Lefferts Manor Association

Date/Time: Sunday, May 31, 2009—Noon to 5 PM
Tickets: $20 in advance/$25 on Tour Day
Sponsor: The Lefferts Manor Association

Our “Value Added” 2009 Tour
• Eleven stops, including complimentary refreshments
• Savvy examples of budget chic and eco-friendly décor
• Opportunities to meet and gather fresh ideas and resources from homeowners, resident designers and local restoration specialists, including George John of GJ’s Superior Renovation, Inc.; John Loecke and Jason Oliver Nixon of the interior design firm John Loecke, Inc.; Vincent Caraccio of Paul Davis Restoration and Linda Spector of Zelda Victoria.
• The perfect solution for that wedding or special occasion gift: custom and one-of-a-kind jewelry, pottery, paintings and watercolors by resident artisans. Meet abstract artist Joseph Bell-Bey; jewelry designer Jennifer Rish; and (in her Open Studio), fine artist and illustrator Sally Mara Sturman.

Note: Children under 12 years of age and photographs are not permitted inside tour houses. Infants in front packs only, will be allowed inside the houses.”

For more information: 718-284-6210 or 718-462-0024
E-mail: plghousetour@earthlink.net

• A 1905 brick home where “urban archaeology” has revealed original beauty beneath a century of paint and various remodeling; restoration/rejuvenation is given an exotic twist by adding ancient Moroccan, Portuguese, and Turkish accents.
• A one-bedroom, 15th floor rental apartment with 750-square feet, sweeping views, all new appliances and an unbelievable five closets in the Patio Gardens complex.
• A 1907 limestone, impeccably restored inside and out, boasts an exercise room, guest suite, luxurious bathrooms and a 21st-century galley kitchen. Its majestic pocket doors and vintage chandeliers bring back the nostalgia of bygone days.
• 2006 Winner of the Silver Award from the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, a lush shared back garden with a Southern theme features two waterfalls, charming seating areas and paths that beckon one to relax and enjoy.

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Prospect Lefferts Gardens
K-Dog & Dunebuggy
Gabrielle Lowe
43 Lincoln Road
(Between Ocean and Flatbush Avenues

Brooklyn Heights
Brown Harris Stevens-Brooklyn
Bill Sheppard
129 Montague Street
(at Henry Street)

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By Carole Schaffer

According to Joy Holland MLS, PhD, Division Chief, Brooklyn Collection, Brooklyn Public Library, Grand Army Plaza, “The streetscapes of Brooklyn are shaped by the work of countless builders and architects, some famous, some obscure. Some deserve their obscurity. But there are many too who may not have achieved fame, but whose fine work continues to anchor neighborhoods and arouse interest in passers-by.”

“Axel Hedman is a name known to people who like to read guides to architecture and Landmark Designation Reports. Hedman’s buildings are dotted through several Brooklyn neighborhoods [--Park Slope, Clinton Hill, Bedford Stuyvesant, Prospect Park South, Red Hook, Crown Heights and Prospect Lefferts Gardens] …making a lasting and positive impact on the borough’s urban fabric. Born in Norrkoping, Sweden in 1861, Hedman immigrated to the U.S. in 1880. He was naturalized in 1901 and lived in Brooklyn until his death in 1943.”

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By Roberta Woelfling

It was great to see so many of you at Lefferts Manor Association’s holiday party in December. LMA added a bit of spice to this function by involving our local PLG Arts group to provide some live entertainment. We are grateful to the band Axiom Addicts who played two wonderful sets of music including some holiday numbers. They were so professional and we were lucky that they agreed to play our little party. It helps when the lead singer and keyboard player live in the Manor. Thanks to Rina & Steve Kleege of Maple Street.  Read more »

by Lucia Haring

The Lefferts Manor Association held its General Membership Meeting on October 25, 2008 at The Church of the Evangel.

Committees reported on recent activities and the membership elected a new board member before invited guests spoke, including Deputy Inspector Simonetti of the 71st Precinct, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, and of course, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz.  Read more »

Controversy about the proposed glass tower on Lincoln Road dominated neighborhood news for a period last summer. The economic downturn appears to have put this project, like so many others, on hold for the time being. The Lefferts Manor Association has not taken a position on this project, but, the following article, provided by Jan Clausen, of a group called “Concerned Residents of PLG” and “ pro-tower” arguments, from the Hawthorne Street blog, illustrate the range of opinions throughout our neighborhood:

”Concerned Residents” Call for Responsible Development
On May 20th, Concerned Residents of Greater Prospect Lefferts Gardens hosted a public meeting in Grace Church chapel to address concerns about the neighborhood’s future. Front and center on the agenda was the 23-story glass apartment tower planned for 27-35A Lincoln Road. Speakers also pointed to skyrocketing rents, abusive landlords, and worries about our area’s vulnerability to the displacement that accompanies unchecked gentrification. Read more »

LMA recently received this from the Citizens Committee for New York City; Pinky Vincent is their Director of External Affairs:

Wish your block were tree-lined? Have a great location in the neighborhood in mind for a tree? Let us know! Citizens Committee for New York City is partnering with The MillionTreesNYC campaign to ensure that neighborhoods across the city get trees. We’ll provide the trees, supplies and training if you and your neighbors, colleagues and friends are wiling to provide the volunteer hours needed to plant and care for the trees. If you are interested, please answer the following questions and contact Pinky Vincent at 212-989-0909 or by email at: pvincent@citizensnyc.org Read more »

The Lefferts Manor Association Plants flower barrels in front of homes every May. This year’s planting is tentatively set for Saturday, May 2nd–something nice to contemplate in the dead of winter!

Holiday Wreaths

LMA volunteers once again distributed hundreds of holiday wreaths on December 6th to members who had paid their dues in 2008. Many thanks to LMA Board member Mary Miller, who coordinated this effort.

The easiest way to make sure you receive your wreath in 2009 is to pay your ‘09 dues now.

In recent months, many neighbors have been visited by representatives of “ECSOS”-third party energy (electric and/or gas) suppliers, some of whom may use deceptive sales methods. The following, from a flyer distributed by another Brooklyn neighborhood group from Greenwood Heights provides some useful tips:

How not to be scammed by Deceptive sales techniques

As a result of the deregulation of our local power companies, you can choose your third-party energy supplier through Con Edison or National Grid. Don’t allow a stranger to Force you to choose through deceptive, coercive or even illegal sales techniques. There has been an epidemic of local residents being intimidated into changing their provider due to misrepresentations by third-party sales staff of regional energy service companies (ESCOS) going door-to-door claiming to ‘save you money on your electric or gas bill.’ If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Here’s How not to get scammed if you are visited or called by a sales Representative claiming to work for a utility company.  Read more »