Around Brooklyn: One-bedroom co-op selling for $368K

June 3, 2020 Editorial Staff

This skybridge can be found in DUMBO Heights. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

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One-bedroom co-op selling for $368K

A one-bedroom apartment in a 1920s brick co-op in Bay Ridge is going for $368,000. The building at 7401 Fourth Ave., originally known as Florence Court, was originally advertised as a “modern elevator apartment” with such amenities as tiled kitchen, large rooms and (at the time) gas refrigeration. Today, the wall between the living room and the kitchen has been partially removed, and an island with seating divides the two. The building has a bike room, laundry room and storage, according to Brownstoner.

‘Kill Cops’ on BQE road sign

An exit sign on the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway was defaced with the words “Kill Cops” in the aftermath of recent protests. The images made their way around social media on Monday, with calls to the city to remove the graffiti. The words were spotted while drivers were headed eastbound near Exit 28 in DUMBO, according to the New York Post.

Undocumented immigrants face high funeral costs

Undocumented immigrants are seeing higher death rates from coronavirus than the general population, but community organizations are having difficulties getting burials and cremations for them. Citing a lack of support from the city, Councilmember Carlos Menchaca’s office has been helping undocumented immigrants throughout the city. In addition, many immigrants want the bodies of their loved ones buried in their countries of origin, according to the Brooklyn Paper.

Raccoons move into Carroll Park

Carroll Park has been closed since April 2 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the lack of human foot traffic, a family of raccoons has moved in. Gary Dolan, head of Friends of Carroll Park, wrote recently, “As the majestic caribou, sensing the absence of humans, descends on the plains of Yellowstone, so does the elusive trash panda descend on Carroll Park.” Katia Kelly, the publisher of Pardon Me for Asking, said, “We also hope that people will be respectful to these animals once the park reopens.”

Brooklyn Museum hosts food distributions

The Brooklyn Museum is now hosting food distributions from its beer garden. The food giveaway is being done in partnership with the Bed-Stuy-based Campaign Against Hunger, which has nearly 3 million meals since March. People who want to sign up for the food distribution should email [email protected], according to Patch.

MTA ends free subway transfers in Bushwick

The MTA has ended free transfers between the underground Broadway station on the G line and the elevated Lorimer Street station on the J and M lines. The transfers began when construction on the L train’s East River tunnel got under way, and was meant to divert passengers from taking the L train into Manhattan. Though work on the tunnel ended in April, MTA officials waited until Sunday to discontinue the transfer because they didn’t want to exacerbate people’s problems during the pandemic, according to the Daily News.

Police, protestors show solidarity outside 88th Precinct

A show of unity took place on Monday outside the 88th Precinct house in Clinton Hill between police officers and people who were protesting the death of George Floyd. “I have been in Brooklyn all my life, and I have never seen anything like this,” one observer said. Two days beforehand in the same spot, however, protests grew violent, police cars were vandalized and one was set on fire. “We lose the message when violence is in the mix,” said Eric Garnes, chair of the Brooklyn East Chapter of National Action Network. Local leaders said protesters who advocate violence and looting are not from their community, NY1 News said.

Four-story building planned for East Flatbush

Permits have been filed for a four-story apartment building at 417 Rutland Road in East Flatbush. The now vacant site, located between New York and Brooklyn avenues, is a short walk to the 2 and 5 train’s Winthrop Street subway station. Edward Hakimian, under the name New Brook Holdings, is listed as the owner on the applications. He is also the architect of record. The proposed development is slated to have six residences, most likely rentals, according to New York YIMBY.

Fund for small business recovery seeks to ‘Bring Back Brooklyn’

Because of the coronavirus, BCakeNY in Prospect Heights now makes small wedding cakes that are sometimes only for two people. BCakeNY is only one of many mom-and-pop businesses in the borough that are struggling. The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce says 35 percent of all businesses may not reopen. That’s why the Chamber has launched the Bring Back Brooklyn Fund, which provides no-interest loans from $500 to $30,000. “Our criteria is a lot more flexible for banks and you don’t need a lot of collateral. You don’t need high credit scores,” Randy Peers, head of the Chamber, told NY1 News.

Brannan calls for preparedness for hurricane season

City Councilmember Justin Brannan (D-Bay Ridge-Dyker Heights-Bath Beach) recently called for actions and investments to make New York City more resilient ahead of the hurricane season. “Four of the five boroughs are islands or connected to one,” Brannan said. “As I visit communities still dealing with the aftermath of Sandy, most are concerned little progress has been made and we aren’t ready for the next one.” He called for a study by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Brooklyn judge’s bid to suppress evidence denied

A federal judge on Tuesday denied a bid by Hon. Sylvia Ash, an indicted Brooklyn Supreme Court justice, to suppress evidence she produced to the state-chartered credit union whose board she once chaired. The ruling, from U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan of the Southern District of New York, rejected arguments by Justice Ash and her attorney that federal prosecutors had obtained the data from her Municipal Credit Union-issued iPhone in violation of her Fifth Amendment rights. The ruling allowed prosecutors to use Justice Ash’s emails, as well as statements she made to investigators and a grand jury, as evidence, according to the New York Law Journal.

Many Downtown, nearby businesses board up

Plywood was being applied to storefronts in Downtown Brooklyn and along Flatbush Avenue on Tuesday in the aftermath of last weekend. While most protesters were peaceful, there were incidents of violence in Park Slope and Fort Greene, including both police violence and violence from the crowd. Plywood was in place at the Atlantic Center Target store where, during the weekend, groups of protesters had prevented looting. Also, plywood was being delivered to CityPoint, according to Brownstoner.

Suspect killed, several injured in police shooting

Officials say a suspect has died and several others, including two NYPD officers, were injured Tuesday night at the Kingsborough Houses at Rochester Avenue and Bergen Street. Police said a suspect shot at least one, possibly two, people. Officers found the suspect hiding behind a tree with a gun in his hand. Police ordered him to drop the gun for over a minute, and when he did not comply, officers fired their weapons. The original gunshot victim was taken to a local hospital and was said to be stable, and the illegal gun was recovered at the scene, according to ABC7.

Parker working on police reform legislation

State Sen. Kevin Parker (D-East Flatbush-Flatbush-Midwood-Kensington) said he is working on legislation to prevent cases like George Floyd’s from happening. “Since this gruesome video has gone public, I have renewed the call for my colleagues to support and pass legislation that will create solutions,” he said. Parker said parts of his anti-police brutality legislation were introduced as early as 2009.

Clarke helps secure new COVID-19 testing sites

U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-Brownsville-Crown Heights-East Flatbush-Flatbush-Kensington) recently worked to bring two new COVID-19 testing sites to Brooklyn in partnership with AdvantageCare Physicians. The newest testing sites will be located at 546 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights and 1000 Church Ave. in Flatbush, within some of the hardest-hit neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.