Video: Amity School Addresses Fears About New Location In Former Golden Gate Inn


by on Oct 11th, 2011

The Brooklyn Amity school formally introduced itself to the community last week, hoping to eliminate concerns that residents may have about the school’s new enlarged location.

Speaking at the Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association Meeting Tuesday night, Amity School Guidance Counselor Ismael Topokaya explained the school’s background and mission to the neighborhood group. Amity School, a nonsectarian school founded in 1999, is currently wrapping up the move from their previous location on Coney Island Avenue to 3867 Shore Parkway.

When word hit of new owners for the former Golden Gate Inn property last winter, it sparked unease from residents wondering who exactly was moving in, and what they planned to do with the site. Members of the civic expressed those concerns on Sheepshead Bites in February. In response, Topokaya gave a thorough rundown of the Amity School in hope rallying the community’s support for what he believes is a better use of the space than some of the alternatives that have come to light.

A growing private school for ages K-12 with an emphasis on math and science, Amity School encourages their students to challenge themselves and engage with the world around them, according to the school’s representatives.

“In every possible way we want them to be involved with the community,” said Topokaya.

The community, however, brought forth a laundry list of concerns plaguing them since Amity purchased the old motel last December.

Many residents’ reservations related to the plans for the enormous space of the property, much of which is still empty.

All of the space, said Executive Director of the Board Kilic Mehmet, will eventually be used for school purposes. Amity hopes to add two additional buildings – a gymnasium/auditorium and a separate building for high school students. There are also plans for sports fields and tennis courts. The expansion would make Amity the largest private school in the neighborhood.

The larger facilities are necessary for Amity, which outgrew its old location. The current enrollment of 250 is an increase from last year, and they hope to reach the full capacity of 490 that the new building allows.

“A tree doesn’t grow overnight,” Mehmet said. “But we think we’ll reach capacity in two to three years time.”

Traffic was also a concern, given the school’s proximity to both the intersection of Knapp Street and the Belt Parkway as well as the United Artists Sheepshead Bay Theater.

But Mehmet assured the crowd that the school will not add to the congestion. All buses will pull into loops on the school property, he claimed, which will not affect traffic on the street. Furthermore, school hours will never correspond with the rush of cars headed to the theaters on Friday and Saturday nights.

Such a situation would also be safer for students, he pointed out. The Coney Island Avenue location had children boarding and exiting buses right on the avenue, where impatient drivers are often speeding.

Overall, though, the biggest complaint was what the community saw as a lack of transparency from Amity. Residents wanted to know why it took so long for the school to come and introduce themselves at a community event.

Mehmet apologized and claimed miscommunication on the school’s part, as well as assurances they would have come out sooner if they had known.

“To our surprise,” he said, “people didn’t know who we were.”

Amity reached out to community leaders months ago about their plans, hoping the message would then reach the community as a whole. Apparently it had not.

Still, Amity school was thankful, and after a few endorsements from the crowd, hoped to put aside past concerns and continue with openness with the community.

“It’s our first appearance,” Mehmet promised at the meeting. “And it won’t be our last.”

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  • http://www.njluxurymotors.com Arthur Borko

    Wait, so they want to add 2 Buildings and outdoor sports facilities? Um? with what room? The way I see it there is room for one of the two, but not both….

    Edit: Unless they plan to rent the facilities from Kings Bay that are already available all along the entire length of Coyle St between Shore Parkway and Ave Y.

  • Bugg

    Conerned that the property, especially along Knapp Street, is still in bad disrepair. In fact it’s an eyesore. Are they planning on knocking it down? Doesn’t seem they are using much of the building adjoining Knapp anyway. May be it will take time to make it cleaner, but thye should have known this when they bought it. To their credit the traffic concerns seem to have been addressed and it’s not a problem so far.

    • Barkingspider7

      They will fix it up – trust me.  It will be brand new by the time they get done with it.  It wouldn’t surprise me if they fixed the streets and asphalt going towards the parkway also.  The Turkish people run a clean, tight ship.

  • Barkingspider7

    I think that anyone who says they didn’t know that this was going to become a school is full of bologna.  What, do you guys live under a rock?  The neighborhood has known for at least a full year that this was happening.  T

  • http://twitter.com/aemoreira81 Adam Moreira

    After reading the last article on the Amity School (and its background – it’s the first related post), I can certainly understand the concerns of the community. Fairly or not, whether or not this school will become a madrassa or a substitute mosque in place of the one under construction Voorhees Avenue is a salient point.

    Do note the background of the owners of the school.

    • http://www.nedberke.com Ned Berke

      What about the owners’ backgrounds? Turkish? Turks are setting up madrassas and substitute mosques and masking them as businesses? Shoot, we better start investigating every Muslim-owned restaurant, livery cab service and bodega – it could be a madrassa! And every Catholic school, while we’re at it, since they could be fronts for Army of God (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Army_of_God_(USA) ) training facilities.

      Amity is a secular institution. I’ve visited the school. I’ve covered events there – and saw diversity in race and religion in their student body. 
      If you want to note background, note mine. I’m Jewish. When I visited the school, they did not say “note the background of the owners of this media outlet.” Instead, they never asked, they welcomed me on my visits, they shared tea with me (Turkish custom), and they ultimately did business with me (and this is, in part, intended for full disclosure). That does not sound like the way of some radical Islamic organization, it sounds like the way of polite businessmen and committed Americans.

      It’s fair to question their plans for the building, its effect on traffic, the usage of the space, and how it may or may not affect neighboring residents and businesses. It’s unfair to insinuate – to the detriment of their livelihood! - incendiary things based on their background without even a shred of evidence.

      • Anonymous

        Well the striking difference between AOG and their Muslim counter parts is that AOG is anti-abortion thus fighting for live.. and others are not only hate life.. but most importantly hate our life’s and if given chance will blow us all to pieces. Just wanted to point that out.

      • Barkingspider7

        Thank you  Ned for the breath of fresh air. 

    • Barkingspider7

      It will never become a Madrassa or mosque.  Turkish muslims usually are not so religious.  Besides, it is not going to be a Muslilm school, but open to everyone.  Evidently, you don’t know any turkish muslims.  Do your research before making accusations.

  • Slickwilly

    I wonder if they know it was built on hog creek.

  • EndofDaze

    Please note, that when the Mizrahi Syrian Arab Jews put up their new K to 8 Yeshivah on McDonald Avenue, between S and T, across from the Park, a few years back, I didn’t read or hear of any outcry, from the general community, questioning, or against that entity?! Obviously, their particular influence is sacrosanct, and like with many things, for that unique community, their money talks. But know this, fortunately, I’m at work when school’s in, but I know from a number of folks, that they have to avoid that area like the plague, during school hours, less they interfere with all those Mercedes, BMW’s, and Land Rovers, double parked!, when some of the older kids can just as well, walk to and fro, because they live in the area…..The overwhelming majority of Turks are fine people too, and good Americans, as well. I know Amity’s new location, and if the logistics are handled properly, there will be no traffic problems, and wish them the best! They should just realize, like with the other private schools, they shouldn’t expect their charges to become Nobel Prize candidates or winners, cause that is still the province of those students who are products of our Public Schools!

  • Barkingspider7

    1.  School closes at 3:00 on Fridays, and will not be opened on Saturday & Sunday, so there will be no problem with traffic from school buses.

    2.  Parking will not present problems with that huge piece of land.

    People in this area worry about rediculous things.  Amity school long ago announced this move.  I don’t know why everyone acted as though they didn’t know it.  They did. There were never any problems at the CIA location, why are people so worried.  The people  in this neighborhood are very closed minded. 

    You know, they could have opened a homeless shelter there – it’s an excellent space to house the homeless, but the owner of the land and building took the high road and sold the place to an already existing, looking to expand, excellent (from what I’ve heard about it) private school. 

    Be thankful.