Vinegar Hill
November 2, 2009
Development Watch: 185 York Street
The seven-story building at 185 York Street in Vinegar Hill is well on its way now but the big question remains to be answered: Can a market-rate project make it right across from public housing?
Development Watch: 185 York Street [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
October 16, 2009
70 Hudson Getting Reconfigured
Over in Vinegar Hill, work started last summer (but has been quiet recently) on a project to convert this two-family-plus-retail building into a single-family residence. We're sure it'll be great for the owners but we'd been kinda hoping that this corner of the woods would become to a couple of more bars or restaurants in the wake of the positive reception the Vinegar Hill House has received. GMAP
September 21, 2009
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street
When we checked in with the progress at 109 Gold Street in July, things were moving slowly at the former site of St. George's Church. In the last couple of months, though, the pace has picked up considerably and they're up to the sixth of seven floors now. Still to early to tell where this will fall on the aesthetic spectrum.
Development Watch: Glacial Pace at 109 Gold [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street Revisited [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
The Destruction of St. George's Church Continues Apace [Brownstoner] P*Shark
St. George's Demo Halted, But the Damage Is Done [Brownstoner] DOB
August 17, 2009
Checking In at 37 Bridge Street
The last time we checked up on 37 Bridge Street, the 48-unit soap factory conversion from developer Bobby Jacobs of Karnusa Equities, scaffolding obfuscated most of the building, and progress seemed quite slow. Now, according to Dumbo NYC progress has been "moving quickly," and, so far, it seems that the renovation has remained honorable to the spirit of the original building. In fact, as the Social Cinema video above details, the architect (who goes by the single name Dedi) has gone to particular pains to preserve the massive cylindrical tanks (20 feet in diameter) into the design of the building. Way cool. GMAP
37 Bridge Street Update [Dumbo NYC]
Development Watch: 37 Bridge Street [Brownstoner]
Baruch Singer Buys Himself Some Dumbo [Brownstoner]
July 17, 2009
Conversion Planned for 201 Front Street
As DumboNYC reported earlier in the week, plans were recently approved by the Department of Buildings to convert the historic warehouse at 201 Front Street (aka 54 Bridge Street) in Dumbo into 159 residential units; the scaffolding started going up on Tuesday. The four-story building was originally built by a shoe manufacturing company. We're particularly curious to know how the developer, who paid $22,912,500 for the building in 2005, got all the artists out.
201 Front Street Building Activity [DumboNYC] GMAP P*Shark DOB
July 8, 2009
Next Phase of CB2 Alternate Side Parking Conversion
The free parking ride is almost over in Clinton Hill but it's coming to the ritzier sections of Community Board 2 shortly. The Department of Transportation announced yesterday that street cleaning regulations, suspended back in mid-May while signs reflecting the switch from twice-a-week to once-a-week street cleaning were installed, would be restored in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill as of July 20; meanwhile, alternate side of the street parking in Dumbo, Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn will be suspended for six to eight weeks starting Monday to facilitate a similar signage switch-over. A full press release as well as detailed information about what signage you need to pay attention to on the jump.
Continue reading "Next Phase of CB2 Alternate Side Parking Conversion"
July 7, 2009
Development Watch: Glacial Pace at 109 Gold
It's been over a year since the visigoths developers responsible for tearing down St. George's Church at 109 Gold Street to make way for a seven-story, 33-unit residential building received their building permits from the Department of Buildings. Only in the past couple of weeks have the cinderblock walls of the building's first floor become visible over the top of the plywood fence. As we mentioned when we checked in back in February, the one potentially saving grace about the project is that the developers have sprung for the architectural services of Kutnicki Bernstein.
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street Revisited [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
The Destruction of St. George's Church Continues Apace [Brownstoner] P*Shark
St. George's Demo Halted, But the Damage Is Done [Brownstoner] DOB
May 18, 2009
Development Watch: 185 York Street
Right next door to the six-story new building at 181 York Street in Vinegar Hill steel has started to rise at 185 York Street; this one will be seven stories and contain 16 apartments. Like its neighbor, this place will face the uphill marketing challenge of being located directly across the street from the dumpster grounds for the Farragut Houses. GMAP P*Shark DOB
May 13, 2009
Farragut Houses Getting Greenery, Bike Lanes
On the way to the office yesterday, we passed these trees being delivered to the Farragut Houses in Vinegar Hill. The delivery men told us they were for the grounds of complex; a little digging revealed that this is part of a larger initiative among DOT, the Tenants Association, Council Member James and Reverend Taylor to modify the surrounding streets of Sands, Navy and Gold with medians, bike lanes and trees.
April 9, 2009
100 Gold Hits the Market
How close is too close when it comes to a new condo's proximity to the projects? That question will be put to the test now that the new environmentally-friendly development at 100 Gold Street in Vinegar Hill has hit the market. (According to a press release we received last month, the developer plans to purchase renewable energy credits and assist in funding reforestation projects to offset the building's carbon emissions in the first year.) The eight units range in price from $525,000 for a 700-square-foot one-bedroom to $935,000 for a 1,085-square-foot one-bedroom. The building sounds nice but it's hard to see how anyone will pay those prices to be so close to the Farragut Houses. Remember what happened at 99 Gold Street—and that was before the market had collapsed.
100 Gold Street Listings [Corcoran] GMAP
100 Gold Street On the Market [Dumbo NYC]
Development Watch: 100 Gold Street [Brownstoner]
March 25, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Photo by Here is Park Slope
A Big Change for Bierkraft
191 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope
While shopping at Bierkraft, Here is Park Slope "noticed that a couple rustic-looking picnic tables now occupy the front section, formerly home to the checkout area... Bierkraft has applied for an on-premises liquor license." If and when it goes through, they'll be offering sample sips and possibly pints — plus you'll be able to enjoy their sandwiches, piled charcuterie and cheeses, in-house.
This Week's Openings
The Brooklyn Standard Deli, a "bodega with a conscience... with a focus on local and sustainable organic goods," is coming to 188 Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint, and Nhà Tôi, a banh mi and Vietnamese summer roll shop that will serve dim sum on the weekends is coming to 160 Havemeyer Street in Williamsburg, says Time Out New York. And at Vutera, "Molly Del Monte, who was a sous-chef at Little Giant," is serving up "a Mediterranean menu with dishes like wedding soup with meatballs, and scallops with farro risotto" at 345 Grand Street in Williamsburg, reports the New York Times. Plus, in case you missed yesterday's Busy Chef thread, Brooklyn Heights Blog says that Melissa Murphy of Sweet Melissa is looking to take over this Brooklyn Heights storefront and the adjacent Blue Pig space.
The Top 5 Brooklyn Dishes
In a fun messageboard thread, Chowhounds are listing their favorite dishes in the borough. There's wide range of recommendations, from "the slow-rendered duck breast at The Grocery" to "Chicken Soup with Heavily Buttered White Toast at 7th Avenue Donuts (followed by a Boston Creme and Coffee)." What are your top 5?
After the jump: A new-ish South Slope spot gets a rave review, Old Brooklyn meets New Brooklyn at Bar Matchless, breakfast at Prime Meats, Tini makes a move, and the Times visits Vinegar Hill House...
February 27, 2009
Development Watch: 100 Gold Street
At 100 Gold Street, directly across the street from 99 Gold, a five-story, ten-unit new building is rising on the site of an old falling-down house; the developer paid $800,000 for the property in April 2008. The design looks neither here nor there. GMAP P*Shark DOB
Close-Up on the Commandant's House
Built in the first decade of the 19th Century, the Commandant's House on the western edge of the Brooklyn Navy Yard holds great allure, in part because it's so hard to get a full glimpse of. On Gowanus Lounge today, read about its history and find out how you can get a closer look at the privately-owned Federal Style mansion starting this weekend. More history on the jump.
February 12, 2009
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street Revisited
They have yet to be struck down by a lightning bolt from above for tearing down St. George's Church at the corner of Gold and York Streets in Vinegar Hill, so the developers of 109 Gold Street are continuing to forge ahead with their seven-story, 33-unit project. It'll be interesting to see how this looks and how "luxury" it is given its proximity to the Farragut Houses.
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
The Destruction of St. George's Church Continues Apace [Brownstoner] P*Shark
St. George's Demo Halted, But the Damage Is Done [Brownstoner] DOB
February 4, 2009
Brooklyn Food & Drink Round-Up
Brooklyn's Three Million Dollar Dive
38-44 Washington Ave. (Alternate address: 200 Flushing Ave.)
"One of the city’s truly gritty watering holes, the Navy Yard Cocktail Lounge, may not have long for this world. Per a Douglas Elliman listing, the bar’s building (along with three others) is for sale for $3 million... If you plan to pay your first and last respects to J.J.’s, as it’s sometimes called, know that even professional degenerates who’ve ignored the 'MEMBERS ONLY' sign on the establishment’s front door have ended up fleeing (if only at having to pay the impromptu lap dancers)." [Grub Street]
Harding and Mamary Heading to Soho?
"According to a posting on a French Culinary Institute's job board, Alan Harding and Jim Mamary are planning a new Patois in Soho and a restaurant and charcuterie shop in Brooklyn. It had been reported after the shutter that Patois would be moving across the street to 254 Smith St., so chances are that is the future home to the meat shop." [Eater]
Buttermilk Brunch
524 Court Street (at Huntington Street), Carroll Gardens
"Excellent Court Street newcomer, Buttermilk Channel has just launched brunch. It’s been proven that chef Ryan Angulo does wondrous things with pecans, so we’re looking forward to the pecan-pie French toast (says admittedly biased owner Doug Crowell, it’s 'pretty insane')." [Time Out New York]
After the jump: News from Vinegar Hill House, Draft Barn, Lunetta, NoNo Kitchen, Marlow & Daughters, Bar Great Harry, and South Brooklyn Pizza...
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...
January 20, 2009
House of the Day: 69 Gold Street
The renovation of 69 Gold Street was a complete gut rehab. The owners, who picked the four-story brick house up for $1,295,000 in 2006, clearly spent a lot of dough fixing it up. Because it's a corner property (see photo) that with a stoop-less entrance right off the street, it feels a little weird walking into right into the kitchen. The style's not right up our alley, but it looks like a lot of attention to detail was put into this and the quality is probably quite high. Which is a good thing, cuz they're asking $2,995,000; then again, it's got a carriage house that's currently generating $3,300 a month in rent.
69 Gold Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
November 19, 2008
Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
Now Closed: Trout Swims with the Fishes
102 Smith Street (at Pacific Street)
"Boerum Hill’s dumpy oasis, Trout, closed on Sunday... A plan to develop the corner Trout occupied on Smith and Pacific also fell through after two years of negotiations, [owner Jim Mamary] said, but he assured us that Pacifico is safe (and still serving margaritas). As for that oyster bar planned to go with Black Mountain Wine House, Mamary today declared it 'dead in the water.'" [Grub Street]
This Week's Opening: Vinegar Hill House
72 Hudson Avenue, Vinegar Hill
As we reported back in September, former Freemans chef Jean Adamson has been converting the former butcher shop at 72 Hudson Avenue into a restaurant. According to New York magazine, it's opening this week as Vinegar Hill House: "Adamson describes her menu as Moosewood Cookbook–ish in its focus on grains, legumes, and vegetables, which are intended to supplement smaller portions of protein. Her fish will be sustainable and her meats broken down from whole animals procured from Fleisher’s, the upstate cult butcher, all cooked in the wood-burning oven. Also on offer: a raw bar, an American-cheese-and-homemade-cracker board, and $9 classic cocktails—liquor license pending."
After the jump: The secret to getting seated instantly at Al Di La, a taste of Naples in Williamsburg, and a waiter gets "repeatedly stabbed" with a fork at the newly renovated Kellogg's Diner...
September 22, 2008
Streetlevel: A Name for Brooklyn Freemans?
Now that the news is out about the Freemans is out of the bag, one question remains: What will it be called? Well, we've got a clue courtesy of public filings. According to a liquor license application dated June 27, the name of the business is Vinegar Hill House. Think that's just a working name or the one that'll go above the door? A riff, perhaps, on the Soho House Update: Seems our speculation about this place has been close but not entirely on the mark. One of the partners in the new restaurant is also a co-owner in the Freemans Sporting Club barbershop, but not the Freemans restaurant; nor are the Freemans restaurant owners involved in the Vinegar Hill venture. Got it? Oh, and a name has not been decided upon yet.
Streetlevel: New Restaurant Coming to Vinegar Hill [Brownstoner] GMAP
Freemans Butcher Shop Never Really a Butcher Shop! [Brownstoner]
September 3, 2008
Freemans Butcher Shop Never Really a Butcher Shop!
Here's a funny one: When we reported the impending arrival of a Freemans spin-off restaurant in Vinegar Hill yesterday, we noted that the space at 72 Hudson Avenue is a former butcher shop. Well, it turns out that's not really true. There are old-looking letters in the window that say "Butcher Shop," but Morgan Roberts, the director of a 2006 movie called "Love is Rare," just wrote in with these photos to tell us that the space actually was a ground-floor apartment that was set-designed to be a butcher shop. When the shoot was done, the guy who lived there liked the lettering so much, he just kept it. Click through to see what the inside of the butcher shop looked like.
Streetlevel: New Restaurant Coming to Vinegar Hill [Brownstoner] GMAP
Continue reading "Freemans Butcher Shop Never Really a Butcher Shop!"
September 2, 2008
Streetlevel: New Restaurant Coming to Vinegar Hill
According to the permit posted in the window, the former butcher shop at 72 Hudson Avenue in Vinegar Hill is in the process of being converted into an "eating and drinking establishment." Our call to the phone number on the DOB app went unanswered, but we're starting to wonder whether this may be where former Freemans chef Jean Adamson may be planning to set up shop. (See Eater, Grub Street and Brooklyn Based for more on Adamson's departure and plans.) After all, this cobblestone stretch of Hudson Avenue certainly has that kind of old world vibe the Freemans folks covet. Update: Based on this Eater post, it's looking like this space will indeed be the new Freeman's! GMAP
June 19, 2008
Development Watch: 109 Gold Street
After demolishing (illegally, at times) St. George's Church at the corner of Gold and York in Vinegar, the developer (who years ago also tore down nearby St. Ann's Church) received the green-light to build the seven-story residential building that will replace it. Given the site's location across from the projects, our expectations have been pretty low for the design. We haven't seen renderings yet, but it turns out that the architect is Kutnicki Bernstein which, regardless of how you feel about its style, is hardly a bottom-of-the-barrel firm, so maybe this one will surprise on the upside.
The Destruction of St. George's Church Continues Apace [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark
St. George's Demo Halted, But the Damage Is Done [Brownstoner] DOB
April 23, 2008
Development Watch: 181 York Street
We've been wondering for a while whether anyone was going to try to build on the empty lots across from the Farragut Houses on York Street in Vinegar Hill. We now know the answer: Yes. A six-story, 10-unit Bricolage-designed building is currently rising on the lot at 181 York Street. Given the proximity to the projects and the point in the market cycle, we'd be betting on rentals over condos, but, hey, you never know. After all, another developer thought the residential possibilities on this stretch were compelling enough to merit tearing down a church. GMAP P*Shark DOB
April 7, 2008
Condo of the Day: 79 Bridge Street
We've always been curious about this building at 79 Bridge Street in Vinegar Hill. From what we can tell, the Scarano-designed conversion happened in 2003. (Pains were clearly taken to preserve some of the exterior structure and brickwork.) There has not been a lot of turnover in the past couple of years, which might explain why we have not had occasion to post about it before. This 796-square-foot unit has outdoor space and is asking $679,000. A similar-sized unit on the fourth floor sold for $580,000 about a year ago. From what we can see in the photos, it's a perfectly attractive, if somewhat unremarkable, interior. Anyone know anything about this building?
79 Bridge Street [Craigslist] GMAP P*Shark
March 25, 2008
Condo of the Day: 206 Front Street
About nine months after closing on her second-floor one-bedroom at the Vista at 206 Front Street in Vinegar Hill, the broker who owns it is looking to cash in her chips and move on. While the exact closing price is unclear, the 540-square-foot apartment was originally listed for $370,530. So what's the asking price less than a year later? $485,000. Seems like a stretch to us.
206 Front Street, #2D [NY Times] GMAP P*Shark
The Vista and J Condo Get Their TCOs [Brownstoner]
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