Walkable Cobble Hill

This article already made the rounds last week but it's worth sharing here now too far all who missed it.  We all know NYC is a pretty walkable place and even with an inadequately funded mass transit system and a still growing bicycle infrastructure, its density still allows many people to regularly rely on two feet rather than two wheels. WalkScore is a system that rates and promotes that ability because

• People in walkable neighborhoods weigh 6-10 lbs less.
• Walkable places make you happier and healthier.
• Short commutes reduce stress and increase community involvement.

Cobble Hill and the adjacent neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights, both reached the city's highest scores - 98 out of 100. Congrats Cobble Hill!

To read more check out the L Magazine's write up... and visit Walk Score's website & breakdown.
http://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2012/04/13/the-most-and-least-walkable-neighborhoods-in-brooklyn

Become a leader with the Cobble Hill Association!

Since its inception over fifty years ago, the Cobble Hill Association has been a strong, effective community organization that works with local residents and elected officials to ensure the highest quality of life in Cobble Hill. From creating and maintaining our coveted Cobble Hill park to preserving the historic character of our brownstone buildings, from supporting our local elementary school P.S. 29 to envisioning new connections to our waterfront, the Cobble Hill Association unites the neighborhood and now welcomes your fresh ideas with an open call for nominations to form its new Executive Board of officers for the 2012 - 2014 term.

The Cobble Hill Association's Nominating Committee invites all interested residents to join an open meeting on Monday, April 

30th at 7pm in the Cobble Hill Community Room at 250 Baltic Street, just off Court Street. Come with questions and ideas, so that the committee can discuss your potential for filling one of the seven positions on the executive board. 

President -- leads meetings & represents the CHA in an official capacity at civic meetings, hearings, etc.

First VP 

-- serves as chief of staff for President
Second VP -- heads up events and social activities
Treasurer -- controls the CHA's finances
Recording Secretary -- keeps meeting minutes
Corresponding Secretary -- responsible for the general correspondence and the meeting notices of the organization
Membership Secretary -- encourages new members, & maintain database of existing membership

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about becoming a leader of the Cobble Hill Association's executive board, please send them to: CobbleHillAssociation@gmail.com

Squadron's Community Convention

Local State Senator for our 25th District, Daniel Squadron, is holding his 4th annual Community Convention next weekend, Sunday, April 22nd. Though many decisions affecting Cobble Hill are made at the state level, this is a chance to raise concerns and questions face-to-face and make certain your elected rep knows what issues to prioritize with his colleagues in Albany.

Additionally, MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph Lhota will join as a keynote speaker to share his thoughts on NYC's transit system and how riders can engage to make it work better today and help plan for its future. Last year, more than 250 community members attended and offered valuable input on everything from school overcrowding and park planning to ethics reform and tenant rights.  The great ideas discussed in these small group sessions shaped Daniel's work over the last year and will continue to do so next year.

Fourth Annual 25th Senate District Community Convention
Sunday, April 22, 2012
2:00PM to 5:00PM
High School of Economics and Finance
100 Trinity Place
(between Cedar Street & Thames Street)
New York, NY 10006 

RSVP below, at 212-298-5565 or squadron@nysenate.gov

Discussions at the Community Convention will include:
Education: Pre-K to College
Senior Citizens' Concerns
Zoning, Neighborhood Preservation, and Quality of Life
Neighborhood Issues: A Spanish Language Conversation
Neighborhood Issues: A Chinese Language Conversation
Jobs, Workers' Rights and Economic Development
Open Government: Election Access, Ethics, Redistricting, and Budget Reform
Mitchell-Lama, Section 8, and Public Housing
Social Services and Health Care
Rent Regulation and Tenants' Rights
Marriage Equality and LGBT Civil Rights
Arts and Culture
Environmental Sustainability
Parks and Open Space
Streets and Transportation

New Police Captain in Cobble Hill

Cobble Hill is protected by officers from the 76th precinct of the NYPD, which just announced a change in commands yesterday. Capt. Jack Lewis had led the precinct for just one year but is now moving over to the 71st in Crown Heights, while Jeffrey Schiff takes the reigns. A former Impact Unit Commanding Officer for the 67th Precinct near Church Avenue, this is Schiff’s first post as a precinct commander. We wish departing Capt Lewis luck in his new neighborhood and look forward to working with Capt Schiff to keep Cobble Hill safe and secure.

For more info on the changes, check out Lisa Collins' article in the South BK post.

Film Shoot in Cobble Hill next week

Just in from Community Board 6... a new film shoot will disrupt standard parking schedules in the neighborhood next week Wed & Thurs, April 18th and 19th. While it can undoubtedly be a headache to find parking when such a permit is offered, Julianne Cho, the associate commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, notes "There are typically anywhere from 50 to 75 productions in the city at any time. The industry brings in approximately $5 billion to the city’s economy each year". Just some food for thought...

Bullet Pictures lnc. is currently in production on a film titled “My Friend Vijay.” For purpose of staging equipment and parking production vehicles, Parking will be held in advance of filming on the following blocks:

• Warren Street btwn Clinton St & Henry St 
• Clinton St btwn Baltic St and Warren St 
• Clinton St btwn Warren St and Verandah PI
• Clinton btwn Verandah Pl and Congress St

"No Parking signs will be posted 48 hours in advance. We understand that filming can be somewhat disruptive, and we appreciate your cooperation. If you have special needs such as deliveries, moving, traveling, or construction, please contact the locations department. As guests in your neighborhood, we will make every effort to be respectful of the daily routine of the community. Please feel free to contact the Locations department @ 212-807-0108 with any questions or concerns, or you can visit one of us on site when we are filming."

P.S. 29 Principal to Retire

There's a long list of charms that make Cobble Hill such a special place to live, but no family with kids can deny the top quality public school, P.S. 29, is at the top of that list of reasons to live here. Last week, P.S. 29 Principal Melanie Woods announced she will be retiring from the school after 10 years of tremendous work. Lisa Collins at the South Brooklyn Post summarizes her contribution to the community quite well.

Woods is known for her striking problem-solving abilities, her strong support for PS 29′s healthy food initiative in the cafeteria and its food garden, as well as for progressive educational policies. This September, when the number of kindergartners caused crowding, Woods found a way to secure funding to create an extra class after school started (each class had a teacher’s aid thanks to fast summer fundraising by parents and the PTA). Last year, when construction on the new schoolyard closed it down, Woods worked with the 76^th Precinct to close off surrounding streets so kids could play outdoors.

On a personal note, though I do not have kids nor the pleasure of sending them to P.S.29 yet, Melanie Woods has always been fantastic to work with in coordination the neighborhood's annual Electronic Recycling Events and for that I am deeply grateful.  Even this year, as needed repairs to the building temporarily close the school yard and site of our E-waste events, she and other PTA volunteers have made sure to save space for us to hold yet another recycling event this Earth Day, April 22nd.

 

Participatory Budgeting Winners

Last weekend, more than 2,200 residents in City Council District 39 (which includes Cobble Hill) came out to vote for top choices amongst many great project ideas to be granted one-millions dollars from Councilman Brad Lander's discretionary funds. Though this 'participatory democracy' style of governing has been used in other countries before, this was the first time it came to NYC. In the end, seven projects chosen were selected:
    1.    Renovation of two dysfunctional bathrooms at PS 124 ($150,000, 958 votes)
    2.    Innovative community composting system near Gowanus Canal to turn 1 ton/day of food waste into soil ($165,000, 919 votes)
    3.    Planting 100 new trees on blocks throughout the district with few or no trees ($100,000, 767 votes)
    4.    New technology for PS 130 and PS 154 ($140,000, 758 votes)
    5.    Repairing Prospect Park pedestrian paths to prevent flooding, and adding trash cans in the park ($205,000, 648 votes)
    6.    Repairs and safety improvements at the dangerous Prospect Expressway/Church Avenue pedestrian crossing ($200,000, 606 votes)
    7.    New books and equipment for the Kensington public library to enhance the branch's use for meetings, storytelling, rehearsals, and small performances promoting Kensington's cultural diversity ($80,000, 582 votes)

To hear more about the result, listen to this interview the Councilman and several participants did on the Brian Lehrer show.

In addition to these initiatives which will be moving forward, in his summary statement Councilman Lander announced his "commitment to push forward on several other projects on the ballot that did not receive enough votes to qualify for a share of the $1 million, but around which community residents have coalesced:
    •    Getting "bus countdown clocks" at bus shelters.
    •    Working with Kensington's Bangladeshi community to create an "International Mother Language" monument as part of the renovation of Dome Playground.
    •    Address flooding and other issues at the Ft. Hamilton F/G subway station (we've already made some good progress here).
    •    Getting DOT to repave 50th Street in Borough Park.
    •    Facilitating more community access and WiFi at the Carroll Gardens library.

Also, get started thinking about ideas for next year's vote.  While we hope the Cobble Hill Association's 'Fix the Ditch' idea gets underway before then... if other funding sources don't come to light, perhaps this will be the way to kickstart out neighborhood's important project to improve physical connections to our neighbors on the waterfront.

Cobble Hill gets some press

Though our neighborhood is relatively small in size, Cobble Hill certainly gets a great deal attention. This week, the maze of online journalism gave us two pats on the back. First, the L Magazine called our section of Court Street the "Foodiest Block" with a special nod to Watty and Meg, Brucie, and Sam’s.
Second, the Epoch Times pointed out we have some of the most valuable homes in the borough. Check out the map above via Property Shark and a full breakdown of details in Catalin Trif's article here.

Participatory Budgeting Voting

The past several months local Councilman Brad Lander has been running a participatory budgeting project, allowing the public to suggest and vote for ways to spend $1 million of his office's discretionary funds. Several other council members in the city have been running similar workshops and many great ideas have been brought to light. Though no ideas are specifically based in Cobble Hill proper, as voters in the 39th district we are all able to cast votes (3/27-3/29 & 3/31-4/1) at various locations in area.

For more details on voting for the Participatory Budgeting projects and to see the 20 projects on the ballot, visit Councilman Lander's website. http://bradlander.com/participatory-budgeting-ballot-projects.

And when you attend to cats your vote, remember to point out that no matter which projects are awarded funding there are still many worthy issues in our neighborhood which his office must address such as the decaying & dangerous Brooklyn Queens Expressway as well as the need to "Fix the Ditch" by improving pedestrian & bicycle connections between us and our neighbors on the waterfront.

Cobble Hill Tree Fund Annual Plant Sale

With the warmer weather upon us, the Cobble Hill calendar of events is filling out nicely. You can always peruse it through the Google Calendar embedded on the right side of the screen, and will notice major events like the Brooklyn Gateway Transportation Forum on 3/31, the Electronics Recycling Event in our area on Earth Day 4/22, and now another item is announced... the Cobble Hill Tree Fund's Annual Plant Sale will be April 28th, from 10a-2p @ Cobble Hill Park. Pick up some new plants for the summer, and swing by the Cobble Hill Association's table to join/renew your membership and pick up a T-shirt or two printed with the neighborhood logo!

Candy Store Coming to Cobble Hill

Just a few steps down from the Cobble Hill Community Room and Community Board Six's main office at 250 Baltic Street, a new candy store is in the works. Tobey at Bococaland reported a new sign up on the door of 254 Baltic St., between Court and Clinton and notes "it’s website just says Coming Soon, but it’s Google header reads, “vintage, modern candy store, old world nostalgic, hard to find candy, local home grown candy, best birthday place for kids, New York, Brooklyn.”

For the full story check out...
http://bococaland.com/blog/2012/03/21/fancy-candy-store-to-open-in-cobble-hill/

Save the Date - 3/31 BK Gateway Transportation Workshop

Join New York City Council Member Letitia James, The Boerum Hill Association, The Park Slope Civic Council, The Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council and The Tri-State Transportation Campaign for the BK Gateway Transportation Workshop.

The neighborhoods of Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, downtown Brooklyn, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Northern Park Slope and Brooklyn Heights face significant transportation challenges.  Existing traffic and parking congestion, demands on transit service and dangerous roads for cyclists and pedestrians already pose hurdles for residents, businesses and the environment.  The opening of the Barclays Center at Atlantic Yards will further compound theset challenges.  The BK Gateway Transportation Workshop will lay the groundwork for developing community driven solutions to the transportation issues facing the area.

·         Discuss transportation issues affecting your neighborhood
·         Share ideas with transportation experts
·         Learn ways to increase pedestrian & cyclist safety, reduce congestion, & improve transit
·         Help develop a plan for the future of transportation and transit in our community

Residents, business owners, and community organizations welcome!
When:       Saturday March 31, 2012
Where:      YWCA, 30 Third Avenue (at Atlantic Avenue) Brooklyn, NY 11217
                  First Floor Community Room
Time:        10:00 am to 1:00 pm
R.S.V.P:      Due to limited space, participants must register by e mail to bsherman@council.nyc.gov.

Co-sponsored by:
Council Member Stephen Levin, Council Member Brad Lander, Community Board 2, and Transportation Alternatives