My friend architect Gilly Youner seems to be involved in this effort to transform the St. Thomas Aquinas School at 4th Avenue and 8th Street, which was closed down in June 2005, into the Aquinas Arts Center,

Now that's what I call a stamp of approval that I respect. A member of the Park Slope Civic Council and Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn, Youner is an experienced architect and a rock solid community activist with good judgment and loads of energy.

She's even pictured far left with Craig Hammerman and artist Shelia White (right) in this photograph that was sent out yesterday with  Hammerman's press release about this proposal to bring Brooklyn artists and residents together by creating a mixed-use arts and learning center in Park Slope.

 Hammerman, who is running for City Council in the 39th District, says:

“The future prosperity of our neighborhoods depends in large part upon supporting the cultural soul of our community…This area needs a non-profit contemporary community arts center that pulls together and showcases the finest our neighborhoods have to offer.”

 Candidate Hammerman imagines this art space as something akin to PS 1 in Long Island City, I see what he's getting at:

Still it takes a lot of work and resources to become an art institution on par with a PS 1.

PS 1, like this project, is located in an old school building. Now run by MOMA, PS 1, is a world class art institution, with an excellent curatorial staff and the resources to present site specific art, as well as renowned artists.

According to Hammerman, the Aquinas Arts Center, will present the extraordinary breadth and diversity of talents of Brooklyn artists and would also offer arts classes to Brooklynites of all ages.

Okay.

“Since P.S. 1 reopened in 1997, it has become more than a world-renowned tourist destination, it has drawn remarkable artists of all media to live and work in Long Island City,” said Hammerman. “The Aquinas Arts Center will bring the artistic excellence of our community to the world, while bringing the finest artists in the world to our community," says Hammerman, who plans to make the development of Aquinas Arts Center a priority of his first term in the City Council. Affordable studio space would also be provided.

 “Despite all other economic trends, the creative economy is growing in Brooklyn,” explained Hammerman. “City government has foolishly put all its eggs in the Wall Street and real estate baskets. We must diversify our local economy to insulate ourselves from the volatility of the markets. That means supporting the creative economy and doing a better job at supporting our small, locally-owned commercial businesses and manufacturing industries too.”

Hammerman hopes to begin construction as early as 2010, for this arts space, which would be located on the cusp of Park Slope and Gowanus and easily accessible by both the F, N, and R subway lines and the B75, B77, B37, and B63 bus lines.