BROOKLYN COMMUNITY BOARD 6
PARKS/RECREATION/CULTURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
SEPTEMBER 17, 2014
ATTENDANCE;
PRESENT:
S. ADELS G. KELLY S. MATHEWS-NOVELLI
C. PIGOTT J. SMITH T. TAYLOR
EXCUSED:
J. FRANCIS J. HEYER
ABSENT:
K. DEGEER H. HUGHES A. MCKNIGHT
L. PINN M. RUIZ J. STRABONE
B. BASILE
GUESTS:
VLADIMIR – REP. FOR HON. CARLOS MENCHACA, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
H. HOLLAND- REP. FOR HON. BRAD LANDER, CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
A. REEVES A. BARRETT S. JOHNSON
S. LUBRANO M. STAMATIS M. QUIRK
K. PATTEN J. LIANTONIO T. SHIBER
K. QUINN H. CHANG M. HOANG
E. FELICIANO M. MEDOZILE E. WILLIAMS
I. NIA S. BRAXTON D. LUTZ
G. FIALA V. HAGMAN P. TOOKER
B. OTT G. NANDAN M. CHIN
V. MARTINEZ L. BENAMIN G. BROYMAR
R. REILLY V. MARRONE
*** MINUTES ***
Presentation and discussion with representatives for the Department of Parks &
Recreation on the proposed scope of work and preliminary design for a Capital project at Valentino Park & Pier in Red Hook.
Kevin Jeffrey, Brooklyn Borough Parks Commissioner, introduced the need to harden facilities after Sandy. $2.4 million allocated for this project. He introduced Kevin Quinn, Parks’ chief architect of the capital project to design a new comfort station at Valentino Pier.
Mr. Quinn: Problems/considerations: Can’t build too close to water (tidal), must be 13 feet above sea level, keep views of Statue of Liberty, small footprint, vandal-resistant, welcoming, ADA accessible.
Architect: Proposed location for the comfort station at the foot of the pier makes it part of pier and street grid. It adds a second entry to the park, which highlights the comfort station. It will have two rooms with two toilets each. It is made out of corrugated metal and brick, with two tall windows in each for natural light, and effort to be as sustainable as possible (plumbing), size is 650 sq. ft.
Q: Roof drainage? Door material? A: Roof pitches towards bioswale with plants that absorb water. Doors and door frame are stainless steel.
Q: Why not rent bathroom space nearby? A: City doesn’t like to rent space because it will be for a long time. Comm. Jeffrey: This comfort station addresses a community concern.
Q: Will it be insulated and heated? A: It is insulated and has natural cross ventilation.
C: The station should be located in the back of the park. A: It needs to connect to the existing entry and be visible from the pier.
Q: Buy pre-fab bathroom? A: Pre-fab is cheaper, but harder to transport and install.
Q: Comfort station should be against adjacent building. Water feature? A: Do not want to abut neighboring building, fire code issues. Water feature was not requested. This is not a playground.
C: This is a highly utilized part of the park, with the largest open space area. Put the station in the corner. Vote: Who doesn’t want any comfort station? 4 votes for no comfort station.
C: We do not want a big bathroom. We want benches and play space for kids. C: How was the need for a comfort station decided? A: Comm. Jeffrey: Councilwoman Sarah Gonzalez submitted a proposal based on community desires.
C: Price too high. $4,000/sq. ft. is outrageous. This can be done cheaper. A: We all want it cheaper.
C: We can get a line item breakdown of the cost.
C: Vladimir, aide for Councilmember Menchaca present to take questions.
Q: Amount of toilets seems excessive. Is this bathroom needed? Safety may be a concern. How long will it take to build? A: 16 months
C: Parents are either comfortable letting their kids go to the bathroom, or else they would accompany them. Q: Are there alternative proposals? A: Yes.
Q: Will the station be open year round? A: Yes. Longer hours in summer.
C: Smaller footprint is desirable, less pavement.
Q: What is interior design? A: Tile, concrete. Resilient materials. $2.4 million is the price for the entire project, not just the room.
Q: Will the equipment be raised? A: Yes, 13 feet above sea level.
Q: Solar or thermal heater instead of a boiler? A: Not enough space for solar, and batteries are much harder to maintain.
C: The need for, and location of the comfort station has been sufficiently questioned to warrant further discussion.
Comm. Jeffrey: Talk with your Council Member and further community input will be invited.
Presentation and discussion with representatives for the Port Authority of NY&NJ, Red Hook Container Terminal and Escape Music Festival organizer regarding an upcoming music festival event planned at the Red Hook Container Terminal, Pier 9A (roughly at Kane Street) for the weekend of October 11-12.
Greg Brayman, owner of Red Hook Container Terminal, operated on behalf of Port Authority. “There will be no more events without community board discussion.”
Q: Are any events – public or private – planned before October? A: No.
C: Concert ended late and left a huge mess and was very noisy. There were drones in the sky A: An NYC film agency might have been responsible for the drones. We (owner) did not permit drones. We can establish guidelines governing future events.
C: Great party, but the event was not respectful of the neighborhood.
C: The permits for events should be open for review.
A: The container facility is subject to Port Authority jurisdiction, which did a risk assessment and issued a permit for the event. Discussion can continue, but the security thresholds at this site are higher than most places. All events are vetted for safety.
Q: Have events been held elsewhere on Port Authority property? A: Yes, for filming.
Q: How does a promoter do an event at Red Hook Container Terminal? A: They approached us. This was the first public special event at the site.
C: Events are great, but not raves. The music could be heard all over Red Hook. A: The concerts end at 11 pm each night. These events are very rare. We are mindful of the community. Things got away from us the last two events. We were just trying it out.
Q: Hannah Holland, aide from Councilman Lander’s office: why hold events at the port? A: We want the port to be profitable. We can run it successfully with minimal need for subsidies. We want the container terminal to stay here. It may move to Sunset Park.
C: We will reach an understanding before there are more concerts like this one last Friday, which surprised the community.
Neil Ryan and Merritt Quirk, the concert promoters, talk and take questions.
We started the search for a space for this festival 2 years ago. We wanted it to be a new and interesting cultural event in the Columbia Waterfront District featuring local vendors. We see it as an opportunity for Red Hook.
Q: How did you find the container terminal as a possible location for the event? A: Searching on Google Maps, and a broker suggested it. Music will be 1pm-11pm on Oct. 11 and 12.
Q: Speaker placement? A: It is a waterfront space, so sound travels and wind affects it. We will distribute sounds to try to ameliorate nuisance. Festivals make noise. We try to juggle between community and artists’ desires. Sound is subjective. We will make every effort. Environmental study can incorporate acoustical testing.
Q: Transportation to the event? A: Designated Uber pick-up spot, NY Waterways ferries from Manhattan, increased B61 bus, discouraging car use. A temporary barge is being installed to accommodate ferry passengers.
Q: Any nonprofits involved? A: A portion of proceeds will go to two nonprofits; The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative and PortsideNewYork.
Q: Need additional security and police.
A: We suggested building a container wall but Coast Guard disapproved. There will be ample security and police. This event is happening.
C: Community feedback will be required after this concert.
C: The sound maps that you make should be available to the public A: We will share the sound plan with the community board.
Q: Bathrooms? Garbage? A: Friday night was a learning experience. We have a security plan being written. Port-o-johns at the entrance/exit.
Q: What kind of music will the concert feature? A: It will be like a smaller Governors Ball. Indie Rock and electronic music. The average age of concertgoers will be around 25. 20s-30s is our target audience. The lineup has been released.
Q: What will be for sale? A: Food lineup, beer (with security), water, energy drinks, VIP tent with liquor.
Q: Why here? This is Red Hook, not Williamsburg. A: We like the view here. It is a very unique space for events. We want to be the first to use this space. It is very versatile.
C: The container terminal offers union jobs, which are hard to find these days. We want to preserve a working waterfront. A: Will continue to be a working waterfront. We can arrange a community site visit for interested parties. We do not want to be a concert venue every week. We want to be good neighbors. We welcome feedback after this event. We can then reassess whether this is a good idea.
C: We want the port more open to the public. A: This is a good idea. We can arrange for a tour, within the restrictions of the site. Red Hook Container Terminal is unique because it is the last port in a residential neighborhood. The promoters have been very successful and professional.
Q: What is selection process for events? A: It is very expensive for a promoter to hold events here. It is a for-profit venture. It cannot happen every day because it is prohibitively expensive.
Q: Does the Port Authority get money from the event? A: Yes, to cover all of the costs. The costs for the October event went up from last Friday’s event to address bathroom and garbage concerns.
C: You should display signs urging concertgoers to respect neighbors. A: We can consider that. The 76th Precinct will have plenty of police and security on hand.
C: The community does not like when events like this happen without any notice. A: No future events without community involvement.
Q: How will you notify the community in advance? A: We do not want any issues. We will formulate how to discuss with community.
Q: Is there re-entry into the event if you leave? Can you support local businesses? A: No re-entry. We can direct outgoing traffic towards local businesses. We have medical facilities and staff on site.
Q: How do people leave? Lots of people will have to walk really far to the subway. A: We expect 5,000-6,000 people, who will use a mix of public transportation. Driving is discouraged. There is bike parking at the event. Last event we only had one month of planning.
Q: Permit process? A: Saw the space in January, got approval for use in July. Very time consuming process.
There being no further business to come before the committee, the meeting was adjourned.
The minutes were submitted by Sam Adels.