December 2006
December 29, 2006
Friday On The Record
Brownstone, Prospect Heights. Photo by Frank Lynch.
This Weekend in Brooklyn
Real-Life War of the Roses in Borough Park
That's Such a Cute Baby You're Wearing!
We're Not in Brooklyn Anymore...
Outlook 2007: Longs and Shorts
Note: We're moving this post up from yesterday to encourage more input.Welcome to the third annual installment of our market prognostications. Last year, we picked Prospect Heights and Carroll Gardens to outperform and Williamsburg to slump, which in retrospect look like pretty good calls. As for next year, our eyes will be on the areas bordering Prospect Park that have the location and housing stock on their sides but have yet to attract widespread interest from the gentrifying crowd. We'd also be front-running the newly Brooklyn-focused Landmarks Preservation Commission by looking in spots like the soon-to-be-designated Crown Heights North. On the downside, it's hard to see how increasing supply of run-of-the-mill condos coming on line in Williamsburg won't continue to put downward pressure on prices. We're not as wary about the effect of Atlantic Yards on surrounding real estate as some and continue to think that Prospect Heights has a lot to offer. As has been mentioned before, quality brownstones should continue to find buyers while those in more marginal neighborhoods and lacking architectural detail will likely have a tough time. Looking back on last year's post, we can be thankful that we got our wish of a gourmet market (sorta) in the form of Choice. Now if we could just get a friggin' cheese shop we'd be really psyched.
Market Predictions for 2006 [Brownstoner]
Some More Feedback, Please
One more discussion topic before the year's out: To date we've kept pretty tight reins on the editorial content on the main page of Brownstoner. As the site and community (hopefully) continue to grow, there are numerous initiatives we could be working on aside from just writing posts (events, new service features, etc.). Assuming that our voice remained the dominant one and we kept a careful eye on quality control, how would readers feel about some new perspectives on the main page of the site? For example, do you think the blog would benefit from having some neighborhood and topical specialists writing occasional posts, e.g. a weekly report from a deputized Victorian Flatbush reader? Or do you think such a move would risk diluting what has made the site successful to date? (Remember, there was some grumbling when we ran the Set Speed Condo Report for a few months last year.) Or as a middle ground, maybe there's just a better way to formalize the process for receiving tips from readers. Either way, we'd like our neighborhood coverage on Brownstoner (and Brooklyn Record) to get broader and deeper, ideally with the help of readers. Very interested to hear everyone's reaction and ideas.
Taking Stock at the Two-Year Mark
Note: We're moving this post up from yesterday to encourage more input. It's that time of year when we ask you to tell us what you've liked and haven't liked on the site over the past year and what you'd like to see more and less of going forward. We've said it before, but we'd like to have more architectural appreciation posts. Given our own lack of formal training, we'd be interested in hearing from anyone who would be interested in writing occasionally about the borough's architectural past and present. Other than that, we have an exciting (we think) new feature coming out in January that will being some order to the service component of the Forum. Also on our wish list: Video house tours of brownstones. And while there are times we wish there were less bashing of new developments on the site, we feel duty-bound to continue to hold bad developers' feet to the fire. And, of course, we wish people could be a little nicer to each other in comment threads, but that comes with the anonymity of the medium.
Unhappy Ending for Sidewalk
It looks like the sidewalk on Washington Avenue was, unfortunately, not repaired with bluestone. We're kinda curious whether this was a financial decision or whether the mere size of the roots made it impossible to lay newly cut slabs down. Certainly ain't much to look at, is it? Anyone know?
Beware the Wrath of the Tree Roots [Brownstoner]
Broken Angel Now For Sale
Wow. Unbeknownst to us (and many of you, we assume), the Broken Angel and an adjacent lot has been being stealthily marketed for sale by Massey Knakal's Michael Annunziata. As a result, the listing is not up on the web but we've seen the tear sheets on the prop. The Angel itself is at 4-6 Downing Street and sits on a 40-by-100-foot lot zoned for R6. At 13,000 square feet, the current building is actually overbuilt by about 4,000 square feet. The empty lot next door at 8 Downing is 20-by-100-feet. The properties are asking $1,400,000 and $425,000, respectively. One can only surmise that the cost of bringing the structure up to code has turned out to be too great for the Woods. Maybe they couldn't get a loan against the property for some reason or maybe they just became overwhelmed with the whole thing. Regardless, the big question now is whether the person who ends up buying it will try to salvage some of the design and spirit of the former trolley factory or just erase the symbol of artistic freedom forever. Interested parties can contact Michael at 718-238-8999 x 6526.
Photo by silkcut.
Friday Linkage
Pilings, Williamsburg Waterfront. Photo by i'mjustsayin.
Two New Residential Towers for Myrtle [Downtown Star]
Hoiday Hell for PH Tenants [Downtown Star]
Boiling Kettle Coming to Myrtle [Clinton Hill Blog]
Dumbo Top 10 of 2006 [DumboNYC]
Affordable One Bedrooms in the Slope? [Brooklynian]
Steam Radiator Problem [Forum]
December 28, 2006
Thursday On The Record
Stained Glass, Stuyvesant Heights. Photo by ambienttraffic.
Today in Brooklyn
Brooklyn Pork-Barrel Spending Revealed
Bye Bye Blimpie
A Lifetime of Celebrity Stalking
Co-op of the Day: 101 Lafayette
Though we've never been inside, we've always dug this old prewar apartment building on Lafayette and South Oxford Street. It's about as Bing-and-Bing as you'll find in the area. Judging from the photos of this studio, not all the apartments share the grandeur and scale of the building's exterior. Too bad. This 400-footer is priced at $275,000 with a $356 maintenance. Can anyone who's been looking at this end of the market weigh in on what kind of a bang for your buck this is?
101 Lafayette Avenue, #8L [Corcoran] GMAP
Luxury (Or, More Likely, Not) On Adelphi Fringe
Gotta say we're a little nervous about what's going to get built at 120 Adelphi right next to this old woodframe house, despite the fact that nothing has happened since we look at it three months ago. A sign on the plywood fence says "luxury condominiums" but we'll bet these aren't exactly Richard Meier units. In fact, much of this block between Myrtle and Park appears to be at risk. At least someone is trying to save another old woodframe further down the block (photo on the jump).
Adelphi Action [Brownstoner] GMAP
Continue reading "Luxury (Or, More Likely, Not) On Adelphi Fringe"
Pinpointing Biggie's Crib
A reader steered us to the photographs from a 2003 exhibition at the Robin Rice Gallery in the West Village. The photographer Micheal McLaughlin took a number of atmospheric black-and-white photos of Brooklyn scenes and landmarks, including the childhood home of Biggie Smalls and the Brooklyn Heights apartment of Truman Capote. We know that Capote's place was on Willow Street and we've always been under the impression that Biggie lived on St. James Place in Clinton Hill. Can anyone i.d. the exact address of this apartment building?
BKLYN: Micheal McLaughlin [Robin Rice Gallery]
Development Watch: Myrtle and Steuben
Not far from the three new projects on Grand Avenue, this rather large (especially for the area) corner development is going to really transform the landscape on this otherwise low-slung stretch of Myrtle. Its immediate neighbors include a car service, a porn store and the Pratt book store, suggesting that this building could be something of a tipping point. Anyone know what it's gonna be? GMAP
Bye Bye Blimpie
It's official — the Blimpie on the corner of Lafayette and South Elliott in Fort Greene is closed for good. Its opening back in the summer of '05 prompted a ton of controversy on Brownstoner, but the market has spoken, and now all the Blimpie-haters can rejoice because this fast food chain has been removed from their landmark district. But where's the best place to get a sandwich in this neighborhood, anyway?
Blimpie Is Coming, Like It or Not [Brownstoner]
The people have spoken... [Set Speed]
Blimpie's Closed [Brooklynian]
Photo by Set Speed
Just Sold in Brooklyn
MIDWOOD $187,000
1155 Ocean Avenue
One-bedroom, one-bath co-op, 843 square feet, with dining area and renovated bath; building features laundry and live-in super. Maintenance $551, 47 percent tax-deductible. Asking price $208,000, on market 36 weeks. Broker: The Developers Group.
WINDSOR TERRACE $1,260,000
1706 11th Avenue
Three-family, two-story brick house, on a 26-foot-by-100-foot lot, with three-bedroom, one-bath unit under two two-bedroom, one-bath units; home features rec room and two-car garage. Asking price $1,340,000, on market 10 weeks. Broker: Elliott Arkin, Brooklyn Heights Real Estate and Dowling Realty Group.
Just Sold! [NY Post]
When Fiction Is Fact and TV Reality
In a fiction piece in the current issue of The New Yorker entitled Demolition, Louise Erdrich describes a particularly loathsome (and cuckolded) contractor:
Ted had built many of the newer houses in Pluto. He was also responsible for most of the least attractive buildings in town. He bought up old properties — graceful houses just beginning to decay and churches that had consolidated their congregations or lost them to time — then he stripped them of their oak trim or carbed doors or stained-glass windows and sold it all as salvage to people in the cities. He tore down the shells and put up eightplex apartment buildings that were so hideous — aluminum-sided or fake-bricked, with shingled mansard roofs or flimsy inset balconies — it was a wonder the town council couldn't see it.
Sounds like Ted would fit right in here in Brooklyn!
Photo by MaRkoP
Thursday Links
Norwood Avenue. Photo by Joseph O. Holmes.
Home Sales Rose 3.4% Last Month [NY Times]
Can THis Living Room Be Saved? [NY Times]
Italian Restaurant May Become Coney Housing [NY Post]
Buying in Blue Collar Brooklyn [NY Post]
Impact of PS 321 on Property Value [Forum]
Detailed Clinton Hill Map [CH Blog]
Where Does Downtown Brooklyn Fit? [Brooklynian]
Allstate Cancels My Homeowners Insurance [ROTC]
2006 Residential Awards [Architect Magazine]
December 27, 2006
Wednesday On The Record
Coney Island Fog. Photo by neat_no_ice.
Today in Brooklyn
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
The Magic Ingredient at Clinton Hill's P.S. 11
Bakery Divorce Spawns New Park Slope Pastisserie
House of the Day: 391 Classon Avenue
We noticed this house on Classon between Greene and Clifton over the weekend. Turns out it's another listing from Flateau Realty (which we're going to make sure we start checking more often). Actually, it looks like it has been owned by the Flateau family for several decades. The three-story brick house supposedly has some lovely detail intact, especially on the parlor floor. The asking price of $850,000 seems a bit steep given that it's only got three stories but given that you'd have to go further east to find a house for less and that this doesn't need a ton of work, we bet it will go for within $50,000 of the ask.
391 Classon Avenue [Flateau Realty] GMAP P*Shark
Bakery Divorce Spawns New Park Slope Pastisserie
Divorce may be ugly, but these macaroons look just lovely. They come from Zana Café (on 7th Ave. near 9th Street), a bakery that was born when the once-married owners of Delices de Paris (321 Ninth St. at Fifth Ave.) split and ex-wife Rosana Rosa decided to open up her own shop. "At her new joint, she sells French-Italian pastries and European products — just like Delices de Paris," the Brooklyn Papers reports. "And her walls are painted happy yellow — just like Delices de Paris." Ex-husband Michael Martin, who is still working at Delices, isn't happy about the copycat move — he posted a sign saying that he has nothing to do with Zana's. This seems a bit odd, since Zana's is already getting rave reviews — and certainly doesn't seem to be tarnishing the Delices reputation. According to local blogger Only the Blog Knows Brooklyn, the lattes and macaroons at Zana Café are as delicious as they were at Delices. Has anybody else tried the new pastisserie?
Le Divorce... Bakery-Style [Brooklyn Papers]
Photo of Zana's macaroons by lunchboxandgirl
Much Ado on Formerly Dead Stretch of Grand
The block of Grand Avenue between Myrtle and Park hasn't exactly been a destination spot in the past (in fact, we'd never set foot on it until last weekend), but that should soon change with the advent of three new developments on the block, one conversion and two new-builds. We know nothing about any of them. Do you? GMAP
Greene Avenue Lofts Not a Shoe-In So Far
When we wrote about the Shoe Factory lofts on Greene Avenue in early October, the prices had just been cut across the board by 10%. Now it looks like some of the units were cut another 5% just before Christmas. As biased as we are (our place is just a few blocks away), we're surprised these aren't moving faster. According to the Corcoran website, four out of thirteen units are now in contract.
242 Greene Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP
Price Cut at 242 Greene Avenue [Natefind]
Condo of the Day: 242 Greene Avenue [Brownstoner]
Mixed Results at Greene and Grand [Brownstoner]
Residential Sales in Brooklyn
PARK SLOPE $530,000
302 Fifth Avenue
2-bedroom, 1-bath, 850-sq.-ft. co-op in a 3-story prewar building; dining area, living room with exposed-brick walls and fireplace, high ceilings; laundry in building; maintenance $559, 50% tax deductible; listed at $549,000, 6 weeks on market. Broker: Brooklyn Properties of 7th Avenue.
From the print edition of last Thursday's New York Times.
PROSPECT PARK SOUTH $1,200,000
191 Stratford Road
101-year-old 6-bedroom Victorian; wraparound porch, exposed oak beams, 3 marble mantels, 2nd floor balcony, 2-car garage, 50-by-100-ft. lot in historic district; taxes $4,988; listed at $1,299,000. Broker: Mary Kay Gallagher.
Residential Sales [NY Times]
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches
311 Atlantic Avenue
"The classic sandwich has three out of the four main food groups – pate, ham, and ground pork (all that’s missing is bacon) – encased in a miraculous French loaf (the good kind)." [Clean Plate Club]
The Islands
803 Washington Ave. (betw. Lincoln Pl. & Eastern Pkwy.), Prospect Heights, 718-398-3575
"Steaming platters of spicy baked, jerk chicken ($10) arrived, so heavy our waiter’s arms drooped. With Olympic speed, we wolfed down succulent steamed veggies, speared fantastically greasy plantain slices and sopped up eye-watering sauce with our molehill of coconut-infused rice." [NY Press]
After the jump: Chowhounders discuss Brooklyn's Best Egg Cream, Donna Da Vine opens in Boerum Hill, and Brighton Beach residents long for black caviar.
Reuniting in a Bed Stuy Brownstone
There were a couple of things that stayed with us after we read Sunday's piece in The Times about the Indian family who moved into a beautiful brownstone in Bed Stuy last summer. The first was their decision to stain the parquest floors cranberry and green. This looks fine to us in the photos but we're wondering what others think of this idea. We were more struck by Rina Banerjee's description of the first time she visited the neighborhood:
"I came for a visit five years ago and honestly I was a little scared,” Ms. Banerjee said. “I walked out of the Utica subway station and there was a gang of boys there fooling around and I was worried, but I decided I had to know the neighborhood and I asked them for directions and they were so kind that I immediately felt comfortable. It’s amazing how a neighborhood’s reputation impacts your thinking about it even before you see it.”
Food for thought indeed.
Family Reunited in a Brownstone [NY Times]
Wednesday Linkster
Christmas Eve, Prospect Park. Photo by sandwich!.
Another Building Collapses, Worker Killed [NY Times]
Arena Critics Slam Cams [NY Post]
Bluejake Revealed on Third Street [Bluejake]
Back and Forth with The Times [AY Report]
Sick of the Hate: Thoughts to Blog By [ATP]
ProHo According to Corcoran [Brooklynian]
88 Lafayette Shell Sells for $1.1 Million [Set Speed]
Gowanus Back in the Day [Gowanus Lounge]
Merry Gridlock & Eminent Domain [Gothamist]
December 26, 2006
Tuesday On The Record
TV and Chair, Crown Heights. Photo by neene.
Today in Brooklyn
Saved by the Beer
New MTA Website Leads the Way
Politics in Central Brooklyn
Beware of the Phantom on Cropsey Ave
Lost in NY? New MTA Website Leads the Way
Finally, the MTA launched a website offering transit directions that actually work. We tried out their new Trip Planner and were surprised to find that the site offers bus directions as well as subway directions, and best of all, it even includes scheduled times for bus and subway arrivals and departures. After many years of wrestling with the Brooklyn bus map to visit our friends around the borough, this is a very pleasant surprise. According to the NY Post, the website will soon be accessible to cell phones and PDAs, and there is talk of installing Trip Planner kiosks in certain stations, but there are still some bugs to work out...
Continue reading "Lost in NY? New MTA Website Leads the Way"
Saved By The Beer
We found ourselves on Fifth Avenue in Park Slope on Saturday afternoon, still short a prezzie for a couple of the dudes in our extended family, when we whizzed past Bierkraft. Eureka! Within minutes, we had opted for the 64-ounce "growler" of the DeKoninck Winter Ale and watched James as he worked the new double-tap system. One slightly messy mishap later (they were still working out some kinks in the tap), we had paid our $36 (each bottle is $4.50 plus $13.50 for the beer, refills encouraged) and were headed out the door, wondering whether we should have also picked up the game of beeropoly that we'd seen on the shelf. Maybe next year. Bierkraft is at 191 Fifth Avenue, 718-230-7600.
Boxing Day Linkage
Bed Stuy Brownstones. Photo by ultraclay.
Family Re-unites in Bed Stuy Brownstone [NY Times]
Planning a New Life in the City [NY Times]
Gotham Architecture’s Own Dynamic Duo [NY Times]
Affordable Housing with Subsidy [NY Times]
Condo-maxium Pain of Unfair Tax [NY Post]
Boro Park Man Beats Litter Ticket [NY Post]
Churches Selling to Survive [NY Daily News]
Easing Traffic With Better Data Collection [NY Sun]
New York State Losing Residents [NY Sun]
Toll Bros Opening Windblown W'burg Sales Office? [Curbed]
Laying Down A Salvaged Floor? [Bed Stuy Reno]
Demo'ing House, Lots of Salvage Available [Forum Comments]
Northern vs. Southern Garden? [Forum]
Just links today then we're back with regular posting tomorrow. There will be plenty of fresh posts over at Brooklyn Record today.
December 22, 2006
Friday On The Record
Dyker Heights 2005. Photo by nomatovu.
This Weekend in Brooklyn
New Businesses at the Navy Yard
Next Hurdle for Atlantic Yards: Lawsuits
Time to Shop 'Til You Drop
New Year's Eats (and Drinks) in Brooklyn
New Year's Eats (and Drinks) in Brooklyn
No matter how far behind your are on Christmas shopping, you can still get a jump on your New Year's plans — but you've got to act fast. Over on Chowhound, there's a thread where users are posting New Year's Eve prix fixe menus from their favorite outer-borough spots. So far, they've listed menus from Convivium Osteria and Cocotte, and both are looking pretty tasty. Any other recommended restaurants to enjoy the final meal of 2006? And for the barflies out there who prefer to ring in the New Year in a blur, which Brooklyn bars have the best parties going on?
New Year's Eve in Brooklyn [Chowhound]
Photo by Evan Sung for the NY Sun
House of the Day: Circling Back to the Pfizer Mansion
When we discussed 280 Washington Avenue earlier in the week, noting that it had been reduced on the Corcoran site to $3,399,000, we didn't realize that its twin sister at Number 282 was getting a face lift. Know anything? Nor did we realize 280 was being simultaneously marketed by Brown Harris Stevens for $3,999,000. We're used to seeing minor price discrepancies on Craigslist over open listings, but a $600K difference between two major firms? Waddup?
280 Washington Avenue [Brown Harris Stevens]
280 Washington Avenue [Corcoran]
How Low Can the Pratt Mansion Go? [Brownstoner] GMAP
Getting Head in Clinton Hill
We've noticed this sculpture on the Pratt campus a million times walking down Hall Street but never took the time to find out more about it. Turns out it's the work of the reknowned portrait sculptor and Yale prof Philip Grausman. Here's what the plaque says about the piece (while spelling the artist's first name wrong!):
In a [sic] effort to universalize and idealize the female head, Grausman has chosen a technique of skillfully modeling these overscale heads with an impersonality that reaches back to the ideals of Greek sculpture. (However they all start with actual models)[sic] Becuase of scale, head becomes body, the pure white of the fiberglass has the glow of pure marble. They command, they invite, they have a lively presence.
Do readers have any other favorites in the Pratt sculpture garden?
Sterling Place Crash Site Shaping Up Nicely
It looks like the new building on the site of the 1960 airplane crash at Sterling Place and Seventh Avenue is almost done. Unlike the new building across the street, this one is a contextual success (barring any last-minute flourishes!): Perfectly proportioned windows, unobtrusive brick choice, simple lintels. The two wild cards at this point are how they will finish the bay window sections and whether they choose to add a cornice. This building was designed by the Manhattan-based Danois Architects. Anyone know anything else they've done? On a prior thread, a reader mentioned that this building will be condos while the uglier one across the street is a rental. That true? GMAP
Developments Rising at Sterling Place Crash Site [Brownstoner]
Waddup at 166 Carlton?
Anyone know what the plan is at 166 Carlton Avenue? As of now, the owner only has permits for the garbage chute and the scaffolding; no development plans filed. The place screams "conversion" to us though. GMAP DOB
New Businesses at the Navy Yard
Just two months after Mayor Bloomberg broke ground on six new industrial buildings at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, eleven new businesses are moving into the space. The newcomers include a computer refurbisher called Budget Computer, woodworker Christian Galesi, and Thoughts in Grey Circles, a music producer for television and movies. "I got tired of Manhattan," said Emmy-nominated composer Gil Talmi of Grey Circles. "I love the views from here and I have space to expand. Everything I need is here."
Brooklyn Navy Yard gets even biz-ier [NY Daily News]
Does Size Matter?
New York Magazine this week discusses the pros and cons of large and small brokerage firms. The boutiques tout their level of personal attention and special knowledge of particular neighborhoods while the biggies point to their marketing reach and resources. “If anyone wants to put their record up of how many $10 million [plus] deals they’ve made, we’re happy to do so,” says Corcoran president Pam Liebman. How about in Brooklyn? Have you had better experiences with large or small? And does it matter whether you're buying or selling?
Small Wonders [New York]
Photo from funnyjunk.com
Friday Linkage
Bricks and Bank, Fort Greene. Photo by iilii'n.
AY's Next Hurdle: Lawsuits [NY Times]
Inflatable Santas: Eyepoppers to Eyesores [NY Times]
MAS Tries to Save Dry Dock [Newsday]
The Transformation of Flatbush Begins [AY Report]
The Times Screwed Up on AY [New York Mag]
Galapagos Site to Become Condo? [Curbed]
Land(mark) Speed Record on Brooklyn Home [Downtown Star]
Mapping a Way to the Bridge [Brooklyn Papers]
Energy Efficient Skylights? [Forum]
81 Bainbridge In Contract! [Corcoran]
Inexpensive Ways to Reduce Noise [Brooklynian]
Hello, My Name Is Brooklyn [Gothamist]
Does Magnetic Paint Work? [Apartment Therapy]
December 21, 2006
Thursday On The Record
Out of Business, Greenpoint. Photo by meadows.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
State Approves Atlantic Yards
Naked Buttcheeks at Body By Brooklyn
Bloomberg's Smoking Ban Saves Lives
Time Runs Out for Mechanical Parking Meters
Wedding Bells on the Gowanus
Co-op of the Day: 394 Lincoln Place
Unless the interior of this apartment is a dump (note to broker: put up some darn pics!), this 1,000-square-foot two-bedroom co-op in Prospect Heights could be interesting at $399,000. Only a block from the new Richard Meier building (and pretty close to the park as well), this location will only get better and better over time. The first showing was last weekend. Anyone seen it yet?
394 Lincoln Place [Corcoran] GMAP
Development Watch: 323 16th Street
In case you haven't noticed, 16th Street in the South Slope is one giant construction project. This particular new-build appears to have meant the end of some charming old houses, judging by the photo on Property Shark. Gotta say, given all the construction, it must kinda suck to live on this block these days. GMAP
Beware the Wrath of the Tree Roots
This scene on Washington Avenue is a reminder of how powerfully destructive tree roots can be. In this case, the victim was a huge chunk of bluestone; in others, it can be old clay pipes getting strangled to death. Wonder if they thought about the consequences when these were planted over a century ago.
Scarano Master Plan for Hall Street
We've got no idea if this is a purely intellectual exercise, but there's a massive, almost futuristic master plan for the entire block of Hall Street between Park and Flushing Avenues on the Scarano website. "The concept for this project," according to the site, "was to create a linear promenade that could visually unify hall from Flushing avenue to Park Avenue, and conceptually relate it to the lively, booming Myrtle Avenue." To see the plans, go to the commercial projects page of the Scarano site and click on the second image in the top row. Anyone know if there's any chance of this getting built or who the developer behind it could be?
Homepage [Scarano Architects]
Just Sold in Brooklyn
DUMBO $1,295,000
70 Washington Street
Two-bedroom, two-bath condo, 1,650 square feet, with open living and dining area, kitchen with Sub-Zero refrigerator, Viking stove and Bosch dishwasher, 11-foot ceilings, wine cooler, bamboo floors, central AC and views of East River and Statue of Liberty; building features concierge and indoor parking. Common charges $550, taxes $20 (15-year abatement). Asking price $1,300,000, on market two months. Broker: Danielle Mosse, Brooklyn Heights Real Estate, Dowling Realty Group.
PARK SLOPE $549,000
210 Berkeley Place
Two-bedroom, one-bath co-op in a brownstone, 720 square feet, with two marble mantels, high ceilings and laundry area. Maintenance $525, 46 percent tax-deductible. Asking price $549,000, on market two months. Brokers: Cindy Whiteside, The Corcoran Group and James Crow, Nancy McKiernan Realty.
Just Sold! [NY Post]
Video: History of the Brooklyn Bridge
If you like your Brooklyn history lessons set to a Coldplay soundtrack, the latest offering on YouTube is for you. In the four minutes and twenty seconds of the song "Warning Sign", the documentary manages to squeeze in lots of details about how the Brooklyn Bridge was built. For example, did you know that the bridge cost $15.1 million to construct--and that 27 people died during its construction? Didn't think so. Also, learn about the "deadly secret" that was almost the bridge's undoing.
'The Brooklyn Bridge' A Triumph [YouTube]
PACB Gives Ratner What He Wants
After an Oscar-worthy head fake on Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver, along with the two other members of the Public Authorities Control Board, George Pataki and Joseph Bruno, gave the thumbs up to Bruce Ratner's vision for Atlantic Yards. "I am pleased the developer is committed to addressing numerous community concerns through several specific actions that will result in significant neighborhood improvements,'' said Silver. Last time we checked, traffic congestion, overcrowded schools and a surfeit of chain stores didn't exactly qualify as improvements (though there were some last minute changes, including 200 more units of affordable housing and $3 million more for improvements to neighboring parks) but then again, pols who live upstate must have a better grasp of what's better for Brooklyn than the four assembly members closest to the site. So where does this leave those who oppose the project? Eminent domain lawsuits, scale negotiations and a guy named Spitzer. “From the beginning, the project has been a public-private partnership in which the public has not been represented,” said Kent Barwick, president of the Municipal Art Society. “The vote today reflected a process that simply did not allow New Yorkers to shape the project, and the result is a plan that will not work for Brooklyn.”
State Approves Major Complex for Brooklyn [NY Times]
NY Board Approves Atlantic Yards Plan [Bloomberg]
The Nets Win! [NY Post]
Photo by f.trainer
Thursday Links
Tubes, Prospect Heights. Photo by Atomische.
421-a Program Overhaul Approved [NY Times]
Salvaging an Old Chandelier [NY Times]
amNY Digs Preservation [Gothamist]
Williamsburg Waterfront: Sense of Doom? [Curbed]
Walentas Finds a Pharmacy (Finally) [Dumbo NYC]
Council Approves Tax Breaks For More Affordable Housing [NY1]
Back to the House We Go [Bed Stuy Reno]
Free Sinks! [Forum]
December 20, 2006
Wednesday On The Record
Gowanus Canal. Photo by lady day.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Newfangled Cabs Equipped with Cybermaps
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
Winter Bloom Riot in Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Worst Meal in Brooklyn?
Brooklyn Couple Considers Real Estate in Space
Houses of the Day: Columbia Heights Doubleshot
If you still believe in Santa Claus, this listing should be right up your alley. Two contiguous 19th century brick townhouses on Columbia Heights in Brooklyn Heights. Total square footage: 12,000. One building has already been reno'd, the other needs tlc. Both have lots of original details intact. The double backyard would be pretty sweet too. The price? You don't want to know. Well, actually, we're sure you do. $13.5 million. Any Goldman partners looking to move to the Heights?
Columbia Heights Unique Opportunity [NYT RE] GMAP
Worst Meal in Brooklyn?
As 2006 winds down, everybody seems to be making "Best Of" lists, but here at the Brooklyn Record, it's hard to narrow down the list of our favorite local spots. So, how about helping our readers avoid the worst food our borough has to offer instead? Since we'll eat almost anything set in front of us, we're going to need your help with this one. What's the most disappointing meal (or morsel) you've eaten this year? If you've experienced a chewy steak, a stinky fish, a sad excuse for a sandwich, or a wildly overhyped restaurant, leave us a comment — and don't spare us the dirty details.
Please note: We can't speak for the "tiny fishies" pictured above, but a Flickr photographer who goes by Urch snapped the photo at a Brooklyn Heights barbecue and labeled them "gross."
Lots of Signed Contracts at Park Slope Condo
According to the Brown Harris Stevens website, five apartments in this brownstone have gone into contract. The building looks nice on the outside; interiors look unremarkable. The idea of getting three bedrooms in the Slope for $710,000 with a low monthyl maintenance of $500 must be the driving factor. We can't say much more without knowing where exactly this is though. A little help please?
Park Slope Condo [Brown Harris Stevens]
New Merch on Myrtle?
It's going to be interesting to see what opens up in this corner retail location at 362 Myrtle at Adelphi. The folks who just dropped high six-figures in the new building next door must certainly be curious. GMAP
Have You Heard About the Lefferts Loser?
On Lefferts Place, the Landmarks gods give
and they take away. In case you needed another reason to convince you that the Clinton Hill Historic District should be extended two blocks south to include Lefferts Place, look no further: This building clearly does not belong on the block. Can some Lefferts Place rezzies provide some history please? GMAP
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
Photo by Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times
Smoke Joint
87 South Elliott Place (Fulton Street), Fort Greene, (718) 797-1011.
"I’ll call it what it is: uprooted barbecue, barbecue loosened from its moorings in tradition, barbecue that ranges to shores where dry-rubbed pork ribs and peel-and-eat shrimp cocktail and jalapeño sauces frolic together." [NY Times]
After the jump: Vivir opens in Cobble Hill, Chez Oskar gets a little sister, and Andrea Strong discovers the best paninis ever.
Grim News for Subprime Borrowers
Brutal. There's no other way to describe the findings in a new study of the subprime lending market by the Center for Responsible Lending. The North Carolina-based research group predicts that one in five subprime mortgages made in the last two years will end up in foreclosure. In all, about 2.2 million people who've taken out the loans since 1998 are expected to lose their homes. “The foreclosures are higher than they need to be because a number of loan features in the subprime market place borrowers at unnecessary risk,” says Keith Ernst, senior housing counsel at the research center. Not surprisingly, minorities are feeling the brunt of effect: More than half of African-Americans and 40 percent of Hispanics received subprime loans.
Study Predicts Foreclosure for 1 in 5 Subprime Loans [NY Times]
Newfangled Cabs Equipped with Cybermaps
This week, be on the lookout for the city's new futuristic taxis, equipped with TV monitors, credit card machines, and a cybermap that shows the cab's location — which should make it easier for drivers to find their way to Brooklyn neighborhoods. The editorial in NY Daily News goes on to say:
"Who knows? It is possible that drivers armed with a map that tells them exactly where they are whenever they want to know might even stick around for a bit and try their luck cruising on Bedford Ave. or Linden Blvd. or Fourth Ave. They might even be pleasantly surprised if they do. Brooklynites would be happy to patronize yellow cabs to get from one part of the borough to another, if they ever saw one that wasn't zooming to or from Manhattan."
Anybody else think the cybermaps will bring more cabs to Brooklyn? It doesn't seem like such a farfetched idea to us, but after last weeks debate about tipping cabbies, we're interested in seeing how the credit card machines work. Anyone know if the drivers will be accepting tips through the credit card machines, or will riders still need cash for that?
All Hail the New Taxis! [NY Daily News]
How to Catch a Cab to Brooklyn [Brooklyn Record]
Photo by bastian.fischer
Silver Might Give AY Approval After All
On the heels of yesterday's rumors that Sheldon Silver would not give his approval for Atlantic Yards in 2006, and thereby deny his political enemy George Pataki credit for the project, The Post is reporting this morning that the Assembly Speaker might indeed sign off on the project--as long as Pataki does not link it to "pork barrel" projects.
Sheldon Close to Brooklyn Arena OK [NY Post]
Shelly Silver, Obstructionist? [NY Post]
Atlantic Yards Vote Delayed 'Til Next Year [Brownstoner]
Photo by newington
Wednesday Linkerati
Kent Avenue, Greenpoint. Photo by bluejake.
New Luxe-Housing Tax Credits Coming [NY Post]
Northside Piers Getting Big in a Hurry [Curbed]
Tax-free Housing for the Holidays [Gothamist]
Sofa Button Repair Tips [Apartment Therapy]
Renting Out Brownstone Apartments [Brooklynian]
Regulations Regarding Lot Line Windows? [Forum]
December 19, 2006
Tuesday On The Record
Row Houses, Bay Ridge. Photo by gkjarvis.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
More Bike Racks, Fewer Car Spaces in Bedford Ave Plan
Brooklyn Brewery Moves into Midwestern Market
Music Review: Man, I Hate The Fucking Eagles
Lamenting the Loss of Beat Street
Brooklyn and Beyond Gift Guide: A New Spin on Pinups
Atlantic Yards Vote Delayed 'Til Next Year
NY1 is reporting that Sheldon Silver will not give his vote on Atlantic Yards until next year because he still has "financial questions" about the project. Yowza.
Ratner To Wait Until 2007 For PACB Decision [NY1]
Atlantic Yards Vote Delayed [Brooklyn Papers]
Atlantic Yards Vote Delayed Until '07 [Curbed]
House of the Day: Boymelgreen Bungle
We can't figure out what Boymelgreen was doing spending his time with the small-potatoes action of a townhouse development in the first place. We wish he hadn't though. Other than the nice-sized windows and light (which may not last longer than you can say "Bruce Ratner"), this is one of those designs that, while certainly a step up from Fedders, makes you wonder what the architect was thinking. The mix of materials and exterior decorative touches are the most troubling. The generic kitchens don't help much either. There was an open house on Sunday. Anyone check it out?
518 Carlton Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Shit Sandwich For Sale: Suckers Wanted
Guess the bargain basement price that this benevolent developer (who undoubtably received some kind of handouts from the government to slap up this eyesore) is asking for this Fedders special in Bed Stuy? $785,000. What a rip-off! For a hundred grand more, you could have the gorgeous Park Place limestone we listed in Open House Picks on Friday. And guess who's gonna end up getting boned on this one? The poor sap who scrapes together the 3% down that's probably required by the government program that financing the whole thing. What a joke.
New Construction 3 Family [Craigslist]
Development Watch: 178 19th Street
Anyone know the scoop on what's happening at the corner of 4th Avenue and 19th Street? Condos, we can only assume. Who's the developer? GMAP P*Shark
Gil's Creative Duplex Reno in Fort Greene
Apartment Therapy had a great reno slideshow yesterday of a brownstone duplex in Fort Greene. The owner did a fairly radical reno that included creating a massive skylight and making transparent plexiglass flooring. Except for the bathroom (which we think will look a little trendy and outdated as time marches on), this strikes us as a very successful design that is both fun and modern while being respectful of much of the space's original detail. Agree?
Gil's Path to Enlightenment [Apartment Therapy]
Brooklyn Brewery Moves into Midwestern Market
Our fave borough's craft beers are now available in Budweiser territory: Reuters reports that Brooklyn Brewery recently expanded its sales into six midwestern and southern states. (A rep for the brewery told us it was actually just four in 2006: Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, and Michigan.) The brewery's cold ones are now available in 18 states in all. It is also developing a new Belgian-style ale called Brooklyn Local 1, which goes on sale in March. Owner Steve Hindy, who got his start as a homebrewer, plans to expand into Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont next (though it strikes us as strange that he's not there already).
What are your favorite local and not-so-local beers? Has anyone here tried home brewing?
Brooklyn beer-maker sees fizz in craft brewing [Reuters]
Photo by arabella via Flickr.
More Insanity at The Washington Condos
In a November 21 letter to Robert Scarano, DOB Borough Commish Magdi Mossad wrote, "Our inspection revealed a number of issues throughout the building that must be addressed prior to any renewal odf the issued T.C.O." According to a tipster though, while Mossad was on vacation last week, developer Isaac Fischman mysteriously got the T.C.O. renewed, despite outstanding conditions like the unfinished outdoor balconies that we hear are leaking water into some of the units. Meanwhile, purchasers are being told to close as soon as this week! The whole thing stinks to high heaven. Any buyers out there know more about what's happening? What's the status of the mezzanines?
Cover-Up at The Washington [Brownstoner]
DOB (Finally) Pays Attention to The Washington [Brownstoner]
NY Sun Makes Some Conservative Sense
If you're going to be a conservative publication, at least get your principles right. Unlike the NY Post, The Sun has the good sense to stick to its ideological guns in the Atlantic Yards debate. And while we don't share the paper's lack of concern about the density of the project, it's refreshing to see an editorial position shaped more by ideals than political pettiness:
We start out from a position of favoring private-sector building and investment in New York City.We have no objection to the density of the $4.2 billion plan by developer Forest City Ratner to build a Nets basketball arena and housing designed by Frank Gehry near the Atlantic Avenue subway stop in Brooklyn. Initial indications were that the project would be primarily privately funded and that, because most of the land for the project was either owned by the Long Island Rail Road or had been privately acquired, the use of the government’s power to condemn property through eminent domain would not be needed. It is good news that Forest City Ratner is interested in investing this much money in Brooklyn.
The project, however, has evolved considerably since it was first announced...
Tuesday Linkster
Grafitti, Bed Stuy. Photo by mercurialn.
Pressure on Silver to Delay AY Approval [NY Sun]
Daniel Goldstein Can't Be Bought [New York]
Might Wanna Use That Deadbolt [Brooklynian]
Trying to Stop Overdevelopment [Downtown Star]
Video: Rever Sugar Factory Demo [Gowanus Lounge]
Sourcing Wide Plank Floors [Forum]
Fourth Ave. Station Out, 12 Stories In [Curbed]
New Head for EDC? [The Real Estate]
December 18, 2006
Monday On The Record
Elevator, WIlliamsburg. Photo by bhagg.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Iraqi Dates Arrive
Clinton Hill Stock Scammers
Brooklyn Bird Count May Be Down
New Home for Empty Vessel?
A Starbucks for Smith Street
HOTD: How Low Can the Pfizer Mansion Go?
The Pfizer mansion at 280 Washington Avenue has been on and off the market and all over the price map for almost two years now. The 12,000-square-foot mansion, which is dripping with restored period detail (a little over the top in come cases), started at $3,595,000 in January 2005 before going off the market a few months later; then in February of this year, it burst back onto the scene at $3,995,000, only to be reduced a few months later to $3,695,000. And now last week it dropped by almost another 10% to $3,399,000. Where does it stop? As we've said before, it's not very expensive on a per square foot basis. There just aren't a lot of buyers looking to drop more than $3 mil on a place in Clinton Hill just yet.
280 Washington Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
House of the Day: 280 Washington Avenue [Brownstoner]
Pfizer Mansion Hitting Market [Brownstoner]
Development of the Day: Highpoint Condos
We drove past the Highpoint Condos last week and were not too impressed: The Thing looks like a Howard Johnsons. Located at 560 7th Avenue, the eleven-unit building (all but one of which are two-bedrooms) comes with six parking spots ($25,000 each) and General Electric appliances. The interiors look less compelling to us than those down the road at Sky 485. The location is also worse, on the avenue and right across from the entrance ramp to the Prospect Expressway. Three of the eleven units are in contract so far, all on the upper floors where prices are closer to $550 a foot versus less than $500 a foot on the lower floors.
560 7th Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP
PACC is Wack
The future of the Bodegas space on the corner of Clinton and Fulton is of great concern to everyone we know in the neighborhood. Since the restaurant closed at the beginning of the year (in a domino effect caused by money problems and nasty landlords at Liquors), the rumors have been flying. The space is of particular importance because of its location at the gateway to Clinton Hill on a commercial stretch of road that has been crying out for improvement for years. So it was disbelief that we heard recently that the Pratt Area Community Council (which owns the building) took time out from destroying the aesthetics of the historic neighborhood to turn down an offer from a successful local business owner who wanted to open a wine bar in the space. And for what? PACC told this business owner that it had done a survey that showed residents wanted an Applebees! Yeah, right. This weekend, Clinton Hill Blog reported a rumor that PACC had recently shown the space to North Fork Bank. At least the nabe does need a bank (more than an Applebees), but, geez, turning down someone with a proven track record who wants to put an upscale establishment in this crappy stretch of Fulton? If the organization takes the credit of low-income renters and buyers, surely it can rent to a local business.
Store Rumors [Clinton Hill Blog]
Future of Bodegas & Liquors Thrown Into Question [Brownstoner]
Corner of Clinton and Fulton Up for Grabs [Brooklyn Record]
Greenpoint: Call 1-800-GENTRIFY Now!
Good for a chuckle.
Greenpoint Gentrification [YouTube]
It All Comes Down to Sheldon
Which way will he go?
Fate of AY Hinges on One Man [NY Times]
On a related note, there's a rally today at City Hall at 1 pm to encourage the Public Authorities Control Board to delay its vote until Spitzer is in office and there has been greater scrutiny of the financing of AY.
Iraqi Dates Arrive
Artist-cum-importer Michael Rakowitz, the proprietor of the Middle Eastern grocery and shipping center on Atlantic Avenue (which also happens to be an art installation), finally has his Iraqi dates. A one-ton shipment of the sweet fruit--which Rakowitz described to the NY Times as a distinctive national product on a par with Cuban cigars, and just as hard to find in the U.S.--was destined for his store more than two months ago but was held up at the Iraq-Jordan border. U.S. Customs delayed the process even longer, and then the original shipment spoiled, meaning a new one had to be sent out.
On receiving the dates, Rakowitz was emotional. "They became something else that I couldn’t have predicted at the outset," he told the Times. "These dates were representative of every person who wasn’t able to get out."
Bittersweet Talismans From a Ravaged Land [NY Times]
Waiting for Iraqi Dates [Brooklyn Record]
Still Waiting for Iraqi Dates [Brooklyn Record]
NY Times: Council Must Move Fast on 421-a
While providing a decent summary of the three plans on the table for the 421-a program, The Times takes a Goldilocks stance on the issue. "What [New York City] needs most of all is housing that people can afford," the paper wrote. "The law needs to be re-tailored to reflect that need." Fair enough, but what about the three plans? Bloomberg's doesn't have enough teeth, the paper figures, and the Yassky/Palma/James plan is too anti-development (it "frightens smaller developers and lenders who believe that requiring everyone everywhere in the city to provide housing for low-income residents would make it uneconomical to build housing for moderate-income people, who are also being increasingly frozen out of the market"). By default, Speaker Quinn's plan is an acceptable compromise. "Although her bill might well be improved by the healthy debate now taking place in the council, it is more generous than the mayor’s original proposal and more flexible — and less threatening to the overall market — than the Palma-Yassky proposal." More important than the nuances of the bill is the timing: the current law expires at the end of '07 and given how disfunctional Albany is, The Times reckons that state lawmakers will need an entire year to get anything done.
A Push for Affordable Housing [NY Times]
Monday Linkage
700 Atlantic Avenue. Photo by threecee.
Plan to Raze Home Prompts Belated Outcry [NY Times]
Red Hook Pier Pressure on Nadler [NY Post]
Naked Squatters Tackle Barcelona's Housing Crisis [The Independent]
Living in Crown Heights - 1985 [CH Real Estate]
Ground Shifting on Atlantic Yards? [AY Report]
Comparing Two Townhouse Apartments [Brooklynian]
Weekend Fun in Mr. Sitt's Neighborhood [Gowanus Lounge]
Three Cents Worth: Onus of the Bonus [Curbed]
Finishing the Pavement First [CH Reno]
December 15, 2006
Friday On The Record
Bond Street, Gowanus. Photo by Frank Lynch.
This Weekend in Brooklyn
Canarsie to Open Nabe History Museum
Brooklyn & Beyond Gift Guide: For the Animal-Lover
Early Reports: Lou Reed's "Berlin" Is "Unbelievably Fantastic"
Flatbush Farm and Other Holiday Fare
A Hockey Team for Brooklyn
Open House Picks
Crown Heights
836 Prospect Place
Fillmore Real Estate
Sat 12-2, Sun 1-3
$1,750,000
GMAP P*Shark
Crown Heights
888 Park Place
Melonie Lynn
Sunday 1-3
$899,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bedford Stuyvesant
368 Madison Street
Ardor
call for times
$675,000
GMAP P*Shark
Slim pickings this week! Maybe everyone's holding off until the new year. Anything interesting that we missed?
Flatbush Farm and Other Holiday Fare
We got an email yesterday from Chef Eric Lind of Flatbush Farm, announcing the restaurant's new winter offerings and
its "delicious and affordable New Year’s Eve prix fixe menu." Gridskipper apparently got the same note, and they were none too enthused:
"[The winter menu]'s got everything you might expect to appeal to the Park Slope gourmand. A mixture of comfort food (french dip sandwich, cast-iron roasted chicken) and things people don't feel comfortable asking about (slow beans, bubble and squeak). Though rest assured, if you ask, the waitress will patiently recite in the first-person plural the ten-minute saga of how potatoes, cabbage, carrots and peas find themselves plucked from the upstate soil and become amalgamated into bubble and squeak."
The place has gotten mixed reviews on Chowhound since it opened over the summer, but we're still curious--anyone here tried it? The mention of an NYE menu also got us wondering: What are some good restos for celebrating the holidays? Do any of your families traditionally go out for holiday meals instead of eating at someone's house?
The Discreet Farm of the Bourgeoisie [Gridskipper]
Photo by jscandinaro via Flickr
Development Watch: Hicks and What?
Faithful documenter of all things Brooklyn justiNYC sent along this photo yesterday of a new-build on Hicks Street overlooking the BQE (at Degraw, he thinks). We're wondering whether it might actually be this development at Hicks and Kane that we looked at last March when it was getting off the ground. Anyone know fer shure? GMAP
New Arrivals at Demolition Depot
It looks to us like Demolition Depot recently bought the entire contents of an old house and is selling off the interior fixtures piecemeal. This is a nice looking bannister (though the spindles aren't standard brownstone fare) and this old corner tub is exactly what we were looking for back when we were doing our reno. There's also an entire kitchen for sale. No idea about prices--Evan doesn't like to post them so you gotta call. The number is 212-860-1138.
New Arrivals [Demolition Depot]
Residential Sales in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $355,000
100 Remsen Street
1-bedroom, 1-bath, 745-sq.-ft. co-op in a postwar building; dining area, renovated and windowed kitchen, parquet floors; maintenance $880, includes utilities, no tax deduction; listed at $365,000, 8 weeks on market. Brokers: Brooklyn Heights Real Estate; Dowling Realty Group.
SUNSET PARK $530,000
210 30th Street
2-bedroom, 2-bath, 86-year-old 2-story brick house; renovated kitchen and baths, recreation room, oak floors; rear yard parking space; 17-by-100-ft. lot; taxes $1,370; listed at $549,000, 20 weeks on market. Broker: Betancourt & Associates Realty.
From the print edition of yesterday's New York Times.
Fort Greene: Where the Condos Are
If you had to guess the neighborhood with the most new condo units submitted to the Attorney General's office this year, Williamsburg would be a pretty obvious guess. And you'd be right. But would you be surprised to learn that Fort Greene was not far behind? We were. Until we realized that a large portion of the 739 units were in a handful of new buildings on the southwestern edge of the nabe. The two Flatiron-esque developments--The Forte Condos (promo shot above) at 230 Ashland Place and the Ismael Leyva-designed tower at 85 Flatbush Avenue Extension--have been discussed in this space before. The article also suggests that the rumored Scarano tower is indeed happening, albeit not til 2008. "Fort Greene isn't quite like any other part of New York," says Elliman power broker Kathryn Lilly. "It's open to development in a way that many neighborhoods aren't, because it's a very creative, diverse, arts-oriented place. Developers can really do modern, contemporary stuff."
Manhattan-style Condos Come to Fort Greene [The Real Deal]
Forte Condos in Fort Greene [Brooklynian]
Broken Angel Case Pled to DOB
The DOB held a hearing yesterday on the fate of the Broken Angel. City Councilmember Tish James stepped up to act as the Woods' lawyer and engineer Robert Wolfson presented a plan for bringing the structure into conformity with local building codes. "It's a treasure that needs to be saved," said Wolf. The DOB has requested another meeting next week to review technical details for how to remove the upper portions of the structure. Anyone know any other details from the meeting?
Artist Home a Treasure, Court Told [NY Daily News]
Photo by onenadapple via Curbed.
Friday Linkage
Brooklyn Bridge. Photo by Frank Lynch.
MSG Boss OK with Nets Arena [NY Post]
Design Roundup, Landmarks Edition [Gothamist]
Brooklyn Greenway Wins a Round [Curbed]
PACB Meets Wednesday--Maybe About Atlantic Yards [TRE]
The Missing Half Billion [AY Report]
Red Hook Waterfront Fight to Heat Up [Gowanus Lounge]
Other Side of the River [Bed Stuy Reno]
Two Mantles and Fireplace for Sale [Forum]
December 14, 2006
Thursday On The Record
Wall, Bed Stuy. Photo by gkjarvis.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Paper Gives Props to Brooklyn Band Pela
Hassidic Walking Tours in Crown Heights
Brooklyn Preschools Overwhelmed with Apps
How to Catch a Cab to Brooklyn
Brooklyn & Beyond Gift Guide: For the Modern Sentimentalist
How to Catch a Cab to Brooklyn
Yesterday the Daily Slope compiled a list of advice from Brooklynian users on negotiating Manhattan-to-Brooklyn cab rides, which included thoughts on the etiquette of tipping and stiffing. But several DS commenters took issue with the suggestion to tip between $2 and $4 (or around 15 percent) for a cab ride from Manhattan to Park Slope or Prospect Heights, saying that was too little and that riders needed to "have a heart." As DS reader Ben put it:
"The only solution is to start a revolution in tipping the cabbies better as a Borough, and then cabs would scramble to the LES to take you and your skinny jeans home."
But isn't his position maybe a little extreme, given that--as some of our readers have mentioned before--a ride to, say, the Upper West Side is often much farther for a driver than Brooklyn? What kind of tip do you think is appropriate?
Brooklyn Taxi Guide: How to Tip, How to Stiff [Daily Slope, via Gawker]
Photo by chien courant via Flickr
House of the Day: 678 St. Marks
This stretch of St. Marks Avenue--between Rogers and Nostrand--is part of the proposed Crown Heights North Historic District and deservedly so. This four story brownstone (which is currently painted white) is still full of wonderful details despite having been carved up into six studio apartments. If it weren't for the qualification that the building will be delivered "partially vacant," we'd be banging the table on this one for $745,000. As it is, it's still probably worth a closer look. Dig the 125-foot-deep lot. We're betting that some of the CHN stalwarts on the site will have something to say about this one.
678 St. Marks Avenue [Douglas Elliman] GMAP
Co-op of the Day: 21 South Portland Avenue
Longtime readers know we're suckers for anything with a South Portland address, so it was no surprise that today's co-op of the day jumped out of the Craigslist morass to grab our attention. The address--21 South Portland--however rang a bell for some reason. No wonder: We profiled another apartment in the same brownstone two months ago. Today's one-bedroom pales in comparison to the 1,170-square-foot parlor floor apartment that was on the market in October. Of course, so does the price of $411,000. While this place may not have a pier mirror, it does have its own 400-square-foot private roof deck. Not too shabby.
1Bdrm w/ Roof Deck [Craigslist] GMAP
Co-op of the Day: 21 South Portland Avenue [Brownstoner]
Just Sold in Brooklyn
PROSPECT PARK SOUTH $1,200,000
191 Stratford Road
Six-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath, 37-foot-by-37-foot Center-hall house on a 6,000-square-foot lot, with double living room and fireplace, formal dining room with original oak panels and beamed ceilings, new kitchen with stainless-steel appliances and granite counters, breakfast room and parquet floors; house features new roof and two-car garage. Asking price $1,225,000, on market one week. Broker: Mary Kay Gallagher Real Estate.
WILLIAMSBURG $670,000
57-39 Maspeth Avenue
One-bedroom, two-bath condo, 1,048 square feet, with living room, floor-to-ceiling windows, kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, washer/dryer and home office; new construction building features elevator and roof deck with views of Manhattan. Common charges $277.20, taxes $17.10. Asking price $695,000, on market 12 weeks. Broker: The Developers Group.
Just Sold! [NY Post]
City Prepping Big Residential Deal for Flatbush Ave
Coming to terms with market reality, the city is in the process of negotiating a $500 million development deal on Flatbush at Willoughby that would be primarily residential and retail instead of the originally envisioned commercial usage. According to the NY Sun, Albee Square (as it is being called) would have more than 800 apartments, 20% of which would be "affordable housing", 100,000 square feet of commercial and 500,000 square feet of retail space. What makes this particularly interesting is the speculation that the anchor tenant could be none other than Walmart. William Ross, executive director of sales for Halstead Brooklyn, called the site "the least objectionable space in all of Brooklyn for a Wal-Mart." Under the contemplated deal, Thor Equities, which bought the development rights to the land in 2001 for $25 million, would sell them to a joint venture between PA Associates/Acadia Realty Trust and Avalon Properties. Negotiations are reportedly in the "final phases."
City in Talks on Future of Big Site For Building in Downtown Brooklyn [NY Sun] LiveLocal
184 Adelphi Showing Its True Colors
When we last checked in on 184 Adelphi Street last Summer, it was clad only in exterior insulation. Now it's got some kind of metal exterior. While we think the design is interesting in itself, we think it's less successful contextually than the nearby 364 Myrtle condos and the art studio on Vanderbilt. Regardless, we'd rather see a strong statement like this than a Fedders special.
Angles, Setbacks and Windows on Adelphi Street [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
DOB "More Like an Ambulance Service"
In an editorial yesterday generally praising Mayor Bloomberg for his long-term thinking about the city's infrastructure, Daily News columnist Michael Goodwin points out one of the areas where Bloomie has taken his eye off the ball--construction.
[If he listens], he'll learn about architects and builders who thumb their noses at his Buildings Department, especially outside Manhattan. The agency acts more like an ambulance service than a regulating body. It only seems to show up when there is a disaster, which helps explain why nearly 100 workers have been killed in construction accidents since October 2001, according to federal statistics compiled by my colleague Brian Kates. Every time a worker falls from scaffolding onto a street or into a vat of concrete, count on the Buildings Department to show up and say, yep, there were safety violations. No kidding.
C'mon, Mikey!
A City Plan with Room to Grow [Brownstoner]
Sara Goldsmith
Thursday Linkster
Water Tower, Fort Greene. Photo by limonada.
ESDC Cuts AY Revenue Estimates [NY Times]
Buying Ready-Made Architectural Plans [NY Times]
Nets Arena Oversold [NY Post]
Five Swaggering Condos in Dumbo [Gothamist]
Green Roof for Gowanus Whole Foods? [Curbed]
Grape Green for Brownstone Kitchen [Apartment Therapy]
Minutes from CB2 Meeting [Clinton Hill Blog]
Waterfront Condos in Sheepshead Bay? [Brooklynian]
Leaving Molding Unpainted [Forum]
December 13, 2006
Wednesday On The Record
Green Building, East New York. Photo by gkjarvis.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Theater: Throwing Stones At Those in Glass Condos
Farmers' Market Proposed for Bay Ridge
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
Breaking News: Pedestrian Killed in Brooklyn Heights
Community TV Highlights
House of the Day: Somewhere in Prospect Heights
This Prospect Heights brownstone is quite a looker, with lots of wood detail and an unusual bowed front and mansard roof. We haven't seen a lot of deals close in the neighborhood since the market started slowing so we're really not sure how close to the mark this $1.7 million asking price is. What do those of you who are in the market think?
Prospect Heights Brownstone [JVM Real Estate]
New Condo Alert: Sky 485
It's going to be interesting to see if the high-end amenities and lofty living spaces are going to be able to win out over the uninspiring exterior design and views of the Prospect Expressway at the new development at 485 18th Street. Sky 485, as it has been christened, has six units ranging from 1,038 to 1,775 square feet and priced at around $600 a foot. Interiors look fine but unremarkable. The whole thing just feels like it's a little late to the party. One bonus: Parking is included. Has anyone had a sneak peek?
Sky 485 [Aguayo & Huebener] GMAP
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
No, no, not that kind of sage. Saje, the new Crown Heights "Asian-fusion" cafe, serves breakfast, coffee, brunch, and dinner. Photo by Elizabeth jE via Flickr.
Saje
Park Place and Franklin, Crown Heights. (646) 393-5897.
A reader pointed us to Brooklynian's Crown Heights message board for the latest chatter about Saje, the new coffee spot on Park Place that finally opened last weekend after a bit of a delay. Commenters are pleased as punch so far with the menu--which includes bagels, croissants, panini, and Gorilla Coffee--and were eager for Saje's expansion into brunch territory last weekend. The owner reportedly also wants to add some organic selections and hold monthly tastings at the space.
Anyone here tried it yet?
After the jump: A new Clinton Hill bar offers massages to the drunken masses; Gimme! Coffee lives up to the hype.
Residential Sales in Brooklyn
DITMAS PARK $1,278,000
677 East 19th Street
96-year-old Victorian; 7 bedrooms, 3 baths; porch, renovated kitchen, Japanese soaking tub, original detail, garage, 50-by-126-ft. lot; taxes $3,939; listed at $1339,000. Broker: Brooklyn Properties of 7th Avenue.
PARK SLOPE $999,000
47 Plaza Street
1,300-sq.-ft. co-op in a prewar building; 3 bedrooms, 3 baths; 24-hr. doormen, elevator operators, dining room, original detail, park view; maintenance $1,999, 33% tax deductible; listed at $1.1 million. Broker: Brooklyn Heights Real Estate.
Residential Sales Around the Region [NY Times]
Development Botch: 528 Bergen Street
Depending on how good you are at remembering the people who are destroying the borough's architectural history, you may recall a story last January about one Carl Merola who, according to the original Brooklyn Papers story, illegally demolished the former carriage house at 528 Bergen Street in Prospect Heights. Despite not having a permit and having a Stop Work Order slapped on him, Merola brought in the wrecking ball, proving that persistence and a lack of scruples can be a very effective combination. It's just so comforting to see that he's replacing the historic structure with such a beautiful building that will bring joy to area residents for years to come.
Illegal Demo on Bergen Street Destroys Old Stable [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
How Bad Will The Market Be in '07?
Business Week asked a bunch of economists to look into their crystal balls to try to predict what the housing market would do over the next year. The general consensus was not too encouraging:
Home prices will continue to fall in some markets, and the rate of price appreciation will slow in most places. Declines in homes sales, which directly influence price trends, will set the stage for another year of price decreases in 2008. Foreclosures will continue to increase. For those struggling to hold onto their homes, their net worth will shrink as these homes lose value. Long-term mortgage rates will rise. Housing starts will see double-digit depreciation, the sharpest decline since 1991, the worst year for housing starts on record.
You want the good news? Home prices are predicted to be flat to up slightly on a national level in 2007, with many large markets seeing small increases. (Of course, if you own in Southern California, Florida, and Las Vegas, you're screwed.) And although new home sales are almost sure to be down for the year, existing home sales will probably be flat. And in a glass-half-full spin, housing starts aren't likely to suffer as sharp a drop as they did in the early '90s or early '80s.
How Bad Will the 2007 Property Market Be? [Business Week]
Wednesday Links
Salt Pile, Red Hook. Photo by bluejake
Bloomberg Planning for Next 25 Years [NY Sun]
Time Running Out for Arena Foes [NY Post]
Sour Ending for Brooklyn Sweet Spot [B61 Productions]
Red Hook Beach at Brooklyn Maritime Center? [Curbed]
Pratt Center: Workforce Linkages Work [The Real Estate]
Rent-to-Buy With Your Parents [Real Estate Journal]
Ceiling Soundproofing Tips [Apartment Therapy]
Old Lath & Plaster Walls Toxic? [Forum]
New Belltel Blog [Belltell (sic) Blog]
Map: NYC in 2030 [Gothamist]
December 12, 2006
BREAKING: 70 Lefferts Place Landmarked!
We just got word that the Landmark Preservation Commission voted unanimously this morning to designate 70 Lefferts Place. Here's a detailed account from the comments of yesterday's post:
LPC unanimously approved designating 70 Lefferts Place a NYC individula landmark today. The developer even said, at the public hearing, that he was willing to work within the existing structure to develop condominiums in an adaptive reuse manner. That made it easier for the LPC, I'm sure, but don't think it was the dispositive factor in their decision. They held that it was architecturally significant, historically significant due to the heritage of owners such as father divine, and in a good state of repair considering its age.
The turnout was large: Lefferts Place Civic Associatoin representatives spoke in favor of designation, CB2 representatives supported the designation, as did Tish James, another gov't representative whose name I missed, the Clinton Hill Society, and numerous residents of the street and nearby areas, old and new, spoke to the history and significance of the home historically and personally
Tuesday On The Record
Flatbush and Avenue I. Photo by daltonrooney.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Prospect Heights: Boom, Boom, Boom
Video: Holiday Time in Brooklyn
Cringe-worthy Performances at Freddy's
Tainted Pols Give State Funds to Charity
Still Life? Hardly Still
House of the Day: 43 Prospect Place
This house on Prospect Place between 5th and 6th Avenues is a good example of how some of the "hairier" deals are having a tough time in this market. Having sat on the market since at least the middle of the summer, the four-story, six-unit building just had its asking price cut from $1,600,000 to $1,400,000--on its surface a shockingly low price for a brownstone in prime the Northern corner of Park Slope. Of course, there's a catch: There are two occupied rent-stabilized units that are going to, at the very least, add time and money to the conversion process. Seems to us though that the price is fully reflecting that drawback. It's hard to comment on the interior with no photos to go from, but certainly the broker euphemism "Building would benefit from substantial rehabilitation" suggests it may not be much to look at. Anyone know if there's any architectural detail to speak of?
43 Prospect Place [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Reduced: 43 Prospect Place [Natefind]
Co-op of the Day: 135 Amity Street
This 2-bedroom brownstone co-op strikes us a pretty competitively priced at $619,000 given the Cobble Hill location. There are plenty of floor-through places "further out" with asking prices on the $600's. The exposed brick look may not be for everyone, but the place looks to be in good shape, with high ceilings and three exposures to boot. Another bonus: The co-op board only requires 10% down. Think this will move quickly?
135 Amity Street, #2B [NY Times] GMAP
Listing #5303080 [Brooklyn Heights RE]
Mixed Results on Greene and Grand
There are a handful of buildings near the intersection of Grand and Greene in Clinton Hill that have come online in the past few months with wildly divergent levels of success. 318 Grand Avenue, which was divided into three three-bedroom condos, recently sold out after some minor price-cutting. Across the street, the five-story rental charging upwards of $2,000 a month for a one-bedroom has been filled, we reported last month. Meanwhile, after failing to find a buyer, the developer of this heinous monstrosity, has been trying in vain for the last several weeks to find a couple of suckers to pay him some rent to no avail. Hah! And a little further east, at the Shoe Factory, we hear that sales are going more slowly than hoped, despite a fairly significant price cut. We're a little surprised by that one.
Renovation Blog A La Carte
Because not everyone has the time or the inclination to take on an entire reno blog, we're going to start soliciting readers' input on a room-by-room basis. Every month, we'll ask you to send in a few photos and a description of the renovation process you went through on a particular room. And to play fair, we'll kick off each month with a couple of shots of our finished (to the extent that any budget reno is really ever "finished") job. We'll start the ball rolling in January with the kitchen and happily start accepting submissions now.
A Look Inside Pacific Blue
A couple of weekends ago we were able to get a good view from the street of the progress inside the first building in the Pacific Blue complex. It appears that work, in fact, is proceeding. We're starting to think those floor-to-ceiling windows are going to make for some pretty nice living spaces. We also espied a poster (on the jump) advertising the services of a design firm called Decor Design that's responsible for decking the place out with sleek countertops and cabinets. Anyone ever use them?
Pacific Bloo-per? [Brownstoner] GMAP
Back When They Knew How to Make a Warehouse
They don't make warehouses like this anymore! Despite the small number of windows, the Gothic warehouse at 491 Bergen Street manages to still be quite elegant. What first caught our eye though was the original lettering on the facade that reads "Peter F. Reilly Warehouses & Vaults". As far as we can tell, it's still used for self storage. Can anyone confirm? How are their rates? On the jump, a picture of the entire building. GMAP
Continue reading "Back When They Knew How to Make a Warehouse"
The Architecture of Happiness
Alain de Botton’s latest book, The Architecture of Happiness, meditates on the meaning and purpose of architecture, all the while trying to get at the question of just what makes one building beautiful and another hideous (and whether there's really any objective way to say). As the reviewer Jim Holt points out, this is a topic with almost universal relevance, as architecture is the most public of arts. "If Donald Trump pulls down a few 19th-century brownstones to put up the 110-story gilded-glass Trump Basilisk," Holt writes, "We’re all going to have to look at it, even if it kills us." De Botton's answer is that great buildings are defined by their ability to “speak of visions of happiness.” Gothic arches “convey ardor and intensity,” and Richard Neutra's mid-century home speak “of honesty and ease, of a lack of inhibition and a faith in the future.” What vision of happiness does the brownstone form speak to?
Book Review: Dream Houses [NY Times]
Tuesday Linkerati
Ditmas Park. Photo by mercurialn.
Water Bills Completely F'd Up [NY Times]
Revere Sugar Demo Porn Foreplay Video [Curbed]
$11M Tear-Down on Fulton [Brooklyn Papers]
The Blame Game [Gates Reno]
Buying House With No C of O [Forum]
Bed Stuy Parking Needed [Brooklynian]
December 11, 2006
Monday On The Record
Reflection, Brooklyn Heights. Photo by clatiek.
Today in Brooklyn: Tree Lighting
The Cooler Nabe: LIC or Williamsburg?
Tiny Masters Play Pop-Surrealist Art Opening
Some Real Answers on the Fulton Street Dig
Chained Permanently to the Sign Post
New Restaurant Alert: Layla Jones
House of the Day: Herkimer Head-Scratcher
For the life of us, we can't figure this one out. Billed as a three-family limestone on Herkimer and Brooklyn Avenue, this building looks to us to be neither fish nor fowl. The cornice and woodwork around the windows look to be old, as does the interior woodwork around the window. But that center limestone piece with the closed off doorway strikes us as strange, as do the two side entrances. Here's our theory: This was an originally a single woodframe house with a center entrance that more recently was added on to on both sides, hence the the side entrances and white vinyl windows. We're not sure how to explain the center limestone piece with the balconies. Any other theories? It's not clear to us either whether the $719,000 asking price is for the whole building or for half. Wacky stuff.
3-Family Limestone [Craigslist] GMAP
First Street Building Frenzy
Gee whiz, this stretch of First Street just off Fourth Avenue (right next to the McD's on the corner) is really booming. We've got no idea what any of these projects are, though it's a safe bet that this one in the foreground still has a few stories to go! Can anyone enlighten us? GMAP
Once Were Synagogues
The Brooklyn Historical Society has an exhibit that looks at "the curious juxtaposition of religious symbols" in some Brooklyn houses of worship that were once synagogues but are now churches. At left, for example, is the Northeastern Conference Mt. Zion Church of God, formerly the Congregation Achavat Achim of Flatbush; at right is the Calvary Pentecostal Church, formerly the Woodruff Avenue Temple. The show was researched by Ellen Levitt and Howard Dankowitz and runs through February 11th. Has anyone checked it out? Any examples that come to mind in your own neighborhood?
From Synagogue to Church [BHS]
Some Real Answers on the Fulton Street Dig
A couple of weeks ago on Brownstoner we wondered out loud about the rather large-scale construction project happening on Fulton Street in Bed Stuy and Clinton Hill. In the meantime, a reader sent us a flyer from the New York City Department of Design and Construction that gives the straight poop on the dig. On November 13, the city embarked on an infrastructure project that is expected to last sometime into 2008. The purpose?
This highway reconstruction project includes: sewer, drainage and distribution water main work; construction of new curbs, sidewalks and roadway pavements including pedestrian ramps and bus stops, traffic signals and street lighting facilities; provision for pavements markings, traffic and street signs and the planting of trees.
This month, in addition to continuing to remove the old trolley tracks (pictured above), the contractor is beginning sewer work on Waverly and Putnam and installing catch basins on Fulton at various locations. If you've got any questions or complaints, you can try calling Nadine Harris, the Community Construction Liaison, at 718-857-4894 or hwk973@verizon.net (the DDC doesn't have its own email account?)
Answers On The Fulton Street Dig [Brownstoner]
Big Ass Crane Returns to North 7th Street
It seems like yesterday that the Finger Building's large crane was casting a long shadow down North 7th Street in Williamsburg. Now, reports justiNYC, a similarly sized machine was planted smack dab in the middle of Berry Street at North 7th on Friday. Any ideas what this is for? GMAP
LPC Meeting on 70 Lefferts Place Tomorrow
The LPC's public hearing on landmark status for 70 Lefferts Place is being held tomorrow, December 12th, at 1 Centre Street in Manhattan on the 9th floor. The section on #70 is scheduled from 11:30 to 12:30, but attendees should be there by 11:00 since the schedule is approximate. As is generally the case in these matters, the more supporters the better in terms of signalling community support. On a lighter note, we heard that a horror movie was filmed in the house a couple of weekends ago. Did any neighbors see anything fun?
70 Lefferts' Reprieve Only 40 Days [Brownstoner] GMAP
Single Women Propping Up the Condo Market?
For some reason, according to The Times, single women can't get enough of the Brooklyn condo market. “It’s the women’s checks,” David Walentas said of the unprecedented number of ladies dropping deposits at 110 Livingston Street. “It’s not like a dual account — Joe and Suzy. It’s Suzy. I’m amazed.” One broker says that it's the women's ability to take the long-term view versus men's competitive need to get the best price in the here and now. Other brokers say it's the powerful word-of-mouth effect among women that's resulting in pockets of them buying in the same new developments. One person we had dinner with on Saturday night had a less politically correct theory: That single women at the end of their child-bearing years may be coming to terms with the fact that they will only need a one or two-bedroom home for the long haul, whereas men of the same age may be holding out on the belief that they may need a larger family home at some point in the future. Another option is that there may be no trend at all, just a few anecdotal outliers. It would be interesting to hear from some brokers on this one.
Women Unafraid of Condo Commitment [NY Times]
Photo by Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times
ESDC Rubberstamps AY & Gets Sued by Tenants
Three of the seven-member Empire State Development Corporation board didn't even bother to show up at Friday's vote on the Atlantic Yards project. Maybe they decided they didn't need to, as the press release had already been written before the vote was taken to approve the both the plan, the Final Environmental Impact Statement and the building condemnations that are part and parcel of the project. Within hours of the expected decision, thirteen tenants at two buildings (473 Dean Street and 624 Pacific Street) sued the ESDC for signing off on the buildings’ condemnation without permission from state housing officials to erase the rent-stabilized leases.
A Nod for AY, Then a Lawsuit [NY Times]
Ratner to Court Albany for Arena [NY Post]
In Fifteen Minutes... [AY Report]
Monday Linkage
Unknown. Photo by Brooklyn Perspective.
As Prices Fall, So Do Closing Costs [NY Times]
Big Fire at Red Hook Warehouse [NY Post]
Revere Demo Gets Underway [NY Daily News]
Pols Split on 421a Program [NY Daily News]
Design Triennial Review, New York Style [Gothamist]
Revere Sugar Demolition Underway [Gowanus Lounge]
Mega Billboards for AY [Brooklyn Papers]
Broken Trees on Franklin Avenue [Brooklynian]
Columbia Street Now One Way [Amy Langfield]
Who knows where the building in this photo is?
December 8, 2006
Friday On The Record
Bailey Fountain, Grand Army Plaza. Photo by urbanshoregirl.
This Weekend in Brooklyn: Alcohol & Presents
Lamenting the Decline of Stoop Culture
Fewer Candidates Vie to Fill Clarke's Seat
Visual Bombardment at BAM
A Beard Grows in Brooklyn
The Future of McCarren Pool
Open House Picks: Townhouses
Clinton Hill
48 Clifton Place
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday 12-2
$1,485,000
GMAP P*Shark
Clinton Hill
239 St. James Place
Brooklyn Properties
Sunday 2:30-4
$1,350,000
GMAP P*Shark
South Slope
212 16th Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 12-2
$1,100,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bedford Stuyvesant
282A Gates Avenue
Corcoran
Sunday 12-2
$799,000
GMAP P*Shark
Development Watch: Dikeman Doubleshot
Dikeman Street in Red Hook ain't gonna win any beauty contests anytime soon but that's not stopping developers from rehabbing an existing structure at Number 87 and building another at Numbers 81 and 83. The plan at 87 Dikeman, according to DOB filings, is to "renovate existing two-family dwelling with new partitions, flooring, windows, plumbing, mechanical ventilation and enlargement." At 81/83, the developer has combined two lots and is erecting a 5,200-square-foot residential building.
87 Dikeman: GMAP P*Shark
81-83 Dikeman: GMAP P*Shark
Residential Sales in Brooklyn
PARK SLOPE $1,300,000
54 Garfield Place
2-family, 3-story brownstone; 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, eat-in kitchen in primary unit; 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, dining area in other; needs renovation; 20-by-100-ft. lot; taxes $1,700; listed at $1,349,500, 5 weeks on market. Broker: Aguayo & Huebener.
BAY RIDGE $915,000
238 Ovington Avenue
104-year-old brownstone; renovated eat-in kitchen and baths, family room, four bedrooms, den, fireplace, high ceilings, original detail; 20-by-88-ft. lot; taxes $3,900; listed at $929,000, 8 weeks on market. Broker: Coldwell Banker Hunt Kennedy & Garfield.
First item from the print edition of yesterday's New York Times; second item from last Sunday's New York Times.
Salvager of the Week: Portland Architectural Salvage
Though not as far away as this salvage place, Portland Architectural Salvage in Maine may not be the most practical place for us New Yorkers to buy heavy bathtubs and doors from. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't check out their inventory or easier-to-ship items like hardware and lighting. They've got lots of different milk glass covers (left) and we thought this art deco chandelier with slipper shades looked interesting for $200. Anyone ever bought anything from this place?
Lighting Inventory [Portland Salvage]
Franklin Avenue Rising: 377's Gone Yellow
We looked at this development at Franklin and Quincy three months ago before it had its yellow skin on. Interestingly, when this project was first filed back in 2004, the architect of record was Henry Radusky of Bricolage; now it's Michael Even. The design gets some points up front for window size, but there's still plenty of time to botch things up with a bad choice of facade materials and details. We'd rather see a more modern finish than a failed attempt to create a pseudo-historic facade that falls on its face.
More Development Action on Franklin Avenue [Brownstoner] GMAP
Pratt Prof Expounds Heights Architectural History
Some enterprising Pratt student had the presence of mind to bring a video recorder along when architecture prof Bob Pelosi gave a walking tour of Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope. Among other things we learn that the St. George Hotel was considered "one of the wonders of New York" in its time. Taking up an entire city block, it had one of the grandest swimming pools in the world that cost over a million dollars to build at the time. In the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies, of course, it was used as a welfare hotel. Check it! Have any of you taken a class with Pelosi?
Brooklyn Architectural History [YouTube]
Friday Links
Wyckoff Gardens. Photo by Dalton Rooney.
Sour Ending for Brooklyn Sweet Spot [NY Post]
Ratner Set to Seize Land [NY Daily News]
James to NYCHA: Get to Work [Downtown Star]
ISO New Building Management Company [Brooklynian]
Hidden Truth About Home Prices [Matrix]
New Retail on Myrtle [Clinton Hill Blog]
Season's Greetings from Park Slope [Dope on the Slope]
Spitzer to Pick Next ESDC Chair [The Real Estate]
Jersey City Not So Cool [Gawker]
December 7, 2006
Thursday On The Record
Gowanus. Photo by Alexis Robie.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
9/11 Dust Won't Be Busted in Brooklyn
Kick-Off Party Last Night for Upstairs at Ici
Christmas-Light Insanity in Dyker Heights
New Restaurant Alert: Enduro Opens Tonight
100-Plus of the Best People in Park Slope
House of the Day: 42 Midwood Street
Today we've got a quintessential PLG limestone house that's on the market for $1.3 million. It's got lots of detail but it's hard to tell from the many pictures whether it just needs a fresh coat of paint or a more serious tune-up. Aguayo & Huebener has a listing at 62 Midwood that started out at $1.395 million at the end of the summer and is now at $1.325 million. It looks like the Aguayo house is in better shape (or at least they did a better job of set-designing the photos). Has anyone been inside both these places who can compare and contrast?
42 Midwood Street [Urban Living] GMAP P*Shark
62 Midwood Street [Aguayo & Huebener]
Condo of the Day: 231 16th Street
What do you do when the process of building your Scarano-designed condo development so ruffles the feathers of the neighbors that they start a website whose sole mission is to document the poor quality and of your building and your own disgraceful conduct? Offer to pay buyers' transfer taxes, that's what. Well, first you send the neighbors a profanity-laced email, then you offer to pay the transfer taxes. So imagine for a minute that you didn't mind lining the pockets of developers like this? What would you think of paying, say, $599,000 for 1,142 square feet of mezzanine-heavy space?
231 16th Street [Corcoran] GMAP
Timeline of Offenses [229vs231]
South Slope Condo Feud Getting Pretty Ugly [Curbed]
Just Sold in Brooklyn
BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $475,000
145 Hicks Street
Prewar one-bedroom, one-bath co-op, 800 square feet, with parquet floors, crown moldings, windowed kitchen and bath, raised dining area, window AC and southern exposure; Mansion House building is pet-friendly and features courtyard, storage, doorman, bike room and live-in super. Maintenance $717, 50 percent tax-deductible. Asking price $499,000, on market 145 days. BROKER: Madeline Castrese, The Corcoran Group.
WILLIAMSBURG $750,000
330 Wythe Avenue
One-bedroom, two-bath loft condo, 1,200 square feet, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows, living/dining room, open kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, dishwasher, soaking tub and custom walk-through shower, beamed ceilings, washer/ dryer, central AC, southern exposure and balcony. Common charges $207. Asking price $750,000, on market 207 days. BROKERS: Tim Standard and Justin DuPree, The Corcoran Group.
Just Sold! [NY Post]
There's Gold in Them There Hills!
The NY Post highlights five new large developments on the docket for next year. The Brooklyn biggie on the list is the Oro Condominiums at 306 Gold Street. Continuing the downtown building boom, the Ismael Leyva-designed tower will be 40 stories high and be comprised of 300-odd apartments ranging in size from studios to three-bedrooms. The building may also set a nwe bar of luxury amenities in the borough, with a lap pool, indoor basketball court, screening room and concierge service. The tower won't be completed 'til 2008 but sales are expected to start next summer.
Top 5 For 2007 [NY Post] GMAP
Flatbush Avenue Will Never Be The Same [Brownstoner]
Kick-Off Party Last Night for Upstairs at Ici
Last night was the opening reception for Upstairs at Ici (inspired, perhaps, by this early eighties classic?), the new private dining room and catering space above the Fort Greene fave Ici. Pictured here are founders Laurent Saillard and his wife Catherine along with sister-in-law Marion Emanuelle who will be managing the new space. Set in the parlor floor of the Dekalb Avenue brownstone, the cozy space (complete with marble fireplace and mirror) will be rented out for group dinners; in addition, as we reported back in September, the offerings may be expanded to include prepared foods in the near future. To reserve your personal banquet, call 718-789-2778.
Ici Doubling Down on Dekalb with Take-Out [Brooklyn Record]
Checking In On 354 Franklin Avenue
It's hard to tell how much progress there's been at 354 Franklin/118 Lexington since we first wrote about it at the end of the Summer. It's a Scarano project (which, several readers agreed with us, is a welcome site in this part of town) with ample mezzanines so it's possible work got halted for a while. On Sunday, there was a worker there doing some small chores. What's readily apparent now is that this rather tall structure is actually only three stories technically. We gotta think those mezzanine levels are more than seven feet tall (the height of the ones at The Washington). Anyone know the status of this place? Will it be hitting the market soon? It'll be interesting to see what happens with this empty lot across the street. See the photo on the jump.
354 Franklin Avenue: A Positive Development [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
Demo Gets Nasty Near the Navy Yard
This week's edition of As The Contractor Trashes is set over near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. A reader who rents an apartment in a four-story building in the area had a rude awakening when a developer recently bought the empty lot next door. Within 24 hours of foundation work beginning, the contractor tore a 5-foot gash in the garden level wall of his den, just missing all of his stereo and computer equipment. When the foreman showed up to inspect the damage, it became apparent that he didn't even know the building had a basement, which was pretty important since they had been planning to put the new foundation's underpinnings right through the space currently occupied by the washer and dryer. The contractor then admitted to the reader's landlord over the phone that his crew was not shoring up any part of the existing building. The next day, the contractors dislodged a piece of slate that fell into the pit, exposing the existing building's insulation and bursting its pipes, which in turn caused cracks to form in the side of the building. Three hours later, inspectors showed up and slapped up a Vacate Order on the reader's building, which stayed in effect for a week. During this time, the contractors built a retaining wall inside his apartment, blocking access to his stove in the process. Our reader's question is whether he, the other tenants or the landlord has any legal recourse. Anyone know?
Revere Sugar Factory Has 24 Hours Left To Live
Curbed broke the news yesterday that Thor Equities had obtained demolition permits and would begin demolition on Friday of the much photographed and blogged Revere Sugar Refinery in Red Hook. We don't suppose anyone's heard about specific plans for the site? None are filed yet.
Revere Sugar Demolition Permits Issued! [Curbed]
Live at the Revere Sugar Pre-Demo [Curbed]
Curtains for Red Hook Sugar Refinery [Gothamist]
Thursday Linkster
23 Greenpoint Avenue. Photo by Jukeboxgraduate.
Last-Ditch Maneuvering on Atlantic Yards [NY Times]
Removing Wine Stains from Marble [NY Times]
Making His Latches Himself [NY Times]
Subway for Brooklyn Bridge Park? [NY Post]
How Much to Tip Doorman? [NY Post]
New Building at 502 New York Ave [Brooklynian]
The Park Slope 100 [OTBKB]
It Came from the Blogosphere [No Land Grab]
City Subsidies Make Little Difference [AY Report]
December 6, 2006
Wednesday On The Record
Kentile Floors. Photo by ethandb.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
MTA to Run More NoBro Trains
Borough-Wide Internet Woes?
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
Will Self Walks Brooklyn
New Store Alert: Flawless in Park Slope
House of the Day: 82 Carroll Street
This four-family on Carroll Street between Hicks and Columbia looks priced to sell at $1,349,000 even with one rent control tenant in place. It's a 22-foot-wide brick with nice historic touches like wide pine plank floors and tin ceilings. Anyone been inside?
Carroll Gardens Four Family [Brooklyn Bridge] GMAP P*Shark
Wolcott Asking Prices Top $1 Million
A reader tipped us off that the pair of houses on Wolcott Street that we love to hate are listed with Brooklyn Heights Real Estate. He also notes that the asking price has risen as they've sat on the market to $1.04 million. What a joke! And the language with which the agent tries to pump-and-dump these puppies is hilarious: "These luxury town houses are of top quality construction with special attention to the finished details," reads the ad. You know what would be really cool? If the brokerage community started refusing to take listings of this crap. Maybe that would act as a deterrent to the craptacular developers.
Red Hook Luxury Townhouses [BHRE] GMAP
Wolcott "Piece o' Crap" Still On Market [Brownstoner]
No Takers For Red Hook Piece o' Crap [Brownstoner]
Condos of the Day: 439 Clinton Avenue
This former mansion on Clinton Avenue has been bumming us out ever since the developers got their hands on it a couple of years ago. For a long time they had some ugly window bars on the ground floor and the doors they chose look totally out of place. (Anyone know how the doors would have made it past Landmarks?) That may sound like nit-picking, but all it takes is one bone-head aesthetic decision to completely throw off an exterior. As for the interior, we hear from people who've been inside that it's a charmless gut. What a waste. In the right hands, this could have been spectacular.
Web Number: M06-2292 [Century 21] GMAP
Clinton Hill Mansion Condos [Set Speed]
More Architectural Nonsense in Bed Stuy
Just a few blocks from yesterday's stoop silliness, we noticed another bone-head architectural move. Putting aside all the other design flaws of this structure, why the heck couldn't the architect make it line up with the adjacent facades. If you have the brains to become a licensed architect how could possibly screw that up? GMAP
Wednesday Food and Drink Round-Up
Cheeseburger at Fort Greene's new burger spot. Photo by by hey mama via ClintonHillBlog
Burger 67
67 Lafayette Ave. at Fulton St., Fort Greene. (718)797-7150. 67burger.com.
Brooklynian users are stoked on Burger 67 (or is it 67 Burger?), which reportedly dishes up perfectly cooked-to-order burgers:
"Props to the owner for appreciating a good rare or medium rare burger. He gave me the thumbs up when I ordered mine medium rare, saying that he spends a lot of money to get good quality meat, which is better appreciated if only lightly cooked, at least according to him. [...]The burger was good, although I got the Parisian before realizing I don't like mustard on my burgers. The blue cheese burger was also excellent. Unfortunately, the sweet potato fries were subpar. But I'd go back."Some folks have found the place closed on multiple visits, and word is it can be crowded and loud when it is open. Anyone tried it yet? We're curious about the non-meat offerings, too--for a burger joint, B67 has a large number of sandwiches and salads on the menu. After the jump: Frank Bruni's meal at Porchetta is a mixed bag; Gawker gets sloppy at the new Bonita; amNewYork's Brooklyn sushi picks.
Waddup with 75 Henry Street?
75 Henry Street is the 370-unit, 33-story tower you see as you come off the ramp from the Brooklyn Bridge. From the looks of this photo put up on Flickr this weekend, the building is getting caught up on some repairs. We've always wondered about this place: For some reason it looks like a building that was built in the Sixties as subsidized middle-income housing, but from the looks of recent sales prices (an apartment on the 21st floor sold for over a million bucks last February), that would appear not to be the case. So what's the deal on it? GMAP
Morning Market Buzz
Although delinquencies and foreclosures are still low by historic standards, there is increasing evidence that subprime borrowers are getting into more trouble as rates reset upwards. Housing counselors are helping people like Shirley Bird, 52, a janitor at a Chicago Police Department precinct, refinance her 12 percent variable loan with a 8 percent fixed-rate mortgage.
Subprime Loans Going From Boon to Housing Bane [NY Times]
Official housing prices are not painting an accurate picture of the market, especially in formerly hot markets like Naples, Florida where a recent auction showed prices 25 percent below where they were a year ago. The big problem with the national stats? They don't capture all the houses that are sitting on the market not moving because sellers won't drop their prices.
The Hidden Truth About Home Prices [NY Times]
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Mayor Bloomberg last night settled on a tax-credit program that expands the neighborhoods where developers can get tax credits for building affordable apartments. Quinn will release the full details of the plan to the city council today. Bloomberg said the deal ""strikes the right balance towards maintaining a strong housing market while also providing increased funding for affordable housing."
Deal on Housing Credits [NY Post]
"Lately, in our experience, not many people have been interested in Williamsburg," says Shana Altstaetter, director of operations at HH Realty Group. "They're more interested in areas farther out — Clinton Hill and Fort Greene." [Metro]
MTA to Run More NoBro Trains
Beginning in '08, this will no longer be the end of the line for the G train. Photo by alwayslookaround via Flickr.
In case you missed it in our blog wrap yesterday, the MTA is expanding G and L train service, finally responding to recent population growth in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. Next spring, New York City Transit will begin running more L trains, reducing the sardine factor in each car; in 2008, the oft-maligned G will begin running south to five more Brooklyn stops, connecting the 'Point to the Slope. In the immortal words of Gawker:
"Thank fucking God, is all we have to say. The only tiny downside that we can see is that by the time these plans actually take effect (late 2007-- early 2008), we will be too old for one of the neighborhoods and still too poor for the other. Oh well."
One of our readers lamented yesterday that there's no V train service to Brooklyn. What other transit corridors do you think are underserved? Does your train really run every four minutes during peak hours?
Tuesday Blog Wrap [Brooklyn Record]
Line Between Hipstertown and Mommytown Gets Even Blurrier [Gawker]
MTA to boost L, G lines service [amNY]
Mayor Bloomberg Sued by Preservationists
Eight of the 11 commissioners of the Landmarks Preservation Commission are serving even though their terms are expired, potentially making them more vulnerable to political pressure. Yesterday the Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation (formed back in May) filed a Writ of Mandamus petition (whatever the heck that is) before the Supreme Court of the State of New York to force Mayor Bloomberg to remedy this situation by reappointing or replacing those commissioners whose terms have expired. How big a problem do you think the lapsed appointments are in terms of creating a conflict of interest?
CECPP v. Bloomberg [Save LPC]
Preservation Group Sues Bloomie [Gothamist]
Wednesday Links
Manhattan Bridge. Photo by Wendella.
Glimmer of Hope for Housing Market [Business Week]
Forté Getting Ready to Tower Over FG [Curbed]
Hiring an Agent in a Buyer's Market [Bankrate]
Pending Home Sales Tumble [Real Estate Journal]
A Look at the Basement [Crown Heights Reno]
Monsignor's Is Toast [Gowanus Lounge]
Navy Yard Owes City $2.2 Million [The Real Estate]
Gowanus About to be on the Map [Brooklynian]
New Online City Map Launched [The Real Deal]
New Skylight [Gates Reno]
December 5, 2006
Tuesday On The Record
Coney Island. Photo by Rudser.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Business Group Recommends Congestion Pricing
Back to Where They Once Belonged
Is myThai Your Kind of Thai?
Brooklyn & Beyond Gift Guide: The Beer-n-Barbecue Freak
Trans Fat Ban Is Official
House of the Day: 408 Stuyvesant Avenue
This drool-worthy limestone mansion at 408 Stuyvesant Avenue in Stuyvesant Heights just hit the market. It's so impressive architecturally (except for a couple of recently-reno'd spots) that we almost feel bad questioning the asking price of $2.1 million. Although the building has a large footprint (22 by 60 feet), it is only three stories and therefore only 4,000 square feet. (It's hard to tell from the photo whether the basement is habitable or not. We're guessing that's what the photo of the windowless modern room is.) We're not aware of any house in the historic area selling for more than $1.5 million. Also, we're not sure how it's six-family status should affect the sales price. At this price, it seems like the only option for a buyer will be to convert it to condos. Starting at $500 a foot pre-conversion even makes that route a stretch, no? Is there any precedent for this price? Any chatter in the neighborhood about this?
408 Stuyvesant Avenue [Halstead] GMAP P*Shark
When It Comes to the Stoop, Size Does Matter
In some ways, this batch of six new townhouses on Lexington between Franklin and Bedford isn't so bad--the bay windows and the cornice are a nice touch and the brick choice is unoffensive. But the proportion of the stoops is throws the whole thing off. (Check out the close-up photo on the jump.) Instead of setting the ground floor a couple of feet below grade in the style of older brownstones, it's right at street level. This means that the stoop has to be that much higher and, therefore, deeper (which perhaps has something to do with why the houses are set back several feet from the adjacent facades). The result is a stoop that is massive in proportion to the three-story house. Does anyone know if there's some kind of building code that results in a decision like this or is it just bad design?
GMAP
Continue reading "When It Comes to the Stoop, Size Does Matter"
Is myThai Your Kind of Thai?
Does Bay Ridge need pan-Asian fare? Photo by Bridge and Tunnel Club.
We received a press release yesterday announcing the opening of myThai cafe, a "pan-Asian" spot on Third Ave in Bay Ridge specializing in Thai, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine. The restaurant is taking over the space of the defunct Les Babouches, a Moroccan place that was once somewhat popular among neighborhood chowhounds. Has anyone tried the new place yet? Do you think the neighborhood could use a new spot like this, or is pan-Asianization a sign of the Apocalypse?
Amazing Moroccan Food in Bay Ridge [Chowhound]
myThai cafe [Myspace]
Yassky, James Opine on Rule 421-a
Brooklyn City Council Members David Yassky and Letitia James got together with Bronx City Council Member Annabel Palma to pen an op-ed piece in today's Daily News urging more serious reform of rule 421-a. Here's part of what they had to say:
The mayor's commission seems to think that outside Manhattan, the tax break helps to generate affordable housing. That's wrong, for two reasons. First, developers will build regardless of the tax break. By keeping the 421-a rule, we just allow a small number of residents to escape taxes, meaning that other taxpayers have to pay more. Second, many of the apartments being built in Brooklyn and Queens, and even in parts of the Bronx, are not "affordable housing" by anyone's definition. According to the Pratt Center for Community Development, prices of $600,000 and up are commonplace, and very few new apartments sell for under $300,000.
It is time to change the 421-a rule so that the tax break is available only to new apartments that are truly affordable to low-income or middle-income families. Assemblyman Vito Lopez already has introduced a bill to close this loophole in the state legislature, and tomorrow we will introduce City Council legislation to make the change. We hope the Council will enact it speedily.
We could be wrong, but we think the political winds are blowing against Bloomberg on this one.
End Tax Break for Owners of Pricey Condos [NY Daily News]
DOB Job Fair Tomorrow
It would be too easy to make some snide remarks about this ad, so we'll bite our tongue and say with all earnestness that we hope some honest people with some common sense decide to attend this job fair at the DOB. We wonder whether this means the department is actually staffing up or whether it's just replacing the 43-year-old civil servants who are retiring.
Inspector Job Fair [DOB]
Back to Where They Once Belonged
As the gap narrows between Brooklyn and Manhattan housing prices, brokers are reportedly seeing waves of young Brooklynites relocating to "the City." Often these folks lived in Manhattan to begin with and decamped across the East River only to save money, reports The Brooklyn Papers. One realtor describes how he recently sold a two-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side to a couple in their 30s, who had moved to Cobble Hill just 18 months earlier:
"They quickly realized their quality of life suffered due to added commute times and less city conveniences, and they were sick of $40 cab rides."
Sweet--more $40 cab rides for the rest of us, guys!
They’ll re-take Manhattan [The Brooklyn Papers]
Photo by pictureinfocus via Flickr.
Condos Sales Strong at 110 Livingston
The Daily News reports that more than half the units at 110 Livingston, the former Board of Ed building in Downtown Brooklyn being converted into condos by Two Trees Management, are in contract. When the sales office opened almost three months ago, there were 1,200 people signed up to check out apartments. Given the building's architectural pedigree (McKim Meade & White) and convenient location, the demand is not surprising, especially given the average price of $678 per square foot, far lower than the pre-sales buzz. The offering is attractive enough that even former city employees who used to work in the building are signing up. A few blocks away, at the BellTel Lofts, Douglas Elliman reports that 13 of the building's 219 units are in contract and another 14 contracts are being processed.
Condos Replace Offices [NY Daily News] GMAP
Board of Ed Building Sales "About to Start" [Brownstoner]
Business Group Recommends Congestion Pricing
Brooklyn Bridge Traffic, photo by Elvis Payne via Flickr
A study released yesterday finds that traffic congestion is costing NYC and its suburbs more than $13 billion annually. The report, commissioned by the Partnership for New York City, a group of 200 business leaders, recommends that the city take a closer look at the idea of charging cars to drive through traffic-choked corridors--like, um, all of Manhattan south of 60th Street. Bloomberg says it's unlikely he'll adopt such a plan, but a recent poll indicates that many voters, dissatisfied with his handling of traffic problems, might actually support a congestion pricing scheme.
For Brooklyn-dwelling car commuters, such a policy would certainly cause inconvenience. But as Streetsblog explains in a great article on the issue, some advocates argue that congestion pricing would be better for the borough's neighborhoods, which have shouldered much of the cost of current tolling schemes--like the one-way toll over the Verrazano Bridge that encourages drivers to use Brooklyn surface roads. What do you think about congestion pricing--any drivers out there? Or are you a pedestrian or biker in a gridlocked neighborhood?
Report Recommends City Study Option of Congestion Pricing [NY Sun]
Mayor Says Fee on Peak Traffic Is Not Likely [NY Times]
Congestion pricing plan gains speed in toll poll [NY Daily News]
Congestion Charging in New York City: The Political Bloodbath
Brooklyn Brownstoners Pay Lowest Property Taxes
Homeowners in Brownstone Brooklyn can find plenty of things to gripe about, but property taxes ain't one of them. Along with members of other affluent neighborhoods around the city, Brooklyn brownstoners benefit from assessment caps that have kept taxes low while real estate prices have skyrocketed. A recent study by the city's Independent Budget Office found that owners of houses in Park Slope and Carroll Gardens have the lowest effective tax rate in the five boroughs. While one-, two- and three-family homes account for 41 percent of the market value of all city property, they generate less than 14 percent of property tax revenues. Rental buildings, on the other hand, get hit much harder than houses, co-ops or condos. When we renovated our house, the property taxes doubled from about $2,400 to about $4,800, or about $1 per square foot per year. How does that compare to what you're paying?
Tax Breaks Seem to Favor Affluent Areas [NY Times]
Large Share of Property Taxes Borne by Rentals [NY Sun]
Photo from Dahl's House
Tuesday Linkerati
South 4th and Wythe, Williamsburg. Photo by michaeln3.
Broken Angel Has Its Wings Clipped [LA Times]
Coney Island Tower Struggle [NY Post]
The Lotus Is Alive: Fresh Direct Says So [Curbed]
Design Roundup, What's Wrong With DUMBO Edition [Gothamist]
Need Contractor for Rooftop Deck [Brooklynian]
Interim Surface Parking & Open Space [AY Report]
Mary Whalen Museum Setback by Repairs [NewYorkology]
December 4, 2006
Monday On The Record
Prospect Park. Photo by Chris Shiflett.
Events: Today in Brooklyn
Safe Found in Greenpoint Apartment
World's Fair Artifacts at City Reliquary
Heath Spotted by Bocce Boy at Floyd
Brooklyn Teacher Killed on Bike Path
Smoke Joint Revisited
Smoke Joint Revisited
Y'all had lots to say about The Smoke Joint when we first discussed it here, and Time Out gave it some love in last week's issue, so armed with these recs we decided to sample the wares at the Fort Greene barbecue spot on Friday night and discovered a few pleasing changes. Jay from ClintonHillBlog happened to be sitting at the table next to us, and he mentioned that one of the sauces had gotten distinctly hotter since he reviewed the place last month. Turns out the owners (one of whom was serving tables himself and chatting amiably with customers) recently rejiggered the recipe after extensive taste-tests; to us the new version--vinegary in a way that recalls North Carolina sauces, with a truly tongue-tingling finish--was perfect.
Houses of the Day: Greene Ave Goodness
As you can see, Greene Avenue between Bedford and Nostrand is one of those kick-ass Bed-Stuy blocks that just leaves our chin dragging on the ground. We had included 468 Greene Avenue in Friday's Open House Picks (listed by Fillmore for $699,000) and were surprised to see that there were two other houses within throwing distance on the market. Number 464 (at left), which looks to be the sister house of Number 468, is listed at $600,000 by Flateau Realty and is already in contract; Number 454 (at right) is a FSBO that we know nothing about. Despite being only 16 feet wide, this building has a real grandeur about it. The curious can call the owners at 917-804-0851 to find out more. Any other transactions recently on this block?
464 Greene Avenue [Flateau Realty] GMAP P*Shark
454 Greene Avenue: 126 Pacific Street [NY Times] GMAP P*Shark
A Look Inside the Carlton Mews Church
One of our regular readers happened to be passing by the church at 232 Adelphi that is being turned into condos as part of the as-yet-unapproved-by-LPC Carlton Mews project that includes a row of new townhouses. Given the ceiling height and those windows, it's obvious that the church could be made into some sweet apartments. The key, we think, will be not to chop up the space to much. Erring on the side of loftiness as opposed to trying to maximize the number of bedrooms would be wise in our opinion. Has anyone heard what the plan is with the church portion? How about the time-table with LPC?
LPC Sends Carlton Mews Back to Drawing Board [Brownstoner] GMAP
Sunset Park: On The Rise
When the Gowanus Expressway opened in 1951, it cut the once-thriving neighborhood of Norwegians, Finnish, Danish, German and Irish immigrants in half and led to a mass exodus of the European population. Hispanic immigrants filled the void in subsequent decades followed by a large influx of Asians. The result? Some of the most authentic ethnic food stores and restaurants in the borough. Both the residential and commercial real estate markets have been on the rise (the industrial zone has a vacancy rate of just 1% and townhouses now fetch over $800,000). Despite the neighborhood's resurgence, it's hard to get people to agree about its exact boundaries. Ron Schweiger, the Brooklyn borough historian, estimated that they are from 35th Street in the north to 65th Street in the south, Fort Hamilton Parkway to the east and the waterfront to the west. That sound about right to people? What do say, Sunset Parker? Are there any stand-out local real estate brokers that deserve mention?
Sunset Park: Brighter Days Ahead [AM NY]
Photo by ilonaphotos
Public Forum on DOB Reform Tonight
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Councilman James Oddo are hosting a public forum tonight entitled "Improving the Department of Buildings." The meeting will be an opportunity to tell the City Council Task Force on Operations and Improvement of the Department of Buildings about your experiences with the DOB. The forum will be held tonight from 7:30 to 9:30 P.M. at 110 East 14th Street. To RSVP or for further information please call (212) 788-6687 or email
dobtaskforce@council.nyc.ny.us.
Beadboard and the Meaning of Life
The Times raised an issue last week that's up there with global warming and world peace: the appropriateness of beadboard. First, a little history:
Beadboard began as the Victorian equivalent of Formica, a millwork sheathing used only for rustic retreats, and for kitchens, back halls and other rooms hidden from public view. Because it was made from scraps, it was inexpensive, and it could be installed by practically anyone. Beadboard is milled with a thin ridge or tongue on one edge and a groove on the opposite edge so that the panels fit together easily.
After years of being relegated to the country house, the "lumberyard’s answer to blue jeans" is taking urban homes by storm. We generally like it but think it should be used in moderation in the city, with bathrooms being the obvious place. Kitchens can work, too. What do you think? Hot or not-so-hot?
Room to Improve [NY Times]
After Falling Cinderblock, Work Resumes on Humboldt
It's great when people posting construction photos on Flickr actually take the time to provide some color on the situation. For example, someone who goes by the handle lisacat had this to say over the weekend about the Scarano project on Humboldt and Frost in Williamsburg:
This Scarano building has been sitting idle since last spring. It has had at least one stop- work order when a cinder block fell off the roof and crashed through the roof of the little yellow house next door. That house was condemned and the situation deteriorated next door. Garbage occasionally piles up in front and inside the shaky cyclone fence, they just recently fixed the sidewalk that was in shambles, but construction has resumed.
Any readers live nearby?
The Hulk on Humboldt [Flickr] GMAP
Illegal Addition at Carlton and Dean?
Before Thanksgiving, Set Speed got a tip from a reader that the addition to 536 Carlton Avenue in Prospect Heights wasn't on the up-and-up. "The zoning being used is R6, although the proper zoning for the block is R6B," he writes. "The reader surmises that the builder knows the block's inhabitants probably do not have money to hire a lawyer to fight this." We stopped by ourselves this weekend and the building certainly takes up the entire lot, but is it possible that corner buildings are allowed to be built out more? Or is this simply another example of construction abuse? What do the neighbors think? (This photo is taken of the rear of the building. The front of the building at the corner of Carlton and Dean is at far right in the photo.)
536 Carlton Illegal Addition [Set Speed] GMAP P*Shark
State Looking For Arts Group for Empire Warehouses
According to Brooklyn Papers, the iconic Empire Warehouses on the Dumbo waterfront may be the future home of a performing arts space. With the construction of Brooklyn Bridge Park set to commence next month despite unresolved issues, the Empire State Development Corporation has made it clear that a cultural institution will be an anchor tenant in a commercial mix that will include numerous shops and restaurants. One possibility: Arts at St. Ann's, which is currently based in a warehouse down the street owned by David Walentas. The BP article also mentions how the ESDC seized the warehouse from Shaya Boymelgreen after he failed to develop it. It seems like there must be more to that story. Why would a cagey developer let a marquee property like this just slip through his hands?
Empire Warehouses Could Be Concert Hall [Brooklyn Papers]
Photo by JR in NYC
Monday Links
Incinerator, East New York. Photo by gkjarvis.
The Graying of the Housing Market [NY Times]
Alteration Deposits: Any Interest Due? [NY Times]
Fighting City's Sale of Firehouses [NY Daily News]
Property Taxes To Hit Owners Twice [NY Daily News]
No Jail Time for Greenpoint Firestarter [Gothamist]
Break-Ins at Red Hook Construction Sites [CG Courier]
Best Antiques Place Near Prospect Heights? [Brooklynian]
Preparing the Doors for Hanging [Gates Reno]
Demo of Williamsburg Theater [Curbed]
Standard Architect's Fee [Forum]
December 2, 2006
Open House Picks: Apartments
Brooklyn Heights
115 Willow Street, #5D
2 BR Co-op
Douglas Elliman
Sun 12-1:30
$695,000 GMAP
Williamsburg
130 Jackson Street, #2C
2 BR Condo
Corcoran
Sunday 11-1
$699,000 GMAP
Clinton Hill
302 Washington Avenue, #5
2 BR Condo
Warburg Realty
Sunday 12-2
$645,000 GMAP
Park Slope
198 8th Avenue
1 BR Co-op
Townsley & Gay
Sun 12-2
$399,000 GMAP
December 1, 2006
Friday On The Record
Tree Branches, Park Slope. Photo by Hugh Crawford.
Events: This Weekend in Brooklyn
Subsidized Apartments on the Auction Block
Singing BAM's Praises
Gift Guide: Your Hipper-Than-Thou Gal Pal
Forgotten Fourth Avenue
Yards May Fall in Spitzer's Lap