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                                    PHOENIX, Page ThreeFlatbush And AtlanticJoin Brooklyn RevivalBY LYNNE GRIFO Flatbush Ave.New CommitteesGive The ImpetusThe Brooklyn revival that has led to new growth and the enhancement of what is beautiful in local residential areas and to new development in the downtown area has recently spread out to include Flatbush and Atlantic Aves. The Committee that is successfully building small triangle parks along Flatbush Ave. in Park Slope has now also begun providing the impetus for the formation of a riierchants%u2019 association. Also, a group of people who live an d work on Atlantic Ave. have decided that the time has come for mobilization there too, and so they have formed an Atlantic Avenue Committee. Meetings have been held recently to get die group organized and to plan a course of action.The Triangle Parks Committee began a program last year that has resulted in the construction of an island park at the intersection of Seventh and Flatbush Aves. withhoney locusts, gas lights and cobble stones. Work is to begin in March on the second triangle at Sixth Ave.- and once that is completed, a third park will be built at Eighth Ave.The committee, under the direction of Brace Graham, the chairman, has encouraged the participation of Flatbush Ave. storefront owners in the %u201c improvement movement%u201d and some of the businessmen have responded favorably. Jack Pintchik, of the Pintchik Paint Store at Bergen St., announced plans a couple of months ago to hire an architect and have the buildings he owns refurbished and repainted. The Triangle Sporting Goods Store at Dean St. has recently been given a new coat of paint and Attorney Martin Bernsley has pledged to renovate his storefront at 335The Atlantic Ave. Committee is made up of about 50 residents and mere :ants. At its first meeting of the year, held near the end of January, the group discussed a number of interesting ideas. The members were given a chance to study a draft rezoning proposal for the Avenue that was being drawn up by Robin Burns of the Office of Downtown Brooklyn Development. As Burns explains it, the proposal seeks to establish special zoning laws that would preserve the character of the existing buildings and restrict the types of new structures that could be built. A specific list of guidelines includes the requirement that all storefronts must be kept intact whenever possible %u2014 which means renovation instead of remodeling: If a building is beyond repair, it would be necessary to reconstruct a new one with a design similar to the original. Commercial building owners would be forbidden to remove cornices or to brick up windows on upper floors. Any new structure must be built up to the property line of the existing structures to keep all the facades consistent; a maximum height would be set for the street wall of buildings on the north side of Atlantic. Possibly, restrictions would be placed on the types of materials and the paint colors used on the exteriors. Standards could be set for store signs limiting their size and the colors.The concept of %u201c preservation zoning%u201d for a single thoroughfare has never been applied in the city before and the guidelines described are tentative. Mr. Burns stated that he plans to have the proposal completed in the next couple of weeks, at which time the Atlantic Ave. Committee will consider its provisions. If apWittich HitsSchool BoardRobert J. Wittich, Fort Greene civic worker and candidate for the City Council seat that includes the Heights and Gowanus and Boerum Hill, this week charged the District 15 Community School Board of %u201c playing politics%u201d with the school board elections set for May 1, and demanded they offer equal time and electioneering facilities to all school board candidates.In a sharply-worded letter to Board President Philip Kaplan, Wittich said, %u201c I find it absolutely incredible that the board would use public money and public employees to kick-off the reelection campaign for its members. I demand that you offer the same services and facilities to all candidates for school board.%u201dpress statement released last week on the stationery of the local board which announced that seven of its nine members including Kaplan will be dandidates for reelection, and praised their %u201c dedication.%u201d In part, the release said: %u201c This board has functioned well and produced for the children, teachers, parents ami supervisors,educational atmosphere which is second to none in the City of NewYork.%u201dWittich said: %u201c The whole idea of free elections and a campaign period is to allow , the people %u2014 parents, teachers, children and supervisors %u2014 to determine whether, in fact, the board has performed, and whether it could perform better by adding other members of the community who better represent the range of opinion on school matters existing in the District 15 area. We already have more than 15 candidates, and may have more before things are over. We don%u2019t need the board to steal tax dollars from educational programs to. propagandize the public about the quality of the job it has done. The public will decide the merits of the incumbent canHiHntpc in the same wav itevaluates the challengers. To use their official position and the facilities of the Board of Education to campaign for reelection is reprehensible, he said.Wittich demanded that Kaplan order the District press officer to prepare similar material on each of the candidates for Board postsJ p i npi tl'> tp if f/\\ f Una y c a i a u u c n v u iu u , it io tnv,press in a similar manner to the way this information was released.7 th A v e .tr ia n g le (a b o v e ) w ill b e tra n sfo rm e d in to a p a r k lik e th e o n e at6 th A v e . an d F latb u sh (b e lo w ).proved, the procedure established would require a property owner to submit building plans to the City Planning Commission which would then determine if they are consistent with the zoning rules. Until the plans were made to comply with the guidelines, the owner would be refused a building permit. In the event that he proceeded with construction without the permit, his certificate of occupancy would be revoked and he could not continue operation.Originally, the plan was to incorporate a section forbidding a property owner to demolish a building - without obtaining city approval, but such a restriction, it was decided, would be too difficult to administer and enforce.Great things can be envisioned for Atlantic Ave., handsome, refurbished storefronts that attract shoppers to browse through batik clothing, unpainted furniture, unusual plants, handmade guitars, fine antiques, delicious Near Eastern delicacies, and all the other items offered for sale along the avenue.The Committee to Turn Atlantic Green has raised funds for tree planting that is now scheduled to begin this Spring and it is hoped that the trees will add something special to the busy, heavily traveled street.Block captains have been appointed and their job will be to see that garbage is collected eficiently and that hydrant leaks are ixed. In other word1', the captains vill make sure that things on the avenue are functioning smoothly.M elting Pot is new on A tlantic Ave.r TafiCiThe antique dealers whose shops are located on or near Atlantic have recently formed their own association in response to a sudden selective enforcement of the Sunday blue laws along theT' Un A tlnmGn A A *%u2022%u00bb av ciiuv. a i iv. n u u u u L iivv/. m itiques Association, chaired by Rick Kaufman of Full Sun. nreDared apetition and obtained the signature of almost 20 community groups. Even before it was filed, the force of public opinion took effect and the shops have been allowed to remain open on Sundays. The associationn l on e in inint or! .J -----------vertising campaigns and to become involved in tree planting.
                                
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