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<\/p>\nDuring a recent storm, a wall of water shattered an art studio\u2019s double glass doors and flooded its space.<\/p>\n
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Private Picassos, an art studio in Clinton Hill, is one of many local businesses suffering from flood damage. Photo via Valeen Bhat<\/p>\n
by Olivia Seaman, Brooklyn Paper<\/p>\n
When torrential rain hit Brooklyn this fall, the basement-level art studio Private Picassos on Grand Avenue in Clinton Hill became an unintentional test of the city\u2019s crumbling storm infrastructure. Within 10 minutes, a wall of water shattered its double glass doors, flooded the 2,000-square-foot studio, and left owner Valeen Bhat standing in knee-deep water, watching her nearly 20-year-old business go under \u2014 literally.<\/p>\n
\u201cI knew that my child was safe, but this is my other child,\u201d Bhat told Brooklyn Paper. \u201cThe water came so fast that we couldn\u2019t stop it. The glass doorframe broke from the pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bhat, who moved Private Picassos<\/a> from Park Slope to Clinton Hill in 2024, had already seen signs of trouble. During a smaller storm in June, minor flooding seeped up through the drains. She spent thousands of dollars out of pocket to repair previous damage, add sump pumps, and install sandbags. But when the flash flood<\/a> struck on October 30, even those precautions couldn\u2019t keep out the torrent.<\/p>\n By the time the fire department arrived to cut power and rescue the children inside, her studio had sustained thousands of dollars in damage \u2014 ruined materials, warped floors, destroyed doors, and weeks of forced closure during the business\u2019s busiest season.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s absurd,\u201d she said. \u201cRunning a small business in New York is already hard enough. Now I have to think about what furniture will survive the next flood.\u201d<\/p>\n A street, and a system, underwater<\/p>\n Grand Avenue, where Bhat\u2019s studio sits, has become a microcosm of a larger Brooklyn crisis. Residents describe clogged storm drains, overwhelmed sewers, and floodwaters with nowhere to go. Bhat said neighbors often head out with rakes during storms to clear debris, but even that no longer helps.<\/p>\n \u201cAt 2 p.m., before the rain even got bad \u2014 I checked the drains,\u201d she said. \u201cThey were already overflowing. The water had nowhere to go.\u201d<\/p>\n The street\u2019s topography exacerbates the situation. The intersection of Green and Grand avenues forms a low point that collects runoff from surrounding blocks. Homeowners and businesses alike report repeated flooding, sometimes reaching several feet high.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s a woman down the street from me who\u2019s had 10 feet of water in her apartment three times,\u201d Bhat said. \u201cAt least for me, it\u2019s my business, not my home. We were lucky we could still go home to a dry bed.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u2018City Sponge\u2019 approach<\/p>\n For Brooklyn resident Nick Nyhan, flooding has become both a personal challenge and a citywide mission. After dealing with repeated basement floods in his own home, he launched The City Sponge<\/a>, a newsletter and resource hub aimed at helping New Yorkers understand and mitigate flood risks.<\/p>\n \u201cThe question I was trying to answer was simple: \u2018What do I do?\u2019 But that turned into a hundred other questions \u2014 about sewers, insurance, pumps, legal rights, and where the water even goes,\u201d Nyhan told Brooklyn Paper.<\/p>\n \u201cSmall businesses can apply for mitigation grants<\/a> through the Department of Small Business Services,\u201d Nyhan said. \u201cBut they\u2019re only about $5,000 and limited to businesses in officially designated flood zones. The maps are outdated, and many businesses that flood all the time don\u2019t even qualify.\u201d<\/p>\n That disconnect between what\u2019s on paper and what\u2019s happening on the ground frustrates many Brooklyn residents, Nyhan said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe city needs to reexamine flood zones based on what\u2019s really happening,\u201d he added. \u201cNot just what\u2019s on old maps.\u201d<\/p>\n Rallying on and rebuilding<\/p>\n Despite the trauma and losses that accompany flooding, Bhat refuses to give up on Private Picassos. To help with the reopening, she\u2019s started a GoFundMe <\/a>that is close to its $50,000 goal.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had people drop off dinner, coffee, and wine just to show support,\u201d she said. \u201cOther businesses have offered us free space for classes and parties. The community has been phenomenal.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019s now focused on three goals: reopening safely, installing her own flood-mitigation measures, and organizing a community meeting to push the city for action.<\/p>\n \u201cI know there will be another storm,\u201d she said. \u201cI just want to be ready for it.\u201d<\/p>\n For now, that means continuing repairs, staying vocal, and hoping that Brooklyn\u2019s growing flood crisis doesn\u2019t wash away the small businesses that keep its neighborhoods alive.<\/p>\n City officials say they are aware of the growing threat. Council Member Crystal Hudson, who represents Clinton Hill and Fort Greene, acknowledged the crisis and said her office is pushing for long-term infrastructure solutions.<\/p>\n \u201cOur office is aware of the infrastructure issues that have led to flooding and property damage in Clinton Hill,\u201d Hudson said in a statement to Brooklyn Paper. \u201cAfter the most recent flooding event, our office connected with constituents and a local business to explore relief and potential long-term infrastructure upgrades for the community. As climate change exacerbates extreme weather, our city must coordinate efforts and bolster planning to not only protect those most vulnerable to flooding but also to advance long-term infrastructure solutions. I will continue working with my colleagues in the Council, as well as the next mayoral administration, to bring New York City\u2019s infrastructure into the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n Bhat said the support of neighbors and the community has made a difference, but the challenge remains.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been magical to build something here,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m not giving up. But we can\u2019t keep doing this alone.\u201d<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: A version of this story originally ran in Brooklyn Paper. Click here<\/a> to see the original story.<\/p>\n Related Stories<\/p>\n Email tips@brownstoner.com<\/a> with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on X<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n ![\"studio](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/clinton-hill-private-picassos-293-grand-avenue-bhat-PP-CH-Art-Studio-1.png\")
Private Picassos in Clinton Hill before the October 30 flooding that devastated the business. Photo via Valeen Bhat<\/p>\n![\"damaged](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/clinton-hill-private-picassos-293-grand-avenue-bhat-20251101_115723528-collage_012371.jpg\")
Bhat\u2019s business has accumulated thousands of dollars in damage. Thanks to community support, it has raised over $40,000 in donations. Photo via Valeen Bhat<\/p>\n