Streetlevel: Organic Boom on Cortelyou
The changing demographics in Victorian Flatbush are having a big impact on the neighborhood’s food market scene. On the heels of a new organic market opening on the cornering Cortelyou and Stratford a couple of weeks ago (and the Green Market opening this past weekend) comes the news, via a neighborhood tipster, that the Food…
The changing demographics in Victorian Flatbush are having a big impact on the neighborhood’s food market scene. On the heels of a new organic market opening on the cornering Cortelyou and Stratford a couple of weeks ago (and the Green Market opening this past weekend) comes the news, via a neighborhood tipster, that the Food Co-op will be buying out the Associated on Cortelyou and Marlborough. According to our source, Associated owner Leon Boyer is selling because of all the “damned yuppies.” What’s the impact of this on the folks in the area who can’t afford organic fare? Do they still have other options?
Photo by Kate Leonova for Property Shark
Slope to Cortelyou,
If you log off of your computer on a nice Saturday afternoon like today and walk outside you might see people on their porches. And no I won’t sic my dog on you but I will start a collection to get you back to Park Slope! Just kidding. Have a good weekend.
lokal:
in “affordable housing”..sorry, let me clarify: i was talking about 1 and 2 bedrooms vs. million dollar houses. I realize park slope has been long unaffordable in the DP sense of affordable, but honestly, the slope has far more rentals. and while they may be comparable to manhattan rentals these days, it’s bringing in the young professionals who can afford it and do take care of the neighborhood.
i didn’t say there were no substantial apartment buildings of of cortelyou. I have done exploring in the area, and yep, i see them. I only said i’m not for major overdevelopment of the area because I recognize most people in DP would like to keep the charm that makes DP, DP. Regardless, there still isn’t the amount of multi housing in DP compared to the slope, carroll gardens, brooklyn hts, etc. Sure, the apt. buildings could change by turning co-op (which many of them have), but I highly doubt anyone is going to be razing down a street full of victorian houses to make way for future multi housing. Thus, I believe any new development in change will have to be on streets that will take the change (CIA, McDonald, Church, Flatbush).
Regarding no one wanting to do business on CIA, I thought it was implied I was talking about the DP/Kensington areas of these streets (CIA, Church). Yep, I don’t love the closeness to sidewalks of the abandoned “luxury condo” projects on CIA either.
When I wrote about a “large chain business willing to make a risk to change those streets”, I was talking exactly about anchor stores and other chain businesses. My point was to differentiate the “belle & maxie”, “t.b. ackerson”, etc. smaller locally owned businesses who would rightfully not want to take such a risk on a crappy stretch of CIA.
In other words, a major presence of a “name” store is required to get that street moving. Not to mention the money to buy out one of those auto-collision sites and clean it up. I agree.. all it takes is one big name and the rest will follow. A bank would be an excellent start, in my opinion. I have a friend who works for a major bank and I keep telling her to tell her bank to bring a branch in our neighborhood. She said she’d look into it.
I think DP and Kensington have a lot going for them with the F and Q. I live equidistant to the Q and the 2 Fs (Church/Ditmas). I love that fact! The Q is a quick trip to the city, and the F takes me to Park Slope, Dumbo, LES, Carroll Gardens, Chelsea. It’s a big help when I don’t feel like taking the crowded Q insanity. Something has to be done with that Q platform to bring a B express as well, if possible. I wait more for that Q than I do for the F.
Again, anyone can look at the success of Steinway street in Queens. They have a very lively street of chain stores, local chain store, restaurants, etc, but the side streets still retain their old world flavor and local businesses. It hasn’t hurt them one bit and everyone has something.
slope to cortelyou, you wrote:
“I’m not putting down DP; I’m just noting a very logical difference in why one area developed so fast in a short time, and why DP won’t until there’s more affordable multi-housing.”
It’s been decades since PS was “affordable.” In fact, the last time that could be said was back in the bad old days of banking when it was possible for a bank to “redline” a neighborhood. But due to changes in banking rules and the emergence of secondary markets for mortgages, the “redlining” problem disappeared.
Since then, PS has been on a hot streak. Meanwhile, the crime problem was more serious in DP. Ten years ago life was less pleasant. But, thanks to the arrival of more and more law-abiding citizens and a general decrease in crime, things have gotten much better.
You wrote:
“I’m not for overdevelopment of any huge multi-housing, mind you.”
There are substantial apartment buildings on every street intersecting Cortelyou. The best possible news would be co-op conversions of apartment buildings.
YOu wrote:
“And from what I see, no one in DP wants to do any business on the busiest border streets: Church, Flatbush, CIA because they see these areas as “fringe”.”
Depends on the part of CIA. The avenue is pretty shabby near Cortelyou. Gas stations, auto-oriented sites, building supplies. Hardly an inviting stree scene. But that’s changing. Note the building at CIA and Slocum place. More to come.
One bizarre element on CIA is the prevalence of residential housing at sidwalk level. The absence of commercial space along the street is bad news for luring pedestrian traffic. However, I have high hopes for changes. Bloomberg has done much to relax zoning laws and expedite construction. Some of it is coming to CIA.
It would make great sense to prohibit the operation of a transmission repair facility on the other side of a wall from a restaurant. This commingling of businesses is appalling.
You wrote:
“Thus, this is why only a large chain business willing to make a risk, will change those streets.”
Well, the presence of one “anchor” store usually leads to a fair share of local businesses popping up.
Meanwhile, as for the spur to the growth in PS, well, the fact that it is served by the B, Q, 2, 3, F, M, and R counts for something. As does Prospect Park.
As noted, the platform at the Cortelyou Q stop is way too narrow. One train, lousy platform. Not good.
Anon 1:14: that’s great you were able to afford an 8 bedroom (house i assume) in DP. But when I walk around those houses, no one is around to be neighborly with. And I think if I came up to your porch, you’d probably sic some dogs on me (not because I’m suspicious looking, just that it seems a new yorker thing to do when people walk all over your yeard). 🙂 Just kidding…
I don’t really mean multi-unit housing itself promotes tighter community. I mean the ability for many people to move into a given area helps promote it. Especially when there are lots of rental turn-arounds and everyone wants some places within a short walking distance to shop, eat, gather, etc.
Anon 11:32: thanks for the tip. There’s also an albanian halal butcher on Church between E 4 and E 3rd I think. (just near The Golden Farm market). I haven’t tried it yet. But they also have the best fresh soft bread if you get there early enough, right in front of you as you walk in. It’s very similar to turkish bread.
Funny. I left Park Slope precisely BECAUSE I’m single and it seemed like the entire nabe was overrun by families.
Anon 12:58 I hear ya! 🙂 hated those railroad apts. I was in a street level one which mean absolutely no sun in the morning (faced north) and all the good sun went to the kitchen and bathroom in the back!
Anon 1:04: there are a tons of kids in DP actually.. not like PS, but Picket Fence I used to avoid sometimes because there were so many out of hand kids running about. Same with VoxPop. I like kids.. but ones screaming and yelling and having the run of a place while trying to eat and the parents doing nothing because they think it’s cute, is not enjoyable. There’s enough stress in the city. But yeah, the stroller moms in PS can be equally as bad as the kids themselves.
We lived in Greenpoint for years, left because of the oil spill and because nearby Williamsburg was turning into a post-dorm dumping ground for young jerks, and because we’re freelancers and needed more space at home. Moved to Sunset Park, hated it deeply, stumbled on Ditmas and fell in love with it. It’s not only Park Slope transplants with 2.5 moppets who move here. The apartments are still a pretty good deal for a couple of self-employed artists who like living amongst a really broad diversity of languages and cultures. Where else can you get a cricket bat, a platza, a Yiddish greeting, an artisanal wine, and a 99 cent lipstick all in a few blocks?
I too moved from a Park Slope apartment which was fine before I had married and had several children in quick succession. I loved PS as a single person without kids but I prefer the yooung friendly family atmosphere of DP. I could have afforded a PS brownstone but bought a 8 bedroom in DP and an investment property with the same money. The prices here in DP have seen a steady rise since then, so I would say that the nabe did and is developing quickly in a short period of time. IMHO living in multifamily housing does not necessarily promote more of a close knit community. I love being out on my porch interacting with my neighbors and that to me promotes community.