Paul's Salvage formerly on Bedford and Gates

She also ran out of money and thus cannot continue the project. Poorly managed, poorly financed...voila. Also the house next to it was flooded when they were doing all the permit free work due to negligence on behalf of the 'skilled' workers.

Posted by: brokestone at November 18, 2009 2:25 PM in response to Development Watch: Grandma's House No More

Having spoken to the attorneys for CNR, an upzone for the entire block is exactly what CNR is looking to do. They do not qualify for a variance as they need to prove hardship. There is not hardship here.

Posted by: brokestone at October 15, 2009 5:47 PM in response to Meeting About Special Lefferts Rezoning Request Tonight

1842, Please CALL 311, it's the only way to prevent someone from actually getting hurt. And it forces DOB on site to ensure the building is safe.

Posted by: brokestone at September 29, 2009 1:25 PM in response to 925 Fulton In Turnaround

Joloff gets more face-lifts than Cher.

I'm hoping this place is being started by the guy who used to work at L'acajou, my favorite hang in Manhattan for many years. He supposedly has been looking on Fulton for a location to open up a new place although I was expecting it to be down a block or so near the Funeral home. It was a traditional French food local hangout/old school NY bar with a great atmosphere. I'm not sure if that is what type of food they are going for here, but if it has any bit of the vibe of the place he used to work at, all will be happy.

And to be honest I would love a decent hearty Cassoulet this winter as opposed to just a Maffe all the time...but I'm probably wrong.

Posted by: brokestone at September 22, 2009 10:37 PM in response to New Restaurant/Bar for Fulton Street

Grand Avenue is a conduit for crime and gang members. You drive down from the BQE, if needed you mug someone, and it used to be you sold the gold/jewelry at the shop on Putnam and Fulton for some quick cash (he just closed), walk over to the front of Putnam Deli or 1000 Fulton to score your drugs, grab a girl and drive around the corner Lefferts to get a room at the formerly "by the hour" Lefferts Hotel. That guy who owns that is a real charmer who has done his best to destroy this community over the years. And then when you're high and serviced you head on back up to the BQE. Or you pull over for a "car date". It's been going on for probably decades I assume. Apparently now with the middle man gone you just trade your gold for drugs straight up.

Usually it's the same gang members who deal during throughout night that go around looking for things to do to people. That corner by Lexington is particularly bad because it leads down from major gang areas on Lexington. If you drive down Lexington from Nostrand there is tagging everywhere.

Posted by: brokestone at August 12, 2009 12:45 PM in response to Despite Brutal Assault, Crime Down in 88th

Polemicist,

As someone who is living off of public assistance, I don't need any sympathy from you. I would appreciate if you just keep paying your taxes.

Posted by: brokestone at July 29, 2009 3:16 PM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

Polemicist, we are in favor of senior housing, we are not in favor of changing our zoning laws for our entire block.

And I appreciate the correction on building heights and did recant my incorrect statement about them earlier.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 7:26 PM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

Petebklyn,

The main issue is the rezoning of the block. Once it is rezoned all buildings on Lefferts Place can be knocked down with the exception of the Landmarked Yellow House and this will become one giant block of buildings that look like the hideous monstrosity on Fulton and Classon instead of an architecturally AND culturally diverse neighborhood that is Lefferts Place today. Then other residential blocks in Brooklyn can be rezoned in the same manner once the legal precedent will be set.

We already have one out of context building on our block, as mentioned, on the corner of Classon and Frankin that was created just for the same purpose, 202 housing. 3 years later it was no longer a senior housing 202 facility.

This new facility is being proposed with only 9 parking spaces as well. 9 spaces for approx 100 tenants, the super, the employees of the doctor's offices downstairs, and any nurses or home health aides, some of who may have 24 hour care and any visitors. I think that is also a density and quality of life issue for Lefferts Place. We asked about more spaces and they said no. CNR doesn't care about this issue and would not make any alterations because they are making too much money and that is why they want to rezone Lefferts Place.

Now with the new zoning laws CNR wants to put in place other developers can buy up the rest of Lefferts Place and build more of these large buildings. CNR can even build right on through to Atlantic Avenue.

It's not fair to the residents of Lefferts Place to have to swallow this pill of rezoning our block. How bout we just stop making Lefferts Place the dumping ground of Clinton Hill.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 3:34 PM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

Blowfish,

Non Profit is the most misleading term of all time. All it means is a company is not allowed to show a profit. An employee paycheck is not considered profit. Profit is when they have money left over in the bank at the end of a calendar year. Anyone can start a non profit, and earn a salary. The more money the NP brings in the more money you can pay yourself. The salary is public knowledge and anyone can look it up of you do some research. 800k is a very high salary for a non profit position.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 2:28 PM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

only the Yellow house in landmarked. The green house is not because at the time only the yellow one was in peril.

It seems that whenever there is an initiative for Clinton Hill, Lefferts Place gets left out in the cold. We were left out of the Landmarking district , we were not part of the initial phase of new parking regulations (but we are in phase 3), and now we're getting pushed out of the new zoning regulations put in place to encourage affordable housing on Atlantic Avenue and Fulton Street. Which is made all the more possible because we are not landmarked.

But that is a different can of worms as I am not aware if landmarking prevents zoning from being overturned? But I suppose it would require other regulations and probably keep CNR away as they do not want to spend the money required to make such a facility.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 11:48 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

bxgrl,

CNR has a sweetheart deal on a lease that they signed on this property back in around 1995 or so. It took a few years for them to organize and once they did the market truly took off in NYC. The landowner then tried opt out of the lease agreement. That court case was just settled in February. So they now have a lease at way below market prices, and new zoning laws. But they don't have a valid argument regarding the zoning laws that were in place in 2000 because no certs were issued by DOB. So now they have to conform to zoning laws. They will take the HUD money, which is not based on how much they have a lease signed for, build what they can build and disperse any leftover HUD money as to the members of CNR. They don't take the extra HUD money and put in extra facilities making this the best senior housing complex in town.

They don't care about location. Most of their facilities are located in the Bronx in non residential or large zoned areas. They took us on a bus tour to show them to us. Not one area had anything to do with community or making seniors feel like part of one. Everything was about exclulsion. They are actually going to stick a sitting garden in the BACK of this proposed facility, away from local residents, next to the WHITE CASTLE and a proposed new nightclub 2 doors down from there. They don't care about noise from Atlantic avenue.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 11:25 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

i take that back re 10-15 stories i was looking through my window at that giant glass apartment building between fulton and atlantic on vanderbuilt or whatever street that is when i typed that. got that thing is huge. They originally proposed a 6 story but now they are trying to get the zoning change and can build up to the maximum specs of size and shape for R7A.

This project is still going to be too big for this block.

Those of you that are really trying to throw the NIMBY attack at me should petition for CNR to change the zoning laws and build this next to them on their block. And every other developer once that zoning has been changed. I'm sure they would be happy for the support.

Why try to deter residents from attending meetings? The people on this block are charitable good people who do a lot for the community. There are a LOT of seniors living on this block. Why would CNR tell give us misleading information and lie about the process if they were concerned about long term senior citizen housing and our community? They are not.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 11:09 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

we did not change the zoning, it was the city, and every politician in Brooklyn backed this zoning change. look it on line.

R6B was assigned to some 86 blocks.

we are not arguing against housing for old people bkre, they can put in a facility that matches the zoning. They don't want to because the bigger the facility, the more money they get from HUD. That is not the argument at all. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me why they just can't build something within zone?

you can only change the zoning for the entire block.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 10:55 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

What I didn't think you gave a hoot about architecture? Are you getting soft?

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 10:48 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

It is not immoral to oppose this structure. It's immoral to support CNR so that they can use tax dollars to make as much of a profit as possible. There are actually vacant lots right behind this site on Atlantic, owned by the same landlord. CNR can go build any size building they want there, without changing the zoning laws. They are choosing this site because it guarantees them the most profit, hence money in the executives pockets. They should take this HUD money, and go work with the city on the hundreds of empty lots all over Brooklyn that were just re-zoned for large buildings. We dont need a 10 or 15 story building on this block. Then CNR can do what they want. This is a GOOD neighborhood. Most residents have lived here for over 30 years because they WANT to.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

I don't even have to defend the NIMBY assault here as obviously it has nothing to do with the zoning laws. These are in fact, laws, which we all have to abide by, unless of course your head honcho makes over $800,000 a year. Like the head of CNR does. I'm sure he will get a big raise if these deal goes through.

All the negative responses have zero credence so far. Which is disappointing in a way.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 10:13 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

The issue here is not to deny low income housing to anyone. It's to have them build it within the zoning laws that were put in place in 2007. CNR can do this, HUD said they can do this, but they wont. The zoning laws were designed specifically to encourage developers to build large scale properties on the empty lots on Fulton and Atlantic.

This is about CNR, and it's desire to make as much money as possible out of this project, regardless of the any laws in place.

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 9:59 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

This is of great concern to me and my neighbors since we just fought to have the zoning changed to prevent this size of development. We are also irked by the fact that we have been getting incorrect information from all levels - CNR, Community Board 2 (CB2), and local community leaders We have not been getting the entire set of facts for this proposed project.

About 2 weeks ago, fliers were distributed throughout Lefferts Place regarding CNR's proposed development. The name of the developer on the flier was misspelled which made it difficult for us to conduct our own due diligence prior to the meeting. At the meeting, CNR never told us that they were looking to upzone our block to build their project. They pitched it originally as a variance, which we would still oppose We only learned of their plan to rezone our block when we phoned the attorney for CNR. Their attorney disclosed that they are actually seeking to upzone the site up from the recent R6B designation, which was supported unanimously by all Brooklyn politicians, up to R7A the same zoning as Atlantic, Fulton and Myrtle Avenues.

The rezoning was apparently an easier route for them to go since it would be harder for them to get a variance. The variance would require them to prove 5 different criteria, which given the size of the lot and the circumstances surrounding their development, would be hard for them to prove. This upzoning would set a precedent for the rest of downsized Fort Greene and Clinton Hill and really any residential neighborhood in Brooklyn. If this goes through, developers would be encouraged to change zoning laws in order to make their projects more lucrative, even though the size and scope of the projects are contrary to what the current residents want.

We asked if perhaps they could scale back the project so that it fits within the current zoning laws. The rep for CNR said there is no way they can alter their current application with HUD. They stated that they had to stick with the original application they submitted to HUD in 2000. They stated that any attempt to alter the current renderings may cause them to loose the HUD funding. Now mind you the original 2000 application includes renderings which has a building with 76 studio units and 22 one bedroom units. But in the meeting this week they said the building would contain a total of 71 units. So they have already modified the original application they submitted to HUD, even though they said they could not alter it now. Or they are lying. The bottom line is once the area is rezoned CNR can propose a building even twice the size of the one they are proposing to us. Other developers can build large scale buildings on Lefferts Place that are out of context.

When we spoke to the project manager at HUD reviewing their application, they told us CNR’s application was approved in 2000 and a firm commitment for the project was issued in 2002. The firm commitment has expired so CNR has to re-submit a portion of their application. This application would have to comply with current zoning laws. We were told that CNR would have to either have to change their current plans to conform to the current zoning laws or get the current zoning laws changed to conform to the project they are currently proposing to us. This means that they can in fact downsize the proposal. Contrary to what they are telling us, the proposed project does not have to be this large out of zone building that CNR says it has to be in order to retain the funding. This leads me to believe that the only reason CNR will not attempt to adhere to the current zoning laws is strictly because they are trying to make as much money as possible for this project. They do not care about this community.

Then most disturbingly John Dew, the chair of Community Board 2 (CB2), was also in attendance at the meeting representing CB2. He voiced his support for the project and stated that CB2 fully supported this plan, even though CB2 supported the rezoning that just occurred in 2007. Suddenly now they are against the R6B zoning on Lefferts Place. Residents asked him about the potential land marking application and how this could affect this project, and he actually said with a straight face that there is no application for an extension of the land marking in Clinton Hill districts and that he has never heard of any attempt at one. I"m assuming this means CB2 had some sort of meeting on giving the thumbs up for this project before it was even presented and more importantly before it was discussed with us!! Am I wrong or are they supposed to review these projects AFTER they are submitted for review? If that is not the case, shouldn’t they at least talk to the residents of this block and the community about whether or not WE support this rezoning since we are the ones who will be directly affected before making a decision?

The residents of Lefferts Place spent a lot of time and effort basically denying Chris Morris the right to develop a large building on the adjacent lot which holds the Yellow House. Tish James supported us. This was a density issue as well, they were trying to destroy the "neighborhood feel" of this block. This was done before the rezoning that happened in 2007. Now they are going to force an even larger building right next door to the house that they so readily helped landmark??? After they rezoned the block??? This CNR development would change the character of this block forever, making it another Atlantic Avenue!

Posted by: brokestone at July 28, 2009 9:53 AM in response to Lefferts Place Threatened by Healthcare Developer

I recently had a welder come out and put a bar across the pin to prevent this from happening. Sometime over the past year, some guys came and took about 4-5 gates on Lefferts Place. Around the same time a crew were stopped on the Bridge with van or truckload of original Brownstone Fencing. The truck had Penn Plates and was owned by one of the drivers. Apparently these guys take fences and gates and balustrades and sell them over in PA. There must be a company over there that is interested in buying all sorts of stolen Victorian gates and ironworks.

Posted by: brokestone at July 24, 2009 5:21 PM in response to Front Gate Stolen

this bank was open, they are just trying to drum up business and are having a new 'opening'. but i'm happy the area has a new option.

Posted by: brokestone at July 23, 2009 5:08 PM in response to Closing Bell: Capital One on Fulton Celebrates Opening

I wrote to Community Board 2 regarding this on Lefferts Place.

Here is the official response:

"The signs and underlying street cleaning regulations in Community District 2 will be changed in three phases. All of the community district south of Joralemon and Fulton streets will be in the third phase. The three areas were created, in part, based on the existing mechanical broom routes, which will continue during the change-over."

Posted by: brokestone at July 8, 2009 2:13 PM in response to Next Phase of CB2 Alternate Side Parking Conversion

If anything this area NEEDS a coffee shop. The Coffee at choice is so bad I actually go to the deli across the street and save my money. Intelligentsia (overrated) or not it's undrinkable. But seeing as you and Terri are obviously business partners to some degree, I suppose you need to question the logic of it's opening.

Posted by: brokestone at June 12, 2009 12:07 PM in response to Competition for Choice on Grand Avenue?

Stump out is as cheap as it gets. Go buy it. Drill the holes. and burn that baby out.

Posted by: brokestone at June 10, 2009 4:23 PM in response to Tree Stump Removal

and to note, if you were really worried, stipulate that they remove the deck before you move in as part of the sale. Headache gone.

Posted by: brokestone at June 5, 2009 11:40 AM in response to Roof Deck Not Up To Code

I would be most worried about weather you would be properly insured if something ever happened related to that deck if it's not a legal. Fire, Injury etc. If it were not up to code, you would be in serious financial and legal jeopardy. Especially if it's a row of houses, you cannot prevent others from walking over to 'your' roof.

Posted by: brokestone at June 5, 2009 11:38 AM in response to Roof Deck Not Up To Code

How does Lefferts Place get left out of this plan, as usual. Are we or are we not part of Clinton Hill?

Posted by: brokestone at May 7, 2009 9:45 AM in response to Reduced Parking Regulations Coming to CB2 Nabes

I tried to post something about this last week and for some reason as 'guest' it never went on so i looked up my account again and here i am. About three months ago I noticed a flier in one of those Brooklyn paper's you see everywhere while at the Outpost. Inside the paper was a flier stating that if you entered your child into the day care around the corner off of Fulton street it would result in a reduction on your BID fees. I went to other areas and found this flier in the paper in those shops on Fulton street. I wish I kept the flier because it seemed to me a bit strange. Why would someone get a discount on your BID fees if you put your child in a certain day care? Did anyone else see this? I showed it to a few shop owners at the time around there and they all seemed to be a bit confused. One even said the person who owned the day care was one of the people involved in the BID itself. Anyone else see this?

Posted by: brokestone at April 24, 2009 12:35 PM in response to Clearing the Air on the Fulton BID

I did not have the coffee at the time but the espresso machine needs to be fixed as of this afternoon. They will open at 7 am!!!

Posted by: brokestone at November 3, 2008 6:54 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Bakery in Clinton Hill

I just went and ate an apple walnut tart. Nice!

Posted by: brokestone at November 3, 2008 4:26 PM in response to Streetlevel: New Bakery in Clinton Hill

I am also interested in this radiator. Please email me at jkatsos@yahoo.com if it is still available.

Thanks.

P.S. Eddie does not touch radiators, just the guy on Myrtle. They need to be properly tested and he couldn't be bothered with all the risk involved.

Posted by: brokestone at August 14, 2008 11:44 PM in response to Victorian Radiator for Sale

I am interested in one. Let me know

jkatsos@yahoo.com

or phone 781-859-9901. i need a non cracked marble mantle top as that is what i need to replace.

Thanks

Posted by: brokestone at May 29, 2008 3:07 PM in response to Marble Fire Places

I am also interested in purchasing. My mantle was damaged during fireplace work. Please contact me if they are still available

781-859-9901

not 718. thanks!

Posted by: brokestone at May 28, 2008 4:26 PM in response to Where can I sell old marble fireplace mantles

I live right across from that yellow house and i LOVE the LPC! But i'm being selfish. I've only been here 2 years or so but one of the reasons i actually bought my place was because we like walking out every day and seeing that yellow house. I hope it does get occupied soon. And more importantly I loved the idea that we could landmark our block long term. Although there are definitely pros and cons I think the benefits should outwiegh the costs over the long LONG LONG term. Even if right now I'm scrambling to get any work down before this ever happens because there is no way i can afford to do everything by the book according to the LPC. I did a lot of research and man all that stuff really adds up. it adds up even without the landmarks process.

I was also at the LPC hearing, it was a great event and the process works. If you had seen the size of the appartment building they wanted to put in, it would have really changed the dynamics of this street. In look and feel.

Posted by: brokestone at February 26, 2008 2:22 PM in response to 213 Cumberland Slinks Back to LPC

OP here. It is definitely some sort of waste line because it actually connects to the original giant main waste pipe. It's just odd in that if you go up and up and up there is no where for this smaller pipe to originiate. I assume there may have been a bathroom on the 3rd floor some years agao that was removed because there is a cutout on the floor and replacement wood matched up that once observed is about the same size/area of the base of a toilet bowl. albeit no rounded edges. My fear is that this was never capped off, or the pipe is rusting inside the wall. the only positive is these fellas (knock on wood) are all hanging out downstairs for now. Maybe I should cap it off in the basement, find the other end, and fill it with a cement of some sort through the walls.

Posted by: brokestone at January 22, 2008 11:57 AM in response to strange waste line = roaches?