Columbia Street Faces Fading Prospects

Nah, no time soon. Especially with the economy in question. Most people probably haven't even been to Columbia St. much less know how to get there without looking at a map. Just too out-of-the-way.

Maybe next boom.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 9:07 AM

maybe when the park is finished. don't hold your breath.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 9:12 AM

Does this surprise anyone? Its a ten minute walk from Smith Street and the F (worst train ever) and a 20 mintute walk from Borough Hall. The B61 sucks. There are only 5 ways to cross the trench from Atlantic to the Battery Tunnel. And I love this hood - I lived on President between Hicks and Columbia for 3 years until this May and still visit restaurants like Alma and Petite Crevette. You still have great cultural diversity and an artists vibe. But until they improve public transportation, like Red Hook proper to the south, and construct the greenway/park this neighborhood is never, if ever, going to explode like Smith Street. And thats not necessarily a bad thing IMHO.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 9:50 AM

Is no surprise.
But the business owners there can't cry too much, they surely got their leases at a fraction of the price of smith st or court st.

I'm actually enjoying this slow reversion to sanity. The newspapers appear to be calling a recession and so on, and business talk heads on TV have panic in their eyes, but it seems to me just a return to sagacity.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 10:10 AM

..it's also a shame that the food and service at ALMA has slipped so badly.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 10:18 AM

If they ever cover the BQE...otherwise, nah, probably not, esp. when Smith Street is on a subway line...

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 10:22 AM

This area has a ton of potential. There are only two major issues to overcome - inadequate transportation and restrictive zoning. If those shipping piers fail, that's a lot of new space for housing development.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 10:22 AM

I think the main reason Columbia street is doomed is that there are so few available store fronts. They built all these mixed income apartment buildings south of union street and none have commercial spaces along the street. So there will never be a critical mass of stores to make it an interesting street to walk down. That being said, we regularly go to Pit Stop (best place ever for eating out with kids) and Kotobuki. Everyday Athlete on Union has best exercise classes ever, and the coffee at that coffee shop on Union and Hicks is sublime. Plus my son likes to sit at the meat pie shop and watch the construction!

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 10:54 AM

at least no ones calling this strip Red Hook, like they are on Gothamist

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 11:03 AM

When I was growing up, this was red hook, not carrol gardens "west" as the brokers now refer to it. Also, the area is dramatically different than it was two or three years ago, so I dont get all this bs about it not coming around. And lets hope it doesnt become like smith street, which is now lined with one crappy restuarant after another (yes, there are a few good ones, but most suck and are usually empty). It would be nice if at least one neighborhood in brooklyn could grow and retain at least a little grit. By the way, Lido is the best bar in brooklyn.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 11:33 AM

11:33am - I so agree with you about the bulk of crappiness that exists among the restaurants on Smith street. Although, was recently on the upper east side and realized that we are kind of spoiled in terms of restaurants compared to neighbs like those.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 11:37 AM

I grew up in Carroll Gardens in the 60's,70's, we never called it Red Hook or" Carroll Gardens west", It was desolate and ghetto, but still just an extension of Carroll Gardens..Red Hook refers to the penninsula beyond the expresway, shaped like a "hook"..but for the most part, we called our neighborhood (what tuorists call bococa) "South Brooklyn"...I agree about Smith street, tho, one of the mainstays, Nuevo Portal is still one of the best restaurants on Smith..

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 11:49 AM

Love Nuevo Portal. Can't beat their cafe con leche.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 12:02 PM

I live on President btwn Columbia and Hicks, and I must say that I really love my hood. Its quiet (aside from the BQE fuzz), the people are nice, and you have just enough local staples to keep you happy and not too many that it attracts a bunch of visitors/foot traffic. I really hope this hood doesn't change much, its the perfect balance if you ask me.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 12:32 PM

I don't think that Smith Street is anything for Columbia Street to aspire to. Columbia Street has entirely its own charm, or at least it did before all the construction began, and I would hate to loose that. I love the sleepy neighborhood feel over here, the cool shops, the Australian meat pies, Margaret Palca's egg sandwich in the morning, the amazingly delicious and inexpensive catfish at the president street deli on fridays. i love the people who chose to live here and the diversity of people. Columbia Street will come around but thankfully I think there is little chance it will ever become like Smith Street. On the other hand, it would be real nice to get a few of the things that the city promised, such as the park the greenway and some access to the waterfront...I think that would go a long way toward bringing a bit more foot traffic over here.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 12:54 PM

The entire sky opens up the minute you cross over the BQE into Left Hook. Its entirely a different feel... like a cold glass of spritzer. Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill can keep Smith Street. I like it here just fine the way it is, minus the construction. Waterfront access would be nice though.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:01 PM

12:02
Another vote for Nueva Portal.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:12 PM

finally a great name for the neighborhood: 'Left Hook'...I love it...much better than awkward 'columbia street waterfront district'...thanks, 1:01

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:18 PM

i live on tiffany place...yes, the construction sucks...but, no, I don't want to see columbia street become the new smith street...who needs all those proto-hipsters?

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:19 PM

I had thought 5th Avenue in Park Slope had become the new Smith Street.

Sure looks like it to me.

The restuarants there look to be hopping, new stuff opening like crazy, the new bakery, the new oko frozen yogurt place, etc.

It certainly is the most pleasant shopping strip in Brooklyn to me.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:24 PM

Moonshine is a great bar! The Union Street bus is a good link to Park Slope and Prospect Heights, though it travels only as far as Fourth Avenue after a certain time.

Posted by: guest at August 28, 2007 1:47 PM

the neighborhood has its own charm and vibe.

why must it become glitzy "Las Vegas" or "Smith St." to meet someone's criteria as hip or trendy??

it is an authentic place,
not some writer's imaginary concept of "happening".
or background location for "Sex and the City"

(granted, the never ending construction doesnt help bring in visitors)

Posted by: guest at August 29, 2007 1:36 AM