August 19, 2009

Co-op of the Day: 414 Albemarle Road, #6D

This co-op at 414 Albemarle Road in Kensington looks like a nice basic prewar apartment. Nuthin' fancy, but it's got some prewar charm, decent size (800 square feet) and a reasonable monthly maintenance ($516). On top of that, the bathroom and kitchen look pretty inoffensive compared to a lot of things you see for under $300,000. That's not to say this apartment will fly off the shelf at its current asking price of $295,000. We suspect there's a little wiggle room built into that ask.
414 Albemarle Road, #6D [McNeil NY] GMAP P*Shark

July 15, 2009

Co-op of the Day: 403 Avenue C, #2B

There are some brokers out there who might want to take notes on this one...This FSBO at 403 Avenue C in Kensington is a charming, well-renovated two-bedroom listing done right. Plenty of good photographs, floor plan, even directions. In this case, it makes sense that both the apartment and the listing are aesthetically pleasing since they were both done by the architect-owner. The 920-square-foot two-bedroom (plus office) is asking $360,000 with a $799 monthly maintenance. Waddya think?
265 Avenue C, #2B [FSBO] GMAP P*Shark

July 1, 2009

Co-op of the Day: 135 Ocean Parkway

While not eye-popping, this L-shaped studio (which is really more like a one-bedroom) at 135 Ocean Parkway in Kensington has a nice layout and good natural light that make it seem like a good option for a single person or couple. At 660 square feet, the asking price of $239,000 comes out to about $360 per foot. How does that stack up against recent comps?
135 Ocean Parkway 2-3BR [Susan Breen] GMAP P*Shark

June 25, 2009

CB7 Approves Park Circle Changes

Last week was a big one for Park Circle, the traffic roundabout at the Southeast corner of Prospect Park where the major roadways of Prospect Park Southwest, Ocean Parkway, Coney Island Avenue and Parkside Avenue all come together. Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation began examining short-term improvements it could make to balance the interests of pedestrians, bicyclists and horseback riders with the drivers navigating the hectic circle. Last Tuesday night DOT presented its recommendations [PDF] to the community and on Wednesday Community Board 7 voted to support them. Here's a summary from Streets Blog:
1) For pedestrians: new, direct and shorter crosswalks;
2) For cyclists: Class 1 bike path around the circle; connection to the Ocean Parkway Greenway; Class 1 bike path on Ft. Hamilton Parkway;
3) For equestrians: Protected bridle path within the circle;
4) For motorists: Park through-traffic will be consolidated to one access point.

Good news?
DOT Proposes Park Circle Improvements; CB 7 Approves [Streets Blog]
Brooklynites Suggest Park Circle Safety Fixes [Streets Blog]
Changes Coming to Park Circle this Fall [Stable Brooklyn]

May 8, 2009

Trying to Make Lemonade of Lemons at 23 Caton Place

So a large development of mediocre design has gone bankrupt leaving your neighborhood with the prospect of a hulking, half-built pile of concrete blighting your neighborhood for the next decade—what do you do? If you're the Kensington-based community group Stable Brooklyn and the building in question is Moshe Feller's 23 Caton Place you try to get the bank and a new developer to the table to create a plan to convert the building into an affordable housing project. So far, according to an article today on Arch Paper, there seems to be a real possibility that this could happen, though the complicated bankruptcy proceedings threaten to delay even the most coordinated and best-intentioned efforts. "This is no Chrysler,” half-joked Brad Lander, the former Pratt Center director who was involved in the downzoning of the neighborhood and has been working with Stable Brooklyn on this initiative. “I’m afraid five years from now, it could still be as is,” says Megan Miller, an architect and member of Stable Brooklyn.
Second Life [Arch Paper]
The Decline and Fall of 23 Caton Place [Brownstoner]
Little Progress on 23 Caton Place [Brownstoner] GMAP
Bank Sues Caton Place Developer [Brownstoner] DOB
Work Stops at Caton Place Condos [Brownstoner]
At 23 Caton Place, Laborers Labor on Labor Day [Brownstoner]

April 14, 2009

The Decline and Fall of 23 Caton Place

Last time we checked in on Caton on the Park, the aborted condo development across the street from the Kensington Stables it was last October and the site had already been frozen for six months. In its April issue, The Real Deal digs more deeply into the problems that have plagued the project. After paying $5.25 million for the property in 2005, developer Moshe Feller hired Karl Fischer to design a 107-unit, eight story condo building and, after some bad press for evicting the 13 horses that were housed on the site, got down to work. After numerous complaints about after-hours work and sketchy safety practices, the DOB issued a Stop Work Order last April when the building was about 40 percent complete. According to Corus Bank, which is currently pursuing foreclosure action against the property, cost overruns coincided with worsening market conditions. By June, with Feller unwilling to pony up more dough and his mezzanine lender in trouble, Corus filed to foreclose. According to one neighbor, area residents have come to learn the hard way that "the only thing worse than a new building that nobody likes is a half-finished building that nobody likes."
Banks and Builders Battle [The Real Deal]
Little Progress on 23 Caton Place [Brownstoner] GMAP
Bank Sues Caton Place Developer [Brownstoner] DOB
Work Stops at Caton Place Condos [Brownstoner]
At 23 Caton Place, Laborers Labor on Labor Day [Brownstoner]

December 19, 2008

Changing a Name in Kensington

There's a little neighborhood near the Kensington Stables (part of which is up for rezoning) that folks like to call Stable Brooklyn. In fact, they like it so much they want that to be the official name, and apparently their plea is working. "City officials have adopted the locution that evokes a political message as much as the appeal of a barnyard," writes the Brooklyn Paper — aka "Stableton."

December 18, 2008

Co-op of the Day: 515 East 7th Street

If we were childless, this two-bedroom at 515 East 7th Street in Kensington would be looking pretty good to us as a one-bedroom conversion. Check out that floorplan: Knock down that living room wall and the small wall in the dining area and you've got yourself quite a grand entertaining space, with a terrace to boot. The maintenance on the 1,247-square-foot apartment is $819 (not bad at all) and the asking price was just trimmed from $379,000 to $365,000 after ten weeks on the market. Interesting?
515 East 7th Street [Abacus] GMAP P*Shark

November 28, 2008

Credit Crunch Hits Kensington

A few months before the credit crisis, 23 Caton Place was having financial trouble of its own. Perhaps it was a harbinger of what was to come, and a sign that Kensington would suffer when trouble reached beyond the neighborhood. The Real Deal reports this month on Kensington's development woes. "Until the credit crunch, developers had zeroed in on a seven-square-block area in Kensington bounded by Fort Hamilton Parkway to the north, Coney Island Avenue to the east, Caton Avenue to the south and Ocean Parkway Service Road to the west." Now, 23 Caton is an abandoned skeleton, 22 Caton's in trouble, too, and other condo projects at "sluggish." Not that it's all bad news: prices are up 18 percent since 2005, and the area is being reviewed for a downzoning to prevent such overblown development in the future.
Merry-go-round Stops in Kensington [The Real Deal]
Photo by pscarman.

October 28, 2008

Garden of the Day: Outdoor Tiki Bar in Kensington

Got a garden space you want to share? Send us a note. And now, a tale of exotic Kensington DIY. The Garden's been a work in progress for over five years, except for the bamboo and the silver lace vine that cover the fence on the left side. They were planted by my uncle about twenty years ago when my mom owned the house. A tree was removed from the back middle of the yard but we could not get rid of the tree stump so I used it to make the waterfall/pond.

I built the bar myself with scar 2x3s and plywood left over from renovating the house. The window frames and door were made with solid pine I distressed and stained myself. I would say the bar could probably be built for under 400 dollars if you could do it yourself. It also has track lighting and outlet's for running blenders and stereo. There was a large oval pool in the back that I removed myself. The back deck cafe seating area was added this summer. Cost for that was about $300.00 including the cafe set from Home Depot (about $58.00) The bar doubles as a storage shed for garden tools in the off season. It was originally Tuscan inspired but my nephew's kept buying me Tiki stuff for it so it's been transformed.

Click through for links to past Gardens of the Day posts.

Continue reading "Garden of the Day: Outdoor Tiki Bar in Kensington"

October 17, 2008

Development Watch: Little Progress on 23 Caton Place

Despite a stop work order issued in April and 85 complaints (the last filed on September 27 for unsafe scaffolding) we heard construction equipment whirring at 23 Caton Place last week. The building, however, looks almost identical to when we last checked in, on August 4th. The project has been plagued with problems, most recently all kinds of financial meltdowns, including a suit by the bank against the developer. Will it ever see the light? GMAP P*Shark DOB
Bank Sues Caton Place Developer [Brownstoner]
Work Stops at Caton Place Condos [Brownstoner]
At 23 Caton Place, Laborers Labor on Labor Day [Brownstoner]

Checking In On 346 Coney Island Avenue

Last March, we thought the condos at Park Circle were in for massive price cuts. Despite the great access to the park, our readers pointed out the measly supply of neighborhood amenities, FOLC (fear of low ceilings), the dangerous traffic at the entrance to the park. Well, according to Streeteasy, only two listings are still active at the building, with nine in contract and 73 sales. Prices have indeed been falling, though no more than at other buildings in the borough. Unit #902, a 1,526-square-foot, two-bed, two-bath condo, got a $75,000 shave seven months ago to $810,000, and #905, a 1,428-square-foot two-bed, two-bath took $40,000 off five months ago, to make it $695,000. The most recent sale was on October 12, when an 1,150-square-foot two-bed, two-bath unit went for $605,000, after a $55,000 discount. Can they unload the last two in this market without further cuts?
Park Circle Listings [Corcoran] GMAP
Condo of the Day: Park Circle [Brownstoner]
Park Circle Apartments Already on Market [Brownstoner]
Squaring Up With The Park Circle [Brownstoner]
Set Speed Condo Report: Park Circle [Brownstoner]

October 16, 2008

Streetlevel: Joe and Joe Pizza Shuts the Ovens

What happened? Kensington favorite Joe and Joe Pizza, at 121 Church Avenue, bit the dust a couple of months back; the Sicilian focacceria had a Grandma pizza that was to die for. Anybody know the skinny? And here's a photo of what will replace it: yet another 99 cents store. Harumph.

October 15, 2008

Development Watch: 22 Caton Flatlined

Hm. The DOB approved a seven-story, 58-unit building at 22 Caton Place in Kensington in the summer of '07. There's no stop work order on the property, but ain't nothing going on here, either. One local blogger reports that the lot has been vacant since he moved in five years ago (he does, however, have some nice photos of a stuffed animal pile that accrued in front of the rotting plywood). Alas, this is directly across the street from the beleaguered 23 Caton, making the whole block a sad site. Anybody got the scoop here? The building, should it ever see the light of day, will be designed by Karl Fischer. GMAP P*Shark DOB

October 14, 2008

Development Watch: 265 Ocean Parkway

This lot at 265 Ocean Parkway sits between a single family house and a tall co-op building; this project should fall somewhere in between. According to the DOB, it's an eight-story, 15-unit building designed by Issac & Stern Architects. We're not familiar with their work. Anybody out there have a sense of it? GMAP P*Shark DOB

August 20, 2008

Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

Photo by mcbrooklyn

Amy Ruth's Not Coming to Brooklyn?
"The famed Harlem soul food restaurant, Amy Ruth's, which signed a lease for the former Gage & Tollner restaurant space at 372-374 Fulton St. on the Fulton Mall in Downtown Brooklyn last October, may not be coming to Brooklyn after all. Robert F. Hebron IV of Ingram & Hebron Realty, who negotiated the lease on behalf of Amy Ruth’s, confirmed to the Eagle on Monday a rumor that the deal had fallen through... 'There was a signed lease,' he said. 'But as of this morning there is a marshall’s notice on the door that the landlord was reclaiming the space.' ” [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]

BBQ Joint Opening on Smith Street
An Eater tipster says: "The place across the street from NY Perks and Robin des Bois [on Smith between Warren and Baltic] is slated for a whiskey and BBQ joint. The plywood's down, and there's iron clad facade with window openings."

A New Wine Bar for Carroll Gardens
With a little help from their readership, A Brooklyn Life reports that the old video store at 389 Court (at 1st Place) is slated to become a "wine bar" or a "cafe with wine and cheese."

After the jump: The new "culinary playground" in Brooklyn Heights, schnitzel in Coney Island, a closing in Kensington, and tomatoes all over town...

Continue reading "Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up"

A Different Kind of Neighborhood Watch on E. 7th Street

A Kensington reader passed on a note left by a nosy neighbor/concerned citizen (which is it, do you think?). It reads: "As I pass through my neighborhood, I find it necessary to remind my neighbors of their responsibility to keep our home values high by not only taking care of the inside of their homes but also of their front areas. I have taken the liberty of grading each home and front areas. This letter is just a reminder and not intended to injure or insult anyone. I am sure we all want to maintain our property at the highest of standards and therby [sic] insuring that our property values remain high. This is a preliminary rating another [sic] will follow at a later date." Luckily, there are many A's. Our flummoxed reader writes, "I'm all for working to make our block look as beautiful as it can be, but really this is creepy! Don't you think? Have you heard from others who have received similar letters?" We haven't. Have you?

August 6, 2008

Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

Now Open: Botanica
220 Conover Street (between Coffey and Dikeman), Red Hook; (718) 797-2297
Amy Langfield's New York Notebook reports that a lounge called Botanica is the newest addition to Red Hook's nightlife scene. Cocktails, such as the Death in the Afternoon (champagne, absinthe, and bitters), cost around 10 bucks, and apparently, there's a 25-ounce beer on the menu that costs a whopping $35. Will this high-end Red Hook bar be able to sustain itself? Perhaps the next Real World cast will help them out...

Coming Soon: The Oak & The Iris Cafe
Corner of Fort Hamilton Parkway and East 4th Street, Kensington
Posted on the door of the old Jimmy's space: "Soon (August) we will be opening a beautiful healthy cafe with full coffee/tea/juice bar, breakfast and brunch; sit down for delicious meals and your essential groceries all in one. The Oak and The Iris Cafe, here to serve our community." [Kensington (Brooklyn)]

The Times Visits Eton
205 Sackett Street (at Henry Street), Carroll Gardens; (718) 222-2999
"But what Eton lacks in polish it makes up for in spirit. For dumpling eaters, the sight of its cooks forming, crimping and frying a pan of potstickers rivals any million-dollar open kitchen. And each time somebody orders a Hawaiian-style shave ice ($3.75 for a small, $4.75 for a large), the restaurant seems to discover its own private stash of colors." [NY Times]

After the jump: Heath Ledger's posthumous bar project, the best sandwiches in South Brooklyn, and a new hot dog cart in Dumbo...

Continue reading "Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up"

August 4, 2008

Bank Sues Caton Place Developer

Four months after worked stopped on his Karl Fischer-designed building, 23 Caton Place in Kensington, developer Moshe Feller got some more bad news: he's being sued by Corus Bank. The Real Deal reported that they lent Feller $32.8 million in 2006 for the 107-unit building, and apparently they want it back. For now, the building seems to be largely abandoned, with security guards posted to keep snoops out. (At least one spy has been gathering information anyway). This isn't the first time the building's seen trouble. We reported last September that laborers weren't allowed to celebrate Labor Day with the rest of us, and in April, the DOB issued a stop work order. A few complaints have trickled in since. Fischer himself seems to have little information on it. "I suspect it had to do with the financial crunch," he told The Real Deal. Well, yeah. A meeting is to be held on August 25th. Anybody have more specific info?
Brooklyn Developer to Face Bank in Condo Default Case [The Real Deal]
Hot Karl Goes Ice Cold [Curbed]
Work Stops at Caton Place Condos [Brownstoner]
At 23 Caton Place, Laborers Labor on Labor Day [Brownstoner]
Photo by iquirty

July 3, 2008

Garden of the Day: Kensington DIY, Four Years On

The front path this year

Here's a submission from Kensington: "We did all of this ourselves, both front and back including designing and building the pergola. We wanted two distinct 'rooms' in back and used the pergola as a visual divider. We have no pics yet but are currently using the space as a lounge area in back with outdoors couch and firepit and will be getting a small dining set for the area by the house. Old cracked cement will be going this year as well. Gardens are a work in progress and this one was started in 2004." Check out the full photo set here.

July 2, 2008

Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

Now Open: Eton
205 Sackett Street; Carroll Gardens
This Carroll Gardens spot opened yesterday, offering free samples of dumplings and "shave ice" to the neighbors. Their hearty dumplings — stuffed with pork and beef, chicken and mushrooms, or lentils, mushroom, and tofu — cost $3.50 for five, and can be dipped in a selection of house condiments, such as ginger black vinegar and sweet-and-spicy plum sauce. Their freshly shaved ice is priced at $3.75 for standard flavors (like pineapple, mango, guava, lemon, or strawberry) with an extra charge for premium flavors (passion fruit, lychee, li hing mui, and green tea) — and there are even a few sugar-free options. Toppings include fresh fruit, condensed milk, and red azuki beans. When the weather cools down, they'll also be offering hand-pulled noodle soup. The shop will be open 7 days a week from 11:30am to 11:30pm.

Ryan Skeen Heads to the General Greene
229 DeKalb Ave. (at Clermont Ave.), Fort Greene; (718) 222-1510
According to Grub Street, Ryan Skeen, formerly of Manhattan's Resto is helping out chef Nick Morgenstern at the General Greene, which opened this week in Fort Greene: "The two men are looking to make the General Greene a neighborhood staple for what they are calling 'high-quality American comfort foods' and 'classic-minded cocktails.' At the very least, the desserts are bound to be great; Morgenstern is one of the most talented pastry chefs in town."

Applewood's Cool News for Bacon Lovers
501 11th Street, Park Slope; (718) 768-2044
"One of Applewood's desserts last night was a deconstructed apple crisp with a generous scoop of BACON ICE CREAM... For those who drool at the thought of bacon ice cream, it was all that you'd want. Lots of applewood smoked bacon flavor that was perfectly balanced with the creaminess of the ice cream (gelato?) -- I doubt this is a long-term thing (but it was new last night so it's probably around for at least a week) so call before you go." [Chowhound]

After the jump: A Department of Health scam in Kensington, where to get a drool-worthy nutella-and-ricotta calzone, and news on the Chocolate Room, Clover Club, Pomme de Terre, and Greenpoint's best eateries...

Continue reading "Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up"

June 18, 2008

Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

Photos by Zach Desart for Grub Street

Opening Today: Clover Club
210 Smith Street (near Butler Street); (718) 855-7939
After a private party last night, Julie Reiner's Clover Club opens to the public at 5 o'clock this evening. Grub Street posted their cocktail menu, which includes a selection of punches served in shareable bowls and a slew of classic cocktails, priced at $10-$11. The snack menu includes fried oysters, pressed cheesesteaks, steak tartare, and "molasses-and-cumin-rubbed 'chicken drumettes' with Roquefort fondue." Grub Street also reports on Clover Club's interior, which includes "tin ceilings, lanterns, mosaic tiles, dark mahogany wood, antique sconces," and a 30-person private parlor.

Now Open: NYC ICY
905 Church Avenue (between Coney Island Avenue and East 10th Street), Kensington
"Said the charmingly modest [owner Suzie] Leeds, 'Business is slow because we’re in the middle of nowhere, but we have regulars already and it’s only been a week!' In addition to established favorites like apricot-ginger and classic lemon, there are new (and can we say, ridiculously good-sounding) flavors such as wild strawberries and cream (the berries, like the icy-making equipment, are imported from Italy), banana and dairy-free grape made from fresh Concords." [The Feed]

Delicious New Food Blog: Lost Taco
Written by a taco-lover who recently moved from LA to NYC, this blog chronicles the search for "a delicious stranded taco, waiting to be found." He has already hit a few Brooklyn spots, including an early favorite — Taqueria El Paisa in Bushwick.

After the jump: Two new Williamsburg restaurants, a shared kitchen in Greenpoint, the best backyard dining options, and another cryptic sign in the window of 360...

Continue reading "Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up"

May 27, 2008

Times Tackles Kensington, Sees Affordable Melting Pot

This weekend Kensington got the "Living In..." treatment c/o the Times' real estate section, where the neighborhood (a narrow stretch just below Prospect Park bordered on the west by Borough Park and on the east by Victorian Flatbush nabes like Ditmas Park) is characterized as a multi-culti, cheapish alternative to the Slope. The story profiles some white gentrifiers priced out of the Slope and Windsor Terrace who revel in Kensington's diversity, affordability, decent schools, and proximity to the park but lament the lack of certain amenities, like coffee shops. Comps: 1-fams=$650,000 to $750,000; 2-fams generally go from $750,000 to $900,000; 1-bed condos tend to range from $150,000 to $300,000; and 1-bed rentals are usually less than $1,500 per month. The piece says Kensington has pockets of Bangladeshi, Pakistani, Muslim, and Hasidic Jew communities, and includes the following quote from the founder of the Kensington Blog: "It's actually a real New York neighborhood, where you can see tons of different kinds of people and we shop at the same places. There's real beauty in that. At the end of the day, if I have to hop on my bike to go to a restaurant, it's not that big of a deal." All this sound about right?
Name From London, People From Everywhere [NY Times]
NY Times Article [Kensington Blog]
The Times discovers Kensington [Flatbush Gardener]
Photo by Precision Accuracy.

May 22, 2008

Co-op of the Day: 179 Ocean Parkway

While the kitchen isn't exactly doing it for us, this convertible three-bedroom at 179 Ocean Parkway in Kensington looks like a reasonable way to pick up a family-sized pre-war apartment for under $500,000. (The asking price is $459,000 and the monthly maintenance is $703.) Think this is a good deal for 1,200 square feet? Any readers live in this building? Sweet lobby.
179 Ocean Parkway [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

April 15, 2008

Work Stops At Caton Place Condos

Less than a year ago, workers were laboring over Labor Day to finish 23 Caton Place in Kensington, also known as Caton on the Park. Now, locals report that workers haven't been on the site for more than 10 days. But they probably aren't on vacation. According to the Department of Buildings, yesterday a full Stop Work Order was issued along with a 10-day letter of intent to revoke the developer's application, with 40 percent of the work completed. The referenced violation was blank last we checked. But there were several other violations listed with the Environmental Control Board. Here are a few: One day, inspectors found "diesel cans and gasoline cans stored on sidewalk open to pedestrians and children" and "concrete pour spilled over into [backyard]." On another day, a crane ball was left looming over public space. And on a separate occasion, inspectors found the sidewalk along E 8th St, about 100 feet in length, broken and full of debris. If completed, this eight-story building designed by Karl Fischer would have had 107 apartments. Anyone know what's going to happen now?
At 23 Caton Place, Laborers Labor on Labor Day [Brownstoner]

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