Thursday, December 17th, 2009 10am, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
The presentation will be made in Room 406 of Higgins Hall North, located at the corner of St. James Place and Lafayette Avenue in Clinton Hill (near, but not on, the main Pratt campus). The building houses the School of Architecture, which includes the planning & preservation programs.
The nearest train is the G, the Clinton-Washington stop. Coming from Carroll Gardens you want to be in the front of the train in order to use the Washington Avenue exit. When leaving the subway system, go through the turnstiles and turn RIGHT to go up the stairs and outside. This stairway will put you on Lafayette Avenue, heading in precisely the right direction. Walk one block to St. James Place. Higgins Hall is the large Victorian corner building complex across St. James, and the entrance is in a modern "hyphen" between the two historic buildings. From the guard desk, turn left to go to the North wing; the elevator will be right in front of you. Once on the 4th floor, turn right and go through the double doors to 406.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
General Meeting tonight
Just a quick reminder that CoWNA is holding it's last General Meeting of the year tonight (Monday 12/7).
Agenda:
1. Election of officers
2. BQE Enhancement Study
3. Meet Brad Lander, the newly elected City Council member for our district
Place: Jalopy, 315 Columbia Street (between Woodhull and Hamilton)
Time: 7 PM
Time: 7 PM
We look forward to seeing you!
Friday, December 4, 2009
Town Hall Meeting about the F Train
This past summer, State Senator Squadron called on the MTA to conduct a full line review of the F Train in response to the many constituent complaints he received regarding ongoing service problems. In October, the MTA released the findings from this review in a comprehensive report (which you can find on Senator Squadron's website at: www.squadron.nysenate.gov).
To make this report even more accessible to the public, Senator Daniel Squadron and Community Boards 2 & 6 invite you to attend a Town Hall Meeting about the F train. MTA representatives will discuss the recent report about F train performance, and discuss proposals for improving service.
F Train Town Hall
Hosted by State Senator Daniel Squadron
WHEN: Thursday, December 10,6:30 pm
WHERE: PS 58 Auditorium,330 Smith Street, Brooklyn NY(Corner of Smith and Carroll streets, at Carroll Street stop on the F line)
To make this report even more accessible to the public, Senator Daniel Squadron and Community Boards 2 & 6 invite you to attend a Town Hall Meeting about the F train. MTA representatives will discuss the recent report about F train performance, and discuss proposals for improving service.
F Train Town Hall
Hosted by State Senator Daniel Squadron
WHEN: Thursday, December 10,6:30 pm
WHERE: PS 58 Auditorium,330 Smith Street, Brooklyn NY(Corner of Smith and Carroll streets, at Carroll Street stop on the F line)
Thursday, December 3, 2009
BQE Enhancement Survey
The NYC Economic Development Corporation will soon announce the selection of a consultant to perform the Brooklyn Queens Expressway enhancement study. In order to prepare for participation in the public meetings that will be conducted during the study, we would like to gather opinion from Columbia Waterfront residents. Having a sense of the neighborhood's feelings about potential alterations to the BQE will enable us to effectively represent the community for the study. You can access the study here: http://cowna.surveyconsole.com
There are 9 questions, the study is anonymous and it should take only a few minutes to complete. We plan on incorporating the results of this survey into the discussion at our upcoming General Meeting on December 7th.
There are 9 questions, the study is anonymous and it should take only a few minutes to complete. We plan on incorporating the results of this survey into the discussion at our upcoming General Meeting on December 7th.
Thank you for your input
Report From Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting BQE Rehabilitation Project
A Stakeholder Advisory Committee meeting was held last night for the proposed rehabilitation project for the BQE cantilevers. The purpose of the meeting was to review comments on the Draft Scoping Document (DSD) and the proposed alternatives screening criteria. At this point in the process, the goal is to produce a final scoping document that sets forth the project needs and purpose, identifies the project limits, the study area limits, identifies alternatives, and outlines the environment impact analysis.
Representatives from NYSDOT and the consulting firm Henningson, Durham & Richardson reviewed comments received from local community groups, residents and concerned agencies. These comments have been collected and tabulated and are available from the project website (see below). Consultants presented the "Alternatives Analysis Process, Level 1 Screening Criteria" which is a critical process used to evaluate proposed alternatives for the project. Much discussion ensued from this presentation and it was clear that further development of the criteria is essential.
The traffic consultant presented an updated traffic study which focused on accident frequency on the BQE in the project area and correlated accident rates to the 'substandard' features of the roadway.
For the Waterfront Community, the important issues are potential impact of diverted traffic, construction staging, and reconstruction of the on/off ramps at Atlantic Avenue. Please visit the project website which includes a description of the project and various documents such as the draft DSD which can be downloaded.
Project Website: www.nysdot.gov/bqedowntownbrooklyn
Representatives from NYSDOT and the consulting firm Henningson, Durham & Richardson reviewed comments received from local community groups, residents and concerned agencies. These comments have been collected and tabulated and are available from the project website (see below). Consultants presented the "Alternatives Analysis Process, Level 1 Screening Criteria" which is a critical process used to evaluate proposed alternatives for the project. Much discussion ensued from this presentation and it was clear that further development of the criteria is essential.
The traffic consultant presented an updated traffic study which focused on accident frequency on the BQE in the project area and correlated accident rates to the 'substandard' features of the roadway.
For the Waterfront Community, the important issues are potential impact of diverted traffic, construction staging, and reconstruction of the on/off ramps at Atlantic Avenue. Please visit the project website which includes a description of the project and various documents such as the draft DSD which can be downloaded.
Project Website: www.nysdot.gov/bqedowntownbrooklyn
Monday, November 16, 2009
Nominations for CoWNA Officers
The following nominations have been received. If you would like to submit additional nominations, please see the information at the bottom of this post.
President - Norman Cox
Norman Cox is currently Chair of the Land Use Committee for the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association. He led the committee in the effort to include our neighborhood with the rezoning of Carroll Gardens and has represented CoWNA at meetings of the South Brooklyn Neighborhood Alliance. Past volunteer work includes service on the Board of Directors of the Washington Market Park in lower Manhattan and the Board of Directors of the Lower East Side Printshop.
Norman lives on Columbia Street with his wife, Joyce Sangirardi, and he is a partner in an architectural firm that recently relocated to a renovated garage on Union Street.
Vice President - Bradley Kerr
I am running because I am proud to call the Columbia Waterfront my home and I want to help make our neighborhood a great place to live. My wife and I moved here nearly 10 years ago, after she and her family opened a neighborhood small business, Union Max. I have been an active member of CoWNA’s Public Services Committee. Over the past year, I helped craft the association’s plan for waterfront development, advocated for our vision at the community board and helped bring attention to waterfront issues in the recent city council race. If elected, I will work hard for CoWNA and continue to push for a green waterfront that truly benefits our neighborhood and city.
Recording Secretary - Mina Roustayi
Mina Roustayi, Ph.D., has lived in this neighborhood for a decade, since the turn of the millennium. She is a founding member of CoWNA and has served on the Executive Committee since CoWNA was formed. Mina is a relentless advocate for our neighborhood's quality of life, keeping the "fix the ditch" project alive, despite much skepticism. In addition, she is working on monitoring the air, land, and water quality of our neighborhood. She would like to see a world class and attractive Columbia waterfront as a destination, where people come for recreation, shopping, eating, relaxation, education, and enjoying the sunset against a backdrop of Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Mina hopes that future development of our waterfront, once the lease for American Stevedoring ends, will be cohesive and carefully planned with low architecture, landscaping, and much public access to the water.
Treasurer - Chris Barker
Chris Barker is a co-founder and co-writer of The Word On Columbia St. blog, which has been in existence for the past year and a half. Through the blog, he and his wife Jessie work to keep neighborhood residents informed about news, issues, and events, as well as promote the neighborhood to those who do not live here. The blog has also co- sponsored a number of events at local businesses, gardens, and parks.
Chris is also highly involved in the Urban Meadow Community Garden and Mother Cabrini Playground, where he helps to organize events, raise funds, recruit members, and in the case of the Meadow, maintain the site. Outside of his volunteer work in the community, Chris works as the Contracts and Grants Coordinator at the NYU Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, a University based Center that provides services to schools and school districts, and conducts research on education related topics. He is also currently pursuing a Masters in Urban Planning at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service, with a focus on Affordable Housing and Economic Development. He lives on President St. with his wife, Jessie, and two sons, Lucas and Alexandre.
Corresponding Secretary - Brian McCormick
Brian McCormick has resided in Brooklyn since 1995, moving to Luquer Street in Carroll Gardens. In 1997, Mr. McCormick moved to 95 Kane Street in the Columbia Waterfront District. Prior to moving to New York from Boston in 1990, Mr. McCormick served on the Boards of the Worcester Square Neighborhood Association, Chaired the Worcester Square Park Committee- planning the restoration (now complete) of an1851 Victorian pocket park in the South End of Boston. He also served on the Board of the South End Historical Society. The South End is the largest Victorian brick rowhouse district in the United States.
Mr.McCormick is a co-founder and currently serves on the Board of the Gowanus Dredger’s Canoe Club. In 1998, he co-founded and served as the Chair of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway Taskforce. Mr. McCormick is currently Director of Finance and Administration for the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Inc. - a 501 (c) 3 non-profit planning the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a 14-mile waterfront greenway from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge. He also serves on the Board of the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association as it's Corresponding Secretary and is an active member of the Public Services Committee.
Elections will be held at CoWNA's General Meeting on December 7th at 7 PM at Jalopy, 315 Columbia Street.
If anyone else is interested in submitting a nomination please email info@cowna.org
President - Norman Cox
Norman Cox is currently Chair of the Land Use Committee for the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association. He led the committee in the effort to include our neighborhood with the rezoning of Carroll Gardens and has represented CoWNA at meetings of the South Brooklyn Neighborhood Alliance. Past volunteer work includes service on the Board of Directors of the Washington Market Park in lower Manhattan and the Board of Directors of the Lower East Side Printshop.
Norman lives on Columbia Street with his wife, Joyce Sangirardi, and he is a partner in an architectural firm that recently relocated to a renovated garage on Union Street.
Vice President - Bradley Kerr
I am running because I am proud to call the Columbia Waterfront my home and I want to help make our neighborhood a great place to live. My wife and I moved here nearly 10 years ago, after she and her family opened a neighborhood small business, Union Max. I have been an active member of CoWNA’s Public Services Committee. Over the past year, I helped craft the association’s plan for waterfront development, advocated for our vision at the community board and helped bring attention to waterfront issues in the recent city council race. If elected, I will work hard for CoWNA and continue to push for a green waterfront that truly benefits our neighborhood and city.
Recording Secretary - Mina Roustayi
Mina Roustayi, Ph.D., has lived in this neighborhood for a decade, since the turn of the millennium. She is a founding member of CoWNA and has served on the Executive Committee since CoWNA was formed. Mina is a relentless advocate for our neighborhood's quality of life, keeping the "fix the ditch" project alive, despite much skepticism. In addition, she is working on monitoring the air, land, and water quality of our neighborhood. She would like to see a world class and attractive Columbia waterfront as a destination, where people come for recreation, shopping, eating, relaxation, education, and enjoying the sunset against a backdrop of Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. Mina hopes that future development of our waterfront, once the lease for American Stevedoring ends, will be cohesive and carefully planned with low architecture, landscaping, and much public access to the water.
Treasurer - Chris Barker
Chris Barker is a co-founder and co-writer of The Word On Columbia St. blog, which has been in existence for the past year and a half. Through the blog, he and his wife Jessie work to keep neighborhood residents informed about news, issues, and events, as well as promote the neighborhood to those who do not live here. The blog has also co- sponsored a number of events at local businesses, gardens, and parks.
Chris is also highly involved in the Urban Meadow Community Garden and Mother Cabrini Playground, where he helps to organize events, raise funds, recruit members, and in the case of the Meadow, maintain the site. Outside of his volunteer work in the community, Chris works as the Contracts and Grants Coordinator at the NYU Metropolitan Center for Urban Education, a University based Center that provides services to schools and school districts, and conducts research on education related topics. He is also currently pursuing a Masters in Urban Planning at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service, with a focus on Affordable Housing and Economic Development. He lives on President St. with his wife, Jessie, and two sons, Lucas and Alexandre.
Corresponding Secretary - Brian McCormick
Brian McCormick has resided in Brooklyn since 1995, moving to Luquer Street in Carroll Gardens. In 1997, Mr. McCormick moved to 95 Kane Street in the Columbia Waterfront District. Prior to moving to New York from Boston in 1990, Mr. McCormick served on the Boards of the Worcester Square Neighborhood Association, Chaired the Worcester Square Park Committee- planning the restoration (now complete) of an1851 Victorian pocket park in the South End of Boston. He also served on the Board of the South End Historical Society. The South End is the largest Victorian brick rowhouse district in the United States.
Mr.McCormick is a co-founder and currently serves on the Board of the Gowanus Dredger’s Canoe Club. In 1998, he co-founded and served as the Chair of the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway Taskforce. Mr. McCormick is currently Director of Finance and Administration for the Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Inc. - a 501 (c) 3 non-profit planning the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, a 14-mile waterfront greenway from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge. He also serves on the Board of the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association as it's Corresponding Secretary and is an active member of the Public Services Committee.
Elections will be held at CoWNA's General Meeting on December 7th at 7 PM at Jalopy, 315 Columbia Street.
If anyone else is interested in submitting a nomination please email info@cowna.org
Sunday, November 8, 2009
General Meeting postponed
CoWNA's General Meeting, which was originally scheduled for Monday November 9th, has been rescheduled for Monday December 7th. We apologize for the inconvenience. The main agenda item is the election of officers for the 2010 term. The recent withdrawal of nominations of two candidates, due to the fact that they are moving out of the neighborhood, has left us with more positions than candidates and CoWNA's Executive Committee decided to postpone the meeting, so more potential candidates can submit their nominations.
Location and time remain unchanged: Jalopy, 315 Columbia Street, 7 PM
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