Category — Park Slope

About 80 neighborhood residents showed up this past Monday evening, March 12, to get an update on the status of our Park Slope Public Library reconstruction. And what a long journey this has been: located on 8^th Street and 6^th Avenue, the library has been shut down for almost 2-and-a-half years, amidst all kinds of delays, unforeseen construction problems, and budget snafus.

But, a year-and-a-half after the original completion date, we may finally be getting our library back. Linda Johnson, president of The Brooklyn Public Library, the entity that actually is in charge of the system, while acknowledging the unconscionable delays are “a great frustration of mine,” did assert rather emphatically that the library will be re-opened “in time for the school year, i.e. Labor Day.”

Brad Lander, City Councilmember for Park Slope, surely understanding that residents are rather piqued that they have been without a local library all this time, interpreted the Labor Day date as “not tomorrow, but at least on the horizon.” Well-put.

This writer sensed the mood of the audience at the P.S. 39 meeting was fundamentally frustrated, annoyed, even angry, but polite. Ms. Johnson kept her sense of humor, though, throughout – she posed, in fact, the rhetorical question of “Why does it take a shorter time for a 150-floor skyscraper in Shanghai to be built than a small Carnegie library be refurbished in Brooklyn?’ Good question, and no adequate answer.

The $6 million reconstruction project includes new features that needed to be added as a consequence of the Disabilities Act, including ramps and an elevator; new flooring and book shelves; lighting improvements; redone bathrooms, and new entrance doors. A façade upgrade will follow in a “second phase” of improvements post-Labor-Day opening.

The panel, including an architect, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Lander and other luminaries, asserted that the library building, an original Andrew Carnegie library built in 1897, presented age-related problems that were not foreseen in original project plans. Additionally, the building is Landmark-designated, and that means there has to be extra care in rehabbing the edifice.

It was a not case of cost overruns, though. Extra money did not have to be spent. It was the allocation of the monies that presented difficulties, as three organizations all have a say in how a budget’s money is disbursed – it’s a byzantine system, to say the least, causing debilitating delays.

But, finally, it appears Park Slope is getting its library back. Confessing to being possibly “overly optimistic” on previous occasions, Linda Johnson sounded almost certain this time that around Labor Day the Park Slope Public Library, with “bigger and better” features, will once again be operating. Let us pray.

By Jim Israel

Jim@ParkSlope.com

March 2, 2012…

Whole Foods, the gourmet grocer supermarket, will finally have its first store in Brooklyn. Located on the 3^rd Street block between 3^rd Avenue and 4^th Avenue, the store is slated to open in 2013 in a 52,000-square-foot facility.

This week, New York City’s Board of Standards and Appeals granted a variance – that means an exception to regulation zoning rules – to Whole Foods, allowing the store’s area to exceed the 10,000-sq-ft current cap for building permits. The variance was necessary to allow the proper building permits to be granted so that construction of the store can be initiated.

Planned for two stories, this particular Whole Foods has been in the works since its parent company purchased the land site in 2004. Presently, it’s an empty, desolate fenced-off space, surrounded by a storage center and a Con Edison plant just across the street.

There were strenuous objections to the variance, of course, from residents of the Gowanus neighborhood in which the store will reside: the Gowanus Institute, a local group of planners and architects, issued a statement asserting the store’s mammoth presence threatens not only the area’s low- and middle-income housing imperatives, but will disrupt ongoing plans for a manufacturing complex of small businesses.

Additionally, it’s bound to impact on Park Slope residents, just across 4^th Avenue, in terms of available parking. Any car overflow will most certainly have to utilize Park Slope for customer parking. [Just what we need, eh? Less parking.] In fact, ironically enough, working against the interests of Slope residents, Whole Foods accommodated city regulators by diminishing its own parking spaces from 430 to 248.

There are employment enhancements, though: 350 new jobs will be created by the store’s presence. And, on top of the facility, there’ll be a 20,000-sq-ft roof-top greenhouse to grow organic produce.

By Jim Israel

Jim@ParkSlope.com

The Prospect Park West bike lanes were developed last June to the delight of many citizens in a region well known to be a danger for cyclists. The once 50 m.p.h. stretch of road was thinned down and the speed reduced as well as parking restrictions put into place to accommodate for the new bike lanes. Residents and officials have labeled the project a success as more people are beginning to use the alternative means of transportation due to the fact that streets have become quieter and far less dangerous. But not everyone is feeling good about the creation of a double lane bike path in a congested area. Neighbors for Better Bike Lanes and Seniors for Safety, two groups of locals who were against the creation of the path to begin with, have filed a lawsuit to have the bike lanes removed and restored to their original form. These groups are claiming that the path creates a danger for pedestrians walking through the biking area and that the lanes overall make driving a car through the region much more difficult. More noise from honking motorists and increased fumes in the air have supposedly decreased the pleasant nature of the community they knew. On the contrary, crashes and accidents of any kind have decreased since the path was made and more bicycles on the road always makes for a greener, cleaner environment. Taking into account that the two groups combined create a grand total of 215 residents, only a tenth the amount of people that are now using the path on a good day, and that removing the now solidified lanes would cost three times the amount it took to create them in the first place raises questions as to the validity of these complaints and the agenda behind them.

As a parent, you always want to make sure that your kids are healthy and happy, and you want to spend as much time with them as possible. Here are some of the best places to go and things to see when you are in Brooklyn. Whether you are a resident of Park Slope, or you are visiting for a week, you will want to check out some of these places!

1 – Prospect Park has tons to offer kids and adults. You will be able to visit the Prospect Park Zoo, walk the trails, and let the kids play on the fields.

2 – The Brooklyn Museum is a great place to take your young art lovers. They will be able to experience paintings and photography from all around the world. It’s a fun day, and a great way to add a bit of culture to your lives.

3 – The Brooklyn Children’s Museum is one of the best places to visit for the little ones in the family. It was the first museum dedicated solely to children. They will be able to try all of the hands on exhibits.

4- The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Store is just what it sounds like. It offers supplies to all of the budding superheroes in the family! They have many different fun products in the store, and it serves as a tutoring center for neighborhood children.

5 – The Brooklyn Family Theatre is a nice place to go when you don’t want to head all the way to Broadway and spend ridiculous amounts of money on tickets. Best of all, the musicals at this theatre are designed to capture the attention of the little ones.

These are just a few of the many great things that you and your kids will be able to experience!

If you think you’ve exhausted all of the shops in Park Slope, you can be sure that you’ve missed a few. Here are a few of the interesting shops that you will be able to visit the next time you are in a shopping mood. Best of all, these shops are all on Fifth Avenue, so you can visit all of them in a single trip.

When you want to find some handcrafted items, such as jewelry, you will want to head to the Cog & Pearl, located at 190 5^th Ave. The shop features artwork, jewelry, and many other interesting items.

Lucia is a boutique located at 272 5^th Ave., and they have designer items such as clothing, jewelry, and shoes. However, even though they have designer items, the prices are quite affordable.

If you are into green living, you will want to visit 3r Living. They have house wares as well as a variety of other products, most of which are recycled. The store certainly follows the three ‘Rs’ of environmentalism: reduce, reuse, and recycle. It is a great place for the environmentally conscious. It is located at 276 5^th Ave.

When you want to save some money, head to Beacons at 92 5^th Ave. They have plenty of clothing and shoes at great thrift store prices.

After you’ve finished your shopping for the day, make sure that you stop by one of the eateries in the area to refuel. You can find a host of different places to dine or just grab a cup of coffee, such as at Gorilla.

Always keep your eyes peeled for interesting shops. New shops crop up all the time and you never know when you just might find an older store that has just the thing you were looking for!

Park Slope is one of the most idyllic places to live in all of New York City, consistently ranking high on the lists of most desirable neighborhoods. The people who live there are often wealthy. You can find singles, couples, and families dwelling on the same block in this friendly community. The community has a lot to offer, and many of the people from the area are well to do and well known around the world.

Have you ever wondered if anyone famous has ever come from Park Slope? You might be surprised, but the list of celebrities and well-known people is quite long. Here are a few of the notables from that list, a who’s who from Park Slope, NY.

Tom Hanks, arguably one of the most famous actors in the world, has a home there. Many other actors either have homes in Park Slope, or were raised in the community. Some of the popular actors and actresses that you might know include Laurence Fishburne and Wentworth Miller, who grew up in Park Slope. Julia Stiles, David Cross, and Steve Buscemi all have ties to the area as well.

Of course, actors and actresses aren’t the only celebrities to live in this neighborhood. Writers such as Rick Moody, John Hodgman, and Brian Selznick are from the area as well. Musicians like Foxy Brown, jazz violinist Mark Feldman, and jazz drummer Jim Black have Park Slope ties as well.

These are just a handful of the many notables who grew up in Park Slope or who live there now. However, you don’t have to be a celebrity to enjoy all of the great things that a community like Park Slope has to offer. It’s a great place to live no matter who you might be.

If you live in Park Slope, or you are just vacationing, chances are that you are going to want to experience some of the nightlife that the city of New York has to offer. You could head all the way into Manhattan, or you could enjoy some of the greatest nightlife the city has available right in the Park Slope area. Here are four of the most popular places in the area to go when you want to have a fun night out on the town.

Barbes is located at 376 9^th Street on the corner of 6^th Avenue. This bar offers great live music as well as a large selection of single malt scotch. In fact, many say they have some of the finest scotch in the city. They also have twelve beers on draft, a variety of bottled beers, and all of your favorite cocktails.

Union Hall offers 5000 square feet and a great time for all who come to visit. It was converted from a warehouse, and it now has a bar and music venue, an outdoor garden with seating, two indoor bocce ball courts, and even a library!

Beer Table is a place for beer aficionados. They have an extensive bar and some beers that you will have a hard time finding anywhere else in the city. They serve food as well, and this can be a nice bar to visit before heading out to a club. You’ll find the bar at 427 B 7^th Ave.

Sidecar is located at 560 5^th Ave. It’s an interesting location, and the bar has some of the best cocktails and special drinks in the city.

Of course, these are just four popular spots in the Park Slope vicinity. You will be able to find many more! If you are visiting or new to the area, ask a local about the best places to go.

The Prospect Park Zoo is one of the most popular attractions in the park, delighting adults and children alike. The zoo has more than 400 different animals on exhibit, and it’s easy to spend an entire day wandering through the zoo and snapping photos of your favorite animals.

The zoo also offers a number of exhibits. In the Animal Lifestyles exhibit, you will be able to learn about the different animal habitats throughout the world. You will also be able to see some of the most popular residents of the zoo, the Hamadryas baboons. The Animals in Art Exhibit and the Amazing Animals exhibit show people how animals attract mates, frighten predators, and survive in the wild.

Discovery Trail is one of the most popular exhibits. You can walk through several different habitats and find a number of different animals such as prairie dogs, kangaroos, otters, and even red pandas.

Get up close and personal with some of the animals at the Barn & Garden exhibit. You can hang out with goats, sheep, cows, alpacas, and many other docile animals. The exhibit also has a garden, waterfall, and pond. You can visit the Sea Lion Court and observe the California sea lions as they bathe in the sun, take a dip, and eat their fish.

The zoo also offers a Discovery Center, where the little ones will be able to learn more about the animals they’ve seen and enjoy some of the interactive exhibits.

After you’ve checked out everything at the Prospect Park Zoo, you can return to the park and find something to eat, ride the carousel, or just enjoy the rest of your day. If you have kids, you do not want to miss this zoo. It’s a great time for everyone in the family.