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Brownsville’s Bleak Urban Landscape
The Times’ Gina Bellafante visited Brownsville for her latest “Big City” column, and her depiction of the neighborhood is grim: “I encountered people who felt not only that the quality of life had barely improved since the days of the crack epidemic in the ’80s and ’90s, but that in certain respects it had grown worse.” Bellafante notes that the neighborhood’s murder rate hasn’t fallen in the last few years, and that gang violence is a regular occurrence. Some neighborhood businesses say that they have trouble moving inventory like men’s clothing because “of a retracted drug trade that however insidious kept money in the neighborhood in motion.” There are some small, hopeful signs of change, according to the article, particularly the renovation of the long-vacant Loew’s Pitkin theater, which will house a charter school on its top floors and retail on the bottom floors.
Where Optimism Feels Out of Reach [NY Times]
01/16/2012 9:30 AM
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A Look at Brownsville’s Entrenched Poverty
The Daily News has an article about Brownsville that uses the recent gang shooting of a mother outside a public school as a jumping-off point for examining the neighborhood’s poverty (half of its residents receive welfare, SSI, or Medicaid and thousands live in the projects) and violence (murders are up 50 percent from 2009). State Sen. Eric Adams says cuts in state funding are partially to blame for the violence, which means community centers have less to work with. Meanwhile, some nonprofits active in the area are trying to bring about change. The Brownsville Partnership is working to change dietary habits in the neighborhood, where two-thirds of adult residents are obese, but is encountering difficulties: “About 60 bodegas were asked to sell fresh produce, picked from upstate farms: Only three agreed.” Another, the Brownsville Community Justice Center, is modeled after the Red Hook Community Justice Center, and is looking to open a community center offering services such as mentoring to the neighborhood’s low-level criminals. McBrooklyn reports that a group of people marched over the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday carrying coffins to draw attention to the neighborhood’s poverty and concomitant culture of violence.
Tough Times Continue in Brownsville [NY Daily News]
‘Occupy Brownsville’ Marches Over Brooklyn Bridge to City Hall [McBrooklyn]
Photo by Atomische/Tom Giebel
11/07/2011 10:00 AM
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Development Watch: Habitat’s Brownsville Build
Habitat for Humanity sent the photo above showing how the organization’s under-construction, 12-unit project in Ocean Hill-Brownsville is shaping up. The condo, which will have two- and three-bedroom units, is targeted to families earning between 50 and 80 percent of the area median income.
St. John’s Residences [Habitat for Humanity] GMAP
Habitat Building More in Ocean Hill-Brownsville [Brownstoner]
08/02/2011 2:40 PM
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Habitat Building More in Ocean Hill-Brownsville
According to a press release, Habitat for Humanity held a groundbreaking yesterday for a 12-unit condo in Ocean Hill-Brownsville “targeted to low-income working New York City families earning between 50% to 80% of the city’s Area Median Income.” The condo, St. John’s Residences, “is the first of more than 100 Habitat-NYC homes to be built in Central Brooklyn, funded in part through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development Neighborhood Stabilization Program Round 2.” An earlier project Habitat did in Brownsville led the organization to start changing its development model in New York City so that it focused more on multi-unit builds rather than single-family homes. This particular project is supposed to be finished next year.
St. John’s Residences [Habitat for Humanity] GMAP
Habitat Brownsville Project a Game-Changer [Brownstoner]
02/16/2011 10:00 AM
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Closer Look at the Pitkin Theater
Today the New York Times looks at the future of the Pitkin Theater, which we’ve covered here as it began construction to be converted to a school. The Times story digs into the financing aspects of the deal. Turns out that the $43.3 million dollar project was funded through something called New Market tax credits, designed to stimulate development in low-income neighborhoods. (The annual median income within a quarter-mile of the project is $15,700.) In this case, the developer partnered with Goldman Sachs and worked with five investment funds specializing in struggling communities. After a plan to develop low-income housing at the site fell through, Ascend Learning, a charter school from the Bronx, signed a lease instead. 1,100 students will be moving in. There will also be a significant portion of retail space, with residents hoping for higher end businesses like bookstores, specialty food, or sports specialty stores.
Loew’s Pitkin, Former Movie Palace, Gets a New Life [NY Times]
Photo by Chasi Annexy
09/29/2010 9:33 AM
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Pitkin Conversion Rendered
Recently we published some interior shots of Brownsville’s Pitkin Theater pre-renovation. Construction has now begun on the school and retail conversion, and the Architect’s Newspaper has come into possession of a rendering of the the project. Due to disrepair the interior will be mostly gutted, so it’s nice to see the exterior will remain largely preserved.
Showtime for School in Rundown Theater [Architect's Newspaper]
Inside the Lowe’s Pitkin Theater [Brownstoner] GMAP
Loew’s Pitkin to be Converted to School, Retail [Brownstoner]
08/02/2010 9:32 AM
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Inside the Loew’s Pitkin Theater
[Gallery not found]
Last week we wrote about the conversion happening at the Loew’s Pitkin Theater in Brownsville; both a charter school and 70,000 square feet of retail space are moving in. A completely new interior structure will be built while still preserving many of the architectural details of the theater. These incredible photos from the existing interior were taken by Chasi Annexy at Tuesday’s groundbreaking ceremony.
Loew’s Pitkin to Be Converted to School, Retail [Brownstoner] GMAP
07/23/2010 9:30 AM
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Brownsville Church Saved from Wrecking Ball
After many months, a coalition of community members and preservationists have won a battle to save an historic church in Brownsville. The Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn had shuttered the Lady of Loreto Church at 124 Sackman Street two years ago, and last year announced plans to allow a non-profit developer to tear it down and build 102 affordable apartments in its place. Under a compromise plan, the church will now be saved and turned into a community center and only 50 apartments will be built. “It’s a toned-down plan,” said Charles Piazza, 57, who helped lead the preservation fight as a member of Italian Americans for Preservation and Community. “But at least we have saved the church.” Director of the Brownsville Heritage Center, Patricia Deans, who worked with Piazza to convince the Diocese not to demolish the church, said, “It means we’re going to finally serve the needs of the community.”
Brownsville Community Saves Our Lady of Loreto Church [NY Daily News]
A Reprieve for Historic Brownsville Church [Brownstoner]
Lady of Loreto’s Most Desperate Hour [Brownstoner]
Fight to Preserve Ocean Hill Church [Brownstoner]
Photo from NYLC
06/16/2010 9:31 AM
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A Reprieve for Historic Brownsville Church
In a surprise move, it appears that the Catholic Diocese has decided to spare the Lady of Loreto church from the wrecking ball. While the church has yet to issue a formal statement, The Daily News reported on Friday that a compromise has been reached that would avoid demolition. The decision comes after months of negotiations with a preservationist group comprised largely of Italian Americans that sought to save a piece of its cultural heritage that has fallen into disuse as the neighborhood has transformed over recent decades to a largely black community. The Catholic Church had been planning to tear down the turn of the century structure to make way for 88 units of affordable housing. Under the new preservation plan, the church will be preserved, possibly as some kind of community center, and 50 or so affordable apartments would be built. “It’s a toned-down plan but at least we have saved the church,” said Charles Piazza, who’s led the preservation fight. “There are a lot of conversations taking place but there have been no decisions,” said Msgr. Kieran Harrington, a Brooklyn Diocese spokesman.
Brownsville Community Saves Church from Demolition [NY Daily News]
Lady of Loreto’s Most Desperate Hour [Brownstoner]
Fight to Preserve Ocean Hill Church [Brownstoner]
Photo from Loretochurch.com
05/17/2010 9:00 AM
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Lady of Loreto’s Most Desperate Hour
The plight of the Lady of Loreto, the landmarking-worthy-but-not-yet-landmarked church in the formerly Italian but now primarily African American and Latino neighborhood of Brownsville, went to Defcon 1 last week, as workers for the Catholic Diocese began draping the 100-year-old church in netting in preparation for demolition. (We were unable to find any record of a DOB application for demolition though.) The Diocese plans to replace the structure with 88 units of affordable housing. A group of Italian-Americans that has been waging a campaign to preserve the church has put forth an alternative plan that would create the housing while preserving the church as an arts and community center; the plan was put together in conjunction with several prominent members of the local African American community, including Jeffrey Dunston, CEO of the nonprofit Northeast Brooklyn Housing Development Corporation. “We have a real plan, which will make a real difference in this community,” Msgr. Kieran E. Harrington told The New York Times. “The other side has wishful thinking.
A Fight for a Church Is Evoking Introspection [NY Times]
Fight to Preserve Ocean Hill Church [Brownstoner]
Photo from the Bridge and Tunnel Club
03/29/2010 10:01 AM
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Development Watch: Affordable on Watkins Street
This is pretty cool. A reader sent in a photo of this affordable housing project at 550 Watkins Street in Brownsville that is being developed by CPC Resources and East Brooklyn Congregations. Actually, it consists of 13 four-story rental buildings. Here’s the description from the the GC’s website: “The majority of the units in the project will be made affordable to families earning 60% of the Area’s Median Income. The project will have 35 one-bedroom units, 57 two-bedroom units, and 11 three bedroom units.” Update: There’s more info on the project on this page of the HPD website. GMAP
03/24/2010 2:42 PM
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Brooklyn Sales: Under a Million
Under $350K Range: BAY RIDGE
9411 Shore Road, #3-D; Price=$330,000 GMAP
StreetEasy says this 850-sf co-op in an elevator building was listed at $339,000 back in September. The listing said that this junior 4 offers harbor views from its private terrace but is in need of some TLC. Common Charges= $669. Entered into contract 12/8/09; closed on 2/16/10; deed recorded on 2/19/10.
$350-$500K Range: DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN
150 Myrtle Avenue, #1507; Price=$405,000 GMAP
This 1-bedroom, 609-sf condo in the 38-story, 240-unit Toren (which recently opened their pool) went into contract back in the spring of 2008, says StreetEasy. Entered into contract on 5/1/08; closed on 2/16/10; deed recorded on 2/18/10.
$500-$750K Range: BROWNSVILLE
64 Blake Avenue; Price=$518,000 GMAP
Built in 2007, this 2,400-sf two-family house sold for $520,000 in October 2009, says PropertyShark. Entered into contract on 11/21/09; closed on 2/16/10; deed recorded on 2/19/10.
$750K-$1 Million Range: WILLIAMSBURG
97 North 7th Street; Price=$960,000 GMAP
This 3,600-sf building, with 3 residential units and 1 commercial space, has had the same owner for over 30 years, according to PropertyShark. Closed on 2/16/10; deed recorded on 2/19/10.
Photos from Property Shark.
02/26/2010 11:31 AM
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NYCHA Plans First High-Rise Complex Demolition
This news hit late Friday, but it seemed too huge to ignore today: The Times reports that for the first time in its history, the New York City Housing Authority is planning to demolish a public housing project, Brownsville’s Prospect Plaza Houses. The three towers that make up the complex once housed 1,200 people but they’ve been completely vacant for about 7 years, when NYCHA moved residents out and told them they would eventually be able to return to renovated apartments. Now, however, the agency says that it would actually be more expensive to renovate the buildings than to build new apartments, and it hopes to start construction on new, low-rise replacement buildings in a couple of years. Some former residents, of course, don’t trust NYCHA’s plans: “Several former residents of Prospect Plaza and groups that represent public housing tenants said they did not support the demolition, in part, because it was unclear to them that the authority intended to replace the old units with the same number of new public housing units.”
New York City Plans to Topple Public Housing Towers [NYT] GMAP
Photo from Property Shark.
02/08/2010 9:00 AM
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Habitat Brownsville Project a Game-Changer
Remember that Habitat for Humanity project in Brownsville we covered last month? Turns out, according to a story in the Times, that 41-unit condo is the largest housing development that Habitat’s ever had a hand in. It’s also led the organization to start changing its development model in New York City so that it focuses more on multi-unit builds rather than single-family homes. “Ideally, in our quest to serve as many families in need as possible, what we want to do is to be as nimble and as entrepreneurial as possible,” said Josh Lockwood, Habitat’s executive director in New York City. The nonprofit is currently building other large developments in the Bronx.
Making History in a Brooklyn Neighborhood [NY Times]
Closings, Move-Ins in Progress at Habitat Brownsville Build [Brownstoner]
Photo by Ari Burling
01/19/2010 10:45 AM
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Goldberger Props for Saratoga Avenue Community Center
New Yorker architecture critic Paul Goldberger has just posted his list of the Ten Most Positive Architectural Events of 2009. There’s one Brooklyn mention:
Brooklyn, the borough that didn’t get Frank Gehry’s new arena for the Nets, got something a lot smaller and much more suited to its immediate needs, which is an exceptionally handsome and dignified community center in Brownsville by the architect George Ranalli. The Saratoga Avenue Community Center, built by the New York City Housing Authority, is a small, self-assured brick building that loosely echoes Frank Lloyd Wright, but is altogether original, and stands as a welcome—and welcoming—reminder that the city government actually is capable of being a good client when it wants to be.
For the rest of Golderberger’s list click here and to see more images of the community center check out the architect’s website.
Ten Most Positive Architectural Events of 2009 [New Yorker via Curbed]
Saratoga Avenue Community Center [George Ranalli]
12/10/2009 10:01 AM
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Closings, Move-Ins in Progress at Habitat Brownsville Build
Closings have started to pop up in public records for Habitat for Humanity’s recently completed affordable housing project in Brownsville. The 41-unit condo was completed in September and thus far 27 families have moved in, according to a Habitat spokeswoman. All of the units, which were made available to folks making between 45 and 80 percent of the city’s median income, have been spoken for. Buyers needed to work a minimum of 300 hours to help build their homes, and the average price in the condo was $145,000. GMAP
Photos of building exterior and model unit by Ari Burling.
12/02/2009 11:00 AM
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Brownsville Affordable Project Gets State Funding
Last Thursday, the boards of the New York State Affordable Housing Corporation (AHC) and the New York State Housing Finance Agency (HFA) approved $181.6 million in financing today to build and preserve 2,060 units of affordable housing throughout New York State. One of the lucky projects was a 161-unit development slated to be built at 39 Hegeman Avenue in Brownsville. The project—which received $30.75 million in funding—will provide studio apartments for low-income individuals and homeless single adults from Brownsville; a hundred apartments will be set aside for formerly homeless adults who have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS or mental illness. The Hegeman project is part of Common Ground‘s neighborhood-based homelessness prevention effort in Brownsville one of New York City’s poorest communities, where disproportionate numbers of residents become homeless. A full press release is here.
09/15/2009 10:01 AM
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The Synagogues of Brownsville
A book called The Lost Synagogues of Brooklyn has just been published and we’ve got some of the photos for you above. Author Ellen Levitt, a lifelong Brooklynite, examines 91 former synagogues in Brownsville, East New York, East Flatbush and Bedford Stuyvesant that, largely through shifting demographic patterns, are no longer used for their original purpose. In most cases, like the five from Brownsville above, they have been converted to churches despite retaining their Jewish symbols.
05/14/2009 10:30 AM
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Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up
Now Open: Unauthorized Obama Eatery
“In an apparent bid to stand out in the crowded fast food market, a Brooklyn business has rechristened itself ‘Obama Fried Chicken.’ Previously known as Royal Fried Chicken, the eatery, located at Rockaway Parkway and Rutland Road in Brownsville, unveiled its revamped name last Thursday afternoon when the business’s new awning was installed,” says the Smoking Gun. We can only wonder if this fried chicken joint will meet the same fate as Sixpoint’s Hop Obama beer.
Ditmas Park: Home of the City’s Best Hummus
1209 Cortelyou Road (Westminster Road), Ditmas Park; (718) 284-4444
The New York Times reports on the Israeli hummus parlors popping up around the city and says, “The newest of these hummusiot also happens to be the best. Mimi’s Hummus opened in February on Cortelyou Road, the Restaurant Row of Ditmas Park.” At this 8-table spot, owner Mimi Kitani — an Israeli with Moroccan-Kurdish parents — draws culinary influences from each culture and serves 5 types of hummus priced from $8 to $9.
Pizza Pizza
Bloggers across Brooklyn are buzzing about two newcomer pizzerias set to open this week — Ignazio’s (4 Water Street, Dumbo; 718-522-2100) and Anselmo’s (354 Van Brunt Street, Red Hook; 718-775-5386). Time Out New York says that Ignazio’s “menu is mostly devoted to thin-crust and Sicilian pies. Special versions include toppings such as lobster or seasonal greens, like baby dandelion and chicory.” And Slice shares the story behind Anselmo’s: “[Jack] Stella, one of the joint’s three partners, runs a chemical business down the street. He and his colleagues in that business originally bought the building that would house Anselmo’s as a sort of clubhouse where they could take smoke breaks. While gutting it, he discovered the coal oven, and realizing he had the proverbial diamond in the rough, made plans to turn it into a pizzeria. Their loss of a smokers’ lounge is our gain as coal-oven aficionados.”
After the jump: 3 new grocery stores, a new restaurant from a Red Hook ball fields vendor, a secret new Williamsburg eatery, Buttermilk Channel hits the big screen, and more… (more…)
04/01/2009 11:32 AM
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Two Affordable Projects in Brooklyn Salvaged by State
Market-rate condos and brownstones aren’t the only housing threatened by the economic downturn—a decline in the value of Low Income Housing Tax Credits has meant trouble for affordable projects. At least two such projects, though—a 59-unit development in Bushwick call Rheingold Heights II and the 72-unit Domenech Senior Housing in Brownsville—have been preserved by special emergency funding from the New York State, reports the Brooklyn Eagle; an addition 13 projects around the state were also saved.
02/05/2009 11:15 AM
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