Visitation Academy in Bay Ridge is Closing
The rumors of Visitation Academy closing are true.
The school and monastery are both closing and the property will be sold. They are not landmarked. (Info here)
Strangely, the 7.5 acre property is not landmarked.
It would take at least two years to landmark the property. Landmarking will not keep the property the same as it is now. (See here) We know from Angel Guardian, landmarking was a complete waste of time.
Jean Bernieri, the principal of Visitation School sent a professional and sincere letter to parents on February 6th. Surprisingly, Rome decided that the monastery must be closed.
The principal is obviously very sad about the closing. Eight-five students are currently at Visitation Academy.
Then the Visitation Academy Board Members sent a letter inviting parents to the meeting on Friday. They school will help the families with placing their daughter in other schools next year.
Councilman Brannan wrote about the future sale of the school’s property, which was inappropriate as parents just found out the school closing! (See here) Parents are hoping the school can be saved or another parochial school can open in the same location.
The property isn’t even up for sale yet, so the Councilman can calm down over “affordable housing” on that block. He should have communicated rapidly about the homeless shelter with the residents living in The Towers!
I’m surprised the Councilman didn’t announce another school. :P
But Brannan did announce the formation of a “task force.” A task force in Bay Ridge means a group of people meet up, eat and take a photo. (We have seen this happen many times!) That photo goes into the newspaper to fool the community!
In all seriousness, when Councilman Brannan was involved with real estate deals, Brooklyn didn’t do well:
a) Angel Guardian Home- what a mess! (See here and here)
b) Nathan’s property – “an unregistered” lobbyist did well. (See here) The community lost Trader Joe’s (explained in the article: here)
c) The school at 8802 – 5th Avenue. Another school was needed so close to PS 264 on 89th Street and 4th Avenue? CB 10 members said PS 264 was looking for more students! (See here)
d) A new school across the street from a bar on 3rd Avenue and 68th Street (Bar: Three Jolly Pigeons) (See here) You can’t put a liquor store near a school, but a NYC Councilman could put a school across the street from a bar.
e) 2300 Cropsey Avenue. (See here) How did that property get rezoned for such a large structure without affordable housing? (See here)
f) A new high school on Ovington Avenue that CB 10 voted against because School Construction Authority refused to answer their questions. The block already has several schools for small children. (See here and here)
Hugs,
marlene
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