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Number of Sex Attacks Up to 20
The big, depressing news this weekend was that the number of possibly linked sexual assaults in Brooklyn since March has jumped to 20. The NYPD has added seven more cases to the official tally, six of which occurred at the 7th Avenue subway station in Park Slope. The most recent incident took place Thursday night, when a woman was attacked on 17th Street. Police Commissioner Ray Kelly has said that it’s likely there have been copycat crimes. While the cops arrested a man in conjunction with an attack in Sunset Park last week, they believe several men are responsible for the assaults.
Grope List Grows [NY Post]
Fear Grips Brooklyn as Number of Sex-Crimes Spikes [NY Daily News]
Copycat Crimes Possible In Brooklyn Sexual Assault Pattern [NY1]
Image via NY1
10/17/2011 9:00 AM
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Port Authority Honcho: BK Waterfront Like ‘Vietnam’
Yesterday outgoing Port Authority chief Chris Ward gave a speech at a Municipal Art Society-sponsored conference in which he said that the Brooklyn waterfront is one of the last big planning issues the city has to address. According to Crain’s, he compared the waterfront to Vietnam, “a place where no one has been able to declare a victory.” Ward said the Red Hook container terminal should be moved to the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal, in Sunset Park, so that the Red Hook land could aid in developing Governors Island. Ward also said that the moving the container terminal could free up space for better transportation links and, perhaps, a school or hotel. Streetsblog quotes Ward as saying the following: “You will not be able to get the needed amount of people, whatever the use is, to Governor’s Island as long as you have a container terminal there.”
Brooklyn Waterfront Seen as Top Priority [Crain's]
Chris Ward: NYC Truck Traffic “Is an Economic and Environmental Crisis” [Streetsblog]
Photo by themikebot
10/14/2011 9:30 AM
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Another Sexual Assault in the South Slope
Via Community Board 7: “On Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at approx 9:15 pm at Prospect Ave between 4th Ave and 5th Ave, a female was approached by a male Hispanic that forcibly grabbed her breasts and ran. The female had just exited the Prospect Ave train station “R” line and was walking eastbound on Prospect Ave when she was approached by a male Hispanic, approximately 5’7″, thin build wearing dark shirt, baggy dark blue jeans and a baseball hat. After the male forcible touched the female he fled westbound on Prospect Ave toward 4th Ave. The female did not sustain any injuries. Investigation is continuing.” At this point the police have released three sketches of people wanted in connection with the string of sexual assaults that have occurred in Sunset Park, Greenwood Heights and the South Slope since March.
09/22/2011 11:17 AM
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Hotel BPM Opening Still TBD
There hasn’t been a huge amount of progress visible on Hotel BPM, the lodging house a DJ is opening on 33rd Street in Sunset Park, and a rep for the property says it’s unclear when it will open. The hotel’s website says it’s supposed to be in business by late this year or early 2012, and it also has a statement that seems meant to allay some residents’ fears about noise: “Local’s must be aware that we are hotel and not a night club. The lobby will be no louder then needed to allow staff to assist guests and be able to take phone calls.” No word yet on rates.
Hotel BPM [Official Site] GMAP
Will Noise From a DJ’s Hotel Annoy Sunset Park? [Brownstoner]
A DJ-Driven Boutique Hotel for Sunset Park [Brownstoner]
Progress on Sunset Park’s Hip-Hop Hotel [Brownstoner]
09/20/2011 2:40 PM
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Police: At Least 8 Sex Attacks Since March
The police say there have been a minimum of eight sexual assaults in the South Slope, Greenwood Heights, Sunset Park and Bay Ridge since March—one of which was a rape—and they’re unclear how many assailants are responsible for the crimes. At a community meeting last night the police said they’re investigating whether two or three men have been involved in the attacks and that the number of rapes in the area has increased 36 percent this year. Cops have released the two sketches above of men wanted in connection with the attacks. Meanwhile, an organization called Safe Slope is organizing a rally tonight in response to the violence.
Brooklyn Women Warned Of Expanding Pattern Of Sexual Attacks [NY1]
Park Slope on Edge Over Sex Attacks [MSNBC]
Brooklyn Rapist Strikes Again, 9 Incidents In All [WPIX]
South Slope Rallies [Patch]
09/14/2011 9:00 AM
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Opponents of Sunset Park Rezoning Lose Legal Challenge
Crain’s reported that last week a court ruled in favor of the city’s 2009 rezoning of Sunset Park. A legal challenge against the rezoning claimed that the city hadn’t performed a complete environmental review of the area getting rezoned and that the rezoning would encourage more luxury development and large chain stores, resulting in widespread residential and commercial displacement and gentrification among Sunset Park’s low-income Asian and Latino communities. Crain’s notes that the rezoning, which covers 128 blocks, imposed 50-foot height limits on most side streets while encouraging more density on main drags like 4th and 7th avenues. The groups that filed the lawsuit, five local churches and the Chinese Staff and Workers’ Association, are mulling an appeal of the decision.
Big Sunset Park Rezoning Gets Green Light [Crain's]
09/12/2011 9:00 AM
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‘Gentleman’s-Style Club’ Opening in Sunset Park?
There’s no question that the posters in the windows of a new Sunset Park club, Bar 90 Grados, are garish, but some folks on Brooklynian are wondering whether it’s a “‘gentleman’s’ style club barely masquerading as a sports/nightclub.” When we stopped by yesterday it was unclear whether it had actually opened (there’s a sign on the door saying they’re looking for waitresses and bartenders) but the drawings of scantily clad women on the posters that are worrying some on Brooklynian were in evidence, as was a sign reading “Ven a disfrutar del ambiente mas caliente de New York en compania de hermosas chicas,” which translates to “Come enjoy New York’s hottest scene in the company of beautiful girls.” The people on the message board who aren’t pleased with the new business say the patrons could be rowdy, and that it’s close to a few schools. GMAP
09/09/2011 11:00 AM
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New Owners Officially Take Control of Federal #2
The Economic Development Corporation’s sale of the 1.1 million-square-foot warehouse at 32nd Street and 3rd Avenue to Salmar Properties hit public records earlier this week. The new owners paid $9.1 million for the property, known as Federal #2, and are supposed to turn it into a “state-of-the-art industrial center.”
City: Sunset Park Warehouse to be Redeveloped [Brownstoner]
Federal Building #2 For Sale Once More [Brownstoner] GMAP
Time Equities Bails on Bush Terminal Plans [Brownstoner]
Photo from PropertyShark.
08/30/2011 9:45 AM
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House of the Day: 735 43rd Street
This house at 735 43rd Street in Sunset Park just hit the market with an asking price of $849,000. This place definitely has some charm, albeit in a modest way, and the proximity to both Sunset Park and Greenwood Cemetery are also nice perks. The price seems more fitting for one of the more formal limestone houses in the area. It seems like a bit of a stretch to us for this house.
735 43rd Street [Century21] GMAP P*Shark
08/15/2011 1:24 PM
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Sunset Park’s Rainbow Cafe to Become a Store
Late last week Lost City reported that the wonderful signs adorning Sunset Park’s Rainbow Cafe had been stripped off, but even though they’re gone for good from the 5th Avenue building they’ll be restored and then sold. Meanwhile, DOB permits shed a bit of light on what’s replacing the restaurant, which closed a few years ago: The new owner is converting the ground floor from an eatery into a retail space. There are no details about what sort of store is planned, though.
Rainbow Cafe Update: Signs Will Be Saved, Restored! [Lost City] GMAP DOB
08/15/2011 12:00 PM
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Will Noise From a DJ’s Hotel Annoy Sunset Park?
Today The Daily News interviews a few people who live near the hotel a DJ is opening in Sunset Park, and they say the lodging house could wind up being a neighborhood nuisance. DJ Bijal Panwala intends to run a club out of the hotel’s lobby at night and says the property will be soundproof. Some folks nearby are still worried about it, though: One neighbor says it should have been built “in a more commercial place,” while another says, “What kind of people are they going to bring, prostitutes?” Panwala, meanwhile, has this to say about the people he hopes to attract: “They’ll want to stay at this hotel because it’s cool, not because they want to stay somewhere to sleep.” It’s worth noting that the hotel is on 33rd Street between 4th Avenue and the expressway: Hardly the most residential street in Brooklyn and also not an epicenter of “cool.” There’s no mention in the story of whether the neighbors are also concerned about the light show Panwala plans to run every weekend.
Hotel Wants to Play Music 24-Hours-a-Day [NY Daily News]
Hotel BPM [Official Site] GMAP
A DJ-Driven Boutique Hotel for Sunset Park [Brownstoner]
Progress on Sunset Park’s Hip-Hop Hotel [Brownstoner]
08/11/2011 9:00 AM
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A ‘Vertical Wind Field’ at Sunset Park’s Industry City
Those images above are of a work called “Weightless Pull” that’s currently on display at Industry City in Sunset Park, according to Architect’s Newspaper. The piece, which hangs between two warehouses (video here), is designed by a team called Architecture CO. Here’s Architect’s Newspaper’s description of it: “Weightless Pull, constructed much like a series of slender sails, creates a vertical wind field composed of plastic wrap, nylon rope, and 600 different knotting systems.” It’s on display through August 28th.
Weightless Pull at Superfront Public Summer [ArchPaper]
Images by Architecture CO via Architect’s Newspaper
07/25/2011 12:00 PM
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House of the Day: 449 50th Street
This three-story brownstone at 449 50th Street in Sunset Park is quite a handsome abode: we’re not loving the kitchen cabs, but the entry hall and stairs are very impressive and there’s plenty of other original detail throughout the owner’s upper duplex; the yard’s nice-looking too. We’ll confess to not being as attuned to pricing in Sunset Park as we could be but we will say that the price of $947,000 certainly seems on the upper end of what houses around here can get away with asking. The fact that this place has been on the market since the end of last year suggests that our intuition may be right on this one.
449 50th Street [Citi Habitats] GMAP P*Shark
07/14/2011 1:25 PM
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Progress on Sunset Park’s Hip-Hop Hotel
Back in April it didn’t seem plausible that the DJ opening Hotel BPM in Sunset Park would succeed in having the lodging house ready for guests by this summer, as he said he would, and it turns out it wasn’t. Since then, though, windows have gone into the 33rd Street building, and Curbed noted that the hotel’s projected opening was pushed back to the fall. Also, there are plans to have a weekend light show with “automated, neon tube lights and giant project equalizers bouncing up and down in time to the music.”
DJ’s Sunset Park Hotel Will Have a Light Show, of Course [Curbed]
Hotel BPM [Official Site] GMAP
A DJ-Driven Boutique Hotel for Sunset Park [Brownstoner]
07/13/2011 10:00 AM
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Cemetery Looking to Buy Landmark Florist
A couple months ago we noticed that the historic McGovern Florist building across the street from Green-Wood Cometary was in contract, and now the Times brings word that it may be purchased by the cemetery. Green-Wood’s president says he would like to use it as a visitors’ center and museum, and that the sale depends on the results of an engineering study. The article says the landmark building, constructed in the late 19th century, is in an advanced state of deterioration: “Outside, the dome and sloping roofs look solid, but the first floor facades are wretchedly decayed, panes of glass out, wooden pieces out, entire windows out, all engulfed by either rot or peeling paint.” Here’s hoping it gets a second life.
Sale May Rescue Ruined Greenhouse [NY Times]
Landmark Greenwood Florist Building in Contract [Brownstoner]
Landmarked Florist Building Up For Sale [Brownstoner] GMAP
07/11/2011 9:30 AM
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City: Sunset Park Warehouse to be Redeveloped
Yesterday the city announced that it’s picked a developer for Federal Building #2, the huge warehouse on 32nd Street and 3rd Avenue in Sunset Park. The EDC said it’s chosen Salmar Properties for the project, and that the firm will turn the 1.1 million-square-foot building into a “state-of-the-art industrial center” that will create 1,300 permanent industrial jobs. The building, which is owned by the federal government, will be handed over to the city and then the developers; an EDC document that sheds some light on the development team says Salmar will purchase Federal #2 for $10 million and they’re required to use the building for industrial purposes for 30 years. The city had previously chosen Time Equities to develop the building but then started looking for another developer in 2009 after the firm pulled out of the project. When Time Equities was at the helm, the redevelopment was going to result in a mixed-use concept with retail rather than the straight-up industrial project now planned.
Federal Building #2 For Sale Once More [Brownstoner] GMAP
Time Equities Bails on Bush Terminal Plans [Brownstoner]
Sunset Park’s Federal #2 a Potential Lifeboat for Creatives [Brownstoner]
Photo from PropertyShark.
05/24/2011 9:00 AM
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A DJ-Driven Boutique Hotel for Sunset Park
Nearly three years ago a hotel developer bought a warehouse on 33rd Street between the expressway and 4th Avenue; since then, the old building’s been demolished, and what’s gone up in its stead is shown above. A few weeks ago Curbed had some info about plans for the new build: It’s been dubbed Hotel BPM, and the 75-room property is the brainchild of a person named DJ Bijal. According to its official website, the hotel “drops” sometime this summer. A travel blog called Gadling linked to from BPM’s Twitter account had this to say about the plans, in part: “‘As a deejay, I’ve had the opportunity to travel often,’ says DJ Bijal, Visionary and Founder of Hotel BPM, in a statement. ‘This hotel is the culmination of the best hotels I visited when I was on the road: BPM will offer great value, great comfort, and great style.’…Each room has 40-inch HDTVs; laptop-size safes; personal Keurig coffeemakers and free Wi-Fi. A lounge off the lobby area will serve lite-bites and cocktails, and there is also guest parking and a fitness center for use. The price for a room at Hotel BPM start at $160 per night for a King room and $180 per night for Doubles.”
Hotel BPM [Official Site] GMAP
Hip-Hop DJ Opening Music-Inspired Hotel in Sunset Park [Curbed]
Hotel Developer Snaps Up Sunset Park Warehouse [Brownstoner]
04/29/2011 10:00 AM
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How Much to Buy in a Small Sunset Park Condo?
This 8-unit condo on 43rd Street between 3rd and 4th avenues doesn’t exactly inspire flights of fancy from the outside, and there don’t seem to be any interior listing photos. Anyhow, StreetEasy shows that a few units in the building are back on the market after being pulled in January and, before that, seeing some price decreases last fall. Prices are running between $275,000 and $360,000, according to StreetEasy, and listing descriptions run as follows: “this elegant bldg combines beauty and luxury with the best of modern finishes, granite counter tops, porcelain and hdwd flrs, s.s.appl, video intercom system, balconies and pvt terraces for the top flrs, close to subway, schools and shopping.” Really tough to judge this one given the lack of interior pics. Nevertheless, thoughts on whether these prices are generally in line with the Sunset Park market?
360 43rd Street [StreetEasy] GMAP
04/25/2011 10:30 AM
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Open House Picks
Park Slope
566 10th Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday, 12-1:30
$2,299,000
GMAP P*Shark
187 Sterling Place
Corcoran
Sunday, 12:30-2
$1,799,999
GMAP P*Shark Bensonhurst
1679 Bay Ridge Parkway
Fillmore
Sunday, 2:30-4:30
$838,000
GMAP P*Shark Sunset Park
203a 29th Street
Warren Lewis
Sunday, 2:30-4
$799,000
GMAP P*Shark
04/15/2011 1:03 PM
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Best Western Now Open on 4th Avenue
We’ve followed the Gowanus hotel boom pretty closely, but this Best Western Plus in Greenwood/Sunset Park has flown under the radar. Last time we checked, the building was still going up, but over the weekend we noticed a grand opening sign hanging outside the completed building. According to the website, the “Best Western Plus Prospect Park” has 99 rooms and rates start around $130/night. What do you think of the location, on 4th between 24th and 26th?
Development Watch: Best Western Rising [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 4th Avenue Best Western [Brownstoner] GMAP
Development Watch: Best Western Hits 4th Avenue [Brownstoner]
03/22/2011 11:00 AM
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ruth2989
May 29, 2012 | 11:02 AM