Briefly Noted: Rally To Save Trees, New Axe-Throwing Venues & More

Carroll Street near 4th Avenue (Photo: Pamela Wong/Bklyner)

Earlier this month a judge ruled in favor of the NYC Parks Department when Friends of Fort Greene Park requested—via the Freedom of Information Law—a report regarding the redesign of the park that includes the removal of 58 trees. The community group argues that the removal of the trees will damage neighboring trees in the park and increase air pollution. The redesign is part of NYC’s Parks Without Borders initiative to make public parks more open and accessible. Fort Green Neighbors is organizing a rally on May 1st to save the trees.
The Red Hook community is requesting that DOT clean up a long neglected street and transfer it to the Parks Department so it can be part of the $100M plans to upgrade the Red Hook ball fields.
After taking over 664 Pacific Street—Parcel B15 of Greenland USA’s 15-building mixed-use Pacific Park development—last fall, development firm Brodsky Organization has agreed to a joint venture with Greenland to develop 18 Sixth Avenue, a rental tower set to rise just east of the Barclays Center. The $640M, 859-unit building will break ground within the next couple of weeks and is scheduled to be completed in 2022.
The New York Times has a profile on the non-profit ArtBuilt, an organization that offers displaced artists and small arts-based businesses work space at below market rents at its 50,000-square-foot Brooklyn Army Terminal facility. The NYC Economic Development Corporation and Department of Cultural Affairs announced the collaboration with ArtBuilt in the summer of 2017.
The Times also reports that with all the real estate developments, new bike lanes, and zoning updates along 4th Avenue, the corridor is destined to become “like Park Avenue.” Don’t forget about DCP’s Gowanus Scoping Meeting this Thursday at M.S. 51 where the public will be able to voice their thoughts on the city’s proposed rezoning—which includes 4th Avenue from 15th to Pacific Street.
After debuting as the city’s first axe-throwing venue in December 2017, Gowanus’ Kick Axe will now have two new competitors in the borough. Hatchets & Hops will be opening in Williamsburg and Bad Axe Throwing is coming to Downtown Brooklyn.
Opening Wednesday is Maison Yaki, the new restaurant from the team behind Prospect Heights’ beloved Olmsted. Chef Greg Baxtrum will offer yakitori-inspired French dishes including “tempura frog legs Provencal” and escargots in shiso butter. Grub Street has a preview.