Around Brooklyn: Applications to community boards up

April 9, 2021 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

The sky glows orange above Pier 2 at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Photo: Will Hasty/Brooklyn Eagle

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Applications to community boards up

More people applied to serve on Brooklyn’s 18 community boards this year than in any year since 2017, according to published reports. The boards, which function in an advisory capacity, have received more than 1,200 applications for 2021, according to Borough Hall. Each board has up to 50 members, who are all volunteers. Boards in Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn-Brooklyn Heights and Bed-Stuy received the most applications.
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Brooklyn warehouse sells for $2M

A 4.5-acre industrial property at 901 Baltic Ave, in Brooklyn recently sold for $2 million. The site, which features a 38,000 sq. ft. building, is occupied by Industrial Container Service (ICS-MD), a company corporately owned by Mauser Packaging Solutions. The company will remain a long-term tenant. Mauser Packaging Solutions, a national credit firm with $680-plus million per year in revenue, has more than 180 locations worldwide. The Baltic Ave. location has been used for storage and distribution of the steel and plastic drums the company manufactures and refurbishes, according to SouthBMore.
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ASPCA vet center opens in East New York

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has opened its second ASPCA Community Veterinary Center in New York City, located in East New York, Brooklyn. The center, supported by the Alex and Elisabeth Lewin Charitable Trust, aims to create better access to affordable veterinary services for underserved pet owners and improve the health and welfare of dogs and cats in Brooklyn. This is the second of three Community Veterinary Centers the ASPCA is building across New York City in communities with limited existing resources for veterinary care. The ASPCA Community Veterinary Center will offer partially and fully subsidized basic and preventive care for dogs and cats, including vaccinations, treatment for infections and other minor issues, in addition to spay/neuter surgeries.
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New workspace opens at MetroTech

JLL has opened a new co-working and flexible office space at MetroTech Center in Downtown Brooklyn. Orchard Workspace by JLL takes up 50,000 square feet of space and designed, constructed and will operate the offices. The space will feature flexible offices, a coworking space, meeting rooms, custom team suites and virtual office. Brookfield Properties’ MetroTech Center stretches 5.5 million square feet and includes office and retail space, a 3.5-acre green space named MetroTech Commons and more.
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Affordable lottery opens in Windsor Terrace

An affordable housing lottery has been launched for 560 19th Street, a three-story residential building in Windsor Terrace. The 10,931-square-foot masonry development was designed by Bricolage Designs and yields nine units. Available on NYC Housing Connect are three units for families whose incomes range from $72,000 to $167,570. Each apartment has a washer, a dryer and energy-efficient appliances; and the building has a rooftop terrace, according to New York YIMBY.
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Asian Americans march across bridge

The Coalition for Asian American Civil Rights marched across the Brooklyn Bridge to call for an end to hate crimes and racial discrimination. Hundreds of people marched from Foley Square to Cadman Plaza, shutting down the Brooklyn-bound roadway on the Brooklyn Bridge. The Coalition for Asian American Civil Rights made specific demands for change, including condemning all forms of anti-Asian actions, urging federal law enforcement officials to work with state and local agencies to investigate hate crimes, and expanding the collection of data and public reporting on incidents of hate crimes relating to COVID-19, according to Brooklyn News 12.
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City reviews Bed-Stuy proposal

City agencies are currently reviewing proposals from BRP Companies to construct a new 14-story mixed-use building at 270 Nostrand Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Zoning variances are necessary because the developer seeks to build higher than are currently allowed in the area. In an official response to BRP’s environmental impact statement, the Department of City Planning says it does not foresee any adverse impact on the neighborhood if the project is allowed to proceed. The building, designed by GF55 Partners architects, would include 487 apartments, 30 percent of which would be designated for affordable housing. It would also include retail stores on the ground floor, a two-level parking garage and a medical office. The façade integrates dark gray and red brooks with floor-to-ceiling windows, according to New York YIMBY.
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Political donor said to have mob ties

Plaza Motors of Brooklyn, owned by John Rosati, donated $2,000 to DA Eric Gonzalez for his 2017 campaign and gave $2,000 to Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte-Hermalyn for her 2018 campaign, according to the New York Post. He also donated another $10,000 to the Brooklyn Democratic Party. However, Rosati, 77, was named by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement as a member of the Colombo crime family, the Post said. Rosati was convicted in the mid-1970s of attempted auto theft. Plaza Auto Mall lawyer David Grandeau said, “Mr. Rosatti states that he is not now nor has he ever been a soldier of the Colombo crime family.”
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Man shoots three, kills himself

A man in Brownsville shot the mother of his child and two of her daughters, then killed himself on Monday. Police say the suspect, identified only as a 46-year-old man, had had a dispute with the 45-year-old mother. At some point before 11:30 p.m., when cops were called to the scene, he shot her along with her two daughters, one of whom was around 20 and the other about 16. A 9-year-old child, who is the daughter of both the shooter and the 45-year-old woman, survived. The two young women who were killed had a different father. The shooter’s body was discovered in a walkway outside the Van Dyke Houses, according to NBC 4.

Compiled by Raanan Geberer.