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July 29, 2008

Streetlevel: A Connecticut Muffin for Schermerhorn

200-Scherm-02-0708.jpg
When we reported back in March that the supermarket deal for the State Renaissance Court building at 200 Schermerhorn Street had fallen through, we said that half of the 12,000-square-foot retail space would go to the Red Cross, hardly the type of storefront business residents hope for. We also noted that the owners had carved out a few smaller spaces that it hoped to fill with food and liquor stores. Well, the first such tenant has been landed for the space just to the left of the Red Cross. The sign in the window says "Coffee Shop Coming Soon" and a worker on the site spilled the beans to a reader that it was going to be a Connecticut Muffin. Sounds like great news for this stretch. Update: Someone close to the situation emailed to say that this was not going to be a Connecticut Muffin, but something pretty darn similar.
StreetLevel: Schermerhorn Supermarket Deal Falls Through [Brownstoner] GMAP




Posted by Brownstoner at 2:07 PM | Comments (20)
Categories: Downtown Brooklyn, Streetlevel

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Comments

this should get good foot traffic right across the street from the subway. it will also get spillover from the victory down the block when the lines are long (as is often the case in the morning and on weekends).

Posted by: z at July 29, 2008 2:10 PM

Schermerhorn is where it be, son. This stretch will turn into a nicer, cleaner version of Chelsea 6th Avenue. I know 'cause I lived in SOHO, West Village & EV in the late 80's - mid 90's. I saw it all. It's all happening. Downtown & Boerum Hill are hott. It's not so expensive as Cobble Hill or the Heights that no one can afford & it's not lame like PS or Carrol Gardens. Fort Greene, Downtown & Boerum Hill are becoming extension of Manhattan. Start buying in these neighborhoods b/c it's be happening right now. Look at what's going on Atlantic Ave b/w Nevins & 4th. Mad stuff. Work it! Yeah!

Posted by: PropJoe at July 29, 2008 2:14 PM

And Bed Stuy, what about Bed Stuy? Is it muffins or just mayhem in the future?

Posted by: jawbreaker at July 29, 2008 2:27 PM

Atlantic Ave btw Nevins & 4th has a looong way to go. There are a lot of large buildings with very poor relationships to the street. Without a critical mass of shops that welcome and encourage diverse foot traffic, it will continue to be a dirty, loud stretch funneling people to and from trains and target.

As for Schermerhorn, Connecticut Muffin will probably do fine, with the train and the govt offices that are somewhat nearby. If they have a good staff with an efficient and clean operation, the convenience factor will enhance the neighborhood. If not, it might be a place you'd stop by if desperate, but wouldn't be much of an improvement to the area. Sort of like the Dunkin' Donuts around the corner.

Posted by: i disagree at July 29, 2008 2:41 PM

By "looong way to go", you must mean 12-18 months. That's fine. Koz Paley opens up Atlantic Gardens in September. That's 5 building right there. Arabs are are moving out as we speak too. Don't worry about Atlantic Avenue. It'll do just fine. Progress, my man...progress. Byl arge buildings, you must mean 4-5 stories, right. How is Atlantic Avenue any different in terms of car & foot traffic than any avenue in Manhattan? It's not. Stick w/ your easel & bad drawing, my Pratt educated friend. You have no vision. It's all about the journey, not the destination. Otherwise, folks like myself would never have reason to sell their fully paid-for 1 & 2br Manhattan apts. Fo' real, son

Posted by: PropJoe at July 29, 2008 2:58 PM

"How is Atlantic Avenue any different in terms of car & foot traffic than any avenue in Manhattan?"


It's not in Manhattan.

And the foot traffic is really low right now actually. I know the district manager for Urban Outfitters and he said that the new Atlantic Avenue outpost is doing horribly....one of the worst in the entire chain. He said they will give it three years and if it doesn't pick up, it will vacate.

In this economy, it will take years to develop that stretch of Atlantic Avenue over by 4th. In a down economy, even longer. Many of those Arab business owners still have years left on their leases. You are extremely ignorant PropJoe. In all senses of the word.

They've developed something similar to the Atlantic Gardens on Bergen Street between Flatbush and 5th Avenue (I think the buildings are more beautiful than those on Atlantic) and they've pretty much all filled up within the last 18 months.

I walked by the other day, and the two remaining vacant shops are being renovated as we speak. It makes for a beautifully colorful strip with the bright colors of Babeland, Organic Heights, Private Stock, Bump and then the two new ones. With City Sub and Melt on that same block, it's a pleasure to walk down.

Posted by: 11217 at July 29, 2008 3:34 PM

I also find your posts extremely offensive, ProJo. It's obvious you are just trying to get a rise out of people, but if you could at least try to be witty or intelligent about it, it might make more sense and be more effective.

You use expressions like fo' real, yet seem to hate any neighborhood which isn't Ft. Greene and Boreum Hill. Pretty dumb.

No real Brooklyn lover would single out specific neighborhoods and talk badly about the other 99% of the borough.

Your desperation to hold onto your home value by boosting your own immediate area while talking ill of every other one is so transparent.

You won't last long in Brooklyn.

Posted by: 11217 at July 29, 2008 3:43 PM

11217,

Relax, son. I love the Heights, Dumbo, Downtown. Cobble Hill too. I even like Clinton Hill sans transportation. It's all good. But you can't pretend Atlantic Ave ain't where it's at. That stretch is booming. What would make it so much great is the removal or destruction via smartbomb of the jail. It really cuts off some of the neighborhoods from one another. Know what I mean?

Posted by: PropJoe at July 29, 2008 3:51 PM

The stretch might be booming compared to 2000, but it's also losing a ton of its character.

All the great old antique stores are being replaced with boutiques (each with 10 items) which won't last two years.

You may see changes now, but unless they are carefully cultivated, it will go the way of many other retail strips in this city.

Trader Joe's will help a ton with foot traffic, but I still don't see big changes for Atlantic and Nevins/4th, nor would I want to. I like the Arab businesses.

For someone who speaks as if he was just released from an education-less 25 year prison sentence, I'm surprised you are opposed to it. Don't want to pop in and say hi to your old pals from time to time?

Posted by: 11217 at July 29, 2008 3:56 PM

Jawbreaker /2:27 > Bed-Stuy, No muffins or mayhem; but Condos & Lofts are going up! Have been in for the past two yrs…just before Bed-Stuy being rediscovered again! Prices are still for the taking!!! Check out Dekalb Ave.

Posted by: 911NewYorker at July 29, 2008 4:04 PM

BTW PropJoe, the owners of Connecticut are Arabs. Egyptian.

Posted by: Chaka at July 29, 2008 4:24 PM

If you think Atlantic Ave resembles Manhattan you need a reality check son. It just be yo hood dats all.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at July 29, 2008 4:27 PM

I'm not worried about Atlantic Ave. It's fine, for what it is - functional but ugly and dirty. 5 pastel-painted shops and a concrete garden will be amazing i'm sure but like all those precious consignment shops with four pairs of overpriced shoes for sale, not enough. Atlantic is different from most aves in Manhattan b/c the former is very unfriendly to pedestrians:

1) major east-west truck route thru Brooklyn
2) lack of subway stations on all but one intersection
3) blocks with buildings that occupy half the block but have no doors on and/or limited relationship with the sidewalk
4) insane intersection at Flatbush and 4th with poor traffic flow
5) very dirty

there are many others, i'm sure you can think of some too!

Posted by: i disagree at July 29, 2008 4:56 PM

I hope it all does well, and the sooner the better.

Posted by: jawbreaker at July 29, 2008 5:03 PM

Just because there are stores you don't go to, does not mean they aren't doing well.

Most of the stores would be doing quite well if their rent wasn't doubled in the last 3 years.

Posted by: 11217 at July 29, 2008 5:11 PM

Putting aside propjoe's stupidity for a moment, doesn't anyone think that the south side of atlantic between nevins and say hoyt or even smith is a really nice stretch, considering the vehicle traffic?

Oh, and by the way, BRING BACK THE JAIL!

Posted by: Leo at July 29, 2008 10:09 PM

11217

I have to say, while your knowledge of local retail happenings is impressive - your inflammatory rhetoric (accusations of ignorance, criminality, offensive words, etc.) just isn't grounded in any ideology or topic worthy of debate.

You might succeed in starting a flamefest, which is easy on this site, but the secret to positive trolling is not only to piss people off but to instigate discussion of a pertinent topic.

I also find your comment about the success of stores being tied to rent pretty comical. If only the taxpayers could subsidize retail rents, then every store would be doing well!

Posted by: Polemicist at July 30, 2008 10:21 AM

I'm a big fan of all Middle Easterns, especially the Palestinian people - they're my favs

Posted by: PropJoe at July 30, 2008 10:57 AM

I'm a big fan of all Middle Easterns, especially the Palestinian people - they're my favs

Posted by: PropJoe at July 30, 2008 11:00 AM

Store is not actually going to be a connecticut muffin, but something similar in approach, according to those in the know

Posted by: chrishavens at July 30, 2008 3:35 PM

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