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Welcome Inn!

BQE Admin on January 22, 2026

The Brooklyn Inn holds firm, 140 years later. 

By COLE SINANIAN

news@queensledger.com

Take a walk down Hoyt Street Street in Boerum Hill, and you’ll bear witness to a breathtaking and sometimes disorienting architectural juxtaposition— looming high above, the Brooklyn Tower’s bronze and steel facade straddles modernity and tradition. At street level, old and elegant brownstones stretch in all directions. 

This neighborhood has seen lots of change over the years. Now one of the borough’s ritziest residential districts, Boerum Hill was until the 1960s a nebulous transition zone on the edge of Downtown Brooklyn, known to some as South Brooklyn and to others as North Gowanus. 

But at least one street corner hasn’t changed: the corner of Hoyt and Bergren Streets has been the historic home of a bar now called the Brooklyn Inn since before electric light bulbs were commonplace. Though it’s changed owners and names many times since its initial opening in 1885, the Brooklyn Inn has remained both a striking example of 19th-century architecture and an increasingly rare kind of no-frills neighborhood watering hole for more than 140 years.

“What we provide is an extension of peoples’ living room,” said general manager Jason Furlani. “Because it’s New York City, and everyone’s got limited space. So we provide a comfortable, safe space for you to come and enjoy yourself. Maybe have a conversation, maybe read a book.”

The bar’s history has been meticulously documented by local historian and Brooklyn Inn regular Joel Shifflet in his book, Hoyt and Bergen Streets, a copy of which is available on site for patrons to browse. Originally a house, the building was converted into a bar by Anton Zeiner in 1885, who financed the endeavor with the help of the German-American Otto Huber Brewery. Much of the interior woodwork was added in 1892 after Zeiner’s death by his wife, Marie, who sold it to Otto Huber in 1896. Later, another German-American family, the Heissenbuttels, took control and renamed the bar the Exchange Cafe, and ran it through the Prohibition era. Writing in the Lewiston Tribune of Lewiston, Idaho, Martin Heissenbuttel’s great-grandson, Marty Trillhaase, described how the Heissenbuttels served beer, spirits and clam chowder downstairs while they raised their two children on the floor above. Newspaper clippings from the Brooklyn Eagle reveal that the Heissenbuttels kept it open as a speakeasy during prohibition and were subject to a police raid on January 15, 1929, which led to the bar’s eight-month closure. 

According to Furlani, all of the facade’s ornate arches, columns and cartouches are original, built by Zeiner in 1885, except for the bars on the windows, which were added later. Inside, a long, darkened drinking den empties into a pool room in the back, with the two rooms separated by bathrooms. High above the bar in the front room are several pieces of backlit stained glass, another of Zeiner’s iconic design flourishes. These were restored in the 2000s, Furlani says, a project that was financed by the earnings from a Gilmore Girls shoot that took place at the bar. Over the years, the building that’s now the Brooklyn Inn has graced both the big and small screens numerous times; parts of Wayne Wang’s classic Brooklyn film Smoke were shot at the Inn, as was a Spike Lee-directed Budweiser commercial and more recently, scenes from the Batman prequel series, Gotham. 

In the 1970s and 1980s, the bar was a French restaurant, Furlani said, that utilized a doorbell-like buzzer system to allow patrons to summon their waiters. These buzzers can still be seen along the wall in the bar’s pool room. Modern patrons have a tendency to mess with them, Furlani said, perhaps expecting a tuxedo-clad French waiter to appear. 

The current owners — who are real estate investors that Furlani said he’d rather not name — acquired the Brooklyn Inn in 2007 and also operate The Magician on the Lower East Side and Tile Bar in the East Village. When it first opened, there was concern among neighbors that the new owners wouldn’t respect the building’s history and aesthetic integrity. But though Furlani and the new owners made some renovations — namely, expanded seating capacity — they made a deliberate effort to preserve its heritage. 

“We’re stewards of the Brooklyn Inn,” Furlani said. “This is our time with it, and we have to do as much as we can to keep it in the spirit that we inherited it in.” 

So don’t wander in on a Sunday hoping to catch the game. As part of the owners’ commitment to preserving the bar’s historic charm, the Brooklyn Inn has no TVs. It’s not a cocktail bar (though there is a cocktail menu, it’s classics only), sports bar, dive, nor gastropub. It’s an extension of the streetscape itself, a designated neighborhood third space designed for camaraderie, conversation, and brooding. Nothing more, nothing less. 

“It’s amazingly fortunate that it exists,” Furlani said. “It’s like sitting in a snow globe. It’s amazing. It’s got magic. The whole secret is not to kill the magic.” 

JJ: “Finally! A Met Offseason Move to Celebrate!”

BQE Admin on January 21, 2026

New York, New York

By John Jastremski

The winter months so far have not been kind to David Stearns and the New York Mets.

Sure, they’ve told you that a plan is in place. Yes, publicly they have remained confident about their process.

However, as of 4 days ago. The plan was not exactly one that had Mets fans jumping for joy.

So far this winter, it’s been the winter of departure. First Brandon Nimmo, but in a two day span Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso became former Mets.

No disrespect to Jorge Polanco and Luke Weaver, but not exactly the moves that have you high fiving your buddy at work walking into the office.

The Mets last week appeared poised to make a big splash. As of last Thursday, the team was hot and heavy for Cubs All Star outfielder Kyle Tucker.

Tucker was looking for a short term contract with a crazy high yearly salary.

Despite some of the fit concerns I had with the player, on a short term deal, this appeared to be in the David Stearns wheelhouse, until guess who?

Yep… The Dodgers!!!!! Swooped in and made Tucker an offer he couldn’t refuse.

After losing Alonso and Diaz and now missing out on Kyle Tucker, the Mets had to do something this offseason. After all, you just can’t sit on all that Steve Cohen loot!

Thankfully Friday, they pivoted beautifully.

Out of nowhere, the Mets signed infielder Bo Bichette to a three year contract. 

Bichette is a right handed hitting machine. He is a throwback player, puts the ball in play and has exactly the sort of attitude the 2026 Mets should be looking for.

He is a natural shortstop, so he will be moving positions, which certainly contradicts the run prevention narrative you’ve heard throughout this offseason.

However, cast that aside. 

Bichette makes the 2026 Mets a significantly better team.

He can hit behind Juan Soto. He has the right makeup to handle New York City.

Oh and the Phillies were interested! So much for that!

The Bo Bichette signing will bring about a variety of questions about how the rest of the roster will look moving closer to Opening Day.

However, there is no question that the Mets are a much better team than they were on Thursday night.

This was a move that had to be made.

You can listen to my podcast New York, New York on The Ringer Podcast Network on Spotify/Apple Podcasts every Sunday & Thursday. You can watch me nightly at 11 PM on Honda Sports Nite on SNY. 

Call it a New York Cosmos Comeback

BQE Admin on January 21, 2026

Local roots forge path for historic club’s rebirth

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The New York Cosmos remain one of the most historic clubs in American soccer history. Founded in 1970, the club has been graced by some of the world’s greatest players, bringing Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Raúl, Carlos Mendez, and many other icons to the Metro area.

While it hasn’t all been good, the Cosmos have enjoyed many memorable moments throughout their history in New York City, Long Island, and New Jersey. Now they’ll once again look to establish themselves as a premier spot for high level soccer in the Northeast, hoping to regrow the local roots that made them so popular in the past.

The Cosmos began play in the NASL, winning five titles before the league began to falter and eventually fold. The club attempted a revival with hopes to secure a Major League Soccer expansion franchise in the 2010s. 

From 2013 to 2016 the Cosmos claimed three championships, the only team to win multiple league titles. They also claimed US Open Cup victories against MLS clubs like New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls.

Unfortunately the NASL lost Division II status in 2018 and significant financial issues pushed the club to fold in the years after. The Cosmos took a hiatus during the COVID pandemic, one that became permanent.

Now under former COO Erik Stover, the club is preparing to take the pitch once again. They’ve secured a home stadium at Hinchcliffe Stadium in Patterson, NJ, and are hoping to use that as a backbone for the club’s third iteration.

“The Cosmos are American soccer, good and bad. There’s been a lot of ups and downs,” said Stover, who is now serving as the club’s CEO. “A lot of soccer in the United States hasn’t been done properly and we want to be a part of changing that.”

To not only change the club’s culture but lead others in growth requires a major focus on building local communities, and that’s a central piece of the Cosmos’ plan. They’ve already partnered with roughly 20 teams, academies, and organizations to build stronger networks and pathways to competitive play.

“The whole idea is to be as inclusive as possible to work together in a way that’s cooperative and supportive,” said Stover. “Our plan is for that network to give people opportunities that they wouldn’t have otherwise and we’re off to a good start so far.”

Among these partnerships are youth academy affiliations with clubs like New Jersey’s Morris Elite SC. Other partners are scattered around the five boroughs and Long Island, building a map for the future of the Cosmos and their network.

The club is also turning to former stars and top-level soccer minds to jumpstart the club ahead of their 2026 season. Giuseppe Rossi has joined as a Vice Chairman and head of soccer, bringing him back to Northern New Jersey where he was born and raised. The Cosmos also named Italian coach Davide Corti as the club’s 9th manager and first in the USL era.

On the field, the Cosmos are also looking to recapture previous success. Their first signing was Sebastián Guenzatti, who was with the club during their run of championships in the 2010’s.

Growing up in College Point, Queens, Guenzatti started for four years for the soccer team at Francis Lewis HS before moving to his native Uruguay to join Peñarol’s academy. He signed his first pro deal with Huracán, but soon moved back to the US where he joined the Cosmos.

Guenzatti won two championships on the field and watched teammates seal a third in 2016 as he was injured for the final matches. He was also with the club for their historic triumph over NYC in the Open Cup.

“That first title when we first got together, we only had six months together as a team and it was a big shock for the league,” recalled Guenzatti about his first year back in NY. “We had a lot of hardworking young kids with a lot of talent and bright futures.”

“Seba and the crew did great things for us around 2013. We won some championships and brought soccer back in a different way to a lot of folks in the area,” added Stover.

In essence, that’s what the Cosmos aim to do in 2026 and beyond. Soccer in the US is at its best when local teams have passionate followings and that happens when teams make a point of partnering with the local community and making them a part of the club.

Guenzatti also looked back to his days growing up in Queens and his path to competitive soccer.

“My biggest memories are playing pickup. Right in front of my house there was an abandoned hockey rink so we used to get in there and play all day and all night. My dad would come bring us water,” he said. “Now they turned it into a public soccer field in Queens, right in College Point where I had a lot of memories.”

In their new form, the Cosmos know there is plenty to achieve and strive for in the future. 

“A question we got a lot on Long Island was ‘yeah you won the league, but what’s next?’ and we didn’t really have an answer,” Stover said.

With USL on track to implement promotion and relegation in the near future, the Cosmos hope to make a push for their top division. Perhaps if the USL can get the Division 1 classification it’s been seeking, the Cosmos can finally return to top division play as they once were.

Until then, the focus remains on developing a competitive team and building a new Cosmos culture from the ground up.

“Building a culture that resonates in the community and gives long lasting opportunities to people is extremely important,” stated Stover about his first season goals. “Bringing in players who understand who we are like Seba, bringing in coaches like Davide Corti and directors like Giuseppe Rossi to build a foundation is the most important to me.”

“I’ve seen a lot of people fall through the cracks,” Guenzatti said about his experience growing up with the beautiful game. “I was lucky enough to end up on a team with unbelievable people to help me along the way and not everybody gets that chance. We should give everyone a fair chance to follow their dreams, whether that’s soccer or other things.”

100 Years of the Northside’s Puerto Rican Community

BQE Admin on January 21, 2026

Antonia Pantoja founded ASPIRA in 1961, helping to force New York City to provide bilingual education options in public schools. (Photo: NYC Schools).

GEOFFREY COBB

Author, “Greenpoint Brooklyn’s Forgotten Past

gcobb91839@Aol.com

The other night I met James Nunez, a lifelong Greenpointer of Puerto Rican heritage and we reminisced about the long history of Puerto Ricans in North Brooklyn. Though Puerto Ricans still comprise a vibrant part of our community, many have been forced out of our area, victims to gentrification. James’ grandmother ran a Puerto Rican restaurant in the area until the 1990s. When I first arrived in Greenpoint in the early 1990s, walking north of Greenpoint Avenue meant experiencing Puerto Rico’s exuberant culture. Families sat outside on the street often playing dominoes while listening to salsa music, the smell of pork or chicken being barbecued on a grill wafting through the air.

Many North Brooklyn residents are surprised to learn that Puerto Ricans have lived in our area for over a century. In 1924, Congress passed the first immigration law, severely restricting immigration by establishing national quotas based on the 1890 census, heavily favoring Northern and Western Europeans, and completely barring Asians, particularly Japanese, reflecting widespread nativism and xenophobia. This act dramatically reduced overall immigration, created the first U.S. Border Patrol, and aimed to preserve a perceived homogeneous “American” demographic makeup for decades.  In the 1920s, North Brooklyn was the beating heart of industrial New York City, then the planet’s largest industrial city. Local factories, heavily dependent on immigrant Jewish, Polish and Italian labor, facing a manpower shortage, looked to Puerto Rican whose residents were American citizens legally able to work in New York.

One of the local industries hit was the by the labor shortage was the American Hemp Rope Manufacturing Company located on a sprawling campus on West Street. Desperate for workers, the firm sent a ship to Puerto Rico and returned with 130 Puerto Rican women to make rope and shoelaces for the company Other local industries also recruited workers in Puerto Rico including Domino Sugar, which once ran the world’s largest sugar refinery in Williamsburg.

Puerto Ricans who spoke Spanish as a first language encountered many problems, including racism, discrimination and language issues because local schools for many years had no programs for immigrant children to learn English as a second language. Puerto Rican children suffered a very high dropout rate in schools.  In 1961, Puerto Rican woman Antonia Pantoja founded ASPIRA (Spanish for “aspire”), a non-profit organization that promoted educational reform to help struggling Hispanic students. In 1972, ASPIRA of New York, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit demanding that New York City provide classroom instruction for struggling Latino students and bilingual and English as a Second Language instruction was born helping Hispanic students learn English and stay in school.

By the 1950s, North Brooklyn had become home to thousands of Puerto Rican migrants. Many white residents left Brooklyn in the 1960s for the suburbs and Puerto Ricans quickly replaced them. The North end of Greenpoint became predominately Puerto Rican and the south side of Williamsburg also grew into a huge Puerto Rican quarter.

By the late 1960s, Puerto Ricans comprised about a third of the local population. Many Puerto Ricans bought houses left by locals fleeing the area for the suburbs and a generation of Puerto Rican Greenpointers came of age locally. Although some Puerto Ricans owned their own homes most were renters who were forced out by rising housing prices.

Puerto Ricans soon organized to fight gentrification. In 1972, Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics in the south side of Williamsburg helped organize Los Sures, a community organization that still exists, which fights to help working-class people secure their housing rights. Los Sures was also perhaps the first North Brooklyn organization to provide a number of vital community services including education, senior citizen services and even a food pantry. Los Sures began responding to problems that confront tenants today, including withdrawal of city services, lease violations and illegal evictions. The organization also fought property owners trying to vacate their buildings to gentrify and whiten the neighborhood. Los Sures promoted community-based control of housing, both through management and ownership. In 1975, Los Sures became Brooklyn’s first community-based organization to enter into agreements to manage City-owned properties. It also became one of the first tenant advocacy groups to undertake large-scale rehabilitation. Still fighting for local people, Los Sures is a vital force in community activism.

Though the Puerto Rican presence in North Brooklyn is far smaller than it once was, many Puerto Ricans still and work in our area. Many Puerto Rican Greenpointers run local businesses including lifelong resident Catherine Vera Milligan who runs a wonderful coffee shop at 269 Nassau Avenue. If you want to eat delicious  authentic Puerto Rican food try Guarapo restaurant on 58 North 3rd Street, Chrome at 525 Grand Street or La Isla at 293 Broadway. These places prove that Puerto Rican culture is still a vital part of the gorgeous mosaic of cultures that make up North Brooklyn. The other night I met James Nunez, a lifelong Greenpointer of Puerto Rican heritage and we reminisced about the long history of Puerto Ricans in North Brooklyn. Though Puerto Ricans still comprise a vibrant part of our community, many have been forced out of our area, victims to gentrification. James’ grandmother ran a Puerto Rican restaurant in the area until the 1990s. When I first arrived in Greenpoint in the early 1990s, walking north of Greenpoint Avenue meant experiencing Puerto Rico’s exuberant culture. Families sat outside on the street often playing dominoes while listening to salsa music, the smell of pork or chicken being barbecued on a grill wafting through the air.

Many North Brooklyn residents are surprised to learn that Puerto Ricans have lived in our area for over a century. In 1924, Congress passed the first immigration law, severely restricting immigration by establishing national quotas based on the 1890 census, heavily favoring Northern and Western Europeans, and completely barring Asians, particularly Japanese, reflecting widespread nativism and xenophobia. This act dramatically reduced overall immigration, created the first U.S. Border Patrol, and aimed to preserve a perceived homogeneous “American” demographic makeup for decades.  In the 1920s, North Brooklyn was the beating heart of industrial New York City, then the planet’s largest industrial city. Local factories, heavily dependent on immigrant Jewish, Polish and Italian labor, facing a manpower shortage, looked to Puerto Rican whose residents were American citizens legally able to work in New York.

One of the local industries hit was the by the labor shortage was the American Hemp Rope Manufacturing Company located on a sprawling campus on West Street. Desperate for workers, the firm sent a ship to Puerto Rico and returned with 130 Puerto Rican women to make rope and shoelaces for the company Other local industries also recruited workers in Puerto Rico including Domino Sugar, which once ran the world’s largest sugar refinery in Williamsburg.

Puerto Ricans who spoke Spanish as a first language encountered many problems, including racism, discrimination and language issues because local schools for many years had no programs for immigrant children to learn English as a second language. Puerto Rican children suffered a very high dropout rate in schools.  In 1961, Puerto Rican woman Antonia Pantoja founded ASPIRA (Spanish for “aspire”), a non-profit organization that promoted educational reform to help struggling Hispanic students. In 1972, ASPIRA of New York, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit demanding that New York City provide classroom instruction for struggling Latino students and bilingual and English as a Second Language instruction was born helping Hispanic students learn English and stay in school.

By the 1950s, North Brooklyn had become home to thousands of Puerto Rican migrants. Many white residents left Brooklyn in the 1960s for the suburbs and Puerto Ricans quickly replaced them. The North end of Greenpoint became predominately Puerto Rican and the south side of Williamsburg also grew into a huge Puerto Rican quarter.

By the late 1960s, Puerto Ricans comprised about a third of the local population. Many Puerto Ricans bought houses left by locals fleeing the area for the suburbs and a generation of Puerto Rican Greenpointers came of age locally. Although some Puerto Ricans owned their own homes most were renters who were forced out by rising housing prices.

Puerto Ricans soon organized to fight gentrification. In 1972, Puerto Ricans and other Hispanics in the south side of Williamsburg helped organize Los Sures, a community organization that still exists, which fights to help working-class people secure their housing rights. Los Sures was also perhaps the first North Brooklyn organization to provide a number of vital community services including education, senior citizen services and even a food pantry. Los Sures began responding to problems that confront tenants today, including withdrawal of city services, lease violations and illegal evictions. The organization also fought property owners trying to vacate their buildings to gentrify and whiten the neighborhood. Los Sures promoted community-based control of housing, both through management and ownership. In 1975, Los Sures became Brooklyn’s first community-based organization to enter into agreements to manage City-owned properties. It also became one of the first tenant advocacy groups to undertake large-scale rehabilitation. Still fighting for local people, Los Sures is a vital force in community activism.

Though the Puerto Rican presence in North Brooklyn is far smaller than it once was, many Puerto Ricans still and work in our area. Many Puerto Rican Greenpointers run local businesses including lifelong resident Catherine Vera Milligan who runs a wonderful coffee shop at 269 Nassau Avenue. If you want to eat delicious  authentic Puerto Rican food try Guarapo restaurant on 58 North 3rd Street, Chrome at 525 Grand Street or La Isla at 293 Broadway. These places prove that Puerto Rican culture is still a vital part of the gorgeous mosaic of cultures that make up North Brooklyn.

Nets Turn Kids Day into Full-On Playground

BQE Admin on January 15, 2026

Kids Day at the Barclays Center was a riveting success, full of dancing, performances, and fun! (Photos: Brooklyn Nets)

Michael Porter Jr. Leads Brooklyn Past Nuggets

By Christian Spencer

The Brooklyn Nets’ outreach to young fans centers on community engagement designed to put Brooklyn kids at the forefront of the game-day experience.

The Nets earned a 127–115 win over the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 4, the team’s first home game of the new year.

But the Kids Day matchup at Barclays Center—broadcast on the YES Network at 3 p.m.—was part of a broader effort that extended beyond the final score.

“The Nets Kids Games are one of many touchpoints—alongside digital content, community programs, and in-arena experiences—designed to help young fans feel connected to the team,” said Andrew Karson, executive vice president of marketing for Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment.

“Kids respond to what feels current and authentic, so staying culturally relevant and listening to how they engage is key to building long-term relationships.”

The first 5,000 children through the doors received Kids Day giveaways, including kid-friendly keepsakes.

The first few thousand kids through the doors got “blind box” giveaways!

Inside the concourse, families had access to select concession items—pretzels, popcorn, and soft drinks—priced at $5, lower than the usual cost at NBA games.

Compared with the New York Knicks, whose fan base is long established, the Nets continue to focus on localized engagement.

That includes school-based programming tied to science and technology education, literacy initiatives such as Read Across Brooklyn, and recurring park and neighborhood events in communities including Bedford-Stuyvesant.

“By meeting families and youth where they are and authentically reflecting Brooklyn’s many cultures, we look to cultivate meaningful connections that extend well beyond game day,” Karson said.

Kids Day programming also put young fans at the center of the entertainment. Youth performers appeared during halftime and in-game breaks, and a kid reporter joined the broadcast.

Performances featured kids dance teams and a kid reporter!

“When families experience moments together at Kids Days, Practice in the Park, or community events, those moments become part of their history with family and friends,” Karson said. “Our goal is for today’s young fans to one day return with families of their own, carrying that sense of connection and tradition forward across generations.”

Beyond the Barclays, the Nets extend their reach through programs like NETSTEM, a supplemental STEM curriculum for elementary and middle school students, and Brooklyn Basketball, a joint youth program with the New York Liberty.

Across the street, a combine was held at the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center.

“Even for kids who don’t pursue the sport long-term, the memories they create, the lessons learned and the relationships they form will endure,” Karson said.

These programs are designed to meet kids at every stage. At the Brooklyn Basketball Training Center, after-school sessions for boys and girls ages 6–17 provide both basketball training and mentorship.

Each experience focuses on building confidence, teamwork, leadership, and a sense of belonging.

“This layered approach allows kids to grow with us, develop life skills along the way, and deepen their connection to the Nets and Liberty over time,” Karson said.

The team is also heavy on its digital content and interactive experiences, bringing young fans closer to Nets experience.

“By sharing behind-the-scenes access and telling connective stories on their favorite platforms, we’re able to spark early connections that can mature into long-term fandom,” Karson said, describing the team’s outreach across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

During the Kids Day game, the Nets were also promoting Michael Porter Jr. as a candidate for the upcoming All-Star Game, with many young fans already familiar with him through TikTok and Instagram, including his presence alongside rapper girlfriend Ice Spice.

MPJ’s star power is resonating with younger audiences, and with the Nets developing their young players and building momentum under head coach Jordi Fernández, the Kids Day celebration reflected learning, enthusiasm, and creativity.

JJ: “A Giant Change in the Coaching Equation…”

BQE Admin on January 15, 2026

By John Jastremski
The coaching carousel in the NFL can sometimes take a life of its own.
Quite frankly, I feel I have been living in this world of candidates for the better part of the last few weeks.
Since the Giants parted ways with Brian Daboll back in November, this has been your life as a Giants fan.
If you follow the team, it seems every prospective candidate has been dissected.
I’m sure you’ve heard the names Jeff Hafley, Jesse Minter & Mike McCarthy a little too much for your liking.
Guess what, last Tuesday finally brought a shifting wind to whatever the Giants organization might have been thinking.
After 18 seasons, the Ravens and Head Coach John Harbaugh parted ways.
Holy moly! As Elanie Costanza famously once said, “this changes everything!”
Harbaugh is exactly the program builder the Giants desperately need.
He is a Super Bowl winning coach. He’s reinvented himself throughout his 17 years in Baltimore and has been a fixture in the month of January in the postseason.
Sure, he will not come cheap. Yes, you’ll have to spend a pretty penny on his coaching staff.
Guess what, who cares!
Giants ownership has to embarrassed with the product that has been on the field for the past decade.
They cannot find themselves in a position rolling the dice on a first time head coach.
For this job at this time, Harbaugh is the perfect fit for the franchise.
He will come in high demand and will have his pick of the vacancies.
Giants fans can only hope that he’s in a New York State of Mind.
You can listen to my podcast New York, New York every Sunday & Thursday on The Ringer Podcast Network on Spotify/Apple Podcasts. You can watch me nightly at 11 PM on Honda Sportsnite on SNY. 

Johnnies Down Bluejays

BQE Admin on January 15, 2026

Best shooting night of the year gives the Red Storm a big road win over Creighton

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

The St. John’s Red Storm picked up vital BIG EAST wins on the road last week, defeating the Butler Bulldogs in Indianapolis before taking down the Creighton Bluejays in Omaha. Coming off a brutal loss to Providence, Rick Pitino and his team are looking to reestablish themselves and catch fire for an important stretch of conference play.

The win in Nebraska was done by way of aerial assault, playmaking, and rebounding. The Red Storm knocked down 12 threes and won both the assist and rebounding battles.

Seven of the St. John’s three-pointers came off the bench, with Lefteris Liotopoulos shooting 5/8 from downtown and Dylan Darling hitting 2/4. The Red Storm finished with 52.2% shooting from deep, by far their best mark in what’s been a relatively rough season from the floor.

For Liotopoulos, the past few BIG EAST matchups have been a good opportunity to earn important minutes in the rotation. The Sophomore out of Greece recorded his second double-digit scoring performance of the year on January 6 at Butler (10 points, matching Dec. 13 vs Iona) before using his sharpshooting to set a career high with 17 against the Bluejays in Omaha.

The back-to-back conference wins are just the beginning if St. John’s wants to steady a rocking ship. The #4 UConn Huskies are going to be very difficult to catch, already 6-0 in BIG EAST play and in order to secure a tournament bid they’ll need to finish near the top of a competitive conference.

Following Tuesday’s matchup with Marquette the next two contests for the Red Storm are on the road against 2nd place Villanova on Saturday and next Tuesday at MSG against 3rd place Seton Hall, who broke into the nation’s Top 25 this week.

“After the loss [to Providence] we gathered together and said, ‘we’re not going to lose anymore,’” said Liotopoulos following the win over Creighton. “We were great in practice, aggressive with a lot of energy and that translated on the court.”

The goal is set, and now it’s time for the Red Storm to deliver. Can they start the transformation of MSG back into the fortress it was last season, and can they do it in emphatic fashion against the rival Pirates?

Taty Castellanos Heads to West Ham

BQE Admin on January 15, 2026

Former NYC striker scores in FA Cup

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

Former New York City FC star and 2021 MLS Cup and Golden Boot winner Valentin “Taty” Castellanos has landed in London, joining West Ham United on a contract running through 2030 with an option for 2031.

Castellanos was a vital part of New York City’s first ever title-winning team. He scored the last of his 19 regular season goals on the final matchday, winning the Golden Boot via assists tiebreaker.

In the postseason, Taty scored in each of NYC’s first two matches, opening the scoring in a 2-0 win over Atlanta and briefly putting them ahead in extra time against New England before an eventual win in a penalty shootout. In the MLS Cup Final in Portland, Taty scored his third playoff goal and converted in the cup-deciding penalty shootout, etching himself into club history.

The Argentine striker was loaned to Spanish side Girona FC to begin his European career in 2022 before being sold to Italian club SS Lazio the following year. In nearly 100 matches over three seasons in Rome, Taty netted 22 goals and 16 assists, a fraction of what he provided NYC in just 36 more matches played.

Now Taty heads to the British capital to help the Hammers in their quest to avoid relegation. A meager 14 points through 20 matches has West Ham four points behind safety in Nottingham Forest, but with 18 matches to play there is ample time to secure a 14th consecutive season in the Premier League.

“I hope to give my all to the fans. I’ve always defended the jersey of every team with the utmost responsibility, and I want to tell them that I’m going to give everything, to defend this jersey, and obviously, to achieve our goals day after day,” Castellanos said. “That’s the most important thing.”

Castellanos was signed and made available for his West Ham debut on Tuesday against Tottenham Hotspur. He played the full 90 minutes, recording a handful of shot attempts, though he did not find the net.

Taty’s first West Ham goal came over the weekend in FA Cup action, scoring the winner in extra time to defeat Championship side Queens Park Rangers 2-1. He headed home the winning goal from the top of the 6-yard box, finishing a great run and cross from Crysencio Summerville.

With his first West Ham goal scored, will this final stretch of the Premier League season be where the prolific goalscorer once again finds his high-scoring boots? And will it be enough to save the possibly doomed Hammers?

Maxi Moralez Re-Signs With NYC

BQE Admin on January 15, 2026

Club leader in matches played, goal contributions, returns for 10th season in City Blue

By Noah Zimmerman

noah@queensledger.com

Long time New York City FC legend Maximiliano Moralez will be returning to the club for the 2026 MLS season. The 38-year-old Argentine has been a mainstay in the midfield, holding club records for matches played, goal contributions, and both goals and assists in the postseason.

Moralez joined the club back in 2017, briefly returning to his first ever club in Argentina’s Racing Club between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Now NYC’s #10 returns for a 10th Major League Soccer campaign, following up a phenomenal veteran season where he started in every match and came up big in postseason clashes.

Maxi set up a trio of postseason scores, netting one himself and providing assists for the other two. In a heated Eastern Conference Final against Inter Miami, Maxi stood firm, even getting in the faces of Lionel Messi and Rodrigo de Paul.

That clash featured some trash talk about Racing Club, with all three players hailing from Argentina. While it was expected that Moralez would hang up his boots after his return home, he has instead aged like a fine wine in New York City.

While age always gets the final say at the professional level, the club can once again turn to the veteran leadership of Moralez, and in a pinch he is sure to deliver big moments to help push the team forward as they look to return to the Eastern Conference Final and this time make a second appearance in the MLS Cup Final.

“I’m very happy to be back with New York City FC for another season,” said Moralez after penning his new deal. “This Club is home for me, and I’m motivated to keep helping the team and working toward our objectives. We know what we’re capable of as a group, and my focus is on giving everything I have to help us compete and win trophies this season.”

Monitor Point, Explained

BQE Admin on January 14, 2026

Gotham Organization’s rendering for one of the Monitor Point Towers. Photo via the Gotham Organization.

A proposal to build towers by Bushwick Inlet has drawn pushback, and a key hearing is next week. Here’s what you need to know.

By COLE SINANIAN 

news@queensledger.com 

On Tuesday, January 20, Greenpointers will testify to Community Board 1 regarding plans from the Gotham Organization to build three residential towers just to the north of Bushwick Inlet, marking the beginning of what is sure to be one of Greenpoint’s landmark land-use battles of the year.  

The proposed development, located at 40 and 56 Quay Street on a small peninsula called Monitor Point, would also include museum and retail space and require a rezoning from medium to high-density. It has garnered serious opposition from local activists, who argue the towers are far too big for the location and betray a two-decade-old commitment on the City’s part to preserve the 56 Quay section as a public park. 

There are also environmental and gentrification concerns; the towers would sit on the banks of a rare and ecologically sensitive estuary that’s only just begun to recover from centuries of environmental exploitation. And with nearly 3,000 new residents expected to be added to the neighborhood — most of whom would be paying luxury rent — critics worry that the project will only accelerate displacement in an already gentrified community. 

Developers and City planners, meanwhile, have highlighted the importance of boosting housing stock and the public benefits the project would fund. Namely, a new Greenpoint Monitor Museum — which would explore the history of the USS Monitor, an early ironclad ship built in Greenpoint — and an extension of the East River esplanade that would connect the Greenpoint and Williamsburg waterfronts.

But a portion of the land on which the proposed towers would be built — currently owned by the Greenpoint Monitor Museum — was set aside as park land as part of the 2005 Greenpoint/Williamsburg rezoning, with the intention of eventual acquisition by the City Parks Department. For the local critics, at issue is the question of the role the public should play in deciding the fate of New York City’s treasured waterfront land, and the City’s responsibility in honoring the word of former administrations. 

“There’s this choice that’s being presented to us that’s not fair or feasible,” said Katherine Thompson, one of the directors at Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park, at a January 8 presentation at the Greenpoint Library. “That you can have either open space and protect the environment or affordable housing— it shouldn’t be this dichotomy.” 

The Plan 

The mixed-use development would include three residential buildings, pedestrian connections along the waterfront that would connect Bushwick Inlet Park to the Shore Public Walkway to the north, retail space, and a building that would house an expanded Greenpoint Monitor Museum. The residential towers would stand 640ft tall, 490ft and 260ft tall and sit about 50ft from the Bushwick Inlet shoreline. The two properties, 40 Quay Street and 56 Quay Street, currently house an MTA storage facility and the current Monitor Museum, respectively. 

The developers would need a rezoning to build towers of this scale. Currently, the area is zoned R6, which is medium density and requires developers to implement setbacks and other contextual considerations when building towers. They are seeking to upzone to R8, or “high density” residential. 

The Gotham Organization estimates construction cost of $630 million. Altogether the towers will include 1,150 residential units. 

The Opposition 

As part of the consequential 2005 Williamsburg/Greenpoint rezoning that transformed the heavily polluted, once-industrial area into residential neighborhoods, the City set aside 27.8 acres of land around Bushwick Inlet to be converted into public park space. The 56 Quay Street lot on Monitor Point was one of these properties. Another became the current Bushwick Inlet Park. Others have remained empty, the soil contaminated from years of housing petroleum and fuel storage facilities, still awaiting cleanup. 

Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park was formed in part to hold the City accountable for ensuring this land became the public space that the rezoning designated it as, said Greenpointer Steve Chesler, who sits on the organization’s board of directors. In 2015, a paper storage facility owned by CitiStorage caught fire and burned to the ground. The City considered allowing the property owner to sell it to a private developer, but Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park launched an aggressive campaign, urging the City to purchase the property and keep its commitment to making this land available to the public. 

For Chesler and Thompson, the move to build residential towers on a property once slated as park land represents a betrayal by the City, and an insult to years of activism aimed at preserving the waterfront around Bushwick Inlet for the public. 

A petition by a group called Save the Inlet has already gathered more than 5,000 signatures. At the January 8 meeting at Greenpoint Library — organized to educate Greenpointers and to help them prepare their testimonies for the hearing on the 20th — community members expressed concern about the neighborhood’s population density, the shadows the towers would cast, the traffic construction could cause, and the use of small affordable housing concessions to justify what they have described as an unsustainable and out-of-context development. 

Scot Fraser, a documentary filmmaker who sits on Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park’s Board of Directors, called out the long shadows the towers would cast over the adjacent neighborhood. He also pointed out the irony of the situation — the northernmost section of the park, known as the Motiva Parcel, is set to open in the coming months after years of cleanup and advocacy. However, should the Monitor Point Towers be built, the Motiva section’s opening will likely coincide with the noisy arrival of cement trucks and construction crews. 

“That part of the park is just about to open, the Motiva section of the park, will be immediately devoured by excavating trucks,” Fraser said.  

Some residents at the meeting called the city’s affordable housing designations out-of-touch. According to the Draft Impact Environmental study, the Gotham Organization will make 25% of the Monitor Point towers’ residential units affordable at 60% area median income (AMI), a salary that, in New York City, amounts to about $87,000 for a three-person family. 

Others, meanwhile, criticized the City for making the discussion about housing at all.

“They love the idea about us spending time talking about what percentage of affordable housing, because then they’ve already forced the false choice,” said a Greenpointer named Andy.

“We don’t want to talk about what percentage of affordable housing. We want to talk about, find another site.”

The Process 

Despite the already simmering opposition, the plan is still in the earliest advisory stages of the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure, or ULURP, which dictates the approval process for development. 

ULURP goes like this: A developer submits its plan, along with a draft environmental impact statement, to the Department of City Planning, which reviews and certifies it. Next, the local Community Board has 60 days to review the application and provide a recommendation. This recommendation is non-binding.

“It’s not technically binding conditions,” said Chesler, who also sits on Community Board 1. “But the board kind of sets the stage. The borough president, and especially our city council member, have to answer to the people.” 

The community board review stage is made up of several meetings, of which the public hearing on January 20 is a part. On February 3, the Community Board’s Land Use Review Committee will meet to deliberate, followed by a full-board vote on February 10. 

After the community board’s recommendation, the plan goes to the borough president, whose recommendation will take into account the community board’s. Still, the borough president’s recommendation, like the community board’s, is non-binding, meaning the plan could still proceed without it. 

The plans are then sent to the City Planning Commission (CPC) for a 60-day review. This decision is binding; the plan dies if the CPC rejects it. 

If the plan is approved by the CPC, it then goes to the City Council for a 50-day review. “Member deference” is customary— that is, the City councilmember whose district the plans concern has the final say. In this case, that councilmember is Lincoln Restler. 

Finally, the mayor has the option to veto the council’s approval. If he does not, then the project is approved. 

The January 20th public hearing begins at 6:00pm in the auditorium of the Polish and Slavic Center at 176 Java St. The public will get one minute to read their testimonies. It might make sense to arrive early— if the January 8 meeting was any indication, the hearing on the 20th will be quite the spectacle. 

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