From the May 2011 Civic News article, “Ten Years Ago in the Slope (…and 20 and 30, Too), May 2011.” Return to main article.
2001
Brooklyn Museum Redesign
The ambitious plans for renovation of the Brooklyn Museum of Art’s main entrance, on Eastern Parkway, were formally presented -to a large crowd at a reception, model preview and slide presentation by the architect on Thursday evening, March 22nd.
McKim, Mead & White’s 1897 Beaux-Arts structure included a grand 28-foot front staircase, which lead to the third floor entrance; this was removed in 1934 by the WPA, because the stairs had deteriorated badly. James Stewart Polshek (architect also of the Museum of Natural History Rose Center for Earth and Science) has designed a 17,000-square-foot glass entry pavilion, which museum director Arnold Lehman referred to as “a lantern for people to be drawn to … to welcome and serve the public … all the public.” He further said that the sweeping open plaza, fountains and amphitheater will be “a truly civic space.”
Museum visitors will enter the building’s renovated main lobby through glass and steel doors; the transparent stepped glass roof of the pavilion will be supported on a steel beam-and-cable structure, reflecting the fact that the landmark building is steel-framed. The new glass base will provide an anchor for the six, third floor portico columns which appeared to float awkwardly after the removal of the original grand stairs.
Funds for the $55 million project will come from various sources, including $16.2M from the City Council, $20.5M from the Borough President, $5.8M from Mayor Giuliani’s settlement over the “Sensation” exhibit as well as private donations.
Changes at John Jay
Mark Peters, President of School District 15 delivered an update on the changes which will be occurring at John Jay High School beginning in September. He made the following presentation, which he has also made at other community groups, at the Central Brooklyn Independent Democrats March meeting.
The school will become a sixth through twelfth grade institution. In September 2001 sixth, seventh and eighth grades will be added. Two of District 15’s most successful programs — the School for Research in the Natural and Social Sciences (now housed at P.S. 230 in Kensington), and the School of Journalism and the Law (currently at P.S. 142 in Gowanus Heights and P.S.I46 at 18th Street and 7th Avenue) — will transfer from their current locations to John Jay. The established programs and the teachers will be moved. The middle school graduates will be guaranteed places in the parallel high school institutes now being formed. At the present time only a small percentage of middle schoolers in the District 15 area matriculate to John Jay. The project defines the “new” school as a community high school. All students currently at John Jay will remain there. Each year. as seniors graduate, middle school students will have a place in the new high school institutes.
Mr. Peters reflected on security measures which will be taken to ensure positive reaction between the middle school and high school students — there will be separate entrances and lunch and dismissal times will be staggered. When asked if any “marginalization” is foreseen he replied that all the involved educators are committed to making sure this does not happen. He commented further that mentoring programs could become an important part of the school day, with each group benefitting.
In answer to another question, regarding the “whitening” of the school, Mr. Peters explained that District 15 (which encompasses Park Slope, Sunset Park, Cobble Hill, Kensington and Red Hook) is now 20-25% ethnically white. He drew a picture of John Jay that will reflect the demographics of the district at large. Expanding on this thought someone asked if a middle school might be moved from Red Hook. The answer was that the number of students in that area, vis-a-vis the district size is very small, so no.
Assemblyman Jim Brennan was thanked for cutting through Board of Education bureaucracy surrounding this project, and the UFT was cited for being helpful in facilitating meetings.