Brownstoner: LightPole

173 Kent Avenue

2009-11-23T19:47:47Z

This development at 173 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg feels like it's been taking forever—we first wrote about it two years ago. The new building, located directly across the street from Cass Gilbert's 184 Kent, will be six stories tall. You can see an old rendering here.
175 Kent Avenue Revealed [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Development Watch: Kent and North 4th Street [Brownstoner]

166 Washington Park

2009-11-23T18:15:32Z

The brownstone at 166 Washington Park in Fort Greene has been on the market for at least a year and a half by our count. In that time it's been featured a couple of times as an Open House Pick but never as a House of the Day. Given that it recently underwent its a price cut, bringing the asking price down to $2,199,000, the listing seemed worth revisiting. It's clearly a lovely house in a great location (overlooking Fort Greene Park). Other than the price, the only snag we can see is the configuration (~~two~~ three floor-through rentals over an owner's duplex); nothing inherently wrong with that, but it's not what most family buyers are looking for.
166 Washington Park [Brooklyn Properties] GMAP P*Shark

160 Henry Street, #1B

2009-11-23T17:42:53Z

While this ground-floor co-op at 160 Henry Street is a far cry (both in terms of price and vertical feet) from its more famous upstairs neighbor, it's still an attractive apartment in a great Brooklyn Heights location. It's also a decent-sized one-bedroom with a reasonable maintenance, given that this is one of the premier doorman buildings in The Heights. What do you make of the $509,000 asking price.
160 Henry Street, #1B [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark

647 Baltic Street

2009-11-23T16:33:57Z

After being cited by the Department of Buildings for "Failure to Maintain" back in July, the vacant building at 647 Baltic Street began being torn down last week. Given the 20-foot crack that ran up the side of the building, this sounds like a prudent course of action.
Crack is Wack for Slope Building [Brownstoner] GMAP

One Hanson

2009-11-23T16:02:37Z

Last week the scaffolding on the Hanson Place side of the Williamsburg Bank Building finally came down. "It's still up along the Ashland side and down next to the church on Hanson," writes a resident of the building. "Now if we can just get the new Atlantic station open we'll be in great shape!" GMAP

Forte

2009-11-23T15:00:47Z

After going off the market at the end of the summer (presumably while the bank figured its plan of action), the Forte hit the market again at the end of last week under the auspices of Corcoran. The big news is that the units look priced to sell! Back in the old days, a 1,000-square-foot two-bedroom woulda cost you somewhere in the mid- to high- $700,000s. Now, for that price, you can pick a 1,435-square-foot three-bedroom. Crazy. From the looks of the first wave of listings, most apartments are priced at around $500 a foot. These could go fast at these prices. GMAP

South

2009-11-20T19:00:15Z

South, the new bar in the former Vin Rouge space on 5th Avenue between 17th and 18th streets, has opened. According to BlackBook, South is run by the same people who own the Brooklyn Ice House in Red Hook and has half a dozen beers on tap.
StreetLevel: New South Slope Bar on Tap [Brownstoner] GMAP

509 Decatur Street

2009-11-20T18:04:54Z

Park Slope
289 Garfield Place
Corcoran
Sunday 2-3
$1,950,000
GMAP P*Shark

Ditmas Park
664 Westminster Road
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 2:30-4:30
$800,000 (was $995,000)
GMAP P*Shark

Greenwood Heights
323 21st Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday 1-3
$749,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bedford Stuyvesant
509 Decatur Street
Fenwick Keats
Sunday 12-1:30
$525,000
GMAP P*Shark

289 Garfield Place

2009-11-20T18:04:54Z

Park Slope
289 Garfield Place
Corcoran
Sunday 2-3
$1,950,000
GMAP P*Shark

Ditmas Park
664 Westminster Road
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 2:30-4:30
$800,000 (was $995,000)
GMAP P*Shark

Greenwood Heights
323 21st Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday 1-3
$749,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bedford Stuyvesant
509 Decatur Street
Fenwick Keats
Sunday 12-1:30
$525,000
GMAP P*Shark

323 21st Street

2009-11-20T18:04:54Z

Park Slope
289 Garfield Place
Corcoran
Sunday 2-3
$1,950,000
GMAP P*Shark

Ditmas Park
664 Westminster Road
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 2:30-4:30
$800,000 (was $995,000)
GMAP P*Shark

Greenwood Heights
323 21st Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday 1-3
$749,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bedford Stuyvesant
509 Decatur Street
Fenwick Keats
Sunday 12-1:30
$525,000
GMAP P*Shark

664 Westminster Road

2009-11-20T18:04:54Z

Park Slope
289 Garfield Place
Corcoran
Sunday 2-3
$1,950,000
GMAP P*Shark

Ditmas Park
664 Westminster Road
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 2:30-4:30
$800,000 (was $995,000)
GMAP P*Shark

Greenwood Heights
323 21st Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday 1-3
$749,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bedford Stuyvesant
509 Decatur Street
Fenwick Keats
Sunday 12-1:30
$525,000
GMAP P*Shark

658 Bergen Street

2009-11-20T16:31:05Z

Things have been going pretty well over at 660 Bergen Street, the 16-unit Karl Fischer-designed condo development in Prospect Heights. When we took its temperature back in March, six apartments were in contract. And now? 12 are either closed or in contract, leaving just four still up for grabs. Probably not coincidentally, they are all first-floor duplexes. Still, overall an impressive showing in this market.
660 Bergen Street Listings [StreetEasy]
Checking In On 660 Bergen Street [Brownstoner]
Checking in on 660 Bergen [Brownstoner] GMAP
Development Watch: 656-662 Bergen Street [Brownstoner]

68 Bergen Street

2009-11-20T16:01:19Z

The public notice regarding the liquor license application is a couple of weeks old at this point, but the tipster who alerted us to the fact that a new restaurant is slated for the storefront space at 68 Bergen Street just down the street from Dunkin Donuts just noticed it. The name of the company on the application is Le Anfore LLC. That mean anything to anyone? GMAP

Viridian

2009-11-20T15:30:24Z

After a tough run as a condo development (it went bust at the beginning of the year), the Viridian has had a nice reversal of fortune recently in its new life (under new ownership) as a rental building. We passed by yesterday and saw plenty of evidence of people living there. Later in the day we heard from the leasing agent, Citi-Spaces, that 85 out of 130 units have been rented out since hitting the market mid-Summer. Not too shabby, especially considering the not-insubstantial asking prices: One-bedrooms start at $2,400 a month, two-bedrooms at $3,400 and three-bedrooms at $4,500.
Viridian Rentals Hit the Market [Brownstoner] GMAP
Bankruptcy Forces Sale of Viridian [Brownstoner]

Iris Cafe

2009-11-20T15:14:54Z

Brooklyn Heights Blog has the scoop (and the photos) on the latest addition to the neighborhood's culinary scene: A cute spot called the Iris cafe opened yesterday at 20 Columbia Place in Willowtown. Anyone tried it yet?
Willowtown’s Iris Cafe - the Photos! [BHB] GMAP

868 Metropolitan Avenue

2009-11-20T14:30:58Z

As Curbed reported yesterday, the eight-unit condo development at 868 Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg sold out in just seven weeks. (This news came via an email announcement from the team at Douglas Elliman responsible for marketing the project.) So the question now is, Was it the free Vespas they were giving away (well, throwing into the deal might be a better way of putting it) or the $400-a-foot prices? GMAP

Benetton

2009-11-20T14:01:48Z

We wouldn't believe it if we hadn't seen it with our own two eyes...Benetton has opened a store at 741 Bedford Avenue between Flushing and Park Avenues. Seems like an odd location for the upscale brand's only store (as far as we know) in ~~Brooklyn~~ the area. Maybe some exec in Europe was given orders to open up a store on Bedford Avenue and found the cheapest rent he could on Bedford Avenue not realizing it was a far cry from Williamsburg! GMAP

424 Waverly Avenue

2009-11-19T19:45:00Z

What a difference two years makes! The owners of 426 Waverly Avenue purchased the aesthetically-challenged structure back in September 2007 for $1,166,000 and set about restoring it to its original glory. And what a job they've done! Hip, hip, hooray! GMAP DOB
2007 Photo from Property Shark

277 Flatbush Avenue

2009-11-19T19:00:47Z

Pet owners of Prospect Heights and Park Slope, rejoice! A little birdie tells us that the storefront undergoing construction at 277 Flatbush Avenue will ultimately be a new veterinarian. GMAP

540 Bergen Street

2009-11-19T18:13:30Z

540 Bergen Street (pdf flyer) has some redeeming features—nice location, pretty facade, some original details—but it's also been chopped up into three units and suffers from a bad case of crappy listing photography. All of which may explain why the price was just reduced after only a month on the market from $1,550,000 to $1,475,000. We don't think it'll be quite enough to get a deal done though. What about you?
540 Bergen Street [Mark-Roth] GMAP P*Shark

150 Joralemon Street, #5F

2009-11-19T17:40:40Z

150 Joralemon, the 89-unit co-op in Brooklyn Heights, is quite a prewar looker from the outside, which makes the 80s-modern vibe of this fifth-floor apartment a bit of a surprise to see. There's no floorplan provided so it's a little hard to figure out where the raised bedroom and kitchen come into play. Regardless, it's a clean space with nice views; the only downer is the maintenance of $1,028. The asking price is $369,000, down from an initial $389,000 when it hit the market last month. Reactions?
150 Joralemon Street, #5F [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark

150 Bond Street

2009-11-19T15:00:36Z

The sale of 150 Bond Street, which was a House of the Day a number of times, was recorded in public records yesterday. The price: $1,400,000. The property, which was pitched as a gutted blank slate that would allow its new owner to "build your dream house in Boerum Hill," first hit the market asking $2,495,000 in March '08. The price was cut several times until it was asking $1,595,000 this summer. The seller purchased it for $1,725,000 in September '07. This one seems like it was a victim of unrealistic pricing from the get-go and a down market in which fixer-uppers are a tough sell.
House of the Day: 150 Bond Street Revisited GMAP P*Shark
Open House Picks: Price Cut Edition [Brownstoner]
Houses of the Day: A Couple of Price Cuts [Brownstoner]
House of the Day: 150 Bond Street [Brownstoner]
150 Bond Price History [StreetEasy]

Vinnie's Styles

2009-11-18T19:01:14Z

Vinnie's Styles, maker of hip-hop and Brooklyn-themed apparel, is in the process of building out a new double-wide storefront at 239 Flatbush Avenue in Prospect Heights. If the Nets arena does ever get built, this location will look like a pretty smart choice. GMAP

22 Sidney Place

2009-11-18T18:11:41Z

This charming house at 22 Sidney Place in Brooklyn Heights just hit the market with a price tag of $2,750,000. The 17-foot-wide house has lots of original details and the modernized, ground-floor kitchen is also quite attractive. We're liking both the location and feel of the house. (They've also got our coffee table!) What do you make of the asking price?
22 Sidney Place [Kevin Carberry] GMAP P*Shark

85 8th Avenue, #3R

2009-11-18T17:41:43Z

We're liking this two-bedroom co-op at 85 8th Avenue in Park Slope that just hit the market. The 1,000-square-foot brownstone duplex is one of those places that successfully combines original charm with modern touches. The monthly maintenance seems a touch high at $1,083 given the lack of services, but we won't be surprised if they get within 10 percent of the $695,000 asking price.
85 8th Avenue, #3R [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

97 Crooke Avenue

2009-11-18T15:14:39Z

Using money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Tax Credit Assistance Program, the city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development earlier this week announced that ten affordable housing projects around the city would receive a total injection of more than $28 million; the ten projects would collectively add 600 units of housing. Just one of the projects is in Brooklyn, reports The Eagle. It's a 53-unit development planned for 97 Crooke Avenue in Flatbush. The $2,239,000 in government funding will go to construct 32 units of supportive housing and 21 units of affordable housing for those making 60 percent of the area median income.
B’klyn Housing Benefits From Stimulus Funding [Brooklyn Eagle] GMAP

BellTel Lofts

2009-11-18T15:01:30Z

It's not a lot for a building with 250 units, but it's something. A press release just went out yesterday trumpeting the fact that four units at the BellTel Lofts had sold recently; sales prices ranged from $559,000 to $900,000 and three of the four buyers took advantage of FHA loans. The building is now over 55 percent sold.
Belltel Joins the FHA Club [Brownstoner]
Targeted Price Cuts at Belltel Lofts [Brownstoner]
Checking In On The BellTel Lofts [Brownstoner]
Belltel Parking On Tap [Brownstoner]
Belltel Lofts: 50% Percent Sold [Brownstoner]
The Belltel Lofts: 40 Percent Sold [Brownstoner]

478 Grand Avenue

2009-11-17T19:42:58Z

Writing up yesterday's atrocity on Underhill put us in the frame of mind to revisit another blight on the area, 478 Grand Avenue. Back in 2005, the original structure was being marketed by Corcoran as "Grandma's House," presumably in reference to its charming but somewhat rundown condition. A year later it had been replaced by a plywood box. And for sometime now it's been a cinderblock eyesore. Just look at that quality design and construction! It's a pleasure and an honor to share the same street.
Supersizing Grandma's House [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Grandma's House in Clinton Hill [Brownstoner]

Brooklyn Farms

2009-11-17T19:00:34Z

A gardening supply store called Brooklyn Farms is coming to the corner of Hicks and Degraw. A neighbor says workers have been busy fixing the space up and that it's slated to open soon. GMAP

121 Rapelye Street

2009-11-17T18:19:17Z

There aren't a lot of interior photos provided in the new listing for 121 Rapelye Street, a four-story brownstone in Carroll Gardens. The three shots that are shown reveal a mix of nice original details and cheap rental-style finishes, so it's hard to develop a strong opinion about the $1,300,000 asking price. Given that this is a BQE block and not one of the neighborhood's most charming, we bet it'll be challenging unless there are some positive surprises on the inside.
121 Rapelye Street [Heights Berkeley] GMAP P*Shark

1110 Caton Avenue, #6C

2009-11-17T17:41:21Z

This modest but attractive two-bedroom co-op at 1110 Caton Avenue in Kensington appears to have gone into contract earlier this year only to fall apart before closing. The 750-square-footer has a monthly maintenance of $690 and an asking price of $270,009. There two other apartments currently listed in the building around the same price. Seems perfectly reasonable to us. You?
1110 Caton Avenue, #6C [Cocoran] GMAP P*Shark

NV

2009-11-17T16:02:52Z

Remember the upbeat news back in May that the NV had sold 17 out of its 40 units in the first four months of the year? Well, now the glassy new development at 101 North 5th Street has sold another 17 (according to the sales agent), bringing the percentage sold up to 85 percent. Ah, to be a condo development and be at least 50-percent sold.
Signs of Life for Williamsburg Condos? [Brownstoner] GMAP

The Minor Arcana

2009-11-17T15:14:50Z

The Brooklyn Paper has the lowdown on a new bar opening in Prospect Heights. The new spot, being launched in a small storefront at 706 Washington Avenue by the owner of the Kings County bar in Bushwick, will be called Minor Arcana, a reference to a Tarot reading he received in Coney Island while contemplating the new venture. The new space will be filled with Coney Island references like a cabinet of curiosities and freak show-related wall hangings. As the owner described it to us in an email last week, "The Minor Arcana will focus mainly on drinking in a slightly creepy but still fun sideshow/carnival atmosphere." The opening is slated for this Friday.
Bar Owner Defies Tarot Reading [Brooklyn Paper] GMAP

Johnson Gourmet Deli

2009-11-17T15:00:55Z

When we first saw the signage for the Johnson Gourmet Deli at 176 Johnson Street, we thought it might be the great culinary savior of this newly residential part of Downtown Brooklyn. Based on our pass-by last night, though, those hopes appear to have been somewhat misplaced, though we're sure the first wave of Oro residents will be happy to have a clean and convenient spot for deli food and essentials. It certainly beats the place across the street!
Streetlevel: Johnson Gourmet Deli [Brownstoner] GMAP

Gradys Collective

2009-11-16T21:00:53Z

As Clinton Hill denizens may have already noticed, a new boutique opened up about a week ago at 923 Fulton Street. It's called Gradys Collective and is the brainchild of Lashunda Davis, founder of the Cure Beauty Bar next door. For a look at some of the merch, check out this blog post. Great to see this kind of thing on Fulton! GMAP

112 Underhill Avenue

2009-11-16T19:41:55Z

This new two-family building going up at 112 Underhill Avenue may be the ugliest piece of crap we've had the misfortune to lay eyes on in recent memory. It would be hard to design anything this heinous if you tried. There should be a law...GMAP P*Shark DOB

Mauzac Wine Bar

2009-11-16T19:01:02Z

A new wine bar called Mauzac will be opening at 136 Dekalb Avenue between South Portland and South Elliott adjacent to the existing Carol's Daughter space. Actually, the new lease (which was arranged by CPEX) will be in space that Carol's Daughter has been renting but not using in recent years at the rear of its store. In addition to being excited to partake of the new venture's grape-derived offerings, we think it's great for this stretch along the park to have some nighttime activity. It should make this stretch past Brooklyn Tech and the community garden a little less ominous for those walking home from the train at night. GMAP

130 8th Avenue, #7C

2009-11-16T17:38:22Z

Here's a pretty standard but perfectly nice two-bedroom co-op at 130 8th Avenue that just hit the market. It has a nice layout and appears to be in good shape; the views also look sweet. The maintenance is a little high at $1,399 and the asking price of $865,000 seems mildly optimistic but not crazy talk. What do you make of it?
130 8th Avenue, #7C [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark

Red Hook Co-ops

2009-11-16T16:31:49Z

Selling market-rate units in a building where a bunch of affordable units have already closed is typically a tough endeavor: In addition to some the class-consciousness that can come into play, no one like to pay twice as much as the guy down the hall for the same apartment. (It's also tough when the building's located around the corner from a gigantic tract of public housing.) So it's no great surprise that the market-rate units at 71-79 Wolcott Street in Red Hook, a Fifth Avenue Committee project, aren't flying off the shelf. When we call the broker, it sounded like one or two out of 20 market-rate units might be spoken for; regardless, hardly enough to qualify as meaningful traction. The $380,000 two-bedrooms and $510,000 three-bedrooms have been on the market since sometime this summer.
Market-Rate Units Available at Red Hook Co-Op Project [Brownstoner]
FAC’s Red Hook Homes Near Completion [Brownstoner]
Red Hook Co-Ops [Manzione] GMAP

Avalon Fort Greene

2009-11-13T19:39:15Z

Although the first move-ins were just pushed back by a couple of weeks, Avalon Fort Greene just reached an important milestone in its development history: At some point in the last couple of days, the last window was installed.
All Is Revealed at Avalon Fort Greene [Brownstoner]
Avalon Fort Greene Coverage [Brownstoner] GMAP

9471 Ridge Boulevard

2009-11-13T18:08:26Z

Park Slope
449 Bergen Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 12-2
$1,595,000 was $1,899,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bay Ridge
9471 Ridge Boulevard
Corcoran
Sunday 3-4:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Park Slope
219 Prospect Avenue
Brooklyn Properties
Sunday 12-1:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Crown Heights
173 Crown Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Saturday 12:30-2
$789,000 was $749,000
GMAP P*Shark

219 Prospect Avenue

2009-11-13T18:08:26Z

Park Slope
449 Bergen Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 12-2
$1,595,000 was $1,899,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bay Ridge
9471 Ridge Boulevard
Corcoran
Sunday 3-4:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Park Slope
219 Prospect Avenue
Brooklyn Properties
Sunday 12-1:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Crown Heights
173 Crown Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Saturday 12:30-2
$789,000 was $749,000
GMAP P*Shark

173 Crown Street

2009-11-13T18:08:26Z

Park Slope
449 Bergen Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 12-2
$1,595,000 was $1,899,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bay Ridge
9471 Ridge Boulevard
Corcoran
Sunday 3-4:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Park Slope
219 Prospect Avenue
Brooklyn Properties
Sunday 12-1:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Crown Heights
173 Crown Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Saturday 12:30-2
$789,000 was $749,000
GMAP P*Shark

449 Bergen Street

2009-11-13T18:08:26Z

Park Slope
449 Bergen Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 12-2
$1,595,000 was $1,899,000
GMAP P*Shark

Bay Ridge
9471 Ridge Boulevard
Corcoran
Sunday 3-4:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Park Slope
219 Prospect Avenue
Brooklyn Properties
Sunday 12-1:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

Crown Heights
173 Crown Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Saturday 12:30-2
$789,000 was $749,000
GMAP P*Shark

437 Waverly Avenue

2009-11-13T14:01:09Z

There was a big turnout and lots of bidding yesterday at the auction for the shell of a house at 437 Waverly Avenue in Clinton Hill. The first round of bidding was done privately on paper, with the highest bid coming in at $415,000. At that point, the public bidding started at $415,000 and quickly worked its way up to a winning bid of $540,000, well above what we thought it would go for (and far above the pricing widget average of $382,448. Surprised?
Waverly Shell Coming Up for Auction [Brownstoner]
437 Waverly Avenue [Brooklyn Properties] GMAP P*Shark

322 Bond Street

2009-11-12T19:41:02Z

Now that it's done, we still don't totally get how this new addition at 322 Bond Street actually qualifies as merely a one-story addition plus attic; that top floor looks suspiciously like a penthouse with a terrace to us.
Development Watch: 322 Bond Street [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB

Trunk

2009-11-12T19:00:37Z

The doors have actually been open for a few days, but tonight is the grand opening party for Dumbo's newest boutique. Trunk, as it is called, is located at 68 Jay Street and features a mix of clothing, art and furniture, all sourced from local designers. For a complete list, check out the post from DumboNYC below.
New Dumbo Store: Trunk [DumboNYC] GMAP

540 4th Street

2009-11-12T18:14:41Z

We're digging all the original details in this new listing at 540 4th Street. The Park Slope limestone has plenty of old-school cred but it's gonna need to get some serious lovin' from its next owner, a fact the listing cops to. We're not so sure we agree that at $2,000,000, though, that it is "priced accordingly" (as the listing also claims). The house is on a park block, but it's only about 2,500 square feet. Thoughts?
540 4th Street [Orrichio Anderson] GMAP P*Shark

40 Clarkson Avenue, #4F

2009-11-12T17:38:51Z

If you're looking for a large prewar apartment for under $350 a foot, this co-op at 40 Clarkson Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens could be worth a look. The three-bedroom pad has over 1,200 square feet of space and a new kitchen to boot. The monthly maintenance is $1,000, pretty reasonable given the space, but you don't get a doorman with that. The location is good in terms of proximity to the park and the Q train. What's this particular block like?
40 Clarkson Avenue, #4F [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark

580 Carroll Street

2009-11-12T16:00:09Z

The developers of the Enrique Norten-designed 580 Carroll Street in Park Slope have filed papers with the city in advance of next week's Board of Standards and Appeals hearing on the variance they're seeking to build a denser structure than zoning allows. The latest documents from the development team are in response to criticisms from the BSA about the team's request, and in them they lay out how high cost overruns have allegedly gotten at the site because of what they call "unique" conditions, like "deep underground concrete and masonry chambers" from the old substation on the land. The developers claim that the makeup of these chambers couldn't have been anticipated before they began excavation, and along with other unexpected hurdles—such as "the  soil  under  the  neighboring  buildings  began  to  wash  out  and  soil  grouting  had  to  be  introduced  in  order  to  keep  the  soil  under  the  neighboring  buildings  stable"—overruns reached $2.86 million. You buying it?
Development Watch: 580 Carroll Gets Its Glass On [Brownstoner]
BSA Postpones Decision on Carroll St Norten Again [Brownstoner]
580 Carroll Decision Postponed [Brownstoner]
Slope Rallies Against 580 Carroll, Rags on the BSA [Brownstoner]
Battle Over Carroll St. Norten Build Heats Up This Week [Brownstoner]
CB6 Doesn't Buy Carroll Street Hardship Claim [Brownstoner]
580 Carroll Developer Trying to Supersize Norten Project [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 580 Carroll Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
Enrique Norten-Designed Project in Park Slope Revealed [Brownstoner]
Four Developments Coming to One Stretch of Carroll [Brownstoner]

The Locale

2009-11-12T14:59:56Z

Curbed has the results of yesterday's auction of The Locale in Greenpoint. The 16-unit condo auction was held by Sheldon Goode at the New York Marriott and by the sound of it was quite effective. Only five units ended up being sold via live bidding; after that, the developer had interested parties submit private offers. A fourth floor one-bedroom with 726 square feet went for $312,500 and a ground-floor studio with 908 square feet sold for $272,000. More details on the link.
On the Block RESULTS: Five Greenpoint Condos Sell [Curbed]
The Locale: Greenpoint Condo Auction [Brownstoner] GMAP

be@schermerhorn

2009-11-12T14:00:11Z

Last we heard from be@schermerhorn (a couple of months ago), the 246-unit condo building in Downtown Brooklyn was forced to let its existing buyers out of contract, having failed to sell enough of the building; earlier in the year, the development finally cut prices but it was too little too late. Well, now those same buyers will be able to buy back in, presumably at much lower prices. It was reported yesterday that an Atlanta-based company called Jamestown Properties has purchased the mortgage on the property and plans to relaunch the sales effort under the management of the original developer, SDS Procida. Great news for the Downtown area if they can pull it off. If it's priced to sell, we don't see any reason why they can't.
Brooklyn Condo Scooped Up by German Investors [WSJ]
Jamestown Invests in Troubled be@Schermerhorn [TRD]
Vultures Pick Off Downtown Brooklyn Condo [Curbed]
Be@Schermerhorn Hits Another Snag [Brownstoner]
Welcome to Downtown Brooklyn's Hottest Pocket [NY Post]
The Be@Schermerhorn Price Cuts We've Been Waiting For [Brownstoner]
What's Going On at Be@Schermerhorn? [Brownstoner]
Checking In On Be@Schermerhorn [Brownstoner] GMAP
Price Cuts at Be@Schermerhorn [Brownstoner]
Inside Be@Schermerhorn [Brownstoner]

333 Carroll Street

2009-11-11T19:41:13Z

Pardon Me For Asking notes today that 333 Carroll Street, which has been frozen since March 2008, just got a new building permit approved by DOB. As you may recall, the conversion with the ungainly 40-foot addition got caught up in some Scarano-related square footage calculation shenanigans and slapped with a Stop Work Order. The owner subsequently brought in Karl Fischer to get the project back on track and PFMA says it looks like he may have beaten the downzoning of the neighborhood last month by a matter of days.
New Permit Issued for 333 Carroll Street [PMFA]
Burning the Midnight Oil at 333 Carroll Street [Brownstoner]
Signs of Life at 333 Carroll? [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB

75 New York Avenue

2009-11-11T18:11:31Z

This house at 75 New York Avenue in Crown Heights has been on and off the market for more than three years; this latest effort comes courtesy of Douglas Elliman. The house gets big points for its mansionly size, architectural detail and four-car garage; the broker gets a big "boo-hiss" from us for touting its non-Landmark tear-down potential to developers. The American Second Empire house sits on a 50-by-100-foot lot at the corner of New York Avenue and Pacific Street. Great stuff—let's hope that someone who gives a crap steps up and buys it. The asking price is $1,425,000, a pretty penny in this part of town and seems rather unrealistic to us in this environment.
75 New York Avenue [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark
House of the Day: 73 New York Avenue (Revisited) [Brownstoner]
House of the Day: 73 New York Avenue [Brownstoner]

110 Livingston Street, #8O

2009-11-11T17:41:47Z

A couple of years after the owner bought Apartment 8O from the developer, this corner two-bedroom at 110 Livingston Street just came up for resale with a price tag of $775,000. We light the combo of modern-but-prewar that the Two Trees conversions typically have, and this place is no exception. Given the size of almost 1,100 square feet, the impressive light and views and the modest common charges of $725, we can see this fetching close to ask. Agree?
110 Livingston Street, #8O [City Connections] GMAP P*Shark

Best Western

2009-11-11T16:01:10Z

About a month after getting underway, demolition of the four small buildings on Flatbush Extenstion between Tillary and Bridge Street is almost finished. A new 10-story, 65-unit Best Western hotel is slated to rise on the site.
Giddyup! Best Western Preps for New Downtown Location [Brownstoner]
Two New Hotels Slated for Downtown Brooklyn [Brownstoner]
55 Flatbush Extension: GMAP DOB 57 Flatbush Extension: GMAP DOB
61 Flatbush Extension: GMAP DOB 63 Flatbush Extension: GMAP DOB

345 Adams Street

2009-11-11T14:30:41Z

A principal from Muss Development, the firm that's trying to lure classy retailers to Downtown's 345 Adams Street, said at yesterday's Brooklyn Real Estate Roundtable that negotiations are underway with two "nationally known" restaurants. One of the restaurants is eyeballing a 10,000-square-foot space, he said, while the other is looking at a 2,000-square-foot chunk. Guesses?
Closing Bell: Shopping for High-End Retail at 345 Adams [Brownstoner]

766 Franklin Avenue

2009-11-10T19:00:45Z

Via a tipster comes new that a new burger joint is getting ready to open at 766 Franklin Avenue. The new space is right next to the recently-opened Breukelen Coffee House. Crown Heights is really going through a rebirth right now! GMAP

615 2nd Street

2009-11-10T18:10:56Z

The owners of 615 2nd Street gave selling their Park Slope limestone a go last year but packed it in after six months when the $3,495,000 asking price proved to much for the market to bear. Now the house is back on the market with a new price tag of $2,950,000. It's a great house to be sure but, as we noted last time around, the kitchen finishes seem a little out of place. What do you think the market-clearing price is on this baby?
615 2nd Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
House of the Day: 615 2nd Street [Brownstoner]

96 Schermerhorn Street, PH-L

2009-11-10T17:40:24Z

This penthouse at 96 Schermerhorn Street just hit the market and initially struck us as a pretty good deal. The rooms in the duplex apartment are pretty small but together add up to over 1,000 square feet; throw in the terrace and the views, however, and the asking price of $550,000 looks low, right? But here's the catch: The monthly maintenance is $2,031. Ouch.
96 Schermerhorn Street, PH-L [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

Sole Survivor

2009-11-10T16:16:21Z

There's a new "premium sneaker boutique" coming to Bed Stuy. The Bed Stuy Blog spotted the new shop called Sole Survivor getting ready to launch at 378 Tompkins Avenue between Putnam and Jefferson. We wonder how it will stack up against Fort Greene's recently opened Pedigree Sneaker Gallery?
Premium Sneaker Boutique Coming to Tompkins [Bed Stuy Blog] GMAP

437 Waverly Avenue

2009-11-10T16:00:49Z

As Clinton Hill Blog noted last week, the shell of a house at 437 Waverly Avenue is coming up for auction on Thursday. The house has become part of local lore, as it's sat vacant for the last decade. The same family lived there for 80 years before that but they never recorded the deed which is why it's been unable to be sold for so long; the ownership issues are now sorted out and the elderly daughter of the original owners will receive the proceeds. From what we gather, a recent engineer's report says that the building is structurally stable and that the front wall is in good shape as are most of the beams; however the roof and back wall need repairs. Bidding is expected to start around $450,000 but anything is possible. The auction takes place this Thursday at 2:30 pm in State Supreme Court, Part 76G, Room 575. It is an "as is" sale with no contingencies; the closing will be within 30 days.
437 Waverly Avenue [Brooklyn Properties] GMAP P*Shark

Purple Yam

2009-11-10T15:01:56Z

Purple Yam, the long awaited Filipino restaurant from the former owners of Cendrillon in Soho, opens today at 1314 Cortelyou Road in Ditmas Park. New York Magazine has a slideshow of the restaurant's interiors and Ditmas Park Blog has a post about Sunday's soft opening; Nelson Ryland has some photos posted on Flickr from the soft opening as well. Are all of you Victorian Flatbushers psyched or what? GMAP
Photo by Konstantin Sergeyev for New York Magazine

Hampton Inn

2009-11-10T14:00:14Z

Last year, the Magna Hospitality Group dropped $10.8 million for the former Pepper & Potter car dealership at the corner of Flatbush and Tillary in Downtown Brooklyn with the plan of erecting a Hampton Inn overlooking the busy intersection. Since then, however, they've been unable to land construction financing. The Times reports that the 117-room hotel project has just gotten a new lease on life in the form of a $20 million tax-free loan courtesy of the federal stimulus program. Four other city projects received another $67 million as well. “There is no significant construction lending taking place right now,” said David Lombino, a spokesman for the city’s Economic Development Corporation. “But for this program, these projects wouldn’t go forward.” To qualify, the developments must break ground by the end of 2010.
Five Development Projects to Receive Stimulus Money [NY Times]
From Cars to Mini-Fridges on Tillary [Brownstoner] GMAP