Many of you have written in over the past few months with concerns about the safety (and future safety) of Fourth Avenue. Here is your chance to tell the community what you think needs to happen with one of Sunset Park´s busiest streets:

CB7 announcement below:

COMMUNITY BOARD #7 
 

PUBLIC SPEAKOUT 

ON COMMUNITY ISSUES CONCERNING

4^TH AVENUE 

TUESDAY, JUNE 1, 2010 

CB7 OFFICE – 4201 4^TH AVENUE

(ENTRANCE ON 43^RD STREET)

6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

One man was found dead and 8 firefighters injured in an early morning blaze in Sunset Park, the Daily News reported. The fire began around 1:22am, and ran through the third floor of the row-house at 322 56th Street. Firefighters found a body of a man in his 30s, according to the Brooklyn Ink. His name has not yet been released.

Neighbors told the Daily News the abandoned row-house had people coming and going at all hours, and may have been home to squatters for at least two years. It has been in disrepair since at least 2003, according to records from the Department of Buildings.

Here are the latest CompStat numbers from the 72nd precinct (click to enlarge). They do not include what sadly appears to be the first murder of the year, which took place early on the morning of March 10. I hope to have more on that soon.

Below is a comment from reader and longtime Sunset Park resident Tony Giordano left on the last Crime Stats post. I thought, for those who missed it, it might provide food for thought. What’s your take on crime in the neighborhood?

March 13, 2010 at 1:12 pm: We’re coming up against an “invisible” enemy. Rudy Giuliani took credit for the dramatic drop in crime. Yet NYC crime was dropping under Dinkins before Rudy took office. In fact, crime was dropping across the nation. Experts agreed – they didn’t know what caused the drop. The traditional cause and effect items – the number of young people, the economy, didn’t correspond. In the end, no one knew why crime dropped, but everyone was willing to take credit.

The good news was, that the drop in crime allowed NYPD to reorganize their attack on crime – it gave them “breathing” space – for the first time, they were able to get ahead of the problem. The institution of ComStat was huge in maintaining the low levels. And it was for a very simple reason – supervisors were being held responsible. NYPD was notoriously corrupt for generations, now ComStat held bosses (precinct commanders) responsible for the crime in their precinct.

But we are losing ground and have been for a few years. But good juggling of statistics and creative manipulation of how to “label” crimes has kept the numbers good. But push will come to shove now. NYPD has to redeploy its cops. There are too many jobs they do that don’t require police or are more for show than for true effect. A simple example – the cops who sit in their patrol car on the Brooklyn Bridge 24 hours a day. Or the NYPD patrol boat that sits in the East River looking at the Brooklyn Bridge. Also, too many cops are used for traffic duty – waving at cars. And too many for parade duty or giving summoneses. Also, NYPD has to keep their cops longer. No more 10 to 20 years and gone. Keep cops to 55 or longer and put them on the desk duty jobs or low profile ticketing or traffic duty. And have cops contribute to their pensions.

This can go on and on. Do I feel safer? Right now yes, but i am old enough to remember Sunset Park being very dangerous because our police were not doing their job.

If you are among those who missed Borough President Marty Markowitz’s speech on how Brooklyn fares these days, McBrooklyn has a nice round-up.

Markowitz was typically understated in his speech, judging from the transcript. He gave props to local entrepreneurs who got creative during this economic downturn, such as Ditmas Park writer Faye Penn, who started Brokelyn.com and Phllip Peng, owner of Get Well Pharmacy (5218 8th Ave) in Sunset Park.

“Watch out CVS!” Markowitz warned, before adding “Kung hei fat choi!”

The February 3 address included plans to re-develop an historic theater and pledged $2 million to revitalize two Brooklyn armories, the announcement of Park Slope’s Tina Chang as the next Poet Laureate and charter changes that would add heft to the role of the offices of borough president, public advocate and the community boards.

To bolster the move, he cited his role in creating more affordable housing and 2009’s rezonings of Carroll Gardens, North Flatbush, Greenpoint-Williamsburg, Canarsie and Sunset Park. Sunset Park Chronicled reported earlier this year on the rezoning supported by the Community Board and some community members, while others in Community District 7 opposed the rezoning of 128 blocks of Sunset Park.

Perhaps most prescient to Sunset Park residents, Markowitz announced a plan to “remake” the deadly Fourth Avenue into a “stunning boulevard…worthy of the name ‘Brooklyn Boulevard!’” Community Board 7 also plans to look into ways to make Fourth Avenue safer for the families, children and elderly who regularly cross the multi-lane road.

Aerial view of Fourth Avenue and 79th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn

I followed up on JH’s tip. There was indeed another Fourth Avenue hit-and-run:

A 58-year-old Bay Ridge dentist was struck by two cars and killed while crossing Fourth Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, NY1 reported.

Harry Lewner of Cedarhurst was crossing the busy road around 9:15pm Thursday night when he was apparently struck by a Kia sedan traveling northbound, which then fled the scene. His body bounced from the impact, and was then struck by the 57-year-old driver behind the wheel of a 2001 Honda sedan, according to WPIX.

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