Bay Improvement Group President Steve Barrison informed us yesterday of the untimely passing of Faith Palmer-Persen just before New Years. Palmer-Persen, who was fighting cancer, is the artist behind the mural on East 15th Street between Avenue Z and Sheepshead Bay Road. Her passing came as BIG prepared for a restoration of the 120-foot mural.
As Palmer-Persen was most recently a California resident, her funeral services will be near San Francisco this Sunday. Barrison is requesting that anyone with photos of Palmer-Persen send them to him by e-mail so he can forward them to family for the service. BIG is also helping organize a local memorial at the mural site in June.
Below is the obituary from the San Francisco Chronicle, published January 5:
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Got an idea for Sheepshead Bay’s biggest annual festival? Bay Improvement Group (BIG) is having a planning meeting tomorrow night, and they want to hear your ideas on how to make BayFest2010 bigger, better, and ballsier than the rest. (Okay, we added that last one.)
And there’s reason to believe this year really will be leaps and bounds beyond previous years’ celebrations. Why? Because back in August, BIG secured more than $27,500 from local politicians, making it the largest budget the group has had yet. And in the months since, they’ve been hitting up corporate and small-business partners for sponsorships, their primary source of funding in other years.
At the last planning meeting, BIG President Steve Barrison even suggested the group would love to score some top-notch headliners for the stage. But money and bands aren’t going to make a better BayFest by themselves. The group needs raw manpower. So get involved and bring some fresh blood to a Sheepshead Bay tradition!
When: Wednesday, December 2 at 8 p.m.
Where: The Golden Gate Inn (located at the intersection of Knapp Street & Shore Parkway)
Free Parking is available. For further directions you can call the Golden Gate Inn at 718-743-4000
Bay Improvement Group, organizers of the annual BayFest event, are getting an early start on planning next year’s festivities. The first meeting kicks off next week, and we heard that the organization’s president, Steve Barrison, wants to see bigger names here. The name he tossed out? Bruce Springsteen. Well… it’s good to dream. As for us, we’re hoping to see at least one band with connections to Sheepshead Bay, and we hope some more of our local businesses are brought into the mix. If you agree, join us at the meeting and let BIG leadership know.
Here’s the release:
BayFest2010, our 19th year, we start now.
The BIG planning meeting, sharing responsibility and time for new and old to come together, whether it’s your first BayFest or you are an old pro…
Tuesday August 4th at the Golden Gate Inn located at Knapp Street and Shore Parkway in Sheepshead Bay, right off the belt Parkway at 7:30PM we begin..
bring interested people.
WE NEED YOU TO GET INVOLVED AND ASK OTHERS TOO, TO HELP AT THIS ANNUAL PARTY FOR SHEEPSHEAD BAY AT THIS UNIQUE WATERFRONT FESTIVAL. BAYFEST IS ALWAYS THE THIRD SUNDAY IN MAY! May 16. 2010
Join us as we plan a bigger better BayFest celebration for Sheepshead Bay.
BE There Tuesday August 4th, 7:30PM at the Golden Gate Inn for this special BayFest working planning meeting.
Why can’t Sheepshead Bay have a commuter ferry to Manhattan? It’s the parking, stupid.
That was the message Sheepshead Bay residents sent the New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) during last night’s hearing on increasing Brooklyn ferry service to several locations including Sheepshead Bay.
The hearing, hosted by the EDC, the Department of Transportation (DOT), and Councilman Michael C. Nelson’s office, brought out local leaders including Community Board Chairperson Theresa Scavo, Bay Improvement Group president Steve Barrison, and several members of the Sheepshead Bay/Plumb Beach Civic Association and the Manhattan Beach Community Group. All opposed the plans.
“It’s romantic. It’s beautiful. It’s wonderful. But practically speaking, it’s not practical,” said Barrison.
Concerns by local leaders revolve around costs, demand, infrastructure needs, and the time it would take to reach Manhattan. But at the heart of it all is parking.
“Parking in the area is already at a premium. To bring more people in would be a nightmare,” said SB/PB Civic’s attorney, Gene Berardelli.
The ferry proposal, officially known as the Comprehensive Citywide Ferry Study, is still in its early stages, with landing profiles yet to be created. The EDC was unable to provide implementation or operating costs for the service, but noted that the ferry ride from Sheepshead Bay is estimated to take about 40 minutes and cost $6. Continue Reading »
Although it was a cold, spring afternoon this past Sunday, May 17, 2009, with skies threatening to rain, the turnout was still in the thousands. The band that played, “Legendary Lead Guitarist of Supergroup Vanilla Fudge Vince Martell” sounded great and performed one song after another. We arrived later in the afternoon and they were still going strong, playing rock classics, and making the crowd feel nostalgic.
Children were bouncing in the moon bouncers, falling (and laughing) in the obstacle course and shooting hoops at the basketball blow up. When they came out of the inflatables, they picked up their shoes that had been guarded over by some very friendly people, who gladly agreed to take a picture if you gave them your camera.
A hearty thanks goes out to the Bay Improvement Group and its sponsors for bringing this great event to the Sheepshead Bay community. We’re wondering if maybe next year, the organizers would consider running this event in the summer.
Sorry to disturb your 2009 Passover Seder, but we have to give you this breaking news that comes to us via e-mail:
As we have been warning the DOB came down today and issued violations and a stop work order for the violations of the Sheepshead Bay Special District USE zoning which forbids MARKETS!
I guess they will have to go to the BSA for a variance. We tried to warn them.
Oh well, Happy Passover and Happy Easter to ALL!
Steven Barrison,Esq.
THE BARRISONS
So, it looks like the Cherry Hill Gourmet Market and Restaurant has finally gotten the official word that they are not going to be able to operate business as a market. Whether the restaurant side of the business is good-to-go is still unclear.
Sheepshead Bay Special District Use zoning did not allow for the monolithic grocery store they had planned and it looks like the Department of Buildings has told them that the store does not meet the requirements.
If the market operators request a variance from the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) from the NYC Department of Buildings, we’ll have to wait to hear the outcome.
Until then, we’ll just have to shop as usual in our old favorites: Sheepshead Bay Gourmet Market on Ave Z & E 18 St; Super Stop and Shop Supermarket at Ave Y & E 17 St; Waldbaum’s at Ocean Ave & Voorhies; Pathmark at Nostrand & Ave Y; Kosher Palace; Fine-Fare; Key Food everywhere; and etc, etc. If you’re just looking to get some basic food, you can try Basic Foods on Coyle St.
Read more of my commentary after the jump.
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The Bay Improvement Group (B.I.G.) had its annual Fall Planting & Garden Clean-up this past Sunday, October 26. According to Steven Barrison, who heads up the B.I.G., the event, though productive, was not as well-attended by volunteers as was expected. The small team of volunteers worked hard all day from 9 to 3, as originally planned and by 3:15 p.m., they called it a day. Unfortunately, all of the work had not been finished, even with the help of dedicated volunteers like Richie Arneman, who tirelessly serves as a one-man landscaping team.
Barrison says that there has been a poor showing of volunteers for the past two years and the community effort to keep Sheepshead Bay beautiful is suffering. He is keeping up hope that local residents are interested in this effort and is keeping this Sunday, November 2 free for everyone to get involved. The team will work on sections of Sheepshead Bay near Voorhies Avenue behind the train station, as well as a portion of Ocean Avenue.
According to the Gothamist Labs, there was a report of a slashing that occurred near Emmons Avenue and Shore Parkway this past Sunday. I asked Mr. Barrison if the situation had affected the B.I.G. planting. He said that he wasn’t aware of any emergencies around where they working and even if there was something major going on, they were so busy bent on their hands and knees planting bulbs, that they wouldn’t have noticed anything going on.
If you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, you can come on out and help out with the effort. If all goes well, weather-wise, the team will be finishing up planting in the areas that were missed the first time around.
Who: Volunteer Gardeners & Bay Enthusiasts
What: B.I.G. Fall Planting & Garden Clean-up Encore
When: Sunday, November 2, 2008
Time: 9 a.m. SHARP!
Where: Sheepshead Bay Road & Shore Parkway Intersection
Contact: The Bay Improvement Group (B.I.G.) 718-646-9206
