The project has already spawned the creation of the Union-Sackett Block Association, bitter complaints about some early work on the site, concern over asbestos removal and has led to local officials trying to run interference between the developer and residents. An email about this week’s meeting says “Developer to Unveil Plans at Behest of Union-Sackett Block Association and Other Community Groups.” Here some detail:

A large turnout is expected for this open meeting, which will be hosted by the Union-Sackett Block Association, with support from local elected officials and community groups, including the Coalition for Responsible Development and the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association. After the Clarett Group and its architect present the current plans for 340 Court Street, the community will have the opportunity to react and respond…This meeting presents an opportunity for the community to have its voice heard and for the Clarett Group to signal whether it is willing to work with local communities on contextual and responsible development.

While the public presentation to Community Board 6 by the Toll Brothers was a relatively controlled and polite forum, there are likely to be more fireworks at this community meeting. On Saturday, in preparing for the meeting, neighborhood blogger PMFA notes that opponents tethered balloons and floated them 70 feet above the site to demonstrate how tall the Clarett Group building would be. The meeting will take place on Thursday, April 3, at 7PM at PS 58, which is located on Carroll Street between Smith St. & Court St. There is more on the meeting at the Union-Sackett Blog.

For all of the intense reaction to the Toll Brothers proposal to build a 447 unit development in Gowanus, the project would not be far out of line with what the city is likely to propose for the neighborhood. The outlines of the city’s plan won’t be known for a bit, but buildings of 10-14 stories have been discussed for parcels along the canal, with 10-12 stories being the most likely outcome, which is the height of the Toll buildings. The property the Toll Brothers want to develop will fall within “Zone B,” which is likely to be rezoned for mixed used projects. (In the map below, the use of both Zone A and Zone B is likely to be primarily residential and commercial; the battleground zones in terms of preserving industrial uses are Zones C, D and E.) While the rezoning may limit buildings along Bond Street to 4-6 stories, the general framework would allow taller buildings along the canal. The development is also in keeping with what the Bloomberg Administration wants to develop on the Public Place site, where buildings would also rise to 12 stories. In fact, the Public Place development, only a few blocks away could be more than double the size of the Toll development.

On Thursday night Toll VP David Von Spreckelsen said that the developer was going ahead and asking for their parcels to be rezoned because they were considering the possibility that the city’s rezoning might not be done before the end of the Bloomberg Administration. It might also be a way get somewhat more density than the city might ultimately allow. Yet, the Toll plan is remarkably similar to what is likely to emerge from City Planning very soon. Anyone with any doubts about what the city intends along the canal need to envision the rezoned Fourth Avenue, but along the Gowanus and with provision for public access and esplanades along the water. Yes, if the city’s rezoning fails to pass before the end of the Bloomberg Administration and if a Mayor disinclined to rezone the neighborhood takes over and if the real estate market continues to go down the toilet in terms of speculative Brooklyn development, the Toll project would be a singular development in a relatively industrial corridor. Yet, there is a very good chance that the Toll development will be exactly like the Gowanus future that the city would like to achieve. We’re not trying to be apologists for the developers–and we have major issues with the plan that’s on the table–but the fact is that the Toll Vision is very similar to the Bloomberg/City Planning Vision for the New Gowanus.

While the Toll Brothers development is an important battle, the city’s own plan–which is likely to be on the table before long–is the war itself.

Another week, another tale of a photographer and/or blogger being told by someone on a public street not to take photos. (It happened to us on Friday on Beard Street in Red Hook via a private security guard who stopped his car and said, “You can’t take any pictures here. Don’t take any pictures.”) We digress, however. “McBrooklyn was standing on the sidewalk on the north side of Willoughby Street (near the corner of Duffield/Oratory Place) in Downtown Brooklyn, taking a photo of the new Sheraton hotel going up on Duffield…A uniformed guard told us to stop taking pictures of the hotel — because photography was not allowed on the sidewalk in front of his Willoughby Street building.”–McBrooklyn

It hasn’t been that long since the entire “Is There a Park Slope in (Fill in the Blank)” thread of emails on Park Slope Parents and we thought it may have run its course with the final Park Slope in Iraq exchange, but here we go again. Today’s question, which comes from an email brought to our attention by a faithful reader:

There is no place like the Slope! But does anything come close in Charlotte, NC? With so many NY/NJ families moving to that area, perhaps it is possible. Is there an area that is as kid and pedestrian-friendly, helpful, and progressive as PS? Being artsy and liberal would be a plus, but that would be a tall order I think!

Also, what is the Park Slope of Staten Island?

• More than $20B in Big Developments Around City, Including Brooklyn, Dead? [NYDN]
• Deadly Domestic Abuse in Red Hook [Gothamist]
• Mom Killed by Stray Bullet in Bed-Stuy [NYP]
• Mother Killed at Random by Thugs at Brooklyn Party [NYDN]
• South Carolina HS Band Visits Red Hook [Gothamist]
• More Detail on the Vito Lopez-Pfizer Burg Eminent Domain Fight [Sun]
• Council Member Tony Avella Joins Mayor’s Race [NYP]
• Sheldon Silver Says No Budget = No Congestion Pricing [NYP]
• OSFO Leaving PS321 & Smart Mom Will Cry [OTBKB]
• Old Closed Coney Hotels [Lost City]
• Tires & Taxi in Dyker Heights [Fading Ad Blog]
• Pomme de Terre Open, Wants Sidewalk Cafe [Brooklyn Junction]
• The Sweet Melissa Baking Book [ABL]
• Does Your Neighborhood Have “Pastor Emergency” Vans? [Bed-Stuy Banana]

Community Boards are considered valuable by some and scorned by others, but they perform some vital functions at the most basic community level. The boards, however, are facing 5-8 percent cuts, “which may not sound like much, but cut into already limited resources…After all, the CBs serve the equivalent of decent-sized cities, as the districts contain 35,000 to 200,000 people, but have a paid staff of three. (The board members are volunteer appointees, as are committee members.) Perhaps the main role the CBs play is in advising and/or voting on major land use issues…However, unlike independent cities of equivalent size, the CBs don’t have professional staff in planning and other departments.”–AYR

A Teddy Bear & Stuffed Animal Drive is underway through April 7th. We came across the following email that gives some of the detail:

In coordination with Bears from Bergenfield, all donations will be sent to children in Israel who have been victims of terror, are in shelters or who are in the hospital. Bring new or gently use stuffed animals to Congregation Mount Sinai, Main entrance, 250 Cadman Plaza West between Clark & Tillary Streets.

So, if you’re doing a cleanup and want to put a smile on a child’s face, drop off times are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:30 AM – Noon, Monday & Tuesday afternoons from 2:00PM – 4:30 PM and Monday & Wednesday evening from 6:30PM – 8:00 PM. For more information, you can email schanzerconsult (at) hotmail (dot) com.

“Here in Brooklyn it’s illegal to keep roosters because the crowing makes for poor relations between neighbors, but hearts are not illegal, and thanks to the blogosphere, we hear more and more hearts crowing without any restrictions. In Brooklyn so many blogs maintain vigilance for the sake of the public good, asking for nothing in return. There are actually very few blogs running here in Brooklyn that don’t express tremendous passion for justice, truth and beauty in some way. Posts from blogs monitoring the Atlantic Yards project intend to defy those who use power to violate individual rights and promote inappropriate development, others blogger’s watchful eyes search for dangers in the form of thoughtless construction practices and other threats to public safety…”–Brooklynometry

If you’re interested in the topics of trash and trucks, there’s a meeting with representatives from the Department of Transportation and the Transportation Committee of Community Board 1. It will take place tonight, (3/31) from 7PM-8:30 PM at the Buckley Center at St. Cecilia’s School which is located at 1-15 Monitor Street.

There is very early morning gloom outside the Brooklyn weather observatory today as the forecast calls for clouds “with a little rain” and a high of 51 degrees. Tonight will be mostly cloudy and breezy with a shower in places. The low will be 46 as we inch toward weather that is more or less spring-like.

We often eschew the stranger postings on the festival of passing ships known as Craigslist Missed Connections, yet there was something compellingly weird about this one. It’s not a “missed” connection per se so much as it seems to be a connection that went awry:

Vasiliki: HE CAME DANCING ACROSS THE WATER, CORTEZ, CORTEZ….. – m4w – 36

I know that we barely knew each other and my intensity was not appropriate. But months later, I still can’t forget you. That car we drove around in has since been totalled … but I survived and I remain in Williamsburg. Thank you so much for reminding me of “Cortez the Killer”. A song which documents the moment when our innate yearnings, ambitions and potential were compromised by an ill-timed meeting between an evolved civilization and an un-evolved yet dangerous destroyer of spiritual progress. I behaved much like Cortez by creating an argument after we had an inspiring night of intense conversation thanks to your progressive ideas and instincts… but like the narrator of the tale states “I still can’t remember when and how I lost my way” and I decided to find out where I am. Our encounter inspired me to address introspection as opposed to self-rejection. It alerted me to what I really want as opposed to what our entire society, complicit in its own demise (yet unaware of why), has become. I still enjoy our mistress but I don’t enjoy being irrational and heartless. I would follow you into Hell and would never let another man hurt you ever again. I hope you live forever…thank you!..Doc

Get out those Neil Young MP3s.

Here’s an interesting rent-controlled Park Slope conundrum making the rounds via the Park Slope Parents Group. We post it because it raising interesting questions about what to do when the landlord starts doing ominous things in the building that indicate change may be afoot:

I live in a rent stabilized building. Recently the landlord has been demanding that he inspect everyone’s apartment and when he comes he has come with 3 architects and they measure the whole apartment and take pictures while consulting a floor plan. Most of the tenants have complied because he has told them it is for insurance purposes and they are afraid to cause a problem. We have recently heard rumors that several of the buildings our landlord owns may either be up for sale (to Methodist Hospital potentially) or are slated for conversion to condos. Does anyone have any great resources as to tenants rights in this case–or perhaps even direct experience that would help us short cut the list of questions we have?

Evergreen Brooklyn rental questions.

Probably no neighborhood dry cleaner in Brooklyn has closed with more public notice and mourning than Trusting Cleaners on Court Street. The shop closed on March 15 and today about 250 people are expected for a farewell party at the Kane Street Synagogue. The Oh family was in business for 25 years. They had to close because the landlord jacked up the rent from $2,500 per month to $6,000, which a representative of the property owner called “a good offer.” The Ohs operated the shop for about 12 hours a day, six days a week. They will be missed by many people. It is safe to say the landlord is not much loved in the neighborhood.–NYT; previous GL Coverage

Here’s another adoptable pet of the week from the Brooklyn Animal Rescource Coalition (BARC) shelter in Williamsburg.

Generally, we only post one Adoptable Cutie of the Week. But, when we got these photos of Mama, who lives at the BARC Shelter in Williamsburg, we decided to add her today. Miss Heather took these pictures and reports Mama, who is ten, came to BARC with her pal, Buddy, from the same household which “could no longer take care of them.” Buddy has been adopted, but Mama still needs a home. Per Miss Heather: “Mama might be older, but in terms of giving and receiving love she was just like a kitten.” A bit more about Mama from BARC:

Mama is a really mellow domestic long hair…She is accustomed to living with other cats.

We also suspect that she would love to have a new home. We have an large soft spot for older animals whose lives have been upended by losing their homes. If you’re into making a gorgeous elder cat happy who clearly craves love, give Mama a home. She’ll love you for it and you get bonus good karma points. For info on BARC click here.

New Brooklyn is a film coming this fall from Christopher Cannucciari. All we can say is that the trailer features so much of the Williamsburg landscape we’ve photographed and posted about that we feel like we know it without even watching it. We like them, so we’re posting two vids here.

The IMDB plot summary is as follows: “Brooklyn struggles for it’s identity during a period of gentrifying change. Marta (Blanca Lewin) is new to Brooklyn. Her roommate Angela (Shelley Thomas) has helped her adjust, but when Marta is assaulted by Angela’s brother Eddie she must learn to take a stand on her own.”

• Is Miss Brooklyn Dead or Undead? [AYR]
• Public Parkland Parking Lot Popular for Public Employees [NYDN]
• Explorer Frederick Cook, of Bushwick [NYT]
• Bed Bug Seminars Coming [New York Shitty]
• Man Shot by People Who Had Partied at City Councilman’s Club [NYDN]
• Cracked Sidewalks as Geology [Bed-Stuy Banana]
• Bed-Stuy Real Estate Picks [Bed-Stuy Blog]
• The Full Chopstick-Matzo Collapse Story [NYT]
• Weekly Dumbo Links [Dumbo NYC]
• Triple Play at 970 Kent Condos [Set Speed]
• The Circus in Prospect Park [A Year in the Park]
• A Moment at PS Coffee Tea and Spices [NYT]
• Home Composting Workshop in Dumbo Today [Green Brooklyn]

The Boerum Hill Association is showing the documentary “Twilight Becomes Night” on Wednesday, April 7 at 7PM at the Belarusan Church, which is at the corner of Atlantic Ave. & Bond St. Per the BHA:

This film examines the devastating impact neighborhoods suffer when local businesses are forced out by rising rents and competition from chain stores. Coucilman David Yassky will attend and share legislation he is developing for the City Council. Filmmaker Virginie-Alvine Perrette will share her knowledge and answer questions. Refreshments will be supplied by Apartment 138 (138 Smith St.). Our Annual Greening Meeting will take place Wednesday, April 23rd.

A lot more info about the film at its website.