BP MARKOWITZ STATEMENT ON ADMIRAL’S ROW

I commend the communities surrounding the Brooklyn Navy Yard, particularly the residents of the Ingersoll Houses, the Farragut Houses, and the Walt Whitman Houses, for working so hard to make your collective voice heard regarding the future of Admiral’s Row. For their diligence in carrying out the will of those residents, I applaud the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, its president and CEO Andrew Kimball, and its chairman of the board, Alan Fishman, along with the New York City Economic Development Corporation, and my fellow elected officials and colleagues in government.

I know I speak for all of us here today when I say historical preservation is crucial. Residents from all over the borough have been part of successful efforts to use zoning and landmarking to preserve Brooklyn’s rich history.

In this case, however, the structural viability makes a preservation project much too costly, and what the families living in this area need urgently is a quality supermarket. As it stands, too many Brooklynites are not within walking distance of supermarkets, which have been closing at alarming rates citywide. It is unconscionable that in this modern city, there are those for whom access to fresh fruits and vegetables—basic staples that keep Brooklynites and New Yorkers healthy and strong—is considered a luxury. We must do everything we can to reverse that trend.

Furthermore, the neighborhood around the Brooklyn Navy Yard will reap enormous benefits from the employment opportunities created by a new industrial building. Local residents will be considered first for these jobs, which will give the area a much-needed economic boost.

Believe me, nobody cares more than I do about preserving Brooklyn’s history and heritage. But I also believe in preserving Brooklyn’s residents—making sure that our health and well-being is protected for this generation and in the days ahead. As it was written in Ecclesiastes: “To everything, there is a season. A time to reap, a time to sow.” And, to paraphrase a bit: “A time to preserve—and a time to build supermarkets and promote nutrition.”

Simply put, the time for deliberation is over. We must make this project a reality and get this neighborhood the economic investment and “food justice” it deserves.