Bushwick
September 29, 2009
Beer City in Bushwick
The New York Post reported over the weekend that developer Read Property Group is seeking to build ten new buildings at the former site of the Rheingold Brewery in Bushwick. The buildings would contain 947 units and likely top out at eight stories. The site, on lots between Flushing Avenue and Melrose Street along Bushwick and Evergreen avenues, is near the contentious Broadway Triangle site, another mega development, and opponents of the Rheingold project say the new buildings will stress local infrastructure. Activist Phil DePaolo told the Post, "We call it putting 20 pounds of shit in a 10-pound bag." The architect, Magnusson Architecture and Planning, has plans for the brewery development up on its site. The new buildings would be the second phase of a project that began in 2003, when nearly 300 apartments and townhouses were built. GMAP
'Beer City' Plan All the Buzz in B'kln [NY Post]
Community Groups Sue City over Broadway Triangle [Brownstoner]
Rheingold Brewery plans [Magnusson Architecture and Planning]
September 18, 2009
Bushwick Farmers Market Takes Off
The blog BushwickBK brings us the good news that the farmers market at Knickerbocker and Starr, which had experienced a sluggish summer, has been attracting more and more customers these days. Jenny Parker, market manager and a Make the Road NY employee, which helps sponsor the market, told BushwickBK that "It’s getting bigger every week." On a separate note, the market also accepts food stamps and is one of 15 farmers markets that gives customers two dollars in Health Bucks for every five dollars spent in food stamps. It's a program from the NYC Department of Health to help lower-income families buy fresh produce while supporting local farmers, where Health Bucks can be spent at the participating markets.
Slowly, Farmers Market Grows on Knickerbocker [BushwickBK]
Health Bucks Program [NYC Dept. of Health]
Photo by BushwickBK
September 11, 2009
Castle Braid: Mayer Schwartz's Art Utopia?
The Castle Braid, a new 146-unit luxury rental building from developer and art lover Mayer Schwartz, will be playing host to the Street Art Festival starting this Saturday. In addition to the festival itself, it'll be an opportunity to check out Schwartz's unique vision for an artist community at 114 Troutman in Bushwick. The building hosts a slew of artist-targeted amenities such as rentable video equipment, a media library, a book swap, and a screening room (this is in addition to many other luxury amenities such as tennis, yoga, a dog run, etc.). The 6,000-square-foot courtyard (designed by Future Green Studio), which will be used for the art festival, is no exception: graffiti wall, built-in flat screen and Wii station, bocce ball court...the list goes on. A designer who worked on the project described it as "a hipster playground of sorts." The one- and two-bedrooms range between $1,650 and $3,000 a month. More info on Bushwickbk.com.
Photo of courtyard under development provided by Future Green Studio
September 2, 2009
The Voice Calls Out Lopez
This week The Village Voice grilled State Assemblyman Vito Lopez of the 53rd district for corruption, especially the misappropriation of funds. Lopez has been in the news recently due to the controversial development deal with the city for the area of East Williamsburg known as the Broadway Triangle, as well as two City Council district elections in which his former aides are running. The Voice goes through a laundry list of complaints that have long been associated with Lopez's name: allocating state funds to his pet projects such as the Ridgewood Bushwick Senior Citizens Council (which received the development rights to the Broadway Triangle in a no-bid process, along with the United Jewish Organizations); Angela Battaglia, his partner and the housing director who receives $190,000 per year; Bushwick United Democratic Club and its newspaper, which publishes a high volume of Lopez-glorifying stories; the list goes on. Lopez is currently trying to push three allies into public office, while Diana Reyna, an incumbent City Council candidate and former aide of Lopez, is on the outs with her former mentor. Instead, Lopez is supporting Maritza Davila for the 34th district seat, who is currently a project director at Ridgewood Bushwick. At a rally for Davila, Lopez said, "We need a team player!" Lopez's opponents in the community, of course, could not agree more.
Power Plays by Party Boss Vito Lopez [Village Voice]
Markowitz Endorses Lopez's Triangle Plan [Brownstoner]
Voice Takes on Vito [BushwickBK]
Image of Steve Levin, left, and Vito Lopez from BushwickBK
August 5, 2009
Broadway Triangle Creates a Wedge in Williamsburg
It's a classic recipe for neighborhood tension: take two or more local organizations, one pot of municipal funds, a generous sprinkling of competition, and stir. In this case, as The Times reports, there are several representative organizations at odds over the city's redevelopment plan for the Broadway Triangle, a 31-acre area near the intersection of Broadway and Flushing littered with vacant lots and long overdue for an overhaul. The groups struggling for influence over the plan include the United Jewish Organizations, Ridgwood Bushwick headed by Vito Lopez, and the Churches United for Fair Housing. The funny thing about this recipe for neighborhood tension is that the result depends on whom you ask: Mr. Lopez and the U.J.O. say that the development process has been inclusive, and the goal is to build fair, equal-opportunity, affordable housing. Churches United, however, complains of exclusion in the planning process. Concerning the possible rivalries, Councilman Yassky told the Times: “I really don’t think there are great differences in people’s vision for the neighborhood. The politics are intruding.” Maybe Ward Dennis of Community Board 1, which supports the mayor's plan, put it best when he called it “a good proposal but a bad process.” Marty Markowitz is holding a public hearing on the matter this afternoon at Borough Hall.
Old Feuds Resurface in a Brooklyn Rezoning Fight [NY Times] GMAP
July 8, 2009
Streetlevel: Athom Cafe in Bushwick
Athom Cafe opened a few weeks ago but its presence at 1096 Broadway in Bushwick makes it newsworthy enough to mention even at this point; as BushwickBK put it, "Bodegas and 99-cent stores come a dime a dozen here in the Washing Machine and Refrigerator District of Broadway, and cafés owned by real-life Parisians are more unexpected." In fact, the cafe--which currently features salads, pastries, sandwiches and omelets may expand to full restaurant fare--is located in a former appliance store. Anyone been?
I Just Got a Baguette on Broadway! [BushwickBK] GMAP
June 25, 2009
Closing Bell: Bushwick is 'New York Cool'
Travelers on British Airways can read all about Bushwick in the latest issue of the airlines' magazine, High Life. The neighborhood is recommended for those who want to experience the 1980s era of Manhattan and its underground vibe. The magazine claims that "Bushwick is just nine stops on the L train from Union Square, but it’s a 20-minute time warp to a golden age of New York cool." Bushwick BK predicts that photos from a tourist's visit to the 'hood would probably include "self-portraits in front of the Boar’s Head Rock Street distribution plant, rainbow-colored puddles, skinny people on double-decker bicycles and maybe a shot of that creepy Santa statue on Bogart Street."
New York: Get hip to Bushwick [High Life]
Bushwick Declared ‘Cool’ by Tourism Magazine [Bushwick BK]
Photo by Bushwick Culture.
June 19, 2009
Nondescript East W'burg Condos Defying the Market
We can't see the appeal in this new condo offering at 15 Judge Street but the one-bedroom residences in Bushwick East Williamsburg are flying off the shelf at around $550 per foot: Five units have already sold since the project hit the market a month ago, if you can believe it. Given that the development has neither architecture nor location going for it, the sales effort must be getting a big boost from the fact that you can buy a place with just 3.5 percent down courtesy of the FHA. GMAP
June 15, 2009
It's Hard to Beat the Tent Rent
Here's something we may start to see more of: Brokelyn reports that three enterprising recent college grads have avoided moving in with mom and dad by pitching a tent in the backyard of a friend's Bushwick rental. The price? $100 a month per tent. The experience is not for the faint of heart, given that there are already six people crammed into the two-bedroom duplex. In all, that makes for nine people sharing one shower. All of a sudden, crashing on the 'rents couch doesn't sound too bad.
Bushwick Summer Rental: A $100 Tent [Brokelyn]
Photo by Stefan Tonio
June 11, 2009
Closing Bell: Mini-Golfing in Bushwick
Ever wish you could play putt-putt on an eco-friendly course in Bushwick? Your wish has come true. Located at 12 Wyckoff Avenue, The Putting Lot is a nine-hole miniature golf course that opened last weekend. Each hole is designed by a different team of artists and architects around themes of urban sustainability. Thrillist reports that the course is "constructed entirely from salvaged and repurposed materials (chicken wire, sedan doors, Moon Patrol stand-up arcade)." While you are golfing, you can nosh on baked goods and other locally-made snacks. It's only for a limited time though; after the summer ends, the space will be turned back into a parking lot.
June 3, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Cafe Tapeo Becomes Cyprus Avenue
52 5th Avenue, Park Slope
Tipster dwarbi reports that tapas joint Cafe Tapeo has reopened as an Irish pub: "Tapeo was struggling for a while — almost always empty. Every time we walked by it we wondered when it would close." The new pub, Cyprus Avenue, is presumably named after the Van Morrison song about the street in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Has anyone stopped in yet?
Upcoming Brooklyn Food Events
This Saturday, June 6 from 6-9pm, stop by the BKLYN Yard for music from Finger on the Pulse and $7 BBQ plates from Hapa Kitchen... Plus, tickets are available now for Brooklyn Based's screening of Food, Inc, a new documentary about the American industrial food system, at the Bell House on Wednesday, June 10. Doors are at 7pm and snacks will be provided by Roebling Tea Room, Sweet Deliverance, Nunu Chocolates, and McClure's Pickles, and there's a pre-show open bar courtesy of Brooklyn Brewery. Following the film, catch a Q&A with director Robert Kenner and author Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), who also appears in the film.
Closings and Bankruptcy
A few Chowhounds are mourning the approaching closing of Park Slope favorite Tempo (Saturday will be their last night in business), while Zagat reports that "Garden Cafe, the No.1 rated Brooklyn restaurant in Zagat’s NYC Survey, closed last week after nearly 25 years in operation in Prospect Heights." And Crain's says that Elementi in Park Slope "filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection" but remains open for business.
After the jump: Openings in Bed-Stuy, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope, Williamsburg, and Bushwick; reviews of Cafe Pedlar and Farmer in the Deli...
May 27, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
3 Closings...
We noticed that Star of India at 232 5th Avenue (near President Street) in Park Slope has been completely cleared out and closed up for the past couple of weeks. There's no note in the window, so we're not sure if they're closed for renovations or just closed for good. Could it be that the competition from Baluchi's on 310 5th Avenue (between 2nd & 3rd Streets) drove them out? Meanwhile, The Brooklyn Paper mourns the loss of Black Betty in Williamsburg, and ClintonHillBlog notices that Fish and Crustaceans on Fulton has shut down.
...and 5 Openings
We're into the whimsical name of the new Prospect Heights coffee shop, Sit & Wonder, which is serving one-buck cups of Stumptown Coffee, says Time Out New York. TONY also reports on the ice cream flavors at the new Jacques Torres Ice Cream — "Wicked Chocolate ice cream uses the same Mexican spices as his Wicked Hot Chocolate" — and says that the Greene Ice Cream at General Greene will be serving flavors such as Salted Hazelnut Gianduja and Coffee Road. The New York Times reports that Enoteca on Court (on Court and Union in Carroll Gardens) is officially open, and so is Open Book Cafe by Mambo, an outdoor cafe at the central branch of the Brooklyn Public Library, serving lobster sliders and mango iced tea.
After the jump: Pickled pig's tongue (and other non-pizza goodies) at Roberta's, a Cuban supper club at Dressler, and a Williamsburg bar crawl...
April 29, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Photo by Kristen Goode
Return of the Carroll Gardens Empanada Lady
The Empanada Lady has been setting up shop on Sackett and Smith once again, but according to About.com: Brooklyn, "[her] schedule is a tricky one. She and her cart can go missing for weeks at a time. The only way to tell if she's open for business? Look for her 'specials of the day' sign to appear on Smith Street -- No sign, no empanada lady." However, Chowhound pupburger makes her sound more high-tech than that: "According to her website, her hours vary according to her sales, check twitter for updates on her whereabouts." We can't find the URL -- is this 'Hound for real?
Catering to "Obsessions with Food and Real Estate"
Brooklyn Laundry is one of those dinner clubs (like the Whisk & Ladle or 4 Course Vegan) where patrons pay ahead to dine with strangers in a secret location. But this one has a twist for those interested in real estate: The dinner parties will be "housed in (among other places) various apartments on the market... Whether you’ll dine in a Madison penthouse or on an Orchard Street rooftop is anyone’s guess," says Daily Candy. Dinner costs $60 per person (or $80 with wine).
Brooklyn Restaurant and Bar Openings
The Flying Cow, an "eclectic Argentine-style restaurant—part Latin steakhouse, part tapas bar," is now open at 2 Hope Street (near Roebling Street) in Williamsburg, says Time Out New York... An Eater tipster says that the old Marco Polo Take Out space on Court Street (near Union Street) in Carroll Gardens will soon house a wine bar called Enoteca on Court: "From what we heard the opening date will be around the 3rd week of May... The wine will be international, the food small plates, panini, cheeses and salumi and pizza from the wood-burning oven." ...Clinton Hill Blog notices that Epoca has closed, but some commenters say that a new seafood restaurant is set to open in the space in June... And, finally, TONY reports on the new Bushwick bar, Tandem (236 Troutman St between Knickerbocker and Wilson Aves), where beers are served in ceramic cups that the owner turned on a potter's wheel.
After the jump: Jacques Torres ice cream, Whiskey Sunday, Totonno's, Beer Table, a Williamsburg sandwich tour, and Dressler on the big screen...
April 1, 2009
Hotel Le Bushwick On Tap
Despite its drab appearances, Williamsburg's Hotel Le Jolie must be doing well. Or, well enough, at least, to give its developers the confidence to proceed with another similar project in nearby Bushwick. According to a tipster, and confirmed by Department of Buildings filings, the 21,000-square-foot lot at 22 Sumner Avenue is slated to a seven story, 69-room hotel. According to one of the contractors involved, ground should be broken within the next week or two. Good place for a hotel? GMAP P*Shark DOB
Photo by George Spencer
March 26, 2009
Bushwick Projects and Environs Safe?
Over on Brooklynian, a concerned mother worries that her attractive daughter is planning to move to a new apartment across the street from the Bushwick projects. The feedback from the peanut gallery is pretty unanimous: She's got good reason to worry. "Simply put," responds one board member, "This is a dangerous area and probably a bad place to live if your daughter is not extremely street savvy, large, or armed." The sentiment is confirmed by another commenter: "Lived near there for three years. Nothing ever happened to me but my girlfriend was the victim of an attempted "push in" robbery or perhaps rape." Yikes. Should mom bail out her daughter?
March 23, 2009
Bushwick Warehouse Trades for $14 Million
A 80,000-square-foot building in the far reaches of Bushwick changed hands earlier this month for a cool $14,000,000 according to StreetEasy. The purchase price for the one-story warehouse at 1247 Grand Street comes out to $174 per existing square foot and about $75 per buildable foot. We called one of the companies partnering to make the purchase and, because of a bit of a language barrier, weren't able to discern exactly what their plans for the property are. It didn't sound like they had any imminent development plans though. GMAP P*Shark
March 19, 2009
38 Wilson Avenue Bucking the Trend?
According to BushwickBK, the new development at 38 Wilson Street is poised for great success when its 15 one-bedroom units officially hit the market on April 1. The developer has trimmed his starting prices by more than 5% but claims to have "10 interested buyers" already lined up. Maybe it's the local art being displayed in the model apartments. It's hard to believe that this is going to sell-out quickly and profitably but more power to him if he can pull it off! GMAP
March 11, 2009
House of the Day: 1182 Bushwick Avenue
How far the not-so-mighty have fallen! This four-story house at 1182 Bushwick Avenue in, you guessed it, Bushwick, was tapped as an Open House Pick last June when its asking price was $925,000. Today, the four-family can be yours for the rather reduced price of $599,000. Holy 46 percent reduction, Batman! This could be starting to look pretty interesting, given that the interior, while admittedly musty, has plenty of intact detail and the numbers look like they work. At this price, a buyer would be looking at about $2,000 a month in mortgage costs plus another $800 or so in taxes and insurance and another $500 in utilities and miscellaneous expenses. So you could, theoretically, move into one floor, rent the other three for, say, $1,000 a month and live almost for free. Is our math right?
1182 Bushwick Avenue [Century 21] GMAP P*Shark
February 12, 2009
Closing Bell: Is There Decent Chinese Food in Bushwick?
Bushwick BK set out to find decent Chinese food in Bushwick. Some places in the neighborhood may look questionable on the outside but could there be "one diamond in the rough, waiting to be exposed"? According to them, Lee Garden on Wyckoff is the winner but only because of its cleanliness and convenience. It seems that the search for the best-tasting Chinese restaurant continues on in Bushwick.
February 5, 2009
Two Affordable Projects in Brooklyn Salvaged by State
Market-rate condos and brownstones aren't the only housing threatened by the economic downturn—a decline in the value of Low Income Housing Tax Credits has meant trouble for affordable projects. At least two such projects, though—a 59-unit development in Bushwick call Rheingold Heights II and the 72-unit Domenech Senior Housing in Brownsville—have been preserved by special emergency funding from the New York State, reports the Brooklyn Eagle; an addition 13 projects around the state were also saved.
February 2, 2009
Bushwick Goes National
Like Williamsburg before it, the Bushwick brand is spreading beyond New York City's borders. This weekend, The Philadelphia Inquirer brought news of the gritty but increasingly arty nabe to its readers in the City of Brotherly Love. "Over the last few years, the two-square-mile Brooklyn neighborhood has been attracting visionaries outpriced by neighboring Williamsburg or disillusioned by Chelsea's artiste scene," writes the paper. "Studios, galleries and spaces that defy categorization are appearing in former bodegas, 99-cent stores, and other unglamorous structures." The 'Wick manages to maintain its street cred with a killer quotation from Laura Braslow of non-profit Arts in Bushwick: "The Bushwick art scene is not about sipping wine and looking at white walls," she said. A few of the recommended galleries include English Kills, Ad Hoc and Factory Fresh.
Art Grows in Bushwick [Philadelphia Inquirer]
January 29, 2009
New Bushwick Condo Boldly Braves the Bear Market
In a sign of either bullishness or outright hubris, a new condo building is launching this week at 375 Menahan Street in Bushwick. Four blocks from the Wyckoff L train, the six-unit project will range in size from a 600 to 1,043 square feet and in price from $259,000 to $329,000. Five of the six units are one-bedrooms. Aptsandlofts.com has the listing. We shall see! GMAP
January 28, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Photo by Jeff Gurwin for Time Out New York
Pork Nuggets at Char No. 4
196 Smith St between Baltic and Warren Sts, Cobble Hill; (718) 643-2106
"The Midas-like chef Matt Greco lovingly turns his restaurant’s pork scraps into gold. Along with feet and shoulder, Greco slow-cooks bits of house-smoked bacon and ham (delicious trimmings deemed too small for the restaurant’s fancy sandwiches), then recombines the meat with the reduced braising liquid, which has been transformed into a delicious jelly.... And at six nuggets for $4, this is a value meal we can get behind." [Time Out New York]
Bati: Now Open and Already Getting Rave Reviews
747 Fulton Street near S. Portland Avenue, Fort Greene
Clinton Hill Blog asked owner Hibist Legesse to describe the cuisine at this brand new BYOB Ethiopian spot: "Traditional Ethiopian with a focus on nutrition and health. For example, by adding extra teff (type of flour) to the injera (spongy flatbread), we’re increasing the fiber and iron content of the bread... We also plan to expand our vegetarian options." And Chowhound blueberry says it tastes good, too: "I am accustomed to really great Ethiopian food in Washington, DC (where there is a really large Ethiopian population) but I have not found anything in NYC that quite measures up until I ate here!"
The General Greene Expands Hours
229 Dekalb Ave. at Clermont Ave., Fort Greene; (718) 222-1510
This Fort Greene spot is now open on Mondays, and according to Grub Street, "In addition to brunch, it’s now offering weekday breakfast (including drip coffees from Counter Culture) from 7 a.m. till lunch, which starts at 11 a.m. There’s also a late-afternoon bar menu from 4 p.m. till 5 p.m. The menus are here."
After the jump: More openings, the city's best dim sum, another Buttermilk Channel review, and some love for the food offerings (like Rafael Soler's pupusas!!) at the Flea...
December 23, 2008
A New Cafe for Bushwick
The gentrification meter just ticked up in Bushwick. According to that neighborhood's blog of record, there's a new spot to get your coffee-and-croissant fix all day long: Cafe Orwell opened up at 247 Varet Street last week. (Drip coffee "solid," espresso "well above par" and number of electrical outlets "ample.") Cafe Orwell is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. GMAP
Ulmer Brewery Calendared by LPC
The Ulmer Brewery, a fixture in Bushwick since the late 19th Century, took a step closer to gaining Landmarks protection last week, when the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to "calendar" the multi-building property. As the Waterfront Preservation Alliance reported, the buildings include the main brewhouse (constructed in 1872) and an addition (1880); the office (1886), engine house and machine house (1886); and the stable and storage building (1893). Here's a description of the property from LPC:
William Ulmer (b. 1844), son of William Ulmer, a successful Parisian wine merchant, became sole proprietor of the Vigelius & Ulmer Continental Lagerbier brewery by 1882. At the time, the business was expanded, including construction of a handsome Romanesque Revival style office building circa 1882. The two-story red brick building features arched and dormered windows, a squat mansard roof clad in slate, as well as remarkably intact terra-cotta ornament. Divided into three bays, the projecting center bay incorporates red terra-cotta panels that identify the initial of the last name of the owner, the beer’s trademark, and the function of the building. The architect has not yet been identified but the general design and use of materials recalls the much grander Long Island Historical Society, completed in 1881. The office building was separated from the larger brewery by a passage with an elaborate iron gate. Though rusted, the richly-embellished gate is historic and possibly original to the structure. With prohibition, the brewery closed and, since 1920, the structures have been used for various commercial purposes.
Ulmer Brewery on Path to Landmarking [WPA] GMAP
Bushwick Brewery Up for Historic Landmarking [BushwickBK]
Photos from PropertyShark
Latest Restaurant Additions
-
Chickadee Chick
added November 6, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Vutera
added November 5, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Park Cafe
added November 4, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Bahia
added November 3, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Aqualis Grill
added November 2, 2009 12:00 PM in Fort Greene -
Wombat
added October 30, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Organic Heights
added October 29, 2009 12:00 PM in Park Slope -
Giardini Pizza
added October 28, 2009 12:00 PM in Carroll Gardens -
Rye
added October 27, 2009 12:00 PM in Williamsburg -
Bati
added October 26, 2009 12:00 PM in Fort Greene