Brooklyn Bazaar Closing, KAWS Sculpture Unveiled, and Other Tidbits for the Citizenry
East & Creek, the Greenpoint newsletter | No. 41
What’s up in Greenpoint?
Brooklyn Bazaar closing after three years on Greenpoint Ave: “Brooklyn Night Bazaar is closing its Greenpoint location before the end of November, with owners citing a frustrating inability to come to terms with their landlord over a new lease agreement. ‘I guess this is what you get when you keep convincing yourself that signing short term leases are a good idea. We were naive enough to actually (foolishly) think that this time would be different, this time the landlords would be reasonable, this time they’d work with us...but nope, surprise!’ read a statement released by owner Belvy Klein.” (Brooklyn Paper’s Colin Mixson)
Artist KAWS explains new work at The Greenpoint: “‘. . . When I was invited to do this commission, I was living a few blocks from the site,’ he tells AD. ‘My wife was often taking the ferry, and I was imagining going to wait for her to arrive. That’s where the title WAITING came from. I was inspired thinking about the many people from all walks of life getting on and off the ferry passing the sculpture.’ He adds, ‘I hope when people pass the sculpture, it takes them out of their routine commute and leads them to new thoughts and puts them in touch with their surroundings in a new way.’” (Architectural Digest’s Jordi Lippe-Mcgraw)
Greenpoint’s congresswoman recovering after medial episode: “Rep. Carolyn Maloney was hospitalized on Monday after suffering a fainting spell in Manhattan. ‘This morning, I began to feel faint at a public event, and out of an abundance of caution, sought medical attention,’ Maloney said. ‘I am recovering from bronchitis, and probably should have stayed home. After some rest and chicken soup, I am looking forward to getting back to work for the people of New York.’” (Daily News’ Molly Crane-Newman and Anna Sanders)
Greenpoint’s state senators, Brian Kavanagh and Julia Salazar, consider changes to pro-tenant “just cause eviction” bill: “Just cause eviction, a measure derided by the real estate industry and abandoned last legislative session, is likely to resurface in Albany next year — but with some changes. Sen. Brian Kavanagh, Housing Committee Chair and one of the bill’s sponsors, said Wednesday that the proposed standard for whether a rent increase is ‘unconscionable’ will likely be amended. The bill, whose prime sponsor is Sen. Julia Salazar, states that tenants cannot be evicted for being unable to pay rent that increased by more than 150 percent of the regional Consumer Price Index. . . Salazar said that while she has ‘no intentions of changing the integrity of the bill,’ she’s ‘very open to changing the metrics to something that makes sense.’” (The Real Deal’s Kathryn Brenzel)
Tidbits for the citizenry:
Community submissions for the latest round of the City Council’s participatory budgeting program are due on Friday. Ideas already sent in by Greenpoint residents include street safety projects along Franklin St and West St, lighting underneath Pulaski Bridge, and park equipment improvements throughout the neighborhood.
This month’s Brooklyn Community Board 1 meeting will take place on Thursday at 6 p.m., at the Swinging Sixties Senior Citizen Center. The agenda is available here.
The auction of an embattled piece of Greenpoint property known as “NuHart” has been rescheduled for November 6. It was previously scheduled for October 3.
Thus concludes this October 8, 2019 edition of East & Creek, the twice-weekly newsletter about Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Read the full archives here.
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See ya around the neighb,
Jon Hanrahan
Author, e&c