Red Hook
November 5, 2009
Foxy & Winston Store Opens Saturday in Red Hook
The Red Hook retail scene is about to get a nice bump with the official opening on Saturday of the first storefront from Flea vendor Foxy & Winston. The shop, which is located at 392 Van Brunt Street, will showcase the design companies mix of greeting cards, accessories and children's clothing. There's an opening party from 6 to 9 p.m. GMAP
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 28, 2009
Breaking Up the B61
Changes are in store for residents of Brooklyn who rely on the B61 bus line. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority says it is breaking up the route in hopes of cutting down on delays and improving service. The line, which currently serves 18,500 riders a day, will now run from Queens Plaza to Downtown Brooklyn. Riders will then have to hop on a new second line, the B62, to travel the rest of the way from Downtown Brooklyn to Red Hook. The agency hopes to have the plan in place by early next year. Update: The NY1 article had it wrong. This is from the MTA press release: "The southern B61 route will travel between the Ikea Terminal in Red Hook and Downtown Brooklyn (Smith Street and Livingston Street). The northern B62 route will travel between Downtown Brooklyn (Boerum Place and Livingston Street) and Queens Plaza and will be rerouted past the Williamsburg Bridge Plaza Bus Terminal."
October 23, 2009
StreetLevel: Used Clothing Store Opens on Van Brunt
A small boutique called Thrifty Couture opened a couple of weeks ago on Van Brunt near the corner of Visitation. The store's inventory is split between used clothing and new. As the business's name suggests, most of the used duds are name-brand, with lots of designer jeans and trendy tops on offer. GMAP
Work in Progress at Christie's Red Hook Warehouse
A couple of months ago a Christie's spokesman told the Times that the auction company intends to have its storage facility on Imlay Street in Red Hook tricked out by January, and if that's to be the case the crew on the project sure has its work cut out. Per the pics above, the building is in the process of being gutted. Looks like a massive undertaking!
storage facility [Brownstoner] GMAP
October 22, 2009
Matt Damon Does Red Hook
We were taking a ride around Red Hook yesterday to scout for development projects when we passed by a film shoot going on right outside 160 Imlay Street. Turns out it wasn't just any old film shoot. As we rode up, Matt Damon was preparing to run through a man-made rain storm as part of his role as a congressman in The Adjustment Bureau. We wish we'd had a better camera on us, but we were able to snap some fun shots anyway.
October 13, 2009
Concerns over BQE Lead Paint Removal
Some residents of Carroll Gardens and Redhook have expressed concern recently over the large green tanks that have appeared in the past few weeks at the Kane, Union, Sackett, and Summit Street bridges over the B.Q.E. The tanks are containment units for lead paint and other hazardous materials that are produced in the cleaning of the bridges, and some locals are worried about possible health risks. Lost City, for example, noticed a "sudden bad air quality" and pointed out that the containers are unprotected and exposed in public spaces where children could endanger themselves; City Room, from The New York Times, noticed "duct-tape patching" on these ancient-seeming containers. The Word on Columbia Street shares the public's concerns, but also points out that the NYC Department of Transportation uses a set of procedures approved by national, state, and city health and environmental organizations such as the EPA and the New York State Department of Health. Kieran Aherns, who was contracted for the job, told The Word that the process of sandblasting and vacuuming the waste is performed with constant air quality monitoring, but a noticeable dust in the air has left residents unconvinced.
Are B.Q.E. Lead Shacks Poisoning Carroll Gardens? [Lost City]
The Mystery of Those Metal Units over the B.Q.E. [City Room]
Lead Paint Removal on Hicks Street Bridges [TWOCS]
Photo by The Word on Columbia Street
October 1, 2009
Closing Bell: Film Festival Double-Header
The New York Post points out that it's film festival weekend here in Brooklyn: we've got the Red Hook International Film & Video Festival at 499 Van Brunt Street and the Coney Island Film Festival at 1208 Surf Avenue. The Post highlights films such as Coney Fest's “The Prince of Mermaid Avenue”, about a Major Meats butcher famous to locals, or Redhook Fest's local films including a piece about late Gowanus Lounge blogger Robert Guskind. Check out the festivals' sites for full listings, and enjoy! It's certainly good weather for film festivals.
Cannes Do! Two Film Festivals in Brooklyn [New York Post]
September 24, 2009
StreetLevel: Red Lipstick in Red Hook Coming Soon
The Red Hook location of Prospect Heights stalwart Red Lipstick is set open next Saturday, October 3rd. The new boutique is on Van Brunt, near the corner of Dikeman. As we reported last month, the store's owner was going to try to keep her Vanderbilt Avenue location and simply expand to the Van Brunt space, but she now says that lease negotiations with her Prospect Heights landlord didn't go swimmingly, so she's closing up that shop and the Red Hook store will be her only outpost. The women's boutique had been in Prospect Heights for 10 years. GMAP
September 23, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
New Restaurant & Bar Openings
Grub Street sneaks a peek inside Mercat Negre in Williamsburg and shows us the restaurant's roof deck, pictured above. The NY Times says it's scheduled to open tomorrow at 65 Grand Street (at Wythe Avenue)... The Strong Buzz reports that the GM of 'inotecca is teaming up with Mike Burkett (a.k.a. Fat Mike from NOFX) to open Thistle Hill Tavern this December or January: "The restaurant, which will be located at corner of Seventh Ave. and 15th St. in the South Slope, will serve robust regional seasonal cuisine in a very laid back, turn-of-the-century tavern setting." ... According to Eater, the old Baron's at 98 Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint is now The Keg And Lantern, "a bar and grill serving classic pub fare." ... And Bushwick BK says that the Hibachi Tiki Hut is now open and serving "wood-fire barbeque cuisine" at 890 Broadway (at Belvidere Street).
More Food at Fort Defiance?
New York magazine shares our love for Fort Defiance, and hints at what the future may hold for this Red Hook spot: "There are plans, gas service pending, to fire up the stoves and start offering daily specials, like red beans and rice and oysters Rockefeller. But [owner St. John] Frizell says he won’t turn the joint into a full-fledged restaurant. For him, the café-bar-what-have-you model serves the neighborhood, and its quotidian appetites, quite nicely."
Homebrews by Brooklynites, for Brooklynites
"Stephen Valand, 23, and Erica Shea, 25, quit their jobs earlier this year to start the Brooklyn Brew Shop, which makes gallon beer-brewing kits sized for New York City apartments," says the New York Times. The fledgling company's current DIY brews include Grapefruit Honey Ale and Chocolate Maple Porter. The $40 kit (grains included) seems like a pretty solid gift for a beer enthusiast. Has anybody tried their brewing system yet?
After the jump: Bushwick's pastoral wonderland, karaoke confusion in Bay Ridge, and more love for the food vendors at the Flea...
September 15, 2009
Closing Bell: Flat-bottomed in Red Hook
As part of New York's quadracentennial celebration—marking 400 years since Henry Hudson landed here—a fleet of 20 Dutch historic flat-bottomed boats docked in Red Hook on Sunday. Festivities followed, organized by the New York City Economic Development Corporation, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and PortSide New York, and Red Hook residents were able to greet the Dutch crews, enjoy the events, and, as A View from the Hook points out, "access the waterfront that is right at their doorstep." This was, it seemed, as much of an appeal for some residents—or more, even—than the actual quadracentennial festivities.
Red Hook Welcomes Flat-bottomed Boats [View from the Hook]
Photo by Lost City
September 14, 2009
Red Hook Protests Concrete Plant
About 40 residents of Red Hook showed up at the near completed site of US Concrete on Saturday to oppose the Texas-based company's presence in their neighborhood. The site, next to Ikea and near Erie Basin Park, the Red Hook ball fields, Red Hook Community Farm, and other spots of local importance, is zoned for heavy industry, but residents are worried that pollution from the factory will harm crops at the organic farm, cause health problems like asthma for children at the ball fields, and generally decrease the quality of life in Red Hook. The Brooklyn Paper notes that "the activists face an uphill battle," but "an aide to State Senator Velmanette Montgomery (D-Red Hook) said his office would keep fighting the plant because the neighborhood has changed since the 'heavy industry' zoning was put in place decades ago." The aide, Jim Vogel, said, “If you’re opening a cement plant in an area with a 40-percent asthma rate, you’d better open your pocket book, because you’re going to be spending a lot of time in court.” GMAP
Red Hookers Don't Want Cement Plant near Farm [Brooklyn Paper]
Come Out and Say No to Cement Plan [A View from the Hook]
US Concrete, Redhook's New Resident [Brownstoner]
September 1, 2009
Red Hook's Streetcar Plan Garners Support
As we mentioned in August, the discussion of trolley lines to service underserved areas of Brooklyn and Queens has been gaining momentum over the past couple of years, including the recent announcement of a $259,000 Department of Transportation feasibility study. Mayor Bloomberg has shown interest in a possible streetcar system, and The Brooklyn Eagle reported recently that Brooklyn Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez is taking action: "In her request for funding for the Fiscal Year 2010 surface transportation bill, she has included $10 million for 'design and construction of a light rail system along the Brooklyn waterfront from Red Hook to Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn, N.Y.'"
Resurrecting Red Hook's Trolley Tracks [Brownstoner]
Red Hook's Trolley Idea Picks Up Support [Brooklyn Eagle]
August 26, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Opening This Week
Time Out New York says that The Double Windsor (210 Prospect Park West at 16th Street) is getting ready to serve "Classic cocktails from the 20-seat horseshoe bar... though craft beers and cask ales are the real focus, with a rotating selection dispensed from 14 taps." Plus, their fancy pub grub will include "a duck-confit sandwich with fig jam and arugula." TONY also reports that the owners of Bar Tano are set to open Provini (1302 Eighth Ave at 13th Street): "Italian pastries and Intelligentsia coffee are available in the a.m. Later on, the full menu offers dishes like tagliatelle with lamb ragù, along with Italian craft beers by the bottle."
Coming Soon
Metromix dishes the details on 9 new Brooklyn restaurants slated to open in the coming months and a handful of upcoming Brooklyn bars. Highlights include Lucali Park Slope (691 Sixth Ave. at 20th St.) and Mission Dolores (249B Fourth Ave., next to Cattyshack) which will be opened by the Bar Great Harry folks and "will serve 24 craft beers and one cask ale on tap—18 American, plus six Belgian and German—as well as a handful of DUB meat pies."
Secret Tamales in Carroll Gardens
476 Smith Street at W. Ninth Street; (718)422-0001
"New York’s latest stealth tamales have surfaced at F Line Bagels, a little-mentioned deli at the less fashionable end of Smith Street in Brooklyn. Off the menu and announced only on a handwritten sign, they’re fat, moist, and delicious," reports CHOW's Outer Boroughs Digest. Apparently, this shop serves a good bagel, too. We'll have to check out their "Middle Eastern–style special with hard-boiled egg, olive oil, and za’atar."
After the jump: Lobstah Feast Fridays in Red Hook, where to score seasonal pies, good buys at Fresh Fanatic, and a beer that tastes like a Manhattan...
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 18, 2009
Resurrecting Red Hook's Trolley Tracks
There's been some talk in recent years about the possibility of creating trolley lines to service areas of Brooklyn and Queens that are hard to access by public transportation, but now the idea is officially on the table. According to NY1, at a campaign event earlier this month, Mayor Bloomberg said that he is interested in trolley service, and his team is currently investigating the feasibility of using the city's old trolley tracks, starting in Red Hook. Bob Diamond, president of the Brooklyn Historic Railway Association, is enthusiastic about the idea, saying: "A light rail or a streetcar line usually costs about one-twentieth of what a subway line would cost. And they're outside, and they use existing streets, so there's no right-of-way acquisition and the track can be built very quickly." Now the Department of Transportation will study the feasibility of a light rail or trolley system in Red Hook, research that is financed with about $300,000 in federal funding and should begin this year.
Trolleys Could Make a Comeback in Red Hook [NY1]
Trolleys Coming to Red Hook? [Cobble Hill Blog]
Could Streetcars Return to Brooklyn? [Brownstoner]
Streetcars for Brooklyn: a New Life? [Transport Politic]
August 14, 2009
Revere Sugar Demolition Continues
Developer Joe Sitt (of Coney Island fame) and his company, Thor Equities, recommenced demolition of the former Revere Sugar Refinery in Red Hook this week. As the Brooklyn Paper reported, Sitt had already demolished most of the refinery in 2006, amongst the protests of preservationists, in order to build a mega-mall with BJ's Wholesale Club as the anchor, but left standing a brick warehouse at the edge of the property. Thor Equities explained: "Thor’s original intention was to adaptively reuse the Revere Sugar factory warehouse as part of a new development, but after further analysis, the engineers found structural problems with the building making it unstable and potentially dangerous, and we were forced to proceed with taking the structure down." We stopped by yesterday to check on the progress. GMAP
Joe Sitt Sours on Revere Sugar Mini-Mall [Brooklyn Paper]
Red Hook Revere Sugar Teardown Renewed [Curbed]
Plans for Red Hook Mall at Refinery Site [Brownstoner]
August 11, 2009
Red Lipstick Opening in Red Hook
We stumbled upon these Flickr photos from Stacey Elkin, who will be opening her RedLipstick boutique at 390 Van Brunt Street in Red Hook, probably in September. To see her wares, you can stop by her existing store in Prospect Heights at 560 Vanderbilt Avenue, or check out her Etsy shop. Ms. Elkin told us that, at least for now, she will keep both stores open. As for why she's opening store number two, Ms. Elkin said, "I stumbled across the storefront at 390 Van Brunt while in Red Hook to get a piece of cake at Baked, and it is my dream storefront in every way, so I rented it!" It's nice to see a small neighborhood business succeed so much that it can set up shop in two shops! GMAP
Photo by Staceyjoy
US Concrete, Red Hook's New Resident
Red Hook residents have been distressed for a couple months now over the planned arrival of US Concrete to their neighborhood. Although Red Hook was historically a center of industry, and once considered one of the worst neighborhoods in the city, the neighborhood has greatly changed over the past ten years (duh). Now, residents fear that the new concrete factory will disrupt the balance they fought to create, reports the Brooklyn Paper: they worry about traffic, noise and pollution from trucks, dust from the factory, and its proximity to a community farm, Red Hook Park, and Ikea's waterfront park. The area's democratic councilwoman, Sara Gonzalez, held a summit meeting for residents and company representatives last Thursday, but so far, it looks like US Concrete will go forward with its plan.
Concrete Plant Plan Is a Real Red Hook Dust Up [Brooklyn Paper]
Residents Upset over Location of Concrete Plant [NY Daily News]
Photo by sgoodyear
August 10, 2009
Realty in Red Hook
Are you trying to get your hooks into Red Hook? The New York Observer, as part of its interview with real estate agent Rachel Shapiro, paints a picture of Red Hook as an eclectic, diverse neighborhood that has adjusted relatively well to the recessive market. There are no residential property moguls, the article explains, and most landlords own one or two buildings and live in the area. Yes, owners had to lower their rents, but even today there are are never too many available Red Hook listings, implying a healthy demand. If you're looking to perch in Red Hook, residents recommend simply asking around: it's a small, insular community, and many locals found their current homes via word of mouth. Or, of course, you could ask Rachel Shaprio, whom the Observer dubs the queen of Red Hook realty, since she actually lives in the neighborhood, unlike other brokers. Have any readers looked for a rental in the neighborhood recently? Please share...
The Queen of Red Hook Realty [NY Observer]
July 29, 2009
Million Dollar Deals Dead in Red Hook
July 27, 2009
House of the Day: 49 Dikeman Street
Given the timing of this listing at 49 Dikeman Street in Red Hook (the seller bought the two-family house in 2007 for $745,000), this has to either be a planned flip or a desperation sale. We'd bet the latter since the renovation looks nicer than your average contractor flip job; in particular, we're impressed that they've tried to preserve the original details. The kitchen, while hardly fancy, is also attractively done. Given the cost of the reno and the broker's fee, no one's getting rich on this deal even if they manage to get the asking price of $879,000, which they might, given the scarcity of attractive houses in Red Hook.
49 Dikeman Street [Betancourt] GMAP P*Shark
July 24, 2009
DOT Greens a New Bike Lane on 9th Street
The DOT's green paint-wielding fairies have been busy in yet another section of the borough: A new royal road to Red Hook has been established on 9th Street from Smith to the BQE. GMAP
July 20, 2009
StreetLevel: Shoe Store, Hair Salon Opening on Van Brunt
Add two more to the growing list of new Red Hook retail offerings: According to a sign in the window, a "hair boutique" called Suite 352 is going to open on the corner of Van Brunt and Sullivan, and across the street a shoe store is opening. The owner of the shoe store said it should be open within a week and that the shop's name is still up in the air. GMAP
July 17, 2009
Market-Rate Units Available at Red Hook Co-Op Project
The Fifth Avenue Committee's 60-unit co-op developments on Wolcott and Coffey streets have looked complete for quite awhile now (at least from street-level), but it turns out that about a third of the units still aren't spoken for. It came as a surprise to us to learn that a number of apartments in the developments will be sold at market-rate prices: According to an agent from Manzione Real Estate, which is selling 20 units the buildings, although 40 of the affordable units have been reserved via a lottery that drew 8,000 applicants, the remaining co-ops are on the market for between $390,000 and $575,000. Closings for the affordable units (which were priced as low as $47,000 for applicants who made an income cut-off) won't happen until some of the market-rate units sell, according to the agent.
Red Hook Co-Ops [Manzione] GMAP
FAC’s Red Hook Homes Near Completion [Brownstoner]
Latest Restaurant Additions
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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