The "McDonalds" Entrance To Become the Shirley Chisholm Entrance

And now for some truly revolutionary news for the Q's beloved park entrance.

In November 2018, New York City announced it would build a statue of Rep. Shirley Chisholm, the first African-American woman to serve in Congress, at the Parkside entrance to Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Now they are looking for New Yorkers’ input on which artist’s vision best honors the late congresswoman’s contributions to Brooklyn and beyond. (But act fast as feedback is only open for a couple of days; why, I can't quite say. Frankly I doubt the committee cares what we laypeople think, but nice of them to feign democracy.)

Below are the five final design proposals unveiled by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Percent for Art program, and on the She Built NYC site you can read the statements from the artists who submitted them. The selected artist will be chosen by the Percent for Art committee established for this project and announced in April, and the monument is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2020.

Use the space below the renderings to offer feedback on the proposals, through Sunday, March 31. (Your feedback will not appear as a comment on the post.)

Chisholm is the first monument announced as part of She Built NYC, an initiative to construct public monuments honoring the New York City women who have changed history. The effort kicked off with an open call for public nominations in June 2018, and from that list, Shirley Chisholm was selected and announced last fall in recognition of her role as a political trailblazer. In March, the City announced four more statues: Billie Holiday (Queens), Elizabeth Jennings Graham (Manhattan), Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trías (Bronx), and Katherine Walker (Staten Island).

Read more about these remarkable women on the She Built NYC page.

kinda cool multiple views. not so monumental though.

silly. not something that will age well methinks

love it. giant head!! and fountains are involved. bronze. will be must see for tourists.

the Q's 2nd fave. Big. Shiny. Twisty. Gaudy maybe?

folding chairs? I mean I love her folding chair quote but this will last three minutes.

Don't Forget To Vote For PB Y'all

I hear the Russian trolls are engaged in a misinformation campaign for the new sound system at PS217. Make sure you investigate the source of any Facebook propaganda.

Genuine African Bangles - Sunday

You know Brenda from PLGNA? The longtime teacher with the great sense of humor? Well her husband Moussa Gueye was a master jeweler, and Brenda's a master designer. And this, my friends, is genuine African baubles you can NOT get on Amazon.

Socially Conscious in PLG - this Thursday March 28

The Q's not into being a social heavy these days. I'm more social light. But this is a low pressure meetup, for all things Lefferts. That's the PLGNA Social. At Westbury Inn. On the Flabenue. You're sure to see some welcoming faces, and you can always hide your head in a head of beer til you feel ready to join in a volley of verbal hacky-sack. Or sneak out early, as is my specialty. They call it the Irish good-bye, but perhaps that's not kosher these days? And is saying kosher in this context not kosher either?

Well Butter My Buns and Call Me A Biscuit

read more here

It's just a saying. But what a saying!

The Q rarely ventures to Nostrand Ave these days. But as you probably know, Lefferts Nostrandamus is having one hell of a renaissance of late. The most recent addition to the culinary bazaar is Daleview Biscuits & Beer, run by chef/brewer Christoper Gandsy, who brings his family-style Southern cooking into the roaring teens. Where? 1167 Nostrand around Rutland. Go. If you're gluten-free like Christopher's lady, then you're in luck. He makes wheat-free biscuits. That's right, Eddie & Son! GF, girlfriend.

Read all about this terrific new joint here, at BKLYNER's Kadia Goba, quite simply one of the best local journalists in the best newsy blog in town.

Hey Flatbush: Your Assembly Woman Says You Don't Want Congestion Pricing

Given that the vast majority of people in Rodneyse Bichotte's 42nd Assembly District do NOT commute to Manhattan by car, the Q is perplexed why she would be grandstanding against the common sense measure to ease traffic and raise revenues for public transportation.

Read all about her faulty logic here.

And for God's sake reach out to her office and let her know you support Democrat priorities made urgent by shoddy leadership through the past decades. Is she generally against Green New Deal basics? It would be good to know before the next election rolls around, no?

Bichotte quoted in the article, showing a shocking disregard for facts.

constituents. Right now, we’re not in favor of congestion pricing in its form as it is today. But we are certainly for fixing the issue of our roads and streets being overpopulated and fixing the subway. Subways need to be fixed! We need to find ways, alternative funding. The “millionaire’s tax.” That’s one way we can go about funding our broken subway system. You have to understand, everyone, the outer boroughs have been ignored for a very long time. OK? Low-income people of color have been dealing with our public systems for many many years, 30, 40 years. Completely ignored. We on the state level have been funding the MTA with billions and billions of dollars in capital. Fares have been increased. In my district, we had workers’ jobs taken away. Subway station workers have been closed down. My constituents are asking, “If we are increasing the fares, where is it going? How come we’ve been yelling for years — 30, 40 years to fund our MTA — and nothing has been done?” And now, people are looking to tax people who are mostly vulnerable. So there’s a lot of issues. Again, we all want the same thing. We want to move New York City more efficiently and expediently, but not at the cost of our working families.”

Just curious. Do an informal poll. How many people you know drive into Manhattan for work? We all wany higher taxes for the rich. They're not mutually exclusive.

From Toomey's to Tuborg

Been here more than a decade and chances are you ate at Toomey's, if not often. An old school greasy spoon, it really hit the spot in the days before Blessings and Gratitude (if you get those references, you've probably been here for more than a year at least. K-Dog anyone? Blue Roost?)

Seems it's become a Public House, perhaps a Beer Garden (there is space to do so, what with the old parking lot.) A Roxie Bird alerted Eff Book that a liquor license is in the works and sure enough here tis, The Smoking Gun. Or rather the Tilted Glass.

Anatoly Dubinsky is on the application, and he just happens to be an owner of Franklin Park up north of Eastern Parkway, a pub that on a nice day looks like the below, similar dimensions and all.

I know, I know, I know. Don't even say it (or do, it's a free comment section.) I'll leave it at this. Nightlife along Empire Blvd is probably a reasonable use of the commercial zoning, along with (obviously) crematoriums, storage marts and live poultry places. You know, classic C8 businesses that are allowed. Including craft beer gardens that serve Shiner Bock on the low end to entice recent immigrants from the University of Texas at Austin.

The Q would prefer to see not-too-high housing for low to moderate incomes. Safe to say, though, that a place like this will put upward pressure on rents and developers, not that they needed a lot of help.

Building's Too Damn High - Cumbo Agrees

In the end, it's the Council Member's vote that counts. And rather than wait til further along the process, Laurie Cumbo followed up yesterday's scoping meeting on 960 Franklin with a clear statement of vision. She's not going to nix the rezoning outright; but she's going to stand by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Now, will that be their shadow study, the developer's, or some outside group's? We don't know. If I had to gamble now, I'll bet we get a 25-story building, not nearly 40.

But it's great to see the Member's direct involvement. Even if this is all political theater, it's the kind of theater we need right about now.

From Laurie:

Whether it’s an 80-story tower on Flatbush Avenue or a private equity firm purchasing an entire portfolio of historic buildings in Bed-Stuy, real estate development pressure in my district seems to increase by the day, threatening to transform our neighborhoods into a cookie-cutter luxury product unrecognizable to longtime Brooklyn residents and familiar only to those living in Anytown, USA. Market-rate apartments are priced far above what most community residents can pay and sometimes even the so-called “affordable” housing has rents over $2,000 a month. And all of this new development has a cumulative impact, placing increasing stress on our infrastructure – our schools, our parks, our subways, our roads, our sewage lines, and everything else. The current pattern of real estate investment and development in Central Brooklyn is clearly not serving our existing communities in an inclusive and holistic way.            At first impression, a project that proposes “50 percent affordable housing” and touts 100% union labor and union financing sounds like a much-needed improvement. And while these commitments to good jobs with livable wages both during and post-construction cannot be overlooked, we are also faced with Downtown Brooklyn-sized towers overshadowing the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Prospect Park, shattering all precedent for height and scale.            This proposal, developed with zero community consultation or input, may need a full reset, not just tinkering around the edges. But for now, I’ll go through point by point on my numerous areas of deep concern. Height and Shadows            The large soon-to-be vacant “Spice Factory” does indeed represent an opportunity to bring much needed truly affordable housing to Crown Heights. But that should not give a developer carte blanche to propose 40-story downtown-style glass towers in the middle of this community.            While there is some precedent in Tivoli Towers and the Ebbets Field apartments for building larger towers to bring affordable housing to this part of Crown Heights, the 960 Franklin proposal would rise far above even these buildings.            Indeed, there is no precedent for zoning higher than R8 anywhere outside Downtown Brooklyn. In December, I approved a rezoning just north of this site to R8X, allowing 17 stories roughly in line with the surrounding zoning and bringing an extra nearly 100 units of deeply affordable housing beyond the developer’s MIH at an included non-profit development site. Comparing this proposal to that one is apples and oranges. To even consider a development of this size and scale outside of Downtown Brooklyn, the public benefits would have to be massive and the site uniquely appropriate.            This location immediately to the east of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s conservatory greenhouses may actually be an inappropriate location for a development of this size.            Let me be perfectly clear – I will not support any proposal that would substantively harm the operations of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. The garden’s conservatory greenhouses and nursery are a jewel of Brooklyn – a jewel that needs to be preserved.            The EIS should go beyond the CEQR standards by analyzing shadows in every month of the year and studying the potential impacts on the specific collections of the garden and the operations of its nursery. Density and Impacts on Local Infrastructure            Height and shadow are not my only concern – there is also the issue of the overall density of the project and the proposed addition of over 3,000 new residents to the neighborhood in an additional 1,500 apartments. According to Census Data, this would increase the population in a quarter mile radius of the site (roughly bounded by the Botanic Garden, Union Street, Rogers Avenue, and Lefferts Avenue) by over 20%. Indeed, this project is so large that the EAS flags potentially significant impacts on schools, libraries, child care, transportation, and many other areas.            With a project of this size, we need to take a careful look at potential impacts on transit service in particular – our subways and buses – to make sure we do what we need to improve transit access including potential ADA improvements at the adjacent subway stations.              The prospect of adding such a massive new development without comprehensive consideration for its integration into the fabric of the neighborhood is of great concern. The developer should be proactive in proposing measures to address these impacts and not simply wait for the environmental review to identify the bare minimum thresholds. Residential Affordability and Residential Displacement            The murky status of the legal commitment to affordability beyond MIH is also a real concern. The scoping materials state that an HPD regulatory agreement will be negotiated and executed, but at what point in the process will this happen? Since it is not part of the zoning like MIH, is it truly guaranteed? Will it be permanent? None of that is clear. Cumulative Impacts            Unbelievably, none of the materials that are the subject of this hearing include the Franklin Avenue rezoning approved in December 2018 just to the north of this site. The maps and all narrative descriptions show the prior R6A zoning extending up Franklin Avenue. Of course, the projected impacts of the R8X development with a total of over 500 units must be taken into account cumulatively with the impacts of development at the 960 Franklin site. Alternative Development Scenarios            As currently proposed, there appears to be no firm guarantee that the developer will arrive at an agreement for HPD financing for the extra 20% of income-restricted units or be compelled to use the Special Permit that would enable the specific proposed design.            The application should be transparent with all possible outcomes including an R9D development scenario without the Special Permit – which would be a bulkier, squatter alternative, and a development without extra affordable housing above MIH.            For this location in particular, it is crucially important to understand all potential bulk scenarios and their impact on the shadows on the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.            The proposed rezoning would also include part of the MTA’s Franklin Avenue Shuttle rail beds, adding nearly 130,000 square feet of development rights to this parcel. With the MTA searching for potential revenues, it is not unfeasible that the MTA would seek to sell and transfer these development rights in the future and this scenario should be fully analyzed in the EIS. Conclusion            In conclusion, Crown Heights Brooklyn deserves development that addresses our needs for affordable housing, community services, and infrastructure; fits the character and context of our historic community; and respects our institutions like the Botanic Garden. I urge the developers to drop this “take it or leave it” posture and work towards a more viable proposal and I look forward to hearing public input from my constituents on this project.

Rah Rah Ramen

Junior Felix - One Half of the Founding Duo, Heads East

That didn't take long. Not but a few months after Glady's opened a big ol' joint on Rogers at Lincoln, it's gonna take a right turn at rice and peas, on the way to rice noodles and saki, ultimately veering east from the West Indies. From NY Eater comes this update on founder/chef Junior Felix and new partner William Garfield:

The restaurant, at 453 Rogers Ave. at Lincoln Road, will get a new to-be-announced name and draw more from Garfield’s experience in Portland, Maine. While there, Garfield worked at Japanese restaurants under Masa Miyake — an esteemed chef who has a tasting menu restaurant on Eater’s essentials list and was a James Beard Award nominee in 2015.

Garfield left the partnership in Portland in 2014 and soon after started working at Glady’s.
Now, he and Felix will be collaborating in PLG for a menu centered around non-traditional versions of ramen with a chicken broth base. Think oxtail ramen or a vegetarian broth with smoked onions, cooked with the smoker that has become a signature of the restaurant. Felix will also make use of the smoker for pork loin, chicken, and seasonal vegetables, which will go into the ramen and be sold on their own. Plus, comfort food like buns, burgers, fried chicken, and wings, as well as Japanese and Jamaican curries, will be on deck.

Man, That's Cold - No Homebound 2,5 at Winthrop

No roll out. Just here it is...a massive headache for you, dear subway rider. And the way they list the time frame - March to July? Like, every single day all the time???

Cold. Real cold.

Plight the Flower

So apparently 39 stories right next door has finally rankled folks over at the BBG. They'll be addressing the need to protect the garden from the monster growing at the old Spice Factory site.

To sign the petition go here. And good luck BBG. You're gonna need it, and a well done shadow study.

Dear BBG Member, Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s plant collections are under serious threat from a proposed massive building complex including two 39-story towers just 150 feet from the Garden. The Garden is strongly advocating that current land-use zoning must remain—zoning that was designed to protect our conservatories, greenhouses, and nurseries where plants are grown for the entire 52 acres of BBG. Outsized towers of this height would block hours of sunlight to these spaces and cause lasting damage to BBG, a world-renowned treasure whose plant collections have been serving the community and fostering generations of environmental stewards for over 100 years. We are calling on our members and supporters to help us speak out against rezoning with our elected officials. Join us in signing a petition to City officials to oppose this rezoning and to protect the integrity and the beauty of the Garden! SIGN THE PETITION NOW Join Brooklyn Botanic Garden in protecting this vital community asset at the Public Scoping Meeting on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at the New York City Department of City Planning. As a valued member of Brooklyn Botanic Garden, I ask that you join us at this hearing to show your solidarity and stand with us against these zoning changes. You can also to contact the chairs of the City Council's Committee on Land Use and the Council's Subcommittee on Zoning and Franchises, the District 35 Council Member (the proposed project is in Council District 35), your own City Council Member, the Brooklyn Borough President, and the Mayor. If you have further questions, please email membership@bbg.org. Thank you for your ongoing membership support and for helping BBG protect its sunlight. Sincerely, Scot Medbury, BBG President  Copyright © 2019 Privacy Policy | Contact Us | View in Browser BROOKLYN BOTANIC GARDEN 1000 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11225