Neighborhood Meeting- Open to All
A How-to on NYC SCHOOLS and Real Estate: Fort Greene
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church 85 So. Oxford Street
Monday, November 16th, 2009 – 7:30 P.M.
7:30 Welcome - Paul Palazzo ([email protected])
7:35 Fort Greene Goings-On
- FGA Grants – Mary Priebe ([email protected])
Pit Bulls - Lloyd Rodriguez (http://www.eteamz.com/brooklynpitbulls/)
Tillary Park Foundation - Daryl Barlow ([email protected])
- Atlantic Yards Update – Daniel Goldstein www.dddB.net
- House Tour 2010 – Live-Work-Play Fort Greene [email protected]
- Holiday Party - Friday December 4, 2009 rsvp [email protected]
- Fowlers Square – Dress up Fort Greene Saturday November 21, 2009 12pm
- Green Fort Greene & Clinton Hill – Jed Marcus ([email protected])
7:45 Real Estate: Fort Greene - The Real Estate market has been all over the map. Get your bearings with a discussion on the current trends in the Fort Greene market.
Project Reclaim - Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries ([email protected])
In January 2009, Assemblymember Jeffries launched Project Reclaim, an initiative designed to transform vacant luxury apartments into affordable homes for working and middle class families.
Trends: The Ups and Downs of the Fort Greene Real Estate Market
Suzanne Debrango, Brooklyn Properties ([email protected])
Roslyn Huebener, Aguayo & Hubener Real Estate ([email protected])
Ingrd Niles, Corcoran Group ([email protected])
8:15 NYC Schools – A How To
Intro to Public School: Pre-K and Kindergarten
Joyce Szuflita from NYC School Help will talk about what every parent needs to know about starting out in New York City public schools. If you are confused about the difference between Charter, Magnet and Dual Language or Unzoned programs and what is up with district-wide vs. citywide Gifted and Talented, this may be the talk for you. She doesn’t discuss individual schools, but you will come away armed with lots of information to begin your school search with confidence.
• what you need to know
• when you need to know it
• what to do when things go wrong
• strategies and common practices
including “the 5 things to do to keep from turning prematurely grey”
Joyce Szuflita, NYC School Help, consults privately with Brooklyn families about to help them navigate the public and private school search, nursery school through high school. She can be seen in the NY Time, Time Out NY Kids, NY Family Brooklyn, www.achildgrowsinbrooklyn.com and www.nycprivateschoolsblog.com. [email protected]
9:15 Community Forum Open Mic
The floor is yours for two minutes.
Use it to announce an upcoming event or raise an issue.
Speaking slots are limited, sign up at the door.
9:30 Final Announcements and Adjournment
Next FGA General Meeting, Monday, February 22, 2010,
Happy Holidays to All, We’ll See You Next Year
but we’re always available online or by email at [email protected]
Minutes: FGA Membership Meeting, Lafayette Ave. Presbyterian Church, 85 S. Oxford Street, Brooklyn, N.Y., Monday, November 16, 2009
Board Members Present: Paul Palazzo, Chair, dorris golomb, Richard Norton, Lincoln Restler, Roslyn Huebener, Susan Butler, Naomi Dickerson, Georginna Glose, Jed Marcus, Mary Priebe
Approximately 250 people attended
WELCOME-Paul Palazzo opened the meeting at 7:30 p.m.
GRANTS-Mary Priebe announced three grants: 1) Park Conservancy Halloween Event, 2) Tillary Park Foundation—accepted by Daryl Barlow, and 3) Pit Bulls—accepted by Lloyd Rodriquez and Lisa Steadwell.
ATLANTIC YARDS UPDATE—Daniel Goldstein advises there are three lawsuits pending, including Eminent Domain for which a ruling is expected in two weeks, and a suit that lists the FGA in support. Daniel remains optimistic that the project can be stopped legally.
COUNCILPERSON TISH JAMES-discussed 1) 2.3 million grant for new lights at Commodore Berry Park, 2)the stopping of a promotion by Buffalo Wings that caused recent violence, 3) efforts to move a proposed 71 unit independent living facility from residentially zoned R6B Lefferts Place to Fulton Place, zoned R7A (This issue is discussed in the Ft. Greene Association Newsletter Nov., 2009) , 4)the continuing push to extend the Ft. Greene and Clinton Hill Historic Districts, and 5) the need to raise 1.5 million to restore eight tennis courts in Ft. Greene Park.
GREEN FORT GREENE & CLINTON HILL—Jed Marcus discussed 1) the instillation of 72 bike rakes and push to install 75 more, 2) 300 sites have been approved for tree installation and 1200 sites have been identified, 3) three public recycling locations have been located but a volunteer is needed to help monitor the site at the Underwood Playground, and 4) the need for volunteers to manage additional programs.
HOLIDAY PARTY—Roslyn announced the party and handed out flyers to all attending
FOWLERS SQUARE—Paul advised the part will be decorated this Saturday and invited participation.
REAL ESTATE: FORT GREENE
—PROJECT RECLAIM—dropped from the Agenda as Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries leading this effort could not attend
—REAL ESTATE MARKET—Ingrd Niles of Corcoran, Suzanne Debrango of Brooklyn Properties, and Roslyn Huebener of Aguayo & Huebener gave presentations. There was consensus that while the Condo and Coop market has had a significant drop since Sept., 2009, perhaps 20%, with high rises most adversely affected, and rental values have also declined, Townhouse values have remained steady. It was suggested that Ft. Greene has now become the number one choice for many New Yorkers as a place to live.
NYC PUBLIC SCHOOLS—Joyce Szuflita from NYC School Help gave a detailed presentation of the difference between Charter, Magnet and Dual Language or Unzoned programs, and information on the district-wide vs. citywide Gifted and Talented programs. She offered strategies and common practices. Joyce can be reached at [email protected].
OPEN MIC—there were no presenters
ADJOURNMENT—Paul closed the meeting at 9:15 p.m. Next General meeting is Monday Feb. 22, 2010.
Respectfully submitted on Nov. 19, 2009 by Richard Norton, Vice-Chair and substituting for Recording Secretary, Fred Lasker.
