November 1, 2009 - November 7, 2009
November 6, 2009
Closing Bell: Flea Fun In The Fall Sun
Phew. It's been a rough few weeks of dodgy weather (and weather reports) but it's finally looking like we have back-to-back dry days coming up this weekend. With the hard part out of the way, we can just step back and let The Flea vendors do their thing! Joining the usual cast of characters this weekend are the folks behind Atlantis in Red Hook, an online purveyor of curiosities, a vinyl-head known as the Record Grouch, an antiques dealer from the Chelsea Garage and a new Red Hook Food Vendor serving up arepas and chuzos. All good, baby. All good. The Brooklyn Flea is held on Saturdays from 10 to 5 at the Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Fort Greene (176 Lafayette Avenue between Clermont and Vanderbilt Avenues; take the C or G trains to Clinton-Washington) and on Sundays from 11-6 in Dumbo underneath the Brooklyn Bridge at the corner of Water and New Dock Street. Map and directions here.
Development Watch: Pratt Myrtle Gets Glassy
Pratt's new seven story academic and studio building at 524 Myrtle Avenue is moving along at a steady clip. When we checked in back in July, there were three stories on steel framing up and now all seven are up and there are some windows to boot. Sounds like a Fall 2010 opening is a lay-up.
Development Watch: Pratt Myrtle Rising [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: Rat at Pratt [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: Pratt Myrtle [Brownstoner] GMAP
Pratt Starts on New Myrtle Project [Brownstoner] P*Shark
Pratt Reveals Plans for Myrtle KFC Site [Brownstoner] DOB
StreetLevel: Cafe DuCharme Opens on President
Cafe DuCharme opened earlier this week on President near the corner of 5th Avenue. The small cafe, which gets its handle from the last name of its Swiss owner, is open from 7 to 7, and in addition to fair trade drip ($1.25/cup) has a variety of sandwiches (a prosciutto combo, eg, for $8.75) and breakfast fare. The shop's proprietor previously had a coffee shop in Old San Juan.
Two New Eateries Coming to Slope's President Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
Open House Picks
Boerum Hill
80 Hoyt Street
FSBO
Sunday 12:30-3:30
$1,495,00 was $1,780,000
GMAP P*Shark
Clinton Hill
147 Vanderbilt Avenue
Corcoran
Saturday 12-1:30
$995,000
GMAP P*Shark
West Midwood
735 Rugby Road
Mary Kay Gallagher
Sunday 1-2:30
$890,000
GMAP P*Shark
Stuyvesant Heights
480 Macdonough Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday 11-12:30
$649,000
GMAP P*Shark
Open House Picks: Six Months Later
Comment: At least deals are getting done.
Open House Picks 5/8/09 [Brownstoner]
Previous Six Months Later Posts [Brownstoner]
Roddick Condo Hunting in Brooklyn?
Just saw this Page 6 item...Andy Roddick and wife spotted at J Condo in Dumbo!
85 State's Roller Coaster Ride
The pricing of 85 State Street in Brooklyn Heights sure has been interesting to watch, and now that the renovated five-story townhouse's sale for $3.4 million has been recorded in public records, a trip down memory lane seems in order:
9/2005: The house trades hands for $2.5 million in an estate sale.
3/2006: Only 6 months later, the 5,000-sf property flips for $3.2 million to a developer.
1/2007: The house is placed on the market by Corcoran for $5.8 million.
5/2007: Brown Harris Stevens takes over the listing and prices it at $5.95 million.
1/2008: The listing jumps to Halstead and is priced at $5.75 million.
2/2009: A series of price cuts brings the asking down to $4.2 million.
6/2009: Warburg takes over marketing but doesn't cut the price further. Listing now says: "Offered at less than cost! Stunning XXX mint Brooklyn Heights townhouse...the home has just undergone a complete renovation from top to bottom."
10/2009: The house finally sells for $3.4 million.
House of the Day: 85 State Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
85 State Street [StreetEasy]
The Albemarle Renovation Blog Launches!
We're thrilled to announce the launch of a new renovation blog which will be called the Albemarle Reno blog. As the picture above shows, the house itself is incredible but there's lots of work to be done; this is also the first non-rowhouse we've featured as well as the first house in Victorian Flatbush. So please give a warm Brownstoner welcome to the Albemarle Reno bloggers and go check out the first post which just went up!
DOB's Stalled Site List Passes 500 Mark; BK Still on Top
The Department of Buildings' latest tally of stalled construction sites counts 531 pits of inactivity citywide, up from 453 in its last report. As it has since the DOB started making a list of no-go construction, Brooklyn leads the way in the five boroughs, with 246 stalled sites. (Back in the summer, when the DOB first started releasing these reports, 63 were counted in all of Brooklyn and only 143 in the whole city.) Dubious honors for second and third place go to Queens, with 147 sites, and Manhattan, with 80 sites. In Brooklyn, the area covered by CB1, Williamsburg and Greenpoint, continues to have the most stalled sites, with 80 properties making the list this time around. No other area in Brooklyn comes close to CB1, though there are significant numbers in CB2's zone (21), CB6's (14), and CB7's (16). Meanwhile, there are still obvious omissions from the tally. For example, long-dormant 333 Carroll is nowhere to be found, and neither are a couple of 4th Avenue sites where nothing's been doing for a long time. Click though to see the full list.
Stalled Construction Sites [DOB]
Williamsburg Ranks #1 in City's Stalled-Site Sweepstakes [Brownstoner]
Continue reading "DOB's Stalled Site List Passes 500 Mark; BK Still on Top"
Fulton Sports Bar Signage Revealed
There's been a lot of speculation (in a neighborhoody, chit-chatty sort of way) about the sports bar that's going to be opening soon on Fulton Street between Vanderbilt and Clinton Avenues in Clinton Hill, so we were interested to receive the photo at right yesterday of the new signage being installed. Just to make sure they we're only going to 11, we rode by this morning to regard the handiwork ourselves and, sure enough, the name's "Chance 11"—anyone have any ideas what that might be a reference to? The sign might be a little flashy for our taste but at this point we're 100% rooting for any business that can generate foot traffic and stimulate the local economy in this part of town. On a related note, this block as a whole has really come a long way in the last few years, hasn't it?
Streetlevel: Sports Bar for Fulton [Brownstoner] GMAP
Affordable Housing on Tap
It may seem like there's not any affordable housing available, but, reports The Brooklyn Eagle, there are 700 units currently up for grabs through one non-profit development company alone in Brooklyn. The Housing Partnership Development Corp. which has created 30,000 units of affordable housing over its 25-year history, is currently offering "moderate-income" apartments at the newly-developed Bergen Street Co-ops at 1509 Bergen Street in Crown Heights (at right). The Partnership is also involved in other projects like 320 Sterling Street, which is about three-quarters done, and Atlantic Terrace next to the Atlantic Center (at top), which just started making applications available.
700 Affordable Homes, Apartments in B'klyn Now Available [Brooklyn Eagle]
EDC's Deal for Wonder Wheel Park Goes Through
The Economic Development Corporation's purchase of the Coney Island land that Wonder Wheel Park sits on was recorded in public records yesterday. The EDC announced it had gone into contract with the property's owner, Ward Realty, last year, and that it would pay $11 million for the parcels, but the purchase price ended up being $9.75 million. According to an EDC spokeswoman, the Ward family agreed to reduce the purchase price in exchange for closing at an earlier date. In a press release about the purchase last year, the EDC said that Wonder Wheel Park would remain a tenant on the site through 2020 and that "the deal is the first of what NYCEDC expects to be a series of land acquisitions in the coming months as the City proceeds with its vision to create a 21st century entertainment destination and protect Coney Island’s amusement legacy in perpetuity."
Deed: 1025-27 Boardwalk West, 1102 Bowery, 3001 Jones Walk [ACRIS] GMAP
Photo by OMG! Ponies!
New Kosciuszko Bridge Won't Come Cheap
In October, a Department of Transportation panel narrowed the list of potential designs for the new Kosciuszko Bridge down to three finalists, including what The Brooklyn Paper calls the front runner, above. In addition to a new look, the bridge of the future will have nine lanes instead of six (yay!) as well as a bike and pedestrian lane; the whole thing will be set at less of an incline than the current structure because tall boats no longer go underneath. All this good stuff won't come cheap though: We're looking at a $1 billion price tag. Sounds like a lot of dough to us, but apparently that's what it takes to get bridge builders out of bed these days. “For a bridge that is a mile long in New York City, $1 billion is the going rate,” said DOT spokesman Adam Levine. The Feds will pay 80% of the freight, leaving the state with the rest. But the state is now talking about slashing its transportation spending, so it remains to be seen of the bridge, over which 160,000 vehicles pass every day, makes the cut.
The Billion-Dollar Bridge! [Brooklyn Paper]
Weekend Events
Cobble Hill Bike Ride
The Cobble Hill Association and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative are hosting a 10-mile casual bike ride that will start at Cobble Hill Park and pass through Brooklyn Heights, Dumbo, the Columbia Waterfront District, Red Hook, and Carroll Gardens then loop back to Cobble Hill. The weather might be chilly so dress warm! Sunday, November 8. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Free with RSVP to cobblehillbikeride@gmail.com. Verandah Place at Cobble Hill Park.
The Dogs of Brooklyn
The Dogs of Brooklyn is Susie DeFord's fresh poetic narrative about her colorful life as a dogwalker accompanied by vibrant photos of Brooklyn and the dogs by Dennis Riley. Susie DeFord, Melissa Febos, and Vijay Seshadri will be reading poems and stories about Brooklyn and its "wildlife." All are welcome to attend. Friday, November 6. 7 p.m. Free. 7th Ave & Lincoln Place, Ozzie's Park Slope.
Brooklyn Flea
The Brooklyn Flea takes place in Ft. Greene on Saturday and its historic Brooklyn Bridge location on Sunday. Both locations feature a great mix of vintage, antiques, jewelry, and food. Saturday, November 7. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, Lafayette Avenue between Clermont and Vanderbilt Avenues. Sunday, November 8. 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. In Dumbo, underneath the Brooklyn Bridge at the corner of Water and New Dock Street.
Please send your events listings to events@brownstoner.com
Friday Links
Bloomberg Asks for Patience on M.T.A. Plan [NY Times]
Reyna Breaks With a Formidable Patron [NY Times]
It's Plaza Sweet on Schermerhorn Street [NY Post]
Artists Transform Fort Greene Laundromat [NY Daily News]
Arby's Opening Soon in Fulton Mall [NY Daily News]
Sustainable Living Structure for Flatbush Building? [Brooklyn Paper]
Guerilla Marketing Campaign for 23rd Street Project [Brooklyn Eagle]
"Pokey" Award for Slowest Bus Presented [Gothamist]
Photo by
November 5, 2009
Thursday Blogwrap
'I Joined The Park Slope Food Coop, And All I Got...' [FiPS]
Union Street Gets a New Coat of Asphalt [Lost City]
Hidden Gems of Local Modern Architecture [BushwickBK]
"Area" Stores Going Bagless [PMFA]
Segway Man, In Brooklyn Heights [mcbrooklyn]
So What'll It Be? [Brooklynology]
Moon between Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. Photo by jackie weisberg from the Brownstoner Flickr Pool.
Closing Bell: Greening of Greenpoint
Over in Greenpoint, Sargent William Dougherty Playground (which is located here) is getting a makeover, notes New York Shitty. The underused 0.76-acre park appears to be getting five large planters.
Mrs. B Side-Swiped In The Heights
A few minutes ago Mrs. B was side-swiped on Pierrepont Street in a hit-and-run by a yellow cab with medallion number 3Y65; there were three small children in the back of the car. No one was hurt but we're out a side view mirror. We reported it to TLC but don't have a lot of faith they'll do anything about it. It will be interesting to watch the slow wheels of bureaucracy turn though. Anyone have any relevant experiences to share?
Development Watch: 580 Carroll Gets Its Glass On
One of the defining features of the controversial development 580 Carroll Street, its angled glass windows, has started to come into focus. Over the past few weeks glass has gone up on the Garfield Place side of the Enrique Norten-designed building, above, as well as on a small section of the Carroll Street part of the structure. A BSA hearing later this month will likely decide whether the increased density the developer is gunning for on the Carroll side—which would result in the glass wall reaching the sidewalk rather than being set back considerably and fronted by small yards, as in an older version of the design—will come to pass.
BSA Postpones Decision on Carroll St Norten Again [Brownstoner]
580 Carroll Decision Postponed [Brownstoner]
Slope Rallies Against 580 Carroll, Rags on the BSA [Brownstoner]
Battle Over Carroll St. Norten Build Heats Up This Week [Brownstoner]
CB6 Doesn't Buy Carroll Street Hardship Claim [Brownstoner]
580 Carroll Developer Trying to Supersize Norten Project [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 580 Carroll Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
Enrique Norten-Designed Project in Park Slope Revealed [Brownstoner]
Four Developments Coming to One Stretch of Carroll [Brownstoner]
StreetLevel: Lucas Fine Foods Coming to Union
A reader dropped a line to let us know signage has gone up announcing that a biz called Lucas Fine Foods is coming to Union Street between 6th and 7th avenues. The poster in the window says Lucas will be a cafe and sell prepared foods, and that it's opening in late fall. GMAP
House of the Day: 119 Fort Greene Place
Other than the exposed brick on the parlor floor, this brownstone at 119 Fort Greene Place in Fort Greene has a nice feel to it. Plenty of original details, nice width (21 feet) and an extention; we'd be surprised if you could actually get $2,800 a month for the garden rental but it's probably not far off. The asking price is $1,995,000. Not insane if you factor in the expected 10% discount in this market.
119 Fort Greene Place [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark
Co-op of the Day: 75 Henry Street, #19A
This one-bedroom co-op is one of the nicer ones we've seen at 75 Henry Street. The views from the 19th floor don't hurt, but the recent renovation itself looks quite nice. For a full-service building, the monthly maintenance of $794 is pretty reasonable for the 750-square-foot pad. There's also a balcony thrown into the mix. The price was just reduced from $595,000 to $565,000. There's an open house on Sunday from 12 to 1:30. You likey?
75 Henry Street, #19A [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Brownstoner Directory Reaches Milestone of 50 Listings
A nice little moment in the young life of the Brownstoner Directory: The 50th company—Joseph Vance Architects—joined up this morning. If you know any good renovation-related companies you think should be included (and can afford the $300), please send 'em our way.
Inside Third & Bond: Week 107
This week the folks from Hudson talk blowers.
Last Friday we had our first blower door test at Third + Bond. There was a small crowd of us at the event because it’s a pretty cool process and because even though the testing seems incredibly valuable, we’ve never done this before – not once in 3,500 units. How did the test go? Well, let’s just say that we thought about hiding the report card. Average or slightly above average does not cut it when you’re shooting for LEED-Gold and Energy Star. We really need straight A’s. Fortunately, this was just the PSAT. Now we know what we still need to study.
The purpose of the blower door test is to find out whether we sufficiently air sealed the building and diagnose the problem spots. Remember, the thesis of high performance buildings is that a tight building envelope with mechanical ventilation limits wasteful loss of energy. Unlike the convention of letting the tiny cracks and spaces in a building ventilate the space, today’s leading framework is to “seal it tight, ventilate right” or if you prefer “build it right, seal it tight.”
Aside from the energy savings that come with a tight building...
Brooklyn Sales: Under a Million
Some of the sales recorded last week that went for $1 million or less:
$250K or under: CLINTON HILL
195 Willoughby Avenue, #109; Price=$165,000 GMAP
The listing for this co-op said it's a 450-sf, 1st floor studio. It was asking $199,000. Maintenance=$335/month. Closed on 10/27/09; deed recorded on 10/29/09.
$250-$500K Range: COBBLE HILL
200 Congress Street, #5C; Price=$475,000 GMAP
This 725-sf, 1-bedroom co-op was listed for $499,000 in June. Maintenance=$678/month. Closed on 10/14/09; deed recorded on 10/29/09.
$500-$750K Range: SOUTH SLOPE
421 17th Street; Price=$700,000 GMAP
This 972-sf house was listed for $799,000 in late May, according to StreetEasy. Property Shark says it last sold for $450,000 in '04. Entered into contract on 8/13/09; closed on 9/1/09; deed recorded on 10/30/09.
$750K-$1 Million Range: SUNSET PARK
551 57th Street; Price=$780,000 GMAP
This is a 3,072-sf, 2-family, according to Property Shark. Entered into contract on 7/24/09; closed on 10/9/09; deed recorded on 10/26/09.
Photos from Property Shark.
Walkabout: Italianates, the Ornamental Imperative
A mid 19th century magazine, extolling the virtues of the Italianate brownstone, declared that, “the doorway is the most indispensable feature of the structure, and therefore calls loudly for adornment, and should generally be distinguished by more impressive decoration than any other feature”. Architects of the time must have been listening, and many went overboard, piling layers of ornament on the doorways of our buildings. Perhaps even more than the other decorative elements, the doorways of the Italianate brownstone define the style. In the most expensive homes, the doorway is a porch at the top of the stairs, formed by large columns with ornate capitals, holding heavy door hoods that are either rounded, or classic triangular pediments, with heavy carved keystones above the doors. These are flanked by enormous acanthus leaf brackets which face the street. Smaller acanthus brackets can often be found facing each other in the doorway, and for good measure, more acanthus brackets often frame the windows, and/or support the large window box shelves below the parlor floor windows. There are fine examples in Brooklyn Heights, as well as on Washington Park, in Fort Greene.
Most of the Italianates in Brooklyn do not have the columns, a feature for only the most expensive homes, but all have the acanthus brackets. Some of these brackets are beautiful in their expression of plant forms, and are in amazing condition. Some architects must have wanted to show off something different, and we can find fantastical combinations of leaves, flowers and decorative shapes. Some of these can be a bit disturbing at first glance, and to the modern eye, look like mutant plants run wild, or extruded foam, especially when the lines have been blurred by water damage, and badly painted over or “repaired”. The more creepily vegetal remind us that tastes certainly change over time, and that the desire to please a demanding public can often result in the overdone.
Continue reading "Walkabout: Italianates, the Ornamental Imperative"
Subway Service on Weekends Is F@#%ed
We long ago gave up trying to take the subway on the weekends. Life's too short, so it's the bicycle or car for us. This view was confirmed last weekend when it took an out-of-town friend an hour and a half on Saturday afternoon to get from Midtown to Clinton Hill. So it was no surprise to read this lede in The Post this morning: "Here's a subway service notice: Use your car on the weekends!" A group called the Transit Riders Council has studied subway service over the past two weekends. The bottom line: "It's bedlam," said Andrew Albert, a member of the council as well as the MTA board.
Expect subway service disaster this weekend [NY Post]
Photo by Zach Klein
Foxy & Winston Store Opens Saturday in Red Hook
The Red Hook retail scene is about to get a nice bump with the official opening on Saturday of the first storefront from Flea vendor Foxy & Winston. The shop, which is located at 392 Van Brunt Street, will showcase the design companies mix of greeting cards, accessories and children's clothing. There's an opening party from 6 to 9 p.m. GMAP
Price Cuts at 156 Pulaski Street
Pulaski Street between Tompkins and Throop in Bed Stuy can't be an easy place to sell condos anytime let alone in a bearish market, so we have great sympathy for the Corcoran duo that's taken over the marketing reins at 156 Pulaski Street. The nine-unit condo project hit the market last February, and Aptandlofts.com managed to move a five of units in the first few months despite challenging financing conditions that killed several deals. Corcoran took over in August and just trimmed prices on three out of the four remaining units. As a result, Unit 1A and Unit 1B, which were both $299,000, are now available for $275,000, while Unit 2B is now $199,000, down from $239,000.
156 Pulaski Listings [StreetEasy] GMAP
Union Market Progress Report
Pardon Me For Asking posted some great photos of the progress at 288 Court Street where Union Market is preparing to launch its next location. As PMFA points out, it ain't looking like the gourmet market is going to make its stated goal of opening before year-end.
Union Market On Court Street Moving Along Nicely [PMFA]
Union Market Coming to Court Street! [Brownstoner] GMAP
Court St. Blockbuster Changes Hands; Future Unclear [Brownstoner]
Thursday Links
Bus and Subway President Quits in M.T.A. Shake-Up [NY Times]
Some Wall Street Bonuses To Hit Pre-Downturn Highs [NY Times]
Getting a Grip on Your Property's Value [NY Times]
There's No Moving Al Vann Out Yet [NY Daily News]
No Love for Bloomberg from Brooklynites [NY Daily News]
Elves Invade Dumbo [Brooklyn Eagle]
Brooklynites Rush to Rescue Pigeon [Gothamist]
Photo by flatbushnelson
November 4, 2009
Wednesday Blogwrap
Reminder: Sign the Traffic Petition! [TWOCS]
Coney Boardwalk Repairs Resume For Winter [Kinetic Carnival]
"About Face" Opens at the Tabla Rasa Gallery [FIB]
Ballroom Boogie for Bay Ridge Seniors [Brooklyn Ink]
Brooklyn Junior Opens On Clinton Avenue [ClintonHillBlog]
Photo by florence_wang from the Brownstoner Flickr Pool
Closing Bell: Columbia Street Traffic Petition
There's a petition movement afoot in the Columbia Street Waterfront District to get public officials to do something about the dangerous traffic along Columbia Street. The petition is available for signing at The Coffee Den at Union and Hicks and at Everyday Athlete Kids on Columbia between Carroll and Summit. In this day and age, we a little surprised they're not making it available online.
Photo from Word on Columbia Street
Development Watch: 659 Bergen Street
The windows are all in at 659 Bergen Street, the Karl Fischer-designed project in Prospect Heights. When the facade and interiors are done, another 16 units will be added to the borough's housing stock.
Development Watch 2/25/09 [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
Development Watch 10/23/08 [Brownstoner] DOB
Streetlevel: New Cafe Opening on 6th Avenue
At some point soon, judging from the exterior, a new coffee place called Kohzee Cafe is going to open at 396 6th Avenue. Excited? GMAP
House of the Day: 238 Windsor Place
This two-family house at 238 Windsor Place in Windsor Terrace may have a slightly odd mix of old-school and 80s-contemporary aesthetics going on, but at its core it looks like a lovely old house and given that it's got over 3,000 square feet of living space, the price tag of $1,125,000 looks reasonable to us as well. Agree?
238 Windsor Place [Warren Lewis] GMAP P*Shark
Co-op of the Day: 32 Willow Place, #9
If you can handle the railroad layout and the fact that there's only one small bathroom, this two-bedroom co-op at 108 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights if you're a buyer who puts a premium on old-world charm. The master bedroom and hallways have lots of original detail and the kitchen and living area appear to have been recently renovated. Not usually fans of exposed brick, we think it works nicely in this case. The 900-square-foot apartment has a monthly maintenance of $870 and is asking $710,000. You buying?
32 Willow Place, #9 [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
New Greenpoint Gastropub: Manhattan Inn
632 Manhattan Avenue, between Bedford and Nassau, Greenpoint; (718) 383-0885
Manhattan Inn "sounds like something a little more upscale than what we're used to seeing over here in the 'point," says Greenpointers. The blogger also notes that the restaurant opens at 8pm tonight, and you get get on the grand opening guest list by emailing abbey.manhattaninn@gmail.com. Time Out New York adds, "James Endicott (Per Se) is behind drinks like the Manhattan’s Manhattan (rye, Carpano Antica, mirto and bitters). Look for dishes like shepherd’s pie and live piano in the dining room."
More Upcoming Openings
Eater shares an update on the still-shuttered Pies 'n' Thighs space, reporting that "There is still quite a bit of work to be done," but they're hoping to open "between Thanksgiving and Christmas. PnT lovers have been burned before, so don't book the office holiday party there just yet." ... Plus, the Brooklyn Kitchen Labs and the Meat Hook are set to open on Wednesday next week. Stay tuned for some interior photos of this new cooking school and butcher shop in Williamsburg... And Time Out shares plans for La Petite Provence, opening in the old Patois space on Smith Street: The husband-and-wife team behind Provence en Boite will be serving "Provençal specialties like the chickpea pancake called socca and pan bagnat, the niçoise salad–stuffed sandwich."
Rave Reviews for Saltie
378 Metropolitan Avenue (Havemeyer Street), Williamsburg; (718) 387-4777; saltieny.com
Oliver Strand for the NY Times weighs in on this new spot: "The savory sandwiches, which change periodically, are careful compositions of bright and brawny flavors... Even the vegetarian Clean Slate ($8) is as vibrant as it is hefty. Generous scoops of quinoa and hummus are rolled in a blistered naan with pickled vegetables, sauerkraut and tangy yogurt. The combination works. Culturally speaking, it’s fearless, if a sandwich can be such a thing." CHOW's Outer Borough Digest recommends Saltie's dessert options, too: "C Elise was stopped in her tracks by the Car Bomb, a dessert at the newish Saltie in Williamsburg. It’s a scoop of salted caramel ice cream drowned in Guinness."
After the jump: Umi Nom's "incredible" off-menu hot sauce, the New Yorker hits Saraghina, "seafood perfection" in Canarsie, Hecho en Dumbo's big move, and more...
Price Cuts at 272 St. Marks Avenue
After four months on the market, 272 St. Marks Avenue was coming up goose eggs in the sales department. As a result, seven out of the eight units were on the receiving end of 10 to 15-percent price cuts recently. So a top-floor three-bedroom that was $1,049,000 is now $895,000 and a second-floor one-bedroom that was $575,000 is now $495,000. Think it's enough to get a little action going?
272 St. Marks Avenue [StreetEasy] GMAP
Church Reboot on Clinton Avenue
Another church—just what the neighborhood needed. After years of lying fallow, it appears that the steel frame at 145 Clinton Avenue is finally getting some walls; the job was initially applied for in the early 1990s and the steel frame has been there as long as we can remember. The Celestial Church of Christ, which has headquarters facing Waverly Avenue and owns the entire through-lot, is the entity behind the job. It's really too bad that at a time when there are plenty of dwindling congregations in the area having a difficult time maintaining beautiful old churches that resources are being allocated to building a new structure that's sure to be an aesthetic bummer. GMAP P*Shark DOB
Slope Armory Set-Back
The ribbon-cutting at the Park Slope Armory's refurbished athletic facilities held more than a year and a half ago is looking rather premature in hindsight. The Brooklyn Paper says that the Park Slope Armory opening has been delayed again, something to do with both the glacial pace of classroom as well as the inability to get the FDNY to set a date to inspect. “They can’t even give us a ballpark figure,” said Nica Lalli, CB6’s Parks Committee chairwoman. “They can not give us anything that will satisfy our need to know. We asked it 15 ways, but they did not budge and give us a date.” Once the fire department does sigs off, the Department of Homeless Services can hand over control to the YMCA; at that point the Y will have another couple of months of its own work to do, though some of the recreation programs for kids will not have to wait.
At the Armory, Wait ‘Til Next Year [Brooklyn Paper]
Armory to Open in November [Courier Life]
Slope's Armory Rec Center Delayed, Again [Brownstoner]
Photo by Crown Heights North
Rate It: 513 MacDonough Street Sells for $420,000
This three-story, three-family brick townhouse at 513 MacDonough Street just sold for $420,000. GMAP
Election 2009: No Big Surprises in Brooklyn
You've probably seen them by now, but just in case (and just in case you feel like discussing), we've post the results of all the Brooklyn City Council races yesterday on the jump. In some of the races most relevant to Brownstoner-land, Tish James, Brad Lander, Al Vann, Charles Barron, Sara Gonzalez, Vincent Gentile and Mathieu Eugene all emerged victorious.
2009 NYC General Election Returns [NY1]
Photo by Susan NYC
Continue reading "Election 2009: No Big Surprises in Brooklyn"
East River Ferry Service in Jeopardy—Again
In what can't be taken as anything but a blow to the already challenging marketing campaigns of the handful of high-end waterfront developments in Brooklyn, New York Water Taxi announced that it might have to stop its East River commuter service for the third time in four years after being unable to come to an agreement with the city; to make matters worse, EDC announced that plans to create more routes had been tabled by the recession. The news will definitely create problems for those already living on the waterfront. Take Robert Thorne, who lives at Schaefer Landing in South Williamsburg with his family: “[The ferry] saves us 35, 40 minutes each way,” he said. “That’s more time with our daughter.” A spokesperson for City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said that she's “confident we will be able to preserve and expand existing service.” We shall see.
East River Commuter Ferry Service Could Be Halted, Again [NY Times]
Photo by Tom Hoboken
Wednesday Links
Congress Poised to Keep Homebuyers’ Tax Credit [NY Times]
BMW Driver Shot in Williamsburg [NY Post]
Resident Mocks PLG 'Rathole' With Phony Ad [NY Daily News]
$55 Million from Feds for Atlantic Yards [NY Daily News]
Corrections Officer Fatally Strikes Pedestrian In Brooklyn [NY1]
Tenants of Brooklyn Apartments Protest Conditions, Harassment [Brooklyn Eagle]
Photo by benbrlsq
November 3, 2009
Tuesday Blogwrap
Recession Keeps Brooklyn Brewery In Williamsburg [Gothamist]
Uncommon Gentrification Indicators [Nostrand Park]
BIY Brooklyn [Brooklyn Based]
Finishing Funds Needed for "Battle of Brooklyn" [OTBKB]
Guide for the Last-Minute Voter [HS]
sunset park market. Photo by faux_pas from the http://www.flickr.com/groups/brownstoner/.
Closing Bell: Gentrification Indicators
Over on Nostrand Park, they're trying to put together a list of indicators that your neighborhoods being gentrified. The author suggests three (including coffee shops and blogs) and luckily no one's mentioned flea markets yet. Other suggestions?
Photo by rymerster
Development Watch: 527 Lincoln Place
This new building at 527 Lincoln Place looks pretty upscale for a new building in Crown Heights. Turns out the architect of the seven-story, 24-unit building is Kutnicki Bernstein, who've done a bunch of projects in Williamsburg and Downtown Manhattan. Another project of theirs is nearby at 840 Bergen as well. This one on Lincoln Place looks pretty far along, though there appears to be a Partial Stop Work Order in place. What do you think of the design? GMAP P*Shark DOB
Streetlevel: Flowers for Hanson Place
We're not sure exactly when this new flower store opened up at 33 Hanson Place, but judging from the handful of emails from readers last week trumpeting its arrival, we're willing to bet it was quite recently. Anyone been in? GMAP
House of the Day: 28 Middagh Street
42 Middagh Street is charming as all heck from the outside, and the modern renovation that was recently performed on it looks quite tastefully done as well. Still, the asking price of the Brooklyn Heights house seems pretty pricey at $4,200,000, especially when you consider the current owners paid only $1,280,000 back in 2004. We're sure they didn't scrimp on the makeover but we also doubt they dropped three million bucks on it. Thoughts?
28 Middagh Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
Co-op of the Day: 126 Greene Avenue, #2W
We've walked by 126 Greene Avenue (at Clinton) a zillion times but never seen the interior of an apartment there. Until now. Corcoran has a new listing up for a two-bedroom apartment at the 19-unit prewar building and it looks to be a beauty. The second-floor pad has high ceilings and lots of original detail. The location and finish choices of the kitchen are the only things that don't get us jazzed. The maintenance on the 1,000-square-foot apartment is a low $662 per month. Given all that, what do you make of the asking price of $599,000?
126 Greene Avenue, #2W [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Last Week's Biggest Sales
1. PARK SLOPE $1,695,000
247 6th Avenue GMAP (left)
A 3,420-sf, 3-family, per Property Shark. Entered into contract on 7/14/09; closed on 10/15/09; deed recorded on 10/28/09.
2. GRAVESEND $1,500,000
1710 East 5th Street GMAP (right)
This 2-family house on the Gravesend-Midwood border hit the market in May '07 asking $4,250,000, according to StreetEasy, and was asking $2,699,000 as of May '08. Entered into contract on 9/30/09; closed on 10/26/09; deed recorded on 10/27/09.
3. BROOKLYN HEIGHTS $1,415,000
One Brooklyn Bridge Park, #540 & T8 GMAP
Condo unit 540 at 1BBP is a 1,709-sf, 3-bedroom that was last asking $1,295,000, according to StreetEasy. The sale included a second "condo unit without a kitchen," #T8, but it's unclear from listings what that is. Entered into contract on 8/31/09; closed on 10/14/09; deed recorded on 10/29/09.
4. BRIGHTON BEACH $1,300,000
253 Corbin Place GMAP
A 3,048-sf, 2-family house, according to Property Shark. Entered into contract on 8/12/09; closed on 10/23/09; deed recorded on 10/29/09.
5. MIDWOOD $1,250,000
3403 Bedford Avenue GMAP
This 4,070-sf 2-family was listed for $1,499,000. Entered into contract on 5/5/09; closed on 8/12/09; deed recorded on 10/29/09.
Photos from Property Shark.
Tavern on Nostrand RIP
While the menu change at 813 Nostrand Avenue actually happened last month, the transition from Tavern on Nostrand to Crow Hill Bistro was made official yesterday with the changing of the signage. GMAP
Walkabout : The Italianate Style, part 1
For many people, the quintessential Brooklyn row house is the Italianate brownstone. The name conjures up the streetscape of rows of identical houses stretching down a block, with their tall stoops, majestic entryways, long windows encased in heavy window lintels, and deep sills. There is a perfect symmetry to their uniformity, a pleasing rhythm and solidity to these blocks, especially when paired with ancient trees, flower boxes overflowing with trailing vines and flowers, and heavy black cast iron railings and fences. This, for many, is classic Brownstone Brooklyn.
The Italianate style flourished from 1840 until around 1870. This coincides with the rapid growth of most of what we call Brownstone Brooklyn, and fine examples of these houses are found most frequently in the older neighborhoods fanning out from Fulton Landing and Brooklyn Heights. They appear, in lesser numbers, in later neighborhoods such as Crown Heights North, where they represent some of the earliest row houses in that neighborhood. There are very few, if any, in Crown Heights South or Prospect Lefferts Gardens, as development in those neighborhoods took place after the style had fallen out of favor. The inspiration for the Italianate brownstone was the 15th century Italian city palazzo, a style with classical detail, elegance and gravitas deemed eminently suitable for conveying prosperity and social position in a limited space. At the same time, the New England sandstone known as brownstone was gaining in popularity as an elegant and rich building material, and by the late 1840’s through the 1850’s, almost all of the new residential architecture, as well as churches and commercial buildings in Manhattan and Brooklyn were faced in this stone, praised for its “unostentatious magnificence”. The enduring popularity of this material is evidenced by that fact that we still call all row houses, whether brick, brownstone, limestone, or a combination thereof, “brownstones”.
Squadron Helps Drivers Get Off (The FDR)
Most Brooklynites are familiar with what a mess it can be to take the Brooklyn Bridge exit from the southbound FDR drive. Well, State Senator Squadron just worked out a deal with State DOT to make some changes, including new painted lines and EXIT ONLY signs, by the end of the year. Think it'll help?
The Gingerbread House Hits the Market
The Gingerbread House, the famous Arts & Crafts residence designed by architect James Sarsfield Kennedy, is for sale. (While it is more popularly known as the Gingerbread House, Forgotten NY points out that its formal name is the Howard E. and Jessie Jones House.) The 5,800-square-foot structure of uncut stone sits on a verdant one-acre lot at 8220 Narrows Avenue just a block from the waterfront. With its thatched roofs and endless interior architectural details, the 1916 house is definitely one of a kind. And it comes with a one-of-a-kind price tag of $12,000,000. This should be interesting.
8220 Narrows Avenue [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP
$21 Million Grant for Coney Affordable Housing
Residents at Luna Park, the Mitchell Lama-era housing complex in Coney Island, got a lifeline yesterday when public officials announced a $21 million grant to renovate the ailing structures; residents had feared that the 1,600-unit co-op would go private and lose its protections like many others have done in recent years. Most of the money ($15 million) for fixing windows, brickwork and rooftops at the complex will come from HPD. A number of local politicians and city agencies were at the table on this one, including Representative Jerrold Nadler, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, State Senator Diane Savino, reports The Real Deal.
Coney Island Housing Complex Gets $21M [TRD]
Press Release [R8NY]
Pelli Tower Proposed for Greenpoint Waterfront
Something about this seems so 2006! A first-time developer (but former lawyer for The Donald) is proposing building two tall residential towers, annexing streets and building piers as part of a 890,000-square-foot, Cesar Pelli-designed project on India Street near the East River in Greenpoint; the waterfront portion would also include sand dunes and wetlands. Countless approvals would be needed at the city and community level for this thing to happen, but the concept did get a warm reception from one not easily taken in by developers' visions of grandeur: “It’s a beautiful project with a hard sell,” said Ward Dennis, chair of local Community Board 1’s land-use committee. “What the community needs to decide is where that balance is between density and open space and affordable housing. And really, that’s what all of these projects come down to.” Waddya think? Crazy or just so crazy it might work?
Greenpoint Rising [Architect's Newspaper]
Introducing the Latest Crazy Greenpoint Waterfront Plan [Curbed]
Tuesday Links
Voices From the Boroughs: Bay Ridge [NY Times]
Photo: Bloomberg Bakes at Cakeman Raven [NY Times]
Tish James' Republican Opponent for Council [NY Times]
Beat-trial defense blames Orthodox rivals [NY Post]
Housing honcho beats corruption rap [NY Post]
Crown Heights Woman Monitors Leaves [NY Daily News]
Fixers Collective Meets Weekly in Gowanus [NY Daily News]
Photo by emilyshu
November 2, 2009
Monday Blogwrap
Tomorrow is Election Day [OTBKB]
Voting for the Youngins [Cobble Hill Blog]
Problems Persist for ETO and Jemal [GerritsenBeach.net]
New blog: Handmade Brooklyn [Brokelyn]
The *Real* Park Slope Co-Op [FiPS]
Nathan’s Jacks Up Prices To $3+ [SB]
Graphic. Photo by threecee from the Brownstoner Flickr Pool.
Closing Bell: Windshield Spam Backfires
Here's one thing we learned today: If you want people to vote for you, you might not want to put political fliers designed to look like parking tickets on their windshields. "Thank you for giving me a very clear favorite in this election - your opponent," one South Slope resident wrote to Gothamist about Council candidate Joe Nardiello's marketing tactics. A Brooklyn Heights resident who emailed us was equally peeved — and surprised when he got the following email response from Nardiello:
What would you do? if the media is allowing our local pols to 'stick a spigot in your back'... without featuring the story? Do you want a defender and a fighter of your rights -- or not? I went straight to YOU. You would have simply received an annual bill, in the Spring if I'd not done this. Think twice. Your local government is plotting over the next few months to charge YOU and everyone that visits you, real $$ -- which may amount to $400-500 per car owner. Everyone that visits you, will need a Temporary Residents Sticker, etc. I'm sorry to have shocked you, and clearly upset you. But, Squadron-Lander-DeBlasio have set the stage for a HUGE payday for the MTA on our backs, and ONLY our backs. The only person in NYC government that can stop this -- is me. The choice is yours.
Development Watch: 185 York Street
The seven-story building at 185 York Street in Vinegar Hill is well on its way now but the big question remains to be answered: Can a market-rate project make it right across from public housing?
Development Watch: 185 York Street [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Streetlevel: A Beauty Salon for Fulton
According to the DOB permit in the window, the former clothing store at 672 Fulton Street in Fort Greene is in the process of being turned into a beauty parlor. Word on the street it's being brought to you by the same guy who owns the sushi restaurant, the green market and the froyo place. GMAP
House of the Day: 49 8th Avenue
Sweeeeeet! Check out this 25-foot-wide corner brownstone at 49 8th Avenue in Park Slope. While whoever can end up affording the $3,200,000 price tag will inevitably want to gussy it up a bit (even the listing says it's "in need of repair and renovation," we're loving what we can see of the house in its current unfancified state. It's got 42 windows and, on the parlor floor, a ballroom. Overall, there's more than 6,500 square feet of space. Ah, to dream.
49 8th Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Condo of the Day: 85 North 3rd Street, #207
The Mill Building at 85 North 3rd Street has long been a favorite of ours. The conversion hit the market in better times and was popular with buyers. One such buyer is now moving on though and putting his second floor loft on the market. The 1,750-square-foot pad, which originally went for $872,000, is asking $1,200,000, and before everyone jumps to the conclusion that that's too big a mark-up, consider that, despite the plethora of new construction condos clogging the market, there's actually a paucity of nice conversion properties available. Witness the overwhelming demand for Mason Fiske recently. At under $700 a foot, this place is priced competitively with the Mason Fiske apartments.
85 North 3rd Street, #207 [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Sheepshead Bay Gets Sexy
Sheepshead Bay doesn't get a lot of attention around here but this new condo at 1702 Avenue Z caught our eye. We don't think of the area being known for Richard Meier-wannabe designs. Given the alternative though (like this place we wrote about last year), we'll take it. The ten three-bedroom units range in price from $799,000 to $899,000. At less than $500 a foot, we bet these'll sell. GMAP
First Resale at 14 Townhouses
It had to happen sometime! The 14 Townhouses on State Street received a lot of attention, most of it positive, when they hit the market back in 2005. It took a little while (and some time off the market) to get the job done, but ultimately all of them sold for prices of between $2 and $3 million. More than four years after, we've arrrived at a milestone in the project's history: The first resale. The house in question is 267 State Street, the one on the corner of Smith Street. It's got more than 4,000 square feet of space and doesn't look any worse for the wear. The asking price? $3,600,000. We shall see.
267 State Street [Corcoran] GMAP
14 Townhouses, After Slow '06, Go Gangbusters [Brownstoner]
14 Townhouses Update: Slow Going, At Best [Brownstoner]
Widget Falls Way Short on South Oxford
Another reason we wish our programmer would finish the updated version ye olde widget: This one-bedroom at 60 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene was listed for $399,000. 58 readers weighed in on the price via the widget, with an average vote of $306,250. Once again the widget (and the seller) have the last laugh: The co-op just sold for $375,000. We're definitely a little surprised at how high a price this one fetched. You? GMAP
The Roebling Inn Cometh
From the Brooklyn Heights Blog comes word of an incremental step towards the neighborhood's much-anticipated new watering hole. The old signage from when 97 Atlantic Avenue was occupied by Magnetic Field just came down, the blog notes, clearing the way for a new spot which, according to the liquor license, will be called the Roebling Inn. BHB believes it's being brought to you by the same people behind the popular Brooklyn Inn in Boerum Hill. GMAP
Uncertainty, Skepticism Around Arena Bond Offering
There was a lot of discussion last week about the viability and timing of the issuance of debt to finance the construction of Barclay's Arena, the centerpiece of the Atlantic Yards project. First, on Wednesday, the blog Noticing New York wrote, "We have never seen so many loose ends and approvals that are not in place." On Thursday, Reuters followed up with an article that quoted the ESDC chief financial officer Frances Walton as saying "The expectation is that they will be issued...We have begun discussions with ratings agencies." That same day Bond Buyer quoted Ms. Walton as saying, “The structure and the timing of the bonds are still in flux,” (Two weeks ago The WSJ called the odds of the bond sale going through a "toss up"); the same article also floated the idea that the bonds could be structured with an early call to be exercised in the event that the plaintiffs prevail in their eminent domain case (which is expected to be decided by the end of this month but not before the issuance date scheduled for the week of November 16. Noticing New York followed up with its own analysis on Friday, questioning whether such a structure would threaten the tax-exempt status of the bonds. Meanwhile, the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, a Federal entity, just gave $55 million to Forest City Community Development Entity, LLC in Brooklyn. As Atlantic Yards Report points out, grants from the Financial Institutions Fund are targeted at "highly distressed low-income communities," the kind where Ratner plans to sell condos at $1,217 a foot.
ESDC’s Bond Buyer Happy Talk About Arena Bonds [Noticing New York]
So Many Unchecked Approval Boxes [Noticing New York]
Sale of Nets' Arena Debt Is Tough Shot [WSJ]
NYS Sets Big Bond Sale, Waits on Other Large Issues [No Land Grab]
Atlantic Yard Bonds May Be Sold, Escrowed [Bond Buyer]
Bond Buyer Article Excerpted [DDDB]
Forest City Gets $55M [AYR]
Photo by Tracy Collins
Brooklyn Brewery Staying Put Courtesy of Weak Market
Before the real estate market started to weaken back in 2008, Brooklyn Brewery had been desperately (and unsuccessfully) searching for a new place to set up shop in Brooklyn; after two decades on North 11th Street in Williamsburg, commercial rents had crept up to $30 a year, more than three times what the brewery was paying and well beyond the reach for most manufacturing businesses. Now, however, thanks to the weakening market which has reduced the competition from other uses like hotels, bowling alleys and upscale markets, and a $800,000 grant from the state, Brooklyn Brewery has managed to negotiate a new lease that will let the beer maker stay put for another five years. “When the recession hit in, like, August or September last year, all of a sudden the landlords here in Williamsburg were looking much more favorably on us as a long-term tenant,” Brooklyn Brewery's founder Steve Hindy told The New York Times.
Soft Real Estate Market Is a Key Ingredient at Brooklyn Brewery [NY Times]
Photo by wallyg
DOB: A Challenge for All Times (and Mayors)
An article in The Times this weekend looks at the mayor's record at cleaning up corruption and incompetence at the Buildings Department and largely finds it wanting; but the paper also notes that no other mayor has had much luck in that department either. The problem, as the article frames it, is an inherent one when you have low-paid bureaucrats with quite a bit of power and discretion charged with policing an industry that's making money hand-over-fist. “When you pay people who have the responsibility as inspectors so little, they’re prone to having their hand out,” said Daniel J. Castleman, a former chief assistant in the Manhattan district attorney’s office and current managing director at FTI Consulting. “That’s not endemic to one mayor or a dozen mayors, that’s just the way it is. There’s so much money to be made in construction and development that people are going to offer you things and people who are paid less are going to think, ‘Who’s this going to hurt?’ ” The answer, as the numerous crane and building collapses in recent years show, is a lot of people.
Buildings Dept. Woes Have Persisted Despite Bloomberg’s Overhaul [NY Times]
Photo by Jon Meyer
Weekday Events
76th Precinct Community Council
The 76th Precinct Community Council meets on the first Tuesday evening of every month except July and August. Our next meeting is on *Tuesday November 3rd - Election Day* at 7:30 p.m. at the 76th Precinct Station House, 191 Union Street between Hicks and Henry Streets. The meeting is opento everyone. Tuesday, November 3. 7:30 p.m. 191 Union Street, 76th Precinct Station House.
Lefferts Place Civic Association Meeting
The Lefferts Place Civic Association has a new set of officers and will soon have a new website. In the meantime, come catch up on the issues facing this corner of Clinton Hill the old-fashioned way by attending its next meeting on Wednesday evening. Wednesday, November 4, 7 p.m. at the Bethel SDA Church at the corner of Grand Avenue and Lefferts Place.
Climate Change: Picturing the Science
Join editors Gavin Schmidt and Joshua Wolfe, and author Frank Zeman at the Community Bookstore to celebrate their book, Climate Change: Picturing the Science. Schmidt and Wolfe address a host of observable changes, from the melting of ice and permafrost at the poles to the rising of sea levels in cities such as Venice and Miami in their book. From discussions of increasing drought, forest fires, and extreme storms to the deadly buildup of industrial and agriculture chemicals, the coverage is clear. It’s inspiring to learn about the work of these cutting-edge experts. All are welcome to attend. Tuesday, November 3. 7 p.m. 143 7th Avenue, Community Bookstore.
Please send your events listings to events@brownstoner.com
Monday Links
Thompson's Start with Brooklyn Political Machine [NY Times]
Mortgages: Fraud Watch for Homeowners [NY Times]
Al Vann Facing Challenge for Council Seat [NY Times]
A Seaside Enclave, Without the Kitsch [NY Times]
Block-a-Thon in Park Slope [NY Times]
They Heeded the Call of an Old Haunt’s Slices [NY Times]
Bloomberg Gets Endorsed at Tom's Diner [NY Post]
Killer Mom Allowed to Go to Son's Funeral [NY Post]
Crime Up 22% in Williamsburg This Year [NY Post]
Your Guide to Bedford-Stuyvesant [NY Daily News]
Explosion in Greenpoint Was for Movie Shoot [NY Daily News]
Rapper Shot and Killed in Bed Stuy [Rap Weekly]
They All Came From Brooklyn [Gothamist]
Photo by chicapoquita
Latest Restaurant Additions
-
Bridgeview Diner
added February 9, 2010 12:00 PM in Bay Ridge -
222 Franklin Street
added February 8, 2010 12:00 PM in Greenpoint -
La Petite Provence
added February 5, 2010 12:00 PM in Carroll Gardens -
Purple Yam
added February 4, 2010 12:00 PM in Ditmas Park -
Kasia's Restaurant
added February 3, 2010 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
myThai
added February 2, 2010 12:00 PM in Bay Ridge -
Vinnie's Pizzeria
added February 1, 2010 12:00 PM in Greenpoint, Williamsburg -
Vesuvio
added January 29, 2010 12:00 PM in Bay Ridge -
Sue Perette
added January 28, 2010 12:00 PM in Carroll Gardens -
Radegast Hall & Biergarten
added January 27, 2010 12:00 PM in Williamsburg