Brownstoner

Vermeil Inching Towards The Finish Line

Gabby — 2010-02-09T11:00:21-05:00

Slowly but surely the Vermeil condo on 7th Avenue and Sterling Place is getting closer to selling out. There have been 17 closings in the 22-unit building, and StreetEasy is only showing two units on the market: A 1,602-sf 3-bedroom ($1.1 mil) and a 1,564-sf 2-bed ($1.075 mil). The building, which was pricey from the get-go, hit the market in early '07 and started closing in February of last year. There have been fairly substantial discounts on some of the more recent sales, like a unit initially listed for $1,700,000 that sold for $1.15 million with two parking spots thrown in.
Checking In On The Vermeil [Brownstoner]
More Price Cuts at The Vermeil [Brownstoner] GMAP
Checking in on The Vermeil [Brownstoner]
Changing of the Guard at The Vermeil [Brownstoner]
First Closing at The Vermeil [Brownstoner]
Condo of the Day: Price Cut at The Vermeil [Brownstoner]
Update on the Vermeil [Brownstoner]

Walkabout: Pressed Metal Ornament

Montrose Morris — 2010-02-09T10:30:00-05:00

As I’ve started to really notice all of the elements that go into the buildings that make up Brooklyn, I’ve developed a large dose of respect for the designers and builders who made it all happen. A hundred or so years ago, a building was not just four walls (or less), a roof, and the other necessary elements of function. A building was an opportunity, a canvas for the artistic talents of so many different industries, crafts and craftspeople. We’ve looked at some of those elements: stonework, carved wood, wrought iron, stained glass, and brick, as well as the different parts of buildings, from the doors to the cornices, every surface, depending on the period and style of the building, gave the architects and their crews and suppliers, a blank canvas for ornament. As technology and manufacturing advances allowed new and different materials to be utilized, the lines between materials often becomes blurred, as metal imitates wood or stone, and is used in ways that a blacksmith would never have imagined.

Ideas for the Myrtle Pedestrian Plaza

Gabby — 2010-02-09T10:00:36-05:00

Very cool. Streetsblog files a report on the Myrtle Avenue BID's unveiling of eight possible ideas for the pedestrian plaza that will be constructed between Grand Avenue and Emerson Place. Four of the renderings are above. StreetsBlog notes that the DOT and the Department of Design and Construction will eventually select their own design team, though the public weighed in on these eight designs: "Michael Blaise Backer, the BID's director, said he saw three major themes emerge from the designs and the public feedback: public art, environmental sustainability, and spaces for unplanned performances. Those broader themes will now be communicated to DOT as guidelines for its design process. According to Backer, the city should announce an official design team for the plaza in about two months."
What Should Happen at Myrtle Avenue’s New Plaza? The Public Weighs In [Streetsblog]
Inventing the Myrtle Avenue Pedestrian Plaza [Brownstoner]
Renderings from Myrtle Avenue BID.

Choice Dumbo Set to Open This Week

Brownstoner — 2010-02-09T09:30:56-05:00

Choice Market, which transformed the culinary landscape in Eastern Clinton Hill when it opened at the corner of Lafayette and Grand Avenues in 2006, is about to unveil its latest venture, an ambitious eatery in the bottom of the J Condo in Dumbo. Designed by architect Evan Douglis, the new place has much larger cooking and sitting areas and is designed as a community gathering place. If you live or work in the neighborhood, you've probably peaked through the windows already; for everyone else, we've got a photo of the interior on the jump. We don't think we're going out on a limb to say that the mix of paninis, salads, prepared entrees and pastries will be a much-needed jolt to the Dumbo dining scene. The latest word we've heard is that the new location should soft-open with daytime service next week. Personally, we can't wait.

Open Thread

Gabby — 2010-02-09T09:14:21-05:00

Stuff Actually Happening in the BAM Cultural District?

Gabby — 2010-02-09T09:00:12-05:00

This week's issue of Crain's has an article about how steps are being taken to realize some of the long-held plans for the BAM Cultural District. First up, the newsy bit: This week BAM is expected to close on the ground-floor retail space at the Forte condo and "it will use that space to exhibit its archives and to produce other public programming." Aside from that, the story says the Theatre for a New Audience is supposed to break ground on its 27,500-square-foot facility in December, and BAM intends to start working on a new building it's constructing this summer. Work on a new park and landscaping is also scheduled to begin before the end of this year. Taken together, it's all very exciting, though as the piece notes, "the nascent arts neighborhood has had so many setbacks, it's easy to question whether these projects will be completed as scheduled, especially during a major recession." We'll just have to wait and see.
Curtain Rises on Brooklyn Arts Center [Crain's]
Fulton St. Theater Will Be New Home for Arts Orgs [Brownstoner]
BAM Theater for a New Audience Not Dead [Brownstoner]
BAM Cultural District: Alive If Not Exactly Kicking [Brownstoner]
BAM District Master Plan from DBP.

Tuesday Links

Gabby — 2010-02-09T08:30:24-05:00

Survey Raises Questions on Data-Driven Policy [NY Times]
BK Writer Sees How Far $100 Can Go [NY Times]
Sitt Looking to Build Dorms Around the City [NY Post]
A Cow-ardly School Theft [NY Post]
Vid of Birdies Frolicking in BBP [Curbed]
Living in Concord Village [BK Eagle]
Coney's Shore Theater May Be Landmarked [ATZ]
F Train Shuttles—They’re Baaa-aaack! [BK Paper]
New 17PPW Owners Detail Reno [FIPS]
Photo by LoisInWonderland.

Monday Blogwrap

A_Love — 2010-02-08T16:30:00-05:00

Park Slope’s Infamous ‘Fabulous’ Mom Launches Blog [Brokelyn]
Brunch at Provence en Boite [Eat It]
Valentine's Week Sales and Specials [All About 5th]
The Ultimate V-Day Gift: A Brokelyn Beer Book! [Brokelyn]
Super Bowl Sunday on Smith Street [PMFA]
Red Hook Sunset/No better place. Photo by Josh Derr from the Brownstoner Flickr Pool.

Closing Bell: Trailer Out for 'A Walk Around Fort Greene'

Gabby — 2010-02-08T16:00:27-05:00

The trailer for a movie in production called "A Walk Around Fort Greene" hit Vimeo last week. Here's the synopsis: "A feature-length documentary about the black arts movement that exploded in Fort Greene from the mid 1980s through the 90s.The film features Spike Lee, Chris Rock, Rosie Perez, Vernon Reid, Carl Hancock Rux, Saul Williams, Lorna Simpson, Alva Rogers, Kevin Powell, Toure, Bill Stephany to name a few."

Development Watch: Window Time at Strong Place

Gabby — 2010-02-08T14:30:30-05:00

The Strong Place Church conversion has been going on since 2006 at this point and it still looks far from done. (Hopefully this indicates it will be a high-quality development.) Right now workers are prepping to install new windows into the building and have already put in some of the smaller ones. It is supposed to have 24 condos when finished. Click through for another pic.
Strong Place Church Construction Update [Brownstoner]
Strong Place Church Conversion: Slow ‘n’ Steady [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
Strong Place Church Conversion In Full Swing [Brownstoner]
Strong Place Church: Next Step, Scaffolding [Brownstoner]

StreetLevel: Maya Taqueria

Gabby — 2010-02-08T14:00:15-05:00

A no-frills Mexican restaurant called Maya Taqueria opened on Vanderbilt between St. Marks Avenue and Prospect Place a few weeks ago. Sample prices: $6.50 for a veggie quesadilla; $6.25 for a meat burrito; and $2.95 for a steak taco. The few Yelp reviews that have been posted so far are pretty positive. GMAP

House of the Day: 96 Joralemon Street

Brownstoner — 2010-02-08T13:12:41-05:00

Not too shabby! This three-family house at 96 Joralemon Street is top-shelf — and the price reflects it. The 4,600-square-foot property is divided up into three units, including a doctor's office on the ground floor. Both the upper triplex and parlor-floor simplex are attractively renovated and full of old-school charm. So there's no question that lots of folks will be salivating over this place. The only question is whether they'll be willing to shell out $3,600,000 for the privilege of owning it.
96 Joralemon Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

Co-op of the Day: 75 Prospect Park West, #2B

Brownstoner — 2010-02-08T12:39:47-05:00

This co-op that just hit the market at 75 Prospect Park West shouldn't have any problem attracting interested buyers: It's got lots of classic charm and three bedrooms to boot. It's also located right across the street from the 3rd Street entrance to the park. (We're also digging the oh-so-subtle 321 reference: "Stroll down 3rd Street to an ever popular elementary school on 7th Ave.") The price tag is $1,095,000. Think it'll fly?
75 Prospect Park West, #2B [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

Norah Jones' Windows Coming In

Gabby — 2010-02-08T11:28:02-05:00

As a reader pointed out, workers have started the process of putting in those controversial windows on the side of Norah Jones' Cobble Hill house. That's it, there goes the neighborhood!
Norah Jones Cuts Back on Her Windows [Brownstoner]
Cobble Hill Neighbors Irked by Norah Jones' Windows [Brownstoner]

What's Up with Cafe on Clinton?

Brownstoner — 2010-02-08T11:04:57-05:00

Has long-time Cobble Hill bistro Cafe on Clinton fallen on hard times? Three weeks ago a Forum post asked what was up with the recent non-activity and at the end of last week a reader sent in this photo of the suspended-in-time storefront. Evidently the tables are all set but the doors haven't been open for close to a month now. Anyone know what's going on?GMAP