Playing Ball with the LPC at 120 Lafayette

Way back in 2007, work began on converting a former cleaners into a new Nigerian restaurant. The only problem was someone forgot to get approval from both the Landmarks Preservation Commission and the Department of Buildings. Needless to say, the job was shut down and the site was dead for more than a year. In recent weeks, though, work has started back up and last week the new LPC-compliant exterior began to show its face. Anyone know if it's still going to be a Nigerian place or something else?
Nigerian No Time Soon in Fort Greene [Brownstoner] GMAP
Streetlevel: Nigerian, Not Thai, for Lafayette [Brownstoner]

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think it's still going to be a restaurant. that building, though it was repaired, still gives me the creaps. looks like it's going to fall down or buckle. check it out.

Posted by: ez at April 6, 2009 10:15 AM

Have to agree with that. Alongside the owner's backstory bad-neighbor vibe, it's not a winning combination.

Posted by: dreamking at April 6, 2009 11:05 AM

I noticed that the door featured in the photo was hung plumb and level. Which is good in most cases, but as this building is so out of true the door jamb actually protrudes beyond the face of the building. This, in my estimation, is a bad sign.

If in fact they ever get a restaurant up and running, you'd be well advised to take out. That building looks as if it's about to crumble.

Posted by: houseowax at April 6, 2009 12:27 PM

The restaurant is underway and will still be a Nigerian cuisine restaurant from what I hear

Apparently, the ground floor level is going to be rebrownstoned in the next weeks and this will account for the new windows and doors...which are very high quality. I walk by all the time and can attest to this.

The building is HARDLY going to crumble! The reason the owner got a stop work order is because the first tenant brought in a fly-by-night to do demolition work before they had secured any permits. They very quickly managed to cut the main beam running the length of the building!

As the upper floors started to sag, the owner took over and emergency ironwork had to be done. The building is now more stable and sound than it ever would have been before what with the new steel girders and columns set all the way down into the cellar.

The Lafayette side also had all the brick reset recently. It was a big job. I'm surprised the readers in the neighborhood have not noticed some of the major work they have done on the building.

I think the new restaurant will be a nice anchor for the corner and can't wait for it to open.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at April 6, 2009 3:40 PM

the last commentor sure sounds like the owner of the building.

Posted by: ez at April 6, 2009 5:08 PM

What kind of dishes does Nigerian cuisine consist of? I have never heard much about it, strangely for such a large country. Sounds like the kind of thing I may like.

Posted by: etson at April 6, 2009 5:39 PM

Sorry EZ, you're wrong--I'm certainly not the owner...

We've just have lived in Fort Greene for a long, long, long time and know the ins and outs of what is going on.

My husband and I think the new windows and doors look great and we're happy that 1) we'll have a Nigerian restaurant in the neighborhood and 2) the corner will be alive with activity. Right now it's very dark at night.

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at April 6, 2009 7:52 PM

Nigerian food can be really good. jollof rice (an all-in-one rice dish) and various tasty stews.

Posted by: dreamking at April 9, 2009 11:58 AM

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April 6, 2009

Playing Ball with the LPC at 120 Lafayette

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