🌱 New S. Senate Candidate + Heights Church Celebrates 200 Years

Hello, people of Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO! It's me again, Dashiell Allen, your host of the Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO Daily.

First, today's weather:

Sunny and not as cold. High: 42 Low: 29.

Here are the top three stories today in Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO:

1. Brooklyn Heights' First Presbyterian Church is celebrating its bicentennial (200 year) birthday this year, with a 'year-full of events' still to be announced. Most recently the church was known for helping to found the Brooklyn Heights community fridge. (Brooklyn Heights Blog)
2. Yet another candidate has entered the race for State Senate in the newly drawn Brooklyn Heights/Staten Island/Coney Island district. This time it's a Staten Island organizer, Sarah Blas, recognized for her work during the pandemic providing food and other resources to people in her community. You can read more about her (without a paywall) here. (Subscription: SILive.com)
3. Plans to convert potentially hundreds of empty hotels in New York City into affordable housing has been hitting several road blocks in the past year, with many nonprofit developers complaining it's too difficult to proceed. But one development that is going ahead is the former Jehovah's Witnesses hotel in DUMBO, that's expected to open late this Spring with 300 housing units for formerly homeless individuals, out of 500 in total. (Bloomberg)

Today in Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO:

• Pop-up pantry at St. Ann & Trinity Church (10:30 p.m.)
• Open hours at the Brooklyn Bridge Park environmental education center (3 p.m.)
• Maud Newton presents book Ancestor Trouble, at St. Ann & Trinity Church (7 p.m.)
• Summer Camp Open House with Child's Play NY, online via Zoom (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Councilman Lincoln Restler is holding his inauguration to celebrate 100 days in office - next Sunday, April 3rd, at St. Francis College. They'll be the opportunity to hear about his priorities and share your own. (Google forms)
• Here's the latest construction update for DUMBO. It looks like there's still lots of manhole and sewer work going on. (Facebook)
• All Brooklyn artists are encouraged to apply to The Six Foot Platform, an experimental performance art program in DUMBO. The deadline is this Friday. (Facebook)
• Smorgasburg is returning to Williamsburg this weekend, and so is its partner, the Brooklyn Flea Market in DUMBO. (Time Out NY)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Kiddie Korner Daycare & Preschool — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• New Park: Friends Group Information Session (March 30)
• Live music with The Hell Or High Water Band (April 8)
• Open House April 9th for BASIS Independent Brooklyn Lower School (April 9)
• Add your event

Free stuff:

• Free Wash at Clean Rite Center's 8905 Flatlands Avenue location (Details)
• Add your free stuff

Housing:

• Studio Apartment (Details)
• Add your listing

Other classifieds:

• Pick-up and Delivery Laundry Offer at Clean Rite Center (Details)
• Add your classified

Loving the Brooklyn Heights-DUMBO Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved:

• Send a friend or neighbor this link so they can subscribe
• Get your local business listed in front of readers
• Send me a news tip or suggestion at brooklynheights-dumbo@patch.com

You're officially in the loop for today. See you all tomorrow for another update!

— Dashiell Allen