Browsing Tag

brooklyn bridge park

Brooklyn Heights, News, Real Estate

DEVELOPING: Fire At 1BBP

October 30, 2012

FDNY is arriving on scene at 360 Furman St., reporting what sounds to be an electrical fire in the basement. More info to follow.

UPDATE: FD monitoring an “electrical condition” as well as an oil leak in the boiler room, caused by “rising water.”  More to follow.

UPDATE, 11:58 P.M.: The chief has requested an engine company equipped with a dry chemical agent known as Purple-K, used when water is not appropriate to control a fire (as it would not be in this case.)

FINAL, 12:07 A.M.: FD is holding with five units and placing the situation under-control. No evacuations were necessary. Busy night all around Brooklyn, with a 2nd alarm in Red Hook occupying many of our resources. Engine 205 has been sent to southern Brooklyn to assist with the operations out there.


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50315

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights, News

Cops Close Brooklyn Heights Promenade

October 29, 2012

Late Monday afternoon, cops ribboned off entrances to the Brooklyn Heights Promenade with yellow tape… which promptly blew away. By 5, two strands replaced it, imprinted with “Police Line: Do Not Cross.” That wasn’t enough to stop a fairly constant flow of folks taking a peek at the East River below (as we see in Mr. Karl’s video), which is certainly more turbulent than it was late this morning. But as far as we were able to see, the water is far from rising to the point of compromising any of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Piers. (CT)


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/50264

From the Web

Brooklyn Bridge Park To Close At 5 P.M. Sunday

October 28, 2012

With the impending storm, Brooklyn Bridge Park will close at 5 p.m. Sunday. The park advisory reads: “Hurricane Sandy is headed our way. For your safety, Brooklyn Bridge Park will close, when the likelihood of high winds will increase the danger of downed limbs.” Obviously, Smorgasburg, scheduled today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., is also canceled. (Photo: Chuck Taylor)


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49979

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights, Kids

Lawsuit Over BBP Stainless Domes Settled

October 26, 2012

Today, the NY Post reports that the resulting lawsuit from the dangerous stainless steel domes in Brooklyn Bridge Park has been settled.  Reportedly, the plaintiff, who was one year old at the time, will receive $17,500.  According to the NY Times, the Brooklyn Bridge Park  Corporation and the park designer, Michael Van Valkenburg Associates, will split the cost of the settlement.


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49813

From the Web

Billionaire Trumps Joshua Rechnitz’s $40 Million BBP Donation: $100M For Central Park

October 23, 2012

Philanthropist Joshua Rechnitz’s $40 million donation for the design & construction of a 115,000-square-foot year-round, multi-use recreation facility near Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 has been trumped. In April, when the Manhattan-based Founder & Chairman of the non-profit New York City Fieldhouse announced the gift, it was deemed the largest donation ever for a New York City public park.

Now, make that the second largest. The New York Times reports that Tuesday, hedge fund billionaire John A. Paulson and his Paulson Family Foundation have donated $100 million to the Central Park Conservancy, more than doubling Rechnitz’s consistently controversial Fieldhouse gift.

Paulson, a lifelong New Yorker, said that as an infant he was pushed around in a baby carriage in Central Park and that he remembers going to Bethesda Fountain as a teenager and seeing it covered in graffiti, with no water flowing. The park’s current endowment stands at $144 million. Half of Mr. Paulson’s gift will go to the endowment, while the other half will be used for capital improvements.

“Walking through the park in different seasons, it kept coming back that in my mind Central Park is the most deserving of all of New York’s cultural institutions,” he said at a news conference. “And I wanted the amount to make a difference. The park is very large, and its endowment is relatively small.”

Perhaps 50 years from now, a prominent Brooklynite will recall being strolled around Brooklyn Bridge Park as an infant and pony up $100M for its upkeep. Imagine how magnificent it will be by then. (Photo: Claude Scales)


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49669

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights

BBP’s Pier 5 Goes Green As It Readies For Fall Completion

October 22, 2012

As Brooklyn Bridge Park pushes for late Fall 2012 completion of Pier 5, there couldn’t be any greener a sign of progress than the artificial turf that was put in place over the past week. According to signage that lines the Promenade: “The 5-acre section, designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, will feature three synthetic turf playing fields, a waterfront promenade, a picnic peninsula with barbecues, a playground for younger children and fishing stations. Benches and picnic tables constructed of salvaged wood will be placed throughout the pier. A portion of the park’s greenway will also be completed and connect to the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.”

Meanwhile, the Squibb Park Bridge spanning Furman Street—which provides a connection at Pier 1—is also slated for completion before year’s end, according to the Brooklyn Bridge Park website. More pics below the jump. (Photos: Chuck Taylor)


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49537

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights

BBP’s Pier 5 Aims For Late Fall 2012 Completion: Then There Was Turf

October 22, 2012

As Brooklyn Bridge Park pushes for late Fall 2012 completion of Pier 5, there couldn’t be any greener a sign of progress than the artificial turf that was put in place over the past week. According to signage that lines the Promenade: “The 5-acre section, designed by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, will feature three synthetic turf playing fields, a waterfront promenade, a picnic peninsula with barbecues, a playground for younger children and fishing stations. Benches and picnic tables constructed of salvaged wood will be placed throughout the pier. A portion of the park’s greenway will also be completed and connect to the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway.”

Meanwhile, the Squibb Park Bridge spanning Furman Street—which provides a connection at Pier 1—is also slated for completion before year’s end, according to the Brooklyn Bridge Park website. More pics below the jump. (Photos: Chuck Taylor)


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49537

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO, Sports

Brooklyn Bridge Park Ponders Additional Facilities In DUMBO’s Main Street Park

October 15, 2012

An unused area of the Main Street Park in DUMBO is among expansion plans being discussed for Brooklyn Bridge Park. The area currently houses an unused Department of Environmental Protection building & Department of Transportation paint shed. Brownstoner reports that discussions are ongoing to add a sports court, dog run, skate park, boating program or climbing wall.

Reps will be at the Community Board 2 parks meeting Monday, October 15 at 6 p.m. (121 Dekalb Avenue) to discuss a design for the proposed Main Street conversion. BBP’s proposed timeline: A Board plan review in November, presentation to the Public Design Commission in December, and submitted design to the National Parks Service in January 2013.


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49276

From the Web

Brooklyn Heights

Green Concession Stand Lands At Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5

October 13, 2012

A large crane lowered a fully constructed “green’ building” on Thursday near Pier 5 in Brooklyn Bridge Park, destined to become a series of concession stands. Constructed off-site, the structure will be clad in salvaged pine and feature a green roof to absorb rainwater, provide building insulation, create habitat for wildlife and help lower urban air temperatures, according to reports. A request for proposals from food vendors will be issued in 2013.

Spokeswoman Maureen Lynch noted, “In keeping with the park’s sustainable design, the pine is recycled wood, salvaged from the cold storage buildings on the uplands of Pier 1 and used throughout the park.” In addition to the concession stands, Pier 5 is prepping for shade sails, playground equipment, barbecue grills, picnic tables and synthetic turf for a new soccer field, DNAInfo reports. All arrived on site in the last few weeks. Pier 5 is scheduled to open to the public this fall.


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49239

From the Web

Brooklyn Bridge Park Hosts Free Fall Tree Giveaway This Saturday

October 10, 2012

Once again, Brooklyn Bridge Park is hosting a Free Fall Tree giveaway. On Saturday, October 13 at Pier 6 from 10 a.m. to noon—in partnership with the New York Restoration Project and MillionTreesNYC—young trees will be distributed in compact 2-gallon containers, making them easy to transport. The BBP webbie notes: “Autumn is an ideal time of year to introduce a new tree to your home garden. Your tree will have time to acclimate, root out and prepare for the cold winter that lies ahead. Once warmer weather arrives, your new planting will be ready to flourish.”

Volunteers will be on hand to provide a tutorial on how to plant and care for your tree. To reserve a tree (they went like lightning last Spring), click here. (Photo: New York Restoration Project)


Source: Brooklyn Heights Blog
http://brooklynheightsblog.com/archives/49144

From the Web