ART IS ALIVE IN SUNSET PARK
Also: A solar eclipse, women makers and creators, a new cocktail bar, a waterfront revival and more!
There is no dedicated news coverage of Sunset Park — but Sunset Park makes news. This FREE weekly(ish) digest curates all the headlines from all the sources that touch our neighborhood, which is one of the most vibrant in Brooklyn.
In this issue
BrooklynONE Productions cuts ribbon on Tom Kane Theatre
There's art, music and life at Green-Wood Cemetery this season
‘An elaborate ruse to trick neighbors into saying hello’ comes to a bittersweet end
Where to watch April 8 solar eclipse
How to find New York City’s cherry blossoms
Brooklyn Made store honors women makers and creators
A Harlem cocktail bar expands to Industry City
New York’s waterfront revival aims to future-proof the city
Wealth-building and community ownership in the next stage of The Great Deployment
6 Neighborhoods you can live in making less than $50K a year
Lisa Kyung Gross connects immigrant women to the curious home chef
BrooklynONE Productions cuts ribbon on Tom Kane Theatre
By BROOKLYN PAPER: “Art is alive in Brooklyn!” BrooklynONE Productions celebrated its 18th anniversary with the grand opening of the Tom Kane Theatre at the company’s new home in Sunset Park’s Industry City. Founded by Tom Kane and Anthony Marino in 2006, bkONE has become a cornerstone of the Brooklyn arts scene thanks to its “bold, alternative and experimental works.” Since its founding, bkONE has produced both more traditional theater — like the Brooklyn Shakespeare Festival — and immersive, site-specific shows, like the theatrical bar crawl the Mari Lwyd. The company moved into its first permanent home in Industry City in May 2023, where it has since hosted music shows, punk concerts, plays, movie nights, and its signature ONE/act festival. … READ MORE
There's art, music and life at Green-Wood Cemetery this season
By BK READER: Sunset Park's Green-Wood Cemetery is transforming its green space for a wide array of events, concerts and tours. “We look forward to welcoming thousands to experience Green-Wood over the next six months through performances and tours you can’t get anywhere else in the city," said Harry Weil, vice president of education and public programs at Green-Wood. "We have some exciting new events in store, alongside old favorites." The season includes … READ MORE
‘An elaborate ruse to trick neighbors into saying hello’ comes to a bittersweet end
By THE CITY: Over the past year, 202 Brooklynites have sipped coffee, slouched and sometimes snoozed in the red, upholstered chair that now sits perched on a wooden pedestal inside a street-level gallery at Building 8 of Industry City in Sunset Park. Each of those people of Southern Brooklyn, some lifers and others relatively new arrivals, had spilled neighborhood stories and sometimes secrets while they sat for four or five hours, allowing artist Rusty Zimmerman to produce an oil painting of them, for them, in a sun-soaked studio space upstairs. Subject #21, Basil Saylor, shared his impossible ambitions of becoming the “pirate king” of Bensonhurst. Pink-haired Marquina Iliev of Sunset Park, #153, ruminated on how her air guitar practice helped her navigate chemotherapy. Flatlands native Stanley Delva, #69, talked about what it means to earn the right to “properly talk shit” about New York City. Vivian Lui of Bath Beach, #63, recalled how her grandfather became a laundromat owner in Manhattan’s Chinatown post-World War II, shortly after the repeal of the Chinese Exclusion Act. … READ MORE
Where to watch April 8 solar eclipse
By TIME NOW: New York City residents, and those visiting, are all awaiting the total solar eclipse on April 8. Those interested can expect a mesmerizing celestial event. Albeit not in the path of totality, the sun in New York City will still be obscured by a remarkable 89%- enough to attract an influx in tourism. This extraordinary event will bring about the last total eclipse in the United States until 2044. The next chance to experience it in the state won't be until 2079. …The Green-Wood Cemetery in Sunset Park is offering attendees the chance to witness the eclipse while being immersed in a soothing gong sound bath and engage in a range of activities and artist-led activations.
How to find New York City’s cherry blossoms
By THE NEW YORK TIMES: Some cherry trees have already begun to bloom, but there are still weeks of pink and white flowers ahead. … In Brooklyn, Green-Wood Cemetery has a collection of 172 cherry trees. They can also be found in Prospect Park (near the Grand Army Plaza entrance), Bushwick’s Maria Hernandez Park and Sunset Park. … READ MORE
Brooklyn Made store honors women makers and creators
By BK READER: The Brooklyn Made Store in Sunset Park’s Industry City hosted a special 'Makers of the Month' celebration showcasing the talents of Brooklyn-based female makers and entrepreneurs. Two Brooklyn entrepreneurs, Manya Yeva of Bklynsaus and Lauren Flack from Brooklyn Cannery, were honored, according to a press release. Bklynsaus makes two hot sauces, Original and Pineapple Red. Both are vegan and free of preservatives. Brooklyn Cannery makes the Prebiotic Soda line, which uses organic juices with no added sugar. "Celebrating our borough's women makers and entrepreneurs is not just about recognizing their incredible talent; it's about acknowledging the unique perspectives and experiences they bring our community,” said Gabby Napolitano, creative director & general manager at the Brooklyn Made Store. “I am thrilled to shine a light on the amazing work of these incredible women." … READ MORE
A Harlem cocktail bar expands to Industry City
By EATER: Sugar Monk, a Harlem cocktail bar that opened in 2019 with “a seductive speakeasy vibe,” has added a sibling location called Bitter Monk. Now open in Sunset Park, Bitter Monk is located inside Industry City: 68 34th Street, building six, on the second floor. Both are named after Thelonious Monk. … READ MORE
NY TIMES: … A window in the bar area looks into Atheras Spirits, their distillery next door making amari and liqueurs, which are used in the cocktails and will be soon available for purchase by the bottle. The bar is decorated with colorful glass panels.
New York’s waterfront revival aims to future-proof the city
By INDEPENDENT: A building once at the heart of America’s military-industrial complex is being repurposed to meet this century’s greatest challenge: the climate crisis. The new “Climate Innovation Hub” is being constructed over the next three years at the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park as part of a broader plan to “future-proof” New York by creating millions of jobs not only in the green economy but also life sciences, tech and AI. Much of the development is happening along New York’s waterfront, where large stretches were abandoned for decades after large-scale manufacturing died in the mid-20th century. Beginning with work under former mayor Michael Bloomberg, the city has started to recapture it, Andrew Kimball, CEO of NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC) said on Thursday. ”New York City is a coastal town with over 500 miles of waterfront,” he explained. EDC, a nonprofit organization, is heavily invested in projects across the five boroughs, particularly along 100 miles of waterfront it controls. … READ MORE
Wealth-building and community ownership in the next stage of The Great Deployment
IMPACT ALPHA: Later this year, solar panels will be installed on the roof of the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Like thousands of emerging green projects across the country, the community solar project has been jumpstarted with federal climate funding. The upgrade to the former military hub on the gritty waterfront in heavily Hispanic, working-class Sunset Park, could seem just another sign of the neighborhood’s rapid gentrification. But there’s a twist: the 725-kilowatt project is spearheaded and co-owned by UPROSE, a local climate justice group. Revenues will be reinvested in neighborhood resilience-building, including green jobs initiatives and advocating for climate justice in local solar and offshore wind projects. … READ MORE
6 Neighborhoods you can live in making less than $50K a year
By 247WALLST: … according to U.S. News & World Report, New York City is the 11th most expensive place to live in the United States. The average salary of New York City residents is just over $74,000 per year, and landlords in New York often require tenants to provide proof that they make 40 times the monthly rent. If you want to enjoy the benefits of the city on a smaller annual income, you might need to get creative by choosing a smaller place, finding a roommate, or opting for a neighborhood a bit further from the action. Here are six neighborhoods in New York City that are affordable for people earning less than $50,000 annually. … READ MORE
Sunset Park, Brooklyn
Average one-bedroom rent: $2,095
Residents looking for a quiet neighborhood close to amenities will enjoy Sunset Park. The neighborhood offers views of the Manhattan skyline. Sunset Park has a diverse population, and residents can enjoy a wide array of different cuisines. Sunset Park offers access to a recreation center, Industry City, and the Brooklyn Army Terminal. Sunset Park has an active art culture.
Lisa Kyung Gross connects immigrant women to the curious home chef
By BROOKLYN DAILY EAGLE: They may not be your grandmother, but they can come pretty close. That nurturing, immersive feeling achieved only through cooking alongside a seasoned home cook is the one Lisa Kyung Gross was chasing when she started League of Kitchens ten years ago. She’s built a network of online and in-person cooking classes taught by immigrant women from around the world, all living here in the five boroughs. A Brooklynite herself with an immigrant heritage, she’s managed to curate this specific, hard-to-find feeling through classes taught by her network of talented instructors. Here’s how she did it. … “We’ve connected with a number of our instructors through a partnership with the International Rescue Committee. That’s how we met our Afghan and Nepali instructors. We met a couple through the Center for Family Life in Sunset Park, which has this small catering collective. …” … READ MORE
CALENDAR
March 29 through April: Confidant restaurant pop-up in Industry City
Monday, April 8: Partial solar eclipse at the Green-Wood Cemetery
Saturday, April 27: Contribute to the upcoming art installation, Exit Strategy
Monday, April 29: Brooklyn Night Market opens
Saturday, May 11: Contribute to the upcoming art installation, Exit Strategy
Begins Tuesday, June 11: Bar Convent Brooklyn 2024
Thursday, Oct. 17-20: Food Network’s NYC Wine & Food Festival