Who's going to rank higher, Mr. Brownstoner or the What?

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 20, 2008 1:46 PM in response to Brooklyn's Top 50 Most Influential No. 41 - 50

I would say that if Ella has been paying such nominal rent for the last 50 years, she's had ample opportunity to save up a downpayment and buy a place. She chose to allocate her finances in other ways, and left herself vulnerable.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 20, 2008 1:41 PM in response to For Post-Rent Control Real Estate, Leave Brooklyn

I think that by keeping the setback and building within the previous building's footprint, he was showing an appreciation of history. And the buildings on either side aren't uniform, so what's wrong with a little more variety?

I could do with a little less parking and a little more landscaping, but that's an easy fix. Or maybe I'd rent out a spot to a neighbor. I think the going rate for offstreet parking over there is around $200/month.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 16, 2008 11:52 AM in response to The Charming Paint Peeler Reincarnated

There should be a game of Brooklyn trivia.

Bitter Renters vs. Assraped Buyers.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 15, 2008 3:11 PM in response to End of the World (Or Maybe Not) Party

Will PropJoe make an appearance?

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 15, 2008 10:12 AM in response to End of the World (Or Maybe Not) Party

I like that location a lot. Being near the express train at Franklin Ave is a definite plus, on top of proximity to the park, botanic garden, library, and museum. It doesn't say what the common charges are, and I'd want to know about the building's financials. But assuming that checks out, this is one of the more appealing apartments I've seen here.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 14, 2008 1:43 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 255 Eastern Parkway

Brooklyn can support a wide variety of retail because it has the population and household income to do so, and is underserved by retail.

The idea that big boxes drive out small retail is a myth that mistakes correlation for causation. Small retail suffers in areas where population and income are declining: aging rust belt areas or rural areas where automation in agriculture is eliminating jobs. It doesn't happen in areas that are growing.

In economically healthy areas, like Brooklyn or the New Jersey suburbs, small retail thrives in proximity to big boxes, like remoras alongside a shark. Mall owners in Jersey don't have any problem renting out their smaller spaces when they have Wal-Mart or Target as an anchor.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 14, 2008 11:05 AM in response to Brooklyn Solves Retail Puzzle

The floorplan is intense, but based on that exterior photo, the building exterior looks like every crappy Mitchell-Lama in Brooklyn.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 13, 2008 2:58 PM in response to Condo of the Day: J Condo Penthouse

Sahara is OK generic Middle Eastern food, but it's a long way from being the best Turkish food in Brooklyn.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 7, 2008 12:04 PM in response to The Best Food Is In Brooklyn

Blackstoner, those self-entitled idiots are almost all cops or firefighters, who don't have to worry about getting a ticket if they're pulled over.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 3, 2008 12:40 PM in response to Car-Free Prospect Park? Blech!

I'm in the park running or playing frisbee at least four or five days per week, never drive there, and I despise lardass motorists as much as anyone, but I think some perspective is in order.

Cars are only allowed in the park for a brief period in the a.m. and p.m. rush hours, and for the a.m. they're limited to the Manhattan-bound portion of the road loop. For the vast majority of the time, and for the entire 500+ acre park except for a single roadway, the park already IS car-free. You pretty much have to go out of your way to encounter cars in the park as it is.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at October 3, 2008 12:33 PM in response to Car-Free Prospect Park? Blech!

"The A train is the best, because it's the only one about which there's a Duke Ellington song."

Yeah, but the Beastie Boys rapped about the D train, back when it ran on the Brighton line:

Groggy eyed and fried I'm headed for the station
D-Train ride Coney Island vacation

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at September 10, 2008 12:16 PM in response to Is the Q Train the New L?

When (not if) that subway line goes down, I hope your iPhone is fully charged.

Fair point, and one of the advantages of being at a station served by both express and local tracks. But because the Brighton line is the only one in the city that runs for an extended distance in an open trench, it can be stopped by heavy snowfall accumulation or downed tree branches. Other lines are either underground or on stilts, so they don't have this problem, just the usual switch malfunctions, track fires, and 'sick' passengers.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at September 10, 2008 11:56 AM in response to Is the Q Train the New L?

"I don't know anyone who let a particular subway line be the deciding factor in their housing purchase."

Not the deciding factor, but definitely one of them. There's a lot I like about Kensington, but until they get express service on the F train, that would be one long, unpleasant slog to just about anywhere. And I'm really enjoying the new extended evening hours of the B train. Now if they would just run it on weekends.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at September 10, 2008 11:13 AM in response to Is the Q Train the New L?

Hasidim might not want all those immodestly dressed bicycle skanks rolling through southside, especially on the sabbath.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at September 8, 2008 12:35 PM in response to Time to Vote, People

re: Parker/Stewart/Felder.

My wife is registered to vote under her maiden name, and one of us has a Jewish-sounding surname, and one doesnt. Felder is sending out two completely different sets of campaign literature, depending on whether or not you're mishpoche (Yiddish for 'family'). Depending on who he's targeting, Felder stresses how much public money he'll get for private school families, and how he'll protect our precious children from those animals running wild in the streets, and how voting for him is a mitzvah. Or not.

Reminds me of Noach Dear's recent campaign. Depending on what part of the district you were in, the campaign signs were either for Noach or Noah.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at September 8, 2008 12:26 PM in response to Time to Vote, People

If crapholes below 5th Avenue are going for over $1.25 million, I don't see this as being all that overpriced.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at September 3, 2008 5:27 PM in response to House of the Day: 102 Windsor Place

Shakespeare & Co. is still there on Hillel Place. I think the Canal Jeans location is selling furniture or something.

Target is so depressing. I would much rather have a Kohl's or Wal*Mart, or even K-Mart.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at September 3, 2008 5:21 PM in response to Big Boxes Go to Flatbush

"the Throop Loop Stoop Pooper"

Why don't the neighbors band together to form a clean-up brigade: the Throop Loop Stoop Poop Scoop Troop.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 29, 2008 1:33 PM in response to Is Your Stoop Private Property?

Just keep a copy of your property survey in your pocket, and make sure you stay off the part of your stoop, if any, that extends into the mapped street.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 29, 2008 1:13 PM in response to Is Your Stoop Private Property?

The day BJ's starts handing out employment applications, you know there will be a line around the block six hours ahead of time. And the same will happen when they open the doors to shoppers. This will reflect hundreds of individual decisions about where to seek work and where to go shopping. People don't need to be told which jobs are beneath them. They can figure it out on their own.

Nobody will force Biff or GWH to shop or work anywhere they don't want to, but I'd prefer to let individuals make these decisions for themselves. The fact that the NYC Costco and Home Depot stores are the top performing locations in these companies suggests to me that there are plenty of New Yorkers who do value what they offer.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 28, 2008 4:44 PM in response to More Big Box Shops for Red Hook

"Large-scale retail outlets are permanently scarring the urban fabric of this city"

Right. And they have been ever since A.T. Stewart opened the world's first department store at Broadway and Chambers Street over 160 years ago.

If neighborhood retail could outlast A&S, Alexander's, Gimbel's, Korvette's, Kresge's, etc., etc., I really don't think they need to worry about BJ's.

But I suspect you're right that the organized labor bosses will be able to buy or bully enough council members to prevent this from happening.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 28, 2008 1:46 PM in response to More Big Box Shops for Red Hook

BJ's is like Costco, but with a much wider selection. Where Costco might have a dozen kinds of breakfast cereal, BJ's will have fifty.

This is great for consumers and local people looking for work. I just hope the unions and grocery store owners don't stop this one the way they did the one in the South Bronx.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 28, 2008 11:22 AM in response to More Big Box Shops for Red Hook

"Hot Bird was tasty, but if it represents "an older Brooklyn", that makes me ancient history. I've lived in Bklyn since 1986, but don't consider myself to be anything other than another yuppie transplant."

Agree 100%. I also arrived here in 1986, and by then Park Slope already seemed thoroughly yuppified. The past twenty-one years have just seen the further playing out of something that was already old news then.

Anyone else remember Desert Storm Car Service on 6th Avenue?

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 25, 2008 4:48 PM in response to The History/Mystery of the Hot Bird Sign

"Park Slope's boundaries on the Southern-Western end are actually Prospect Expressway and 3rd Ave."

That's what the realtor told you?

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 20, 2008 3:31 PM in response to New Bar Coming to Third Avenue

That's a lot closer to Lowe's and Pathmark than to the Whole Foods site. This will be a nice spot to go to after cruising for MILFs in the frozen foods section.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 20, 2008 11:22 AM in response to New Bar Coming to Third Avenue

I thought that 'devil beating his wife' just referred to thunder.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 15, 2008 6:13 PM in response to Streetlevel: A New Bar Coming to Cortelyou

"Ever-hippening neighborhood?"

God help us.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 15, 2008 4:38 PM in response to Streetlevel: A New Bar Coming to Cortelyou

Sam's Club is coming to Brooklyn?
From your mouth to God's ear!

Costco's selection is too limited, and BJ's out by Starrett City is a little too far away. And both those guys could use the competition.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 4, 2008 1:02 PM in response to Will Retail Continue to Trump Industry in Red Hook?

Where is the property line between you and your neighbor? If it's right down the middle of the drive, you both need each other. If you're going to cede use of the driveway to your neighbor, and half of it is on your property, he should be paying you rent for it.

Would it be possible for you and your neighbor to do some work in your back yards instead, so that you just use the driveway for access, and each park entirely on your own property in the rear? That's the typical arrangement where there is a shared drive, and in my case it works with no problems.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at August 1, 2008 9:38 AM in response to Tasteful ways of paving over a yard

The ferry may be 25 minutes, but it only runs every half hour during off-peak hours, and only hourly during the overnight. Plus, once you're in Manhattan you need to switch to the subway, unless your destination is within a reasonble walk from South Ferry.

There are some very attractive neighborhoods on the north shore, but they're not right at the ferry. I like the areas around Sailors Snug Harbor and near Alice Austen Park, but they're at least another ten or fifteen minutes by bus from the ferry. I'd consider north shore SI as soon as I'd consider a two-fare zone in Brooklyn, which in my case would be never.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 28, 2008 2:15 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

The West Midwood Association is pretty busy. They sponsor a bunch of annual get-togethers and put out a quarterly newsletter. There's a core group of people there who make newcomers feel very welcome. http://www.westmidwood.org/index.htm

That house at Glenwood and Argyle looks pretty sweet from the outside, but I have no idea about its interior condition. The LDS church across the street is pretty quiet as churches go - not a very raucous style of worship. And the missionaries are so cute, always walking around in pairs.

One thing I'd warn you about is that these houses are as much hobby as shelter. They're best for people who are into the whole This Old House thing.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 23, 2008 4:07 PM in response to thinking of Ditmas Park

According to some of my neighbors who've been there for decades, the neighborhood was headed in a bad way back in the 1960s and 1970s. They say that banks redlined anything north of the LIRR cut, assuming it would all turn into slum.

I'm told the pedestrian bridge on Glenwood was a good place for kids to hang out, smoke and drink away from prying eyes. But also an easy place for muggings.

I agree the Foster Avenue commercial strip is hurting, and has been for a long time. But Key Food under its current ownership is a lot better than it used to be. It no longer smells like something crawled into their ventilation system to die. There's definitely still a ways to go in terms of commercial amenities. I think the relative lack of services is because the houses all have driveways, and it's so easy to jump in the car to do your dining or shopping in other neighborhoods. You don't have to spend your money locally. It's not like in brownstone neighborhoods where even if you have a car, you're reluctant to take the car and risk losing a good parking spot.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 23, 2008 1:43 PM in response to thinking of Ditmas Park

PropJoe, as always, real estate is all about location. There's only but so much property within walking distance of the socially and theologically 'right' temple if you're a big shot Sephardic businessman. So you're gonna pay for that location, since you can't drive on the Sabbath.

Just like people pay a premium to be close to Smith Street's restaurants, or Williamsburg's hipster bars.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 22, 2008 5:52 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

For practical purposes you can only do 2.0 FAR of commercial if it's a purely commercial building. If it's a mixed-use building, commercial uses cannot be above the first floor, effectively limiting you to something less than 1.0 FAR, since part of your first floor needs to be lobby spaces for upstairs uses. You could have a full-coverage first floor, but upper floors have to provide a rear yard.

You can have as much commercial use in the cellar as you want, since the cellar doesn't count as floor area. But you'd probably need to use your cellar for parking, since C1-1 has a very high parking requirement for commercial uses.

If you're at all serious about this, you need to hire an architect who really knows NYC zoning, and have him look at your site and tell you what's permitted and what's feasible.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 22, 2008 2:56 PM in response to commercial overlay

I would disagree with premadas about the neighborhood's seediness. Twenty-five years ago Flatbush was a much different place than it is now - but you can say the same for Brooklyn in general.

I live in West Midwood. There are many great Pakistani/Afghani/Bangladeshi restaurants on CIA, as well as a handful of more yuppie spots on Cortelyou, and now at Newkirk and Argyle. You can make the trip down to Avenue J for some excellent Kosher bakeries.

The Kent movie theater at CIA and Avenue H is a very convenient walk. Brooklyn College sometimes has some pretty interesting live music, dance, and theater. We have an OK Key Food on Foster and Rugby, and Shop Rite on McDonald is a short drive or bus ride, with plenty of indoor parking. The basics like bank branches, hardware store, wine store, diner, bagel place, Mexican, pizza, and Chinese restaurants are all at Newkirk Plaza. And plentiful fruit stands on CIA.

From this end of the neighborhood, Prospect Park is a pretty good hike or bike ride away, which is a drag. I'm looking forward to the opening, by year's end, of Brooklyn College's new athletic center. Having a brand new gym, including indoor pool, in the neighborhood will be nice.

In some ways it's a much more suburban vibe than brownstone neighborhoods, but it has an ethnic diversity you won't find there. I don't think you can stand on a subway platform in Park Slope and overhear conversations in Urdu, Bangla, Yiddish, Haitian Creole, Russian, and Spanish, the way you do here.

The truth is that most of the nicer housing stock is better suited to a family of seven than a family of three, but there are some two-families available. Or do what a lot of my neighbors have done, and open a bed and breakfast.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 22, 2008 1:51 PM in response to thinking of Ditmas Park

The maximum allowable FAR for a mixed building is the same as the maximum for whichever of the permitted uses is highest. So you can max out each component's permitted FAR, but the total FAR can't exceed the highest permitted for any one use.

For example, if you're in an R6/C2 district you could have a total of 4.8 FAR, which is the allowable FAR for community facility. Of this amount, up to 1.0 FAR could be for commercial, and up to 2.43 FAR could be for residential use (3.0 FAR for residential if you build on a wide street under quality housing.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 22, 2008 1:31 PM in response to commercial overlay

They're all multiple family, so at a price that makes sense given the rental income, they'll sell. Believe it or not, there is a market for new construction with parking, with rental income. Probably not at these prices, though.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 18, 2008 12:24 PM in response to Who's Gonna Buy This Stuff Now?

"I'm very ignorant when it comes to the financial markets."

You're in good company around here, then.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 17, 2008 10:02 AM in response to When's the Hoover Dam Going to Open?

I think they should forget Olive Garden and put the beer distributor back in as the retail tenant.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 11, 2008 12:29 PM in response to Big on 4th: Rental or Condo?

Nice, 9:09.

I love the image of Mr. Master of the Universe dropping off Ophelia and Harrison at their fancy private school, checking in with his parole officer, and then heading off to work.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 11, 2008 9:45 AM in response to Parole Facility Planned Next Door to St. Ann's School

How many silly usernames can I have?

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at July 10, 2008 10:58 AM in response to Moving Forward

1.5 blocks to the park, less than that to express subway. I'm a little baffled how location is a big problem.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at June 23, 2008 2:14 PM in response to House of the Day: 74 Lincoln Road

It may come as a shock to you, 12:28 but not everybody aspires to be surrounded by self-described "creative types in their 20s and 30s" or the bars and restaurants that cater to them.

That neighborhood has become so monolithic and boring, I'm glad I cashed in and moved on when I did.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at June 20, 2008 2:39 PM in response to Slope Eyesore May Have Timely End

That Legion Hall next door is pretty much the last vestige of old South Brooklyn that hasn't yet succumbed to the yuppie infestation of 5th Avenue.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at June 20, 2008 12:13 PM in response to Slope Eyesore May Have Timely End

A system in which individual property owners subsidize the housing costs of individual renters, regardless of their relative wealth or income, is disgraceful. If, as I believe, affordable housing is a public good, it should be paid for by the general public through broad-based taxes, and made available based on tenant need, not luck or connections.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at June 20, 2008 9:34 AM in response to Rent-Stabilization Hike: Lose-Lose?

Business is slow at NYC Icy because their business hours are so sporadic.

I try taking my kids there after soccer games at the Parade Ground, and they're closed on a a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

Church Avenue and Coney Island Avenue is only the middle of nowhere if you believe that all life ceases south of Prospect Park.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at June 18, 2008 2:08 PM in response to Wednesday Food & Drink Round-Up

10th Street between 4th and 5th is hardly prime slope, and regardless of what the ask was, that's a very impressive price for a <17 foot wide, 2 floors plus garden level house in a dirty, noisy location.

Posted by: Flatbushwhacker at June 17, 2008 3:49 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Ahhhh, thw What cares about me. I think you have a crush, What. Sorry, but I'm taken.

Posted by: 11233 at October 16, 2008 1:34 PM in response to End of the World (Or Maybe Not) Party

I'm there. See you all.

Posted by: donatella at October 16, 2008 2:56 PM in response to End of the World (Or Maybe Not) Party

Se you at 7:30-ish.

Posted by: mopar at October 16, 2008 6:00 PM in response to End of the World (Or Maybe Not) Party