Celebrating Community
“Welcome to Venice Jerko!” On the opposite side of the Gowanus Canal, the message, graffitied on the wall of a brick building, welcomed during a part of the 2010s new residents moving into luxurious 365 Bond, the first residential development along the canal. A static shot of the sardonic greeting captures a core theme of the new documentary Gowanus Current: […]
In early April, The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the quasi-government agency leading the Brooklyn Marine Terminal redevelopment, announced that it would delay the BMT task force’s vote on the vision plan for the site, from April to sometime in June. The vote is currently scheduled for June 18. The delay came in response to loud criticism from […]
EDC claims only housing can pay for “the port of the future.” There are other options. Later in April, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal task force is set to vote on a vision plan for the massive redevelopment of New York’s last working waterfront. In the last few months, the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) — which is leading […]
Everyone is outraged with the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) right now. Seriously — everyone. The community (except for a fringe group advocating for more housing). Members of Teamsters Local 814. Maritime experts. Community groups. City councilmembers. State assemblymembers. The Brooklyn Borough President. The Public Advocate. The Comptroller. Even a sitting Congressperson who no longer represent the district due to redistricting. […]
2025 is election year in New York City. Focus of most New Yorkers is, of course, on the mayoral race which is poised to be an interesting one, following Mayor Eric Adams’s string of mishaps, alleged criminal activities and flirting with Donald Trump, likely selling out many New Yorkers in his so far successful search for legal relief in the […]
It was a bitterly cold winter morning (probably) on Jan. 27 when New York State Environmental Conservation Officers Bieber and Keegan, fresh out of basic school (the Department of Environmental Conservation’s six-month-long training program for its specialized police officers) visited Star Market at 1778 86th St. in Brooklyn for a seafood inspection. The officers were only there to assist as part […]
As most in the neighborhood are aware by now, the Brooklyn Marine Terminal is being redeveloped. Since our latest story in the February Star-Revue, nothing has happened that has changed the course of the city’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC), which leads the project on behalf of the city. Despite continued calls to push the deadline for the finished master plan, […]
It’s the evening of Dec. 18, 2024. The Brooklyn Marine Terminal task force is meeting for the fourth time, just before the winter holidays. Alexa Avilés, council member for District 38 and vice-chair of the task force, is late and arrives with about 30 minutes left of the two-hour meeting. “I walked into chaos,” she said. “People immediately started beelining […]
In December, The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), began the second phase of construction of Gowanus’s two Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) tanks after pausing work since August. Because of the design of the much of New York’s sewer system, where stormwater and sewage water both go through the same pipe, […]
In our last issue, I wrote about how we (many of us, at least) celebrate Christmas in Sweden. I went through it all, from Dec. 1 and Swedish Public Service’s advent calendar TV show, through the celebration of St. Lucy and bingo on the night before Christmas Eve, to the sales on Boxing Day. And while these are all key […]
