News

Community Opportunity to Purchase Act Re-enters City Council

BQE Admin on May 20, 2026

Supporters say COPA could help preserve deep affordability by putting distressed housing under community ownership.

BY COLE SINANIAN

cole@queensledger.com

CITY HALL — Big, bad landlords beware: large apartment buildings with serious housing code violations could soon come under community control, thanks to a City Council bill that was resurrected Wednesday.

Boosted by a city-wide coalition of legislators, community nonprofits and grassroots tenant activists, the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA) would help nonprofits and land trusts acquire apartment buildings that meet certain criteria before for-profit real estate companies can.

The goal, supporters say, is to empower trusted local organizations to take control of distressed buildings in their communities instead of real estate speculators headquartered far away that seek to turn a profit at all costs.

Chief sponsor Sandy Nurse reintroduced the bill at Wednesday’s Stated City Council hearing, marking legislators’ second attempt to make COPA law after it passed the Council last year but was vetoed by former mayor Eric Adams on his last day in office. While Adams and a vocal group of critics have decried the bill as an attack on the free housing market, supporters have hailed it as an essential tool for improving tenants’ living conditions in buildings with severe violations and halting the march of gentrification in the city’s most vulnerable neighborhoods.

“We have buildings that are in bad condition, where there are many hazardous violations,” said Greenpoint City councilmember Lincoln Restler and COPA co-sponsor at a rally outside City Hall Wednesday afternoon.

“We are simply asking the question— can we bring in nonprofit partners? Can we bring in trusted community-based organizations, who will take over these buildings, and deliver the high quality affordable housing we deserve?”

As currently written, the law would give an approved list of nonproft entities the exclusive right to make an offer on qualifying buildings before they’re made available on the open market. The law would only apply to buildings with four or more apartments, that have an annual daily average of three or more Housing Preservation Department (HPD) violations, and which are declared distressed by the city and subject to HPD enforcement programs, among other conditions. COPA would not apply to buildings with five or fewer units in which the property owner lives.

When they intend to sell their building, an owner would notify the City and all qualified nonprofits, who would then get 20 days to submit a statement of interest. Interested nonprofits would then get an additional 70 days to submit an offer at the seller’s asking price. If no viable offer is made during this 70-day period, the property would enter the open market. However, after this initial time frame has elapsed, the first qualified nonprofit that submitted the offer would maintain the “right of first refusal,” meaning that when a seller decides to accept an offer from a for-profit entity, that nonprofit would have a 15-day period to submit an offer that matches that of the for-profit company.

Compared to the original, the new version of COPA shortens the amount of time nonprofits would have to make an offer on qualifying properties, clarifies the kinds of properties that would be subject to the law, and enshrines community land trusts into the legislation as an option for ensuring properties acquired under COPA remain deeply affordable.

Though COPA would lengthen the sale process, it would not require owners to settle for less than their property is worth.

“For 20 days, a seller would have an exclusive buyers group that they could present to, and that group will have to entertain the asking price,” said Nurse, who represents Bushwick in the Council. “We’re not under-footing, we’re not devaluing.”

Backed by 25 City councilmembers, COPA is modeled after a similar bill enacted in San Francisco in 2019 and a Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) — which gives tenant associations the first right to purchase certain properties — enacted in the 1980s in Washington DC. While in DC recent funding cuts and amendments have left the policy’s future uncertain, in the years since the passage of San Francisco’s COPA, over 400 homes have been acquired by the San Francisco Community Land Trust — according to nonprofit news organization Next City — preserving affordability for more than 1,000 residents.

Critics of New York’s COPA, however, have slammed the bill as government overreach, claiming it would further bureaucratize the real estate sale process.

They say it would “present significant operational and administrative challenges for the City agencies involved in administering this law,” as former Mayor Eric Adams wrote in his veto message last December, and lead to “significant costs to the City in assisting nonprofit organizations with renovating and possibly even procuring certain properties.”

Meanwhile, City councilmember Darlene Mealy, who represents parts of Bed-Stuy, Brownsville, Crown Heights and Ocean Hill in Brooklyn, criticized COPA as part of a “radical socialist agenda.”

According to Mealy, the original bill would have “violated private property rights through a likely unconstitutional form of government overreach that would have required property owners to go through HPD in order to sell their homes,” as read a January press statement attributed to the councilmember — who has been noted for having among the worst attendance records in the Council, missing a third of City Council meetings in 2023.

Councilmember Mealy’s office did not respond to the Queens Ledger’s requests for comment.

Still, supporters say the added bureaucracy is necessary to preserve affordability in neighborhoods on the front lines of gentrification, where speculation has caused prices to surge in recent years. In gentrifying parts of Brooklyn like Bushwick, Bed-Stuy, and East New York, practices like house-flipping — where buyers often use deceptive tactics to acquire homes and quickly resell them at enormous profit margins — have been tied to what some analysts have described as a “mass exodus” of Black and nonwhite residents.

In the East New York neighborhood of Brooklyn, meanwhile, a recent rezoning has led some residents to organize against what they fear is a coming wave of gentrification, in the hopes they can take affordable properties off the market before they can be acquired and flipped by for-profit real estate. COPA, they say, will help them do this.

Schoolteacher Boris Santos grew up in Williamsburg but now lives in East New York. He’s lived in East Brooklyn for the last 15 years, and says it’s this part of town — still relatively untouched by gentrification and its homogenizing tendencies — that feels most like the New York he grew up with.

“Williamsburg, for me, is no longer home,” Santos told the Queens Ledger in an interview. “But rather, it’s East Brooklyn, with that feeling of a Black and Brown community of Latinos, of people playing dominoes outside in the streets, of people bathing in an open hydrant during summertime.”

When he’s not teaching, Santos is president of the East New York Community Land Trust. A kind of nonprofit organization governed by a board of local residents, Community Land Trusts (CLT) acquire land to be managed collectively as a means of preserving long term affordability.

Having witnessed first-hand the gentrification of his native Williamsburg, and now rampant house-flipping in his new home of East New York, Santos described the fight for community ownership as personal. On Arlington Avenue, which runs between Jamaica Avenue to Norwood Avenue, a growing number of modern, newly renovated homes have popped amid the street’s older buildings, which Santos sees as a sign of the neighborhood’s coming upscaling.

“You can literally walk a quarter mile of a couple blocks anywhere in East New York and see a flipped home, he said.

To Santos, a bit more government oversight is a small price to pay for organizations like the ENYCLT to begin democratizing the housing market and putting power into the hands of tenants instead of corporate real estate.

“The two keys to me are fighting displacement — keeping people in their homes — and then people owning their homes and having a democratic say in them,” Santos said. “And to do it with love, right?” he continued. “COPA does that.”

Monitor Point Clears CPC, City Council Vote Set for May 27

BQE Admin on May 20, 2026

The City Planning Commission at Wednesday’s vote. Photo via NYC City Planning.

GREENPOINT — The City Planning Commission voted to approve several zoning amendments and one City Map change on the Greenpoint waterfront Wednesday, clearing a path for the approval of the controversial Monitor Point development.

If completed in the 2030s as proposed, the Monitor Point project would see the total transformation of Greenpoint’s last undeveloped waterfront — the small peninsula directly north of Bushwick Inlet Park — with the addition of 862 luxury housing units and 460 affordable housing units across three towers, the tallest of which would rise more than 600ft. Developed by the Gotham Organization and the MTA, the project — located at 40 and 56 Quay Streets — would also include retail spaces, more than 45,400 square feet of public open space, and a museum dedicated to the historic Monitor Battleship.

The CPC voted to approve five land use actions Wednesday to make way for Monitor Point, including an upzoning to allow for increased housing density, and a demapping, removing the 56 Quay Street property’s park land designation on the City Map. While set aside in the 2005 Williamsburg/Greenpoint rezoning to be acquired by NYC Parks for the eventual development of park land, the City never acquired the property, allowing Gotham to pursue the demapping to facilitate the towers’ construction.

The CPC vote marks the third stage of the project’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP), which began earlier this year and will conclude over the summer. Next is a public hearing before the City Council’s Zoning & Franchises Subcommittee, scheduled for May 27 at 11am at 250 Broadway in Downtown Brooklyn. A binding City Council vote will follow the public hearing, after which the project application will head to the mayor’s desk for final approval.

Traditionally, the City Council votes according to the will of the councilmember whose district encompasses the proposed development. In the case of Monitor Point, this is District 33’s Lincoln Restler, who has opposed the project since the beginning on the grounds that it does not provide enough affordable housing, and that the adjacent and incomplete Bushwick Inlet Park — much of which remains run-down, polluted and littered with debris — should be completed before any luxury developments are built on the site.

Opponents of the project — including councilmember Restler and local group Save the Inlet — have characterized the de-mapping as a land-grab on the behalf of developers. In multiple hearings over the winter and spring, Restler reiterated that he would only support Monitor Point if developers committed to a majority of the housing being affordable housing, and the City committed to completing Bushwick Inlet Park.

“For anything to move forward that I can support, we need to see a healthy majority of any housing that’s built to be truly affordable for our community, and we need a fully funded Bushwick in the park with a clear timeline,” Restler said at a public hearing at Greenpoint’s Polish Slavic Center in January.

Both Brooklyn Community Board 1 and Borough President Antonio Reynoso, however, have recommended the project’s approval, albeit on the condition that developers boost the percentage of affordable housing units and the city commits to fully funding and completing Bushwick Inlet Park.

While developer Gotham has stated in its plans that 40% of housing units will be affordable, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing rules approved by the CPC require just 25% affordable housing, leading critics to question whether Gotham will stick to its word. Save the Inlet will be holding a rally against the development outside City Hall at 9:30am before the May 27 hearing.

Brooklyn Pickleball Team Hosts MLP’s Biggest Stars in NYC

BQE Admin on May 20, 2026

The world’s top professional pickleball players are set to take over New York City later this summer as Major League Pickleball (MLP) heads to SPORTIME Randall’s Island from June 25 through June 28 for one of the league’s premier events of the season.

The multi-day Major League Pickleball Tournament will feature some of the sport’s biggest names — including world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters — as teams from across the country battle for playoff positioning in front of what organizers expect to be one of the largest pickleball crowds New York has ever seen.

The event will also spotlight New York’s hometown franchise, the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, as the club continues its push toward a coveted berth in the MLP Playoffs. With pickleball’s popularity exploding across New York City in recent years, organizers say the Randall’s Island stop represents a major milestone for the sport locally.

“This is a huge moment not only for the Brooklyn Pickleball Team, but for pickleball culture throughout New York City,” said Adam Behnke, COO of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team. “You’re talking about the best players in the world competing right here in our backyard while thousands of fans experience the energy of Major League Pickleball firsthand. New York has embraced pickleball in an incredible way, and this event is going to show just how passionate this community has become.”

The current Brooklyn Pickleball Team roster includes Rachel Rohrabacher, former D-I tennis star at the University of South Carolina, MLP Champion, and top-five ranked pickleballer; Christian Alshon, multi-MLP Champion and top three-ranked player; Riley Newman, top-ten ranked in pickleball and MLP Champion; Jackie Kawamoto, former D-I tennis standout at the University of Dayton and key player from the 2023 Championship roster; Chris Haworth, top-ranked singles player hailing from OKC; and Hannah Blatt, former pro Canadian squash player and rising pickleball talent.

Beyond the hometown storyline, the event will bring together many of the sport’s most accomplished competitors. Headlining the field is world No. 1 Anna Leigh Waters, widely regarded as the face of professional pickleball and one of the most dominant players in the game. For fans, the event offers a rare opportunity to watch the sport’s biggest stars compete in person on one of pickleball’s largest stages.

Hosted at SPORTIME Randall’s Island, the event will feature four days of professional competition, fan experiences, and amateur opportunities. Alongside the pro matches, organizers will also host a Dink Minor League Pickleball Tournament from June 26-28, giving amateur players a chance to compete in a team-format tournament with significant stakes attached. Winners of the event will earn an automatic bid to Minor League Nationals.

“We want this event to feel accessible to everyone — whether you’re a diehard fan, someone curious about the sport, or a local player who wants to test themselves competitively,” Behnke added. “Having the amateur tournament alongside the pro event creates an environment where the next generation of players can be inspired directly by the best athletes in the game.”

Fans attending the event can also expect a lively Vendor Village experience featuring activations, samples, and sponsor booths from brands connected to both MLP and the Brooklyn Pickleball Team. Vendors currently scheduled to participate include Once Upon a Coconut, Centerline Athletics, Saint James Iced Tea, Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt, Brooklyn Cider House, Dirty Water Seltzer, KA-EX, Papatui, Luzz, along with local brews, bites, and additional partners expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

The Brooklyn Pickleball Team has also partnered with organizers to offer discounted ticket pricing for fans hoping to attend the event. Through May 31, supporters can use promo code “MLP20BKPT” to receive 20% off single-day tickets. After May 31, fans can still receive 15% off using code “MLP15BKPT.”

The New York stop is expected to draw many of pickleball’s most recognizable stars, continuing the sport’s rapid rise nationwide as professional leagues attract larger audiences, sponsorships, and television coverage. For New Yorkers, however, the event also serves as a celebration of the city’s fast-growing pickleball community — one that continues to expand from neighborhood parks and school gyms to professional arenas.

Fans interested in tickets, amateur tournament registration, or additional event details can visit the official MLP New York event page below:

MLP New York Event Tickets & Information

The Brooklyn Pickleball Team has also partnered with 42 Hotel in Williamsburg to give fans an opportunity to experience both world-class pickleball and one of Brooklyn’s premier boutique hotel destinations. Through the collaboration, fans can visit the Instagram accounts of the Brooklyn Pickleball Team and 42 Hotel for a chance to enter a special giveaway featuring two complimentary tickets to the Major League Pickleball New York event at Randall’s Island, along with a free overnight stay at 42 Hotel. Organizers say the promotion is designed to celebrate the growing popularity of pickleball while showcasing some of the best hospitality and entertainment experiences Brooklyn has to offer.

Runner’s Delight: RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon Draws Record 30,000 Participants

BQE Admin on May 19, 2026

The RBC Brooklyn Half was held on May 16. (Photo: Corey Sipkin for NYRR)

By Nicholas Gordon | news@queensledger.com

On a pristine spring morning, more than 30,000 athletes ran through the sunny streets of Brooklyn for the annual RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon, organized by the nonprofit New York Road Runners (NYRR). The race, held on Saturday, May 16, started in Prospect Park and ended on the festive, packed Coney Island boardwalk.

Billed by NYRR as the borough’s premier half marathon since 1981, this year’s race was the largest half marathon in NYRR history, and the biggest in the country.

The event has become a favorite fixture on the busy race calendar for many passionate NYRR members.

New Yorker Natasha Bucks, an NYRR member since 2022, said she relished running the RBC Brooklyn Half for her third time.

“It was unforgettable from start to finish,” Bucks said. “The energy on the course was electric — joyful, inspiring, and unlike anything else. I had a smile on my face the entire race, and before I even crossed the finish line, I already knew I’d be back again next year.”

New York City resident and NYRR member Natasha Bucks with her RBC Brooklyn Half finisher’s medal. (Photo: Natasha Bucks)

Bucks, who said she values NYRR’s “uniquely inclusive and motivating spirit,” races a variety of distances throughout the year, including the New York City Marathon.

Brooklyn resident Clifford Tsao, 65, who has been running the RBC Brooklyn Half since 2009, said he loves the local flavor of the race, which passes right by his home.

“I love this race because it’s in my home borough and it kicks off the beginning of training season,” Tsao said. “They close the roads for you to run through and the Coney Island finish is exciting.”

With 30 marathons under his belt, including races in Berlin, Japan, Niagara Falls, and his native China, Tsao now shares his love for running as an NYRR volunteer leader for the program’s open runs, which bring together runners in various locations around the city.

“I like helping people discover the joy of running,” said Tsao, who also handles bookkeeping, scheduling, and equipment set up for the open runs. “The sport lifts you up.”

For many runners, the joy of the sport is hard-won through constant training and gritty perseverance. Physical setbacks along the way are not uncommon, Tsao noted, describing several injuries he’s overcome in his racing career.

Brooklynite Clifford Tsao running the Brooklyn Half. (Photo courtesy of Clifford Tsao)

Dr. Matt Friedman, NYRR’s medical director who oversees 15 races a year, described the incredible dedication and resilience he sees from runners who have overcome major surgeries and more.

“People have a real drive to be out there and we encourage that drive, but it’s important to be smart in your approach,” Friedman said. “You should race as you train, and not exceed your training.”

Friedman also advised staying hydrated to avoid cramping, moderating pace, and checking in with your body every mile or two, especially as the hotter months set in.

Indeed, this year’s record-setting RBC Brooklyn Half came on one of the warmest days of the year. Thousands of runners of all ages and backgrounds pushed through the heat, chasing that fabled runner’s high, and something grounding too.

“Running is one of the most honest things you can do,” Tsao said. “You put one foot in front of the other. You do your best to go from one place to another.”

(Photo: NYRR)

SCHWARTZ: A Senseless Chain of Correspondences, Or a Really Good Prank?

BQE Admin on May 18, 2026

“Are you still in NYC and still stilt walking?” read the mysterious email. (Photo courtesy of Tropical Fete Inc.)

By Lana Schwartz | lana.schwartz925@gmail.com

In the year 2019, an email appeared in my inbox. The subject line was “Stilt walking?” It was from a woman named Pam, who worked for what appeared to be some sort of entertainment production company.

“Are you still in NYC and still stilt walking? You are in my database and I am looking for a stiltwalker for March 17th.”

I was still in New York City, but it was difficult to identify beyond that why this email had been sent to me. The question that I was still stilt walking implied that I was, at some point, stilt walking in the first place. That I was in some sort of database implied that I was proficient enough at stilt walking to do it professionally. I had never stilt walked. Not even once.

“Please let me know!” Pam ended her email, signaling her urgency for my stilt-walking services.

I was puzzled, but wrote it off as spam. Then, more emails arrived.

“Stilt walker avail?” the email would start, asking me my rates and availability, and if I might want a travel fee for the trouble of getting to Colonia, New Jersey. The prospect of stilt walking began to seem tempting. It was more lucrative than I would have thought.

Ultimately I never responded to the emails, or learned to stilt walk. I chalked it up to a prank. How else could I wind up in a stilt walking database?

I think this is the trademark of a really good prank. I can’t trace it back to anyone. It didn’t mess with my life in a material way, but it caused me to question my sense of reality.

Recently, I believe I fell victim to another one.

I needed a new loaf pan. I had left mine at a friend’s house during a party and it was time to replace it. I ordered a loaf pan from the company OXO. I looked forward to baking banana bread.

The box arrived. It looked like a normal box, with nothing amiss. But when I opened the box, nothing was in there. That’s when I noticed that there had been a clean slice made to the side of the box. Someone had extracted my $20 loaf pan and left me with the only seemingly intact box.

I wrote to OXO and explained my predicament; my package had been stolen. They offered to send me another one if — and only if — I would pick it up from a designated FedEx pickup location. I agreed to these terms.

About a week later, I was notified my loaf pan had arrived. Great, I thought, and went to pick it up. A Walgreens employee led me to the secure locker where they keep the packages. As soon as I saw the package, I knew. Again, there had been a neat incision made to the top of the box, leaving it with only the illusion of being sealed.

“The package is empty,” I told the Walgreens employee.

“You still have to sign for it,” he said.

So I signed for the empty box. I explained the situation to the Walgreens employee, who empathized. The store’s customers who overheard my plight did as well. Someone in line recommended a store in Fort Greene for buying kitchen supplies. That wasn’t really the point anymore.

A $20 OXO loaf pan had been stolen from me twice, presumably by the same person, using the same set of tricks. Why me? And why these loaf pans?

I went home and I wrote to OXO, explaining the situation. I asked for my money back. They said no.

“We’re so sorry to hear about the issue you’ve experienced. Unfortunately, we would only be able to reship this order as the original order was delivered but not received. We are unable to issue refunds on missing packages. We do apologize for any inconvenience.”

I said, sure, why not, send me another loaf pan, unconvinced one would ever materialize. Sharing my plight with my friends and family, my college roommate generously offered to send me a pair of loaf pans.

About another week later I received notice that, once again, my package had been delivered. I went to Walgreens, expecting to find another empty box. The Walgreens employee led me to the locker again. He opened the locker. He handed me the package. And this time, I could tell, there was a loaf pan inside.

I now own three loaf pans.

Sometimes, when I have a hard time making sense of the world, I turn to a quote from The White Album, Joan Didion’s famous book of essays.

“I believe this to be an authentically senseless chain of correspondences, but in the jingle-jangle morning of that summer it made as much sense as anything else did.”

To be clear, Didion is writing about events surrounding the Manson murders and her proximity to those involved. Still, it resonates with me all the same.

My loaf pans getting stolen in this strange, nonsensical way makes about as much sense as anything else does. And that’s why I’m choosing to believe, like the stilt walking emails, it’s another really good prank.

Lana Schwartz is a writer who was born and raised in Queens and today lives in Brooklyn. Her writing has appeared on The New Yorker, The Onion, McSweeney’s, and more. She is the author of the books “Build Your Own Romantic Comedy” and “Set Piece.”

COBB: The Tragi-Heroic Life of Charles A. Levine

BQE Admin on May 18, 2026

Aviation anti-hero Charles A. Levine. Photo via Wikimedia.

After making his millions in a Greenpoint scrap yard, the legendary aviator sought fame in the skies.

GEOFFREY COBB | gcobb91839@Aol.com

Author, “Greenpoint Brooklyn’s Forgotten Past

In 1991, Charles Levine was a disheveled ninety-four-year-old bum, living in one room in a seedy Bowery flop house. Seeing him, few would have imagined that this man had not only once been a millionaire, but that he had even been an international hero.

His tragic life story only proves that wealth and fame are often fleeting. Today Levine’s name is forgotten, but he was once a massive celebrity. Born in 1897 in North Adams, Massachusetts, he moved as a child to Williamsburg, where as a teenager he did the books for his father’s business. At the end of World War, not yet thirty years old, Levine made a fortune by extracting the scrap metal contained in the dangerous military stockpiled in Greenpoint. Levine managed to develop a method to cut the valuable brass casings safely from the shell, making him fabulously wealthy and allowing him to enter aviation in the days before the first trans-Atlantic flight.

He bought an airplane capable of crossing the ocean and dreamed of gaining the glory that would come to Charles Lindberg, the pilot of the first Transatlantic flight in 1927. Had Levine’s luck been better he might have beaten Lindberg. He was preparing to fly across the Atlantic at the same time that Lindberg made his famous flight in “The Spirit of St. Louis,” but a lawsuit prevented him from using his plane.

Two weeks later, he was ready to risk his life by flying over the ocean. Light was just breaking in the sky as the plane, flown by Charles Chamberlain with Levine as passenger, lifted off the runway straight into the rising sun at Roosevelt Field, Long Island. Slowly pulling its heavy weight, the plane ascended. Levine’s wife screeched in horror. She had come there to watch the historic event with her husband. Levine told he was just going to taxi around the field, to let him get a feel for the aircraft, but to her sheer terror they took off, and she shrieked in horror thinking she would shortly become a widow. She angrily cried aloud that if she had known that her husband intended to fly with Chamberlin, she would have burned the plane first.

The Columbia, though, was a better-designed and more powerful aircraft than Lindberg’s, but an injunction kept the Columbia grounded and Levine out of history. The Sheriff’s attachment had been lifted just hours before Lindberg took off in the iffy weather, too late for the Columbia to beat Lindberg. The following day, Levine announced that his plane would not just surpass Lindberg’s record but would do so with him as the first-ever transatlantic passenger.

Levine’s plane pulled skyward heading east. Reaching the coast of England, the Columbia crossed the English Channel. Levine was intent on making it to Germany and winning the $15,000 prize for the first New York to Berlin flight, but he argued with Chamberlin demanding a change in course that wasted precious fuel. They landed 115 miles short of Berlin out of gas. They were greeted by an exuberant crowd of Germans.

A refill of petrol allowed them to fly again only to learn the engine got the wrong fuel and they crashed landed. The next day, though, they arrived in Berlin with an estimated 100,000 people awaited cheering them wildly. Levine and Chamberlain became heroes, hailed by the world media, royalty, high society and women, who threw themselves at Levine. The President of Germany, Paul Von Hindenburg, personally welcomed them. The American Ambassador to Germany met the fliers and presented a congratulatory cable from the President Calvin Coolidge. In the ensuing weeks, Levine was granted a private audience by the Pope, the first private audience ever granted to an American in the throne room. Levine wasspeechless as the Pope blessed him. Levine met and amicably discussed flying with Italian leader Benito Mussolini. Jewish breasts at home swelled with pride as a Yiddish song written in his honor proclaimed, “Hurrah far unzer held Levine.”

Sadly, his story turned tragic. He became a womanizer and left his wife and family for another woman who stripped him of much of his wealth. He lost a fortune in the depression and ended up doing time for counterfeiting.

42 Hotel Nears Four-Year Milestone, Continues to Elevate South Williamsburg Community

BQE Admin on May 15, 2026

As Summer approaches, 42 Hotel in South Williamsburg is preparing to celebrate its four-year anniversary—a milestone that reflects both the brand’s growth as a luxury hospitality destination and its ongoing impact on the surrounding community.

From the outset, the Patel family set out to create more than just a hotel. Their vision was to develop a full-service, experience-driven property that would seamlessly blend into the neighborhood while raising the bar for hospitality in the area.

“When we chose South Williamsburg, we saw an opportunity,” said partner Nik Patel. “It’s a neighborhood with incredible character and energy, but not a lot of luxury hospitality yet. We wanted to introduce something elevated here—something that adds to the community and gives both locals and visitors an experience they didn’t previously have in this part of Brooklyn.”

That philosophy has shaped every aspect of the hotel, from its design to its day-to-day operations. Developed in collaboration with a team of architects and interior designers, 42 Hotel was thoughtfully crafted to deliver a modern luxury experience while still feeling grounded in Williamsburg’s character. Clean architectural lines, high-end finishes, and a layered, contemporary aesthetic define the space, creating an environment that feels both upscale and approachable.

Guest rooms further reinforce that positioning, offering sleek furnishings, premium bedding, spa-inspired bathrooms, and integrated modern technology. Large windows bring in natural light and views of the neighborhood, while curated details throughout the rooms elevate the overall guest experience. Thoughtful luxury touches—like plush robes and slippers available in every room—add to the sense of comfort and indulgence that defines the stay.

“We wanted every detail—from the rooms to the overall experience—to feel intentional,” Patel added. “When guests walk in, they should immediately feel the level of care and quality that went into building 42 Hotel.”

Beyond its physical presence, the hotel has also played a meaningful role in supporting the local economy. By creating dozens of jobs across hospitality, food and beverage, and operations, 42 Hotel has provided employment opportunities for many South Williamsburg residents.

“Our team is a reflection of the neighborhood,” said partner and brother, Harsh Patel. “We’ve built something that not only serves visitors, but also creates real opportunities for people who live right here in the community.”

That connection extends beyond employment. Over the past four years, the hotel has consistently opened its doors to host events for local nonprofits, community groups, and organizations—serving as a venue for fundraisers, networking events, and cultural gatherings.

“Being part of this community means showing up for it,” said Milan Patel, a partner and family member involved in the business. “We’re proud to support organizations doing important work, and we’re always looking for ways to use our space to give back.”

The team has also stepped up for neighbors in more direct and meaningful ways during times of need. When nearby residents experienced temporary disruptions—such as losing access to water—the hotel opened its doors and allowed them to use its shower facilities. The property regularly offers discounted room rates for neighbors hosting out-of-town guests, helping keep their visitors close and comfortable. Additionally, 42 Hotel has made its meeting spaces available free of charge to the local community board, reinforcing its role as a true neighborhood partner.

In addition to its community focus, 42 Hotel has positioned itself as a destination for travelers seeking both luxury and value. Through direct booking incentives, the hotel offers packages like the “Stay Longer, Save More” promotion—where guests who book three nights receive 20% off—and its “Midweek Moments” deal, offering 15% off stays from Sunday through Thursday. Guests who book directly also receive a complimentary bottle of wine in their room, adding an extra layer of hospitality that enhances the overall experience. Book direct and take advantage of these exclusive special offers on 42hotel.com.

Over the years, the hotel has also attracted a range of notable guests, further solidifying its reputation as a go-to destination in Brooklyn. Among those who have stayed at the property are actress Mychal-Bella, as well as models Blaise Ffrench and Alison Bowles—reflecting the hotel’s growing appeal among creatives and tastemakers.

Looking ahead, the Patel family is planning to expand the brand, with Fort Lauderdale identified as its next target market within the coming years.

“Our goal is to replicate what we’ve built here—an elevated but personal experience,” said Nik Patel. “But South Williamsburg will always be where it all started.”

While the hotel itself anchors the experience, its in-house restaurant, Blackbird, adds another dynamic layer to the property—bringing both guests and locals together in a space designed for dining, socializing, and entertainment.

Blackbird’s ambiance is defined by its beautiful lighting fixtures, curated art, and a striking wine cellar that adds depth and character to the room. Flatscreen TVs throughout the space make it a versatile destination, equally suited for a night out, a casual dinner, or watching a big game.

The menu delivers bold, comforting flavors that resonate with a wide audience, featuring standout items like slow-braised oxtail, indulgent mac & cheese, and Thai chili wings that have quickly become a favorite among regulars.

Together, 42 Hotel and Blackbird have helped create a destination that feels both elevated and accessible—offering South Williamsburg a space that blends luxury hospitality with genuine community connection. As the hotel approaches its fourth anniversary, its continued commitment to quality, experience, and neighborhood engagement positions it for even greater growth in the years ahead.

How Muheed Ali Turned Homemade Cookies Into Brooklyn’s Viral Dessert Spot

BQE Admin on May 14, 2026

In a borough known for bold flavors and late-night food culture, Pookie Bakery is quickly becoming one of Brooklyn’s sweetest success stories. Tucked inside a longtime neighborhood café on Coney Island Avenue, the cookie shop has built a loyal following with oversized gourmet cookies, molten cookie tins, and a family-centered story rooted in community.

The bakery was founded by Muheed Ali, a Brooklyn entrepreneur who grew up watching his family operate Gyro Cafe for nearly two decades. Ali first started baking cookies at home for friends and relatives before his brother encouraged him to offer them at the Gyro Café. Customers immediately responded, returning for more and spreading the word throughout the neighborhood.

What began as a side project soon transformed into its own brand. Today, Pookie Bakery has become known for its signature “Big Body Cookies” — thick, six-ounce creations baked with rich butter, premium chocolate, crisp edges, and soft gooey centers.

Among the bakery’s standout flavors are the classic Chocolate Chip Cookie, loaded with Belgian chocolate and baked until perfectly soft in the center. Other customer favorites include the Nutella Stuffed Cookie, Oreo Cookie, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookie, White Chocolate Lava Cookie, and the increasingly popular Dubai Chocolate Lava Cookie.

But the true star of the menu may be Pookie’s Signature Cookie Tin Collection. Served warm in its own baking tin and paired with scoops of ice cream, the dessert has become a social media-worthy indulgence designed for sharing. The cookie tin features caramelized edges with a molten center that slowly melts together with the ice cream for an over-the-top dessert experience.

Beyond its famous cookies and cookie tins, Pookie has also become a destination for its house-made soft serve ice cream, which is crafted in-house to match the bakery’s commitment to quality and freshness. The soft serve program keeps customers coming back by rotating flavors every month, giving regular visitors something new to look forward to with each visit. For May, Pookie is serving classic Vanilla alongside a rich and nutty Pistachio flavor, both designed to pair perfectly with the bakery’s warm cookies and signature dessert tins.

One of the biggest reasons behind Pookie Bakery’s growing popularity is Muheed Ali’s commitment to using real, high-quality ingredients in every batch. From rich European-style butter and premium Belgian chocolate to fresh dairy and carefully selected mix-ins, Ali believes customers can immediately taste the difference. Rather than cutting corners with artificial flavors or mass-produced shortcuts, Pookie focuses on creating cookies that feel homemade, indulgent, and authentic. Even the bakery’s ice cream is made in-house, giving customers a fully handcrafted dessert experience from start to finish. The bakery’s attention to detail — from the perfectly crisp edges to the soft, gooey centers — has helped establish Pookie as a standout dessert destination in Brooklyn’s competitive food scene.

For Ali, the bakery’s rapid rise has always been about more than just selling desserts. “Pookie started with family, experimentation, and a love for bringing people together over dessert,” said Ali. “Seeing customers come back for our cookies and cookie tins every week has been incredible. We wanted to create something comforting, memorable, and uniquely Brooklyn.”

The bakery’s branding leans heavily into comfort, nostalgia, and community — values that resonate strongly with customers throughout Brooklyn and beyond. From birthday celebrations and office catering to late-night cravings after dinner, Pookie has positioned itself as a modern dessert brand rooted in family tradition.

Local food influencer John Sanchez says the bakery has quickly become one of the borough’s standout dessert destinations. “Pookie’s cookies are next-level,” Sanchez said. “The texture, the flavor combinations, and especially the warm cookie tins make it one of the best dessert spots in Brooklyn right now. Every bite tastes homemade, indulgent, and completely worth the hype.”

The bakery also reflects the evolution of Brooklyn’s food scene, where small family-run businesses continue finding innovative ways to reinvent themselves while staying connected to their roots. Operating out of Gyro Cafe, Pookie merges the warmth of a neighborhood institution with the energy of a trendy dessert startup.

As word spreads across New York City, customers continue lining up for the bakery’s warm cookies and signature tins. For Muheed Ali, the success of Pookie is proof that sometimes the best business ideas start at home — one cookie at a time.

Pookie Bakery is located at 580 Coney Island Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, where customers can stop by daily for fresh cookies, signature cookie tins, soft serve, and milkshakes. The bakery can be reached at (718) 438-0860 for orders and catering inquiries. Fans can also follow along on social media for new flavor drops, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes content on Instagram at @pookiebakerynyc

COBB: Greenpoint’s Bomb-Throwing Irish Revolutionaries

BQE Admin on May 13, 2026

An 1885 cartoon depicting an assassination attempt against Jeremiah “O’Donovan” Rossa. Photo via Wikimedia.

GEOFFREY COBB | gcobb91839@Aol.com

Author, “Greenpoint Brooklyn’s Forgotten Past

A friend considering opening an Irish bar in Greenpoint asked me for help naming it.

I suggested, “The Dynamiters Inn,” which relates to a sensational, but long forgotten, local story from the 1880s involving Irish patriots called Fenians, who were ready to use violence to free Ireland from British rule. A group of locals formed a terrorist cell with the intention of attacking many of the landmarks of the British capital of London in 1883.

A frequent speaker in Greenpoint was the exiled Irish revolutionary O’Donovan Rossa, who published a newspaper called The United Irishman. Rossa, who had seen people starving with his own eyes during the famine, became a revolutionary, was arrested, tried for treason and sentenced to life before he was allowed to seek permanent exile in New York. Burning with hatred of the British government, Rossa encouraged Greenpoint’s many Irish exiles to use terror in their struggle to free their homeland. In 1866, Alfred Nobel invented dynamite and the invention appealed to Rossa and other Irish revolutionaries as a means to strike back at the British. Teams of dynamiters, Rossa argued, could strike Britain, and bring the war home. Cheap and easily made, dynamite bombs held the potential to arm thousands of Fenians, thus removing past dependency on foreign powers for the provision of weapons.

The Fenians set up a dynamite school in Greenpoint, a development that was closely observed by British spies working in New York and reporting back to London. The dynamite school was almost entirely financed by subscriptions collected by Rossa’s United Irishman paper. By the end of 1882, it amounted to the considerable sum of $3,401 and 67 cents.

A group of local Fenians learned how to make, transport and detonate dynamite. The Fenians decided to begin a bombing campaign of Britain, choosing Doctor Thomas Gallagher of 420 Manhattan Avenue to mastermind the attacks. Gallagher, born in Glasgow, Scotland to Irish parents, yearned for vengeance against the British government. On the death of his father, his family migrated to the United States. Settling in Greenpoint in 1868, he had started as an ironworker but went on to complete medical school and had developed a thriving Greenpoint practice.

Thomas Clarke, another local Fenian, was the son of a British Army sergeant from Dungannon, Co. Tyrone in Ireland before he emigrated to America. He lived on Russell Street and met Gallagher, who convinced him to become part of the dynamite team. Gallagher also persuaded two other Irish Americans to join the plot.

Unfortunately for the dynamiters, a fifth member of the cell, William Lynch, turned out to be a British double agent, who was informing the authorities in London of the group’s activities. Gallagher and his team sailed for London, where they had arranged to begin their campaign of bombings. Joined by Gallagher’s brother Bernard, they set about establishing a bomb-manufacturing factory in Birmingham, disguised as a paint and decoration shop. Nitroglycerine was manufactured in the Birmingham shop and transported to London by means of rubber bags and fish stockings enclosed in large boxes. Attacks against was major iconic buildings of the

British Empire were set for some time in late April 1883, but the British, thanks to Lynch, followed their every movement. The Gallagher team was arrested in April 1883 as a result of an intense surveillance operation in Birmingham, involving entering the premises at night to survey the materials. They were indicted for “feloniously and unlawfully composing, imagining, and devising and intending to depose the Queen from the Imperial Crown of Great Britain and Ireland” and for “intending to levy war upon the Queen.” Lynch testified against the conspirators who were all found guilty except for Bernard Gallagher. The dynamiters were sent to Chatham and Portland prisons, where they were treated as ‘special men.’ This title, reserved specifically for the dynamiters, was terrifying given that it meant they had to endure a system of persistent harassment morning, noon and night, including a ‘no sleep’ torture and other tortures. This system was specially designed to destroy them mentally or physically – to kill or drive them insane.

Dr. Gallagher collapsed under the mental strain. He was released thirteen years later, completely broken mentally and physically. Locals who had turned out en masse to greet Gallagher upon his return to New York City were horrified by the doctor’s physical and metal deterioration. Clarke survived the torture, returned to Greenpoint and in 1916 returned to Ireland where he took part in the Easter Rising that eventually led to Irish independence. Clarke was shot by the British for his role in the rising and today is considered a national hero in the Republic of Ireland.

SCHWARTZ: From “Everybody Wants This” to “Nobody Wants This”

BQE Admin on May 11, 2026

A lot has changed in the intervening time between “The Devil Wears Prada” and its recently-released sequel. (Photo: 20th Century Fox)

By Lana Schwartz | lana.schwartz925@gmail.com

At the climax of the film The Devil Wears Prada, Andy (Anne Hathaway) is stuck in a car with her boss, the titular devil in prada, Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep).

She questions every decision she’s made over the last 90 minutes of the film’s run time. She alienated her friends and family members to find success at Runway (the fake magazine that’s a stand-in for the real Vogue). And it seems like if she wants continued professional success, there will be a lot more of that in her future.

“What if I don’t want to live the way you live?” Andy asks Miranda.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Andrea,” Miranda says, scoffing. “Everybody wants this.”

The year was 2006. And back then, there were scores of people who did want this—this being not just success, but success at the exact place where wealth and culture intertwine. To be a writer at an editor at a major magazine, to make actual money doing it, and to be at the kinds of parties they write oral histories about 30 years later. And in 2006, there was still a world of difference between Runway and The Village Voice stand-in where Andy goes to work at the end of the movie (apologies for spoiling a 20-year old movie with a sequel now in theaters).

Twenty years later, however, well, it’s a different story. Did you expect that the sequel to The Devil Wears Prada, a frothy and fizzy movie about sacrificing your morals for success, would be about the death of Conde Nast, the most influential media conglomerate of the last century? Well, I did a little bit, because I read Empire of the Elite by Michael Grynbaum. But watching it in a theater on Saturday night, I was still somewhat taken aback.

2026 in The Devil Wears Prada world is as bleak as it is in our world. Budgets have been slashed. Award-winning journalists are laid off in droves. Clicks and content are king. The magic is all but gone.

Where the idea of working at Runway was a joke to Andy in 2006, in 2026 she barely hesitates to take a job at her former place of traumatization—because it is the only place where a shred of a job still exists. There is no “selling out” to be done. “Selling out” doesn’t exist anymore, their world (and ours) would have you believe.

Though I would argue that selling out does still exist. It looks different now, but I would argue putting your faith in a billionaire is a form of selling out, no matter how good their intentions seem or what their gender is. The only thing that can stop a bad guy with a billion dollars? A woman with a billion dollars. For those of you who have seen the movie, you may be asking, Well, what choice did they have? But if there is a message or takeaway from the first Devil Wears Prada film it’s that we always have choices. Be it the real Jeff Bezos or the fictional Benji Barnes, no one is endeared to these tasteless one percent tech bros, so why do we keep climbing further into bed with them? Are we doomed to keep settling for less for us and more for them?

If there is comfort in anything, I aim to find it in this: For years we’ve been told that similar to media, movies are dead. No one wants to leave their house to see a movie in theaters anymore. Streaming is the future. Yet The Devil Wears Prada 2 defied expectations to make $77 million in North America opening weekend. There will always be an appetite for storytelling and art—and it’s up to us to find a way to keep billionaires out of it.

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