Prospect Lefferts Gardens
May 13, 2008
Streetlevel: Lincoln Road Nail Salon Shuts Down
The nail salon on Lincoln Road in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, where manis and pedis could be had for a mere $15 (the trick is to ask for three coats), closed down two weeks ago. A note was attached to the door announcing the closure "because of a change in lease" and thanking customers for years of support. The buzz at neighborhood wi-fi cafe K-Dog & Dunebuggy is that a restaurant might go in its place. There's been a number of changes at this strip of stores. K-dogs just started serving alcohol and extended its evening hours. Papa & Sons started serving smoothies and fresh made food, and now stays open 24 hours. And then of course there's that huge glass tower going up next door, which we reported could serve as expansion space for the Maple Street School if built as planned. Tons of nail salons are nearby on Flatbush Avenue, but without an appointment they all have 40 minute waits on a weekend. But no use crying over spilled rubbing alcohol. What would you like to see move in?
PLG's Maple Street School in Talks With Glassy Tower [Brownstoner]
May 12, 2008
Strong Showing for 49 Rutland Road
Take that, market bears! Remember 49 Rutland Road? The four-story brick and limestone house hit the market last November with an asking price of $1,450,000. It popped up recently as being in contract on Brown Harris Stevens. The contract price, we hear, is $1,425,000. It took a few months, but that sounds like a pretty strong vote of confidence in the townhouse market to us. Or at least for PLG!
HOTD: 49 Rutland Road [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
49 Rutland Road [Brown Harris Stevens]
May 7, 2008
Garden of the Day: PLG Make-Over
The first submission for Garden of the Day comes straight outta PLG. When the owners bought the house four years ago, the back yard was nothing more than concrete and chain-link fencing. (Check out the last photo in the slideshow for that "before" shot along with a view of the deck mid-construction.) "The rocks for the wall we got from a neighbor renovating their basement," writes the owner. "The ground in the center has crushed bluestone and the borders have our perennials and some ornamental trees. We are starting some roses and honeysuckle on the arbor." Sweet!
Submit Your Garden for 'Garden of the Day' [Brownstoner]
May 2, 2008
PLG 8-Story Apartment Could Get A Sibling
Construction is moving along on the planned eight-story, 20 unit apartment building at 185 Ocean Avenue in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens that last year sparked an ill-fated landmarking movement. And the $2.1 million listing for neighboring 189 Ocean Avenue as a "development site" has been removed from the Sotheby's Realty website. We called the broker, who declined to disclose information about the sale. We imagine those involved want to avoid the controversy that arose over the early 1900s brick row house demolished next door, however tame it was compared to our friends across the park. The new apartment would be the first new construction on Ocean Avenue alongside Prospect Park since the 1930s besides a church built in 1951. We asked neighbors how they felt about it, and the general response was indifferent disapproval, "as long as it raises the value of my property."
Lefferts Gardens Gets a Few New Arrivals [Brooklyn Eagle]
PLG House Razed, 8-Story Building Planned [Brownstoner]
April 28, 2008
House of the Day: 1860 Bedford Avenue
When we were house hunting back in 2004, the beautiful but neglected brick house at 1860 Bedford Avenue in Lefferts Manor was on the market for about $550,000 if we recall correctly. (This makes us think the $185,000 sales price from 2004 listed in Property Shark is not correct.) Now it's back on the market for $900,000. According to a tip we received, the current owner bought it with the intention of moving his medical practice, only to be stymied by zoning restrictions. He's completed the interior demolition and put in new joists and sub-floors but that's about it: Tabula rasa for the right owner. As great as this house could be, this price seems like a big stretch given how much money will have to be put into it. Agree?
1860 Bedford Avenue [Fabrikant] GMAP P*Shark
What's Up with 1860 Bedford Avenue [Brownstoner]
April 15, 2008
Foreclosure of the Week: 644 Flatbush Avenue
One thing's for sure, the winner of the foreclosure auction for 644 Flatbush Avenue won't go hungry! The outstanding tab on the three-story building between Fenimore and Hawthorne is $540,474, safely below its market value (even in this market). The 4,320-square-foot building is currently configured as two apartments over a restaurant. Interested bidders should bring their checkbooks to 360 Adams Street, Room 261, at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
644 Flatbush Avenue [Property Shark] GMAP
April 9, 2008
PLG's Maple Street School in Talks With Glassy Tower
Children are an increasing population in Brooklyn, sometimes sparking a culture war that's feeling a bit stale, but more importantly putting a strain on pre-school programs. Prospect-Lefferts Gardens' Maple Street School, operating out of the Prospect Park B/Q/S station, is no exception, with a waiting list up to 100 children that's bound to grow if developer Henry Herbst builds his planned tower next door. But Maple Street board member Marc Dicus said he hopes the tower will also give the school a chance to expand. The two parties are in talks, said Herbst and Dicus, for Maple Street to lease the tower's 23,000-square-foot community facility. "We're in just very intial conversations with him about being interested in that space," said Dicus. "We're a nursery school and we may not be able to go on the second floor; we may only be allowed on a ground floor. But if it's feasible, we'd like to serve more kids." He said the school would keep its subway station space, leased until 2015. Maple Street School takes children aged 2 to 5, but it's licensed up to age 6. Director Wendy Cole said the additional space could give them room for a kindergarten program. Already, she said the co-operative school, started in 1978 by a group of parents, serves 80 families. The diverse group of kids can regularly be seen lined up, holding hands and wearing little matching vests, on their way to the zoo, Botanic Gardens, Audobon Center or Prospect Park. "There's a shortage of pre-k programs in general," said Dicus. "There's just been a huge explosion of children going to school in the borough." Do you think more new buildings should provide space for strained facilities?
There’s Not Enough Room in City's Kindergartens [NY Mag]
Glassy Tower Bad News For Birds, Says Expert [Brownstoner]
Common Area Dispute Erupts Into Culture War at BellTel[Brooklyn Eagle]
Park Slope Stroller Nazi Story Getting a Little Stale[Brownstoner]
April 4, 2008
Glassy PLG Tower Bad News for Birds, Says Expert
Scores of migrating birds would smash into the glassy 23-story tower planned in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, on Lincoln Road and Flatbush Avenues, creating a mess on the crowded sidewalks below, said Prospect Park Audubon Center senior naturalist Gabriel Willow. He said adjacent Prospect Park, at 585 acres, is a popular resting place for birds along the Atlantic Flyway, and added that glass towers in Manhattan near smaller, less popular parks have been the death of hundreds of birds a year. "You'll just find the ground littered with birds," he said. Tom Gilman of Gilman Architects didn't respond when asked if his design took migrating birds into consideration (the flock was added to the rendering). Meanwhile, developer Henry Herbst said he's been busy polling the community about their preference for the ground floor retail compenent—so far, they're leaning toward a bank and organic market, even though the short block already has two non-organic markets. Herbst said, "They claim there's no organic foods in the area," which is basically true. Cage-free hens, anyone?
Wings Meet Deadly Glass [NY Times]
Form Follows Feathers: Bird-Friendly Architecture [Architectural Record]
Lefferts Gardens Gets a Few New Arrivals [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]
March 6, 2008
Glassy Tower Planned for PLG
This morning the Sun has word of the 20-story glass tower that developer Henry Herbst intends to build at 33 Lincoln Road in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. The building, which will be one of the tallest structures overlooking Prospect Park, is being designed by Gilman Architects, and it's slated to have 80 units, a 17,000-square-foot private rooftop park, and retail on the ground floor. Hawthorne Street, which has been following the coming condo's progress, snapped the photo above of the site early last month. (Anyone know if those buildings have come down?) Architect Tom Gilman promised Hawthorne Street that the condo "wouldn't be an eyesore", which one would certainly hope, considering it's going to be the tallest building in the neighborhood and significantly alter the Prospect Park panorama. Gilman told the Sun that "There is going to be a lot of glass, which means amazing views of the park."Update: The Sun has just published a rendering of the tower, as shown above right.
Glass Tower to Overlook Prospect Park [NY Sun] GMAP
Demolition, Large and Small [Hawthorne Street]
Photo of 33 Lincoln from Hawthorne Street.
February 27, 2008
House of the Day: 75 Fenimore Street
Here's an interesting FSBO. The 1,872-square-foot brick house at 75 Fenimore Street is a comfortable-looking four-bedroom with its own driveway and garage. According to the Prospect Lefferts Gardens Historic District Designation Report, the house, which was built around 1920, is particularly notable for its "steep slate mansard roods and ornamental doorway enframements." The asking price of $825,000 seems reasonable to us, but none of the similar houses to either side have changed hands in recent years so close comps aren't available; a three-story brownstone across the street at 74 Fenimore Street changed hands for $550,000 in 2003. Think this'll move at this price?
75 Fenimore Street [FSBO] GMAP P*Shark