Recording Studio and Music Class Space Opens on 9th Street in Park Slope
Two longtime musicians Saturday opened a recording studio and music education space at 435 9th Street, on the corner of 7th Avenue in Park Slope, next to Brooklyn Industries. Acme Hall offers lessons in drums, bass, guitar, voice, ukulele and piano, and specialized group workshops with five people or less.
There’s also a fully outfitted recording studio available for bookings. The name was inspired by the building, which was called Acme Hall when it opened as a social club in 1890, according to music studio co-owner Rebecca Pronsky. GMAP
Photo by Acme Hall
Salvation Army Thrift Store Opening on Fulton in Bed Stuy
A Salvation Army thrift store is opening soon at 1239-1243 Fulton Street, between Bedford Avenue and Arlington Place in Bed Stuy. It is going in where the S&A Super Stores used to be. We’re not sure which address it will use: 1241 or 1243. GMAP
French Eyewear Boutique Opens Store on Smith Street in Carroll Gardens
French eyeglasses maker Anne & Valentin opened last week at 200 Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, a spokesperson let us know. Its frames, which come in unusual shapes and colors, such as pink metal and two-tone acetate, are made in France.
Smith Street is becoming quite the district for high-end opticians. The store joins a growing number in the area, including James Leonard at 309 Smith Street and Moscot at 159 Court Street. Pardon Me For Asking was the first to write about the new store. GMAP
Photo by Anne & Valentin
Checking in at City Point
Construction of City Point’s Phase 2 appears to be chugging along, with the tallest residential tower reaching 30 stories out of a planned 43. Workers have installed facade and windows on several of the lower floors and part of the retail base.
By the time construction wraps, Phase 2 will include a five-story, 650,000-square-foot mall and 690 apartments, 125 of which will be affordable. The smaller of the two Cook Fox-designed towers will reach 19 stories and is being developed by BFC Partners. Brodsky Organization is developing the 30-story tower.
The first part of the megaproject at 1 Dekalb Avenue opened in 2012 with Century 21 and Armani Exchange as anchor tenants. The all-residential Phase 3 portion is supposed to wrap by 2020, The New York Observer said in September.
A few more photos after the jump.
City Point Coverage [Brownstoner]
Boerum Hill Walgreens to Close
The property at 520-528 Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill, which houses Walgreens, has been sold to a developer for $8,000,000 and the drugstore will close, according to what we are hearing from readers who live nearby. No sale has been recorded and no building plans have been filed for the site.
However, there is no doubt the store is definitely closing: Management recently put up a sign saying it will close Wednesday, January 14.
In keeping with other developments on the street, we’d expect to see a taller, denser mixed-use building replace the store. Thanks to readers for the tip and photo.
Revamp at Corner of Atlantic and Smith, Retail Space Available
The four-story brick building at the corner of Atlantic Avenue and Smith Street is undergoing a makeover and searching for a new tenant to fill the space vacated by the St. Clair Diner.
Permits filed in 2013 and 2014 show owner Thor Equities is turning the second floor commercial space back into residential and repairing the facade. Since Thor purchased the property at 292-294 Atlantic Avenue for $5,151,250 in 2011, a lot has happened in the area, including luxury condo and hotel development The Boerum breaking ground down the street.
What would you like to see in the retail space here?
294 Atlantic Coverage [Brownstoner] GMAP
Crown Heights’ Cafe Rue Dix Spins off Boutique Mixing New With Vintage
The couple behind Senegalese spot Cafe Rue Dix last week opened a clothing and housewares boutique with an unusual contemporary interior next door at 1453 Bedford Avenue in Crown Heights. Marché Rue Dix sells a variety of vintage items, including clothing, shoes, ceramics and jewelry.
It also offers new accessories and textiles designed by Crown Heights locals, such as jewelry designer Lisa Levine, candles, coffee and tea. Husband and wife Lamine Diagne and Nilea Alexander hope to sell their restaurant’s signature Senagalese hot sauce in the future.
The space, located between Park and Sterling, is open from 11 am to 9 pm Wednesday through Sunday. Click through to see the interior. GMAP
Renderings, New Architect, Developer for Building to Replace Clinton Hill’s White Castle
AB Architekten, not Karl Fischer, will design the mixed-use luxury building that will replace Clinton Hill’s White Castle drive-in at 531 Myrtle Avenue. We received the first renderings of the planned development, above and after the jump, from TerraCRG, which is marketing the retail space.
In September a family trust sold the property to an LLC for $4,500,000, according to public records. Developer Greystone & Co. has replaced Simon Dushinsky of the Rabsky Group, according to an item published in the Myrtle Avenue Partnership’s blog last week. Construction is expected to start in January.
Although no new building applications have been filed since we last looked at the property, the plans for the building described by TerraCRG sound as if they have not changed substantially. There will be 27 luxury apartments in the building with stores below. (No word yet on whether they will be condos or rentals.) The retail space on the ground floor will measure about 6,000 square feet with 14-foot ceilings and can be divided and built to suit, said TerraCRG. It will be ready for occupancy in early 2016.
“We expect to attract banks, food and beverage, pharmacies, and other uses targeting students and young families,” a spokeswoman told us. The development is across the street from Pratt, and the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Steuben Street will be part of the forthcoming Myrtle Avenue Plaza. The listing has not yet gone up online. Click through for more renderings and floor plans of the commercial space.
What do you think of the building design?
Clinton Hill White Castle Will Become a Karl Fischer-Designed Apartment Building [Brownstoner]
Renderings by AB Architekten
Work Starts up Again But Pier 1 Imports out at Atlantic Avenue Construction Site
Work has started up again at the long-stalled site at 252 Atlantic Avenue, future home of the Atlantic Galleria, where Pier 1 Imports, Retro Fitness and others planned to set up shop. Crafts and framing shop Michael’s will replace Pier 1 as the anchor commercial tenant, according to new information on the sales site.
Other tenants will be TD Bank and Blink Fitness, according the site, leaving just one small spot of 663 square feet available.
We had noticed work had progressed on the foundation when we passed by a few weeks ago, although no workers were actually present at the time, on a weekday. Then a reader who lives nearby emailed us to say he noticed the site was buzzing with activity Friday.
The site has not been recently sold, according to public records, but the delay may have had something to do with financing. Last month, developer and owner Renaissance Realty Group took out a mortgage from Peoples United Bank for $15,100,000, according to public records.
Our tipster said he thought the foundation work was recent. “They are making a lot of progress quickly,” he said. He wasn’t as thrilled about the change of retailers, however. “Personally, I was more excited about Pier 1,” he told us.
Click through to see a shot from the street and the old rendering still posted on the construction fence.
252 Atlantic Avenue Coverage [Brownstoner]
Long Shuttered Store in Bushwick for Rent
A long-shuttered storefront at 1381-1385 Bushwick Avenue is for rent. The space is about 2,000 square feet and asking rent is $28 a square foot, according to a listing from Core Realty.
The other storefronts have signs advertising various social services of the Bushwick Development Corp., but we can’t recall any of them ever being open in the six years we’ve lived in the area. The building was at one time owned by Bushwick Development Corp. but now belongs to an LLC.
The whole property is big enough for a full-service grocery store, but there are already plenty on Broadway, and much better foot traffic there. We think it would make an ideal location for a taller building with affordable housing.
What would you like to see in this space? GMAP