Save our community center! Advocates charge Mayor de Blasio has failed to help
“Mayor de Blasio has done nothing to negotiate a permanent solution to save a besieged Brooklyn seniors’ and day care center, despite promising to do so, advocates for the Williamsburg facility charged Monday.
As a result, state Assemblyman Joe Lentol plans to reintroduce a bill that would allow the city — or state — to take control of 211 Ainslie St. using eminent domain.
The legislation is an effort to save Swinging Sixties Senior Center and Small World Day Care, which have helped residents since 1974. The building also houses a pre-K center, which opened this year.
“If there ever was a reason to use eminent domain for a public purpose — this is it,” Lentol said.
Lentol contends the takeover would be a legitimate legal maneuver because the property was built with government funds to serve as a community center during former Mayor Abraham Beame’s administration.”
Blau, Revuen. NY Daily News 15 December 2014.