Heights, Downtown Residents Respond to the Vote
Compiled by Scott Enman, Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Many Brooklynites have taken to the streets — or rather to Disqus, a blog comment hosting service — to sound off on this decision and to converse over the implications the verdict has for the Brooklyn Heights library.
“Bravo!” wrote Roberto Gautier. “Don Quixote would be proud to tilt with those at 75 Henry who passed on the offer. Quite unusual. Quite admirable. Apparently, money isn’t everything to everyone.”
Andrew Porter agreed.
“I am happily astounded by this news,” Porter wrote. “Sometimes the pursuit of money apparently loses out to neighborhood and community.”
Marsha Rimler applauded the Pineapple Walk decision but encouraged other members of the community to use this momentum going forward.
“I agree. Our neighbors did the right thing,” wrote Rimler. “Maybe it’s not too late to teach Councilman Levin to do the right thing. The library project has not yet been approved. [The project] will be going before the borough board the first week in February.
“Call Levin and tell him to stop the library destruction plan at the borough board. He can fix his endorsement of this plan at the City Council,” Rimler continued.
A member of Disqus identified as “Reggie” responded to Rimler. “Let’s see,” he wrote. “The Borough Board is made up of the Borough President, who opposed the library deal, the Brooklyn council members, who already voted for it once, and the chair of the community board, which was also in favor. Is the outcome really in question?”
Rimler replied to Reggie, raising some contentious points. “Why was the Brooklyn Heights Association (BHA) against the 75 Henry St. development and for the library tower? Ask them. Was it the St. Ann’s benefit of getting millions and millions from the library deal? Ask them. There is still time to stop the sale.
“It will soon be revealed that Councilman Levin was neglectful in not fully vetting the library proposal. Was this because he signed on to the deal at the behest of his patron Lander and Mayor [de Blasio] was not an honest broker,” she continued.
“Or was it all those lunches at Peter Aschkenasy’s home? Peter is Brooklyn Public Library treasurer and the only member of the Brooklyn Heights community on the library developer selection committee. Peter is also a member of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corp. that gave us Pierhouse.”
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