Brooklyn Heights Association Begins Search For New Director

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, BROOKLYN — Prominent local group The Brooklyn Heights Association will search for a new executive director the next few months to replace Peter Bray, who the organization announced will step down this summer.

Bray, who started as executive director in 2015, will leave his post at the end of June to deal with a serious health issue in his family, BHA told its members in an email on Friday. The civic group, perhaps known most recently for its opposition to the city's plan to fix the BQE, will take applications to find his replacement the next few weeks.

BHA President Martha Bakos Dietz said Bray's departure will be a loss for the organization, and said that he has been invaluable during his tenure serving Brooklyn Heights.

"He has been a wise leader, a persuasive advocate, and a stalwart colleague," Dietz said. "On a personal level, he has made my job as President infinitely easier. We are so sorry to see him leave and we wish him and his family nothing but the best in the future."

During his four years as director, Bray oversaw several initiatives, including legal action the organization took against developments in Brooklyn Bridge Park, the historic designation of two buildings on Montague Street and advocating for changes to both the city's plan for a new jail system and for reconstruction of the BQE.

On the BQE plan, The Brooklyn Heights Association has held protests and hired its own architects to come up with an alternative to the Department of Transportation's most likely proposal, which would shutdown the Brooklyn Heights Promenade and build a six-lane temporary highway.

The BHA alternative, which would build a two-lane temporary highway and keep the Promenade open, gained significant attention and is now being studied as an option by DOT, the organization said.

Bray also oversaw more ongoing efforts the organization leads, including efforts to resolve problems with the delivery of city services, slowing traffic in the neighborhood or repairing streets.

"He has helped promote the BHA’s sponsorship of family-oriented events in Pierrepont Playground, launch a new program to foster healthier street trees, and spearhead Brooklyn’s first designer showhouse," the organization said.

BHA said applications for those interested to replace Bray should be submitted by May 3 through the jobs@thebha.org email. The description for the job is found here.