Bed-Stuy community attends court to defend development near historic Girls' High School campus
Omar Walker, the head of the 200 Jefferson Avenue Block Association, said the parking lot at the now-Adult Learning Center is part of the historic site.
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Members of the Bed-Stuy community and supporters of the historic Girls' High School campus attended court at the Brooklyn Civil Courthouse on Wednesday to speak against the city's plan to build affordable housing at what is now the school's parking lot.
"I cannot explain how important and how sad I am if anything else is being built, because we're about community and that's what the school is about," shared Abi Fenelon, one of the group's supporters.
The group is demanding a seat at the table when it comes to the city's Atlantic Ave Mixed-Use Plan.
Omar Walker, the head of the 200 Jefferson Avenue Block Association, said the parking lot at the now-Adult Learning Center is part of the historic site.
"This is the bloodline for that. And that's why this is so important. And this is not just about a parking lot. It's being explained as such. But there was a whole school that burned down at that site," said Walker.
The project calls for redeveloping a roughly 20-block stretch of Atlantic Avenue and nearby streets, with hundreds of homes set aside for affordable housing.
Cameras were not allowed in the courtroom on Wednesday.
Ramon Chicon said he did extensive research on the issue and spoke before a judge on behalf of his community.
"I'm here to basically set the record straight and show that the community does want to have a say in what happens to the land around them," Chicon explained.
Members of the group who showed up at the courthouse said they fear having no parking lot at the current Adult Learning Center (formerly Girls' High School) could hinder the school's presence in the community.
"We have people that come for their GED. People that come for career and technical education. Computer classes working in the medical field…Where are we supposed to go?” shared Tyeast Alleyne-Bobb, an Adult Learning Center graduate.
The group says the next steps are to fill out more paperwork and return to court on June 3.
