Book chronicles Black experience in Brooklyn
Features hundreds of rare photos from throughout borough
Bushwick Film Festival honors tradition, moves forward
The Bushwick Film Festival respects the past while paving a new path forward.
Rally in Bushwick after anti-LGBTQ attack
Activists, friends, and members of the LGBTQ community gathered in Bushwick last week in the wake of a disturbing anti-gay attack the Sunday before.
Netflix opening new NYC studio
Streaming giant-turned-production company Netflix announced it is bringing a massive new studio to Bushwick.
The facility will be over 170,000 square feet and comes equipped with six sound stages, editing suites, and meeting and screening rooms. Netflix estimates that they will be able to film two television shows simultaneously or one feature-length film in the new building at any given time.
Netflix has steadily produced more and more projects in New York City over the past decade, thanks in part to New York State’s tax incentive program that allocates $420 million a year in breaks to attract film and television productions.
“This is really important for New York,” said Anne del Castillo, commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. “It’s not just nice to have, it’s a real economic driver.”
In addition to the new studios, Netflix has pledged to spend over $100 million in New York City and create thousands of new jobs. In response, New York State pledged $4 million in tax credits to the streaming company over the next 10 years, contingent upon the amount of jobs Netflix creates and retains.
Michael Manas, Netflix’s head of operations in Brooklyn, sees the new studio as a win for the local community and the film industry as a whole.
“It’s such a critical time for industry to say, ‘we’re here and we’re back,’” said Manas. “This really is a neighborhood project.”
Activists, pols rally for Bushwick Inlet Park
Local activists, politicians, and community members gathered along the Williamsburg-Greenpoint waterfront last week to advocate for the complete construction of the long-promised Bushwick Inlet Park.
The event was organized by the Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park, a community group that has been fighting for the project for nearly two decades.
In 2005, large portions of Williamsburg and Greenpoint were rezoned under Mayor Michael Bloomberg. In addition to new development, elected officials promised an expansive, miles-long park along the area’s formerly industrial coastline.
Although North Brooklyn has since experienced a boom in new development, the promised park remains elusive 16 years down the line.
“The population growth along the North Brooklyn waterfront initiated by the 2005 rezoning has exceeded the city’s estimates by historic proportions,” said Steve Chesler, an organizer with the Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park. “Yet, the creation of Bushwick Inlet Park promised to help mitigate this new neighborhood density is happening at a snail’s pace.
“After 16 years and counting, only 8 acres out of 27 are built or in progress,” he added. “For our health and well being, the city must speed up its execution and funding for completion of this public green space and fulfill its commitment to its residents.”
“Sixteen years into the redevelopment of the neighborhood and we have 20 percent of the park we were promised,” said Ward Dennis, another Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park organizer. “We hope to at least make some progress and get rid of this building.”
The building in question is a large, storage warehouse along the waterfront. In 2016, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city bought the site for $160 million, rekindling hope that the full Bushwick Inlet Park would become a reality.
However, there are currently no plans in place to demolish the structure.
“We are here to celebrate the capital investment of Mayor de Blasio,” said Catherine Thompson. “We are grateful because he secured the future of Bushwick Inlet Park. Now Mr. Mayor, tear down this building!”
Thursday’s rally was attended by multiple local officials and members of the Triboro United Youth Soccer Club.
“I would like to thank Mayor de Blasio for picking up the broken pieces left by the Bloomberg administration and the mostly disastrous 2005 rezoning,” said Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher. “Mayor de Blasio, we are almost there and your term is almost up. Let this be a part of your legacy.”
Counciman Stever Levin said he is currently working to include the park project in the soon-to-be-finalized city budget, with a special focus on demolishing the warehouse. The budget must be finalized ahead of the start of the new fiscal year on July 1.
“Justice delayed is justice deferred is justice denied,” said Levin. “That is what we are seeing right now. There is a generation of kids in North Brooklyn who need this space.”
