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Articles by Brooklyn Paper
A decade without answers: Jennifer Cohen’s Owl’s Head Park murder remains a mystery 10 years later
Security camera footage showed Cohen and the unidentified man walking on Second Avenue toward the park before separating. The man was recorded walking to 79th Street and Third Avenue, then backtracking to meet Cohen near 59th Street and Second Avenue. The two then headed toward Owl’s Head Park, where cameras captured them entering together around 2:45 a.m. About an hour later, the man was seen leaving alone.
Silent Writing Happy Hour Celebrates 'Senior' Year With New Programming
by Isabella Bernabeo, Brooklyn Paper Every Tuesday, writers gather at Pete’s Candy Store to do something that sounds almost impossible in a bar: sit in complete silence and write. Silent Writing Happy Hour, a cherished weekly tradition among both writers and readers alike, has returned to the Williamsburg watering hole for its “senior year.” Close Brooklyn in Your Inbox Stay up to date with more great news and articles like this one.
Grand Prospect Hall’s 144-apartment replacement nears completion after years of delays
Hill West’s other Brooklyn projects include the Olympia in Dumbo, a tower at 123 Linden Boulevard in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, and Coney Island’s Ocean Drive, a development the architect’s site says is bringing “Miami sophistication” to the boardwalk area. The Prospect Avenue facade in August. When Brooklyn Paper’s sister site Brownstoner stopped by recently, 263 Prospect Avenue looked nearly complete, but was still largely surrounded by a green construction fence and protective netting.
Renovation Will Turn Long Vacant Former Cobble Hill Firehouse Into Music School
by Gabriele Holtermann, Brooklyn Paper For more than two decades, the former Engine Company 204 firehouse at 299 Degraw Street in Cobble Hill has stood empty. The 6,000-square-foot firehouse, likely built in 1857, closed in 2003 amid budget cuts under then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Now, it is preparing for a new kind of public service. Back in 2009, the city gave the firehouse to Brooklyn Philharmonic, which planned a $2.6 million renovation. But that never happened.
Trader Joe’s Is Opening a Bay Ridge Location at Former Century 21 Store Site
by Olivia Seaman, Brooklyn Paper Bay Ridge is finally getting its Trader Joe’s. The popular grocery chain has been announced as the national specialty grocery retailer coming to Century Marketplace, the long-awaited redevelopment of the former Century 21 department store on 86th Street, according to a video posted Sunday by area Council Member Kayla Santosuosso. Close Brooklyn in Your Inbox Stay up to date with more great news and articles like this one.
Building connections: Architecture students find community through mentorship at City Tech
Nearly 100 architecture students recently met their mentors through a nine-year-old program designed to help them build a career and a life, finding inspiration as well as education from people in the profession. Architecture students from four schools and their mentors united last week at New York City College of Technology’s Voorhees Hall, at 186 Jay St., forming relationships and finding resources.
Dream deferred: Liberty’s season ends with semifinal heartbreak
As the first No. 8 seed to reach the semifinals in WNBA history, the Liberty fought hard but were unable to overcome Atlanta’s defensive tenacity. The Dream completed the sweep and will take on the Golden State Valkyries in the WNBA Finals. “We know we have a team that can win this thing,” Liberty head coach Chris DeMarco said. “[We have] a team that can get to the Finals, we know we could have played better. But it hurts, it does hurt.
Silent Writing Happy Hour returns to Pete’s Candy Store for ‘senior year’
Silent Writing Happy Hour (SWHH), a cherished weekly tradition among both writers and readers alike, has returned to the Williamsburg watering hole for its “senior year.” Hosted every Tuesday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., SWHH is introducing new programming for its fourth year, including senior seminars on the first Tuesday of every month. The night begins as usual, with writing starting at 5:15 p.m. sharp after guests listen to the honorary host read a piece of work that has inspired them.
A piece of home: Inside Tanya Weddemire Gallery at The Armory Show
After lingering at a few pieces that caught my eye, I stopped at the Tanya Weddemire Gallery exhibit at Booth 217. Tanya greeted me with a warm smile when I introduced myself. She told me that she is an immigrant herself, like the artists in her booth. Born in Montego Bay, Jamaica, and raised in Brooklyn, she started her career in fashion before pivoting to the art world.
Brooklyn’s Petri Plumbing marks 120 years with new generation at helm
“The exact time that started, we don’t know, it probably was before that because my great grandparents both came over in the late 1800s,” said Michael Petri. Michael’s grandfather arrived from Italy in 1913 and rented a room above the company’s first office. From then on, generations of the family continued to live and work around the business. For more than a century, Petri Plumbing operated from its Bay Ridge headquarters at 901 Bay Ridge Ave., the company’s home since 1906.
Prospect Park Lenape and Lunáapeew Pow Wow Celebrates Indigenous Tradition
Hundreds gathered from as far as South Dakota for dance, song, drumming, food, and arts, continuing an event that started in the park in 1916. Members of the Native American community gathered for the third annual United Lenape/Lunáapeew Nations Pow Wow at Prospect Park.
At Barclays Center, Latin music is bringing Brooklyn together
Since 2022, Barclays has hosted nearly 10 Latin shows a year on average and has continued growing its Latino audience. Latin shows alone have generated more than $100 million in gross revenue and attracted over 800,000 fans thus far. The rising interest in Latin music isn’t unique to Barclays Center, but reflects a larger trend in the U.S. music industry.
Greenpoint's Box Street Park Moves Forward After Years in Limbo
by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper After two decades of delays, construction is finally starting on Box Street Park, city officials announced Thursday. The 2.5 acre park was promised to replace an MTA parking lot on the Greenpoint waterfront as part of the 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning. As the neighborhood changed around it, the project was plagued by administrative setbacks, and the land is still fenced off and undeveloped.
JAŸ-Z’s 30-year legacy comes home to Brooklyn with free docuseries screening
Earlier this month, HBO premiered “JAŸ-Z In 8,” a docuseries that champions Brooklyn’s own Jay-Z and celebrates his 30 years in music. 2026 marks 30 years since he released his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt.” He performed an iconic three-night run at Yankee Stadium in June to mark the occasion, with the docuseries as the follow-up. The series follows Jay-Z as he shares an intimate moment with producer and Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin and explores his extensive catalog.
Brownsville's New Multi-Service Center Nears Opening Day
by Gabriele Holtermann, Brooklyn Paper Community-based organizations and Brooklyn Community Board 16 will soon serve residents across Brooklyn from under one roof at a new 60,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, all-electric community center set to open its doors in Brownsville in the coming months. The new $128 million Brownsville Multi-Service Center is located at 444 Thomas S. Boyland Street between Pitkin and East New York avenues.
Brooklyn brings the energy as Liberty punch ticket to WNBA semifinals
More than 17,000 fans erupted in cheers as the starting lineup was introduced, creating an electric environment for New York’s only home game of the first round. The arena only got louder as the final seconds ticked off the clock and the Liberty secured their spot in the semifinals. “The crowd was losing their minds [and] us on the bench, we were losing our minds too,” Liberty forward and guard Rebecca Allen said. “It’s an atmosphere you can’t not get caught up in.
Public School, Educational Farm Planned for Floyd Bennett Field
by Olivia Seaman, Brooklyn Paper A new education campus is coming to Floyd Bennett Field, where nonprofit Runway Green has signed a 60-year lease with the National Park Service to transform seven acres of the historic Brooklyn airfield into a hub for hands-on learning. The $60 million project is expected to reach as many as 50,000 New York City public school students with programs focused on agriculture, “environmental stewardship,” career exploration, and other real-world learning opportunities.
Nurse’s orders: Meet South Brooklyn Health CEO Manjinder Kaur
Kaur became Chief Executive Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health in July, making her the first nurse to lead a New York City Health and Hospitals institution in “recent history,” after rising through clinical and administrative roles in the city’s public hospital system.
Brooklyn Dems boss Bichotte Hermelyn to step down amid party power struggle
Bichotte Hermelyn stated the time had come “to pass the baton” and let a new leader continue to move the party forward. “In the words of Barbara Jordan, the first Black woman elected to the U.S. Congress from Texas and the South, Jordan said, ‘A nation is formed by the willingness of each of us to share in the responsibility for upholding the common good.’ We must define the ‘common good’ and begin again to shape a common future,” she said in a statement sent to amNewYork and Brooklyn Paper.
Brooklyn’s Power Women celebrated at Schneps Media’s annual event
The annual event honored an accomplished group of professionals, healthcare executives, entrepreneurs, educators, attorneys, nonprofit leaders and community advocates whose work continues to make an impact throughout Brooklyn and beyond.
Inside Mise en Scènt, the Brooklyn studio turning favorite films into candles
Tucked into a corner on the second floor of an Industry City studio in Sunset Park, Mise en Scènt can transport you into any scene from your favorite movie. From the ultimate Y2K sleepover with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to braving teenage sex and death at Camp Miasma to finding out whether Edward Cullen’s skin really does sparkle, this female-founded candle studio is dedicated to bringing the films you love to life and helping you live out your main-character dreams.
Long-neglected Bed-Stuy corner gets new life with gut renovation, new apartments and a children’s store
The large 19th century brick building on the corner of Bed Stuy’s Malcolm X Boulevard and Macon Street that spurred curiosity amongst neighbors as it sat crumbling on the prime corner site for over a decade has been spruced up and brought back to residential and commercial use with a major gut renovation. The empty lot next door will also see changes in coming months as plans for a new four-story building progress.
Inhumane Conditions Continue at Troubled Sunset Park Jail: Advocates
by Gabriele Holtermann, Brooklyn Paper For years, the Metropolitan Detention Center has been a troubled neighbor in Sunset Park, with a record of violence, staff shortages, prolonged lockdowns, and other dangerous conditions behind its walls. Those conditions were the focus of a September 19 town hall in Bay Ridge, where advocates shared findings from a three-month research project on life inside the federal jail.
Art Projection Brings Underwater Ecosystem to the Surface of Brooklyn Bridge
by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper An immersive art installation will plunge the Brooklyn Bridge deep below the surface of the sea and into a critical marine ecosystem on September 25 and 26. Artist Anita Glesta’s piece “Aqua Cosmos: The Hudson Canyon,” an 18-minute “hybrid documentary” projection, will bathe the bridge with the sights and sounds of the canyon, as captured by artists and scientists over the last century.
Tenants Rights Workshop Goes to Flatbush
by Gabriele Holtermann, Brooklyn Paper For New York City renters, knowing their rights can be the first step toward organizing for better housing conditions. The Mayor’s Office of Mass Engagement (OME) hosted its third NYC 101: The Power of Organized Tenants workshop in the cafeteria of MS 246 Walt Whitman in Flatbush on September 16.
From Sheepshead Bay to the ski slopes: How a yacht club launched a ski club
Berger reached out to some other members to create a second club, born out of the boating club and known as the Miramar Ski Club. With its own lodge on seven acres in Waitsfield, Vermont, it is a snowball’s throw from Stowe, Sugarbush and Mad River Glen, as well as the home of Ben & Jerry’s, great hikes and water sports, attracting members from a wide geographic range in Brooklyn and far beyond.
Hey Brooklyn! Borough’s influence on “Hey Arnold!” lives on 30 years later
Thirty years after “football head” first wandered the streets of fictional Hillwood, Brooklyn is still hiding in plain sight all over “Hey Arnold” — in its brownstones, stoops, playgrounds, schoolyards and even its jazz-heavy soundtrack. The Nickelodeon cartoon, which debuted 30 years ago, was technically set in the fictional city of “Hillwood,” which the show’s creator, Craig Bartlett, said was based on Brooklyn, Seattle and Portland.
Artists Reflect One Year After Devastating Red Hook Fire
by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper Exactly a year after a fire ruined Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition’s home in Red Hook, its artists are considering how the conflagration has changed their lives and their work as they prepare to close a difficult chapter.
Teen Center Debuts at Brooklyn's Central Library
by Gabriele Holtermann, Brooklyn Paper For the first time, Brooklyn teens have a space at Central Library designed entirely with them in mind. The Brooklyn Public Library unveiled a new teen center and the renovated Eastern Parkway Collection Wing at its Central Library at 10 Grand Army Plaza on September 9.
Woman found dead in Bay Ridge apartment under suspicious circumstances, cops say
According to police sources, cops were called to 314 79th St. in Bay Ridge following a wellness check at around 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 14. Inside the first-floor apartment, they discovered a 59-year-old woman unconscious and unresponsive. She had suffered head trauma, authorities said. EMS responded and pronounced the woman dead at the scene. Her identity is still pending proper family notification. An influx of investigators and news of the death left residents rattled, according to ABC7.
Green-Wood memorial brings Brooklyn together on 25th anniversary of 9/11
Far from the spotlight at Ground Zero and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in Manhattan, families and friends of victims on the 25th anniversary of the attack gathered on a hill at Green-Wood Cemetery, where many of the attack’s victims are buried or have remains interred. They united on the evening of Sept.
Gowanus School Moves Kids Out of Basement Classrooms
by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper Pre-K and kindergarten classes at P.S. 372 The Children’s School in Gowanus were temporarily moved out of the basement of the school’s annex building, where contaminants are lingering in the air even after a mitigation system was installed.
Op-ed | Bay Ridge is losing its zoning vote. We must act now.
I will start with the bad news. As a result of citywide ballot measures passed by voters last November, Bay Ridge will soon lose significant influence over new housing developments in our neighborhood. In the past, when a developer wanted to build beyond what current zoning allows, they would negotiate with the local Council Member to shape a project that made sense for the neighborhood.
Mystery buyer revealed for Carroll Gardens’ former Rite Aid site
Happier Grocery President LLC c/o 99c purchased 320 Smith Street and 336 Union Street — the entirety of the west side of Smith Street between President and Union, at the Carroll Street F train stop and opposite Carroll Park — for $21.5 million in early August, a deed filed on Sept. 1 shows. Dawson Stellberger signed for the LLC. Known for commercial property development, Stellberger and 99c are behind a number of Brooklyn events and creative spaces, including nightclubs.
City, Jewish leaders unite in Williamsburg for High Holiday food help, opening kosher pantry
The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty distributed food to the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg on Sept. 2 as UJO Williamsburg opened its first site exclusively dedicated to a kosher pantry. The pantry is located at 365 Flushing Ave. within the W Mall, also known as Williamsburg Square Mall, and was designed to be at the center of the community.
‘We Will Always Love You’: Dolly Parton tribute band Doll Parts brings ‘cathartic’ celebration to Brooklyn
“My husband woke up in the middle of the night and said, ‘You should start a Dolly Parton cover band called Doll Parts,’” Sirna-Frest said. “I thought that was a great idea.” She did what any person who wants to start a Dolly Parton tribute band would do: She asked her friend Maggie Robinson, who was in a play with her, to join, along with her ukulele instructor, Shane Chapman. A band was born in Brooklyn 15 years ago, in 2011.
Police fatally shoot knife-wielding man on Brooklyn Bridge
The police shooting happened at about 4:15 a.m. on Sept. 4 on the iconic span hundreds of feet above the East River, where the unidentified man in apparent emotional distress had apparently ascended the bridge’s beams and cables. Assistant Chief Jerry Dowling, commanding officer of the NYPD Emergency Services Unit, said that members of his team in full safety gear climbed up the cables and conversed with the man for more than an hour.
New developer plans big changes to Arrow Linen site
Brooklyn developer Goose Property Management, which recently replaced Apex Development, plans a much bigger apartment complex than what was pitched during the rezoning and with only standard affordability. Goose intends to build four 10-story, 99-unit buildings, totaling 396 apartments, compared to the two 10-story buildings with 250 units that were proposed as part of the approved rezoning.
Prospect Park Lake Update Nixes Algae, Flooding
by Olivia Seaman, Brooklyn Paper The New York City Department of Environmental Protection, NYC Parks, and Prospect Park Alliance announced the completion of a $1.4 million valve upgrade at Prospect Park Lake on Tuesday. The new valve gives park staff greater control over how much water enters the lake, particularly during bouts of heavy rain.
Locals Recall Red Hook's Role in the Revolutionary War
by Claude Solnik, Brooklyn Paper History books routinely talk about how George Washington and the Continental army escaped from Brooklyn after losing a major battle, turning a short-term defeat into a major victory. They, however, rarely explain who helped evacuate the 9,000-strong army after the Battle of Brooklyn in what proved to be possibly the first turning point in the war. Some Brooklynites, though, have been shining a spotlight on heroics in Red Hook that may have saved the Revolution.
Brooklyn Heights Locals Mull Mayor's New BQE Repair Plan
by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s new plan to fix up and extend the life of the city-owned section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway has drawn mixed reactions in Brooklyn Heights. The $4 billion proposal, unveiled Monday, steps back from a total reconstruction of the 1.5-mile BQE Central proposed by previous administrations.
Toxic Soil Closes Dog Run in Bed Stuy's Herbert Von King Park
by Kirstyn Brendlen, Brooklyn Paper The dog run at Herbert Von King Park is closed seemingly indefinitely after elevated levels of arsenic and mercury were discovered in the soil. Soil testing found the chemicals in “moderate exceedances” of state residential soil standards at surface level, according to a Parks Department spokesperson, with “more significant” contamination discovered at levels 3 to 6 inches deep.
Before Brooklyn became Brooklyn, Red Hook helped save the Revolution
They, however, rarely explain who helped evacuate the 9,000-strong army after the Battle of Brooklyn in what proved to be possibly the first turning point in the Revolution. Some Brooklynites, though, have been shining a spotlight on heroics in Red Hook that may have saved the Revolution. “For years I heard Washington escaped,” said Carolina Salguero, founder and executive director of PortSide New York.
Fresh start: SuperFresh opens new store on Kings Highway in Gravesend
A new supermarket is bringing fresh food and a family touch to Kings Highway. SuperFresh celebrated the grand opening of its newest location at 185 Kings Highway in Gravesend on Thursday, Aug. 20, marking the latest expansion for the family-owned Abed Group, which operates six supermarkets through the Key Food Co-op. Brothers Randy and Sam Abed run four SuperFresh stores and two Key Food locations across Brooklyn and Staten Island.
Cops release surveillance images of gunmen wanted for fatally shooting Brooklyn teen
The newly released footage appears to show two young people dressed in hoodies and wearing face masks walking along a sidewalk. Police say they believe these two individuals stood outside of Hakim’s Restaurant, located at 514 New Lots Avenue, and opened fire into the establishment at around 8:23 p.m. on Aug. 19. Police sources say the gunmen fired at least 12 times into the eatery before fleeing. 17-year-old Ahmir Jordan was inside the restaurant at the time and was struck in the head by a bullet.
Bushwick housing lotto offers affordable co-ops to first-time buyers
The lottery is for apartments in two buildings that are part of a four-building development dubbed South Bushwick Neighborhood Homes. The four buildings are not clustered together but are scattered through the neighborhood on unrelated lots. All the units in the development are specifically designed for households who do not currently own a home, and who earn between 90-110% of the Area Median Income.
Urban Forest Plan Will Add Trees in Sunset Park, Bensonhurst, Gravesend
by Gabriele Holtermann, Brooklyn Paper As summers grow hotter due to the climate emergency, New York City is taking a crucial step toward addressing the devastating impacts of climate change on people and the ecosystem with a new plan for city trees.
Major Grocer, Burlington Join Bay Ridge's Century 21 Redevelopment
by Olivia Seaman, Brooklyn Paper Bay Ridge’s long-vacant Century 21 site is getting a major retail makeover. MCB Real Estate and Osiris Ventures announced Wednesday that two retailers have signed leases totaling 60,112 square feet at the $130 million mixed-use Century Marketplace project at 458 86th Street. The 120,000-square-foot development is now 65 percent leased thanks to the deals. Close Brooklyn in Your Inbox Stay up to date with more great news and articles like this one.
Bay Ridge dermatologist Dr. David Biro has the write stuff in new novel
Rather than recounting a story from his own waiting room, the Bay Ridge dermatologist and nonfiction and fiction author was describing a scene from his fifth book, “The Unstoppables” (Regalo Press, an imprint associated with Simon & Schuster). He held a signing at his hometown bookstore, The BookMark Shoppe, on Wednesday, Aug. 19.
Op-ed: The Battle of Brooklyn was 250 years ago. It still has lessons to teach us today.
In August 1776, after amassing a force of 32,000 troops, the British landed on the shores of Gravesend Bay and began advancing north. Fighting raged through areas we now know as Green-Wood Cemetery, Prospect Park, and Fort Greene Park before culminating at the site of the Old Stone House in Park Slope. On the morning of August 27, the British advanced toward the main American camp at Brooklyn Heights.
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