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Some of the Current Issues Facing Brooklyn Heights

Representing this unique, and uniquely vulnerable, neighborhood demands that we take a firm and well-supported stand on a broad range of issues. Our judgements are based on careful study by the land-use lawyers, architects, planners and public advocates on our Board; all Heights residents. And on input from you, our members. We will publish our positioning statements on this website. Most are intended to be read aloud or submitted in writing at municipal, state and local hearings. Reading them will give you a good idea of the issues facing our community.

BHA Position on the Brooklyn House of Detention

For the last several years, the Brooklyn Heights Association has been part of a group meeting with representatives of the office of Borough President Marty Markowitz and Council Member David Yassky to respond to the City Department of Correction's plans to reopen and expand the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue.

The BHA has consistently opposed the plan of the New York City Department of Corrections ("DOC") to enlarge the size of the House of Detention ("HOD"). While we are unhappy with the prospect of the jail's reopening, as are our neighbors living closer to the HOD, we have felt that the decision to reopen was one that DOC can make as of right. We have felt it more effective to take up Commissioner Martin Horn on his pledge to address parking issues around the jail, as well as other issues that reopening the jail will raise.

We will work with DOC and the elected officials to keep the mitigation issues at the forefront should the City's plans to reopen the HOD proceed.

Help Save Long Island College Hospital!

Continuum Health Partners, the Manhattan-based management organization that runs Long Island College Hospital, has announced that it intends to close the hospital's maternity wards and pediatrics service, and to sell several of the hospital's valuable buildings. The hospital's medical staff, many of whom live in Brownstone Brooklyn, have banded together to prevent the closing and return the hospital to local control. Please follow this link to learn more about the issue and help to keep LICH a community hospital serving our local community: http://www.lichmedicalstaff.org/index.php

New Annex for PS 8

The BHA stands proudly behind PS 8 as one of its most vocal and influential advocates. We were delighted when the Department of Education announced plans to build an annex in the school parking lot to make room for expanding enrollment in all grades from Pre-K to 5th Grade.

PS 8 has doubled in size since Principal Seth Phillips arrived in 2003, and is outgrowing its building. The annex will include a gym, and is expected to be completed in three years. Link to PTA website is http://www.ps8pta.org/

Brooklyn Bridge Park Update

Construction on the first phase of the park has begun using funds already allocated. The initial phases, and expected completion dates are:

End of 2009
Pier 1 lawns and playground
Half of Pier 6 and its uplands, including a playground and beach volleyball court.
Major entrances at Fulton Ferry Landing and Atlantic Avenue

End of 2011
Uplands from Pier 1 to Pier 5, connecting Pier 6 and its uplands to what is now Empire Fulton State Park

End of 2012
Pier 5 playing fields

Later work will cover Piers 2, 3, and the end of Pier 6, as well as the safe water zones and northern lot "Con Ed lot").

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation's June, 2008 public presentation materials about the park design, including new renderings, can be seen here: http://brooklynbridgeparknyc.org/uploads/pdfs/Pub_Meet_063008.pdf

Dock Street Project

Joint Statement by the BHA, DNA, FFLA and VHNA regarding the proposed Dock Street Project

Atlantic Yards

The Atlantic Yards Project is an arena and much more. As proposed, it will have an impact on the entire Downtown Brooklyn area, including Brooklyn Heights. The BHA is one of the many sponsoring organizations of the BrooklynSpeaks website which advocates on the issues connected with the Atlantic Yards Project. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Advocating for a Vibrant Montague Street

The Brooklyn Heights Association (BHA) has worked hard to strengthen and improve Brooklyn Heights for its residents, business owners and visitors. The BHA views the business make-up and activity of Montague Street as important elements contributing to the health and appeal of Brooklyn Heights.

The BHA is working with landlords, businesses, the Montague Business Improvement District (B.I.D.), and realtors to foster an attractive, successful Main Street for our neighborhood. We are convinced that Montague Street can be an even more vibrant, balanced street of retail uses that serves local residents, attracts visitors and meets the daytime needs of the nearby work force.

Specifically, the BHA believes that businesses and residents can be best served when:

street-level storefronts, especially between Clinton and Hicks Streets, are occupied by active retail uses.
passive business uses such as banks, realtors, beauty salons, etc are limited to either the block between Court and Clinton Streets, (where there is already a concentration), the second floors (or higher) of other Montague Street blocks or off Montague Street.
a variety of retail uses attracts new shoppers to Montague Street

The neighborhood is underserved by the following retail activities and the BHA encourages their appearance on Montague Street;

children's and / or teens
household furnishing (linen, bed, apparel and shoes, bath and table)
teen interest
athletic apparel
fine gifts
men's clothing

Montague Street also has too much duplication of retail activities on such a short retail stretch that dampens the success of the street. Therefore, the BHA feels that Montague Street is already well-served by the following types of retail operations, and strongly discourages more of these specific stores from opening on Montague Street, especially on its two central blocks between Clinton and Hicks Street:

optical
quick-service food
drug stores
dry cleaners
banks
beauty salons / spas
telephone / wireless service outlets

Further, in order to capitalize on Montague Street's location in the midst of one of the City's most popular historic districts, the BHA expects businesses to comply with the Landmarks Law, which contains regulations for storefronts set by the New York City Landmarks Commission. It has been demonstrated that observance of these regulations not only benefits the neighborhood, but the retailers as well. These requirements exist to ensure that storefront changes do not destroy or compete with the unique row house quality of the street. They include:

signs and awnings that comply with the Landmarks Law (appropriate in scale and color to the historic surroundings)
windows unencumbered by signs. Transparency enhances merchandise
enhancement of historic architectural features.

The BHA will continue working with local realtors, property and business owners, the Montague Street B.I.D. and residents to achieve the goals outlined in this document.

Home	Some of the Current Issues Facing Brooklyn Heights
	Representing this unique, and uniquely vulnerable, neighborhood demands that we take a firm and well-supported stand on a broad range of issues. Our judgements are based on careful study by the land-use lawyers, architects, planners and public advocates on our Board; all Heights residents. And on input from you, our members. We will publish our positioning statements on this website. Most are intended to be read aloud or submitted in writing at municipal, state and local hearings. Reading them will give you a good idea of the issues facing our community.
	BHA Position on the Brooklyn House of Detention For the last several years, the Brooklyn Heights Association has been part of a group meeting with representatives of the office of Borough President Marty Markowitz and Council Member David Yassky to respond to the City Department of Correction's plans to reopen and expand the Brooklyn House of Detention on Atlantic Avenue. The BHA has consistently opposed the plan of the New York City Department of Corrections ("DOC") to enlarge the size of the House of Detention ("HOD"). While we are unhappy with the prospect of the jail's reopening, as are our neighbors living closer to the HOD, we have felt that the decision to reopen was one that DOC can make as of right. We have felt it more effective to take up Commissioner Martin Horn on his pledge to address parking issues around the jail, as well as other issues that reopening the jail will raise. We will work with DOC and the elected officials to keep the mitigation issues at the forefront should the City's plans to reopen the HOD proceed.
	Help Save Long Island College Hospital! Continuum Health Partners, the Manhattan-based management organization that runs Long Island College Hospital, has announced that it intends to close the hospital's maternity wards and pediatrics service, and to sell several of the hospital's valuable buildings. The hospital's medical staff, many of whom live in Brownstone Brooklyn, have banded together to prevent the closing and return the hospital to local control. Please follow this link to learn more about the issue and help to keep LICH a community hospital serving our local community: http://www.lichmedicalstaff.org/index.php
	New Annex for PS 8 The BHA stands proudly behind PS 8 as one of its most vocal and influential advocates. We were delighted when the Department of Education announced plans to build an annex in the school parking lot to make room for expanding enrollment in all grades from Pre-K to 5th Grade. PS 8 has doubled in size since Principal Seth Phillips arrived in 2003, and is outgrowing its building. The annex will include a gym, and is expected to be completed in three years. Link to PTA website is http://www.ps8pta.org/
	Brooklyn Bridge Park Update Construction on the first phase of the park has begun using funds already allocated. The initial phases, and expected completion dates are: End of 2009 Pier 1 lawns and playground Half of Pier 6 and its uplands, including a playground and beach volleyball court. Major entrances at Fulton Ferry Landing and Atlantic Avenue End of 2011 Uplands from Pier 1 to Pier 5, connecting Pier 6 and its uplands to what is now Empire Fulton State Park End of 2012 Pier 5 playing fields Later work will cover Piers 2, 3, and the end of Pier 6, as well as the safe water zones and northern lot "Con Ed lot"). The Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation's June, 2008 public presentation materials about the park design, including new renderings, can be seen here: http://brooklynbridgeparknyc.org/uploads/pdfs/Pub_Meet_063008.pdf
	Dock Street Project Joint Statement by the BHA, DNA, FFLA and VHNA regarding the proposed Dock Street Project
	Atlantic Yards The Atlantic Yards Project is an arena and much more. As proposed, it will have an impact on the entire Downtown Brooklyn area, including Brooklyn Heights. The BHA is one of the many sponsoring organizations of the BrooklynSpeaks website which advocates on the issues connected with the Atlantic Yards Project. For more information, CLICK HERE.
	Advocating for a Vibrant Montague Street The Brooklyn Heights Association (BHA) has worked hard to strengthen and improve Brooklyn Heights for its residents, business owners and visitors. The BHA views the business make-up and activity of Montague Street as important elements contributing to the health and appeal of Brooklyn Heights. The BHA is working with landlords, businesses, the Montague Business Improvement District (B.I.D.), and realtors to foster an attractive, successful Main Street for our neighborhood. We are convinced that Montague Street can be an even more vibrant, balanced street of retail uses that serves local residents, attracts visitors and meets the daytime needs of the nearby work force. Specifically, the BHA believes that businesses and residents can be best served when: street-level storefronts, especially between Clinton and Hicks Streets, are occupied by active retail uses. passive business uses such as banks, realtors, beauty salons, etc are limited to either the block between Court and Clinton Streets, (where there is already a concentration), the second floors (or higher) of other Montague Street blocks or off Montague Street. a variety of retail uses attracts new shoppers to Montague Street The neighborhood is underserved by the following retail activities and the BHA encourages their appearance on Montague Street; children's and / or teens household furnishing (linen, bed, apparel and shoes, bath and table) teen interest athletic apparel fine gifts men's clothing Montague Street also has too much duplication of retail activities on such a short retail stretch that dampens the success of the street. Therefore, the BHA feels that Montague Street is already well-served by the following types of retail operations, and strongly discourages more of these specific stores from opening on Montague Street, especially on its two central blocks between Clinton and Hicks Street: optical quick-service food drug stores dry cleaners banks beauty salons / spas telephone / wireless service outlets Further, in order to capitalize on Montague Street's location in the midst of one of the City's most popular historic districts, the BHA expects businesses to comply with the Landmarks Law, which contains regulations for storefronts set by the New York City Landmarks Commission. It has been demonstrated that observance of these regulations not only benefits the neighborhood, but the retailers as well. These requirements exist to ensure that storefront changes do not destroy or compete with the unique row house quality of the street. They include: signs and awnings that comply with the Landmarks Law (appropriate in scale and color to the historic surroundings) windows unencumbered by signs. Transparency enhances merchandise enhancement of historic architectural features. The BHA will continue working with local realtors, property and business owners, the Montague Street B.I.D. and residents to achieve the goals outlined in this document.