Comments on: NY Times: Middle School Needed in the Area

By: KP

KP — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 04:54:49 +0000

Mencken, that is why Walentas is smart in marketing his new project to include a middle school. He knows that's needed in the area.

By: Clueless

Clueless — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:40:58 +0000

There’s a strong possibility that I’ll be adopting my brother’s three children next year (7, 13, & 16yo) and I have NO IDEA where to send them to school. I have no children of my own and am totally unprepared, but the situation is an emergency and I’m rising to the call of duty.

Sooo, now I have to figure out how to do everything and obviously getting them into school is high priority. I’m sure a lot of kids in this area go to private school, but that is out of my budget. Are there any public schools close by that are good?

By: not fooled

not fooled — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 16:23:36 +0000

**Councilman David Yassky wrote a letter to the Times regarding the Dock Street project, published today in the City section. The text follows.

Brooklyn Heights, as well as the adjacent neighborhoods of Dumbo and Vinegar Hill, would benefit from a middle school. Middle-class families leave these communities because of what they feel are unacceptable options: expensive private schools, or distant public schools.

You mention the proposed Two Trees building in Dumbo that would include a middle school. But you don’t mention that the building is opposed by the Brooklyn Heights Association, Dumbo Neighborhood Association and Fulton Ferry Landing Association because it includes an 18-story tower, not appropriate on a historic block so close to the Brooklyn Bridge. Families should not need to accept an inappropriate building for the soon-to-be-landmarked Dumbo neighborhood in order to get a much-needed middle school.

I have spoken with the Department of Education, and am forming a task force comprising neighborhood residents and P.S. 8 parents to evaluate the qualities the middle school should have. Based on that evaluation, we will consider available locations and create an appropriate middle school for the area.

David Yassky
Brooklyn Heights

By: Holt

Holt — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 21:22:51 +0000

Thanks, jps, for posting the link. Maybe dumbonyc should post it separately so no one misses it. Not to mention Jed’s take on the 70 Washington residents. “In keeping with the historic aesthetic,” my ass. It is a big — no, HUGE — square building, totally lacking character and dwarfing everything around it. And it is FUGLY.

By: jps

jps — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 15:37:27 +0000

here's the link: http://savedumbo.org...page=1#Item_0

By: jps

jps — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 15:36:26 +0000

hey folks:
Here are the official drawings of the Dock Street building monstrosity.

By: dumbostreets

dumbostreets — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 04:31:35 +0000

Isn’t it just weird to stick a public school in a 15 story luxury rental building?

If the area needs a middle school give the kids a proper building! There is city property all around Dumbo. There is something so Edison Schoolish about this thing.

By: ?

Wed, 01 Aug 2007 21:58:05 +0000

I can’t imagine why these young people from the housing project would act out towards the new neighborhood. Oh wait, you say this has been a regular staple of summer life in DUMBO for at least 10 years? I never saw that in the offering plan. Jeez, the DUMBO maps I saw don’t even include these projects I keep hearing about. Exactly where are they?

By: not fooled

not fooled — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:00:36 +0000

Sweeney: As I am involved in the community association discussions, I can assure you that there will be a statement on our positions in the near future.

Investment protection: Get your facts straight. The 2004 proposed building on this site was pulled by Two Trees because the City council balked at putting a 178′ tall building next to the bridge. And those who fought that battle did not do so for their apartment views. 70 Washington and 57 Front were not residential at that time, and the Beacon and J Condo weren’t built yet. The opposition then, as it remains today, is the sheer density of the proposed building, and the views of and from the Bridge, including from the walkway and from the street and from across the river.

By: Neil

Neil — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 18:30:30 +0000

What’s unclear to me is this: In what substantial sense is the Walentas proposal supportive of a school? Does it provide a space at market rent and nothing else? A subsidized or rent-free space? Funding to get the school off the ground?
The key, it seems to me, is to avoid confusing the need for a neighborhood middle school with this particular Walentas plan. Of course, if we’re exploring potential spaces for a school we’ll probably consider Walentas-owned space, we shouldn’t conclude that the Dock Street proposal is the only option.

Also, further to Rascal’s comment, we should collectively consider what more we residents might demand in exchange for (possible) support for this proposal; negotiation is a two-way street. I’d first like to know exactly what “a school” means in this context of the Dock Street plan.

By: Rascal

Rascal — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 17:16:15 +0000

I don’t know what kind of idealized, perfectly-principled world you people think we’re living in, but I’m here to tell you it doesn’t exist. Economic progress is fueled by self-interest, and the best we can hope for is the kind of quid-pro-quo that’s being offered here. So it takes a condo development to motivate the creation of a school. So what? Better to have the school than not, fercryinoutloud; there’s plenty of offensive condo development going on with no tradeoffs whatsoever. It’s no trick to see how anything involving money could be more principled. The trick is to get something done that offers more to the community than usual.

By: Investment protection

Investment protection — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:23:53 +0000

No one takes any Walentas protests seriously, and they shouldn’t. They are all pushed ahead by people who value their apartment’s view more than a school.

By: sweeney

sweeney — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:09:30 +0000

‘not fooled’ is on the money. Where is the opposition to this project? I know it’s summer and everything moves slowly, but the Two Trees p.r. machine is going full force.
Would DNA, BHA, and FFA please wake up. The community is waiting for these groups to take the lead in this battle with the greedy scum that calls itself Walentas.

By: Vinegar Hill res.

Vinegar Hill res. — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:51:01 +0000

DOT,

Did you report this incident to the police? If not, would you do so? And would everyone report things like this to the police so our neighborhood and the beautiful waterfront parks are properly patrolled?

Thank you.

By: DOT

DOT — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:36:30 +0000

I’ve noticed the kids from the projects in the park lately as well. The park is to be enjoyed by everyone no matter where they come from, however, these kids have been out of line. Running around causing ruckus. Last night, I watched a bunch of them run towards a mother walking her young child trying to intimidate her… screaming, cursing, and hitting sign posts. No one wants that influence near their children or in their schools. I think integrated schools are necessary, but the harsh reality is that integrating with bad apples is not desired no matter what the race.