You should really give credit for the chart to the Calculated Risk blog, it's one of his charts - Seeking Alpha just reuse it.

Posted by: WillBklyn at October 21, 2009 11:16 AM in response to Housing Starts 'Sputter' in September

Altervoce beat me to it. Purim is a always a party in South Williamsburg. It's really a sight to see.

Hamentaschen!

http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday9.htm

Posted by: WillBklyn at September 30, 2009 5:07 PM in response to Closing Bell: Williamsburg Street Fair

I'm afraid raising Chickens in NYC is not only "stuff that white people like"

http://blogs.ngm.com/blog_central/2009/03/urban-chickens.html

Although Organic Tomato vines on the roof do make me FURIOUS!!! Nothing makes me angrier ... Everyone knows only Pigeon Coops belong on Rooftops ... yummy, yummy squab.

Posted by: WillBklyn at August 25, 2009 2:39 PM in response to Streetlevel: Traif Bike Gesheft

I actually think it looks pretty good, and I don't think you can really 100% judge based on the mediocre photos in the ad.

I mean, what do you people's bathrooms look like, anyway?
You prefer home depot special?

Looks like someone bought a brownstone, and renovated it nicely- improved the housing stock, improves the neighborhood, helps the economy, everyone wins.

But what is going on here ?
**Speculation Below** (no libel suits, please)
"Current owner willing to stay on and rent the duplex for $2000 per month."
I don't think this person is a "flipper"

You can't help but think this owner is a victim of housing bubble thinking (up up up) and is now over their heads. It's priced at the amount they need it to sell for to get out of debt, not what its really worth.

This isn't a good situation for them or us.

Posted by: WillBklyn at June 2, 2009 2:14 PM in response to House of the Day: 177 MacDonough Street

It's only redeeming value is its social value as housing.

It has no redeeming aesthetic value I guess.

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 20, 2009 12:52 PM in response to Before Fedders: Havemeyer Sanitary Market

I live around the corner and I think they will all be rentals. No one these days would want to "invest" on that block of Union Ave. There is plenty to do around here Gimme Coffee, DuMont, Le Barricou, Barcade, Huckleberry Bar, Leonard Branch of the NYPL is 2 blocks away! Sals Pizza!

Also the rental building on Hope St. has Zipcars so now I have a 5 minute walk to a Zipcar, and E-Z highway access - you can shoot down to Fairway in Red Hook in 10-15 minutes if you go late to avoid traffic.

The fact remain Union Ave is not very pleasant. G train rumbles right under it- no trees, lots of subway grates - and it's loud and 2 blocks from the BQE so I'm sure it's all sooty if you open your windows (I lived for a time on South 5th and Marcy and the soot was a real bummer)

Rentals for hipsters, shoe horn them in! Can't wait to see the raggy blankets-as-window-treatment in action on those big windows.

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 3, 2009 12:16 AM in response to Development Watch: Stuck in the Mud at 365 Union Avenue

I'm sitting on my couch right now which is steps from where I go to the bathroom, which is also steps from my kitchen where I prepare all my food! And steps from my front door and a public hallway! It's shocking!!

Posted by: WillBklyn at March 19, 2009 12:14 AM in response to Strings Attached to CB2's Potty Vote

"Then again, ... there have been reports that the bird population is too great" - this is hands down the stupidest thing I've read today. Yes, we need more glass buildings to kill more birds. After all, jets need to be saved!

If you do a simple google search you will quickly find out that birds flying into glass buildings is a pretty serious problem. It's actually not up for debate. Just another example of the continuing degradation of our environment.

Oh except maybe the problem is TOO MANY BIRDS!

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=11027

Posted by: WillBklyn at February 2, 2009 11:20 PM in response to Man Versus Bird On Prospect Park

Angry Bear has already picked apart this very misleading graph.

http://angrybear.blogspot.com/2009/01/honest-resarch.html

Posted by: WillBklyn at January 16, 2009 7:31 PM in response to Fed: This Recession Ain't So Bad

I know this was posted yesterday so no one will read this, but Good god are these going to be for sale ? I live around the corner, and I always assumed rentals. It's the most underbuilt building I've ever seen- there is like 1 layer of durock between you and the elements. The heating systems run along the top part of your "window", giving everyone a view of your ducts. At least the other 4 or 5 projects on this block have concrete floors. This building is a mess. Buyer beware.

Posted by: WillBklyn at November 6, 2008 10:28 PM in response to Development Watch: 365 Union Avenue

Look, you fools. You're in danger. Can't you see? They're after you. They're after all of us. Our wives, our children, everyone. They're here already. YOU'RE NEXT!

They are pod flowers from outer space.

Posted by: WillBklyn at November 6, 2008 10:19 PM in response to Closing Bell: Late Bloomers

Isn't this the definition of comparing apples to oranges?
How many permits were filed for Brooklyn in September?

Posted by: WillBklyn at November 3, 2008 11:12 AM in response to Brooklyn Building Boom Healthier in 2008 than 2007

AllBoro is long, long gone. What used to be there was a bizarre looking, dumpy, industrial bakery. Living on Grand St, I can't say that Papa Johns is that huge a disappointment (their pizza is awful though), there are plenty of vacant storefronts on Grand Street right around Papa Johns for any non-chains. I guess I'd rather have something there than nothing.

Posted by: WillBklyn at September 12, 2008 2:32 PM in response to Dip in the Brownstoner Flickr Pool

I found myself in a similar dither a few years ago when I saw the same notice on the building right next to mine - ASBESTOS removal? SCARY. Well, removing asbestos roofing is actually not that scary. It really doesn't get into the air - the asbestos is pretty well stuck inside the roofing -you'd have to throw it in a wood chipper or something to get it in the air. The people that remove it are licensed and the fact that the notice is posted (probably) means that they've hired a professional to remove it.

Posted by: WillBklyn at July 31, 2008 1:53 PM in response to Asbestos Warnings Near Public Place: Too Little, Too Late?

Ha Ha! Of course the scaffolding was intentional! (imaginary conversation: Olafur: "Then we will cover the scaffolding in black granite, to create a neutral backing" Gallerist: "We can't afford that" Olafur: "The Scaffolding is intentional! It reflects ... sidewalk sheds!" Gallerist: "Olafur, you are money in the bank!")

Posted by: WillBklyn at June 26, 2008 2:37 PM in response to The Waterfalls Start Falling

I'm also underwhelmed, I didn't think the MOMA / PS1 show was anything special either. An interesting idea in the abstract is clumsily rendered - the ugly scaffolding is huge, the 'waterfall' is wimpy. It looks like water being shot from hoses on scaffolding - not like a waterfall. Similarly his big mirror on the ceiling at PS1 was cheap looking with seams and ripples where the mylar wasn't pulled tightly enough. And he reverse waterfall at PS1 just looked like a mess. "there's no there there"

Posted by: WillBklyn at June 26, 2008 10:56 AM in response to The Waterfalls Start Falling

"When he goes to work in a suit, people ask for change."

When I walk down the street in a T-shirt and shorts, people ask for change. In Midtown Manhattan. This is only a revalation for people in LA, where walking down the street is something you only see in the movies.

Dead End is a great movie.

Posted by: WillBklyn at June 24, 2008 11:21 AM in response to How Bed-Stuy Looks From L.A.

I don't think a lot of people who are going to be shopping in Ikea are going to be lingering in the neighborhood. There is going to be a huge increase in traffic on certain streets in Red Hook now, and when is that ever a good thing for a neighborhood? If they funnel traffic in a way that keeps it of Van Brundt (or generally West of Ikea) than the impact won't be as bad. But not a big plus for the area.

Posted by: WillBklyn at June 16, 2008 11:48 AM in response to Eulogies for the Pre-Ikea Red Hook

The highway style ramps leading up the bridge span would be better off obscured.

Posted by: WillBklyn at May 30, 2008 1:16 PM in response to Development Watch: 373 Wythe Avenue

Carriage House conversion? I guess that Makes Atlantic Yards a "train yard conversion"

Posted by: WillBklyn at May 7, 2008 2:22 PM in response to New Burg Condos Come to Market

Maybe all those bars of Dr. Bronner's are included.
The pictures are pretty, but where's the floorplans ? A bunch of close ups & groovy angles don't really accurately show the house.
Something tells me for 1.7 million you can get something better ...

Posted by: WillBklyn at May 7, 2008 2:16 PM in response to House of the Day: 95 Devoe Street FSBO

I like his art, it's friendly, for a change.

There's not excuse for what he did to that dog, but it was 30 years ago. I never killed a dog but I've done things I regret. I think Otterness deserves some slack.

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 15, 2008 6:25 PM in response to Closing Bell: Otterness In Situ

I did laugh when I read that the renter is a "Graphic Design" at the food network.

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 11, 2008 3:51 PM in response to South Slope Rental Scam (via West Africa)

I would say hold on also, but if they are really going to pay your next 8 months rent, that should save you more than 10K, which translates into 20K in the bank ... I find it telling that they are willing to do this, it allows them to claim a higher sales price. I'm curious how much the rental subsidy would add up to and also how much of the closing costs they would cover?
There is a lot more inventory coming down the pipeline, but how much are you now paying in rent?

The NYTimes has a great calculator to help with the rent vs. buy:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10/business/2007_BUYRENT_GRAPHIC.html
you can customize it ... if you haven't seen this I suggest playing around with it!

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 9, 2008 2:09 PM in response to Goob Buy

The BQE view takes the cake as most unrealistic rendering since Thor Equities put out those perspective challenged views of their Coney Island development ...

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 8, 2008 10:38 AM in response to Behold 'Sunset Marketplace,' Time Equities' S. Park Plan

This story was just that - some interesting stories, without enough information to really know what is going on. A bunch of anecdotes, but how big were the apartments, and how much do comparable places rent for? A broker saying properties are "flying off the shelves" and another broker / buyer who we should pay attention to because she "checked out the neighborhood" before she moved in! Sometimes I think these pieces are written to make people who are looking for real information grind their teeth.

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 7, 2008 2:30 PM in response to Brooklyn's Varied Real Estate Market

They made a mistake with that rendering - obviously - because that's all people have to complain about.
The trees are there because - they are there, in real life. (google street view). The building is brown - like a brownstone. The developer screwed up by not spending more time on the rendering but really, would people rather have white brick, or beige brick like the lovely apple bank building next door? or gray metal plate boredom like in so much of Williamsburg ?

Next time they should remember to add some rainbows & unicorns to the facade to cheer things up.

Posted by: WillBklyn at April 4, 2008 3:16 PM in response to Gloomy Reception for 340 Court Plans

Battery Park City has no convenient, overcrowded subways.

Posted by: WillBklyn at March 27, 2008 2:31 PM in response to Council Green-Lights Grand Street Rezoning

I think it's terrible. The entire area went through a major rezoning only a few years ago. Grand St. is a wide street (I live (rent) on it, a few blocks farther East) Most of it isn't very distinguished, and the apartment buildings that caused the NIMBY freakout are only like 14 stories high! Many buildings in Williamsburg (especially east williamsburg) are crap and in a better world would be TORN DOWN and replaced with more up-to-date housing.

The J train is NOT overcrowded and is only about 2 blocks longer of a walk than the L train. The L train is no picnic but the reason it's crowded is people prefer the crowds to the slightly less convenient J train, or G to E train. Most people in NYC should have it so bad, riding a crowded L train 4 stops to Union Square! Like everyone else, I choose the crowds over the extra 5 minutes the J would cost me.

Now is the time to start hoarding VINTAGE SIDING! It's inevitable - 10 years from now, VINTAGE SIDING will be all the rage! I have a dozen different colors of plastic Cedar Shake Shingles in my basement already! The nostalgia is coming! Oh how I miss all that Williamsburg Siding !

Posted by: WillBklyn at March 27, 2008 1:35 PM in response to Council Green-Lights Grand Street Rezoning

"...and the Parks Dept. will take care of tree maintenance after plantings."

Of course they will.

Posted by: WillBklyn at March 26, 2008 12:59 PM in response to Better Homes and Gardens, City Planning-Style

Biscuit just wasn't that great.
As for hollywood video that seems like a good opportunity to tear down something ugly and build something ... less ugly. Or at least some new housing.

Posted by: WillBklyn at February 20, 2008 12:33 PM in response to Closing Time on 5th Avenue

"Agreed on the finishes too nice to see that people are finally taking the Brooklyn buyer seriously and delivering highend and chic product"

Yeah - FINALLY ! Next thing you know Brooklyn properties will be selling for more than a million dollars!

Posted by: WillBklyn at February 19, 2008 3:25 PM in response to Condos of the Day: Price Cuts at 95 Lexington Avenue

The post is tongue in cheek, as Williamsburg's first smash hit restaurant was Planet Thai, an offshoot of Thai Cafe in Greenpoint. These places begat more thai restaurants than I care to think about. So they are creeping out on the L train.

If Northeast Kingdom is Bushwick's L Cafe, I guess this place is its Planet Thai. Maybe Life Cafe counts more but that is pushing into the fabled "East Williamsburg"

Posted by: WillBklyn at February 19, 2008 3:23 PM in response to A Sign That Bushwick Has Officially Arrived?