Posts by SadElder

By Deborah Kolben
The Brooklyn Papers

A developer is in contract with the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society to buy the religious order?s mammoth, 12-story waterfront building at 360 Furman St.

While several developers expressed interest in the site, RAL Development Services purchased the Brooklyn Heights property for an undisclosed sum and plans to convert the 1 million-square-foot book and video distribution center into waterfront apartments, as first reported by The Brooklyn Papers.

The Manhattan-based company is best known for converting the Arthur Levitt State office building at 270 Broadway into residential and commercial use.

The Furman Street building, which rises at the end of Atlantic Avenue, between the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and the East River, will serve as a gateway to the planned Brooklyn Bridge Park, a 1.3-mile commercial and recreational waterfront development between Vinegar Hill and Brooklyn Heights.

David Semonian, a spokesman for the Watchtower Society, commonly known as the Jehovah?s Witnesses, declined to comment on the sale price of the building but said all the proceeds would go towards ?worldwide Bible education work.?

According to sources, the building sold for $200 million.

The Watchtower society acquired the property in 1983 and own approximately 35 buildings throughout DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights. They have moved some of their printing plants to upstate Wallkill.

?It was our aim to not only sell the building but to locate a buyer who was interested in the objectives and goals of the community,? said Semonian.

Robert Levine, president and principal owner of RAL, says he is currently in discussions with the city and state to determine the future uses of the building and what relationship it will have to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

?We plan to use 360 Furman St. to enhance the southern gateway to the new park and provide an exciting waterfront destination,? Levine said in a written statement.

Details of the relationship between the building and the park are still being hashed out.

In November, Councilman David Yassky sent a letter to Deputy Mayor Daniel Doctoroff requesting that the taxes generated from the sale go into funding the park. Any new taxes generated from the building would be new revenue since the building has been tax exempt because it is owned by a religious organization.

?In this fiscal crisis, New York City has little money to create and sustain parks, we need to find creative ways to guarantee income for the Brooklyn Bridge Park,? Yassky wrote.

Deborah Wetzel, a spokeswoman for the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corp. (BBPDC), a subsidiary of the Empire State Development Corp. charged with building the park, said BBPDC officials are in discussions with the developer to determine whether the building should be included in the boundary of the park.

The deal is expected to close in May and the Watchtower society will remain in the building for one more year.?

View the April 17, 2004 Print Editions

More of The Papers' coverage of the Brooklyn Nets

Home - | - GO Brooklyn - | - Cyclones - | - About The Papers - | - Contact Us

45

Which Side of the Bed?

by simplesally in

jw
friends

i can sleep on either side but i prefer the right side.

my first ex husband always insisted we change based on which side was closer to the door.

i'll be the pillow where you lay your head, lay your head.

SadElder

drwtsn32 beat me to it...

the top of the bed

38

Went To The Quick Build

by Undecided in

jw
friends

i just returned from the building site of the new kh.

i had never seen a quick build.

it kind of made me sad, i saw so many old friends that i used to know.

SadElder

Have been involved with several congs. over the years. While the method varies from state to state, the local group owns the Hall. In some states the local cong. forms a corporation which holds title to the Hall via that entity. Brooklyn does not own or have title. When loans are made Brooklyn holds the deed as a pledge against the debt. The deed is forwarded to the congregation once the loan is paid.

BTW interest is no longer charged on the loans the society makes. This stopped several years ago. At one time they charged 6% interest then dropped to 3%, then no interest. I think they got quite a bit of heat over charging interest on money that was donated for the express purpose of building halls.

17

Ted Jaracz resigns from Governing Body

by funkyderek in

.

gotcha!.

april fool

SadElder

Is that because he is the new head of the C.I.A.?

Not new. He's been the head of the Bethel CIA (AKA Service Dept) for years.

43

Anyone interested in cyber sex?

by RubyTuesday in

now that i have your attention.

with the total anonymity available on-line, is it truly cheating, to flirt with, tease, or even "have sex" with someone via your computer?

is this the same as actually committing adultery, or is it just generally "harmless" fun?

SadElder

Didn't you know that you can be disfellowshipped for phone or cyber sex??

11

Death of a child

by wtphobic in

jw
friends

what kind of person tells his non jw granddaughter that the death of her infant son is a "sign of the times"?

i don't know his staus in the org, but i know that "the pressure" is now on to convince her of the error of her ways- even been suggested that had she been a jw- this might not happen....unbelieveable- please- help me understand the twisted jw stand on death and dying and grieving

SadElder

What kind of person

an idiot!

22

Would you ever shun?

by ozziepost in

i was asked that question today, or words just like it, is it ever right for a christian to shun?.

don't the scriptures instruct it?.

well, what would your answer be?

SadElder

There are several elders that I shun. Their conduct disproves their professed faith, so I absolutely refuse to acknowledge them, and have told them so. Should have seen the look on their faces when I told them they were disfellowshipped as far as I was concerned. Interesting how they won't look me in the face now, but run like scared dogs.

16

the king of the north

by Curious Mind in

what is the latest incarnation of the king of the north in dubland as i had an elder tell me on sunday that the muslim nations were the king now.

i had not heard that before and it seems to me that they are just pulling anybody out of their arse as the king as they become more influential, how many times are they going to get it wrong before people wake up to it?

SadElder

Perhaps the real King of the North is the Bethel CIA (aka Service Department) with Ted Jaracz as vassal King.