RAINBOW PLAYGROUND DEBUTS
Also: Break in a cold case mystery, IBX, party boat stabbing suspect, theater, Green-Wood Cemetery and more!
EDITOR’S NOTE
The Spotlight will be on vacation until the middle of May. ALOHA!
In this issue
Rainbow Playground debuts $1.6M makeover
Cold case breakthrough comes after 50-year DNA match to 9/11 victim
Plan to run Brooklyn-Queens train on city streets a ‘grave’ mistake: advocates
Potential suspect in party boat stabbing
Transforming a marine terminal into a major offshore wind hub
‘SubUrbia’ comes to brooklynONE in May
COVID-19 memorial to create ‘tangible wall of memory’
Green-Wood Visitor Center rises around Weir Greenhouse
City Harvest to host first Brooklyn Bites event
How the School Of Visual Arts sets students up for success
Sake brewery brings international consciousness to Industry City
AD PRO Hears …
Rainbow Playground debuts $1.6M makeover
By BROOKLYN PAPER: Sunset Park’s Rainbow Playground is living up to its name once again after a full $1.6 million renovation. The well-loved Sixth Avenue playground received its name from a local contest after it was refurbished in the 1970s, but had lost some of its luster in the half-century since then. But just in time for the warmer weather, the playground debuted with a new look and new amenities: a larger play area, new equipment, and a spray shower to help New Yorkers of all ages cool down on hot summer days. One new piece of equipment is particularly fitting: an interactive rainbow Yalp Sona arch. The first of its kind in a New York City playground, the arch is outfitted with speakers and motion sensors and interactive games like dance contests, races, and more. … READ MORE
Cold case breakthrough comes after 50-year DNA match to 9/11 victim
By NBC NY: A cold case murder mystery is now closer to being solved. The victim, who had been classified as a Jane Doe after she was killed five decades ago has been identified through one of her relatives, who died on 9/11. On West 46th Street between 8th and 9th avenues in Hell's Kitchen, the past, present and future intersect thanks to science and police work. It was Feb. 10, 2003, when construction workers made a gruesome discovery while inside a building set for demolition. "When knocking through a concrete floor, a skull rolled out," Dt. Ryan Glas recalls. … “She was Catholic and she lived in Sunset Park," he added. "She was baptized, she received communion and ultimately had confirmation. She went to public school and she went to Catholic school. She went to Charles Dewey Middle School in Sunset Park.” … After 21 years, the teenager known as "Midtown Jane Doe," now has a name and an identity. Her name is Patricia Kathleen McGlone. … READ MORE
Plan to run Brooklyn-Queens train on city streets a ‘grave’ mistake: advocates
By STREETSBLOG: The MTA risks squandering the potential of the proposed Brooklyn-Queens Interborough Express light rail line if the agency runs part of the route on city streets instead of building a short tunnel under a Middle Village cemetery, argues a new report. The current plan for the IBX light rail to emerge from its underground right-of-way near the boneyard and run on surface streets makes the train "far more vulnerable" to traffic delays than even existing bus routes in the area, the advocacy group Effective Transit Alliance said. A 515-foot tunnel beneath All Faiths Cemetery, meanwhile, would increase the cost of the project "only slightly" in exchange for "enormous" service benefits, ETA said. "The IBX must deliver fast, frequent, and reliable all-day service, on par with or exceeding that of the existing subway system," the group wrote in its report. "Current planning parameters, however, provide too little capacity for this new line, potentially fatally hamstringing its usefulness for riders." … One of the termination points for the IBX would be on the border of Sunset Park and Bay Ridge. … READ MORE
Potential suspect in party boat stabbing
By PIX 11: Investigators have zeroed in on a suspect in connection with a stabbing on a party boat that left multiple people injured in Sunset Park. At least five people were injured in the incident after a fight broke out on the boat at the Brooklyn Army Terminal, authorities said. … While police have identified a suspect through facial recognition technology, they urged that it is not “probable cause.” … WATCH VIDEO
Transforming a marine terminal into a major offshore wind hub
By ELECTREK: Construction giant Skanska has been awarded a contract to turn the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal in Sunset Park into one of the US’s largest offshore wind ports. Skanska’s $861 million critical infrastructure offshore wind hub project in Brooklyn will support the 2.1 gigawatt (GW) Empire Wind project, which Equinor is currently developing 15 to 30 miles off New York. It will feature 147 turbines and be capable of powering over 1 million households. … READ MORE
‘SubUrbia’ comes to brooklynONE in May
By BROADWAY WORLD: brooklynONE productions has announced its upcoming performances of Eric Bogosian's seminal play, "SubUrbia," at the Tom Kane Theatre in Sunset Park’s Industry City. The production will run on May 3rd, 4th, and 10th at 8:00 PM, with matinee performances on May 5th and 11th at 1:00 PM and an evening show on May 11th at 8:00 PM. Tickets are available for purchase at www.bkone.org/tix. "SubUrbia" is a powerful and thought-provoking exploration of the lives of a group of young adults as they grapple with identity, purpose, and the search for meaning in the sprawling suburbs of America. … Anthony Marino, artistic director of bkONE, said, "This play resonates deeply with the contemporary issues facing young people today and across generations, and we are excited to engage our community in a dialogue about these important themes." … READ MORE
COVID-19 memorial to create ‘tangible wall of memory’
By BROOKLYN PAPER: More than four years after the COVID-19 pandemic started in New York City, a new memorial in Sunset Park’s Green-Wood Cemetery will pay tribute to the millions of people impacted by the virus. “A Big Slow, Majestic Covid Memorial” will be hung on the wrought-iron fence near Green-Wood’s visitor center near Fifth Avenue and 25th Street from May 3 to June 3, 2024. The dense, 200-foot-long memorial will honor the roughly 83,000 New York City residents who have lost their lives to the virus, and those suffering from Long COVID. … READ MORE
Green-Wood Visitor Center rises around Weir Greenhouse
By BROWNSTONER: A stroll past the historic Weir Greenhouse in Sunset Park last week showed construction is under way for the long-awaited Green-Wood Visitor Center. While much of the work isn’t visible from the street, a glimpse through the windows of the construction fence revealed workers on site, foundations in place, and concrete walls starting to climb above the ground. … READ MORE
City Harvest to host first Brooklyn Bites event
By BK READER: City Harvest, New York City's largest food rescue organization, will host their inaugural Brooklyn tasting event in Sunset Park on May 7. City Harvest Presents: Brooklyn Bites will bring together some of the biggest names in Brooklyn’s restaurant scene to support City Harvest’s work rescuing and delivering free, nutritious food for millions of New Yorkers in need, according to a news release. … “City Harvest calls Sunset Park, Brooklyn home, and we are delighted to feature some of the borough’s incredible restaurants while raising money in support of our work providing nutritious food for free to New Yorkers in need,” says Jilly Stephens, chief executive officer of City Harvest. “Visits to New York City soup kitchens and food pantries are up more than 75% compared to pre-pandemic levels, so this support comes at a critical time.” … READ MORE
How the School Of Visual Arts sets students up for success
By CARTOON BREW: It is no industry secret that starting your career network can never come too early. The School of Visual Arts’ (SVA) widespread professional community is where students gain valuable knowledge and face time with their future colleagues. Aside from the helpful information and advice they may receive from industry professionals, there are many chances to engage in current issues and topics that affect their fields of study and interest. From studio visits to guest speakers and an annual career fair, SVA provides a diverse array of opportunities for students to develop their professional voice in order to succeed. … SVA’s MFA Computer Arts students were recently invited to a studio visit at BUCK, a global design and animation studio with offices in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. We spoke to second-year MFA student Andres Salazar about his experience with the studio visit and its value to him as a soon-to-be graduate of the program. “They showed us where different instances of the creative process happen – from fabrication spaces to studio backdrops, and from conference rooms to the general working area where most of the desks are located,” said Salazar. … READ MORE
Sake brewery brings international consciousness to Industry City
By BROOKLYN PAPER: Brooklyn Kura, a sake brewery in Sunset Park, is working to bring together those interested in Japanese rice wine. The team behind Industry City’s sake spot keeps their agenda busy with charity events, classes and unique pop-up cookouts. Brooklyn Kura is made up of different concepts. It is a factory, a tap room, a restaurant, a center for sake studies and a cultural hub. … “I mean, it’s delicious,” said Kura’s co-founder Brian Polen. “We are not trying to sell something that isn’t wonderful and culturally connected.” In January, the brewers hosted a fundraiser to aid the victims of Japan’s latest 7.5 magnitude earthquake that left 240 dead. More than 100 people attended. “That is what the taproom is for, to bring people together,” said Polen. … READ MORE
AD PRO Hears …
By ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST: Husband-and-wife team Burcu K. and Olivier Garnier of Color Atelier have unveiled an appointment-only showroom in Sunset Park’s Industry City, featuring the small-batch limewash paints, plasters, and Tadelakt (a plaster finish originating from Moroccan architectural practices). The eco-friendly, mineral-based finishes made in San Francisco are conveniently tinted on the premises.
CALENDAR
Through April: Confidant restaurant pop-up in Industry City
Saturday, April 27: Contribute to the upcoming art installation, Exit Strategy
Monday, April 29: Brooklyn Night Market opens
Thursday, May 2 until June 9: Ishka Designs and Art Hedge present 'DreamScape, Beyond Limits'
From May 3 to June 3: Green-Wood Cemetery’s ‘tangible wall of memory’
Tuesday, May 7: City Harvest to host first Brooklyn Bites event
Saturday, May 11: House of Yes co-hosts this giant outdoor music festival
Saturday, May 11: Contribute to the upcoming art installation, Exit Strategy
Until May 15: Become Green-Wood's first history fellow
Begins Tuesday, June 11: Bar Convent Brooklyn 2024
Thursday, Oct. 17-20: Food Network’s NYC Wine & Food Festival
ALOHA!! You deserve a break!!!