Chaotic rezoning meeting sows discord among readers
A long-awaited public meeting
about the city’s proposal to rezone
a chunk of Gowanus devolved into
a shouting match, after its hundreds
of attendees arrived to fi nd
that offi cials would not present
their plan, but instead expected
locals to passively learn the future
of their neighborhood by staring
at posters on the walls (“Loud,
but not clear: Gowanus rezoning
meeting erupts into shouting
match over lack of presentation,”
by Julianne Cuba, online Feb. 8).
The lack of a city-led presentation
about the scheme — which
Gowanusaurs and pols spent the
better part of two years crafting
— was a slap in the face, according
to residents, who said they
hoped to hear more from offi cials
after they hosted a similar session
following the release of the plan
last year.
Some readers agreed with the
locals, while others called their
outrage over-the-top:
The entire point of the community’s
justifi ed anger was that the
city “offi cials” — translation: lazy,
corporate-apologist bureaucrats —
couldn’t be bothered to actually engage
the attendees with a questionand
answer session, or justify their
positions in a meaningful way, but
instead presented their plan as a virtual
fait accompli. Benny
from Park Slope
Community engagement is a
farce, and the city would be better
off if the government would just proceed
without trying. They go to the
community to solicit input and advice
in a format that lets a lot more
people interact than if you listen to
a presentation and have a few speakers
(which the city government also
does), and the “community” is outraged.
Just cancel the laws restricting
building and let people build
whatever they want. Mike
from Williamsburg
It’s nice to hear the City Planning
Department getting trashed at one of
their disingenuous “community outreach”
events. DeBlasio has made
a mockery of every branch of government,
none more devious than
SOUND OFF TO THE EDITOR
LETTERS AND COMMENTS FROM OUR READERS
City Planning. What a joke that City
Planning left Nycha out of the rezoning
they wouldn’t show to the Gowanus
community. So cynical. Mike
from Williamsburg is right, that
even if there’s a meeting that looks
more inclusive of Nycha, it won’t be.
It will just be a different forum for
City Planning to lie to the people.
Helen
from Ft. Greene
Nycha isn’t being rezoned. The
residents are the least at risk of being
displaced through a rezoning. I
don’t think the so-called “community”
needs to be included at all, but
Nycha residents are especially irrelevant
to include. Mike
from Williamsburg
I agree that the laws restricting
building should be rescinded as long
as landmarked districts are also rescinded.
Let’s level the playing fi eld.
Me from Gowanus
Me from Gowanus has the right
idea! It’s perverse that Boerum Hill
and Park Slope can foist all change
on Gowanus, making a race to who
can have the shortest neighborhoods
with the fewest people and the highest
rents. Prospect Heights wants
in on the exclusionary action now.
Landmark districts are clearly being
abused. I hope Me from Gowanus
will go to hearings to make sure this
idea gets to the government. Mike
from Williamsburg
Those of us who have been around
a while remember when other cities
knocked down their big buildings
because frankly they destroy neighborhoods.
Landmarked districts provide
some anchors to the city. Build
it bigger is not necessarily better, or
cheaper, really. Let’s not throw out
the baby with the bath water. Frank
from Furter
Mike from Williamsburg: Nycha
carries the biggest burden in this rezoning.
Eight-million gallon sewage
tanks, micro-grids and ConEd sub
stations right across the street, and
fi lling in public housing complexes’
parking lots and open space. Loss
of air rights and small businesses
that its residents have supported for
years. Karen Blondel
from Gowanus and Red Hook
Changing Brooklyn
To the Editor,
I’m writing in the hope that you
will print this letter and people reading
COURIER L 32 IFE, FEB. 15–21, 2019 DT
it will agree with me.
I was born and raised in Brooklyn
and have never left. It hurts
to see the streets where I grew up
no longer look like my beautiful
Brooklyn. Former Mayor Michael
Bloomberg and former Borough
President Marty Markowitz have
made Brooklyn horrible and ugly.
It has lost its beauty. Bloomberg
started with planting trees, but homeowners
have to pay for the sidewalks
when the tree trunks lift
them up. That’s not right or fair to
homeowners.
Then, Bloomberg got together
with then–Borough President
Markowitz and brought all these
developers in to buy houses and
push people out. Gone are the supermarkets,
the fish store on
Smith Street, Pat’s meat market,
and vegetable vendors like Tony’s,
which was on the corner of Bergen
and Smith streets, and Willie’s,
which was on the corner of Pacific
and Smith streets. There was not
French restaurant on Dean and
Smith.
In 1960, Paisanos Butcher operated
within the shop where Nick’s
Shoe Repair used to be, but today all
we have left is one bodega. The Rite
Aid on Smith and Warren streets
was once a furniture store. Even Fulton
Street is no longer Fulton Street,
because all we have left is nothing
but ugly, horrible, tall buildings.
Former places of beauty in Brooklyn
are no longer beautiful.
All I see when I walk down Bond
Street are tall buildings and a crane
that I can also see from my kitchen
windows. And when you walk down
certain streets, there are nothing
but hotels.
The newbies that have come here
are so rude, they never say sorry or
excuse me, they want to walk over
you. People felt safe when police offi
cers were walking the beat, and
people who lived in housing felt safe
and secure with the housing police.
Sunny Lowe
Boerum Hill
Dem Bums
To the Editor,
Jan. 31 marked the 100th birthday
of baseball legend and civilrights
activist Jackie Robinson. It
reminded me of the “Boys of Summer”
winning Dodgers teams from
the 1950s. They included catcher
Roy Campanella, fi rst baseman Gil
Hodges, second baseman Junior Gilliam,
shortstop Pee Wee Reese, third
baseman Billy Cox, right fi elder
Carl Furillo, and Jackie Robinson,
who played several positions. Most
have long forgotten that today’s Los
Angeles Dodgers had their roots in
Brooklyn.
The original Brooklyn Dodgers
name was derived from Brooklyn
residents who would dodge trolley
cars, which ran for decades until
their own decline and fi nal death
in the 1950s. Ordinary Brooklyn
natives could ride the bus, trolley,
or subway to Ebbets Field to see
their beloved Dodgers. Working and
middle class men and woman of all
ages, classes, and races co-mingled
in the stands. Everyone could afford
a bleacher, general admission,
reserve, or box seat. Hot dogs, beer,
other refreshments, and souvenirs
were reasonably priced.
Team owners would raise or reduce
a player’s salary based on their
performance the past season. Salaries
were so low, that virtually all
Dodger players worked at another
job off season. Most Dodger players
were actually neighbors who lived
and worked in various communities
in the County of Kings.
Residents of the era sat outside
on the neighborhood stoop, shopped
at the local butcher, baker, fruit and
vegetable stand.
This year marks the 62nd anniversary
of the old Brooklyn Dodgers
playing their final season in
Kings County. During the 1950s,
Dodgers owner Walter O’Malley
tried to find various locations for
construction of a new baseball stadium,
which he pledged to finance
using his own funds. With limited
seating and automobile parking capacity
at Ebbets Field, he needed a
new modern stadium to remain financially
viable.
New York City master mega
builder Robert Moses refused to allow
him access to the current day
Barclays Center site. This location
was easily accessible to thousands of
baseball fans from all around the Big
Apple via numerous subway lines.
Thousands of fans who moved
to Queens and Long Island would
have had direct access via the Long
Island Rail Road. Imagine how different
Brooklyn would have been if
elected offi cials had stood up to Robert
Moses and allowed construction
of a new Dodgers stadium Downtown.
The 1950s Boys of Summer might
have played on with new players entertaining
new generations for decades
more. Larry Penner
Great Neck
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