Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams To Hold Uniform Land Use Review Procedure Public Hearing, August 18, 2015, On Whether Brooklyn Heights Library, Brooklyn’s Central Destination Library In Downtown Brooklyn Should Be Sold And Shrunk

The Office of The Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams, has given notice that, as the next step in the just recently commenced public approval process to sell and drastically shrink a major publicly owned asset, the Brooklyn Heights Library, the central destination library in downtown Brooklyn, his office will hold a hearing where Borough President Eric Adams will take public testimony as to whether the library should be sold and shrunk, whether the proposed transaction resulting in great public loss and little net cash (perhaps none or less than zero) should be allowed to proceed.

The hearings now being being held pursuant to ULURP, the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure are the first ever public hearings about whether to sell and shrink a major public library like this.  In fact, although public assets (like our hospitals and public housing are under attack), hearings like this about the proposed dispositions of major public assets are relatively rare.

Setting the stage for the hearing to be held Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Brooklyn Community Board held three meetings culminating in a vote on Wednesday July 15 2015, where about half the members of Brooklyn’s Community Board 2 voted to approve the sale and shrinkage of the library.  The way in which Brooklyn’s Community Board 2 conducted its hearings was suspect and something of an embarrassment.

See:

Brooklyn Community Board 2 Votes To Sell and Shrink Brooklyn Heights Library, Largely In the Dark, With Much Manipulation And Strong-Arming In Background- Developer’s Says He’s “Super-duper Excited” And Thankful

Here again for entry into your calendar:

Tuesday, August 18, 2016- 6:00 PM
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
FIRST EVER BP hearing about selling and shrinking a library,
the Brooklyn Heights Library, Brooklyn's downtown central destination library
Borough President's Courtroom
Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201

You can Tweet if from here:

Bklyn BP Eric Adams To Hold Hearing, August 18, 2015, 6:PM On Wh/ Bklyn Hts Library Should Be Sold And Shrunk!

You can also sharer in the form of this Facebook event:

FIRST EVER BOROUGH PRESIDENT (BP ERIC ADAMS) HEARING ON PROPOSED SALE/SHRINKAGE OF NYC LIBRARY AT BROOKLYN- BROOKLYN BOROUGH HALL

NOT REQUIRED, BUT it will help if you sign up for the MoveOn version of the event here:

MoveOn Action- Borough President's Courtroom, Borough Hall, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201Tuesday, August 18th, 6:00 PM

Another way to get the word out is to print the jpg below.  You'll find each printed page scissors up into nine pocket-sized announcements to hand out.  

The notice of the hearing from the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office that came out on July 15, 2015 or earlier.

We contacted the the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office and obtained the following specifics about testifying:  

Oral Testimony:

Oral testimony, as a practical matter, will get more exposure and will be given the most weight and will be videoed and viewable publicly within 72 hours of the hearing.  People showing up may testify orally and it is virtually certain those testifying will have three minutes to testify.  Someone not present (or too handicapped to testify orally) may have someone read their testimony, but the person who reads the testimony can only read testimony for three minutes which restricts their ability to read for multiple persons, or to read testimony for someone else plus testify for themselves as well.

Those testifying orally can bring placards, but will not get the assistance of PowerPoint or computers (like the applicant presenters).

It should be possible to sign up to testify about a half hour early (5:30 PM).  If you show up even earlier you will be at the head of the line of people waiting to enter the room to sign up to speak.

Testimony will be taken in order of first come, first testifying except:

*  Courtesy to ahead of others  be given to dignitaries like elected officials and possibly pastors, and
*  It is possible that there may be a switching off be pro and con testimony on either a one-to-one, or pro-rated basis.

Written and Emailed Testimony:

Written and emailed testimony as a practical matter, will get less exposure will be given less weight and will become part of the accessible public record only in summary form as BP staff refers to what has been received.

Written and emailed testimony may be submitted at least unfil September 8th, although earlier is better and likely to be more influential.  (This is important because people at the hearing, or watching it on video afterward may find themselves spurred to submit testimony in reaction.)

Here is a helpful form you can use to submit testimony plus text you can adopt and a link you can send to your friends here: Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams Still Taking Testimony On Whether Brooklyn Heights Library, Brooklyn’s Central Destination Library In Downtown Brooklyn Should Be Sold And Shrunk 

This form can be printed and used as an aid in submitting testimony.

Testimony submitted in writing at least avoids the problem that the three minute limit for oral testimony is very short.

Emailed testimony should be sent to: Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough President, Email: askeric@brooklynbp.nyc.gov

Written testimony should be mailed to or dropped off at:

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams
Brooklyn Borough Hall
209 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, New York 11201

It may also be dropped off at the hearing.

We suggest including "Testimony with respect to August 18, 2015 hearing on proposed sale and shrinkage of Brooklyn Heights Library" in the subject line.  If you send a copy of your testimony to Citizens Defending Libraries at backpack362 [at] aol.com we may be able to get it  extra attention.

Questions of the Presenters:

The applicant presenters (the Brooklyn Public Library, the Developer, the Architect, and the NYC Economic Development Corporation) will get about five to ten minutes collectively to present with possible PowerPoint Assistance.

Questions will be asked of the presenters by the Borough President.  There will be no opportunity for the public to ask questions or to submit questions to be asked by the Borough President. . .

. . .  Therefore, any unanswered questions the Borough President doesn't ask are likely to remain unanswered in this forum,  like, for instance, how much money the private Saint Ann's school will be getting as a payday in connection with this project (the developer refused to answer this at the CB2 hearing) and whether the private school might be getting more cash free and clear than the city/BLP will be netting from the sale and shrinkage of the library.

* * * *
One quick easy step that can boost the effect of those testifying against sale and shrinkage of this library (and other NYC) libraries is to make sure that you and everyone you know has signed the Citizens Defending Libraries petition to Mayor de Blasio.  It will also make sure that you get updates from us about all matters related to the hearing.  (Many people who signed the Citizens Defending Libraries petition addressed to Mayor Bloomberg have not caught up with signing this new petition.)

In July 2013 Mr. de Blasio standing with us on the steps of the 42nd Central Reference Library called for a halt to the sale of this and other libraries saying: "It’s public land and public facilities and public value under threat. . . and once again we see, lurking right behind the curtain, real estate developers who are very anxious to get their hands on these valuable properties."



Notwithstanding, Mr. de Blasio was soon thereafter getting money sent to him by the development team for this project while their application to acquire the library property was pending.

Here is the petition to Mr. de Blasio.  Please share it broadly:

Mayor de Blasio: Rescue Our Libraries from Developer Destruction

  
* * * *

The notice of the hearing from the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office reads in pertinent part as follows:

OFFICE OF THE BROOKLYN BOROUGH PRESIDENT

Uniform Land Use Review Procedure

Public Hearing

Notice is hereby given that, pursuant to Sections 197-c of the New York City Charter, the Brooklyn Borough President will hold a public hearing on the following matters in the Borough President's Courtroom, Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, New York 11201, commencing at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, August 18th, 2015.

CALENDER ITEM 1— 150399 PPK / 150400 PQK
An application submitted by the Brooklyn Public Library and the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS):

    1.    pursuant to Section 197-c of the New York City Charter, for the disposition of one city-owned property located at 1 Clinton Street (aka 280 Cadman Plaza West); Block 239, Lot 16, pursuant to zoning;

    2.    pursuant to Section 197-c of the New York City Charter, for the acquisition of property located at 1 Clinton Street (aka 280 Cadman Plaza West); Block 239, Lot 16, pursuant to zoning;

to redevelop the premises (total of 36 floors and approximate height of 416ft) to include an improved 21,500sf Brooklyn Public Library branch, approximately 139 dwelling units comprising approximately 277,981sf of residential floor area, approximately 19,800sf of community facility space, a below-grade public parking facility with approximately 45 accessory parking spaces, and 630sf of retail.

Note: To request a sign language interpreter, or request TTD services, call Mr. Richard Bearak at 718-802-4057 before the hearing.

* * * *

(Note that the building’s extra tall ceilings mean the building’s approximate height of 416ft stated above is the equivalent of a more standard 41-story building.)

What do people need to know about the proposed sale for a relative pittance (perhaps actually netting cash close to or less than zero) this sturdy, historic, recently enlarged and upgraded library, shrinking it down from 63,000 square feet to 21,000 square feet or that vicinity?

The following two links will assist:

•        PRESS RELEASE & NEWS ADVISORY- Forewarned and Forearmed Brooklyn Community Board 2 Votes Wednesday, July 15th On Proposed Fire Sale of Major Public Asset, Central Destination Library In Downtown Brooklyn

•        Brooklyn Community Board 2 Land Use Committee June 17, 2015: ULURP Hearing- First Hearing About Whether To Sell & Shrink Downtowns’s Brooklyn Heights Library (Tillary & Clinton)

For those of you who may not want to click through fro more information, here are some highlighted concerns:

1.    The mistake of shrinking this library (last enlarged with public expense and sacrifice Oct.1993) down to just one-third size* can never be corrected, nor can the “replacement” library, stuck in the bottom of a luxury residential tower, ever grow with the neighborhood, CBD, borough or city.  Though this shrinkage is to a preordained size no replacement library has been designed and no estimation at all has been done of how many books it should hold.

        (* 63,000 square feet to just 21,000 square feet.)

2.    The BPL is selling a sturdy, readily adaptable library in good shape, together with its land and development rights worth over $100 million to the public in order to net next to nothing in a transaction that may even incur a net cash loss.  Further, there is no assurance that the paltry sums, if any, gleaned from the sale, all going to the city, would ever subsequently go to libraries.  Libraries, highly valued by the public, cost relatively little to fund, but this sale is apt to encourage further underfunding like this.

3.    This sale would sacrifice one more public asset (an education-supporting one at that) to build yet another new, huge residential tower that would further burden the public infrastructure such as PS8, already at 140% capacity.

4.    The gentrifying aspects of this project are unmistakable with a public asset democratically serving everyone equally being shut down, lower income patrons coming to the neighborhood kicked out, and so-called “affordable” housing units built “poor door” style at a far remove from Brooklyn’s burgeoning downtown and upper crust Brooklyn Heights.

5.    The developer has refused to say how much of a payday the private Saint Ann’s School is getting from the public’s sale and shrinkage of the library, because that’s a “private” transaction, even though it’s driving this public one.  Shouldn’t Saint Ann’s be paying the BPL?  (It may likely get more from this sale than the BPL is getting.)

6.    This sale sets the unfortunate precedent for serially underfunding and selling off other libraries (per the BPL strategic real estate plan) and other public assets (like public housing) setting a template for how public assets can be picked off one-by-one.  This developer is making hundreds of millions of dollars: The incentives for other such deals will always be there.  If we can’t stop them at libraries . . .

7.    It’s improper that while the developer’s application for this project was pending Bill de Blasio was taking money sent to him by its development team, in his words: “lurking right behind the curtain . .  very anxious to get their hands on these valuable properties.”

Pre-Hearing Borough Presided Interview

Is the Borough President getting a little bit ahead of the game on things?  The timing of these two identical interview articles where Borough President Adams envisions a future of bookless libraries is interesting in that Mr. Adams is about to hear testimony from the public (the first ever borough president public hearing of its kind) about what the public wants in terms of libraries, having books, and whether it wants to see libraries sold off as giveaway real estate deals to developers.

Although identical, each article takes comment separately, worth giving and reading:

The Brooklyn Paper- Beep: City should take over, merge library systems, By Harry MacCormack, July 22, 2015

Courier Life’s Brooklyn Daily- City should take over, merge library systems, By Harry MacCormack, July 22, 2015 

Brooklyn Community Board 2 Land Use Committee June 17, 2015: ULURP Hearing- First Hearing About Whether To Sell & Shrink Downtowns’s Brooklyn Heights Library (Tillary & Clinton)

This is very important.  (This page will be updated.)

It is now expected that the process for seeking public approval to sell and shrink the Brooklyn Heights Library, Brooklyn’s central destination library in Downtown Brooklyn on Cadman Plaza West at Tillary and Clinton will commence this June with a meeting before Brooklyn Community Board 2's Land Use Committee:

WEDNESDAY, June 17, 2015, 6:00 PM
Community Board 2 Land Use Committee Hearing to Commence ULURP Process to Sell Brooklyn Heights Library
Polytechnic Institute, Dibner Building, Room LC400,
5 MetroTech Roadway (The hard-to-find building has an orange triangle at the entrance see picture)
Metrotech Center (off Metrotech Commons)
Brooklyn, NY 11201
Michael White, mddwhite [at] aol.com, 917-885-1478 or Carolyn McIntyre, 917-757-6542

Note: Hearing comments can also be mailed to the Land Use Committees before the hearing, but showing up in person has an important effect.  (We'd prefer to deliver a knock-out punch early rather than having a two-year fight on our hands.) We have been told that you can also email comments to CB2 at cb2k@nyc.rr.com (please CC us at  backpack362 [at] aol.com) or use snail mail (not lile to get there in time) or stopping by in person at their office at 350 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201. We were told to address comments is Shirley McCrae, the CB2 Chairperson, but suggest that you CC the "Chair of the Land Use Committee" and the other board members to add assurance. (Chair McCrae did not, on a prior occasion, forward our open letter to the CB2 board about the library.)

Something else you can do that can help a lot.  If you or any of your friends have not signed our most recent petition to Mayor d Blasio, or if you are not sure you have, please make sure to sign.  If you are not getting information about the library sales and shrinkage from Carolyn McIntyre you probably haven't signed it.  Even if you are, you might only have signed the earlier petition to Mayor Bloomberg, not the most up-to-date petition that need to be signed to de Blasio who is now following in Bloomberg's footsteps.  Don't worry about signing twice: It's impossible to do so if you use the same email.  You don't have to be from Brooklyn or NYC to sign, but if your or your friends are so much the better.

Not required: You can opt to improve coordination if you and friends sign up with our MoveOn to assure that you will be at this first ever event: MoveOn Action- Metrotech Center, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn, NY 11201. 

Hearing location- hard to find.

This will be the first hearing about selling and shrinking this library and it will be the first ever hearing about selling and shrinking a NYC library, a very important one at that.  The library will be sold and vastly shrunk so that a luxury tower (still undesigned or sized) can replace it at this prime Downtown location at the edge of fashionable, historic Brooklyn Heights.

This is a key opportunity to show up, one that's NOT always afforded to the public. . .

. . .  No such hearings were required when the Donnell Library was suddenly and secretively sold off because, in that case, the library, not the city, owned the land.  The proposed sell-off of this Downtown Brooklyn Library is closely modeled on, almost identical to, the sale of Donnell Library.  Similarly, such a hearing isn't required for the sale of another major destination library, SIBL, Science, Industry and Business Library at 34th Street.

This hearing is required under ULURP, the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.  It's a process that could take 18 months or perhaps two years as required under ULURP, the city's Uniform Land Use Review Procedure.  Indications are that the library administration and city officials reporting to Mayor de Blasio would like to rush this required process as fast as possible and minimize the time the public has to react and minimize coverage of the process by the press.

Library administration and city officials intend to begin the process with an information dump “certifying” the project on Monday June 15, 2015, just two days before the first hearing.  Even if this is not technically illegal it is certainly NOT in the spirit of fair play.  The BPL has been working on its plan to sell the library going back to at least 2007.

NOTE: THE HEARING LOCATION COULD CHANGE
Under the New York State Open meetings Law the CB2 Land Use Committee must move the hearing to a larger location if necessary to accommodate all of the public if the crowd is large.  We understand that the CB2 committee expects an exceptionally large crowd.  There is an auditorium downstairs in the Dibner building and we hope that, if moved, CB2 will hold the hearing there rather than doing something more confusing to the public. 

Here are THIRTEEN points to know:

1.    Once the library is sold and shrunk there is no way that it can ever be enlarged afterward if the library needs to grow again, or if the sale and shrinkage is recognized to be the mistake so many believe it is (like the Donnell deal was recognized after-the-fact to have been a big mistake). NOTE: The existing library, built in 1962 had to be enlarged in 1991 to accommodate growing needs.

2.    The BPL plans to proceed with locking in the sale and shrinkage of the library before designing the replacement for the library. (Making sure it is harder to discern the mistakes on what exactly we will lose.)  The “test fit” experiments for arranging a library in the shrunken space had many faulty aspects, like forgetting to include any staff space and tables and chairs jammed so close to theoretical book shelves that none of this furniture could be used.

3.    That the architects and the BPL were unable to say how much book capacity exists at the current library vs. how much the (undesigned) "replacement" would provide, and apparently, when not knowing this information gave out highly inaccurate (and self-serving) information to the participants of the May 18th Charrette who were trying to react to alternative test proposals for shrinking the library.

4.    Designs for the luxury tower replacing the library have not been designed yet (that’s despite the BPL’s confusing release of pictures).  The developer has said that he expects to try to make it as tall as possible, that’s because building each floor, particularly the lower ones with taller ceilings raises the luxury apartment higher up to give them better views over the rest of Brooklyn Heights lower-rise buildings to see the harbor.  So, for instance, the architects have indicated that one portion of the vastly shrunken library will probably have 24 foot ceilings.

5.    One of the things driving the sale of the library is that a private school, Saint Ann's, will benefit substantially from the public’s sale, demolition and shrinkage of the library.  In a deal that is likely to include the developer giving the school both money and real estate, the developer has said that the school is likely get 20,000 square feet while the developer is only committed to give the city a 21,000 square foot replacement library.  This is because Saint Ann's has unused development rights (that can pass through the Forest City building on the same block).  The school hasn’t ever used these rights because it would be would be disadvantageous for the school to demolish its existing building and then rebuild to create a larger building that will utilize them.  That would entail the costs for the school of demolition and rebuilding and Saint Ann's would have to go without its currently used school facility for an extended period of time. If, however, the library is sold for redevelopment, then all those sorts of costs are off-loaded and borne by the public and the library, instead of the private school.  The school nevertheless coasts in, incurring no such costs, but collecting on the entire benefit of using its previously locked-up development rights.  Unfairly, advocates for Saint Ann's were especially well-represented when the Brooklyn Heights Association made highly suspect decisions reviewing the library plan.

6.    How small will the undesigned “replacement” library be?  The current library is 63,000 square feet with about 38,000 square feet of versatile, adaptable space above ground and books for retrieval in two underground half-floors.  The replacement library would have only 15,000 square feet above ground with 6,000 square feet below ground, 21,000 square feet in all.  As noted the new theater for the Saint Ann's may be 20,000 square feet.  This is a central destination library serving Brooklyn’s downtown, the rest of Brooklyn and intended also to serve the lower Manhattan Wall Street areas.  The proposed new branch library for Sunset Park is proposed to be 20,600 square feet, essentially the same size.  The Sunset Park community is negotiating to have it be even larger because placed in the bottom if a mixed use real estate development, that community’s library can never be enlarged afterward.

7.    This proposed divestiture of publicly owned space is a significant prodigal reduction of public space at a times when the density of Brooklyn’s Downtown and the surrounding area is increasing drastically with multiple new towers, thus further imbalancing the ratio of public to private space and stressing public services to keep up.  For instance, with density increasing, the local school is now at 140% capacity with the situation getting worse.  

8.    The BPL is falsely asserting that the Brooklyn Heights Library is in need of extensive repairs and is straining to find money for them while inflating the costs of repairs it says need to be made to the building.  The building was built in 1962 for an amount that adjusted for inflation, would amount to $19.6 million in today’s dollars. In 1991 the BPL spent a considerable amount, millions, about $10 million by today's standards, for an "extensive" renovation and enlargement of the building, expanding its second floor, part of the purpose of which was  to better "accommodate the business library" with more space.  According to BPL figures, new construction to replace the building today would cost $60 million (and that doesn't take into account the additional value of the land and development rights the BPL is also selling off at a loss or to net virtually nothing).  As recently as 1997 the BPL was, speaking of these renovations, telling the public in its rhetoric of the time: "[t]he Business Library looks forward to serving Brooklyn's business community into the 21st Century."  The BPL has now said that costs of repairs related to turning the air conditioning back on would cost an amount equal to have what, adjusted for inflation, the building cost to build in 1962.  Its essentially equal to the entire cost of extensively renovating and enlarging the building in 1991. Only a portion, 3/4ths, of the air conditioning is out of commission.  It went out of commission six months before the BPL’s planned announcement to sell the library (citing air conditioning as a reason) and five years after the BPL planned to sell the building.  As one engineer considering the BPL’s estimates observed, new cooling towers were recently installed on the roof so that only the chillers need to be replaced.  Further, before the BPL started secret plans to sell the building, the City’s Department of Design and Construction furnished the BPL with an assessment that the air conditioning was in good shape and proper for the building.  The BPL has refused to release these prior communications it had with the DDC even though it is required to under the Freedom of Information Law.

9.    Library administration have refused to say how very little money they are actually bringing in by virtue of selling the major irreplaceable asset.  When the NYPL sold the irreplaceable Donnell it suffered a net loss.  This transaction modeled after the Donnell sales (involving some of the same people) is likely to be much the same in this regard.  For instance, business and career functions at the library to serve Brooklyn’s Downtown are being exiled from the library and theoretically being crammed into Grand Army Plaza Library, but the BPL while acknowledging that this will involve substantial work and rearrangement, refuses to state the cost of it.  Similarly, wanting to disguise the minimal amount of money that it will get, the BPL is now estimating the cost of building the shrunken “replacement” library at only $10 million, when using figures for the highly comparable “replacement” Donnell library (yes there have been overruns) would mean that the actual more realistic figure for Brooklyn’s library should over $16 million.

10.    To sell the developer’s luxury project to the public, the developer and BPL’s library administration officials, with the help of very high paid lobbyists and PR people (the BPL is also refusing to release these costs), is making a divide-and-conquer argument that proceeds from this self-cannibalizing sale (undisclosed how truly minimal any proceeds might be) will go to other libraries in the system, theoretically certain specific ones (even though money is fungible).  The BPL also hopes it to be an excuse for certain city councilmen to become tractable allies in the selling off of its systems assets.

11.    The developer will build a few “affordable” housing units off-site, elsewhere in CB2 in order to get a bonus to build a bigger building.  Although this is being done “poor door” fashion with these units far away, the BPL intends to use the carrot of these few units a wedge to make split-the-community divide and conquer arguments for the library and to give some politicians false cover to support a luxury project that sets the precedent for selling off other important public assets.

12.    One problem with these divide and conquer tactics is that after they are used in precedent-setting fashion against this major asset, other libraries and public assets will be targeted.  Although the BPL has admitted that it is going after the most valuable libraries  first (that means most valuable to the public too).  It's “Strategic Real Estate” plan put together by a former Forest City vice president (Karen Backus) calls for the “leveraging” of all the real estate that the BPL holds.  The “Strategic Real Estate” plan put together formally starting in 2007 is one more thing the BPL refuses to release eventhough withholding this and other information violates the Freedom of Information Law.  Why?  If the public knew the BPL’s plans it would object . . .  Also the BPL’s divide-and-conquer tactics would be severely hampered.

13.    Mayor de Blasio is underfunding libraries, even cutting back on their funding this year.  And this is a year of budget plenty!  Why is a theoretically progressive mayor underfunding the city’s libraries against everyone’s, even the New York Time’s advice?  Challenged about this on the Brian Lehrer Show (6/5/2015) de Blasio asserted he simply cared about a lot of other things instead, like schools.  But that’s disingenuous.   We think the Mayor is a bright man who can walk and chew gum at the same time.  And its not as if proper funding of libraries is unrelated to schools and the benefits of Universal Pre-K.  Libraries are an easy lift that cost virtually nothing to fund, a fraction of the city’s budget, especially given their benefit. In the last 8 years at least $620 million has been spent on just three sports arenas, (the Ratner/Prokhorov "Barclays" that de Blasio supported) and that this amount altogether was 1.37 times the amount spent on libraries serving seven times as many users.  The reason that libraries are being underfunded by de Blasio is that this underfunding can be cited as a reason to sell libraries!   As de Blasio said when he was running for mayor and calling a halt to sales such as these: “It’s public land and public facilities and public value under threat. . . and once again we see, lurking right behind the curtain, real estate developers who are very anxious to get their hands on these valuable properties.”  But, at the same time, as well as he knows this, de Blasio is taking money from the people selling and shrinking libraries to make them into juicy real estate deals.  (See: Saturday, June 6, 2015, WNYC Reports Mayor de Blasio’s “Furiously Raising Funds”- Including From Developers “Lurking Behind The Curtain” of Library Real Estate Sales- And WNYC’s Money?)

The library location of the proposed new luxury tower- Downtown and on the edge of fashionable, historic Brooklyn Heights- Beside a park and near the Promenade

One location where a few "affordable" units would be built resulting in. . .

Another location where a few "affordable" units would be built

JUST RELEASED- Tuesday, June 16, 2015, New Images of What Developer's Luxury Tower Would look Like When It Kicks Out Brooklyn's Central Destination Downtown Library, Stomps It Down To 1/3rd Size.

 Here are links (we will add to them) that should be helpful in studying for the hearing:

    •    Open Letter to Brooklyn Community Board 2 Regarding Libraries (February 4, 2015)

    •    Floor Plans of the Brooklyn Heights Library Considered In Light of the Library’s Proposed Sale and Shrinkage

    •    Friday, February 6, 2015, Open Letter To Brooklyn Public Library Trustee Peter Aschkenasy Re Commitment to Provide Information About Library Sale

    •    Tuesday, October 7, 2014, The Public Loss of Selling And Shrinking the Brooklyn Heights Library- How Great Will the Loss Be? Let's Calculate

    •    Sunday, June 14, 2015, Selling a $100 Million Plus Library For What? A Pittance! More Transparency Please.

    •    Thursday, October 9, 2014, Open Letter To Brooklyn Public Library President Linda Johnson

    •   Public Assets Under Attack- Prepared For Handout at February 24, 2015 Brooklyn Heights Association Annual Meeting

Above and below: Some of the two-story below-ground book shelf storage space at the Brooklyn Heights Library at Tillary and Clinton that the BPL would like to convince the public is without public value, the equivalent of nothing more than an abandoned "bomb shelter".  Remember, in 1991 the BPL very much needing this space, needed to enlarge the library. (MANY MORE pictures here: In A Closed Library, A Tour of Much The Public Doesn't Get To See- Don't Let Them Close This Library, The Brooklyn Heights Library On Cadman Plaza West, Corner of Tillary & Clinton)

Here is previous testimony of Citizens Defending Libraries that addresses, in general, the subject of the library sell-offs and shrinkages together with the underfunding of NYC's libraries, the elimination of books and librarians.  It can be adaptively reused and made specific to the situation here in Brooklyn.

    •   Report on Tuesday, June 3rd-9th City Council Hearing On Budget For NYC Libraries Plus Testimony of Citizens Defending Libraries

Here are videos and coverage concerning the "design"-for-shrinkage Charrettes (we call them Charades).

    •    Brooklyn Public Library Charrette: A Charade? (with more video coming) from the first such Charrette.

    •    VIDEO1: Plans to Demolish Bklyn Heights Library/ Citizens Defending Libraries, by April Watters,  May 22, 2015

    •    VIDEO2: Brooklyn Libraries DEMOLISHED for Luxury High Rise Condos! /Citizens Defending Libraries, by April Watters,  May 22, 2015

    •    Hot Indie News: Plans to Demolish Brooklyn Heights Library to put up High Rise Condos, by Cat April Watters Date May 21, 2015

Truth Park at the north end of the library where an admonition about TRUTH and TREASURE appear

On the north face of the Brooklyn Heights Library (facing the corner park- We like to call it “Truth Park”) we find inscribed this admonition to come to the library to pursue TRUTH not TREASURE:

 “All that come here to seek treasure will not take away gold but the seeker after truth and instruction will find that which will enrich the mind and heart”

At the last (5/18) BPL design “Charette”/Charade to sell and shrink the library none of the multitude of architects or BPL representatives at the tables knew of this admonition, or even knew how many feet of book shelf space was at the library for before and after comparisons.

Special Advisory To The Press:   We were notified that just in time for this first ever library sell-off ULURP hearing, CB2 is imposing new strictures on the press and media coverage of its meetings (not posted on the internet) that will make it harder for public not attending the meetings to get coverage of what happened.

The City Council makes special provision to enable the press to cover their proceedings, giving them special close-up seats and an elevated platform of honor and special vantage. . .  And they don't prohibit the regular audience from photographing and sharing what's happening in the proceedings.  But the notice we got?: That's not exactly what CB2 seems to be setting up.

The press should know that Robert Freeman head of the Committee, advises us that any recording that is "not disruptive or obtrusive is permitted."  He said that as Justice Brandeis said: "Sunlight is the best disinfectant."  He said that unless and until any recording becomes obtrusive they can't request that it has to be done in another way.