110 Livingston News & Blog

In a self-styled “broadside” the Daily Eagle comes out clearly against the reopening and expansion of the House of D on Atlantic Ave.:

Should a jail exist in today’s Downtown Brooklyn and in today’s Downtown residential communities? The obvious answer is, of course not. It makes no more sense today than a jail would at the World Trade Center site, at Hudson Yards or at the Javits Convention Center.

The article gives a brief historical overview of the jail’s interactions with the community. It notes the city has quietly renamed the facility “Brooklyn Detention Complex”–suggesting that plans have been in the works for another building for a while–and ultimately demands a study of alternatives:

Until the issue of available alternative sites is thoroughly and honestly addressed (and it hasn’t been), the cards are stacked… a detailed financial study of a jail elsewhere and private development at the current site needs to be undertaken and made public.

• Read the full editorial: Do Not Pass Go; Go to Jail (On Atlantic Avenue) (brooklyneagle.com)
• House of Detention to Double in Size, May Open on Short Notice

While the jail is slated to open across the street, progress at the site at 252 Atlantic (a former carwash) seems to have stalled, as suggested by a smooth grade, parked cars, and what seems to be a billboard frame facing the House of D. Interesting. See an old rendering of the plans here. Anyone know more?

Meanwhile across Boerum Place the BP station has shuttered and relocated — is this the next site for possible development?

• Background: Another Brooklyn Car Wash Bites the Dust (Curbed)

The New York Times reports that:

The city’s Department of Correction wants to double the number of prisoners it plans to house at a reopened Brooklyn House of Detention as part of its effort to ease pressure on the aging jail complex on Rikers Island, officials said yesterday.

The reopening of the jail is part of a comprehensive city-wide plan to relocate inmates away from Rikers Island, to borough facilities. The DOC will solicit plans from developers to expand the Brooklyn facility and will consider ground-floor retail as a component.

What the Times does not say is that while the expansion could take five years, according to DOC’s website “the existing jail building could be reopened on short notice.”

Needless to say, the neighborhood has changed since the facility closed in 2003. Sandy Balboza, president of the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, argues that “the reopened jail could hurt the rebounding neighborhood’s momentum.” Balboza also points out there is no guarantee that retail in a jail facility would be viable. We’ll continue to follow this story and will update.

UPDATE: The Times has a followup article on the effects of the jail on local residents & businesses.  NY1 says DOC would give 48 hours notice of reopening.

• To Help Rikers, City Wants More Prisoners in Brooklyn (NYTimes)
• Department of Correction Borough Jails Plan (nyc.gov)

• Brooklyn Lager Wins Beer Championship (Brooklyn Record)
• What’s to become of 350 Livingston Street? (Brownstoner)
• Strange crash on Atlantic Ave. yesterday (Gothamist)
• Three hour oral argument in Atlantic Yards case (Atlantic Yards Report)
• Carroll Gardens Farmers Market Slated to Open this Summer (Chowhound)

A week after we called the City Economic Development Corporation to ask about the construction delays we’re happy to report that workers are digging up Boerum Place as we write this. When we spotted the backhoe and workers this morning they had already dug quite a hole, and appeared to be relocating a utility or traffic signal.

EDC was helpful in providing some more information on the plans. They said in an email that the “Boerum Place improvements will mirror that on Adams Street” and will include “milling, resurfacing the roadway, signage, streetscape elements, reconstruction of the medians and sidewalks, drainage work, landscape work, and utility work.”

EDC said work is expected to begin in late spring early summer of 2007 and should be done by late spring or summer of 2008. Looks like they may be getting a head start.

See a slightly closer shot of the workers and hole below.

• The Park Avenue of Brooklyn? Not quite yet.
• Comment below or discuss in the 110 forums.

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New York Magazine has anointed the Y at Atlantic and Court the best gym in Brooklyn — right around the corner from 110. The Y, which was built as part of Two Trees’ Court House project, surpassed even the new Brooklyn Heights Equinox. The blurb raves:

this nearly brand-new family-friendly facility is more than a place to do cardio and weights. There are community-centric programs for teens and toddlers, infant swim classes in the six-lane pool, and pickup basketball games in the gigantic gym. The fitness center has cardio and strength-training machines plus 96 adult classes a week, from spinning to belly dancing.

Thanks Two Trees! Also check out The Little Gym next door, for kids and parents, with a “parents’ survival night” providing child care on a weekend.

• Best Brooklyn Gym (NY Mag)
• Little Gymnasts Coming to Atlantic! (53Boerum)
• Dodge YMCA (Official Site)