Mayor Opens City’s Largest Manufacturing Space In BK Navy Yard
Mayor Bill de Blasio will join elected officials as well as representatives and tenants of the Brooklyn Navy Yard to celebrate the opening of Building 77 today.
The one-million-square-foot, state-of-the-art manufacturing building that is the largest to open in New York City in decades.
The former WWII-era storage facility, which underwent a $185 million renovation, will be home to more than 3,000 jobs and is a milestone for both the growth of manufacturing in New York City and the de Blasio administration’s push to build 100,000 good-paying jobs.
The event is slated for 1:15 p.m., today, Nov. 9, at Building 77 on the Ground-floor of the Food Manufacturing Hub, at 63 Flushing Avenue (at Vanderbilt Avenue) in Vinegar Hill.
Williams Leads Committee Meeting On Cooperative Apartment Bills
City Council member Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood), the chair of the committee on Housing and Buildings, held a hearing on two proposed bills related to cooperative apartments and the application process to secure them yesterday.
The first, Intro. 1458, would require cooperative corporations, within five days of deciding to withhold consent for the sale of a cooperative apartment to a prospective purchaser, to provide specific reasons for withholding such consent. The second, Intro. 1467 would regulate the application process for cooperative apartments in order to ensure that applicants receive timely approvals or denials.
The committee also considered a proposal yet to be introduced, from Council Member Grodenchik (D-Manhattan), which would increase the assessed value limitation for J-51 tax abatements to $32,000 per dwelling unit, and further increase such limit each year by the cost-of-living adjustment percentage up to a maximum of $35,000 per dwelling unit.
“I have long stood strong for the rights of tenants and home owners, and stood against housing discrimination; these measures constitute an extension of those efforts. These bills will make cooperative apartments more accessible to those who seek them by laying our specific requirements for approval and providing applicants them with an opportunity to correct any deficiencies in their application. These measures would help to prevent any discriminatory practices that may be factors in turning people away from the housing they need,” said Williams.
Schumer Demands U.S. Soccer Federation Give American Soccer League Division Two Status
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (D-Brooklyn) urged the U.S. Soccer Federation to reconsider its decision yesterday to deny the North American Soccer League (NASL) professional sanctioning at the Division II level for 2018.
The United States Soccer Federation currently sanctions three professional leagues: Major League Soccer (MLS), NASL and the United Soccer League (USL). The North American Soccer League has been sanctioned as Division II since 2011 but was denied application for Division II for next year.
Schumer, who represents the home of the New York Cosmos, said that the team is an integral part of New York’s soccer history and local economy, and that its participation in a Division II level league is vital for maintaining its sporting and economic success in New York. Additionally, Schumer believes the loss in status could reduce professional soccer competition and threaten the very existence of the North American Soccer League and its clubs.
“From the profitable sponsorship deals to the steady job creation that the New York Cosmos have brought to Coney Island and Brooklyn at large, it’s clear that a division two status is a win-win for the region. I’m urging the U.S. Soccer Federation to reconsider its decision and support a division two status for the North American Soccer League so that teams like the New York Cosmos can continue to thrive,” said Schumer.
Jeffries Announces End Of Trump Era Hate In Wake Of Key DEM Wins
Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, East New York, Canarsie, Mill Basin, Coney Island, South Ozone Park and Howard Beach) announced the end of the Trump era’s hate and divisiveness on the House floor yesterday in the wake of municipal elections nation wide.
Jeffries applauded the effort of the Democrats in winning key elections across the country as he denounced the rhetoric out of Washington. On Tuesday night two key governorships were won in Virginia and New Jersey by Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam and Philip D. Murphy, respectively. While Danica Roem, reporter turned politician became the first transgender individual to be elected to the House of Representative and Andrea Jenkins, became the first transgender individual to be elected to the Minneapolis City Council. Additionally, City Councilman Ravi Bhalla was elected the mayor of Hoboken, NJ., becoming the first Sikh mayor of the city.
Jeffries has been a leader in opposition of many of the Trump administration policies including immigration, tax and healthcare reforms.Last month, he blasted the GOP Federal Budget that calling it “reckless, regressive and reprehensible’ for giving tax breaks to the wealthy 1% and cutting healthcare to 23 million Americans. In September, Jeffries condemn Trump for his “Get that son of a bitch off the field” remarks in referring to football players taking a knee during the national anthem.
“Hatred lost in America. Fear mongering lost in America. Race-baiting lost in America. Xenophobia lost in America. Homophobia lost in America. Confederate monuments lost in America. The war on Medicaid lost in America. Voter suppression lost in America. The Trump playbook lost in America. The Make America Hate Again agenda lost in America. Democrats will continue to fight for better jobs, better wages and a better future for the American people,” said Jeffries.
