De Blasio embarrassed at pool visit
Mayor Bill de Blasio became embarrassed at a visit to the Kosciuszko Pool in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where a female swimmer shouted at him, “We love you, Cuomo!” When de Blasio told her that he wasn’t the governor, the woman claimed not to know who he was. De Blasio, who was wearing a face mask, was trying to drum up support among visitors to the pool. He was accompanied by Parks Department Commissioner Mitchel Silver and Councilmember Robert Cornegy, according to the New York Post.
Felder: Drivers who don’t pay fines shouldn’t be suspended
State Sen. Simcha Felder (D-Borough Park-Midwood) co-sponsored legislation that passed the Senate that would prevent people from having their driver’s license suspended for unpaid traffic tickets or for failing to appear in court. The bill also requires the Department of Motor Vehicles to send drivers who receive tickets reminders of their court dates and to offer monthly payment plans. In addition, it empowers Traffic Court to waive or suspend fines that it believes are inappropriate.
Downtown Brooklyn retail condo sold
Gorian Acquisitions, a real estate firm, has sold the 489 Atlantic Ave. retail condominium as part of its sale of eight retail and mixed-use properties. Along with the Brooklyn property, the portfolio includes commercial buildings in Ohio, Milwaukee, Missouri, Gary, Virginia and Georgia. The firm said it is “actively pursuing new acquisition opportunities across the country.”
B’klyn’s tallest building is now opening
Brooklyn Point, which is the borough’s tallest building at 68 stories, is now opening, and its first residents are moving in. The building at 138 Willoughby St. in Downtown Brooklyn contains 438 residents as well as retail, dining and entertainment. It was designed by Kohn Pederson Fox and developed by Extell Development Corp. It contains a ninth-floor landscaped terrace with dining areas, a putting green, a bar and a children’s playground. It also features a salt water swimming pool, a rock climbing wall and a squash and basketball court, according to New York Business Journal.
Teen stabbed after car crash
A teen was seriously hurt in a stabbing after a car crash on Saturday morning in Sunset Park. Police said the 19-year-old victim got into an argument with another man after the accident, which took place around 2 a.m. on Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park. The incident happened right after the teen and his father exchanged information with the two people in the other car, according to CBS2. The teen was taken to the hospital in serious condition, and the perp fled the scene.
It’s Census Week
This week, the Census Bureau and several other agencies plan several events across the city to remind people of the necessity of completing their Census forms. Of the five boroughs, Brooklyn has the lowest response rate, at 50 percent. If more New Yorkers don’t fill in the document, which is available online, the city could risk losing two congressional seats and billions of dollars in aid. Areas in which the majority of residents haven’t filled out Census forms include Bed-Stuy, Bushwick, East New York, Brownsville, Canarsie, East Flatbush and Starrett City, according to a map provided by BK Reader.
Thieves steal thousands of sunglasses
Thieves who broke into an optical store in East New York stole $15,000 worth of sunglasses around 4 a.m. on Sunday morning. The store, Flatbush Optical, is on Flatlands Avenue. Police say the group broke the lock on the rear door to enter. Police have released surveillance photos of the incident, according to CBS2.
Money diverted from police to fund community center
A portion of the millions of dollars diverted from the NYPD’s 2021 budget will be used to fund a new community center in Brooklyn. Mayor Bill de Blasio and Brooklyn elected officials unveiled plans on Monday for a new community center at Nostrand Playground in Flatbush. The center will be named for the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm. It will include a pool, a running track and a tech center. The 67th Precinct, where the center will be located, has seen its shootings double since last year, according to Patch.
Brannan brings back 7-day garbage pickup
Councilmember Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bath Beach) recently made sure that garbage cans in his 43rd Council District will be emptied seven days a week starting in August. “Clean streets are important to our community and they matter to me, so when I heard that corner baskets would be picked up at half of the frequency as before, I knew that I had to fight like hell in order to prevent that from happening” he said.
Bill would bring green roofs to public schools
U.S. Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-Brooklyn) has introduced a bill in Washington that would allocate federal resources for the adoption of green roofs at public elementary and secondary schools. The bill, known as the Public School Green Rooftop Program, would especially be beneficial in urban areas where access to green space is limited. “There is no better place to begin teaching our children about conservation than our public schools,” said Velázquez. “These roofs allow students to directly engage with sustainable practices and see for themselves the impact that environmentally conscious initiatives can have on their hometowns and neighborhoods.”
Music in the Grove hosts YouTube concerts
Music in the Grove, an organization that promotes outdoor concerts in Prospect Park, will be premiering new concerts each Sunday at 11 a.m. on its YouTube channel. Upcoming performances include Flor Bromley on Aug. 2, AstroGrass on Aug. 9, Esther Crow on Aug. 9 and Mil’s Trills with Jazzy Ash on Aug. 23. The group also has teamed up with the Little Orchestra Society so that kids can enjoy the fun.
Accessibility projects at subway stops completed
The MTA has announced the completion of four accessibility projects in the subway, with two in Brooklyn. The new entrances and elevator at the Bedford Avenue station on the L line are part of the broader Canarsie Tunnel and L-Train Core Capacity Improvement Project. Improvements to the First Avenue Station in Manhattan, also on the L, are part of the same project. The third station is the R train’s 86th Street station in Bay Ridge, which is being upgraded with two ADA-compliant elevators. The fourth station is the Astoria Boulevard stop on the N and W lines in western Queens.
Luxury RE market hits COVID-era high
Brooklyn’s luxury real estate market has hit a new high since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. Ten high-end properties went into contract last week with a combined price of $30.2 million. Of the 10 properties, the most expensive was a 1910-era, five-story townhouse at 179 Bergen St. in Boerum Hill, which was asking $5.4 million. The second most expensive was a three-bedroom Brooklyn Heights condo at the One Clinton multifamily building whose asking price was $3.7 million, according to The Real Deal.
Four-story building planned for East NY
Permits have been filed for a four-story apartment building at 503 New Jersey Ave. in East New York. The site, located between Blake and Dumont avenues, is currently a vacant lot and is two blocks from the 3 train’s Pennsylvania Avenue station. Hooman Moirzadeh is listed as the developer, and Henry Radusky of Bricolage Designs is listed as the architect of record. The building will have seven apartments, most likely rentals, as well as a rear yard, according to New York YIMBY.
Man shot at memorial for other victims
A man was shot on Monday night at a memorial ceremony for two teens who were killed in a drive-by shooting during the weekend. The 22-year-old man was shot in the left shoulder around 10:30 p.m. outside George Walker Jr. Park in Cypress Hills, police said. He was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. Kleimer Mendez and Antonio Villa had been killed on Sunday when a gunman emerged from the sunroof of a Honda SUV and opened fire into the park, according to the New York Post.
Compiled by Raanan Geberer.
