Closing Bell: Community Board Approval for 4th Avenue

The Brooklyn Paper outlined the Department of Transportation’s plans for safety improvements along the northern end of 4th Avenue, a 28-block strip from Atlantic to 15th Street. Community Board Six’s Transportation Committee just approved the proposal, and it will move to the full board next month. The plan — long in the works with the community — will shrink traffic lanes, ban eight left turns near playgrounds and schools, broaden medians from two feet to six feet, add planters to the pedestrian island between Pacific Street and Atlantic Avenue, and extend the curb on the corner of Pacific Street, right at the subway entrance. DOT also plans to install on-street bike corrals down the avenue, as well as Muni-Metered parking. This proposal is part of a huge 4th Avenue overall upgrade taken on by the DOT — they’ve enacted similar street changes in Sunset Park and are moving forward with improvements in Bay Ridge.
More Room for People, Less for Cars on Fourth Avenue in Slope [Brooklyn Paper]
Photo by the DOT, via the Brooklyn Paper
Community Discusses the Future of Fourth

The Park Slope Civic Council reported on its recent meeting regarding safety measures for the Fourth Avenue corridor between Pacific Street and the Prospect Expressway. The group identified problem areas on the avenue, looked at big picture issues and created a “wish list” for implementing safety measures. Everyone seemed to agree on the major problem of how uninviting and dangerous 4th Avenue is to pedestrians due to speeding, the absence of greenery and the narrow medians. Suggestions included widening the medians and adding greenery, more trash bins and pick up, a separated bike lane, traffic calming and a safety plan around school zones. All this work is in anticipation of the Fourth Avenue Safety Visioning Workshop to be attended by the Department of Transportation, Marty Markowitz and the Fourth Avenue Task Force. The workshop is scheduled for next Tuesday, February 12, from 7 to 9 pm, at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 249 9th Street (Downstairs in the Parish Hall, enter on Fourth Avenue).
Closing Bell: Upcoming Meetings for 4th Avenue

Safety improvements for Fourth Avenue continue to be a hot topic, and the Park Slope Civic Council has announced two upcoming meetings on the matter. The first is on Wednesday, Jan. 23, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at the 5th Avenue Committee office at 621 Degraw Street. This will be a planning session for community members to discuss traffic issues for the avenue. Then on Tuesday, Feb. 12, from 7 to 9 pm, the DOT, Borough President, and the 4th Avenue Task Force will host a safety visioning workshop. They will focus on street safety issues and possible design improvements for 4th between Pacific Street to 15th Street. This meeting is at St. Thomas Aquinas Church at 249 9th Street. See all the details on both meetings here.
Photo via Park Slope Civic Council
New Build on 4th Avenue Reaches Full Height

Last summer the frame of 187 4th Avenue was just starting to rise. Now it’s reached full height and the facade is on. This 10-story building should have nine units, according to DOB permits from a long time ago. But nothing is on the market yet. For such a tall sliver of a building, this one doesn’t look as bad as we had feared. Think it’ll go rental or condo? Check out a full-on vertical shot after the jump.
Development Watch: 187 4th Avenue [Brownstoner] GMAP (more…)
Fourth Avenue Getting Greener

The Park Slope Civic Council posted a report on the summer progress of Forth on Fourth Avenue, a committee working to improve the 4th Avenue thoroughfare. They’ve planted 31 trees between Carroll and Bergen streets on Fourth Avenue and 32 trees on Sackett Street between Fourth and Fifth avenues. They are also working with the group GreenSpace to finally open up the long-promised community garden in the empty lot at Sackett Street and Fourth Avenue. The group’s efforts to draft a license and memorandum of understanding with the city are finally near completion. Once the community has access to the lot, it plans to focus on native plantings. FOFA also formed an initiative to advocate saving the Church of the Redeemer, the church on the corner of 4th and Pacific slated for demolition. According to FOFA, “The possible loss of the church also prompted discussion about identifying and protecting structures along Fourth Avenue that have historic and cultural significance to the area.” Finally the group has held on-the-ground surveys to gather greening suggestings for the Department of Transportation. The DOT plans to hold public forums this winter concerning street treatments and medians on the stretch of Fourth Avenue from Times Plaza to 15th Street.
No Summer Recess for FOFA [Park Slope Civic Council]
Attack of the Developments on 4th Avenue
A tipster sent along information of a new building soon to go up at 548 4th Avenue, on the corner of 15th Street. DOB plans call for nine stories and 15 units. A sign on the construction fence says the project should wrap in May of next year. Click through for a closer image of the rendering… pretty much looks like what you’d expect for a big development on 4th Avenue. This new build isn’t too far from the restarted Karl Fischer project on the corner of 4th Avenue and 6th Street. That’ll be 12 stories and 107 units. And right across the street, on the southeast corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue at 278 6th Street, a 12-story apartment building is also going up. You can see a picture of that site after the jump as well. Looks like a lot of big buildings for this area. (more…)
Karl Fischer Build Rising up on 4th Avenue
How did we miss this! The 12-story, 107-unit Karl Fisher build is actually going up at 267 6th Street, at 4th Avenue. The DOB renewed new building permits this summer, and Karl Fisher is still listed as the building architect. (Here’s a rendering, but it’s back from 2008.) According to public records, the land transferred to the bank this March, so we doubt Issac Katan still has a hand in this development. It’s been three years since we last checked on this site; back then there wasn’t much happening.
What’s Going on at Katan’s No-Go 6th Street Site? [Brownstoner]
New Entry in the 4th Avenue Development Game [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
What’s up at the Strauss Auto Center on 4th Avenue?
The Strauss Auto Center on 4th Avenue, between 14th and 15th streets, has closed shop and is now sporting a chain link fence. A reader wonders if this means even more condos for 4th Avenue, but there’s no action yet on the Department of Buildings front. There also hasn’t been a recent sale of the lot, which takes up the entire block of 4th Avenue. Seems like a site ripe for development. Does anyone know what’s happening here? Update: We’ve heard that Strauss declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and has closed all of its locations, but no official word on what will happen with the site. GMAP
Meeting to Discuss Church of the Redeemer Demo
If you’d like to discuss the pending demolition (and strategies to prevent it) of 4th Avenue’s Church of the Redeemer, the East Pacific Street Block Association is holding a meeting on Monday, July 16th at 7:30pm on the second floor of the YWCA at 30 Third Avenue. The congregation stated its plans earlier this month to replace the structure with a mixed use church and residential building.
Locals Want to Save Church of the Redeemer [Brownstoner]
Demolition Slated for 4th Ave’s Church of the Redeemer [Brownstoner] GMAP
Closing Bell: More Meetings for 4th Avenue
There’s been lots of talk on improving 4th Avenue, and it isn’t stopping anytime soon. Community Board Seven (focused around Greenwood Heights) set up its own 4th Avenue Working Group to focus on CB7′s portion of 4th Avenue, which is one of the largest. They scheduled a meeting for Thursday, July 19th, 6:30pm at the Board Office, 4201 4th Avenue. (All the details are here.) The meeting is open to the public. For more info just call 718-854-0003 or e-mail communityboard7@yahoo.com.
Locals Want to Save Church of the Redeemer
A member of the East Pacific Street Block Association got in touch with us about the block association’s intent to halt the proposed demolition of 4th Avenue’s Church of the Redeemer. At this point, there is no set plan of action, but the block association is seeking the support of local politicians and the Historic Districts Council. They will schedule a meeting soon; we will keep you updated. The church plans to replace the original structure, which they say is in severe disrepair, with a mixed-use building including a new church and residential units.
Demolition Slated for 4th Ave’s Church of the Redeemer [Brownstoner] GMAP
P.S. 133 Shows Itself on 4th Avenue
The facade (or part of it, anyway) is finally on view at P.S. 133 on 4th Avenue and Butler Street in Park Slope. The original school building was demolished in November 2010. The ETA for this one is September of next year.
Development Watch: P.S. 133 Taking Shape
PS 133 Not Opening Until September 2013 [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: PS 133 Goes Vertical [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: The Snowy PS 133 Site [Brownstoner] GMAP
Onward and Upward at PS 133 [Brownstoner]
Last Wall Comes Down at PS 133 [Brownstoner]
Chipping Away at PS 133 [Brownstoner]
PS 133: Memo on the Demo [Brownstoner]
Demolition Slated for 4th Ave’s Church of the Redeemer
Plans are in motion to demolish the Church of the Redeemer, the Gothic Revival structure at 24 4th Avenue at Pacific Street. A tipster alerted us to an item on tonight’s Boerum Hill Association agenda saying that the building is in severe disrepair and will therefore be destroyed. A mixed-use building with a new church and residential units are planned to replace it. For some reason this building isn’t landmarked; you can read about the rich history of the 1866 structure in this BOTD post. If you are interested in hearing more details about what the BHA rightly calls a “tragic loss to our neighborhood,” the meeting is tonight at 7pm in the YWCA Community Room at 30 Third Avenue. GMAP
The Greening of 4th Avenue Continues
Forth on Fourth Avenue, a new Park Slope Civic Council Committee, has made serious strides “greening” 4th Avenue. The group kicked off its efforts during the Civic Sweep in April, cleaning up, planting and installing tree guards around 17 tree beds on or close to 4th Avenue. (The trees pictured are on the corner of Butler Street.) And there’s more where that came from: The group just received a small grant from MilliontreesNYC, which will allow for more tree beds to be put in. Forth on Fourth also encourages adoption of trees by local residents and businesses. The kickoff events for work with the MilliontreesNYC grant is this coming Saturday from 12:30pm to 4pm. The group will be working on the tree beds in front of the Arias (150 4th Avenue) and in front of the apartment at 126 4th. Tools and gloves will be provided.
Slope Group Looks to Improve 4th Avenue [Brownstoner]
‘Crispy Mr. Chicken’ Announces Itself on 4th Avenue
Perhaps looking to fill the void that was created when the KFC on 4th Avenue closed in the fall so that it could be converted into a McDonalds, an awesome sign advertising “Crispy Mr. Chicken” has been on the front of 52 4th Avenue for more than a month now. The location is almost directly across the street from the former KFC and possible future McDonalds. Unfortunately for those looking to get their chicken fix, the work inside appears to be progressing slowly and there are no indications that the restaurant will be opening anytime soon. However, all hope is not lost: According to Department of Buildings records, there was a fried chicken biz operating in the same location from 1994 until 2010, before it was converted into a deli. Now that the deli’s gone, the chicken is free to range in all its glory. –By Evan Bleier
Blight at 4th Avenue Fast-Food Building [Brownstoner] GMAP
Slope Beer Garden, Die Koelner Bierhalle, May Open Soon!
Park Slope might not be getting a Hooters anytime soon, but that doesn’t mean that the area isn’t going to be filling up with other new businesses. One such business, Die Koelner Bierhalle, is moving closer to opening its doors. Construction is still being done on the building’s interior, but the facade of the German-style beer hall is intact and looking just about ready for business. As previously reported on Brownstoner, the bar will have 30 German draft beers and will be run by the former manager of Der Schwarze Kölner in nearby Fort Greene. Located at 84 St. Marks Place, near the corner of 4th Avenue, the beer hall will offer bar-goers an alternative to nearby watering holes like the Cherry Tree and Pacific Standard. The bar’s website reports that it will be opening in Spring 2012, which means you should be able to say “Prost!” there sooner rather than later. –By Evan Bleier Update: Correct spelling of business name is now in place.
Beer Hall Opening in the North Slope [Brownstoner] GMAP
4th Avenue is Not All That Pedestrian Friendly
In news that is unlikely to surprise anyone who has had to traverse 4th Avenue on foot in recent years, the thoroughfare has been named one of the most dangerous roadways for pedestrians, according to a report from the Tri-State Transportation Campaign that Patch reported on. The avenue ties Eastern Parkway and Avenue U for third place as the most dangerous stretch for pedestrians in Brooklyn, with four pedestrian fatalities between 2008 and 2010. Still, Atlantic Avenue, Kings Highway, Brighton Beach Avenue and Ocean Parkway all saw more pedestrian fatalities between 2008 and 2010 than 4th Avenue. What makes the news about 4th Avenue a bit more intriguing is that it has been in the midst of a transformation into a residential enclave, with hundreds of units of housing constructed on the Park Slope stretch of the avenue following a rezoning several years ago. It has been a major traffic artery for a long time, but the question now is whether the cars and new residents can peacefully coexist.
Fourth Ave Tied for Third Most Dangerous Road in Brooklyn for Peds [Patch]
Photo by Violette79
Big 4th Avenue Development Site Sells
The development site on the northeast corner of 6th Street and 4th Avenue, 363 4th Avenue, just sold for $10.7 million. It was on the market for $14 million. A listing for the site said there were approved plans for a 106-unit building with 43 parking spots, which is depicted in the (possibly out-of-date) rendering at left. It appears the buyer is the firm the Elad Group, although a call for confirmation wasn’t returned. Naftali Group. The broker in charge of the sale told us this: “The purchaser is already in the ground and the project should be complete in about 18 months give or take. I’m already in talks with multiple retails tenants that have showed interest in the retail component of the project. I believe the completed project will be a great enhancement to the neighborhood and surrounding area.” UPDATE: An Aptsandlofts.com rep tells us the developer is actually the Naftali Group, and Aptsandlofts.com will be representing the project once it hits the market.
Battle of the 4th Avenue Development Offerings [Brownstoner] GMAP
Slope Group Looks to Improve 4th Avenue
Over the past several months a few different initiatives have launched to address quality-of-life issues on 4th Avenue, and now another group, Forth on Fourth Avenue, or FOFA, joins the fray. FOFA was established as a Park Slope Civic Council committee earlier this month and is now focusing on several projects, including blocking the establishment of a drive-thru at the McDonald’s coming to the old KFC space on Warren; piloting a project between Bergen and Degraw to focus on street greening; and looking for ways to encourage “good neighbors” by sponsoring clean-ups and tree-planting initiatives. The committee meets the second Tuesday of every month 8 a.m. at the Brooklyn Lyceum, if you’re interested.
Forth on Fourth Becomes Newest Civic Council Committee [PSCC]
560 Carroll Street All Spoken For
The condo at Carroll Street and 4th Avenue has fared well on the market, and now it’s basically sold out: StreetEasy is showing that the last unit for sale in the building is in contract. Closing records show that most of the apartments sold for close to what they were listed for, and prices ranged from around $700 to $900 a foot. Sales launched at the end of January.
560 Carroll Close to Selling Out [Brownstoner]
Swift Sales at 4th Ave Condo [Brownstoner] GMAP
Checking in at 560 Carroll [Brownstoner]
560 Carroll Launches Sales [Brownstoner]





May 21, 2013 | 09:56 AM