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The Hot Seat: Eric Brelsford
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved with Brooklyn real estate, development, architecture and the like. Introducing Eric Brelsford, part of the team at 596 Acres. 596 Acres seeks to inform Brooklyn residents about the vacant lots around them, many of which are publicly owned. In turn they help residents turn those lots into usable community space. 596 acres is how much vacant public land existed in Brooklyn alone as of April 2010.
BS: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
EB: I live in Prospect Heights. I got here accidentally, but it didn’t take long to appreciate my neighbors and the neighborhood’s proximity to places like Prospect Park.
BS: Can you talk about how 596 Acres came to be?
EB: My colleague Paula founded 596 Acres after getting the original dataset from the Center for the Study of Brooklyn at Brooklyn College while working with the Brooklyn Food Coalition. The CSB is a great resource–it helps community groups access and analyze data that is otherwise quite inaccessible to those outside of city government or universities.
Paula asked for all public, vacant land, and when she got the spreadsheet from the CSB she added up the area column to get the number that gave the project its name. She was pretty astounded, of course, and thought this was important knowledge to share.
Using money raised on ioby, she printed newspaper-sized posters, and we wheatpasted them to foam and other media and put them on the fences that seal a handful of these lots. We included the contact information for the agencies that controlled the lots and the project’s email address. We weren’t sure what would happen, but the people who live around those lots got in touch with us really quickly, we got those people in touch with each other, and the project started to take form.
I wrote our site, which includes a map where people can search for lots near them and get in touch with each other. Our focus is still on our print posters because we know that they’re the best way to get in touch with people who live near the lots.
After the jump, Eric talks about “gutterspace,” what happens when people come together to transform these lots, current projects in Brooklyn, and a lot in Bushwick with tons of potential… (more…)
05/11/2012 11:30 AM
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The Hot Seat: Suki Hawley & Michael Galinsky
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development, and the like. Introducing Michael Galinsky and Suki Hawley, husband and wife filmmaking team. Michael and Suki got lots of attention upon their release of the documentary Battle for Brooklyn, which chronicled the fight against Atlantic Yards. Now we talk to them after the fact. In May, Suki and Michael will screen a series of retrospectives of their first five feature films at Brooklyn Heights Cinema every Thursday of the month.
BS: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
MG & SH: We live in Clinton Hill now but started out in Brooklyn in a great apartment on Bedford Ave in Williamsburg (after a bunch of years on the Lower East Side). Within a couple of weeks of moving in, our really wonderful landlord started trying to get us to get married and buy a house. We thought he was kind of crazy, but this was in 1995 when everything in Brooklyn was about 500% cheaper than it is now. Eventually, we did get married (and the landlord, Robert Peguero, printed the invites in his print shop downstairs). We started to understand what he was talking about and in lieu of wedding presents we asked for help towards a down payment. We looked for a couple of years and found a home in Clinton Hill in 1999 (after a couple of snafus and missed opportunities).
BS: At this point, Battle for Brooklyn has already received a lot of attention and reached the masses of Brooklyn (and beyond). Did anything surprise you concerning the reception of the film? How has your outlook on the project changed after so many people have seen it?
MG & SH: We had lived in Clinton Hill for about five years when the project was announced. At that point we had a dog, a house, and a kid, and all three of those create more solid connections with community. When you buy a house there is certainly a more practical interest in putting down deeper roots. If you have a dog you start really to meet your neighbors with dogs (and others who stop to pet the dog). When you have a kid it takes it to the next level in terms of being involved locally. Still, after 15 years in the city and 5 years in Clinton Hill, we didn’t know who our city council person was and we didn’t know about community boards when we started the project. At the time our two-year old daughter was going to daycare a block from the project site and when we read about the project’s announcement, we were somewhat flabbergasted by the fact that the articles all sounded like a press release. Looking into what was really going on taught us a great deal about community, government, and power.
Not really surprisingly, those in power and those in government who wanted the project to happen have commented that they don’t need to see the film. However, it does feel like the community has welcomed it. The one major surprise for us was when we went on NY1’s Inside City on Hall with Errol Lewis. Errol was a major supporter of the project and we were nervous about that interview. However, to our great relief – his first comment was that the film was exceedingly fair. James Caldwell, the president of BUILD, also came to one of the first screenings of the film and participated in the Q&A session. He stated that he loved the film and thought that it was fair and we had a good discussion. He did want to make clear that BUILD did not get 5 million dollars from FCR. I don’t think the film makes the point that they did, but it does make the point that they expected to get all of their funding from the developer, which ties their hands in terms of having any real leverage and compromises their ability to represent the community.
In terms of our outlook on the project – we didn’t set out to make a film about the project itself – but instead how that project brought people together and how it divided people. Speaking as community members, and not filmmakers, we have lost a lot of faith in government from this process. We would have more easily classified ourselves as “very liberal” before starting the film. However, now that we have seen how government routinely abuses its power with great disregard for local communities in the service of some supposed “greater good,” we are both even more skeptical about things. It has been interesting to travel with the film and see this same process taking place in cities around the country. In the end, we believe the film has helped to inform people about the complexity of what took place and inspired a lot of important debate about the issues brought up both here in Brooklyn and in cities all over.
After the jump, Suki and Michael talk about screening the film with the arena now present, their hopes for the future of the community and AY development, and some exciting new projects to come! (more…)
04/27/2012 12:00 PM
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Manhattanite Marisa Tomei Does Make Pilgrimages To Her Native Flatbush, Mostly For The Pizza
Seeing as Marisa Tomei was the honorary chair of the Brooklyn Artists Ball at the Brooklyn Museum on Wednesday night, writer Evan Mulvihill decided to ask her whether she ever makes it back to Flatbush, her place of birth. They were in nearby Prospect Heights, after all.
Said Tomei: “Well, I do, because, you know, DiFara Pizza is, you know, one of the best pizzas in the five boroughs. But I’m sure you’ve heard! But now the word is out. [True: Grub Street covered this yesterday!] My local—now everyone goes, but I still go back.”
After the interview below, where she describes how the Brooklyn Museum shaped her childhood and more, she came up to me, unprompted, to add: “I think you were asking why they chose me, and I was thinking, I was hoping that they chose me because I’m a feminist, but they probably chose me because I’m a Brooklynite. I’m proud to say I’m both!” I told her they weren’t mutually exclusive, then sidled up to the bar to order a very dry gin martini.
Do you have any family still in the neighborhood?
No, no, no, my parents live around the corner from me in the city. [laughs] In Manhattan. [laughs] We stuck together!
Movin’ on up!
Hey! A little elitism on your part. [laughs]
What do you love about the Brooklyn Museum?
Well, I grew up coming here. My mom brought me to this museum, and also going to the free arts classes and crafty things with my very good friend Celeste. I haven’t seen her in years but I was thinking about her today.
Did you take acting classes here?
No. We did all kinds of painting and crafts classes. And Christmas too is like special things you could make for decorations for your Christmas tree. Special things for the holidays.
What’s different about the Brooklyn Museum than Manhattan museums?
The humanity in its leadership. It really is for the people. Particularly, of course I’m obsessed with the Sackler Center. And so thrilled when it opened five years ago. Celebrating women’s contribution and a place to hear women’s voices that surprisingly hadn’t been built anywhere else in the world.
Are you happy with the state of feminist art?
That sounds like a crazy trick question.
Evan Mulvihill is a freelance writer who lives in Brooklyn Heights and makes occasional jaunts to Carroll Gardens for South Brooklyn Pizza. Follow him on Twitter, Tumblr, and/or Facebook.
Photograph by Eric Weiss Courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum
04/20/2012 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Gretchen Maneval
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Gretchen Maneval, the Director of the The Center for the Study of Brooklyn. It is the only research center devoted exclusively to the study of public affairs in this borough.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in and how did you end up there?
Gretchen Maneval: I live in Crown Heights, Brooklyn with my husband Eric and our 3 year old son Sebastian… and I have to also mention our lovely dog, Winifred (Winnie). We are expecting our second son in May. Before finding a listing for our house on Craig’s List by the previous owner- yes, Craig’s List!- about 6 years ago, we lived in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill. We’re very fortunate to have found a close knit and diverse community here in Crown Heights.
BS: The Center for the Study of Brooklyn is the only research center dedicated to Brooklyn. So how did it come to be?
GM: The Center for the Study of Brooklyn was launched at Brooklyn College in 2005. The Brooklyn Community Foundation (then Independence Foundation) approached Brooklyn College with the concept for the Center, and along with Brooklyn College, provided planning and funding to support the Center’s creation. The Brooklyn Community Foundation sees the Center as an extension of their work, as we not only inform their grantmaking to Brooklyn’s nonprofits by providing data and identifying trends on critical issues across the borough, but we also help make communities stronger through information that encourages and empowers residents to take action- to make more Brooklynites agents for positive change in our neighborhoods.
When I became the Center’s director in August 2007, we began developing our research-based agenda with the input of Brooklyn College faculty and staff, the Brooklyn Community Foundation, and feedback from Brooklyn-based organizations and institutions. The Center’s success is certainly a tribute to the initial visionary leadership of Brooklyn College, the Brooklyn Community Foundation and the Brooklyn Borough President’s Office. They’ve all understood for years the importance of data-driven decision making to support more effective public policy, program and service development, and funding.
After the jump, Gretchen talks about the Center’s current priorities, the Brooklyn Neighborhood Reports, and why she loves Crown Heights… (more…)
03/19/2012 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Stephanie Corrado
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, development, architecture and the like. Introducing Stephanie Corrado, one of the founders of Get Dirty NYC. Get Dirty NYC is a volunteer-run nonprofit that serves as a one-stop meeting place for interested volunteers to connect with city farm and garden organizations in New York.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how did you end up there?
Stephanie Corrado: I live in Carroll Gardens and my co-founder Gigi Chew lives in Park Slope. I moved to Carroll Gardens a year ago after living in Manhattan for 4 years – my husband and I were looking to live in a quieter neighborhood that had a greater sense of community. We have loved ever second here.
Brownstoner: Can you talk about the beginnings of Get Dirty NYC?
SC: Get Dirty NYC! was founded about two years ago and was the product of discussions Gigi and I had been having about how to help connect New Yorkers who were interested in volunteering in urban farms and gardens with projects in need of help. While there were plenty of volunteer opportunities available in New York City, information about these projects was dispersed, making it difficult for volunteers to find one that matched their interests. As a result, we decided to create an online platform that would serve as a centralized meeting point for farms to list their volunteer needs and for volunteers to find a project that interested them.
After the jump, Stephanie talks about GDNYC’s latest initiatives, Brooklyn’s urban farming scene, and her favorite garden in BK…. (more…)
03/02/2012 11:00 AM
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The Hot Seat: Joseph Nocella
Welcome to The Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Joe Nocella, an architect by day as well as the owner of 718 Cyclery. The bike shop opened in South Slope and moved to Gowanus last year.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how did you end up there?
Joe Nocella: I live is the South Slope… was basically pushed there after our steal of a place in Carroll Gardens got too expensive in the mid 90′s. My wife and I are lifelong NYC residents. My family is from the Bronx, hers is LES all the way
BS: Can you talk about the beginnings of 718 Cyclery? How did you move from architecture to owning a bike store?
JN: I didn’t really move FROM architecture, as I am still a licensed/practicing architect at a large firm in Manhattan, HOK. I started building bikes in my backyard after one of my bikes was stolen. I latched onto the process as it represented many of the qualities I found enjoyable in architecture. Most architects will describe a left brain/right brain reason for getting into the profession (science vs. art). To me, bikes represented this duality, and the timeframes for projects were much shorter! You could effect the environment, traffic, people’s health and happiness almost immediately. The backyard business grew and grew for 2 years until we jumped into our 1st storefront.
BS: What’s it like owning a small business in Brooklyn right now? What has been the most difficult aspect of having one? And the best?
JN: “Paying by the rules” in terms of taxes and payroll, etc. has been the biggest challenge. There is so much paperwork. I now see why businesses just throw up their hands and do things “under the table”. Sometimes I feel that I am being penalized for doing things the right way, but in the end I have too much in this business to have it sunk by some Workman’s’ Comp claim from 3 years ago.
The best part is creating something from nothing, and the pride of ownership. Working with one’s hands is something that can never be outsourced. “You can’t hammer a nail over the internet”. People who work with their hands have the most control of their destiny.
After the jump, Joe talks about what makes 718 Cyclery stand out among other bike stores, the growth of Gowanus, and his second favorite bike shop… (more…)
02/24/2012 11:00 AM
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The Hot Seat: Mary Kay Gallagher
BS: What neighborhood do you live in, and how did you end up there?
MKG: I’ve lived in Prospect Park South since 1959. We heard about this home by word of mouth, and when we moved in we had a lot of renovating to do. We moved in with six kids, which was a shock at the time. The neighbors said they had never seen so many lights on at a house. It was a very quiet neighborhood back then, but it has evolved.
BS: Can you talk about the beginnings of Mary Kay Gallagher Real Estate?
MKG: We loved the area and all the space for our six children. We got involved in the Neighborhood Association and after my husband was the president for many years, the next president approached me about selling homes here. It seems that the brokers at that time were recommending to potential buyers that these homes would be good homes to have boarders! This was the last thing we wanted in these lovely Victorians home, detached, with driveways and garages and spacious rear yards!
So I took on the challenge and started asking around. There were potential buyers out there. I knew a real estate broker who let me work from home. So I got my license and the rest is history. I did not have to advertise! It worked by word of mouth. Just phone calls and talking with people we knew… no advertisements. This was 1970.
After the jump, Mary Kay talks about real estate changes in the neighborhood, the value of a driveway, and her favorite homes and neighborhoods in Victorian Flatbush… (more…)
02/17/2012 12:00 PM
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The Insider: Apartment into Loft in Brooklyn Heights
Welcome to The Insider, Brownstoner’s weekly in-depth look at interior design and renovation in the borough of Brooklyn. It’s written and produced by Cara Greenberg, a design journalist who blogs at casaCARA: Old Houses for Fun & Profit. Find it here every Thursday at 11:30AM.
IN THE MID-’80s, a developer chopped up a former YMCA building in Brooklyn Heights, creating condominium apartments with dropped ceilings and sorry little galley kitchens. When a couple in the arts — she’s a fashion editor, he’s a screenwriter — bought a 1,344-square-foot duplex in the building a few years ago, they called on Brooklyn-based designer Elizabeth Roberts to help them realize the potential they knew was there.
Roberts removed walls, raised ceilings and doorways, and re-thought the uninspired staircase to the upper level, where three bedrooms were converted to a master bedroom and a home office (there’s a powder room on the lower level, a bath-and-a-half upstairs). Most strikingly, the kitchen area was opened up to bring in light and make the space more conducive to entertaining.
Fred Taverna of New York Interior Construction (212/251-0790) saw the project through. Total cost: approximately $300,000.
“When they purchased it, it was an apartment,” says Roberts. “Now it’s a loft.”
Photos: Sean Slattery
More, including ‘befores’ and construction shots, after the jump. (more…)
02/09/2012 11:30 AM
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The Hot Seat: Amy Sananman
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Amy Sananman, the founder and director of Groundwell Community Mural Project. Groundswell is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization that brings artists, youth and community organizations together to create public art projects across NYC. Her head shot is by collage artist Brian Adam Douglas.
Brownstoner: Where do you live, and how did you end up there?
Amy Sananman: I live in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. My husband and I bought a house there a decade ago. It kind of feels like living in the country – especially when our dog caught a rooster that fell into our yard.
BS: What is Groundswell Community Mural Project and how did you come to found it?
AS: Groundswell is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit. Our mission is to bring together professional artists, grassroots organizations and communities to create high quality murals in under-represented neighborhoods and inspire youth to take active ownership of their future by equipping them with the tools necessary for social change. Over the past fifteen years Groundswell has worked with thousands of community members to complete more than 300 collaboratively designed and painted murals across New York City.
In 1996 I was working as a tenant organizer with low-income residents of city-owned properties who were organizing to convert their buildings into cooperatives, which they would then manage themselves. Despite the great swell of activity and organizing occurring within these buildings, the work was indiscernible from the street. I thought it important to bring that community activism from the walls inside to the walls outside. Public art provided the perfect vehicle for showing the swell of activity that came from the core or base of an individual, group or community. Serendipity led me to the great muralist, Joe Matunis, who taught me how to do a community mural and became one of our founding board members.
In the absence of such a group in New York City, a group of artists, educators and activists founded Groundswell based on the belief that there is something unique and powerful about the community mural making process, which combines the sanctity of personal expression with the strength of community activism. Groundswell’s programs are based on principles of individual, group and community development. Collaborating with communities and fostering community activism, we strive to physically and mentally build up the individual, group or community during the making of the mural. A groundswell is a sudden surge of growth or a wave of energy surfacing from beneath the ocean. At Groundswell—we support the energy and stories hidden behind walls to be expressed on the walls.
After the jump, Amy talks about specific Groundswell projects, the effect public art has on the neighborhood and lists a few favorite murals in Brooklyn…
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01/27/2012 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Regina Myer
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Regina Myer, president of Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in and how did you end up there?
Regina Myer: I have lived in Park Slope since 1991–my family loves it and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. We ended up there after visiting friends — on the way back to Manhattan, we wondered out loud, “Why aren’t we moving to Brooklyn?”
BS: Can you quickly give us an update on all things Brooklyn Bridge Park? Where does the park stand right now?
RM: 2011 was a wonderful year for the park—we opened the park in Dumbo as well as Jane’s Carousel, which has already become a fantastic and beloved amenity. Summer programming was also great—in partnership with the Conservancy and others, there was a thorough range of activities from field tours, music, movies, science and chess. And we just installed our first temporary art in the park with Mark Di Suvero’s “Yoga” at Pier 1, a sublime sculpture which provides a terrific counterpoint to the beauty of the Bridge.
2012 is also going to be great. We have just begun construction of Pier 5 and the Squibb Park Bridge, two projects which will provide active playing fields, picnic areas and a direct connection to the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood and its subway stations. We also plan to select a developer for the Pier 1 Hotel and residential project, which will be a major milestone in solidifying the park’s financial plan.
After the jump, Regina talks about the balance between public and private, transforming underutilized open space and all her favorite spots in the borough.
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01/23/2012 11:00 AM
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The Hot Seat: Jennifer Lantzas
Welcome to The Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, development, architecture and the like. Introducing Jennifer Lantzas, the Public Art Coordinator for the NYC Parks Department. Jennifer helps decide which art pieces get installed into the city’s parks.
Brownstoner: How did you end up at your job with the Parks Department? What do you do there now?
Jennifer Lantzas: I studied art history and visual arts administration as an undergrad and graduate student, and worked at several galleries and artist studios before I became the Public Art Coordinator and Curator of the Arsenal Gallery at NYC Parks. I work with artists and other arts partners to bring artworks to our public parks around the five boroughs. I also curate Parks’ public gallery space in our Central Park headquarters.
BS: What’s the decision making process behind putting a specific art piece in a specific park? Could you explain how a piece like “The Well” ended up at Cadman Plaza Park?
JL: The location of an exhibition varies with every project, as every artwork demands a different environment. Sometimes the artist or organization wants to exhibit within a specific park, but often we help artists identify locations in the Parks Department that are strong platforms for public exhibitions. [Leonard] Ursachi’s Well was particularly well suited for Cadman Plaza because the majority of the materials were found in nearby DUBMO. Ursachi, whose studio is located in DUMBO, found and reclaimed driftwood that beached along the waterfront, collected water bottles from the neighborhood and even fashioned the blocks that form the Well from a loose cobble stone from when the streets of DUMBO were repaved.
BS: What elements of artwork translate well into the public sphere?
JL: We see our public art program as one of the largest outdoor galleries in the world. Our parks are a stage for established and emerging artists to display their work and reach wider audiences than traditional gallery and museum spaces. While public artworks started out mostly as commemorative sculptures, the public has embraced the idea of art for art’s sake—opening the door for artists to use a multitude of materials, address political and social issues, and create a public dialogue. Our mission is to engage parkgoers and make them reconsider their daily spaces.
After the jump, Jennifer talks about exposing art to the elements, the Brooklyn public art scene, and her favorite public piece in the borough…
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01/13/2012 11:30 AM
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The Hot Seat: Shai Lauros
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Shai Lauros, the executive director of GreenHomeNYC, a community-oriented, volunteer-run organization that helps facilitate the use of sustainable building methods and materials by owners of small residential and commercial buildings in the city.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
Shai Lauros: I live in what’s generally considered Park Slope at the border of Gowanus/South Slope. I’ve been here with my wife since a few weeks before having Reuben, who’s now 9 months old. We used to live in Prospect Heights, in a small apartment that wasn’t particularly great for a baby, so now we’re in a slightly larger apartment and still near Prospect Park. But really, we mostly ended up here because our friends own the building and live upstairs. I’ve lived in various neighborhoods of Brooklyn for about six years, and similarly in Manhattan for another six, with intermittent breaks to other cities.
BS: Can you explain the mission behind GreenHomeNYC?
SL: GreenHomeNYC was created to make going green accessible to New Yorkers. We’re a community-oriented, volunteer-run organization whose mission is to facilitate the adoption of sustainable building methods and materials by owners and occupants of small residential and commercial buildings in New York City. Our free programming connects folks, ranging anywhere on the spectrum from green novices to green professionals, with local experts and actionable information to help them improve the energy, environmental performance and overall sustainability of the spaces in which they live and work.
BS: What’s the green movement looking like now in Brooklyn? What are the strengths and weaknesses when it comes to this borough’s energy uses?
SL: I think the green movement in Brooklyn is on an upward trajectory; it’s becoming both more mainstream and DIY at the same time, but there is still a very long way to go. More people are throwing seed bombs into vacant lots, composting and raising chickens and bees in their backyards, neighborhood hardware stores are stocking green materials and some green standards are becoming norms for developers, most especially affordable housing developers. Unfortunately, from what I’m seeing, people are still looking to “green bling” when renovating their properties – solar panels, geo-thermal heat pumps and the like, and skipping the crucial step of ensuring the energy efficiency of the building itself, such as properly insulating and ventilating the building and installing the appropriate thermostatic controls, energy efficient lighting, and water conserving fixtures to name a few. Still, I think that Brooklyn residents are more and more aware of the choices they can make to live “more green,” and it’s slowly paying off: I recently overheard a car service dispatcher looking to meet the request for a hybrid.
After the jump, Shai says what’s challenging about making Brooklyn buildings green, gives tips to adapt a greener building model, and shares her favorite green buildings in Brooklyn…
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12/16/2011 11:30 AM
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The Hot Seat: Mary Catherine McGarvey & Anna Robinson
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. This week we try a double interview with Mary Catherine McGarvey and Anna Robinson. The two founded McGarvey Robinson Design, a Dumbo-based Interior Design Firm. Check out their Facebook page here.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
Mary Catherine McGarvey: I moved to Smith Street in Carroll Gardens a little over six years ago and have lived in the same apartment the entire time. Prior to that, I lived in the central part of the Village for three years. Before I moved to New York City from Boston in 2003, I had been introduced to Brooklyn by friends who were living on Dean Street off of Flatbush Ave and immediately fell in love with its grit and charm. So when I finally moved, the plan was to live in Brooklyn.
Anna Robinson: I moved to Carroll Gardens in February of 2011, not even a year ago. When I moved to Manhattan over 10 years ago I never thought I would move to Brooklyn, I was a city girl. But after spending more time in Brooklyn with work and visiting friends, I feel in love with the borough and couldn’t wait to get over here. I craved a neighborhood with brownstones and cafes and shops. Now, not only do I live here I get the pleasure of working here too.
BS: How did the two of you get together and start McGarvey Robinson design?
McGarvey Robinson Design: We have been close friends since we met at Parsons School of Design, nearly ten years ago. Almost immediately, we realized that we shared a design aesthetic and had very similar working styles. After school, we both went on to work for other design firms but never abandoned the idea of collaborating on a project. And as luck had it, the right opportunity presented itself about a year and half ago, when Anna was contacted by a couple with an apartment in the New Superior Ink Building in the West Village, looking to hire an Interior Designer. We interviewed for the project and got it.
After the jump, the pair talk about the Brooklyn aesthetic, finding design inspiration and the beauty of the Brooklyn Inn.
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11/18/2011 11:30 AM
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The Hot Seat: David Von Spreckelsen
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved with Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing David Von Spreckelsen, a senior vice president at Toll Brothers.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in and how did you end up there?
David Von Spreckelsen: I have resided in Brooklyn for nearly all of the 25 years that I have lived in New York City. A few months ago, I moved to Boerum Hill after having lived in DUMBO for the previous 12 years. While we loved DUMBO, my kids wanted a backyard. Very few apartments in DUMBO have outdoor spaces. So I found a space in Boerum Hill that I was able to design and incorporate a nice backyard.
BS: Your background in real estate is pretty extensive. How did you land in real estate, and more specifically Toll Brothers?
DVS: I was working in management consulting after I graduated from business school and I didn’t enjoy it. So I began considering other careers. What I knew I liked was New York City. So I started to think about what I would want to do career-wise that would have a positive impact on the city. I quit the consulting job and enrolled in Hunter College on a full fellowship to get a masters degree in urban planning. While I was there, I worked nearly full-time at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and also had internships with the New York City Planning Commission and NYC DOT. Upon graduation, I went to work for the New York City Economic Development Corporation. While there, I came to realize that my real interest in the city was with the built environment and how it impacts the city’s residents. I also became enamored of the developers with whom I interacted. So I was determined to be a developer, but the year was 1997 and the market was pretty lousy.
It would take jobs in real estate finance for an insurance company and in corporate real estate for a media company before I was able to find work with a small real estate development company. I worked there for four years, gaining great experience and making solid business connections. Although I was very happy there, I wanted to try to do something on a larger scale.
Believe it or not, I landed the position with Toll Brothers through a classified ad in The New York Times. They provided me with a cell phone and a laptop and told me to find properties where the company could build housing in New York City and Long Island. This was in the spring of 2004. I obtained shared office space on Livingston Street and began to look for sites. We are now designing our tenth building in New York City and I have twenty-five people working for me. Our office is at 16 Court Street in Brooklyn Heights.
After the jump, David talks on the strength of the Dumbo market, why it may take 20 years to develop along the Gowanus Canal and what he loves about 1 Main.
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11/11/2011 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Amy Hughes
Welcome to The Hot Seat, where we talk with folks involved in Brooklyn architecture, design, real estate and the like. Introducing Amy Hughes, the author of a new book, This Old House: Salvage Style Projects. Amy is also the features editor and salvage expert over at This Old House.
Brownstoner: Have you seen a rise in the DIY, salvage-style aesthetic? Why do you think that is?
AH: Absolutely. I think it has a lot to do with the green movement. I, for one, hate to see so many vintage building materials end up as landfill. Cast brass doorknobs, slate roof shingles, carved wood door casing—these things all have so much character and potential for re-use. The more people see these old parts repurposed into imaginative décor, the more popular salvage will become. It’s not just about saving stuff from the trash heap, it’s about reinterpreting it, and making it work for your home and your style.
BS: What’s your favorite home in Brooklyn that puts architectural salvage into good use?
AH: My coworkers at This Old House TV did a fantastic restoration of a rowhouse in Prospect Heights a couple of years ago. The homeowners were lucky because the majority of their home’s original details were intact. They didn’t bring in much salvage aside from a vintage wrought-iron spiral staircase that they actually found via the Brownstoner classifieds. Everything just needed TLC. My favorite piece was a built-in pier mirror in the parlor. I actually made my own version using an entablature from a Victorian-era door casing for the top of the mirror frame, and new pilasters from the lumberyard for the sides and bottom. It can be seen on page 60 in Salvage-Style Projects. Sometimes the only inspiration you need for a creative re-use project is to tour a great old house and admire what the craftsmen before you dreamed up.
After the jump, click through for some pictures of the Prospect Heights reno, tips for navigating flea markets, and Amy’s favorite destination antique shop…
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10/28/2011 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Paul Basile
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we talk to folks involved with Brooklyn real estate, development, architecture and the like. Introducing Paul Basile, the president of The Gowanus Alliance. The Gowanus Alliance is a nonprofit “dedicated to the enhancement and development of the residential, retail, commercial and industrial life of the Gowanus neighborhood.”
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how did you end up there?
Paul Basile: My parents settled in Park Slope when they immigrated to the United States from Italy in 1956. Park Slope was a working class community made up of Irish, German and the Italian newcomers. Many were longshoremen and factory workers toiling in the industrial factories of Gowanus. My Father, Salvatore, began to buy land throughout the Gowanus area using whatever money he saved doing construction work for the companies that called the area home at the time; companies like Kentile, Goya foods, Sucrest Sugar, and countless others. After I was born, at Long Island College Hospital on Atlantic Ave, my father felt it best to relocate his young family of four kids to Bay Ridge. However, most of his time was spent rebuilding the warehouses left behind by closing factories.
As a child, quality time with Dad meant learning how to lay brick or float concrete to the absolute perfect finish. We spent every spare minute cleaning vacant lots, fixing leaking roofs, and removing graffiti from gates and walls. If you know your Gowanus history, you know this was a full-time job. As an adult, I remained in Bay Ridge, but if you ask me where I live I would have to answer Gowanus, because I believe you technically live where you make your living.
BS: How did the Gowanus Alliance began? What is your role as President?
PB: Living and working in the community for so many years, I have had the pleasure of getting to know the residents, businesses and organizations that have filtered through the area. Experiencing many of the issues that affect people in our area, I feel I had the ability to unite the property owners and business owners so we could work on the issues that affect us today. Other organizations in the area, I felt, were too focused on what the Gowanus area could be or should be. I felt that we could do a better job fixing the issues for today; addressing why factories are closing doors, losing jobs; why our basements are flooding every time it rains; and why the city have money for every other park in the city except ours.
As president, it is my goal to form an alliance between the diverse occupants, so issues can be voiced with a unified vision. So often we see so-called gentrification without regard for existing land uses. The history of the Gowanus area has been one of working-class residents usually working in a warehouse or factory only blocks from were they reside. We believe this is what kept the neighborhood alive and worth preserving.
After the jump, Paul talks current projects, the Superfund designation and the Whole Foods site….
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10/21/2011 11:30 AM
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The Hot Seat: Daniel Friedman
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we interview folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Daniel Friedman, an architect and designer. He was featured just last month on Apartment Therapy.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
Daniel Friedman: I recently moved back to the Upper West Side. I have a lot of friends in the neighborhood, and we Upper West Siders like to joke that the area is a mix between Manhattan and suburbia. I hope Brownstoner readers won’t hold this against me; Brooklyn has its charms, too, of course.
BS: You got your masters in architecture, then real estate development, then ended up in design. How did that happen? How much of your previous schooling plays into what you do now?
DF: I’ve always been drawn to design, and both of my degrees have been greatly informative in my path as a designer. It’s a sad fact that the fields of architecture and real estate development are perennially at odds with one another, and I always believed that studying and understanding both fields would be invaluable to my ultimate goal of becoming a great designer. My schooling in architecture holds a special place in my heart because it taught me that every limitation encourages its own unique creativity. Oddly shaped spaces, narrow hallways and dingily-lit rooms all hold hidden, underlying aesthetic solutions that are infinitely better than their predecessors.
BS: What projects are you currently working on in Brooklyn?
DF: I recently started the improvement of an amazing brownstone on St. Marks Street. We’re painting the old yellowed wood flooring a cheerful high gloss white which, in addition to brightening up the space, will enhance the home’s inherent elegance and charm. We’re also painting the walls and kitchen cabinets different tints of gray that will be indirectly lit from old industrial light shields.
After the jump, Daniel talks about the Brooklyn aesthetic, his relationship with clients, and shares pictures of a few of his projects…
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10/14/2011 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Kathleen Laziza
Welcome to The Hot Seat, where we interview people involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Kathleen Laziza, the founder of Smith Street’s Micro Museum. The Micro Museum just celebrated its 25th Anniversary in Brooklyn.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
Kathleen Laziza: I live in Boerum Hill with my family, William Laziza and my two sons ages 28 and 22. An original artistic journey from Texas brought me to Smith Street. In 1986 my performing/visual art company Laziza Electrique Dance Co. and I were displaced from our live/work space in Noho. We beat the Village Voice real estate ad by 10 hours and the realtor accepted $35 to not talk to anyone else until we arrived with the down payment in the morning. I used to commute from Noho to shop at Sahadi’s. We were delighted to be in a Arabic/Puerto Rican neighborhood. The word Laziza means delicious in Arabic and being from Texas I connect to all things Spanish.
BS: The Micro Museum just celebrated its 25th anniversary. Can you talk about its beginnings in Boerum Hill?
KL: Twenty-five years ago was actually in the previous millennium, so our beginnings in Boerum Hill seem like ancient history compared to the cosmopolitan place it has become. I actually went door to door to every business and introduced myself. So I got a chance to meet the neighbors personally. There were all sorts of mom-and-pop stores: furniture, shoes, delis, cleaners, religious store, clothing stores with 1950 children’s clothes, social clubs, and maybe four restaurants. The ground floor of 123 Smith Street was a refrigerator/stove repair shop. Micro Museum started on the 2nd floor. We renovated and expanded to the ground floor in 2002. We purchased the building in the 1990′s, although we almost did not get a mortgage company to assist because they thought Smith Street was really too sketchy and there were four vacancies on my block alone and dozens elsewhere. We had to convince them that artists are actually the economic development leaders of “fridge” neighborhoods.
After the jump, what’s happening at the museum now, the space’s evolution in Boerum Hill, and Kathleen’s favorite NYC museum…
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10/06/2011 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Anthony Dellecave
Welcome to the Hot Seat, where we talk to folks involved in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Anthony Dellecave, Senior Associate Salesperson at Citi Habitats.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
Anthony Dellcave: Carroll Gardens – Born and raised.
BS: Can you talk about your beginnings in real estate? How has the field changed since then?
AD: When I started in 2004 the market was fast paced and very competitive. We were in a slump for a while, but current market conditions are starting to resemble those days. Also, clients today are better educated about market conditions (or at least think they are) due to all the real estate sites.
BS: You grew up in Carroll Gardens, a neighborhood that has seen a lot of change but still manages to hold onto a lot of its history. As property values go up, how can the culture of a neighborhood like Carroll Gardens be preserved?
AD: The old timers do an amazing job of hanging on to whatever they have left. The bakeries, pastry shops and small mom & pop stores on Court St & Smith St preserve what’s left of an old school Italian-American neighborhood. There are a lot of homeowners who instead of cashing in and selling out, choose to rent out their properties for top dollar.
After the jump, Anthony talks about Manhattanites moving over to Brooklyn, the future of the Columbia Street Waterfront and his favorite property in Park Slope…
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09/29/2011 12:00 PM
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The Hot Seat: Page Travelstead
Welcome to The Hot Seat, where we talk to folks in Brooklyn real estate, architecture, development and the like. Introducing Page Travelstead, project manager of affordable housing development for the 5th Avenue Committee.
Brownstoner: What neighborhood do you live in, and how’d you end up there?
Page Travelstead: I live in Downtown Brooklyn, in an old St. John’s Law School Building near Borough Hall. Having grown up in Cobble Hill in the late 70s and 80s, it is fair to say there wasn’t much charm in Downtown Brooklyn, but things have really changed. The city has made a concerted effort to improve the streetscape with plantings and adding bike lanes. It is a much friendlier place than it used to be. Of course, it is impossible to talk about the rebirth of Brooklyn without mentioning the influx of young people and residential development. I love the mix of old and new retail along Atlantic Avenue and Court Streets, and although my nursery school is now a Rite Aid, I still get my spinach and meat pies at Damascus Bakery. I lived on 108th St while attending Columbia’s Masters in Real Estate Development Program, and while Riverside Park was wonderful, I came back to Brooklyn as soon as I graduated in 2004. I am a Brooklyn girl through and through.
BS: Can you tell us a bit about Fifth Avenue Committee? And what is your role as senior project manager?
PT: Fifth Avenue Committee (FAC) is a non-profit community development organization that began in 1978 with the goal of advancing economic and social justice by building vibrant and diverse communities. FAC develops and manages affordable housing and community facilities, creates economic opportunities, organizes residents and workers, offers student-centered adult education, and combats displacement caused by gentrification. FAC develops all types of affordable housing – both new construction and renovations, small one- to four-family buildings, to our latest 10 story, 80-unit cooperative. We develop housing for the neediest of New Yorkers – very low income and special needs individuals and families – but also traverse the income spectrum up to middle income with market rate components in select projects.
At FAC, my role as Senior Project Manager involves running two to three affordable housing development projects simultaneously, each in different stages of the development process. My focus on all projects is the budget and schedule, but I am also heavily involved in the design as well. The goal is to keep the projects running smoothly – coordinating with our government and private financing partners, staying in touch with our elected officials, neighbors, and the community at large, and ensuring the projects’ sustainability goals are met. I make sure that all of the consultants, from the architects and engineers, to the contractors and sales agents, are communicating with each other effectively, and moving each project forward. The best part of project management for me is that every day is a new challenge, and a new focus. It never gets boring, and at FAC, everyone is always willing to roll his or her sleeves up and get the job done.
After the jump, Page gives us her opinions on the components of a successful market and affordable rate development, talks about affordable housing requirements and incentives, and shares her favorite property in Red Hook….
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09/22/2011 12:00 PM
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panyl
May 21, 2012 | 02:16 PM