off the affected lane. BQE is currently down from 3 to 2 lanes (leading to extensive delays). Repairs will be done on Wed 31st, from 10pm to 6am Thursday. There will be a full shut down of the Atlantic Avenue ramps to the BQE.

During this time, Furman will be made two-way to accommodate traffic, and there will be traffic agents on site to direct traffic. DOT says the repairs will hopefully only take a couple of days, but this is not a guarantee until they know the full extent of what they are dealing with.

Good to know DOT is on top of this emergency work, and will make necessary road changes that include a a temporary TWO-WAY Furman Street. However, one has to wonder, why isn't it ALWAYS two-way? Current vehicle speeds are dangerously high, and keeping this temporary conversion could make a safer road to walk across, bike along, and drive on.

"Cobble Hill was a prime church hotspot"

While we're proud to have had historian Francis Morrone lead walking tours through the neighborhood, we are also glad to know other history buffs are exploring the richness of Cobble Hill too.

Mary Ann DiNapoli recently led a tour with the Municipal Arts Society entitled “Churches of Cobble Hill: The Here, the Now, the Long Gone & the Forgotten." It not only revealed details of churches standing tall today, but also those which have been converted into other uses (like the Met Foods on Henry Street, or the apartments on Hicks & Warren).

For a full report, read Tania Karas's write up in the Patch.
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/on-a-cobble-hill-church-tour-history-and-real-estate

Cobble Hill Cyclist Killed

We are very sad to read reports that Jeffrey Axelrod, a Cobble Hill resident and founder of the Cobble Hill CSA, was killed last night while cycling in the Lower East Side near the Delancey and Chrystie Street intersections. There is undeniably a surge in ridership the past few years throughout NYC and though opinions vary on to how best accommodate all modes of transportation, the universal truth is that all forms must offer SAFE travels.  Our condolences go out to Jeffrey's family and friends, and we hope the Department of Transportation takes this tragedy to heart and continues improving safety for all street users to avoid incidents like this in the future.

For more reports....
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/cobble-hill-towers-resident-killed-in-les-bike-accident
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/08/jeffrey_axelrod.php
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/08/18/2011-08-18_man_crushed_underneath_cement_truck_after_losing_control_of_bicycle_on_lower_eas.html

BK Bridge Park Decision

The city announced plans which may potentially eliminate the need for new housing on Pier 6 of Brooklyn Bridge Park, yet would still drop housing in Brooklyn Heights. The Cobble Hill Association has long fought for an inclusive, community oriented park without private housing, not piecemeal plans which pits neighborhood against neighborhood.

Our friends at Cobble Hill Blog covered some of the story, as did the NY Times.  However, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Defense Fund released a very strong press release in response, with Cobble Hill Association President offering these words -

“We deeply regret this inevitable result of the Mayor and the Brooklyn Heights Association's preferred ‘housing only’ alternative to financing the park,” said Cobble Hill Association President Roy Sloane. “It is especially sad given how hard community activists and former Borough President Howard Golden fought to secure this Con Ed brownfield for a park to serve the residents of DUMBO, Vinegar Hill and the Farragut Houses. Seeing park land given up to development especially when so many viable funding mechanisms were identified in the recent "Committee for Alternative to Housing " conducted by Bay Area Consultants, is especially disturbing.”

Click for full BK Bridge Park Defense Fund press release.

Local Spotlight: Dorothy Siegel

Our very own local activist Dorothy Siegel was recently featured with a full article in the Patch.com.

Siegel is a political activist... a preservationist and a community builder: as a concerned resident she has fought time and time again to help maintain the character of Cobble Hill and to build parks....

Siegel's big issue today is Brooklyn Bridge Park. She has been working for many years, with a host of other locals including Roy Sloane, President of the Cobble Hill Association, to fight against the city's plan to build private housing within the footprint of the park.
"We've been fighting for a real Brooklyn Bridge Park for years," she said. "We mounted a battle, and it looks now like the city is blinking."

To check out the full interview, check out the link below.
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/headliners-longtime-resident-and-cobble-hill-activist-dorothy-siegel

TONIGHT! Free Music!

Tonight, Thursday 7/21, at 7pm kicks off the Cobble Hill Association's "Music in the Park" concert series and leading the way is Suzanne Sherman Prop who'll be playing family friendly folk music in our beautiful park. Free for all... so come on out and enjoy. 

Thursday, July 21 – Suzanne Sherman Propp (Family Friendly Folk)

Thursday, July 28 – The Clermont Strings (Classical Favorites)
Thursday, August 4 – The Crustaceans (Acapella w Colgate13 Alumni)

Thursday, August 11 –  Nate Schweber (Singer/Songwriter)

All concerts begin at 7PM at Cobble Hill Park

Thanks to the series organizer Bryan Johnson, and to our sponsors SUNY Downstate at Long Island College Hospital and Ridgewood Savings Bank.

BK Bridge Park Board of Director's Meeting

Reprinted from our blogging friends at the Cobble Hill blog...

The board of directors of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation will meet on Monday, July 18, starting at approximately 1:30 p.m., at the Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn Heights branch, 280 Cadman Plaza West (at Tillary Street). The public is invited.
There is no agenda yet available for the meeting; we will publish it as soon as it is finalized. It may include action on the recommendations of the board’s Committee on Alternatives to Housing.

As noted in the Cobble Hill Association's postings last year (BK Bridge Pk Statement), we remained firmly opposed to new housing within the park and believe there are numerous non-privatizing ways to instead fund park maintenance. We envision a world class park with the recreational opportunities our borough wants and deserves, not a landscaped backyard for luxury condos.

Cobble Hill Summer Concert Series

Line-up just announced!

The 2011 "Music in the Park" concert series in Cobble Hill Park, organized by Bryan Johnson, is a wonderful neighborhood tradition of FREE family-friendly music under the stars. 

Thursday, July 21 – Suzanne Sherman Propp (Family Friendly Folk)

Thursday, July 28 – The Clermont Strings (Classical Favorites)
Thursday, August 4 – The Crustaceans (Acapella w Colgate13 Alumni)

Thursday, August 11 –  Nate Schweber (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 SUNY Downstate at Long Island College Hospital and Ridgewood Savings Bank.

Cobble Hill Park History

Peter Justice of the neighborhood blog The Patch, has a wonderfully detailed history of our beautiful Cobble Hill Park, maintained by the Cobble Hill Association tireless park leader Barbara Krongel.
Read it in full, right here:
http://carrollgardens.patch.com/articles/the-origin-of-cobble-hill-park

Cobble Hill Park Credit: Georgia Kral

Hospital Saved and Renamed

Everyone in the Cobble Hill community knows how tirelessly our local advocates have been fighting to keep nearby Long Island College Hospital from shutting its doors. After many months of negotiations, and the immense help of elected officials, the unprecedented merger of LICH and Suny Downstate is complete. Cobble Hill Association president Roy Sloane first announced it at the recent Spring General Meeting, and yesterday it became official as the new sign went up introducing the new University Hospital of Brooklyn at Long Island College Hospital.

For more detailed accounts of the merger, check out some of the local press coverage linked below. The CHA also wished to once again express our deepest gratitude to the late Murray Adams, a lion of an advocate, without whom this hospital saving merger would have never been possible.

Brooklyn Eagle Article
Brooklyn Paper Article
Carroll Gardens Patch Article