Facebook Twitter
718 639 7000
Facebook Twitter

Leader Observer

Brooklyn

Downtown

Glendale Register

Search

Public sounds off on updated W’burg park redesign

webadmin on May 4, 2021

The controversial renovation of Marsha P. Johnson State Park in Williamsburg continued its long and winding journey towards reopening during three design review sessions this past week.
In early 2020, the park officially changed its name from East River State Park to Marsha P. Johnson State Park to honor the legacy of the notable LGBTQ+ activist and 1969 Stonewall Uprising leader.
The site was closed soon thereafter due to the pandemic, and remains closed to renovate and redesign the park in honor of its new namesake.
However, the proposed redesign, which would include the installation of a large, plastic mural on one of the park’s two concrete slabs, drew the ire of community organizers and Williamsburg residents.
In a series of public hearings last months, community members and the family of Johnson criticized the redesign for failing to properly honor the activist’s legacy. They demanded the state Parks Department abandon its redesign in exchange for one that would reflect Johnson’s well-documented love of flowers.
The department complied, and for the past three weeks landscape architecture firm Starr Whitehouse has been working on a new design.
This past week, the department and firm held three public review sessions to gather community feedback for the proposal. Two of the design reviews were held in person at the park at 90 Kent Avenue and one was held virtually.
“This has been the most iterative process I’ve even been involved in,” explained Laura Starr, a founding partner of Starr Whitehouse, at the virtual design review. “I think we have included almost every suggestion in some way. I love all of the feedback we’ve received at the in-person meetings.”
While some elements of the park’s original design have been kept, including the playgrounds, many other aspects have been completely redeveloped. Most notably, the plastic mural was scrapped in favor of more green space and flowers.
Starr Whitehouse is also still in the process of implementing additional community suggestions into the design. These include an amphitheater space, an entrance gate, narrative plaques to tell Johnson’s life story, and several safe spaces and resources for the LGBTQ+ and Trans communities.
“We are still massaging the design drawing,” Starr explained. “We are taking in all our input now, even if we won’t be able to implement it until later.”
However, Monday’s design review still garnered a fair amount of criticism.
“In my opinion, the park looks a little commercial like,” said Anika Dorsey Good, Johnson’s great-niece. “It has green space, but it isn’t very vibrant. As a family member, we don’t want the only thing commemorating Marsha when this park opens to be a metal plaque. We want the park to really embody who Marsha was.”
New York City regional director for State Parks Leslie Wright pushed back against the critics.
“We are not in a position to parse it tree by tree,” Wright said. “We are here to figure out what the greatest consensus is on the biggest points, so we can get the park open as soon as possible.”
While not discussed at Monday’s event, the redesign has also drawn criticism for its relationship to the Smorgasburg Food Festival traditionally held every Saturday at the site.
In past design reviews, proponents of Smorgasburg have lobbied for more concrete space in the park to house food trucks and tents. Critics of the food festival have pushed back against such suggestions.
After two final public review sessions this coming week, the Parks Department and Starr Whitehouse will finalize their plans and move forward with a new design. The park is then expected to fully reopen at some point in 2021.

Large rally in Flushing protests attack on Asians

webadmin on May 4, 2021

Amid rising attacks on Asians, more than 1,000 people took to the streets in Flushing calling for an end to Asian hate crimes.
The event was organized by the Borough President’s Office.
Mayor Bill de Blasio reminded everyone of the important role Asian Americans have played in shaping the city.
“If you love New York City, you can’t take the contribution of the Asian-American community out of it,” he said. “The only way we are New York City today is because of what Asian Americans have done for us.”
Senator Chuck Schumer spoke of a city of diversity, immigrants and unity and discussed the recently passed “COVID–19 Hate Crimes Act,” which among other things will make the reporting of hate crimes easier.
“We want to tell those evil few who propagate the Asian hate that you are not new Yorkers, you are not Americans and under the new law we passed we will prosecute you and give you the punishment you deserve,” he told the crowd.
Calling for a unified front against the attacks, Reverend Al Sharpton urged all community leaders to speak out and stop the violence.
“When Blacks attack Asians, Black leaders need to stand up,” he said. “When whites attack others, whites need to stand up.”
State Senator John Liu became emotional discussing reports of passersby refusing to intervene in some of the attack. He said it made him wonder if Asians are seen as less than human.
“We are not dogs,” he said. “We are not the coronavirus. We are people, we are human, we are Americans.”
According to the NYPD, in 2020 there was a 1,900 percent increase in attacks on Asians. But a presentative from the Asian American Federation said the statistics represent a huge undercount because many attack go unreported by the victims out of fear of retaliation or that they won’t be taken seriously.
The office of Attorney General Letitia James created a Hate Crimes Task Force to combat the crisis.
“Please do not be silent because you are not alone,” she said. “All of us stand with you against Asian hate.”

Borough Hall dubbed ‘One Claire Shulman Way’

webadmin on May 4, 2021

When Claire Shulman passed away last August at the age of 94, Queens lost one of its greatest advocates. However, the legacy of the borough’s trailblazing first female borough president continues to live on and inspire.
This past Monday, Borough President Donovan Richards presided over a ceremony unveiling “One Claire Shulman Way” as the vanity address of Borough Hall.
“Claire Shulman was a larger-than-life figure who consistently defied expectations with her uncanny ability to get things done for the people of Queens,” said Richards. “Her death last year was a huge loss to all of us who relied on her friendship and counsel, but we keep her legacy and memory alive by permanently and prominently affixing her name to Queens Borough Hall.
“From now on, everyone who visits the people’s house will see the name of Claire Shulman and reflect on the great work she did to build a better Queens,” he added.
Shulman was one of the first people to get behind Richards’ campaign for borough president.
“Claire Shulman was my unofficial campaign manager,” Richards said. “I can’t believe she supported me.”
Shulman served as Borough President from 1986 until 2002, and played a role in a wide range of issues.
Her accomplishments included the rezoning of dozens of neighborhoods to curb overdevelopment, expanding the borough’s infrastructure, and increasing funding to senior citizen centers, cultural programs and libraries.
“She expected a lot out of me and she expected a lot out of everyone,” explained Larry Schulman, the son of the late borough president. “She could not give up the task of making Queens a better place.”
Former borough president and current Queens district attorney Melinda Katz echoed similar sentiments.
“Claire was a loving person, there was no doubt about it, but she was tough,” said Katz. “I am proud of the years I had working under her and the years I had working with her.”
Taking part in the ceremony were former borough president Sharron Lee and City Council members Karen Koslowitz and Barry Grodenchik.
“There is B.C. Queens and A.C. Queens, before Claire Shulman and after Claire Shulman” said Grodenchik. “There is not a single neighborhood she didn’t touch.”

Homeless & forgotten

webadmin on May 4, 2021

Dear Editor
I’m a veteran and have been homeless for almost two years. My patience has run out.
I have been in numerous shelters during those two years. At present, I’m at a shelter at 22 Sumner Place for the elderly. All day we just sit in our room. There are no programs to entertain us.
The staff wishes to help us, bu the higher-ups do not give the staff funds to purchase things to keep our minds active.
Other shelters get the funds to keep their clients happy. They go to the movies or they go bowling.
They also have people who work there to find permanent housing quickly. At my current shelter, there is only one person to help find housing for over 100 residents. There are people here who have been waiting for housing for over a year.
I feel like they just want us to die here.
Many of us at the shelter are veterans. We stood up when we were called to defend this country with our lives. Now people write about the issues facing veterans, but there is no action from the government.
Sincerely,
Bartram Dalney
Williamsburg

Master chef

webadmin on May 4, 2021

Dear Editor,
Regarding Frederick Bedell’s recent Dispatch about Bernie Madoff, he feels sad for all the retirees who trusted Bernie Madoff with their life savings. But whose fault is that?
They fell for the world’s greatest chef who cooked the books for $65 billion. Madoff concocted a
deceitful dish that enticed some the biggest bold-faced names, such as director Steven Spielberg, Nobel Prize winner Elie Weisel and former Mets owner Fred Wilpon, plus thousands of smaller investors.
How could they all be foolish enough to entrust Madoff with their money?
Sincerely,
Richard Reif
Kew Gardens Hills

75 percenters

webadmin on May 4, 2021

Dear Editor,
The announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo that restaurants in New York City will be allowed to expand indoor dining capacity to 75 percent is the best news that could possibly be given to the thousands of restaurant owners throughout the city.
This will mean that more employees who were laid off when the pandemic forced restaurants to close can now be rehired, which will be another positive sign that the restaurant industry is starting to rebound.
Restaurants are so vital to the city’s economy. This increase was long overdue.
Sincerely,
John Amato
Fresh Meadows

Policy vs. lies

webadmin on May 4, 2021

Dear Editor,
Both parties are putting forward wish lists for our country. The Democratic wish list? Infrastructure, healthcare, a living wage, green energy, fair taxes, police reform, childcare, voting rights, affordable housing, and social justice.
The GOP wish list? Matches to set fire to the Democrats list.
But what else is to be expected from a party that sat on its hands instead of applauding when President Biden called for the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans to pay their fair share?
Republicans aren’t interested in promoting policies, they’re interested in promoting lies, like resident Donald Trump won the election, Joe Biden’s climate proposals would limit people to one burger per month, and that all migrant children were given a copy of Kamala Harris’s book, when one copy was donated to a shelter for immigrant children in California.
Sincerely,
Robert LaRosa
Whitestone

Why endorse one when you can back two?

webadmin on May 4, 2021

A few weeks back, we wrote that endorsements would be hot commodities this election cycle with so many candidates running in local and citywide races.
After all, there would only be so many major endorsements to go around – such as those from labor unions and prominent elected officials and community leaders – before candidates would have to start scraping the bottom of the barrel (no offense intended!) to prove they have a broad base of support and deserve your vote.
But we forgot about ranked-choice voting, which this year will allow voters to list their top five favorite candidates in order of preference
That means if you are a candidate, just because you weren’t the first choice of say the UFT or PBA, doesn’t mean you can’t court one of those unions to state that if they had to pick a second candidate to back, it would be you.
We wondered how many candidates would swallow their pride and go after those type of endorsements, but as it turns out, the endorsers themselves are ahead of the game.
Two elected officials from northeast Queens recently decided to endorse not one, but two candidates in two different City Council races.
Assemblyman Ron Kim announced that he would be co-endorsing both Ellen Young and John Choe in the Democratic Primary for the City Council seat being vacated by Councilman Peter Koo at the end of the year.
In a statement announcing the “first-of-its-kind” endorsement, Kim said he believed both would be “worthy elected leaders for the community.”
Of course, Young was eager to publicize that Kim had endorsed her, so she sent out her own press release touting his support. Naturally, there was no mention of the fact that Kim also endorsed one of her opponents in the race.
About a week later, State Senator John Liu announced he was endorsing two candidates in the Democratic Primary to replace Councilman Barry Grodenchik. But unlike Kim who co-endorsed two candidates, Liu actually stated his preference.
He announced that Linda Lee was his first-choice candidate, followed by Jaslin Kaur at number two. Liu said Lee would “be a most thoughtful and effective member of the City Council,” but also said Kaur would “lead District 23 towards guaranteeing dignity for all.”
We’re so confused!
Lee also sent out a press release announcing the endorsement, which makes sense because she was the top choice. But Kaur seems perfectly content to be a close second in Liu’s eyes. She posted news of the endorsement on her website and social media channels, making it very clear that she was indeed Liu’s second choice.
We guess not only does ranked-choice voting mean that candidates can still get the support of a group or person who has already endorsed their opponent, but it also gives an out to the endorsers who don’t have to choose between two people they already have close relationships with.

Do I need to get rid of my asbestos?

webadmin on May 4, 2021

Q. I am getting ready to sell my house, and I think I have asbestos in my basement. Am I required to remove it before selling?
A. You are not required to remove asbestos. However, at the time of negotiation, it may come up as an issue. You have a few choices.
First, you can wrap the asbestos, which is a less expensive way to mitigate the problem. Because you are not cutting into the asbestos, it is easier and less intrusive if you are living in the house.
A second solution is to have the asbestos removed, which is a bit costlier depending on the amount that you have.
The third choice is to just leave it alone, let the purchaser deal with it, and cover it in the price. If it is a very small amount of asbestos, I recommend removing it. In this way, it will not become an issue.
Q. I currently have oil heat in my house. My boiler is quite old, and my plumber says it might be time to buy a new one since it’s been giving me trouble. Is it a good idea to convert from oil to gas or does it matter if I sell the house?
A. It is easier to change from one oil boiler to another. However, it may make more sense to take this opportunity and convert to gas heat. Most buyers prefer gas heat in my experience.
Also, if you check with your local gas provider, they may offer credits or assistance in converting over to gas heat to make it even more cost-effective.
Bear in mind that if you do switch to gas heat, you will have to either dispose of your oil tank or have it filled with sand to protect the environment. This has to be done by someone who can give you a certification that it was properly handled.

Send your real estate questions to jambron@bhsusa.com.

Young Adults From Foster Care Need Relief

webadmin on May 4, 2021

The year 2020 was one like no other, especially for young people who are a part of the child welfare system.
For many, being in quarantine was a time to pick up new hobbies, finish the series they’d always planned to watch, and spend more time with family or friends on the internet.
But, for me, it was a time when I aged out of the foster care system.
I turned 21 on March 26, 2020, ten days after California’s original stay-at-home order.
During those first two weeks, I was asked to leave the home I was renting due to the pandemic. I was told there would be a private and safer location as long as I paid three months’ rent up front, an unexpected cost that would challenge anyone.
As I scrambled to get together the money to move into new housing, I tried to get excited about this “fresh start.” At the same time, I was told I needed to meet with a social worker to successfully exit extended foster care.
At first, I thought nothing of it. I was more concerned with how I was going to get a new bed and fix up a place to live during a pandemic when many stores were closed.
After many dysfunctional trips to Walmart to furnish my new studio apartment, buy food and get other basics, I realized my savings were quickly being depleted with no future source of income.
At the time, no one was sure what the quarantine would entail or how long it would last. I wasn’t officially laid off from a job so I couldn’t collect unemployment; I was just in between.
And that where I’ve been ever since, in between. I’m 21 and on my own to navigate a very complicated and often unfriendly system that does not include young people like me.
Any plan I may have had for my future outside of the foster care system was immediately put on hold due to COVID-19. I had no social worker, no roommates, no guidance, and no idea of what was to come.
It was just me alone in my room with Zoom University. Month after month, counting the days, waiting for some kind of sign of when things may get better. Unfortunately, they didn’t.
The two- week quarantine quickly became six months. Eventually, my landlord could no longer afford to rent to me at the lowered “COVID rates,” and I was told to pay up or go.
This is the reality for people all across the country, especially young people and especially current and former foster youth.
Like many, I turned to government resources like unemployment and stimulus funds. Being a 21-year-old student-worker didn’t leave many options.
No family to turn to, friends all quarantined, and the social worker who had so diligently cared for me nowhere to be seen. Isn’t it supposed to be about helping people help themselves?
In late December 2020, Congress passed legislation on COVID relief that made aid available for young people who have been in foster care and desperately need help making a transition into living as an independent, self-sufficient adult.
States now have the opportunity to act. Direct cash payments would allow youth to have some autonomy while maneuvering through this year-long pandemic.

Jasmine Harris is a former foster youth, as well as an author, educator, and advocate.

© – All Rights Reserved – Brooklyn Downtown
Facebook Twitter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Faqs

Fill the Form for Events, Advertisement or Business Listing