Brownstoner's Profile
- Mr. B
- 2003
- 2004
- Brooklyn
- Clinton Hill
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Author's Posts
March 16, 2010
Closing Bell: Best Chow in Brooklyn?
The Daily News tackles one of those impossible tasks--compiling a list of what they call the best food in Brooklyn. Winners include the Gyro Cart in Bay Ridge, Armando's in Canarsie and Tom's (above) in Prospect Heights.
Best of the boros: Food in Brooklyn [Brownstoner]
Photo by little fluffy dots
Development Watch: 307 Atlantic All Glassed Up
When we checked in last month with 307 Atlantic Avenue, the 25-unit rental project had a few windows in place. Now it's got them all, and they're nice big windows too.
Development Watch: 307 Atlantic Avenue [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 307 Atlantic Avenue [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 307 Atlantic Really Cruising Now [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 307 Atlantic Avenue [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
Development Watch: 307 Atlantic Avenue, Post Demo [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 307 Atlantic Avenue [Brownstoner]
House of the Day: 1201 Dean Street
This one-family limestone house at 1201 Dean Street in Crown Heights has a lot going for it: It's big, has tons of beautiful old woodwork and has recently had its kitchens and bathrooms updated. The asking price is $849,000, which only comes out to about $225 a foot. You like?
1201 Dean Street [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark
Condo of the Day: 535 Dean Street, #616
Can you say 'bachelor pad'? This loft at the Newswalk Building in Prospect Heights looks like it was designed for a party. It's more than 1,100 square feet and designed with an open plan; the high-ceilings don't hurt either. The combined monthly charge of $892 is quite reasonable, as is the asking price of $599,000, we think. Of course, there is one small downside: We hear that some small-time developer may be doing some work across the street for the next 15 or 20 years.
535 Dean Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 1 Coming Together
Last Thursday we were lucky enough to get a tour, along with 40 or so potential food vendors, of Pier 1 at Brooklyn Bridge Park. As you can see from these photos, it's pretty spectacular—and not that far from being finished. We'll have a follow-up post tomorrow with a close look at the toddler playground. In the meantime, make sure you check out photos #8 and #9 of the grand steps that were built with granite recycled from the Roosevelt Island Bridge. When those summer sunsets roll around, this will be about the best seat in Brooklyn!
DOB's Most Violated?
Which building has the most DOB violations in Brooklyn? Beehive Hairdresser thinks he's found it: 2300 Cropsey Avenue. According to the blog, the stalled Bath Beach development has 38 active violations and $69,000 of outstanding penalties. "The DOB appears to be powerless with regard to having the ability to enforce anything and the owners appear to think that DOB summons as well as other official notes need to fade out in the sun," says the blog. GMAP
Bullish Words from One Brownstone Brooklyn Broker
We asked a broker we know and trust how things are going. Here was the response:
It is extremely busy. Buyers are out in droves. A lot of them have their places sold already or in contract and are very motivated. Or else they are just extremely motivated based on interest rates, lame rental selection out there and lower prices to buy. Now we are seeing deals come together fast for a lot of listings and a fair number of places are having 6-15 people bidding on them within the first couple of weeks a property comes on the market. Location is a big selling point now. Prime in all the neighborhoods we serve moves very fast. It is interesting how things changes so suddenly after January 1. It will be interesting to see whether this will translate to more listings coming on the market when sellers start realizing things are moving briskly, or if inventory will still stay low, which could (gasp…) raise prices down the road. 'Never enough inventory' is a constant mantra brokers and buyers are saying for prime properties.
Interesting, no?
McSam Bailing on Nevins Hotel
It looks like McSam is bailing on Downtown Brooklyn. The prolific hotel developer had at one point been planning to build a 12-story Hyatt Place Hotel at the corner of Schermerhorn and Nevins Streets, but the property is now on the market with Massey Knakal with a price tag of $5,000,000. According to the listing, the lucky buyer will be able to put up a 90,000-square-foot building (assuming they take advantage of the inclusionary zoning bonus). Any takers?
Development Watch: 46 Nevins Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
Development Watch: 46 Nevins Street [Brownstoner] P*Shark
Development Watch: 46 Nevins Street [Brownstoner] DOB
Tuesday Links
Dollar Slices Catching on Around the City [NY Times]
Garbled Sirens in Red Hook Just a Test [NY Times]
Cleaning a Canal, but Not Writing About It [NY Times]
Old Coots Take Brooklyn Street Fight to Court [NY Post]
$16 Million Greenway Rolling Out [NY Post]
Brooklyn Resident Without Power Blasts Con Ed [NY Daily News]
Markowitz Echoes CB1's Concerns About Domino [Brooklyn Eagle]
Battle over Broadway Triangle Begins in Court [Brooklyn Paper]
Another Big Boerum Hill Prostitution Bust [Brooklyn Paper]
Storm Damages Historic Brooklyn Cemetery [NY1]
Paul Giamatti Buys in Brooklyn Heights [Real Estalker]
It's Newtown Creek's Time to Stink [Curbed]
Photo by jpotisch
Author's Comments
20% sound fair, dittoburg?
Posted by: brownstoner at March 11, 2010 9:12 AM in response to Le Gamin Coming to Greenpoint
This addition doesn't bother us in the slightest...so far
Posted by: brownstoner at March 10, 2010 2:54 PM in response to Development Watch: Rooftop Addition at 386 Wythe Ave
yes, manhattan bound
Posted by: brownstoner at March 10, 2010 9:58 AM in response to Who's Marching Across the Brooklyn Bridge?
Good catch, g man. Amateur mistake on our part!
Posted by: brownstoner at March 10, 2010 9:52 AM in response to City Planning Commission Greenlights Rose Plaza
Sorry about the bad link...if you did as much cutting and pasting as we do in a day, you'd understand!
Posted by: brownstoner at March 9, 2010 1:57 PM in response to House of the Day: 17 Garden Place
Cuz DIBS asked in HOTD, we bumped COTD to make room for Breaking AY news story...
Posted by: brownstoner at March 1, 2010 1:59 PM in response to Open Thread
No sweat, Noklissa. Whatever the powers-that-be say! Just thought it would be an easy delivery point for the core audience. It's not like we're looking to make big money on these things.
Posted by: brownstoner at February 26, 2010 2:58 PM in response to New Brownstoner T-Shirts Ready to Roll
Not a bad idea, Benson. Would certainly generate a lot of hits!
Posted by: brownstoner at February 26, 2010 2:38 PM in response to Looking for Neighborhood Correspondents
We're not looking for insight and analysis, really, just a strong Spidey sense for when something new is going to happen...
Posted by: brownstoner at February 26, 2010 1:39 PM in response to Looking for Neighborhood Correspondents
It's just what the artist came up with...
Posted by: brownstoner at February 26, 2010 11:07 AM in response to New Brownstoner T-Shirts Ready to Roll
Probably not. Fulfillment would be a complete nightmare...Just at occasional physical locations. Next Brownstoner gathering maybe?
Posted by: brownstoner at February 26, 2010 11:05 AM in response to New Brownstoner T-Shirts Ready to Roll
CCB, we broke this story using investigative journalism and none of the people involved were very pleased. You think they're going to talk to us now? One of virtues of a blog format is the ability to gather information from readers. This benefits everyone. Open your eyes, it's 2010.
Hey lazy ass Dntwn, read the friggin' links we provided to the three other posts.
Posted by: brownstoner at February 24, 2010 4:07 PM in response to Development Watch: Still Frozen at 388 Bridge Street
And as a couple of you have correctly surmised, this is not an ad slot that where we plan to rotate through a bunch of random brands. We thought FD was a uniquely good fit for it, and that it would be a fun partner to experiment with an ad format that was more contextual and neighborhood-specific than your average banner ad. Anyway, we have to run to an appointment now but will check back in on the discussion later. If there is truly widespread opposition to the concept of a non-real estate brand sponsoring a post we'll have to take it seriously, but frankly we can't see what the big deal is, especially when it's a generally well-regarded brand with a strong presence in the borough...later
Posted by: brownstoner at February 22, 2010 2:07 PM in response to Open Thread
slopefarm, we didn't delete those comments "to keep advertisers happy." the ad ran by mistake before it was ready, so we removed it, at which point the 5 or 6 comments that had already gone up made no contextual sense, so we removed them and invited anyone with feelings on the matter to discuss in the Open Thread.
Posted by: brownstoner at February 22, 2010 2:00 PM in response to Open Thread
While we're not in the habit of defending advertisers and wish that widget hadn't launched by mistake before it was ready, we specifically went forward with developing that HOTD sponsorship with FD because we actually like and use the brand quite regularly--it's high quality and convenient in our experience. And because it's not directly real estate-related, we thought that it posed no conflict for being positioned so closely with the house of the day.
Posted by: brownstoner at February 22, 2010 1:51 PM in response to Open Thread
Go to town in the Open Thread, 11217.
Posted by: brownstoner at February 22, 2010 1:44 PM in response to House of the Day: 186 Dean Street
Sorry. We're developing a new ad format and it looks like it ran prematurely. If you feel the need to discuss, please do so in the OT...thanks
Posted by: brownstoner at February 22, 2010 1:36 PM in response to House of the Day: 186 Dean Street
interesting point, Rob...we were referring to the perception within community about safety, quality of life, etc...
Posted by: brownstoner at February 3, 2010 10:46 AM in response to Good News for Bed Stuy and Crown Heights Armories?
She's talking about the intake center...also big diff between women and men...there are already big quality of life issues associated with existing homeless shelter at Bedford Armory. just imagine what moving the central intake center for the entire city would mean.
Posted by: brownstoner at February 3, 2010 10:29 AM in response to Good News for Bed Stuy and Crown Heights Armories?
Pretty encouraging, no?
Posted by: brownstoner at February 2, 2010 11:33 AM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales
OK, we've removed the code that we think was causing this...so please let us know if it happens again!
Posted by: brownstoner at January 28, 2010 2:45 PM in response to Browser Crashing?
Once again, please note if probs are as of this week or go back further...
Posted by: brownstoner at January 28, 2010 12:34 PM in response to Browser Crashing?
DIBS,
Only as of this week though?
Posted by: brownstoner at January 28, 2010 12:30 PM in response to Browser Crashing?
$1,478,652 x 1.15 = $1.7 million on the nose. The widget multiplier nails it.
Posted by: brownstoner at January 28, 2010 9:44 AM in response to 329 Prez Finally Sells—For Less Than 50% of its Peak Ask
t-shirts should be ready in a couple of weeks. we'll start out selling them occasionally at the flea. you are more than welcome to embellish as you see fit!
Posted by: brownstoner at January 27, 2010 9:55 AM in response to Open Thread
Hey, everyone. We've got some bad news to report: 400,000 came and passed us by, probably a week or so ago, without us noticing and there's no way to figure out who made the magic comment. Very sorry. Nostrum culpamus. On a brighter note, 500,000 will be so much more satisfying.
Posted by: brownstoner at January 27, 2010 9:33 AM in response to Open Thread
Sorry for the technical glitches this morning...should be worked out soon.
Posted by: brownstoner at January 25, 2010 9:23 AM in response to Open Thread
Yes! Should have the new tees within 2-3 weeks...
Posted by: brownstoner at January 23, 2010 1:26 PM in response to Closing Bell: Week Three of The Flea at One Hanson
did you say clocks? http://bk.ly/bni
Posted by: brownstoner at January 22, 2010 4:25 PM in response to Closing Bell: Week Three of The Flea at One Hanson
Thanks, Benson.
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 4:47 PM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
By now, the number of ex-Brooklynites who moved to Philly in the last decade must have topped 5,000: http://bk.ly/bmx
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 3:50 PM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
Guys, MM isn't going anywhere (we hope!). She's going to keep doing what she's great at, which is writing long-form posts about Brooklyn architecture and history. Let's please not twist this into a rejection of MM.
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 11:35 AM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
A brand is a brand...at a certain point it transcends literalism. Just like Brownstoner in Brooklyn isn't just about brownstones.
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 11:23 AM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
Sorry, we've spent five years building a brand name so we're not going to bail on it now!
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 11:15 AM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
It will also be called Brownstoner...there are a few of them down there, you know!
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 10:50 AM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
Don't think it's possible to build the same kind of community in Manhattan, and that's what it's all about in the end...
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 10:33 AM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
As if there was any question, Dave!
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 10:21 AM in response to Brownstoner Philadelphia
Sorry we won't be able to make it tonight. We long ago committed to speak at the Society for Clinton Hill meeting...enjoy!
Posted by: brownstoner at January 21, 2010 9:57 AM in response to Open Thread
he's starting this weekend, sorry...
Posted by: brownstoner at January 15, 2010 5:22 PM in response to Closing Bell: The Flea Settles In At One Hanson
#400,000 is for homepage (excl. forum, reno blogs, etc.) since inception
Posted by: brownstoner at January 8, 2010 5:03 PM in response to Open Thread
Some time in the next month we should reach the 400,000 comment mark. Who will make the magic comment?
Posted by: brownstoner at January 8, 2010 4:36 PM in response to Open Thread
New t-shirts coming very soon
Posted by: brownstoner at January 8, 2010 4:31 PM in response to Closing Bell: The Flea Launches at One Hanson
Sorry, the wraparound round lintels look a little silly to us...
Posted by: brownstoner at December 16, 2009 3:46 PM in response to Development Watch: 186 Grand Street
Great gathering last night! Thanks to everyone who helped put it together. Sorry we didn't get a chance to say hi to everyone. How late did it go?
Posted by: brownstoner at December 4, 2009 9:19 AM in response to Open Thread
Quite right, Joe. We're the first to applaud a new project that looks attractive and well-built. The problem over the last decade in Brooklyn has been that not many new buildings fit that description.
Posted by: brownstoner at December 2, 2009 3:45 PM in response to Quote of the Day
glad to hear it!
Posted by: brownstoner at December 2, 2009 3:08 PM in response to Week 2 of Gifted, Week 1 of Dumbo Flea
Yet another cautionary tale for brokers who persist in omitting exterior photos! Please do send in a current photo.
Posted by: brownstoner at November 30, 2009 5:39 PM in response to House of the Day: 88 Prospect Park Southwest
Rob,
You hit the nail on the head.
Posted by: brownstoner at November 28, 2009 2:05 PM in response to Gifted Is Live!
Tough luck, bk8. what do you think pays the bills around here since the great advertising implosion?
Posted by: brownstoner at November 27, 2009 6:42 PM in response to Gifted Is Live!
Good point. This was a really pretty little building: http://bk.ly/bMl
Posted by: brownstoner at March 16, 2010 10:20 AM in response to McSam Bailing on Nevins Hotel