New York National Guard troops, working with experts from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) and local emergency management personnel, are holding classes across the state in disaster preparedness.
One such class was held at the Child Development Support Corporation on Classon Avenue at Clifton Pl. last Saturday. With Division of Homeland Security personnel assisting, over 8o local residents heard Staff Sergeant Gaspar Teri III from the Division of Military and Naval Affairs give a spirited, humorous and highly informative presentation on behalf of the Citizen Preparedness Corps. Tips like putting documents, photos, etc. on a flash drive kept in your “Go Bag” with some cash in small bills because there may be no ATMs.
The objective of the CPC is to give residents the knowledge and tools to prepare for emergencies and disasters, respond accordingly, and recover as quickly as possible to predisaster conditions. Organizations with venues to host an event should call Sgt. Teri’s office at (347) 569-8082.
Are You Prepared? Is your “Go Bag” ready?
Brooklyn Boats in Dry Dock
Summer is almost here and the boats of the Paerdegat Squadron Inc. boat club are in dry dock waiting for National Grid to replace the existing docks that were damaged by an oil leak. “No time frame has been given” for the repairs said Robert Syphax a 50-year member of the -club started by African-Americans 51-years ago.
National Grid is doing the repairs to three other clubs, as well, and it appears that Paerdegat Squadron is last in line, even after a now-unused dock on the other side of them is repaired says Syphax. The club has about 21 members, including City Councilman Robert Cornegy and State Assemblyman Jesse Hamilton.
Clinton Avenue Bike Lane Proposal Mired in Politics and Confusion
By Kings County Politics News Service
A controversial proposal to narrow Clinton Avenue from Gates to Flushing Avenues from a two-lane motorist roadway to a one-way northbound street and adding two-way bike lanes has many in the Fort Greene/Clinton Hill area up in arms.
The Department of Transportation first floated the proposal earlier this spring, which would also see a parking lane and a pedestrian island with a minimal loss of parking spaces.
Under the proposal, drivers would be encouraged to use neighboring two-way and southbound streets like Adelphi Street, Vanderbilt Avenue, Waverly Avenue, Washington Avenue and Hall Street.
The new bike lane would add 2.2 miles to the bike network and provide a continuous connection between Clinton Hill and the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, according to the DOT.
While a DOT street team was in the neighborhood for six days last month to survey residents and give away free bike accessories, there has been a lot of pushback from residents, according to Public Advocate Letitia James, who formerly represented the neighborhood in the City Council.
“Residents are up in arms. They have been contacting me left and right. I don’t know whether or not this is appropriate. Right now, I’m moving towards opposing it,” said James.
“I have supported bike lanes all throughout my career. I supported the Lafayette Avenue bike lane. I’ve been very supportive of Citi Bikes in the city and to maintain them in my former district, but as more and more residents contact me expressing their concerns I just don’t believe it’s in the best interests of the residents of Fort Greene and Clinton Hill,” she added.
Senator Velmanette Montgomery is also not enthusiastic about the plan, according to her spokesperson Jim Vogel.
“It sounds like an example of people who actually live in the neighborhood aren’t in favor of it, while the people in favor of it, Transportation Alternatives, whom we love dearly, don’t even know where it (Clinton Avenue) is,” said Vogel.
Vogel said part of the problem is Clinton Avenue is a highly residential thoroughfare that often gets deliveries from companies like Fresh Direct, which with a narrower street, has a greater potential to snarl up traffic.
The only people from the neighborhood that seem in favor of it are only in favor of the concept, but there’s a lot of unanswered questions, said Vogel.
Adding to the confusion is tonight’s regularly scheduled Community Board 2 Transportation Committee will take up the issue as part of their regular agenda, but it is being billed as a Town Hall meeting expressly to address the Clinton Avenue issue.
According to an e-mailed flier, the Town Hall meeting will include Assembly member Walter Mosley, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Montgomery and current City Council member Laurie Cumbo.
Cumbo has not taken a position on the issue as of yet. She plans to attend the Town Hall meeting in order to inform her decision, said Cumbo spokesperson Kristia Beaubrun.
Tracking Bed-Stuy Construction
By Liani Greaves
I recently got a call from a new homeowner (a former client) who is concerned because they’d seen a news item online about a prolific Brooklyn developer submitting plans to the DOB to demolish the 2-family home next to their newly purchased Brownstone and transform it into a 5-family home.
If that construction is right next door to you, no doubt, you have questions and concerns. Will it be a safe renovation? Are the contractors licensed and permitted? No homeowner wants to experience the nightmare that neighbors over at 97 Quincy Street late last year when a contractor was performing illegal work and caused the building to collapse.
All any local resident or homeowner needs to do is turn the corner to see evidence that Bed-Stuy is under construction. Contractors are hammering away, block after block and the scope of the work is substantial: in NYC, the ALT 1 permit allows major alterations on properties that will change the use, egress or occupancy. According to the DOB’s building information website, from January 1st – May 1st 224 ALT 1 permits (alone) have been issued in Bed-Stuy’s Community Board 3. (This number doesn’t even include full demolitions)
And what about the unscrupulous developer or contractor? The one who is in it for a quick flip? A “flip” is defined as a home that is bought and sold for a higher price within a 12-month period. The Center for NYC Neighborhoods published a report listing Bed-Stuy as number four on the list of NYC neighborhoods with the highest volumes of flips. In 2015 alone, 75 homes in Bed-Stuy met the criteria and it’s fair to say that 2016 is off to a fast start with recent sales like a Jefferson Avenue property held for 3 months and sold in March for $1,905,000, and a house on Hancock Street purchased in October 2015 for $1,500,000 and resold in February for $2,275,000. It’s important to note that the homes being resold at those numbers have all undergone substantial and most times, complete renovations.
Homeowners do have resources: If you’re curious or concerned about development in the neighborhood, know that at anytime you can find details on the permits at the Department of Buildings’ Building Information website. There, you can easily do a property search and immediately view issued permits, complaints, violations and more for any building in NYC.
Every Tuesday night from 4:00pm to 7:00pm the Department of Buildings hosts an informational session for homeowners at the local borough office. (In Brooklyn, that’s 210 Joralemon Street, 8th floor.) There, homeowners and residents can learn how to check on a contractor’s license, get advice on the permitting process, get advice on how to secure or change a property’s Certificate of Occupancy and understand how to use the DOB’s Buildings Information System (BIS) to research property history. Liani Greaves is a Licensed Real Estate Broker and owner at LGM Real Estate, LLC.
Penn Relays 2016
By Renee Sterrett
The aura of mental toughness indeed invaded Ben Franklin Stadium at the Penn Relays on April 28-30, 2016. Shanice Love Excelsior (Kingston, Jamaica) threw 54.72m (179-6 feet) to break the previous Penn Relays record. The runner-up in Thursday’s event, Elna Brucker of Ally Christian (San Jose, Calif.) also was better than the previous meet record with a throw of 54.44 (178-7 feet).
The Penn Relays Carnival is the world’s oldest meet held annually at the University of Pennsylvania. The feel of the Penn Relays was exciting and thrilling as the 20,596 fans waved, cheered and clapped for the athletes as some jogged their victory laps or struggling to the finish line.
Never in history did I witness five high school girls running the 4×800 meter relay fighting to see who was going to cross the finish line first. These five girls ran the anchor on their relays. They literally ran until they didn’t have anything left in their legs and several of them collapsed at the finish line. Hannah Reale of Shenendehowa High School from Suffolk County, Long Island anchored her team to victory in the 4×800 meter relay. Their pains were intense and well-understood by the audience and other athletes at the Penn Relays. I was in awe!
Although it rained on Friday at the Penn Relays at the Ben Franklin Field, the die-hard audience still managed to clap and cheer on the athletes as they continued to perform at optimal levels. Nine teams from Tennessee, Oregon, Auburn, Clemson, St. Augustine’s, Penn, Albany, Cornell and Houston qualified for the 4×100 Championship Invitational Race on Friday.
Saturday at the Penn Relays, the sun peeked its way through the glooming gray clouds as the crowds chanted “Jamaica”, “America”, an electricity of excitement and thrilling sensations penetrated through the audience and athletes. The athletes’ performances were absolutely spellbinding from the young to the 100-year-old Ida Kneeling, setting a world record in the 100 meters. Ida was quoted as saying, “You must exercise once a day and don’t let anyone get in your way”. After Ida crossed the 100-meter line in 1:17, she dropped to the ground and begins to do push-ups. This will always be a memorable moment at the Penn Relays.
When the “USA vs. the World teams stepped onto the track, the audience stood at attention chanting “America”, “Jamaica”, while swinging their flags to represent their country. The unrestrained exuberance of the audience filled the arena with a sense of pride and joy.
For a moment the audience went silent as the cameramen positioned themselves for what was about to take place: “America vs. the World” in the 4×100, 4×200 and the 4×400 meter relays. Once again, the United States was victorious in the Women’s 4×100 and the 4×400. Although the USA men were victorious in the 4×200 and the 4×400; however, in the Men’s 4×100 meter relay, a botched handoff between Tyson Gay and Isiah Young on the final leg of the relay for the USA Red team cost them the win. Jamaica grabbed the win in the 4×100 meter relay while the USA Blue team took second place.
As the Penn Relays came to closure, the echoes of the cheering crowds and the rolling sounds of the athletes’ feet resounded from the walls of the Ben Franklin Field at the University of Pennsylvania, this will never be forgotten. Although the Penn Relays offers athletes from all over the world to compete against each other, it also provides an opportunity for high school athletes exposure to gain scholarships to colleges and for college athletes to become hopeful Olympians.