Development Watch: 651 Coney Island Avenue
While most people think of single-family wood houses when they think of Victorian Flatbush, there are clearly a lot of people interested in the area who can’t swing an entire house. They are presumably who the developers of 651 Coney Island Avenue had in mind when they set out some time ago to build this…
While most people think of single-family wood houses when they think of Victorian Flatbush, there are clearly a lot of people interested in the area who can’t swing an entire house. They are presumably who the developers of 651 Coney Island Avenue had in mind when they set out some time ago to build this 22-unit condo on the edge of Beverley Square West. The 50,000-square-foot, six-story building is designed by Sear Tombasco Architects, the firm also responsible for this building in Bay Ridge. Unfortunately, the project has been stalled by a Stop Work Order for ages, something to do with a collapsed fence and the threat of falling debris. Can anyone who lives near here give us a general timeline for how this project has proceeded? GMAP P*Shark DOB
Vic Flatbush,
I agree with you about the bank and the prices at the Food Co-ops. This is one point that I thought that I included in my post but was thinking faster than I typed. Due to the inability to preview my comments, I went ahead and posted. Perhaps I will contact Commerce as well. The only problem that I have with Commerce Bank is they like building there branches from the ground up where possible. I have seen their standard design branches sprout up all over Queens and they often look out of character. Of course, there is no room for them to do is on Cortelyou Road. I also noticed that Cornerstone closed. They seemed to do a pretty brisk business, but I guess that mismanagement will do you in every time.
P.S. Beverly S. West,
There are no bank branches on Cortelyou. Cortelyou seems to be the only commerical strip in NYC without a bank branch. Or two, or three. Odd.
For that reason I contacted Commerce Bank and asked the Commerce people to stick one along Cortelyou. It was my thought that the best location was beside the subway station in the building on the corner of Marlborough. The site had been occupied by a mismanaged bar that recently closed.
I received an e-mail from the bank telling me Cortelyou Road would receive their attention.
Beverly S. West,
The Associated on Cortelyou is good enough, but the Flatbush Food Co-op is exactly the opposite of the Park Slope Food Co-op. Co-ops are intended to deliver LOW prices, not the HIGHEST in the region.
The Flatbush Food Co-op is expensive. I have no idea why it is called a co-op.
Meanwhile, the Park Slope Food Co-op sells its goods at LOW prices.
If you want low prices on lots of food items including dried fruits, nuts, and produce, hit the shop on the corner of Coney Island Avenue and Avenue J, across CIA from Rite Aid.
By the way, that Rite Aid is closing in a week or less.
The comment engine appended the period at the end of the sentence to the link. The link works without it:
http://flatbushgardener.blogspot.com/2007/06/651-coney-island-avenue.html
PS: There’s no way to preview a comment and leave it. MoveableType refuses to recognize the challenge answer from preview mode. You have to back all the way out and start from scratch. There’s also no longer a way to include email addresses and URLs. I liked the comment system better before.
The Associated on Cortelyou Road is good and the Food Co-op on Cortelyou is okay as well. I think that they are both comparable to the Met on 7th ave and the Food Co-op in Park Slope. There is also Shop & Stop with rooftop parking and the store is one of the cleanest that I’ve seen anywhere in Brooklyn. Of course, Fresh Direct now delivers to all of Victorian Flatbush so that is always an option. I still shop for groceries in stores outside of the neighborhood like Fairway for specialty items. I generally shop for furniture and other household goods outside of VicFlat but will make regular purchases within VicFlat to support local business. I’ve used DAS to reupholster a chair and have made purchases in Belle & Maxie, TB Ackerson and Trailer Park. NY social life is only or train, bus or cab ride away. There is also alot going on locally especially for families with children. The development of CIA would add to the improvements already in progress on Cortelyou and Newkirk Plaza but clearly the blocks east of CIA, must be downzoned to protect the character of the neighborhood.
For those who don’t know, the area bounded by Church Avenue on the north, Ocean Avenue on the east, Coney Island Avenue on the west, and Avenue H on the south, is divided into a series of neighborhoods collectivly known as Victorian Flatbush.
The Q train divides neighborhoods in a north-south direction and a few avenues provide east-west sectioning.
Fiske Terrace, West Midwood, Beverly Square East and West, Ditmas Park, etc.
These neighborhoods will benefit tremendously from the new residential construction on Coney Island Avenue.
Why? Shopping is what the Victorian Flatbush lacks. An increase in the number of residents will lead to the improvement of existing shopping — supermarkets are my pet peeve.
Key Food on Foster Ave and C-Town on E 16th by Foster are dreadful.
Newkirk Plaza has potential. It is improving. But it has far to go.
Meanwhile, IF ONLY 6-story residential buildings lined Coney Island Avenue from its base at Prospect Park all the way to Avenue H.
That would mark a huge, huge improvement over the despairing dumps that mar this roadway.
However, if 4th Ave in Park Slope can change, so can Coney Island Avenue. CIA is close enough to the Q train to make it attractive as a site for people working in Manhattan or downtown Brooklyn.
the page doesn’t work xris
“Can anyone who lives near here give us a general timeline for how this project has proceeded?”
I’ve been photographing the development of 651 Coney Island Avenue since the Fall of last year. It’s right around the corner from my home. I just posted some of the photos on my blog at http://flatbushgardener.blogspot.com/2007/06/651-coney-island-avenue.html.
What the hell is Beverley Square West?
What the hell is AJ? Let’s just keep it plain and simple. Anonymous poster at 2:38pm let’s just call him stupid!
Come on the Victorian House tour and you’ll see what BSW is.