Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: 17-Story Residential Building Planned For Former Brooklyn Church Site

Happening soon: We Have Fun: A Free Stand-up Comedy Show on the Brooklyn Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday December 17th Patch AM
Wednesday December 17th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hi Brooklyn! We have the latest buzz right here. Let's keep you in the loop and get this morning started right! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Historic Williamsburg church residence may become 17-story tower with new housing
  • Gravesend traffic stop turns dangerous as driver reverses into NYPD cops
  • How a $68M Bluebelt could change flooding around Prospect Park

Also on today's calendar: We Have Fun: A Free Stand-up Comedy Show and 10 more events.

Find out what's happening in Brooklynfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Brooklyn? Post it to Brooklyn photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: The doctor told me to drink carrot juice after a hot bath. - Did it help? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Find out what's happening in Brooklynfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Weather forecast:

  • Wednesday: Some sun; breezy, not as cold, with a high of 44 and low of 33 degrees.
  • Thursday: Times of clouds and sun, temps: high: 51, low: 45.
  • Friday: Windy; rain in the morning, with a high of 53 and low of 31 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. 17-Story Residential Building Planned For Former Brooklyn Church Site (patch.com) — A longtime Williamsburg church-owned residence in Brooklyn may soon give way to a 17‑story mixed‑use tower, adding nearly 100 apartments plus commercial and community space on North Eighth Street. The proposal, filed by developer David Grunfeld, would replace the vacant Carmel Residence tied to the historic Shrine Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, a landmark parish for local Italian immigrants since the 19th century.
   

2. Driver Hit NYPD Officers During Brooklyn Traffic Stop, Police Say (patch.com) — Two NYPD officers were injured in Gravesend when a driver in a gray Mercedes allegedly reversed into them during an early-morning traffic stop at West 8th Street and Quentin Road in Brooklyn. The officers suffered minor leg injuries and were hospitalized in stable condition, while police continue searching for the fleeing driver and urging tips from the public.
   

3. NYC announces $68 million plan to reduce flash flooding with Brooklyn Bluebelt (stormwater.com) — Brooklyn residents near Prospect Park could see major relief from flash flooding thanks to a new $68 million Bluebelt project planned by the city. The nature-based system will upgrade Prospect Park Lake and wetlands, easing sewer strain and protecting nearby neighborhoods like Windsor Terrace, Kensington, and Prospect Park South, with construction expected between 2029 and 2032.
   

4. Man seriously hurt in 4-story leap from Brooklyn fire, NYPD bomb squad investigating (nydailynews.com) — A 50-year-old Brooklyn man was badly hurt after jumping from his fourth-floor Williamsburg apartment on Keap St. to escape a kitchen fire late Tuesday morning. Firefighters contained the blaze after about an hour, while NYPD’s bomb squad was called to examine suspicious devices discovered on the building’s third floor.
   

5. Hub Built to Help Survivors of Crime Rebuild Their Lives Opens in Brooklyn (thecity.nyc subscription) — A new trauma recovery center has just opened in Downtown Brooklyn, offering free wraparound support for crime survivors dealing with housing, legal, financial, and mental health challenges. Funded with $1.2 million from the City Council and run by a nonprofit, the hub is part of a growing citywide network Speaker Adrienne Adams hopes future leaders will expand, especially in high-violence neighborhoods.
   

📸 Around Brooklyn

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Brooklyn

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Brooklyn Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to the local businesses for making Brooklyn PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • A Housing Vote With Implications Beyond Housing —Tony Lindsay Read on Patch
  • The Green-Wood Cemetery Issues RFP for Stormwater Resilience Project —Jeff Simmons Read on Patch
  • Every night before bed, my mom's dog Caesar insists on being tucked in with his little blanket no matter how hot it is, even in summer with the air conditioner on full blast.
    Why? I can only guess. Maybe he thinks, "If humans need blankets, I certainly won't sleep naked." After all, a dignified dog maintains his elegance… (Nextdoor Bay Ridge (83St-Ridge))
  • Please share & repost to help reunite this lost dog!
    Soosoo was LOST on December 15, 2025 in Brooklyn, NY 11221 near woodbine and wilson street Sharing for a neighbor. For the latest information or to… (Nextdoor Stuyvesant Hts (MGarvey-Lfyt))
  • Hopkins Center for Rehabilitation & Healthcare posted a job opening for Recreation Leader in Brooklyn. Apply here.
  • CUNY posted a job opening for Endowed Associate Professor - Biology in Brooklyn. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Brooklyn here.

Ok Brooklyn! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I can never finish drinking the hot bath!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Brooklyn