Senator Dilan Sponsored Eminent Domain Bill to Save Williamsburg Community Center Passes Senate

Legislation to save the Swinging Sixties Senior and Small World Day Care centers from shuttering after more than 40 years in operation, passed the upper house this week. Having passed the Senate 61 -1, S. 2631 was returned to the Assembly. From there it must be submitted to Governor Andrew Cuomo for approval.

Having passed the Assembly the week before, the legislation authorizing the Empire State Development Corporation to acquire the property at the corner of 211 Ainslie Street in Williamsburg, is a signature away from becoming law.

The last-gasp measure seeks to spare the invaluable and irreplaceable community resource from eviction after the owners failed to negotiate a sale on good terms and the city failed to take action. The case for 211 Ainslie Street is clear: it provides important social and community services built for the public with public money.

On a daily basis the Swinging Sixties Senior Center caters to approximately 100 North Brooklyn Seniors, serving meals, hosting social and informative events. Small World Day Care Center offers pre-K to approximately 90 children as well as after-school programs. The building also hosts Community Board 1 meetings, serving as the de-facto Williamsburg/Greenpoint Town Hall.