Around Brooklyn: BHS historic maps now available online

July 22, 2020 Editorial Staff

Coney Island’s shoreline is so serene. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

The Coney Island shoreline. Photo: Lore Croghan/Brooklyn Eagle

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BHS historic maps now available online

While the Brooklyn Historical Society’s Othmer Library has been closed to researchers during the coronavirus pandemic, the society’s collection of historic maps, ranging from the 18th to the 21st centuries, has now been digitized. The new map portal holds more than 1,500 maps. Users can search maps by neighborhood, subject and date. “The launch of the map portal is a huge moment for the accessibility of our collections,” Maggie Schreiner, manager of Archives and Special Collections, told Brownstoner.

Cuomo doubles down on threats to bars

After a weekend that saw carefree parties go on at bars and restaurants throughout the city, Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday said he would hold city leaders to their responsibility to halt crowding on the streets and shut down the businesses now monitoring compliance from patrons. “Don’t be stupid,” Cuomo said, “What they’re doing is stupid and reckless for themselves and for other people, and it has to stop.” The governor originally made that threat in June as New York City began reopening and restaurants were able to open outdoor dining. Now, Cuomo is reaffirming that the State Liquor Authority will be a key player in stopping the spread by eliminating violators if the NYPD does not step up to the plate, according to amNewYork.

Capital One to close Carroll Gardens branch

Last weekend, Capital One customers in Carroll Gardens received letters saying that the bank was making some changes to “branch banking” and was closing its location at 420 Court St. at Second Place. The branch will permanently close on Oct. 22. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, Capital One announced that it was cutting down on the number of its branches. The location has housed several other bank branches in the past, such as Home Federal, Hamilton Savings and North Fork. Pardon Me for Asking wonders, “Where are Capital One customers in the neighborhood thinking about moving their bank account in the area? Citibank, Chase, TD Bank or Apple Bank?”

Ditmas Park studio selling for $415K

A small studio in the Art Deco-style at 570 Westminster Road in Ditmas Park is selling for $415,000. The building, originally known as Westminster Arms, dates to 1935 and went co-op in the 1980s. The studio has an eat-in kitchen, closet space and a sleeping alcove. It also has several original Art Deco elements, such as a large foyer, parquet floors, arched doorways and built-in bookcases. The kitchen and bathroom have a mixture of period and modern elements, according to Brownstoner.

Cops nab woman accused of Brooklyn Bridge attack

A woman suspected of assaulting three cops with a cane during the recent Brooklyn Bridge melee has been arrested and charged. Chanice Reyes, 24, was arrested early Thursday morning when cops investigated a strong smell of marijuana coming from a car near City Hall. The officers recognized Reyes, a New Jersey resident, from a video of the cane attack. The suspect allegedly hit an NYPD sergeant and tried to bite one of the cops while being taken into custody. Police say she also talked about killing herself. While she was being escorted out of a police van, even though she was in handcuffs, she was able to move her hands enough to “give the finger” to journalists, according to the New York Post.

Man who attacked police chief out on bail

The Bronx man who allegedly punched NYPD Chief Terence Monahan and two other officers during Wednesday’s Brooklyn Bridge melee is now out on bail. Quran Campbell, 25, is accused of hitting the highest-ranking uniformed police officer several times in the face as Monahan tried to arrest him, after Campbell allegedly punched another police officer and a lieutenant near the Manhattan approach to the bridge. Campbell was arraigned on assault charges in Manhattan Criminal Court and was granted supervised release, according to the New York Post.

Head of Cobble Hill Association ends term

Amy Breedlove plans to step down from her presidency of the Cobble Hill Association after four years at the helm of the group, where she has been involved in major issues. Breedlove began her term in 2016, when the fate of Long Island College Hospital was still uncertain. Developer Fortis Property Group tore most of it down the next year to make way for a residential complex known as River Park as well as a smaller medical center. Another prominent issue during Breedlove’s term was repairs to the BQE, and Breedlove pushed the city to not only repair the highway but to transform it, according to the Brooklyn Paper.

Greenpoint businesses broken into, vandalized

Several businesses on Nassau and Norman avenues in Greenpoint have been the victims of break-ins and vandalism last week. For example, on Thursday morning, an unidentified man wearing gloves and a round hat was caught on video using a brick to smash open the entrance of Bagel Point and emptying the store’s cash register. He also tried unsuccessfully to disable Bagel Point’s surveillance system. Forty minutes later, a man fitting the same description smashed the entrance of the Greenpoint Palace with a brick, destroying the bar’s stained-glass window but failing to gain entrance. Another stained-glass door at the Mahps Kids and Home boutique was smashed about a week ago, according to Greenpointers.

Downtown condo building nears finish

Work is nearing completion at The Alfred on Fleet, a 12-story condo building at 112 Fleet St. in Downtown Brooklyn. The building, designed by Bricolage Design Associates and developed by the Boomerang Development Group, will have 23 units, only two per floor, as well as a communal roof deck, bicycle storage and onside parking. The building will likely be finished in early 2021, according to New York YIMBY.

Man assaults person recording him after B’klyn incident

A white man yelled the n-word at someone he felt was blocking his car, then turned on an onlooker who was recording his behavior. In the video, taken at an unnamed location in Brooklyn, the man yells at the onlooker, asking whether he’s gay. He then assaults the onlooker, grabs his phone and slams it on the ground. The young man said he doesn’t care if the video is posted, and that he’ll even win fans because of it, according to TMZ.

B’klyn bar owner drowns in Montauk

Divers in a Long Island pond have recovered the body of a Brooklyn bar owner who drowned while trying to retrieve an oar that had fallen from his rowboat. Police searched Fort Pond for two hours and again on Monday before finding the body of Jeffrey Gantt. Gantt was the managing partner of the Huckleberry Bar in Williamsburg. He was with three other people on the water, according to the Independent, an East Hampton newspaper.

Work progresses at One Willoughby Square

Exterior work has been progressing at One Willoughby Square, also known as 420 Albee Square, a new office skyscraper in Downtown Brooklyn. Façade paneling has reached the roof of the 34-story building, which is being designed by FX Collaborative and developed by JEMB Realty. The project will be the tallest new office building in Brooklyn. FZ Collaborative itself is planning to occupy the seventh, eighth and ninth floors. The top floor will feature 18-foot ceilings and a private outdoor area. The site is near the subway system’s DeKalb Avenue, Hoyt Street and Jay Street-MetroTech stations. It is slated to be finished in the fourth quarter of this year, according to New York YIMBY.

NYPD lieutenant needed eye surgery

NYPD Lt. Richard Mack, when he visited police headquarters on Monday, wore an eye patch and talked about his emergency surgery after the violent clash with protesters on the Brooklyn Bridge last week. He said he was struck by several people, some of whom might have had brass knuckles or jewelry. “I had double vision and blurriness,” he said. He got hurt while trying to help Chief of Department Terence Monahan and his team, who were being hit on their heads and bodies with a stick, according to PIX11.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.