Columbia Street Waterfront
November 4, 2009
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
October 26, 2009
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Street
Now that's progress! When we photographed 414 Hicks Street, L&M's 148-unit residential project on the Columbia Street side of the BQE, back in July, the foundations were being laid. Now you can see the top of the first floor poking its cute little head over the top of the fence. Remember: About two-thirds of the apartments will be rentals and the rest will be condos.
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Street [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Proceeds Apace [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Street [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Columbia-Hicks Development Still Being Tweaked [Brownstoner]
September 21, 2009
What to Do with the BQE Ditch
The Columbia Waterfront Association mentioned last week that a primary concern for the land use committee this fall will be the fate of the one-mile stretch of the BQE, known as The Ditch, that separates the Columbia Waterfront from Cobble Hill and Carroll Gardens. The Brooklyn Paper reported in 2008 that Representative Nydia Velazquez (D–Gowanus) had obtained $300,000 in public funds for a study to explore possible solutions. Ideas being thrown around at the time included the mayor's call for housing decks above the highway, or parks and pedestrian bridges. The Paper reported again last June that the Economic Development Corporation had much less ambitious concepts for The Ditch: planted buffers, new street furniture, sidewalk repairs, and other primarily aesthetic improvements. What would you like to see?
Fix the Ditch [Columbia Waterfront Association]
Locals Want BQE Cover-up [Brooklyn Paper]
City Plan for BQE: Less Clean, Less Green [Brooklyn Paper]
Image of early proposal by dlandstudio
August 19, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Red Hook Huarache Truck Up for Vendy Award
Grub Street notes that the 5 finalists for this year's Vendy Awards have been announced, and Brooklyn will be represented by "Fernando & Jolanda Martinez of the Country Boys/Martinez Taco Truck, known for serving huaraches at the Red Hook Ballfields." In their Country Boys vendor-profile, Serious Eats writes: "On both Saturday and Sunday, they can be found at the Red Hook ballfields at the intersection of Clinton and Bay, and have a satellite branch at the Brooklyn Flea. Just look for the line that doesn't seem to be moving—with people in it that don't seem to care. Yeah, it's that good." The 2009 Vendy Awards will be held on Saturday, September 26 at the Queens Museum of Art and tickets are available now.
Taco Wars
The New York Times pits Oaxaca against Calexico and picks a winner: "Calexico’s food is messier in appearance but more consistent in execution. Top billing goes to the carne asada, skirt steak rubbed with a spice mix, marinated overnight and grilled to melting tenderness. It’s terrific, with a punch of flavor so intense, it‘s hard to justify ordering anything else."
Beer on the Big Screen
"[Barcade and Gutter] owner Paul Kermizian has another claim to fame: a documentary film called American Beer, about an epic cross country road trip he and four buds took to visit 38 breweries in 40 days," says Brooklyn Based, as they announce their screening of the film on Wednesday, August 26 on the patio of Hope Lounge (10 Hope Street, Williamsburg). "Tickets, available online now and at the door, are just $12, and include a complimentary pint of Cape Ann’s Fisherman’s Brew. Hope Lounge is also offering a free beer with every $7 burger (Sirloin, Turkey or Boca!)"
After the jump: Greenpoint's members-only ramen joint, Henry's bahn mi on 7th Avenue, and a wino thief at Amin Indian...
August 6, 2009
Aesthetically-Challenged on Columbia Street
This nine-unit new building at 295 Columbia Street is pretty rough on the eyes, so it's no surprise it's the work of Henry Radusky. Maybe the interiors are nice though, because it's almost all rented out. There's a two-bedroom still available for $2,800. The building's supposed to be ready for move-in at some point in August. GMAP P*Shark DOB
July 31, 2009
Development Watch: 51 Woodhull Street
This Radusky-designed monstrosity at 51 Woodhull Street in the Columbia Street Waterfront District appears to be nearing completion. We're not sure how many of the building's ten units will have views of the BQE. GMAP DOB
July 28, 2009
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Street
There's definitely been some incremental progress at L & M's 148-unit residential development on the far side of the BQE at 414 Hicks Street. Whether it will really by ready for occupancy next year, as developer's website says, is up for debate. When it is ready, 54 of the apartments will be put up for sale and the other 94 rented.
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Proceeds Apace [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Street [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Columbia-Hicks Development Still Being Tweaked [Brownstoner]
Condo of the Day: 1 Tiffany Place, #5C
Given the beautiful exterior, you'd expect the apartments at 1 Tiffany Place to have lots of historic charm but, alas, that's not the case. When we featured one of the units last September we said that "the look and feel is a little too 'new traditional' for us." Today's condo, Unit 5C, leaves us similarly flat; the furniture's not helping the cause either. Nothing offensive, though, and the duplex comes with private parking, which is pretty sweet. Still, the asking price of $725,000 seems like a stretch for the 1,103-square-foot one-bedroom. Agree?
1 Tiffany Place, #5C [Halstead] GMAP P*Shark
June 2, 2009
ULURP Begins for Carroll Gardens Rezoning
A year and a half after the passage of a Narrow Streets Text Amendment, the Department of City Planning announced the beginning of the public review period (known as ULURP) for a more comprehensive rezoning of the Carroll Gardens and nearby Columbia Street; the new measures would put certain height and density limitations in place aimed at preserving the scale and character of the low-slung residential neighborhood. “I promised the community last November that we would begin public review in June on a rezoning proposal to protect the neighborhood’s low-scale character,” said City Planning Commissioner Amanda M. Burden. “Today we are fulfilling that promise as well as furthering Mayor Bloomberg’s strategy to protect the city’s low-scale neighborhoods by bringing zoning protections to these unique areas." The contextual zoning changes, including the introduction of an R6B district, came about as a result of hard work by members of the community, Community Board 6 itself and Council Member Bill De Blasio. Details can be found in the press release below.
Columbia Waterfront Getting In On Rezoning Action [Brownstoner]
Planning: Carroll Gardens Has to Wait in Line for Downzone [Brownstoner]
At Rally, News of Carroll Gardens Downzoning Progress [Brownstoner]
Prelude to a Downzone in Carroll Gardens? [Brownstoner]
Photo by embeedub
Continue reading "ULURP Begins for Carroll Gardens Rezoning"
May 12, 2009
Streetlevel: From Latin to Japanese on Columbia Street
Mucho Guston at 115 Columbia Street (at Kane) is no more, reported The Word on Columbia Street last week. In its place: Iro Sushi. The Japanese joint just opened on Tuesday. Anyone tried it yet?
Goodbye Mucho Gusto, Hello Iro Sushi [WOCS] GMAP
April 30, 2009
Columbia Street Salt Pile Update
After a giant salt pile on the Columbia Waterfront blanketed the neighborhood in a coat of white film, elected officials promised to water it down and cover it up. The Brooklyn Paper reported that the salt pile was 30 percent covered by Tuesday night; and yesterday afternoon, the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association snapped this pic of the pile, estimate that it's now about 3/4 covered. The salt pile drew widespread attention as the subject of a Times article last weekend. Any dramatic tales of salt coverage from readers?
April 15, 2009
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Proceeds Apace
L & M Development Partners' 148-unit residential project at 414 Hicks Street has made great strides since we checked it out back in February. The developer's website says that the development will be ready for occupancy in 2010.
Development Watch: 414 Hicks Street [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Columbia-Hicks Development Still Being Tweaked [Brownstoner]
March 27, 2009
Korhogo a No-Go
The limited dining options in the Columbia Waterfront District just got a little narrower. At least for the time being. According to the Realty Collective blog, the African-French fusion spot has been shuttered by DOH for a long list of violations. As RC points out, this takes them out of the picture for Dine in Brooklyn festivities. Does this come as a surprise? GMAP
March 5, 2009
Former Bike Shop Building Goes for One Million Dollars
After turning down a "reasonable" offer from the owners of the bike shop that used to occupy the ground floor, the seller of 147 Union Street in the Columbia Waterfront District has gone into contract for $1 million, according to Realty Collective. That's $100,000 less than the asking price on the three-story building. Meanwhile, the bike shop has decamped to 514 Court Street and 147 Union will soon have an insurance brokerage. GMAP
March 4, 2009
115 Kane Street Looks Ready to Go
The 12-unit new development at 115 Kane Street finally looks ready, reports Lost City, which, in the process, calls the 7-story structure a "far-above-average piece of crapitecture." We're not sure we'd give it that much credit, but we are glad to see that the scenic corner overlooking the BQE will no longer be an eyesore of a work site. We wrote about the project in early 2007 and in late 2006. What do you think of it? GMAP
Columbia Waterfront Getting In On Rezoning Action
The Columbia Waterfront District will get to tag-along with Carroll Gardens as the larger neighbor to the east gets its long-awaited rezoning treatment from City Planning. (This should happen as soon as this June.) "We have been notified that Amanda Burden, Director of City Planning, has supported our request and that the Columbia Waterfront neighborhood will be included in the Carroll Gardens re-zoning process as it progresses," reports the Columbia Waterfront District's blog. "We are very pleased and thankful that City Planning has recognized our hard work and sincerely listened to the opinions and desires of the residents of our neighborhood." In broad strokes, this means that much of the small neighborhood fronting on piers 7 to 12 will likely be rezoned from R6 to R6B, a shift that would result in lower, more contextual new development.
Columbia Waterfront District Re-Zoning Request Approved [COWNA via WOCS]
Photo by Kevin Seymour
February 18, 2009
Columbia Street Greenway: What a Mess
Kinda takes the "green" out of the "Greenway," no?
January 21, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Brooklyn Restaurants Reviewed This Week
Gothamist's Danielle Sucher hits up Park Slope's Bussaco and describes their maple creme caramel, pictured above: "It's like eating the extremely delicious bastard child of a perfect pot de creme and a soft caramel candy." Plus, the new Carroll Gardens spot Buttermilk Channel gets a whopping 5 out of 6 stars from Time Out New York. And Chowhound binkis calls Vinegar Hill House "a fantastic neighborhood place, similar to Noodle Pudding in quality."
Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You
Chowhound squid kun got in touch with the Calexico guys via email and learned that their new restaurant in the old Shnack space is set to open in "about a month." And an Eater tipster says: "Was walking down 4th avenue in park slope last night, and the plywood is down at the ramen shop from the Sheep Station people and they were having what looked like a friends and family dinner." Plus, The Stong Buzz says that Red Hook's beloved sandwich shop Defonte's "is set to open a branch of their hero heaven in Manhattan at 261 Third Avenue @21st street, 212-614-1500."
After the jump: The Moxie Spot starts charging admission, the Times reports on Alan Harding's divorce(?!), and three more restaurant openings in Williamsburg, Greenpoint, and Clinton Hill...
December 30, 2008
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Coming Soon: Piccolo Cafe
221 Columbia Street; (718) 522-5821
"For more than a year, there have been indications that a cafe was opening in a storefront on Columbia Street in Brooklyn, near Sackett Street. A sign in the window said 'Piccolo Cafe Coming Soon.' But when I talked to people who came in or out of the space, they said the sign was kind of a joke: there was no cafe opening in the space. OK. Weird, but OK," writes Lost City. But now, the blog reports, Piccolo Cafe has an awning and a counter and stools inside. The Word on Columbia Street says it's no joke after all: Piccolo Cafe is finally set to open on January 2nd, serving $3 cheeseburgers — a cheap lunch for a frugal new year.
Smith Street: The Best Dining Destination of '08?
In a recent end-of-year survey, Eater asked "friends, industry types, bloggers, and readers" from all over the city, "What was the best dining neighborhood in 2008?" The East Village racked up the most votes, but Kate Krader of Food & Wine and Restaurant Girl Danyelle Freeman both called out Smith Street. And Matt Rodbard of Metromix said, "Carroll Gardens raised the bar with openings JakeWalk, Eton, Char No. 4 and Buttermilk Channel." Char isn't technically in Carroll Gardens, but would you agree the CG/Cobble Hill/Boerum Hill restaurant scene has taken a turn for the better this year?
Margaret Palca Bakes Calls Court Street a "Has-Been"
Court Street at Warren Street, Cobble Hill
"A much-loved, but short-lived, Court Street bakery will close at the end of the month because the ingredients for success just never came together — and its famous rugalach-baking owner is left with a bitter taste in her mouth... 'I had such a wrong impression [about Court Street],' said Palca. 'It’s just such a "has-been" kind of street. I hoped it would be more popular and more busy [than the Columbia Street store], but it just hasn’t been.'" [The Brooklyn Paper]
December 11, 2008
L&M Finishes Demo, Starts to Dig at 110 Warren Street
There are no new building permits approved yet (looks like there's a little digging going on, though, doesn't it?), but L+M Development Partners certainly got its money's worth out of the demolition permits it filed at 110 Warren Street, one of three properties L+M is developing in partnership with HPD. Last we heard, the mixed-income project had been scaled back from an original 165 units to 113 units, 41 of which would be affordable. (See a rendering from last year here.) We left repeated messages with Community Board 6 to try to get an update on the situation but evidently they were too busy over there to get back to us. Anyone know the latest?
Columbia-Hicks Development Still Being Tweaked [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
A Look at L&M’s Big Plans for Columbia Street [Brownstoner] DOB
November 12, 2008
Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
Coming Soon: Brooklyn Larder
Grub Street reports that the owners of Franny's "plan to open a gourmet shop down the street called the Brooklyn Larder in March 2009. In addition to a full kitchen... to prepare and package everything from sandwiches and lasagne to fried chicken for takeout or casual counter-noshing, the shop will stock the house-cured meats also found at Franny’s, as well as an international brigade of small-production cheeses and a hodgepodge of condiments and other foodstuffs."
Opening Dates Announced: Morton's and Brooklyn Bowl
According to the Brooklyn Paper, Morton’s the Steakhouse is set to open at 333 Adams Street (between Willoughby and Tillary streets) in Downtown Brooklyn on November 21. And Grub Street says that Brooklyn Bowl owner Peter Shapiro is "aiming to open his 20,000-square-foot concert space cum bowling alley cum Blue Ribbon outpost on Barack Obama's Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009."
Wanna Train Your Kid to Speak Mandarin and Make Dim Sum?
Creative Cooks on Atlantic Avenue is offering a class for 5-10 year olds: "Students will learn to prepare traditional Chinese dishes and learn the basics of conversational Chinese in our kitchen classroom. This class includes two field trips to Brooklyn Chinatown... [Classes] will begin on Sunday, January 2nd from 10–11:30 and run for 8 consecutive Sundays. Cost is $450/child and 20% sibling discount is available."
After the jump: A positive review for Teeda Thai, your last chance for Pit Stop, Whim chef resurfaces, a bourbon bar for Fort Greene, and more...
October 20, 2008
The Brooklyn Greenway Has Arrived
Okay, at least 3/4 of a mile of it along Columbia Street between Atlantic and Degraw is done. And although it's not officially open, folks have been seen walking, jogging and biking on it already. The project, a decade in the making, has endured plenty of bumps, with businesses suffering during the construction phase, but now trees have been planted and paths laid. Eventually, the Greenway should stretch 14 miles along the waterfront from Greenpoint to Bay Ridge. Per the press release from Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (BGI): "More encouraging news came last month as the Department of Transportation began striping new on-street bike lanes on Congress Street and Kane Street, which will provide a direct connection to the Columbia Street Greenway." BGI has started hosting monthly "clean-ups," with pals from the Columbia Waterfront Neighborhood Association. If you want to help, the next one will occur on Saturday, November 8th at 10:00AM, at BGI's offices, 145 Columbia Street, between Kane and DeGraw.
Columbia Street's Big Dig Mostly Over[Brownstoner]
Columbia Street: Still a Bumpy Ride [Brownstoner]
Columbia Street Revamp: Potholes in My Lawn [Brownstoner]
October 9, 2008
For Sale: Columbia Street Restaurant
We learned this week that Zagat declared Brooklyn home to the city's best barbeque. If that whetted your appetite to own a bbq joint, not just patronize one, perhaps you'll be interested in Jakes, the Columbia Street institution currently on sale for $695,000 courtesy of Warburg Realty. (Although we did just report that another BBQ joint, Lookout Hill, closed up shop pretty quickly.) In addition to the physical location and a bunch of wholesale accounts, the deal comes with a "fully programmable website and domain address." Barbecue blog, anyone?
Warburg Realty [Warburg Realty] GMAP
Photo by Kate Leonova for Property Shark
September 24, 2008
Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
A Peek Inside Trader Joe's
The Brooklyn Paper has posted a video tour of the new TJ's on Court and Atlantic — documenting proof of the the store's 18 cash registers. Plus, the store's captain, Greg Glei, and BP editor-in-chief Gersh Kuntzman discuss their favorite Trader Joe's products, such as white cheddar popcorn, mandarin orange chicken (a $5 meal in a freezer bag — just add rice and broccoli), cheese, chocolate, and coffee from around the world, and frozen blackened salmon. Any other product recommendations for those of us who are new to TJ's?
New Brunch Options in Cobble Hill & Carroll Gardens
A Brooklyn Life says the weekend brunch menu at Smith Street's new bourbon and barbecue joint, Char No. 4, is "chockfull of comfort foods — bacon cheddar grits, shrimp and grits, a BLT made from fried pork bely, a chopped pork sandwich." Plus, Abilene, the bar on Court and 3rd Place is gearing up to add a brunch menu — "And it's not an extension of their current chicken fingers and burger menu. Nope, this brunch will be courtesy of the folks behind the southern-leaning Jimmy's Diner in Williamsburg/Greenpoint... and [will] hopefully include Jimmy's 'famous' free donuts."
After the Jump: House of Pizza & Calzone's new (and improved?) look, a Q&A with Tyler Kord of Fort Greene's No. 7, and Bruni hits up Marlow & Sons...
September 16, 2008
Streetlevel: New Mexican for Columbia Street Waterfront
Lost City reports that the space once occupied by Schnack, at 122 Union Street near Columbia, will be a "gourmet" Mexican restaurant called Calexico — no relation to the band, we don't think. Neighborhood folks got to sample some of their fare at a street fair this weekend, and apparently they own a couple of trucks that roam Manhattan with taco offerings. There's another Calexico on 5th Avenue in the Slope; any relation, you think?
Photo by Lost City.
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