Greenpoint Star Newspaper

Loft tenants are seeking to strengthen protections for their live-work spaces, but it will require political will to get it done.

Tonight at 8 p.m., New York City Loft Tenants (NYCLT) is hosting a political rally at San Damiano Mission Church at 85 North 15th Street to kick off their push in Albany.

Among those expected to attend are City Council Speaker Corey Johnson, State Senator Julia Salazar, Assemblywoman Maritza Davila, Assemblyman Joe Lentol, Councilman Stephen Levin and Councilman Antonio Reynoso.

The first Loft Law was passed by the state in 1982 , but was amended in 2010 with some exclusions.

Now, they’re hoping to go back to Albany with a Democratic majority in both chambers and expand those protections.

Keep in mind that north Brooklyn has many loft spaces, which would benefit from increased protections.

Three massage parlors in north Brooklyn are offering free, one-hour massages to any government worker furloughed as part of the government shutdown.

Massage Williamsburg, Massage Greenpoint and Massage Outpost in Dumbo are offering these massages to thousands of employees who have gone without a paycheck .

“It’s a really stressful time for furloughed government employees who just missed their first payday,” says Rachel Beider, owner and CEO of the three studios. “We want to do our part in supporting these folks by offering free 60-minute massages this week at any of our locations.”

The one-hour massage is valued at $120. Furloughed workers can schedule the session through the studio website or by calling a preferred location.

Please present ID prior to the session.

The massages are by appointment only. This promotion runs through January 20.

Offer valid at any location, one per client per location.

El Puente founder Luis Garden Acosta passed away on Tuesday night, the organization shared on their website.

Acosta, 73, was surrounded by friends and family when he passed away peacefully.

The longtime community leader co-founded El Puente in 1982 to address the violence crisis happening in the Southside.

Nearly four decades later, El Puente has become a community staple, still doing important work on education and youth development, the environment and more.

Elected officials remembered Acosta as a visionary and transformative leader in Brooklyn.

Last night NYC lost a hero & I lost a mentor in Luis Garden Acosta, founder of El Puente. Acosta’s dedication to youth empowerment & environmental advocacy will continue to inspire & has shaped my work. Thank you for revitalizing our community & paving the way for young leaders.

— Antonio Reynoso (@ReynosoBrooklyn) January 9, 2019

New York lost a tireless advocate for his Williamsburg community, proud son of Puerto Rico, warrior for social & environmental justice, the founder of @elpuentepalante, Luis Garden Acosta.

All who knew Luis were moved by his love and passion for justice.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) January 9, 2019

Brooklyn is a safer place to raise healthy children and families because of community organizers like Luis Garden Acosta. Nearly 40 years ago, at a time when street violence plagued Williamsburg, his founding of @ElPuentePalante had an immeasurable impact. https://t.co/7R7CDqispp

— Eric Adams (@BKBoroHall) January 9, 2019

The L train shutdown is no more.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced just hours ago that the L line will not undergo a 15-month closure between Brooklyn and Manhattan as planned.

Instead, Cuomo has unveiled a new plan – never before used in the United States – that will secure the Canarsie tunnel and all of the electrical work using nights and weekends only.

According to reports, the new plan would be completed in the same timeframe as the previous shutdown plan.

The news came after the governor toured the L train tunnel with a hand-picked panel of experts and engineers late last year. Cuomo held the announcement close to the chest, as the announcement reportedly came as a shock to even city and MTA officials.

What does this mean for L train riders? There will still be headaches, especially during nights and weekends, but the 225,000 daily commuters who travel between Brooklyn and Manhattan will be spared.

Advocates are already demanding that the governor released the full plan and details of his new plan. But for now, it seems the L train shutdown is cancelled.

What does this mean for your commute? Is this good news, or bad news? Let us know in the comments below.

New York City’s most popular baby names in 2017 were Emma and Liam.

According to the city’s Health Department, there were 571 Emmas and 734 Liams born in 2017.

Liam was also the top name for boys in 2016, and Emma rose from third to first. Olivia, 2016’s top name for girls, fell to second.

Here are the top 10 names for girls in 2017:

1. Emma
2. Olivia
3. Mia
4. Sophia
5. Isabella
6. Ava
7. Leah
8. Emily
9. Sarah
10. Abigail

And here are the top 10 names for boys in 2017:

1. Liam
2. Noah
3. Jacob
4. Ethan
5. David
6. Lucas
7. Matthew
8. Jayden
9. Aiden
10. Daniel

Other fun facts:

• The number of NYC births fell 2.8 percent from 2016 to 2017.
• The most births took place in Manhattan, followed by Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.
• Among the top celebrity names in 2017 were: Penelope, Daisy and Margot, as well as Ryan, Chris, Luke and Harrison.
• Some favorite geographic names include: Austin, Hudson and Kingston for boys, and Charlotte, Savannah and Catalina for girls.
• Rare names, defined as 10 or fewer children with those names, were Artemis, Tzippy, Reizy, Azriel, Zeus and Thaddeus.

The Prospect-Lefferts Gardens House of the Week is a special gem.

Situated on a corner 30′ by 100′ lot, this 25′ x 50′ limestone townhouse faces all four directions for amazing light no matter the time of day. The home was originally built in 1901 and features a number of beautiful details.

Located at the corner of Bedford Ave and Maple St. it is two blocks from Prospect Park and minutes to B & Q trains and the Flatbush Avenue commercial strip, hosts to numerous cafes, restaurants and shops.

The home features 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms. It is listed by Halstead for $3.5 million.

One of our readers, Jay Hirsch, sent us this great photo of the Salerno Service Station on Lorimer Street in Williamsburg.

He informs us that the station has been around since 1959. Every year, they do a holiday display for the neighborhood.

It’s the little things like this that make a neighborhood great. The lights bring holiday cheer to the community.

We salute the Salerno Service Station for their great work!

The Greenpoint House of the Week is an investment opportunity on the Greenpoint/Williamsburg border just beyond McCarren Park.

The three-family home has eight bedrooms and four bathrooms.

If you’re interested, the property could be converted into a single family property if desired or could be kept as a multi-family for rental income if preferred.

There is an additional 427 square feet of build-able sq. ft. for an extension.

The property is listed by Capri Jet Realty for $1,900,000.