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Corco Sets Up Shop in Williamsburg
The real estate market is alive and well in Williamsburg. Or not. Sandwiched between bagels and hardware, Corcoran’s latest office—their fourth in the borough, first in the Burg—opened yesterday in a L-shaped space that runs through from a storefront at 241 Bedford Avenue to an entrance on North 3rd Street (above). Under the watch of broker Eric McFarland, the office has room for 42 brokers and is currently about 2/3 full. The office launches with a couple of big projects already under its belt, 349 Metropolitan and 100 North 3rd Street. Whether this is a prescient call that will position the Big C to cash in on the thousands of units slated to come online in the area in the next few years or a case of being the last one to board a sinking ship remains to be seen. Either way, it can’t be good news for the likes of Apartments & Lofts. GMAP
02/20/2008 9:59 AM
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Development Watch: 196 South 2nd Street
This baby’s been a long time coming. We took a look at the 10-unit, Scarano-designed development back in September of 2006 when it appeared to be well on its way. From what we can tell, there was some kind of DOB audit that took place last April, most likely in connection with Mezzanine-gate, which probably explains the hold-up. (The plans now reflect that three of the four floors include mezzanines.) We’ve seen Scarano buildings similar to this before, but those small mosaic windows are a new touch. Thumbs up or down?
Development Watch: 196 South 2nd Street [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
02/11/2008 12:00 PM
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Streetlevel: From T-Mobile to Comics on Metropolitan
This storefront at 540 Metropolitan Avenue (between Lorimer and Union) has had an interesting past. After years as an Italian bakery, and then a T-mobile store, it is now slated to become Williamsburg’s first indie comics shop, Desert Island. What’s nice is that they’ve kept the original signage and that curved window intact. And let’s face it, getting your Fantagraphics and Drawn and Quarterly fix locally seems like a no-brainer. Desert Island will also carry zines, artist’s books, and limited edition silkscreens. Owner Gabriel Fowler hopes to use the dramatic window space to showcase up-and-coming print artists. “Specific titles include Robert Crumb’s ‘Zap’ comics and Chris Ware’s ‘Acme Novelty Library’ (contemporary favorite), and tons of other obscure delicacies.” Desert Island will open for business in about three weeks. GMAP
02/06/2008 2:27 PM
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Development Watch: 186 Grand Street
Just down the street from Karl Fischer’s controversial proposed Grand Street towers, ground has been broken on a smaller smaller project that is likely to go over better with the locals. The plans for 186 Grand Street call for a 4-story, 15,000-square-foot residential building “consistent in scale and style with existing neighborhood.” A local architect, Philip Toscano, is handling the job and there’s a rendering of the proposed building posted at the site. Considering that most recent construction in the ‘Burg is mainly of the Scarano and Bricolage schools, this could be a welcome addition; plus, since the site itself was a former parking lot (albeit one with a very nice willow tree in the back) there’s no destruction of the neighborhood’s former industrial heritage to bemoan. Anyone heard any chatter about this one yet? GMAP P*Shark DOB
02/01/2008 12:38 PM
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artistgarden
May 29, 2012 | 11:02 AM