No Boats in Sight For Mill Basin As Party Boats Stay Stuck at Sheepshead Piers

SOUTHERN BROOKLYN – Almost two weeks have passed since three of the Sheepshead Bay party boats were scheduled to arrive in the waters of Mill Basin, off Flatbush Avenue, but the boats have yet to be relocated.

Residents aren’t complaining about the delay—they’ve been very much opposed to the decision to put the disruptive and often rowdy boats in their backyards—but the lack of information from the city has left them wondering.

The Mayor’s office, which sprung the decision on Mill Basin politicians in an after-hours email and without engaging residents of the community at all, confirmed in early May that the boats would move over Memorial Day weekend. Now, nearly two weeks past the deadline, the Mayor’s office is directing all inquiries about the boats to the NYC Parks Department.

The Parks department cited “unexpected delays in the boat relocation” when asked about the delays this week, unable to give an exact date—or even a ballpark—as to when the boats would move.

While the residents of Mill Basin enjoy an uneasy respite, the residents of Sheepshead Bay are stuck with all the boats when they’d been assured that their problem would be half-solved by now.

Assemblymember Steven Cymbrowitz, who was eager to announce the news of the boats leaving to his constituents back in April, is still looking on the positive side, even if there are a few more boats than he bargained for still on the Emmons Avenue piers:

“Although the boats are still here until the new location is finished being built out, it was a victory because all boats must be back at 11:00 pm and there are no boats going out after that time,” he said.

Councilmember Alan Maisel (D-46), who represents Mill Basin, warned against the lack of infrastructure along Flatbush Avenue when the decision to move the boats was announced. With the unspecified delays of an undetermined length holding up the Mayor’s plans, it looks Maisels arguments against the move do hold some water.