This makes me love brooklyn even more - multinational companies attending to the needs of a specific ethnic group! Next we will learn that Uniqlo will be opening a location in Kensington because the Bengali's love their stuff...

Anyway, I have a programming bone to pick with Mr. B - can you make the pages stop resizing when viewing pics or logging in? It keeps resizing to 1/2 size and pissing me off. Should be a 2 minute fix. Thanks!

Posted by: lalaland at November 20, 2009 1:29 PM in response to Huh? Benetton for Bed Stuy Stretch of Bedford Avenue

if they still make their "cuban" food like they did when i tried the smith st joint you can count me a: out b: incredulous that enough lost souls dropped coin for them to open up another awful place. their food wasn't just bad cuban food, it was bad food.

Posted by: lalaland at November 16, 2009 5:56 PM in response to Cubana Cafe Opens in The Slope

no father figures and lack of positive role models
nothing constructive to do after school
no incentive to better oneself

the individual does control #2 & 3, fwiw...

Posted by: lalaland at November 11, 2009 9:37 AM in response to Two Teens Shot on Fulton in Fort Greene

Brownstoner and Albemarle owner: great stuff - I live a few blocks away and know the house very well (at least you bought it AFTER the tornado!). Any chance you could get the owner of the giant white house down the block at Marlboro (?) to join the blogging fun? Both such beauties, and seemingly require a bunch to bring them into the 21st century.

Posted by: lalaland at November 11, 2009 6:15 AM in response to All Systems, Go — Away?

I would advertise no fee by owner of course but also give it to a few brokers and use the security deposit to pay the fee for a lease starting 12/15-1/1. RENT it in december; do not, under any circumstances, let it go unrented into January because Jan is the start of "nothing doing" season and that sticks around until April.

Posted by: lalaland at November 4, 2009 11:05 AM in response to Tenants Breaking Lease

move to kensington instead - still within walking distance of cortelyou, better schools, more diverse.

Posted by: lalaland at October 30, 2009 10:03 PM in response to Public School Victorian Flatbush

Prospect House South? Real estate blog equivalent of a freudian slip?

Posted by: lalaland at October 22, 2009 2:12 PM in response to House of the Day: 177 Rugby Road

Jonathan Miller posted a neat little graph over at Curbed on Friday, which attempts to show the savings of living in Brooklyn vs. Manhattan over the past seven years.

replace "living" with "buying a home" plz...

Posted by: lalaland at October 19, 2009 10:29 AM in response to Manhattan vs. Brooklyn, Boom and Bust

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelo_v._City_of_New_London

Posted by: lalaland at October 16, 2009 10:51 AM in response to Atlantic Yards, the Nets, and the Times

if apartment 12 is on the ground floor what floor is 4 on?

Naomi, if this apartment was in soho it would be worth 2.5x as much.

lastly, ditmasnark, 2997 dollars just aren't worth what they used to be.

I'm guessing this apartment is on the 4th floor of the walkup - anyone know for sure?

Posted by: lalaland at October 15, 2009 2:08 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 310 Windsor Place, #26

THE WHAT!

This one's for you: http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/2009/09/why-are-banks-paying-signing-bonus-so-early/

Someday this war’s gonna end…

Posted by: lalaland at September 22, 2009 1:45 PM in response to House of the Day: 297 Vanderbilt Avenue

Just a thought: although I'm sure not inconveniencing drivers is high on the list of reasons for nighttime construction, it could also be to lower exposure to the dust and fumes to pedestrians and businesses during daytime hours...

Also if you think that's bad, try living next to the prospect expressway when they decide to strip and repaint the overpasses: WEEKS of nighttime noise, not days.

Posted by: lalaland at September 22, 2009 1:37 PM in response to Sleepless on Livingston

"The center of the Upper East Side is beginning to resemble a hardened hooker of the night"

So true! And yet for completely different reasons than the ones the author is asserting...

Posted by: lalaland at September 15, 2009 12:22 PM in response to Street Clutter in Brooklyn?

Bob Marvin, I like your style: "Considering what my amateur prognostification is worth, I can afford to be generous"

As for this ass-hat:

"BROWNSTONER IS THERE ANY WAY WE CAN GET 11238 AND 11216 IN HERE JACKASS??!!!"

It might be worth noting the title of this posting: "Open House Picks: Six Months Later". Safe to say, if there were any Open House Picks in 11238 or 11216 6 months ago, they would be coming up. If there weren't, they can't. Simple enough, no?

Posted by: lalaland at August 21, 2009 9:02 PM in response to Open House Picks: Six Months Later

oh my god - the entire appraisal process for the apartment revolves around 1 stinking BAR!

Posted by: lalaland at August 20, 2009 11:21 AM in response to Co-op of the Day: 414 Albemarle Road, #6D

I'm not sure I like the idea of my tax dollars being used to prettify the wealthiest neighborhood in brooklyn. If the residents want to spend their own money enhancing the aesthetics of the neighborhood fine, but I would rather the city spend it on neighborhoods that NEED improvement. This is, after all, a neighborhood that opposed building a beautiful park for all of Brooklyn to enjoy...

Posted by: lalaland at August 19, 2009 12:23 PM in response to Heights' Lights

I usually find reno's and new construction extremely boring, but this looks great to me. Beautiful work - nice combination of materials and new/old. If it gets finished off without the usual viking stove and whateverthehell stainless fridge I will regard the owner as something of a master...

Posted by: lalaland at August 17, 2009 11:22 AM in response to Gut Reno on Gates

I say if a developer brings plans that meet guidelines (FAR, landmarks, whatever happens to apply to the property) and the community board rejects it, the onus should be on the CB to provide plans for the developer to approve!

Posted by: lalaland at August 4, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Back to the Drawing Board for 72 Poplar

they catch a breeze much better than double hung/hanged/hunged/hangered/hungry - I always wanted those since I face east and the winds tend to go north/south

Posted by: lalaland at July 31, 2009 12:38 PM in response to Development Watch: Windows for Sackett

Ah, we are turning into france (lowrise middle - highrise exurbs). I imagine the only place people will be able to build tall buildings soon will be 4th avenue and, like, east new york and brownsville.

Posted by: lalaland at July 30, 2009 11:47 AM in response to City Council Approves Two Three More Rezonings

If you had the widget up for the norman street pad, how well do you think it would have done?

Posted by: lalaland at July 30, 2009 11:45 AM in response to Brooklyn Sales: Under a Million

Me and The What are going to start offering OTC derivatives based on house of the day prices.... Gonna make Goldman's AIG payout look like chump change.

Posted by: lalaland at July 23, 2009 3:01 PM in response to Bearish Brownstoners Miss Mark on 2nd Street Sale

"However, it will take several more months to confirm the trend, as it may be due to other factors"

Like the fact that real estate, especially in NYC, is seasonal and there are ALWAYS more contract signings/depletion of inventory in the spring/early summer?

Posted by: lalaland at June 18, 2009 11:14 AM in response to Corco: Signed Contracts Up, Inventory Down

Hate to break the news to Jay Mundy and The What, but Billyburg hipsters are NOT left wing - they are not driven by politics, concerned about government, or trying to improve the lives of the poor by any stretch of the imagination.

They are libertarian hipsters who want no part of social responsibility - they want to be able to do the drugs they want without gov't interference, work or not work, live more or less peacefully without anyone telling them what to do and without telling anyone what to do.

I'm not a hipster but I admire the way they have created a haven for like minded people with their own aesthetic. lots will be in for a rude awakening as their trust/parental/freelance funding dries up, but whether or not you like it they have their own culture, which is more than I can say for the ass-hats who dominate wall street or the corporate hos of the west village and meatpacking, etc...

in anticipation of nasty comments from The What, I wash my ass, I work, I live in a humdrum working class neighborhood, wasn't here in the 70's and don't have an std.

Posted by: lalaland at June 17, 2009 11:09 AM in response to Conservative Talk Show Host Beholds Williamsburg

No broker with a clue would ever not check to see if the seller's broker will cobroke, and likewise would not act as a buyer's broker without getting a contract stating that he/she is acting as a buyer's broker. Don't worry - your broker will be paid by the seller.

Posted by: lalaland at June 9, 2009 11:54 AM in response to buyers broker fee? who pays?

It depends on how long you plan to live there - if less than 5 (maybe 10 depending on when you bought it) years, don't bother - your property values are going down and you should put it on the market at a good price immediately. Unless you have tenure or something similar I don't recommend tapping the savings until the economy finds bottom and I seriously doubt we are even close....

Posted by: lalaland at April 9, 2009 4:31 PM in response to backyard and proprety value

Proud of brooklyn sure is proud...

People, you are underestimating the major selling point of this building: it's proximity to GAUCHO GLATT!

Posted by: lalaland at March 24, 2009 9:14 PM in response to The Caroline Launches on Ocean Parkway

I think it's actually a really nice building, and far better than the usual schlock that has been popping up (235 op for example is far more contextual and boring). I'll try to grab a photo for you.

Posted by: lalaland at March 24, 2009 10:32 AM in response to The Caroline Launches on Ocean Parkway

castro's is *meh* - I recommending hitting the little mexican place just past Classon on the south side of Myrtle. Don't even know the same but damn good

Posted by: lalaland at March 19, 2009 11:33 AM in response to The Myrtle Miracle?

perhaps if it was a 6 story condo with vinyl siding that was 16' wide and sags in the middle? would that do it?

Posted by: lalaland at March 16, 2009 3:49 PM in response to Development Watch: 805 5th Avenue

they had an office that shuttered in Soho about 2 years ago, another on Ditmas Ave I believe shuttered also -

Posted by: lalaland at March 12, 2009 1:25 PM in response to Streetlevel: Park Terrace Shuts South Slope Office

awesome - build it build it build it build it build it

Actually a unicorn is someone who posts on calculatedriskblog under the moniker citizen allanm or something like that, no?

hehehehe

I once had an applicant lie like a dog on an application for an apartment. we didn't realize it was a fake app and sent it to the landlord. but the landlord recognized that the applicant signed his name with a big star... and it made him remember an earlier application signed with a big star... and it was the same guy! Had he not signed with a big star he would have gotten the apartment.

someday this war is going to end...

Posted by: lalaland at February 11, 2009 2:45 PM in response to Thor Leak Reveals Plans for Mall at Red Hook Refinery Site

I'm with Xander - I think it's awesome. It's the 2008 equivalent of a log cabin....

Posted by: lalaland at February 11, 2009 12:50 PM in response to How Unfortunate: 669 Classon Avenue

Any updates/renderings of your emerson place project?

Posted by: lalaland at January 29, 2009 1:11 PM in response to Inside Third & Bond: Week 69

...case of an "unavoidable delay." - like endless lawsuits?

Posted by: lalaland at January 29, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Carlton Avenue Bridge Could Be Closed for Four More Years

Could have had gehry - gonna get more atlantic mall. Good Job Norman! "mission accomplished"

Posted by: lalaland at January 26, 2009 11:30 AM in response to Atlantic Yards Looking Increasingly Un-sexy

Some folks may just enjoy saving a lot of money by not needing a movie-set quality veneer. People forget the million-dollar rowhouses of cobblehill, west village, etc. were utilitarian structures when they were built - perhaps over time these will evolve aesthetically as well. Either way, I don't think they are any worse than the plain woodframe houses in these neighborhoods, and they might be more sound structurally.... (might)

Posted by: lalaland at January 16, 2009 1:56 PM in response to Horror Show Friday

Any link to more photos by your reader? Great shots - that neighborhood is harder to shoot than most would think (to me at least).

To The What: someday this floor is going to bend...

Posted by: lalaland at January 16, 2009 11:37 AM in response to Victorian Flatbush in White

NIMBY out of control! Everyone who lives in NYC knows that their views are not protected, DUMBO is a canyon of shadows already, and only in NY where there is constant, constant school overcrowding can a developer offer to build a school for a community and have it shot down because it will block a view....

Posted by: lalaland at January 14, 2009 1:56 PM in response to CB2 To Vote Tonight on Dock Street

We've recommended an attorney who all parties had been happy with many times; I've seen people reject our advice and get nailed by attorneys who don't communicate with their clients, who go on un-announced vacations, etc., and of course we've seen outside attorneys who are great. There are lots of pain in the ass attorneys out there who will ruin your deal, so if you don't take the advice of your broker, at least take the advice of someone else you know who has had a good experience...

Posted by: lalaland at January 7, 2009 11:32 AM in response to Atty/Broker Conflict of Interest

mash all the comments above together into a small blurb and you have an idea why park slope sucks...

Posted by: lalaland at January 6, 2009 7:53 PM in response to House of the Day: 667 5th Avenue

the reason it's all over brownstoner is it had the yippie aesthetic - the reason it closed was AmThai is much better even though it's a hole in the wall joint that will never be mentioned on brownstoner...

Posted by: lalaland at December 18, 2008 3:56 PM in response to Streetlevel: Thai Tony's Takes Off

Hey Brownstoner - any chance you could post a running tally of house of the day? How many disappeared, how many sold, how many still on market, how many sold for more % and how many for less %? Might make a nice feature....

Thanks!

Posted by: lalaland at December 12, 2008 1:49 PM in response to Open House Picks: Six Months Later

so basically homeowners are more likely to be married?

Posted by: lalaland at December 12, 2008 9:50 AM in response to Home Ownership Bad for Your Health

In 98 you could buy one of these as a fixer up for 500k, and mint for 750. By 2010 we should be back to those prices, maybe a little higher to adjust for inflation and all the new restaurants and such... So 13% so far, another 37 to go. Hope all the recent buyers were buying to live, not as a short term investment, because there are going to be a lot of underwater mortgages in our fine borough pretty soon.

Posted by: lalaland at December 11, 2008 7:13 PM in response to A Sale for Victorian Flatbush

It's the American way - we want services but don't want to pay for them. Did you expect a poll of professional NIMBY'rs to go any other way?

Posted by: lalaland at December 5, 2008 12:22 PM in response to Majority of Readers Opposed to Bridge Tolls

duck

Posted by: lalaland at November 26, 2008 4:58 PM in response to Closing Bell: Prospect Park's Wild Turkey

I have some news on the buildings torn down on East 7th next to the monster vacant lot on Caton across from the nursury: the monster lot was to be developed into a nursing home, and the houses that were torn down were to be medical offices to support that facility, but the nursing home developer (who was going to build it for his temple's congregation) passed away, so the whole project is stalled, and nobody knows anything about it's future.

Also, the "monstrosity" (not that I disagree with that) has been stalled for 6 months - 1st a stop work order, then I heard the mezzanine lender went under, and the bank took the builder to court for missed payments. Future unknown. Across from that is a vacant lot, not another building. That project was supposed to be developed by Empire Properties or something like that, but they had huge exposure to the miami condo boom, so don't know how well they are doing, but nothing has been done since they tore down the 1 story warehouse that used to be there (not the prettiest thing that one either).

Ah, northeast Kensington, land of condo misery - makes the Park Circle condos on CIA look like a smashing success.... ON the upside, don't think the stables have to worry about any future relocations.

Posted by: lalaland at November 19, 2008 12:31 PM in response to The Rezoning of Windsor Terrace