On Thursday, February 1, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz delivered his annual State of the Borough address at Steiner Studios in the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the largest film-production facility outside Hollywood.

In addition to commending the achievements of individuals who embodied the “Brooklyn attitude” in 2006, Borough President Markowitz detailed several promises he has made and kept during his administration, and announced promises for Brooklyn in 2007 and beyond.

In 2006, Brooklyn saw a major increase in tourism, a hotel construction boom, the opening of the new Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook, approval of the Atlantic Yards project, progress on Brooklyn Bridge Park, and the first phase of the revitalization of Coney Island. Borough President Markowitz discussed these projects, as well as the renewed effort to transform Downtown Brooklyn, including plans for the BAM Cultural District.

“In 2007, nowhere possesses the economic vitality or captures the popular imagination with more power than Brooklyn,” said Borough President Markowitz. “When you dream big these days, you dream Brooklyn!”

Borough President Markowitz announced plans for the establishment of two new world-class cultural venues in southern and central Brooklyn. He detailed a plan to build New York City’s first amphitheater, the Coney Island Performing Arts Center—a state-of-the art, covered, outdoor performance venue at Asser Levy-Seaside Park on Surf Avenue. “Now, when we want to see the best concerts, we won’t have to go to Long Island, or New Jersey, or even Manhattan,” said Borough President Markowitz. “We can stay right here in Brooklyn.”

He also pledged to restore New York City’s last remaining un-subdivided “Wonder Theater,” the Loew’s Kings on Flatbush Avenue, which has been vacant for the last 30 years. “We can restore the Loew’s Kings to its original splendor, and establish a beautiful, landmark venue that will be an economic engine for Flatbush Avenue and all of Central Brooklyn,” said Borough President Markowitz

He emphasized the need to improve education and access to health care, and the ongoing effort to create and preserve affordable housing in Brooklyn, including the nearly 6,000 apartments of the Spring Creek/Starrett City complex. “Sometimes preserving affordable housing requires a fight,” said Borough President Markowitz, “and a fight may be what it takes to preserve the affordability of Starrett City. I’ve got a message — this won’t be Stuy-Town part two!”

He also revealed his proposal, currently under consideration by the New York City Department of Education, to create a High School of Advertising and Marketing to involve more young people—especially from Brooklyn’s communities of color—in these influential and profitable fields. The goal is for the school to open in September 2008.

Borough President Markowitz also issued a call to “Green Back Brooklyn,” by building on recent environmental successes with a borough-wide effort to “highlight and promote Brooklyn residents and businesses at the cutting-edge of environmental awareness.” He also repeated a pledge to hold ExxonMobil accountable for cleaning up Newtown Creek, the most polluted waterway in America.

Special guests at the State of the Borough included U.S. Army Specialist Noe Santos-Dilone, a Brooklynite and Dominican Republic native who was injured in the war in Iraq and recently became a U.S. citizen; teen Yaneisha Harrison, who was honored for saving her five younger cousins from a fire in their East Flatbush home; Dominic De Marco of legendary DiFara Pizza in Midwood; and Miss New York 2006 Bethlene Pancoast, of Bay Ridge, who introduced the borough president.