Bay Ridge
April 1, 2008
Buyers Sweet on Slope, Bay Ridge, and Bed-Stuy
People searching for Brooklyn homes on the Real Estate Board of New York's ResidentialNYC web portal are most likely to look for properties in Park Slope, Bay Ridge or Bedford-Stuyvesant, according to an article in this morning's Eagle. The Slope is Brooklyn's most searched-for neighborhood, followed by Bay RIdge and Bed-Stuy. According to data collected on ResidentialNYC, the Brooklyn sales market isn't exactly flagging. Average prices for co-ops and condos increased 11 percent (to $501,000) from January '07 to January '08. Average prices for all home types increased a far more modest 2 percent, year-over-year, to $587,000. "Despite a national real estate slowdown, the Brooklyn market continues to show some signs of growth with apartment prices increasing 11 percent throughout the borough,” said REBNY Prez Steven Spinola.
Park Slope, Bay Ridge, Bed-Stuy Named ‘Hottest’ Nabes [Brooklyn Eagle]
Slope photo by wallyg; Bay Ridge photo by gmpicket; Bed-Stuy photo by ultraclay.
February 27, 2008
Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
Photo by williamsburger
Zenkichi: Best Japanese in Brooklyn?
77 N. Sixth St.,at Wythe Ave., Williamsburg; (718) 388-8985
"As you descend a flight of stairs into this three-story labyrinth of corridors, you'll feel like you've stumbled upon some hidden 'otherworld' decorated with Japanese lanterns, bamboo and pebble-strewn floors. Diners are escorted to dimly lit wooden booths and secluded from other guests by bamboo shades... the small-plates menu is as beguiling as the intimate surroundings. Luscious oysters - grilled in a red miso sauce and presented in an oyster shell - taste as opulent as they look. So do glistening beads of ikura (salmon roe) mingled with salmon sashimi and tucked into a vibrant lime." [NYDN]
Big Success for Brooklyn IHOP
276 Livingston Street, Downtown Brooklyn
"An International House of Pancakes that opened in Downtown Brooklyn in December is already ranked top in sales among the breakfast-focused chain's 1,300 stores, the company says... 'It seems like there's no recession in Brooklyn,' said Dave Cox, owner of the new IHOP, who plans to open in Bed-Stuy, East New York and Williamsburg." [NY Post]
Sneak Preview: Greenpoint's t.b.d.
224 Franklin Street, Greenpoint; (718) 349-6727
"The future residents of the Magic Johnson’s 130-unit condo down the block are sure to flock to the sleek 2,500 square feet lounge, which features three flatscreen TVs (intended for video art, not sports, according to Foley). There are twelve beers on tap and some catered comfort food, like mac ‘n’ cheese and zucchini pie." [Gothamist]
After the jump: fish 'n' chips in Bay Ridge; new vegetarian and fro yo joints in Park Slope; the New St. Clair gets a face lift; and Met Foods Clinton Hill scrambles for some street cred...
February 14, 2008
Foreclosures of the Week
There are a couple of cute houses up for auction today that aren’t in Bed-Stuy or East New York. To the left is a turn-of-the-century, three-story Bay Ridge house that appears to have been refinanced again and again (and again) by its current owner, who took control of the property in ’02. The lien for this one stands at $787,627. To the right, meanwhile, is a Flatbush house that seems to have been owned by the same people since 1976; the lien here is a comparatively skimpy $85,753, suggesting a sadder story. Both auctions take place at 3 p.m. this afternoon at 360 Adams Street, room 261.
230 95th Street [Property Shark] GMAP
435 E 34 Street [Property Shark] GMAP
January 16, 2008
Foreclosures In New and Unusual Places
Glancing at the list of foreclosures on the docket tomorrow, we noticed, among the usual sea of properties in Bed Stuy, Crown Heights and East New York, a couple of houses in areas that have not felt the sting of the current mortgage crisis much-—Park Slope and Bay Ridge. The house at the left, 271 11th Street, is a three-story (two plus English basement) place with a lien of $148,300, a surprisingly small amount to lead to a foreclosure in this part of town; the charmer on the right, 513 72nd Street, has a larger tab, $428,044 to be exact. Both are scheduled to be auctioned tomorrow at 360 Adams Street at 3 p.m.
Foreclosure: 271 11th Street [PropertyShark] GMAP
Foreclosure: 513 72nd Street [PropertyShark] GMAP
December 12, 2007
Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
A New Bar and Music Venue on 7th?
"According to a couple of sources, 7th street between 2nd and 3rd aves will soon be home to a new musical venue run by the good folks at Union Hall. Given the problems that I've heard about with their current location - i.e. noise complaints, it makes sense to open something in a location where noise is not an issue." [Food of the Future]
Luger's Mystery Room Opening Soon
178 Broadway, Williamsburg; (718) 387-7400
"Upon walking into Lugers in Brooklyn tonight I had noticed a big plaid curtain to the right of the bar. Looks as though the mystery room which I have inquired about many times before on the site is set to open by weeks end. The manager Tom has told me the it will open by the end of the week but he still has to see it to believe it himself, the project has been ongoing for over 5 years and has been held back numerous times due to environmental issues. Right now the room is filled with tables and chairs and is completely lit with lights." [Eater]
Tanoreen Will Relocate Within Bay Ridge
7704 Third Ave., nr. 77th St., Bay Ridge; 718-748-5600
"Tanoreen has decided to expand to accommodate all its new admirers, acquiring the lease on a nearby space twice its size. 'We're really tight on the weekend, and our lease is up. So now is the time to make the step,' chef-owner Rawia Bishara tells us. 'It will be four to five months, but we won’t be closing; we're going to move right from the one location to the other one in late spring.'" [Grub Street]
The best jelly doughnuts ever, a new wine shop in Windsor Terrace, and a mysterious new development in the Slope...
December 5, 2007
Bathroom Reno #10: From Scratch in Bay Ridge
Here's another bathroom post straight from the horse's mouth...I moved to Bay Ridge from Park Slope in February and the "new" house did not have a half-bath on the first floor - just a 2nd floor full bath and a toilet in the partially below-grade basement. Tiles are 4x8 subway, the detail band is glass, shower pan is terrazzo, ceiling is tin - dropped for easy access to pipes. The door swings out instead of in because of space constraints. There is an electric heater built into the wall and a hole had to be cut through the exterior wall so the fan vents outside. I have to say I'm not 100% satisfied with the detail work. The sink & light fixture are not centered so I had a cabinet built that would offset that irregularity. The total cost for the job was $8,000.
Bathroom Reno #9: Connected In Crown Heights [Brownstoner]
Bath Reno #8: Park Slope Modern [Brownstoner]
Bath Reno #7: Traditional in Park Slope [Brownstoner]
Bath Reno #6: Modern in Carroll Gardens [Brownstoner]
Bathroom Reno #5: Soaking It Up [Brownstoner]
Bathroom Reno #4: Glass Tile Time [Brownstoner]
Bathroom Reno #3: Marble All Around [Brownstoner]
Bathroom Reno #2: After the Fire [Brownstoner]
Bathroom Reno #1: $3,000 Goes A Long Way [Brownstoner]
October 2, 2007
Bait-and-Switch in Bay Ridge by Basile Builders
In a move that won't exactly improve public opinion of developers, the Basile Builders Group last week demolished three Victorian homes in Bay Ridge which, according to the Brooklyn Eagle, it had originally promised to restore. As the blog Cititours documented in the photos above, the purveyors of all things Fedders pulled the old bait-and-switch on the community. “We’re restoring the Victorian homes,” Rocco Basile originally told the Eagle at the end of August. The Bay Ridge Conservancy's Victoria Hofmo wasn't buying it at the time, calling the three contiguous houses "fine, structurally” and not in need of any tampering. Turns out her suspicions about the developers' intentions were right. Vile. Update: There is a meeting with local officials tonight at 7 pm at PS 170 at 6th Avenue and 72nd Street to discuss this situation and how to protect the neighborhood in general from similar threats.
Death Row Update: Bay Ridge Victorians Destroyed [Citiblog] GMAP
In Bay Ridge, Another Historic Site Is on the Road to Demolition [Brooklyn Eagle]
Three Historic Bay Ridge Homes Bought by Condo Developer [Brooklyn Eagle]
Bay Ridge Victorians 'On Death Row' [Curbed]
Photos courtesy of Cititour.com
September 10, 2007
Brooklyn Finally Gets Fed Tornado Relief Funds
On Friday, President Bush issued a disaster declaration for Brooklyn, making residents whose homes or cars were damaged during last month’s freak tornado eligible for federal funds. The decision was a reversal for the Bush administration, which at first only committed to giving relief funds to Queens residents affected by the August 8th storm. After the ample documentation of the storm’s devastating impact on neighborhoods like Bay Ridge, Ditmas Park and Prospect Park South, the only surprising thing about the federal aid is that it took so long—and, according to the Brooklyn Paper, so much wrangling on the part of elected officials like Rep. Vito Fossella—to materialize. Residents whose property was damaged by the storm can apply for FEMA aid here, while small businesses can apply for federal loans here.
Bush Releases Tornado Relief Funds to Brooklyn [Brooklyn Paper]
A Rough 24 Hours in Brooklyn [Brownstoner]
Photo of Tornado-Torn Bay Ridge Houses by monika_ny.
July 25, 2007
Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
Now Open: Black Mountain Wine Bar at 415 Union Street (at Hoyt Street). Their rustic deck furniture is looks very inviting — has anyone been inside yet?
New York magazine's Cheap List features all their favorite inexpensive eateries, including a bunch of Brooklyn establishments — Cobble Hill's Bocca Lupo and Hibino; Clinton Hill's Choice Market; Park Slope's Flatbush Farm and Willie's Dawgs; Williamsburg's Egg, Silent h, and Falafel Chula; Sunset Park's Yun Nan Flavour Snack Shop; Lucali and Petite Crevette in Carroll Gardens; and The Farm on Adderley in Ditmas Park.
Killer Apps at Po
276 Smith St (at Sackett), Carroll Gardens, (718) 875-1980
"Appetizers were unbelievably good, and set a ridiculously high bar that the rest of meal couldn't possibly follow. The highlight was marinated anchovies piled on a suprisingly light mound of barley, the whole thing drizzled with lemon and chili oil--it's my new favorite dish." [A Brooklyn Life]
After the jump: Keeping cool at Sample, getting the grill going at Gowanus Yacht Club, and taking orders at La Maison du Couscous...
July 24, 2007
House of the Day: 566 74th Street
This round-front brick at 566 74th Street is looking like a decent deal at the asking price of $749,000. It's got plenty of original detail (including some very nice floors) and what it lacks in interior square footage it partially makes up for with a 148-foot-deep yard. There's a court-ordered change in ownership listed on Property Shark from April that's got us scratching our head. Perhaps it's somehow related to the fact that this is a relatively low asking price. Anyone know the back-story?
566 74th Street [NY Times] GMAP P*Shark