Brooklyn Today December 14: Measles Outbreak in Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish Areas Continues to Climb

The Lede

Happy Friday! Brooklyn’s measles outbreak worsens, Cobble Hill condos sell like wildfire, and the “comma hubby” killer gets 10 years in jail. Plus, momentum builds for congestion tolls, NYCHA plans to sell unused air rights to raise $3 billion, and Janet Jackson will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Barclays Center. Finally, a Clinton Hill restaurant duo opens a new eatery in Williamsburg, Downtown Brooklyn is rated the No. 1 neighborhood to watch, and Greenpoint’s axe-throwing bar gets its liquor license denied.

Imprint

Tennis star Serena Williams wears an eccentric top on the most recent cover of Teen Vogue.

The Rundown

MEASLES OUTBREAK IN BROOKLYN’S ORTHODOX JEWISH AREAS CONTINUES TO CLIMB

The number of confirmed cases of measles in Brooklyn’s Orthodox Jewish community increased to 42 this week, up from six cases in October. The city has begun barring kids who don’t have the required measles-mumps-rubella vaccine from attending school. The first Brooklyn child with measles acquired the infection on a visit to Israel, where a large outbreak is occurring. “I do suspect it to go on for another month or two,” Dr. Joseph Kaplovitz said. “The problem is, it’s very contagious. There’s a 90 percent chance you’ll catch it if you’re in a room with someone who has it and you’re not immunized.” (via Brooklyn Eagle)

SWIFT SALES FOR CONDOS ON A CORNER OF THE LICH SITE

It’s very quiet inside The Cobble Hill House — even though the BQE runs right past it. The condo building’s developers have an acoustical consultant to thank for that. Married business partners Brandon Hornbeck and Yvonne Lee hired the consultant to help them soundproof the new building on the corner of Amity and Hicks streets in Cobble Hill. Instead of opening an off-site sales office, they waited until they’d constructed a model apartment with the soundproof windows. In just two months since the sales launch, contracts have been signed for 60 percent of the units. (via Brooklyn Eagle)

‘COMA HUBBY’ KILLER GOES TO PRISON FOR 10 YEARS

Before a jealous man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Wednesday for causing the death of his neighbor, his defense attorney slammed the Brooklyn prosecutor’s office for denying his client’s guilty plea, dragging the trial out. “I don’t want to be disrespectful,” said Steven Chaikin, the defense attorney for Valeriy Milonovich. “I speak for myself, not my client … This trial was a waste of time. This trial did not have to happen.” Prior to starting a jury trial in Brooklyn Supreme Court in November, Milonovich was offered a 15-year plea bargain for stabbing 48-year-old Maxim Doukhan to death on July 30, 2017.(via Brooklyn Eagle)

JANET JACKSON, DEF LEPPARD, STEVIE NICKS JOIN ROCK HALL OF FAME

Janet Jackson joins her brother Michael and the Jackson 5 as members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, earning induction on Thursday along with Stevie Nicks and the top fan vote-getter, Def Leppard. Radiohead, the Cure, Roxy Music and the Zombies will also be ushered in next spring at the 34th induction ceremony. It will be held March 29 at Barclays Center. Jackson’s induction comes after her third time as nominee and many saw it as overdue, given her prowess as a hitmaker with “All For You” and ”That’s the Way Love Goes.” (AP via Brooklyn Eagle)

MOMENTUM BUILDS IN ALBANY FOR CONGESTION TOLLS IN NYC

Long considered a tough sell in Albany, the idea of imposing tolls on drivers entering the busiest parts of Manhattan is gaining momentum among New York lawmakers, increasing the chances that some kind of congestion tolling will pass in the legislative session that begins next month. An influx of new Democratic lawmakers elected last month, increasingly vocal supporters in New York City and the rapidly worsening condition of the city’s subways are all helping to push congestion tolling to the top of the legislative agenda. (AP via Brooklyn Eagle)

NYCHA TO SELL UNUSED AIR RIGHTS TO RAISE $3 BILLION

Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Wednesday that NYCHA plans to sell unused air rights to developers for the first time as part of an effort to raise money to repair crumbling NYCHA buildings. The air rights sale is part of de Blasio’s NYCHA 2.0 plan, which also calls for developing predominately market-rate housing on underused public housing land such as parking lots. The sale of air rights plus the building of market-rate housing is expected to raise $3 billion that could go toward housing-project repairs. (Crain’s via Brooklyn Eagle)

CLINTON HILL DUO OPENS NEW EATERY IN DOMINO BUILDING IN WILLIAMSBURG

Daniel and Alicia Mekelburg, known for their namesake basement-back patio restaurant in Clinton Hill, opened a new Mekelburg’s restaurant on the ground floor of 325 Kent St., the first of four buildings expected to be built within the former Domino Sugar Refinery complex inWilliamsburg. The new Mekelburg’s has already received rave reviews, especially for its “Mek at Night” menu that begins around 8 p.m. A highly-praised dish includes the Croque Monsieur sandwich made with fatty porchetta and Gruyere cheese, which is then smothered in bechamel sauce and topped with cracklings. (Gothamist via Brooklyn Eagle)

REAL ESTATE SITE: DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN IS NO. 1 NYC NEIGHBORHOOD TO WATCH

Downtown Brooklyn topped StreetEasy’s 2019 list of 10 New York City neighborhoods to watch. The list shows a turn away from trendy North Brooklyn in the wake of the looming L-train shutdown. The other Brooklyn neighborhoods named on the list are East Flatbush, Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy. “[Downtown Brooklyn] attracts residents from Williamsburg and beyond with luxurious new buildings, easy access to several subway lines and prices comparable to the ’Burg,” the report said. (Curbed via Brooklyn Eagle)

GREENPOINT AXE-THROWING BAR GETS LIQUOR LICENSE DENIED

A liquor license application for the Greenpoint bar Bury The Hatchet was given the axe at a recent CB 1 meeting. The axe-throwing bar is seeking a wine and beer license, but the board voted it down 22 to 12, mainly because of concerns about the safety of patrons. “The idea of voting in favor of a place where people are drinking alcohol and getting drunk and throwing hatchets — I just, in good conscience, wouldn’t want to open the newspaper and find out someone got hurt there and know that I voted in favor of it,” said Del Teague, CB1 second vice chair. (Greenpoint Post via Brooklyn Eagle)