July 2006
July 31, 2006
Monday On The Record
14th Street, Sunset Park. Photo by Frank Lynch.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Political Protest on Brooklyn Bridge
Bloc Party at McCarren Pool
Tourists Discover Brooklyn
Kaiju Big Battel Invades Warsaw
Bed Stuy Stuck in a Moment
Got Khat? Better Not...
House of the Day: Caton Park Fixer-Upper
Here's an interesting one hot off the presses...53 Marlborough Road between Church Ave & Caton Avenue. Not much info on it other than it has good bones, needs a ton of work and is a pretty cheap way ($575,000!) to get your foot in the door in Victorian Flatbush. We doubt anyone's seen it yet but we'll look forward to hearing feedback.
Caton Park Rare Opp [Mary Kay Gallagher] GMAP P*Shark
Head to Head: $829,000 in Williamsburg
If you had $829,000 to drop on a condo in Williamsburg which of these would you prefer? A 2-bedroom, 1-bath in the Manhattan Park Condos overlooking McCarren Park or a 2-bedroom, 2-bath unit on the 8th floor of Shaeffer Landing?
297 Driggs Avenue [NY Times] GMAP
Shaeffer Landing 2 BR [NY Times] GMAP
Development Watch: Edge of Wallabout
What are the chances that this new building going up at the corner of Classon and Park will be even remotely attractive? Zero, we'd guess.
Earth-Shattering News of Greenpoint Development
Hey, have you heard? Apparently there are a lot of condominium residences being built around a park in some underpublicized part of Brooklyn called Greenpoint. This was news to us certainly, so we were fascinated to read the breaking news story in The Times this weekend. Build it and the young professionals will come, goes the logic. A few have already taken the bait. How's it going? “So far I really like it,” said the 35-year-old Jason Titus who recently bought a 1,750-square-foot condominium on Engert Avenue with his girlfriend for $775,000. “But it’s kind of weird, though, because it isn’t a neighborhood in the immediate area yet. It’s a park and a bunch of construction. In the next couple of years, hundreds and hundreds of people are going to move into these buildings.” At least, that's what the developers are hoping!
Stopping to Smell the Roses on Lefferts [NY Times]
More on Hotel Deal, Shooting on Downing
The Daily News has a few more details on the deal the City cut with scumbag hotel operator Moses Fried last week. First of all, the owner of the Lefferts Hotel was only fined a token $2,500. As we reported last week, the deal will eliminate the hourly business as well as require the hotel to install video cameras in the lobby, hire security guards and post signs warning that prostitution is illegal. The police will also have the right to search the hotel without a warrant - excluding occupied rooms - for a year. Lastly, Fried must also bring the building up to code before reopening. "It's an excellent settlement for the City of New York," said NYPD lawyer Mohamed Quhshi. We shall see.
In other Clinton Hill news, two people were shot at 1 a.m. on Sunday at the corner of Gates and Downing--only a block from the police lock-down on Grand Avenue. A 21-year-old man named Terry McNichols was killed when a gunman fired several shots into a group of people on the corner; an unnamed woman was hit in the foot.
Sleaze Hotel Deal Suite for City [NY Times]
Man Shot on Downing and Gates [NY Times]
No Doubt, Housing Market Slowing Big-Time
Things are starting to look ugly for the housing market on a national level, with home sales falling and the more homes than ever sitting on the market. Housing starts are starting to decline, too, though they are still high by historical standards. As for single-family homes, sales are down 4.4 percent, the largest drop since 1995, with the number of existing single-family homes on the market up 33 percent year-over-year. The most pain has been felt so far in the South and the West. "[The housing market] hasn’t slowed down a little bit — it has slowed down a lot," said Doug McCraw, a developer who has scrapped his plans for a 205-unit condominium tower in a neighborhood just north of downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fla. "Anybody who did not have a shovel in the dirt has chosen to wait till the market settles."
Many Homes on Market, Sales Declining [NY Times]
Housing Slows, Taking Big Toll on Economy [NY Times]
Monday Linkster
Water Tower, Vanderbilt Railyards. Photo by Dope on the Slope
Sold at First Sight [NY Times]
Construction Worker Killed in Queens [NY Times]
Al Capone's Park Slope House for Sale [NY Times]
Fire At Coney Island [NY Times]
Surge in Homeless Population [NY Post]
Luxe Homes on Gritty Block [NY Post]
Historic Cobblestones Raise Ire of Chelsea Residents [NY Post]
G-Slope Holiday Inn: Great Hard-Boiled Eggs [Curbed]
Williamsburg Before and After Pics [Gowanus Lounge]
Pacific Street: Critical Mass of Condos [Set Speed]
July 28, 2006
Breaking News on 505 Court: Yes, Rentals
Rumors have been swirling about the troubles at 505 Court Street where condo sales have dragged to say the least. Curbed reported this morning that word of a rental office had emerged, creating confusion in the marketplace. Well, we just got an anonymous tip that 20 condo units in the building are being taken off the market and turned into rentals. Any word on monthly rents?
Open House Picks
Clinton Hill
241 Washington Avenue
Aguayo & Huebener
Sunday 1-3
$1,995,000
GMAP P*Shark
Prospect Heights
187 Sterling Place
Corcoran
Sunday 1-3
$1,375,000
GMAP P*Shark
South Slope
209 18th Street
Fillmore
Sunday 1-3
$989,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bedford Stuyvesant
584A Halsey Street
Brooklyn Properties
Sunday 2-4
$859,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bay Ridge
655 84th Street
Jabour Realty
Sunday 1-3
$659,000
GMAP P*Shark
Development Watch: 125 North 10th Street
Something massive is going on at 125 North 10th Street in Williamsburg. Anyone know what it is?
Recently Sold in Brooklyn
LEFFERTS MANOR $204,760
50 Lefferts Avenue
1-bedroom, 1-bath, 650-sq.-ft. co-op in a prewar building; 24-hr. doormen; sunken living room, high ceilings, hardwood floors; laundry in building; maintenance $440, 45% tax deductible; listed at $205,000, 7 weeks on market (broker: Brooklyn Properties of 7th Ave.)
PROSPECT HEIGHTS $725,000
125 Eastern Parkway
(Theodore Roosevelt)
2-bedroom, 1½-bath, 1,150-sq.-ft. co-op in a prewar building; elevator, entry foyer, dining room, high ceilings, laundry room; maintenance $726, 27% tax deductible; listed at $725,000, 4 weeks on market (broker: Warren Lewis Realty)
Residential Sales [NY Times]
BEDFORD STUYVESANT $259,000
203 Howard Avenue
Two-bedroom, one-bath condo, 928 square feet, with dining area, kitchen with marble floors and Corian countertops and three exposures; eight-unit building is pet-friendly and features laundry and gym. Maintenance $411. Asking price $259,000, on market one week. Broker: Juliet Gittens, Brooklyn Heights Real Estate
CLINTON HILL $290,000
185 Clinton Avenue
Prewar one-bedroom, one-bath co-op, 800 square feet, with dining room, office that can be converted to second bedroom, windowed kitchen, oversized windows, oak floors and full garden views; building is pet-friendly and features door-man, private courtyard and parking with waiting list. Asking price $299,000, on market three months. Broker: Kelly Neinast, The Corcoran Group
RED HOOK $850,000
111 Sullivan Street
Three-family new-construction townhouse, 3,192 square feet, with studio, one-bedroom, one-bath unit and three-bedroom, two-bath duplex with Jacuzzi; home features hardwood floors, laundry, central AC, roof deck and parking spaces. Asking price $850,000, on market seven months. Brokers: Alison Jevremov, Brooklyn Heights Real Estate and Dennis Zier, Bellmarc
Just Sold! [NY Post]
MAS Tour of W'burg Waterfront Tomorrow
Francis Morrone is giving a tour of the Williamsburg and Greenpoint waterfront tomorrow on behalf of the Municipal Arts Society. It's billed as a chance to "experience some of that old industrial atmosphere before it disappears forever." Among other things, Francis will take a close look at the Austin Nichols warehouse and the remains of the Greenpoint Terminal Market. We're not going to be around but we're hoping someone out there would like to attend and take some photos and notes to report back to the group with. The tour kicks off at 2 o'clock from the corner of Greenpoint and Manhattan avenues at G train exit. Any takers?
Tours, Events & Exhibits [MAS.org]
Photo from the Bridge and Tunnel Club
The War For Brooklyn
While new towers are regularly raised across Manhattan with little comment, changes afoot in Brooklyn have sparked fighting of an intensity rarely seen since the Battle of Long Island was waged on this turf in 1776. The Atlantic Yards complex, designed by Frank Gehry for builder Bruce Ratner, is simply the most conspicuous front in what some see as an all-out war for the soul of the borough. Gentrification per se isn’t always the issue; the argument centers often on the appropriate scale for Brooklyn. Is it big-box discounters and midtown-sized skyscrapers, or mom-and-pop stores and low-rises yielding unimpeded views?
So begins Time Out NY's latest cover story on the battle for the soul of Brooklyn. Regular readers of this blog and others won't find too many surprises in the seven neighborhood discussions, but the issue does provide a decent overview of the most significant points of contention in the borough's growth spurt. Unfortunately, you'll need a subscription and log-in to follow any of the links below.
Battleground: Atlantic Yards [Time Out NY]
Battleground: Gowanus [Time Out NY]
Battleground: Brooklyn Bridge Park [Time Out NY]
Battleground: Downtown [Time Out NY]
Battleground: Bed Stuy [Time Out NY]
Battleground: Williamsburg/Greenpoint [Time Out NY]
Battleground: Red Hook [Time Out NY]
Council Pushing for More Openness at LPC
More transparency. That's what a new bill introduced by Councilman Tony Avella last week would bring to the Landmarks process. Avella, who has been the most active Councilmember when it comes to preservation issues, wants to give the City Council the power to nominate properties for consideration--and he wants the LPC hearings at which the nominations are discussed to be open to the public. Much of the motivation for the bill comes from the feeling that Manhattan gets a disproportionate amount of the LPC's attention at the expense of the outer boroughs. We're all for openness and accountability--we're just a little scared of putting such matters in the hands of such philistines as Simcha Felder and David Yassky. After all, look at what they did on 184 Kent last December.
Council: We've Got Your Landmarks [Queens Ledger]
Great Food, and the Black Crowes, Too
We visit Frankies 457 Spuntino in Carroll Gardens frequently for their killer eggplant, marinara, and mozzarella sandwich served on Sullivan St. Bakery bread (it's even better when paired with a generously poured $5 glass of the house red), Brooklyn Vegan prefers their meat- and dairy-free fare, and according to his recent gossip round-up, Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes and wife Kate Hudson are fans of the place, too...
Doubling Down With a Second ARM
When home buyers began flocking to adjustable-rate mortgages earlier in the decade, there was concern about what would happen when the introductory sweet-heart rates ran out. With 5% of all mortgage debt resetting this year, we're starting to get our answer: Rather than lock in a long-term fixed rate, these owners are rolling their mortgage over into new adjustable rate deals, sometimes pulling out even more equity in the process. “They’re trying to put it off forever, which is O.K. as long as interest rates are low," says Frank E. Nothaft, a vice president and chief economist at Freddie Mac. "But when they start to spike, then it’s going to be more problematic.” Personally, we'd have a hard time sleeping at night, but, on the other hand, these folks may end up looking like the smart ones in a few years if rates remain relatively low and the real estate market has a soft landing. Only time will tell.
Re-Refinancing and Putting Off the Mortgage Pain [NY Times]
Friday Linkerati
Pink Heart, Gowanus. Photo by Soupflowers
St. Brigid's Church Gutted [NY Post]
Ohio Supreme Court Rejects Eminent Domain [NY Times]
Brooklyn's Intrepid Bloggers [Time Out NY]
Mayor Markowitz? [Brooklyn Papers]
City Blocks South Slope Building [Brooklyn Papers]
Vacate Order Lifted at 1504 8th Ave [IMBY]
Ugly Architecture Grows Up [Transfer]
Trouble Brewing at 505 Court Street [Curbed]
Highlights From My New Commute [A Test of Will]
July 27, 2006
Thursday On The Record
Russo Realty. Photo by Bluejake.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Students Protest Prison Environment
Soccer Club Punished for Fixing Park
Openings: Brown Betty in Clinton Hill
Montgomery Rises to the Challenge
Smash Nabbed by Subway Cops
House of the Day: 10 Pierrepont Street
This seems like a no-brainer. Prime Brooklyn Heights for $650 a foot? What gives? So the house is only 19 feet wide, but it's 66 feet deep and has one of the more stately facades around. For this kind of dough you'd think the brokers would have mustered more than three photos though. Makes you wonder whether there's some catch. So why isn't the price at least a million dollars higher? The market's not this weak is it?
10 Pierrepont Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Chugging Along at 174 Vanderbilt
June 14...
July 26...
Here's the progress that's happened over the past six weeks at 174 Vanderbilt. On the slate: A 6-story, 75-unit, 111,000-square-foot condo development designed by Meltzer/Mandl Architects, who also designed the Greene House Condos on Carlton and Greene. Tres moderne. GMAP
Openings: Brown Betty Cafe in Clinton Hill
The culinary scene in the Southeastern corner of Clinton Hill just got a whole lot brighter with the opening earlier this month of Brown Betty Cafe at 466 Grand Avenue. Area resident Cynthia Walker, who's worked extensively as both a private chef and restaurant manager, has created a space that is at once both modern and welcoming. Emphasizing organic ingredients, the menu ranges from a wide assortment of pastries and coffees to sandwiches and salads and, starting tonight, a full dinner menu. Following on the heels of Choice Market's April opening four blocks up the street, Grand Avenue is shaping up to be quite a tasty stretch. And now, thanks to recent developments, you don't even have to worry about encountering any crack heads as you walk back and forth between the two restaurants.
LPC Greenlights Cambridge Haunted House
While we were away, Shahn Anderson finally got the green light from the LPC and, as you can see, he wasted no time in jump-starting exterior work. He says he's shooting to finish the entire project by Christmas. Think he can do it? Maybe if we all beg him, he'll bring the Cambridge Reno back out of retirement.
Lefferts Manor Echo July Edition Drops
We know you've all been on the edge of your seats waiting for the next issue of the Lefferts Manor Echo, so we're happy to announce that it's here! Produced by Brownstoner mainstay Bob Marvin and a crew of local volunteers, the July edition has stories on the recent House Tour and Block Party as well as a police blotter and news about local art exhibitions. Hard copies are available at K-Dog and Dunebuggy at 42 Lincoln Road; there's also an electronic version on the link below.
Lefferts Manor Echo [LeffertsManor.org]
Civil War Era Gem Facing Wrecking Ball
When 70 Lefferts Place, the old free-standing woodframe between Grand and Classon, went on the market last Spring, there was considerable speculation and fear in the neighborhood that a developer would buy the house only to tear it down. And indeed, now that the sale has been finalized for $2.4 million, it turns out that this is the old beauty's fate. From what we hear, the developer who bought the place, Christopher Morris, is planning a full demolition to be followed by a 21-unit condo building. While we're saddened that this is the case, it was almost inevitable given market forces: here was a 7,000-square-foot house with an extra 11,000 square feet of buildable air rights in an unlandmarked part of town. The house's only real hope had been for the same person to buy the house and the adjacent vacant lot so that the air rights could be transferred and thus fully utilized. We gather that Morris is planning to try to incorporate some the house's elements into the new facade. We had the pleasure of seeing the gorgeous staircase and widow's walk first-hand when it was on the market. Stunning. Mr. Morris has received an invitation to attend the Lefferts Place Community meeting on August 2 to share more details of his plans. At this point, we'd describe the mood of residents as a mix of resignation and cautious optimism. We hope Morris' heart is in the right place on this one. We'll be watching closely, that's for sure.
Stopping to Smell the Roses on Lefferts [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
Beating the Coney Island Dead Horse
The Coney Island story is getting beaten to death. Seems like everyday there's another article touting the area's renaissance and bright future as a reborn entertainment destination and development hot spot. So we'll just pull out the real estate facts in today's NY Post story and be done with it: The Dynamic Group is planning to break groundnext Spring on a 250-unit condominium called Ocean Dreams. Consisting of three six-story glass buildings, prices for the luxury pads are expected to start at around $700 a foot. By comparison, at Brightwater Towers, which was built in 1964 as a Mitchell-Lama affordable-housing building and condo'd in 1991, one-bedrooms go for between $375,000 and $450,000 while two-bedrooms are priced at $450,000 to $500,000 and three-bedrooms cost $575,000 to $675,000. Meanwhile, in neighboring Sea Gate, a gated community of 840 houses, prices quadrupled between 1995 and 2005; mid-sized two- and three-family houses now fetch between $700,000 and $800,000.
Coney Island High [NY Post]
Thursday Links
Blue Wall, Sunset Park. Photo by Joseph O. Holmes
Addicted to Renovating [NY Times]
Technical Foul Over Timing of AY [NY Post]
Cracks Force 8 Families Out of Building [NY Daily News]
BSA Halts Construction For Credibility Reasons [NY Sun]
DOB to Require Signage Registration [Gothamist]
Shoes and Booze in BK [Curbed]
Photos of Shaefer Landing Esplanade [Flickr via I'm Not Sayin]
Ikea Update: Todd Shipyards No More [Gowanus Lounge]
July 26, 2006
Wednesday On The Record
Sugar Factory, Red Hook. Photo by Frank Lynch.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Heath and Michelle Here to Stay
Yassky on Black and Whites
Hate Crime in Fort Greene
Tanoreen...Really Brooklyn's Best?
Weekly Food Round-Up
Illuminate Us, Please
Weekly Food Round-Up
Hernandez Huaraches
"The meat was too tasty: salty, crispy, juicy, and nigh-impossible to resist. So instead of self-denial I simply surrendered, and started tearing at the tortilla while experimenting with a few salsas they keep on tap. Be sure to try the surprisingly spicy, smooth guacamole and hot tomatillo, both wonderful compliments to the meat." [The Porkchop Express]
Chicory Brooklyn
"Who could argue with a place that offers a pair of fried fish tacos for just $5, topped with sliced radishes, chopped avocado, shredded lettuce and a squeeze of lime? Or a smallish burger ($5), made with loosely packed, crumbly ground beef, cooked to a moist medium rare and topped with a 'secret sauce' fashioned from sweet pickle relish, minced shallot and yellow mustard that would be the hit of any backyard barbecue?" [NY Times]
After the jump: Sunset Bagels, Bar Toto, and Fette Sau
House of the Day: 591 Hicks Street
It's hard for us to say whether this mixed use building is particularly cheap or not since we don't have a good grip on what kind of rent this ground-floor retail space could generate. But we've got a good gut feeling about this one. Granted views of the expressway and a lack of outdoor space aren't exactly big selling points, but the 1,440-square-foot, two-story building oozes old-world charm from the outside and there's another 400 square feet of unused FAR that could possibly be turned into a half-floor addition on the rear of the roof. From our back-of-the-envelope analysis, there's probably not a lot of short-term juice in this as an investment property but it could make be an interesting owner-occupied play. The property will be delivered vacant.
Mixed Use Property Available [Brownstone Real Estate] GMAP P*Shark
Lefferts Hotel Cuts Deal with Tish James
More news on the status of the Lefferts Hotel, which was recently shuttered after an undercover operation exposed the rampant drug and prostitution trade being conducted on the premises. In recent days, Council Member Letitia James has brokered an arrangement with the hotel owners, we have learned, that will keep the hotel closed until October 1st at which point it will re-open "under different circumstances." The only details we have are that it will be a run as a long-term, residential hotel not a "short-stay" one. In addition, the owners have agreed to have the premises monitored by security cameras 24-hours a day with regular patrols by the precinct. We're not sure how this sounds. Seems like the owners are getting off too easy to us, but it can be quite hard to make these charges stick and it may be that this was the best that could be achieved from the community's point of view. The only concern we have is that without substantial capital improvements who is going to want to stay there? Not exactly the kind of clientele residents are hoping for, we'd guess. And what about the egregious buildings violations? Are they being addressed as part of this deal? Tish James can be contacted at 718-260-9191 for more information.
Drugs and Ho's Bring Down Lefferts Hotel [Brooklyn Record] GMAP
While We Were Away...
Why is it that one always comes back from vacation more exhausted than before one left? Anyway, we're back, taking a transitional day to get caught up around here before facing the depressing prison cell that is our day job. While we were gone, the folks over at the Bed Stuy Reno were getting their hands (and just about every other body part) dirty removing the plaster from their parlor floor. Their big tip? Use trash compactor bags instead of the larger and less wieldy contractor bags. Meanwhile, over at the Gates Reno, having made peace with the compromises and postponements that became financially necessary, they've been busy picking bathroom tile and fixtures with lots of input from the peanut gallery. On another note, we're interested to know if there are any important stories or developments that fell through the cracks while we were in the wifi-less mountains of Europe.
Plaster, Our Worthy Adversary [Bed Stuy Reno]
The Road to Hell is Paved with Tile [Gates Reno]
Reckless 15th Street Excavation Forces Evac
Man, crazy times on 15th Street. On the same day that the BSA finally put the kibosh on the development at 182 15th Street, more bad news from up towards 8th Avenue. After failing to adequately police the reckless construction project at 406 15th Street, the DOB yesterday ordered the 8 families who rent apartments in the adjacent building at 1504 8th Avenue to evacuate the premises because they had become "imminently perilous to life." Turns out that developer Jack LoCicero, under the fine architectural guidance of architect Henry Radusky, have been attempting to build an underground garage atop a stream. Their efforts thus far have caused structural problems on four occasions, two of which resulted in violations, one of which was accompanied by a $5,000 fine, only slightly less than the $6,000 that one displaced tenant reckons he is now out-of-pocket. The Red Cross is putting tenants up for two nights. Seems to us LoCicero should be putting them all up at the Waldorf indefinitely. If you find any of this troubling, please give a call to Bill de Blasio at 718- 854-9791, Jim Brennan at 718-788-7221 and Marty Markowitz at 718-802-3700.
Imminently Perilous to Life [IMBY] GMAP
Yassky on Black and Whites (Cookies, That Is)
We realize that we've been posting an awful lot about Councilman David Yassky these days, but we had to share this article from Edible Brooklyn, a new quarterly magazine that celebrates the borough's food and culture. The editors found their way into Yassky's refrigerator, and wouldn't you know it, the only caucasian candidate in a racially charged Congressional race offers a short commentary on black and white cookies: "To my mind, Bergen Bagels has the very best black and white cookies. They're chewy rather than crumbly which I prefer — although I absolutely respect people who eat them crumbly," says the ever-diplomatic Yassky.
The Brooklyn Fridge: David Yassky (PDF) [Edible Brooklyn]
BSA Gives the Heisman to Katan
After giving free passes earlier this summer to three South Slope developers who had clearly violated both the letter and spirit of the law, the BSA finally showed some backbone yesterday in voting unanimously to stop Isaac Katan's company, Global Development, from erecting an 11-story building at 182 15th Street. The vote follows the DOB recommendation earlier this week. Among other offenses, conduct had included performing mechanical demolition without the proper permits and proceeding with foundation work before completing excavation. Katan's attorney now has 30 days to appeal the BSA's decision to the State Supreme Court.
City Votes Against Controversial Development [NY1] GMAP
DOB Backs Community Opposition to 15th Street [Brownstoner]
BSA Hearing on 182 15th Street [Brownstoner]
Former Brig to Yield Up to 400 Units of Housing
A lot of people, including this guy on Flickr, have been wondering about the future of the full square block in the Wallabout section of Fort Greene that has been lying fallow for some time now. Now we know. Yesterday, Mayor Bloomberg announced plans to build up to 400 units of affordable housing on the 100,000-square-foot site. Bounded by Park, Flushing, Clermont and Vanderbilt, the former site of the Navy Yard Brig will likely include a mix of co-ops, condos, multifamily rentals and townhouses as well as some kind of community center. The Brig was built in the early 1940s and served as a naval prison. After the closing of the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1966, the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service used the Brig as a detention center until 1984 until the City began using it as a minimum security prison until its shuttering in 1994. Proposals from developers are due in November and there should be a lot them given the City's asking price of (cue Doctor Evil) one dollar. Construction is expected to begin at the end of 2007.
City Has 'Brig' Idea [NY Post]
Mayor Announces Redevelopment of Brig [iBrooklyn]
Photo by Brownstoner. GMAP.
Wednesday Linkster
Balconies, Red Hook. Photo by Simon Pride
Walmart Beachhead Close to NYC [NY Times]
Brooklyn Railyard's Off Trcak [NY Daily News]
Ditched Outside the Dunham [Curbed]
(Non) Blight in Prospect Heights [Gothamist]
New Goods on Myrtle [Clinton Hill Blog]
New Liquor Spots on Lafayette [Set Speed]
Slaves of Con Ed [Daily Heights]
Oh, That Boring Housing Bubble [The Matrix]
Bedford Bummers: Number 800
Not so bad, actually.
Residential RE Squeezes Industrial Nabes
A lot of concern has been raised about the survival of the industrial sector in the city, and much of the worries stem from the encroachment of residential property on land used primarily for industrial uses, whether it be through zoning variances, or illegal conversions. The residential real estate market has put enormous pressure on the industrial sector. In response, Bloomberg - in cooperation with advocacy groups and business leaders - has created a centralized agency to coordinate the effort to help the sector, initiated protective boundaries around the city called Industrial Business Zones, and has increased penalties and patrolling for illegal residential conversions.
A more complete look at the issue after the jump...
Commentator Balks at Mayor's Housing Plan
Arguing that Bloomberg's affordable housing plan will in effect increase housing costs for middle-income New Yorkers, Nicole Gelinas, of the Manhattan Institute, outlines the theory that regulating prices acuses supply to become restricted. The result? Housing becomes more valuable and prices rise for living space still on the free market. She also makes the generalized argument that rent stabilization leads to the deteriorization of housing conditions by depriving landlords of revenue needed for upkeep, forcing them to cut corners. Granted, some single mothers may not be able to afford their apartments without government regulations, she says, but that's "a problem of the dysfunctional underclass."
Bloomberg's Housing Horror [NY Post]
Tuesday Linkage
Bushwick Art Project. Photo by Aaron Geiser
'Blight' in the Eye of the Beholder [NY Times]
Bensonhurst Residents Unhappy with Trash Plan [NY Post]
Sunset Park to Get New Recycling Plant [Sunset Parker via Bklyn Record]
Historic Cobblestones Raise Ire of Chelsea Residents [NY Post]
Once a Housing Scandal, Now a Hope [City Limits]
Long Post on Appraisal Inflation [Matrix]
Jail as Affordable Housing [The Real Estate]
Yassky: Developers' Trojan Horse? [Amsterdam News]
July 24, 2006
DOB Backs Community Opposition to 15th St. Tower
Developers of an 11 story residential tower at 182 15th St. (GMAP), in South Slope, should not be allowed to continue to build, the DOB says. Tommorow, the BSA will decide whether the developers, Global Development, should be allowed to erect the building in the recently downzoned neighborhood. The developers argue that they laid the foundation before the rezoning and thus should be allowed to continue. But Janine A. Gaylard, assistant general counsel to the DOB, wrote in a letter to the BSA that the developers did not apply for a permit for mechanical demolition - and had they, it would not have been approved. The developers, Gaylard said, would not have been able to beat the clock by manual demolition. The letter says the mechanical demolition is "clearly unsafe."
DOB Backs Tower Critics [Park Slope Courier]
More Monday Links
Gowanus Canal, photo by Dubsyuhs.
Sunset Park Manhole Blasts [Daily News]
Lack of Stoplights Draws Ire of Residents [B61 Productions]
Preservation Links [Gotham Gazette]
Shady Developer Seeks Boro Park Zoning Change [NY Times - 3rd Item]
Park Slope Stay At Home Parent Smackdown [Curbed]
Visions for Gowanus Canal [Gowanus Lounge]
The New (And Not So Improved) Bedford Avenue
Bedford Avenue from Classon Avenue in Bed Stuy to Grand Street in Williamsburg has experienced a building boom in recent years that has forever altered the landscape. You can probably take a wild guess about how we feel about most of these new buildings from a design standpoint, but we're still on vacation so we'll let the pictures speak for themselves and let you debate their aesthetic merit.
This one's probably the worst of the lot.
Development Doesn't Stop with Atlantic Yards
Within three blocks of Forest City Ratner's Atlantic Yards proposal are eight new construction projects, and at least five of them are 35 stories or higher, reports the NY Post. Thor Equities is planning a 60-story mixed use tower called Albee Square West; John Catsimatidis - owner of the Gristede's chain - is planning a project that will reach near 40 stories; BFC Development has a 40-story residential and retail tower development in the works that was designed by Skidmore Owings and Merrill, and Ron Hershco just broke ground for his 35- and 40-story luxury buildings.
New Downtown Brooklyn 'Heights' [NY Post]
Albee Square West graphic from Thor Equities
Monday Links
Greenpoint Smile. Photo by Dan Witz.
Clinton Hill Brothel Owner Also East Ne