Pivotal Condo Project Planned for Clinton Hill
In what could be the tipping point for our home base of Clinton Hill, the troubled corner of Grand and Putnam, now marked by drug dealers and bodegas, is slated for a 50-unit condominium project. This is huge news for us–and we bet Adrian Grenier, who’s busy fixing up his place just down the block,…
In what could be the tipping point for our home base of Clinton Hill, the troubled corner of Grand and Putnam, now marked by drug dealers and bodegas, is slated for a 50-unit condominium project. This is huge news for us–and we bet Adrian Grenier, who’s busy fixing up his place just down the block, will be happy too. We’d heard this rumor as long ago as last summer but had been unable to confirm until a reader forwarded us this Century 21 listing this morning. From what we can tell from the listing, the current owner of the 9,000-square-foot property, which includes the corner bodega, a hair salon and the restaurant Kush, is looking for a $7 million investment from a joint venture partner. (It’s unclear whether the project includes the other building closer to Cambridge.) We’ve got no idea if the numbers make any sense, but if the project goes through it would be hugely positive news for those of us who live in the eastern portion of Clinton Hill, between Washington and Classon. In addition to making it harder for the police to continue to ignore the problems on this corner, the project could make it increasingly attractive for more upscale stores and restaurants to open on Fulton, similarly to what’s happened in Fort Greene. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed.
Listing #1716454 [Century 21] GMAP
I understand that the Catholic Church is VERY SECRETLY preparing to convert and expand their building on the corner of Claver and Jefferson into a “half way house” for teens out of the foster system! This in a neighborhood that already has the largest concentration of drug rehabs, methadon clinics and is plagued by drug dealers is a recipe for disaster for the entire area.
So you clean up one corner (Fulton/Putnam) and create a large concentration of troubled teens 2 blocks away?? Does not make much sense for crime reduction.
In response to the drug dealing in the Clinton-Washington area, I absolutely believe that the police are paid off. There have been numerous times when drug deals occur right in front of the policemen–of cource, they turn a blind eye. Instead, they reprimand me for letting my “small” dog off the leash. Where are our tax dollars going?
It really doesn’t boil down to conservative or liberal, as human beings, don’t we all want to live in a safe neighborhood?
I think more people need to start writing to the police commissioner and the 88th precinct–to start changing the climate of the neighborhood.
No comments on the proposed condos on Hall and Washington? I’ve kind of heard enough about the drug dealers but would LOVE to know what is going on with the condos if anyone knows. Thanks….
Brownstoner, in regard to your comment about New Start and Classon/Fulton. I wouldnt buy they do not follow up on there projects and you wind up finishing alot of their open items that wasn’t completed. Im sure this development will be the same. Their buildgs arent bad, however a headache to work with as a organization.
hear, hear. I consider myself very liberal, and anon 11:13 is the type of person who gives libs a bad name. knee-jerk automaton responses that SEEM liberal, but on their face are actually weirdly racist and classist – basically assuming that if a neighborhood has been poor, then crime, be it petty or otherwise, MUST be part of it’s natural state. what, you think it lends it some “natural charm” or patina? give me a break.
What is with that comment about NIMBY! I lived in this neighborhood for over 20 years. I am glad things are changing and I hope these unsavory people moved out of this area so decent people can live in peace. I don’t care they live here for years, they did not do anything to enhance the quality of life in Clinton Hill, rather they were the reason that this area was Red lined for years. When I was in the process of buying my house, everyone warned me about what a BAD neighborhood this is, and now some idiot is defending the very scams that made this neighborhood bad! I hope this person moves out also!!!!
The whole live and let live attitude to crime on any scale simply fosters more of the same. Until a neighborhood and its residents consider crime, even petty crime, shameful and wrong, it will continue no matter how much people complain to the police. It is not a left or right issue. Communities set the tone for what is acceptable. If the entire community pushes for reform and change, it is more likely to happen. However, if people want to defend criminal activities as just something you have to live with because the criminals are unemployed or drug addicts, then the problem will not be solved. And trust me, it is not just new residents who complain, it is lifetime residents too, so your “classist” argument is irrelevant. There are lower to middle income neighborhoods where drug dealing is not the norm and is not viewed as “the way it is”.
I’ve lived near Grand and Putnam for over eight years. One problem with the drug trade is the palpable sense of menace you get if you’re anywhere in that vicinity. It’s not a fun place to walk around; you are not welcome.
Worse yet, I’ve been mugged twice, as have four other women on my street in the past two years or so. Where do these guys run? Always toward Grand and Putnam. I think it’s fair to assume that these are drug customers.
I’m a very “live and let live” person until I get threatened with a knife and have my purse stolen. And I’m definitely not a conservative.
The problem isn’t so much the drug dealers who probably are local–it’s the crack heads who come to the area to buy the drugs. They are the ones who will break into houses, knock over trash cans, etc…You’re nuts if you think somehow homeowners have no right to try to improve these situations…and to imply that just because someone has lived somewhere only a short period of time gives him less right to want to clean up the street of drug and petty crime is ludicrous. It’s not a left-right issue.