Feb. 10, 2025 By Paul Frangipane & Kirstyn Brendlen City Hall will meet with four Brooklyn childcare centers fighting sudden closures weeks after the city announced it would not renew their leases. Just before a Feb. 6 rally at City Hall, the mayor’s office and the Department of Education — which had previously “said…
Jan. 27, 2025 By Kirstyn Brendlen Four early childcare centers in Brooklyn are facing abrupt closures after the city decided not to renew their leases, citing low enrollment and an oversaturation of low-cost childcare centers in the area. But local politicians and providers say the city’s data is wrong — and that the Department…
Jan. 23, 2025 By Kirstyn Brendlen The state will invest $550 million in SUNY Downstate this year, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, including the second half of a $750 million capital investment to ensure the hospital’s long-term future. Hochul’s proposed executive budget for Fiscal Year 2026 includes $100 million for operations and $450 million…
Jan. 14, 2025 By Kirstyn Brendlen Almost 15 years after Hurricane Sandy devastated New York City, the Brooklyn Navy Yard hasn’t totally recovered. But millions of federal dollars, secured this year by local congress members, are expected to restore the Navy Yard to its “pre-disaster” self. U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, alongside…
Jan. 9, 2025 By Kirstyn Brendlen “The Coney,” the casino seeking approval in the People’s Playground, will create a $200 million community trust fund to support the area if it’s approved, the development team announced on Thursday. A board of local stakeholders, who would determine how the money would be used, would oversee the…
Dec. 19, 2024 By Lauren Rapp A Brooklyn-based organization has announced $1.8 million in donations to 18 nonprofits working to advance racial and social justice in the borough. The grants from Brooklyn Org will support a range of initiatives, including environmental justice, arts and culture, youth and senior services, health, housing, and immigrant support.…
Nov. 25, 2024 By Kirstyn Brendlen Three years after the Gowanus rezoning was formally approved, its impacts are sweeping through the neighborhood. Construction is underway at dozens of sites across the neighborhood and some all-new buildings have already topped out and filled with tenants. But the rezoning included more than just new residential buildings.…
Nov. 1, 2024 By Jada Camille Kaiser Park is set to get its day in the sun. Council Member Justin Brannan announced he has secured $10 million for capital upgrades at Coney Island’s Kaiser Park. The funding, part of the Fiscal Year 2025 city budget, marks the first major capital improvement for the park.…
Oct. 29, 2024 By Kirstyn Brendlen Some public schools in Brooklyn’s wealthiest neighborhoods have everything they need — up-to-date technology, modern infrastructure, extra help for students struggling academically, and thriving parent associations. But many are struggling. The borough has a stark wealth gap, and while all schools are funded by the Department of Education,…
Sep. 23, 2024 By Ben Brachfeld The MTA’s $68 billion capital plan, unveiled last week, proposes starting construction on the Interborough Express (IBX), the potentially transformative light rail link between Brooklyn and Queens, within this decade. The 2025-29 capital plan, the transit agency’s overarching five-year spending priorities for maintenance, renewal, and expansion, includes $2.75 billion…