My wife and I went to look at an apartment on Dean Street this weekend, great space, price was not bad, but across the street there is nothing but empty yards of debris. I could tell the agent (maybe an investor) was not happy with my question about what is going on and when it's going to happen, he basically grunted "It's dead" no idea if and when it's going to be built. How the heck is anyone supposed to buy a place with so much uncertainty surrounding the area, and is any bank really going to approve a loan if the property values could be in such flux as a result of the stalled development. Nice place, but I don't know if I would risk buying there.

Posted by: gowanusadonis at April 6, 2009 1:56 PM in response to Value of Atlantic Yards Development?

To be clear though, all the original old details were stripped out of this house and replaced with steel and masonry long before this fire, so It's hard to imagine what could have burned so fast, without additional fuel. I'm glad you like your contractor (PeterSteinberg) but I can tell you Metropolitan are no angels having lived near this construction site since it began...

Posted by: gowanusadonis at January 6, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Fire Guts Newly-Renovated Townhouse at 67 Cranberry

How is it with 10 guys working in the house, no one could try to contain the fire before it got out of control? no fire extinguisher at a construction site? people says they heard an explosion, right after which the fire moved very quickly. I have no reason to doubt, there was a gas explosion. a worker said there was a welder on the second floor where the fire started - but they (the workers) remained tight-lipped about whether this might have been the cause of the blaze. the fire marshall was especially interested in this alleged explosion. based on how fast the fire moved, in a building that was mostly steel and masonry at this point, there must have been some other source of fuel to cause the blaze to escalate so quickly. after the smoke started billowing from the back of the building the workers from went outside the building and across the street, basically watched the house at 67 cranberry burn. not one of them apparently had a cell phone to call police or fire department or bothered to knock on any neighbors doors to say there was a fire. one of the workers yelled out to call 911... suspicious - you decide.

Posted by: gowanusadonis at January 5, 2009 2:08 PM in response to Fire Guts Newly-Renovated Townhouse at 67 Cranberry