WGPA

Good news from Brooklyn11211 - at its meeting this past Wednesday, the City Planning Commission voted to approve the Fillmore Place landmark designation. That is the last step before the City Council, which hopefully will approve the designation this month.

City Planning also voted to approve the Greenpoint/Williamsburg Contextual Rezoning. Similar to the Grand Street rezoning that was approved last year, this new rezoning will limit building heights and provide other safeguards against abusive development.

Elsewhere in Brooklyn, the City Council approved the demolition of PS 133, a CBJ Snyder-designed school in Park Slope. The School Construction Authority plans a new shinier and larger school for the site. HDC is not happy with David Yassky on this one:

To say that we are disappointed in the leadership of CM David Yassky, who represents this school would be both an understatement and untrue. While Mr. Yassky represents the largest number of designated landmark properties in Brooklyn, over the years he has proven to be tone-deaf to preservation issues. Although he has supported commuity-driven preservation efforts in Dumbo (both the designation of the historic district and opposing the Dock Street proposal), he has been absent from many preservation conversations in Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope and other parts of his district and either unhelpful or hostile to efforts in Williamsburg (such as 184 Kent Avenue, the Greenpoint-Williamsburg Rezoning & the Hecla Iron Works). He has been of no help on the Admiral’s Row Houses (which he represents, not CM Letitia James) and as memory serves, he was absent on the debate about the Purchase Building.

Things have been quiet up north here, but they've been awful busy down the other end of the borough. If you haven't been paying attention, the City has a plan to rezone Coney Island. In terms of the options, the City's plan could be worse - just look at the plan being touted by Thor Equities' Joe Sitt and backed by his pal Councilmember Dominic Recchia. But it also could be a lot better.

Dick Zigun, Coney Island's "mayor" is one of the people fighting the good fight for Coney Island's future - a future that has far fewer high rise hotels and far more space for amusements, rides and attractions (you know, the things that people go to Coney for). Here is Dick's take:

The Municipal Art Society has a plan to make the City's plan work for Brooklyn. The New York Times thinks that MAS's plan is the way to go. So do a lot of other people.

India Street Mural Project is complete, and they're having a party to celebrate. A day of art, music and food.

Music provided by Japanther, Dilian, Ninjasonik, Small Black.

Food provided by Cookie Road, Cafecito Bogota, Green Pirate, Plates & Records.

And an after party at t.b.d. with drink specials from 6-8.

When: Saturday 18 July, 2pm to 6pm
Where: India Street between West Street and the East River

Tomorrow night, NAG will host a forum for the candidates for the 33rd Council District seat. You can submit your own questions for the candidates here. Come out tomorrow and hear what those would succeed CM Yassky have to say for themselves.

When: Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 7:00-9:00 pm
Where: Willamsburg Northside Preschool
152 N 5th Street between Bedford and Driggs

The Revere Sugar factory, including its iconic dome, was mostly demolished in 2007.
Photo: lifeadored on flickr

Down in Red Hook, the last relic of the Revere Sugar factory appears to have a death sentence hovering over it. It's not clear why the building - which dates to the early 1880s - was left standing when the rest of the site was demolished, but there it is. For now.

The 1880s warehouse, today.
Photo: Amy Langfield

The full Council is expected to vote out the Concey Island rezoning tomorrow. The question is, will they make they rezoning any better before they do?

MAS is hoping they do.

Photo: NY Post

MAS has commissioned a rendering of what a Gehry-less Atlantic Yards might look like. It probably won't look anything like this, but that doesn't mean it won't suck any less.

via Animal