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Funding Sought to Continue Commodore Barry Park Rehab
We missed the meeting, but on Monday evening the Parks Dept’s chief of staff announced that Parks has applied for a state grant to continue renovating Downtown Brooklyn’s Commodore Barry Park. The amount being applied for is for $500,000, and the grant requires a “local match.” According to CB2 District Manager Rob Perris: “The DPR, lacking other monies, hopes the State will accept the City’s allocation for Phase I of the renovation of Commodore Barry Park, on the eastern side, as the matching funds.” If the state does accept that allocation as the local match and awards the grant, Parks plans to refurbish the two basketball courts on the north side of the park, along Flushing Avenue. Phase One Renovations were scheduled to begin this fall. The Commodore Barry Park renovation has been in the works for a long three years now.
Progress on Brooklyn Parks: A Round-Up [Brownstoner]
02/15/2012 12:00 PM
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Open and Shut
Park Slope
Eater reports that Blue Ribbon Sushi, the 10 year old Slope restaurant, will close March First. It will be merging with the Blue Ribbon Brasserie next door. The picture above is via Eater NY. FIPS previews up and coming Dinosaur BBQ. The word: “All in all, [Dinosaur] seems to have all the right ingredients going for the Brooklyn locale. If the Mayan calendar’s correct & come October we all get wiped out like the dinosaurs, I guess we’ll never know it’ll all turn out.” Here’s Park Slope notes that Backyard, a “homestyle food” type restaurant, opened at 388 5th Avenue. Beauty Bar will open on 5th Avenue on February 24th. Velvet Peach Cafe is temporarily closed on Flatbush Avenue.
Elsewhere
The Deklab Market is growing into a beer garden in Downtown Brooklyn, reports Brooklyn Paper. The market will reopen this spring. Baluchi’s, the new Indian restaurant in Brooklyn Heights, was closed by the health department. PMFA says Prema Yoga will close on the corner of Court and Carroll in Carroll Gardens. Yoga fans shouldn’t fret, however, because nearby Area Yoga is taking the space and expanding. Also in the nabe, Levi’s opened up a pop-up on boutique clothing store Smith + Butler. And Dumbo‘s PetWebExpress moved down to block to Anchorage Place.
02/15/2012 11:00 AM
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467 Keap Street Now Offering Condo Units, Too
The long-in-the-making new building 467 Keap Street (a.k.a. “The Ainslie Tower”) launched as a rental last month, but now some of the apartments in the development are also being offered as condos. “We’re doing everything,” says a broker for the development, who also reports they’re open to combining units by request. Steeteasy shows one to three bedrooms asking $675,000 to $1,967,400, while the one- and two-bedroom rentals are going for between $2,850 and $6,800/month. The building’s low on amenities but has views going for it. According to the broker we talked to, there’s already been a lot of interest in both the rentals and condo units. Think this condo-rental hybrid gambit will also attract buyers?
467 Keap Street [StreetEasy]
Curvy New Burg Building Ready for Renters [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 467 Keap Street [Brownstoner]
467 Keap Shows Itself [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 467 Keap [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: The Burg’s Ainslie Tower [Brownstoner] GMAP
02/15/2012 9:00 AM
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Tuesday Blogwrap
Brooklyn History: Writers in the Heights [Brooklyn Based]
Last One, Maybe…. Sh*t People From Brooklyn Say [Gothamist]
Scaffolding of at the Rat Squirrel House of Cobble Hill [Lost NY]
(Almost) Everyone on Board For Brooklyn Hospital Merger [FG Patch]
Blow to BK Shipping as Red Hook Loses Customs Inspectors [The L]
Department of Consumer Affairs Receives Most Complaints about Home Contractors from Brooklyn [PMFA]
Photo by LoisInWonderland
02/14/2012 4:28 PM
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Closing Bell: Bring Back Bushwick BK
Buskwick BK, an in-depth neighborhood website covering everything – you guessed it – in Bushwick, sadly shuttered this past fall. But today Brokelyn lets us know the site launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $40,000 for its return. What’s the $40K for? Bushwick BK explains: “We’re not a blog (anymore). We have actual reporters spending hours writing stories unique to Bushwick. It’s real journalism, it’s not just spewing snark from our dining room table. That takes time, footwork, and research, so we pay our skilled writers and photographers.” The perks for donating are pretty nice, check them out over at the Kickstarter website. As Brokelyn says, “As the price tags increase the incentives are better, but damn, this is one altruistic Kickstarter from one bighearted nabe and website.”
Bring Back The Bushwick News! [Kickstarter]
02/14/2012 4:00 PM
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Affordable Housing Build in Bed Stuy Starts Moving
Construction work’s begun at 29-35 Macdonough Street, between Tompkins and Marcy Avenue in Bed Stuy. DOB approved plans for a four-story, 25 unit building. The lot sold last September; back then developers announced it would be an affordable housing development. According to a sign on the construction fence, work should last through the end of the year.
Affordable Housing Coming to 29-35 MacDonough [Brownstoner] GMAP
02/14/2012 2:40 PM
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Fulton Street Subway is Reopening
Remember when the Fulton Street Subway was seized by the taxman? Well, it’s back! And under new management this time, so hopefully it’ll stay open past April. GMAP
02/14/2012 2:00 PM
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Rental of the Day: 117 South 3rd Street
Today’s rental comes from Williamsburg condo building 117 South 3rd Street. The biggest amenity is that the two bed/two bath comes with a huge, private outdoor space. Otherwise it’s a standard space in a new building. The rent is nothing to scoff at, $5,000/month. Think someone will bite?
117 South 3rd Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
02/14/2012 12:30 PM
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142 West 9th Street Goes Green
A tipster wrote in to inform us the construction netting’s come down at 142 West 9th Street, the Carroll Gardens development with views of the expressway. It’s undergone a pretty radical transformation since we last checked. Apparently it’s called “The Delta” and is boasting plenty of green elements. Says our tipster: “Solar panels wrap the facade and the side facing the BQE is entirely clad in PVs, the roof has what appear to be solar hot water panels and a wind turbine.” The building’s architect didn’t get back to us about any details and there aren’t any listings up on Streeteasy. Does anybody have intel on this development?
Gowanus Flatiron [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
02/14/2012 12:00 PM
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Last Week’s Biggest Sales
1. SHEEPSHEAD BAY $3,500,000
400 Avenue U, #PH5B GMAP P*Shark
We cannot find a Streeteasy listing for this development, not to mention a picture. But, ACRIS lists this as the sale of a condo unit. Entered into contract on 4/8/11; closed on 12/20/11; deed recorded on 2/8/2012.
2. BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $3,327,613.28
9 College Place, #4D GMAP P*Shark
Sales at the Love Lane Mews have really picked up steam. Streeteasy shows four units sold and six in contract. This particular unit had its listing pulled. Entered into contract on 12/2/11; closed on 1/17/12; deed recorded on 2/7/2012.
3. SHEEPSHEAD BAY $2,650,000
400 Avenue U, #402 GMAP P*Shark
Another big condo sale at the mysterious condo building 400 Avenue U. Entered into contract on 10/7/11; closed on 1/17/12; deed recorded on 2/7/2012.
4. CARROLL GARDENS $2,010,000
534 Clinton Street GMAP P*Shark
The listing says: “Completely renovated three story single family townhouse in the heart of Carroll Gardens provides the ideal combination of a modern aesthetic with traditional neighborhood architecture and charm.” Ask: $2.2 million. Entered into contract on 11/16/11; closed on 1/12/12; deed recorded on 2/6/2012.
5. GOWANUS $1,320,000
158 14th Street Street GMAP P*Shark
A cute, circa-1864, four-story home. Here’s the listing. It was asking $1,495,000 then dropped to $1,295,000 before entering contract. Entered into contract on 11/15/11; closed on 1/11/12; deed recorded on 2/6/2012.
02/14/2012 11:30 AM
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Carlton Avenue Mews Back in Focus
It’s been awhile since the new Carlton Mews Project crossed our radar, but an application to “amend Certificate of Appropriateness 12-7770 for the construction of five new townhouses” at 223-231 Carlton Avenue will be heard by the Landmarks Preservation Commission today. These renderings of the homes were revealed last December, then this summer a “more traditional” plan came to the LPC but was sent back for revisions. Meanwhile at the site, renovations continue at next door townhouse 237 Carlton Avenue as well as the serious rehabilitation of the Carlton Mews Church.
LPC Recap: Nay on 27 Cranberry; Carlton Mews on Track [Brownstoner]
The NEW Carlton Mews Revealed [Brownstoner]
Carlton Mews Sells Again [Brownstoner]
02/14/2012 11:00 AM
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Bed-Stuy Rental Building 397 Greene Avenue Sells
The rental building at 397 Greene Avenue in Bedford Stuyvesant sold for $3,450,000, according to public records. We were under the impression that the building was gearing up to start leasing back in mid-2010, but that never came to pass. It appears construction has pretty much wrapped on the seven-unit project, but there’s no word on when apartments in it will actually be available for habitation.
397 Greene Gets a Facade [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 397 Greene Avenue Five Months Later [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 397 Greene Avenue [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
02/14/2012 10:00 AM
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Fish Fish Mo Fish for Vanderbilt Avenue
A tipster sent us this photo of “Fish Fish Mo Fish,” a new seafood sports lounge opening at 612 Vanderbilt Avenue, between Prospect and St. Marks Place. (“Located three blocks from the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY!” says the Facebook page.) It was supposed to open this past December, but that didn’t happen. An owner tells us it should open in another two months. GMAP
02/13/2012 2:00 PM
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Rental of the Day: 226 20th Street
Granted, the photos reveal a cluttered space, but the listing for this three bedroom in Greenwood Heights at 226 20th Street promises lots of room. From the listing: “3 bedroom duplex with massive garden. (Two living rooms, one large bedroom, one small bedroom, small bathroom, one very large living area in finished basement “recreation” room with garden access that has been used as a bedroom.)” Put some work into that garden and it could be a really nice space. And the rent? A very reasonable $2,500/month.
226 20th Street [FRBO] GMAP P*Shark
02/13/2012 12:30 PM
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Foreclosure Auctions Set for 2 Big North Brooklyn Lots
Two large lots that at various points were set to be developed in Williamsburg and Bushwick will go up for auction on March 1st, according to Property Shark. The first is the 95,275-square-foot lot taking up the entire block of South 8th between Kent and Wythe avenues, 36-54 South 8th Street (pictured). Developer Issac Hager paid $42.5 million for the site in 2008, and building permits were renewed here as recently as last April. The lien for that one is $29,854,019. The second lot is at 1209 Dekalb Avenue, a 44,950-square-foot lot between Bushwick and Evergreen avenues. The DOB approved plans there in 2007 for a five-story, 126-unit build. There’s a comparatively modest lien of $10,716,077 on it. GMAP
02/13/2012 11:30 AM
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Closing Bell: Sweetheart’s Flea
This weekend, shop the Brooklyn Flea for your sweetheart! Here’s a list of romantic gift ideas and a larger list of all our vendors. This Flea runs Saturday + Sunday at Skylight One Hanson, right across the street from Atlantic Terminal. Then on Sundays we host SmorgasbBrewery, a mini Smorgasburg with rotating food vendors selling at the Brooklyn Brewery’s tasting room. That’s at 79 North 11th Street in Williamsburg. A map and directions to both spots live here. The Flea runs from 10am to 5pm, SmorgasBrewery from noon to 5pm.
Photo by xbettyx
02/10/2012 4:00 PM
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Empty Lot Snapped Up on St. Marks Place
The empty lot at 11 St. Marks Place, right off 3rd Avenue, was purchased recently for $1,450,000, according to public records. The land is zoned for residential but no plans have been filed with DOB yet. Luckily this block was included in the recent Boerum Hill downzoning so don’t expect anything too monstrous going up here! GMAP
02/10/2012 2:40 PM
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Jamaican Cafe Coming to 4th Avenue and 10th Street
A tipster sent over this photograph with the note, “DOB sign at building on 4th and 10th street in Park Slope says ‘coffee’… Right across street from Cafe 474.” The architect on site gave us a few more details on what’s to happen at 453 4th Avenue: “There is a plan for a café. It will have a Jamaican flavor and will be called Slope Café.” Nice! The DOB permits actually indicate that a pretty big reno is coming to ground-floor commercial space. GMAP
02/10/2012 2:00 PM
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Putnam Court, Rendered
Here’s a rendering of the new affordable housing project on Putnam Avenue and Irving Place, courtesy of Dunn Development and SLCE Architects. Site prep began last week. After approximately 18 months of construction, this will be a 58-unit residential development.
Big Dig at Putnam Avenue Lot [Brownstoner]
Clinton Hill Affordable Build Going Up This Month [Brownstoner]
Clinton Hill Lot to Become Affordable Housing [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
02/10/2012 10:31 AM
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jonb
Feb 13, 2012 | 12:02 PM