To the editor,
Your editorial praising Thor Equities’ Coney Island plan ignored one thing: That Thor’s plan is just one idea for rebuilding the Coney Island amusement zone (“Why not Thor?” Aug. 11).
Unfortunately, Thor tried to play it cute. First, the company told area landowners that the city would never let them build condos. This allowed Thor to buy up land at a cheaper price.
Then, the company turned around and tried to push the condo idea. They are still playing it cute with their hotel and time-share proposal.
So instead of taking the city to task, maybe you should be putting your energies into castigating Thor for the disingenuous way it has bargained with the city and the Coney Island community in general. Thor’s approach has demonstrated to me that it cares more about profit and less about restoring a great historical treasure.
Lloyd Handwerker, Park Slope
The writer is the grandson of Nathan Handwerker, whose hot dog stand still sits at Surf and Stillwell avenues in Coney Island
Chaining us up
To the editor,
In a recent article, you wrote that Borough President Markowitz was proud of the arrival of Trader Joe’s that he how wants Nordstrom to come to Brooklyn (“Marty casts his line for Nordstrom,” July 28).
I just returned from Saratoga Springs, New York. When I was there last, Saratoga Springs was an attractive town with pleasing Victorian architecture and wonderful Mom and Pops selling interesting items plus a few touristy items. The town also had the famous racetrack.
This visit, I found lots of chain stores — Borders, The Gap, The Loft, Starbucks to name a few — in their sterile, soulless buildings and lots of shops selling only touristy items, the kind you can find anywhere. There was the same type of tourist you find everywhere, the same street people, the same activities. In short, I could have been in any boring tourist spot anywhere in the country.
Is this what we want for Brooklyn?
Bob Ohlerking, Park Slope
Falling down
To the editor,
I would like to make one thing clear to Brooklyn Paper readers: Last week’s storm had nothing to do with the collapse of the building on Jackson Place (“Storm may have caused collapse,” Park Slope Edition, Aug. 11). The year-plus-long neglect of the derelict structure did.
Whether it had been rain, wind or a neighborhood child throwing a tennis ball against the building’s facade, it was coming down. Do not let another developer like Mark Zeldin act is if this was an “act of God” and could not have been helped. He and his partners are responsible for destroying the quality of life on Jackson Place for years.
Now, thanks to the Department of Buildings and Housing Preservation and Development, at least the residents can feel a bit safer walking down the block.
Aaron Brashear, Greenwood Heights
The writer is chairman of the Community Board 7 Buildings and Construction Sub-committee
Paper prize
Congratulations to all the staff on your amazing accomplishment (“The Brooklyn Paper is ‘Newspaper of the year,’ ” Aug. 11). I am an avid reader, and have to say, this really is an amazing paper. Fantastic!
Lawrence Goodman, Providence, R.I.
Pleased to meet you
To the editor,
God bless you for printing that wonderful letter from former Jehovah’s Witness member Brenda Lee (“Bearing witness to the Witnesses,” Letters, Aug. 11). It is amazing how powerful Satan really is in this crazy world. The challenge is that most of the population in this country doesn’t know or believe that he exists. The truth must be told to all. Thank you for this article.
Robert Black, Sacramento CA
Neigh to builder
To the editor,
Thank you for an insightful article about the horses at Kensington Stables (“Horses: ‘Neigh’ to development,” July 28).
While I understand the focus of the article was the noise from the Caton Place construction site, I would like to add a footnote to your story. I am on the Board of Directors of GallopNYC, which provides therapeutic horseback riding to a diverse group of individuals, including children and adults with autism, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic head injury, and individuals who have suffered emotional trauma such as first responders and war veterans.
Our organization now operates one day a week at Kensington Stables.
The horse’s gentle movement increases the disabled rider’s flexibility, balance and muscle strength and may result in greater muscle control. Under the direction of a certified therapeutic riding instructor and an experienced physical therapist, riders learn to sit on their horses properly, use their reins to command the horse, and ride at a walk and a trot.
Volunteers are an essential part of the program, and each volunteer receives training from the program’s coordinator.
If you are interested in learning more, please visit www.GallopNYC.org.
Terry Lawler, Park Slope
Bike brouhaha
To the editor,
Bikers have been avoiding the bike lanes on both sides of Ninth Street, preferring safety to convenience (“Ninth St. bike lane tolls for thee,” Park Slope Edition, July 28). Measuring from the middle of the street, the safety buffer is only 30 inches wide, eventually diminishing to no buffer area at the corners.
The Department of Transportation could have designed the Ninth Street lanes with dimensions similar to the lane on Third Street, where bikers there have the benefit of a 7-foot, 3-inch safety buffer.
Politicians like Councilman Bill DeBlasio and state Sen. Velmanette Montgomery supported the bike lane project without first contacting Ninth Street residents and block association leaders.
But Eric Adams, the new state Senator and former NYPD captain, set up a special meeting for Ninth Street residents, where he showed his support and told us that the two-bike lane plan was flawed and should be stopped. He candidly told residents that he could not understand the “roughshod” methods of Transportation Alternatives and DOT. Neither can we. Ninth Street residents should remember Sen. Adams the next time his name appears on a voting ballot.
Robert G. Caire, Park Slope
The writer is co-president of the Ninth Street Block Association.
