Brooklyn’s biggest stories of the week are in, from ferry service halting in our icy waterways to the first-ever Family Leadership Summit in Downtown Brooklyn, TODDLERTOPIA at Atlantic Terminal Mall this weekend, to the reveal of NYC’s most expensive neighborhoods in 2025. Plus, a lawsuit against St. Ann’s School in Brooklyn Heights, a new art installation is debuting in the former Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s, and more community news. Read on for the latest!
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First ever BKLYN Family Leadership Summit draws crowd at City Point
Leaders across culture, philanthropy, community, and business came together on Wednesday for the inaugural BKLYN Family Leadership Summit. Hosted by Brooklyn Bridge Parents, the breakfast summit took place at City Point in Downtown Brooklyn. Focused on family life, culture, and commerce, the morning program featured opening remarks from Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, followed by presentations, networking, and two dynamic panel conversations—“How Brooklyn Families Live, Play & Connect” and “2026: Creating Family Experiences in BKLYN”—designed to examine the evolving priorities of Brooklyn families and how the borough’s cultural, civic, and business leaders can help shape meaningful experiences in the year ahead.
NYC Ferry remains suspended due to icy conditions
NYC Ferry service has been suspended due to icy conditions in the city’s waterways. However, the Staten Island Ferry–a much larger vessel–is running on a normal weekday schedule. The U.S. Coast Guard is working to break up chunks of ice in the Hudson River and New York Harbor so vessels can move through safely. The freezing temperatures are expected to persist in the coming days. New Yorkers can check the NYC Ferry website for service updates.
Body pulled from Gowanus Canal
On Thursday, a body was pulled from the icy Gowanus Canal. The man was spotted around 2:45pm and pronounced dead at the scene by the EMS.
Art installation debuts in former Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s on Fulton Mall
A now-empty building on Fulton Mall, the former location of Macy’s, is the site of a new public artwork called In Every Transition, a Pattern. Artist Ryan Edwards, of the Boston-based Masary Studios, was commissioned by Downtown Brooklyn Partnership to create a site-specific piece in the empty storefront, hoping to draw attention to the neighborhood’s local businesses during the cold winter months. The light patterns reflect sounds that Edwards himself captured on Fulton Mall–from firetruck sirens to hip-hop to the crosswalk signals.
All-maritime alternative proposed for Brooklyn Marine Terminal
City Club of New York trustee Tom Fox unveiled a $1 billion, all-maritime proposal to redevelop the 122-acre Brooklyn Marine Terminal during an online forum hosted by Resilient Red Hook and The City Club of New York. The plan would preserve the site as a fully electric working port and Blue Highway Hub. Supporters say the proposal offers a lower-cost alternative to the city’s $3.5 billion, housing-heavy BMT Vision Plan approved last fall, while protecting one of the city’s last publicly owned industrial ports and supporting maritime jobs.
Most expensive Brooklyn neighborhoods in 2025
New York City’s real estate market continued to climb in 2025, with the median sale price rising 4% year over year to $780,000 and sales increasing 6% citywide, according to PropertyShark’s annual report on the 50 most expensive neighborhoods. Brooklyn saw one of the strongest gains, with its median sale price up 6% to $867,000. Brooklyn’s priciest neighborhood is Cobble Hill, ranking #10 citywide at $1.85 million. Nearly two-thirds of the city’s most expensive neighborhoods posted price increases, led by Brooklyn’s Columbia Street Waterfront District (+39%), while Red Hook recorded the steepest decline (-34%). Boerum Hill had the highest jump in sales, at 143% Y-o-Y, predominately driven by condo sales at 323 Bergen Street. In the Top 20 most expensive NYC neighborhoods, DUMBO came in at #11, Boerum Hill at #12, Columbia Street Waterfront District at #14, Carroll Gardens at #15, and Williamsburg at #18.
Teenagers sue St. Ann’s School and former teacher who sexually harassed students
Two teenage girls have filed a lawsuit in Brooklyn federal court against St. Ann’s School, former teacher Winston Nguyen, and several former administrators, alleging the school failed to safeguard them after Nguyen shared explicit images of the girls—who did not attend St. Ann’s—with his students. Nguyen, who pleaded guilty last year to enticing middle schoolers to send nude photos while posing as a peer on social media, allegedly escalated demands for images and sex acts and retaliated by distributing the photos when the girls refused. A school-commissioned report found administrators had been repeatedly warned about Nguyen’s behavior and criminal past but failed to act, and Nguyen was later sentenced to seven years in prison.
TODDLERTOPIA party for babies and toddlers at Atlantic Terminal Mall
Brooklyn Bridge Parents hosted a free baby & toddler playdate for ages 0-5 on Saturday, January 31, with a bouncy house, DJ, theater performance, toddler dance party, and tons more fun activities.
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Updated: January 30, 2026.
