I’ve walked by the construction on the corner of Baltic and Henry Streets for months now, wondering what this on again, off again shopfront was going to morph into. The workers have materialized every few weeks between stop-work orders, but this morning one of them finally told me the space is shaping up to be a sandwich shop, planning on serving breakfast and lunch. From the looks of it, it seems more of a destination than your average deli. The gentleman mentioned it should be open early 2011 and they were still waiting to install cooking equipment, so expect some hot items as well. Anyone have any extra info they want to share?
BococaLand
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Posts tagged ‘real estate’
Sandwich Shop on Baltic
Welcome to BK Shake Shack
Well, I didn’t see that coming. Shake Shack, Danny Meyer’s prolific chain is rumoured to be taking over the lease from Tony’s Famous Pizzeria in Downtown Brooklyn come 2011, according to the Daily News. Restaurateur Meyer, who opened the burger joint as a literal shack in Madison Square Park (where I stopped many times during my first pregnancy for the ridiculous cheese fries), soon realized the power of upscale fast food and created satellites in high traffic areas like the Upper West Side and the new Citifield. So, lurking behind Borough Hall on the corner of Fulton and Adams, another Manhattan big hitter will be overpowering an old time Brooklyn mainstay. What say you? Awesome to have access to Flat-Top Dogs and frozen custard Concretes–or sad another little guy is losing his space (though sources do say Tony’s has been offered another, less prominent space in the mall).
Last Chance to Help Fix the Ditch
As we reported back in July, the BQE Enhancement Project is seeking to improve the pedestrian conditions along the BQE between Hamilton and Atlantic Avenues — to “Fix the Ditch” as the Cobble Hill Association puts it. Now, the third & final community workshop has been scheduled. Want to swing by and put your two cents in? Here’s the info:
When: Monday, November 15th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Long Island College Hospital (LICH), Conference Center, Rooms A &B, 339 Hicks Street, Brooklyn
What: The project team will present finalized alternatives and preliminary cost estimates, and discuss next steps for the project.
I may be more invested than many considering my apartment on Hicks St. is perched above said ditch–but as with any NYC bureaucracy, I’m hoping for the best–expecting the worst.
Can We Do BBP Without Housing?
Can Brooklyn Bridge Park go forward without new housing to fund it? Though there have been plenty of meetings dedicated to this burning question–no answers have been forthcoming. We know most folks in the community would prefer more park–less condos, but where exactly is the money coming from? In order to help find alternative sources of cash, a consultant has been hired by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corp., according to the NY Post.
The subcommittee tapped Bay Area Economics, which has offices in New York and California, to evaluate over the next few months if other sources can be relied upon to help finance the planned 85-acre park’s anticipated $16.1 million maintenance budget besides housing set for John Street in DUMBO and by Pier 6 in Brooklyn Heights. This evaluation will include public hearings to be held later in the fall.
Because the city has total control of the park, rather than the state, it will allow up to $100,000 to be spent on this service. Cross your fingers, let’s hope that kind of cash buys us a new swimming pool.
Take a Peek Inside Those Studios
Like Soho in the 80′s, Bococa is lucky enough to have a blooming creative community. And though we may be in the process of gentrification (um, can you say Barney’s?) nobody’s kicking our starving artists just yet. To celebrate this thriving spirit of creativity, the 2nd annual fall tour themed “ARToberfest 2010″ is taking place this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday from 12PM-6PM. You’ll be able to tour open studios of more than 25 artists in Red Hook and Carroll Gardens, revealing fine art, mixed media, photography, ceramics and more. The tour map hasn’t been released yet, but should be by end of day. And if you can’t make it in person, there’s also a Virtual Studio Tour.
LICH Merges With SUNY Downstate Medical Center
So long Continuum Partners. That’s what Long Island College Hospital had to say this week after it finalized a merger with major public university and medical center, SUNY Downstate Medical Center. You may remember a few years ago, when LICH was desperately trying to keep open its pediatric unit and starting to sell real estate to keep itself afloat (how about the building at 110 Amity St., which is still sitting empty after townhouses were nixed?). Supposedly, this new agreement has changed the entire landscape for our local institute, starting with the HEAL-NY grant of $40 million, which will be issued to support the merger, supplementing a $22 million HEAL-NY grant announced earlier. This is how the press release puts it:.
LICH and Downstate’s teaching hospital, University Hospital of Brooklyn (UHB), will operate as a single hospital with two campuses. It is expected that the merger of the two
institutions will create long-term sustainability and significant financial improvement for both facilities.
But what does it mean to you? Firstly, it means that there are no more plans to shutter any services at LICH. In fact, some of the programs SUNY Downstate has may even be added (like the transplant program). I’ve heard mixed comments about LICH, but I am a fan. Both my sons have been to the emergency room more times than I’d like to admit and we have had nothing but good experiences. Plus, my beloved pediatrician, Dr. Stephen Turner, is the Interim Chair of Pediatrics so it’s nice to have that connection. What are your thoughts? Will you stay in the neighborhood for hospital matters or head in to Manhattan for your next emergency?
20 Henry Resurrected
If you’ve ever walked all the way down Henry St. towards Brooklyn Heights, you’ve probably noticed the hulking mammoth of 20 Henry Street, a construction site between Poplar and Middagh, which is now only 30 percent finished. Though work stopped at the former Peaks Mason Mints candy factor about two years ago because of lack of funds, a new partnership of investors–including Canyon-Johnson Urban Funds (owned by Magic Johnson)–has taken over and is planning on luxury condos to be ready for the market in just 14 to 16 months. According to Curbed, the original seven-story building will hold 25 units, while 14 apartments will be added in an adjacent building. As for cost, the original pricing was in the $580,000 to $2.56 million range. Now, with Pier 1 right next door, I wouldn’t expect a discount.
Meeting for BBP Housing
Whether you’re worried about housing being plopped in the middle of Brooklyn Bridge Park for revenue or can’t wait to move in, you’ll want to attend the public meeting of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation Committee on Alternatives to Housing, this Wednseday 22 September. The Cobble Hill Association will be there advocating against any additional building–the only housing now is One Brooklyn Bridge next to Pier 6, filling up quickly–which they say will take away from recreation in the park.
This meeting is yet another opportunity for the public to come out and speak out on their desire for a park, a true park… one that does not include private housing within it. The CHA prefers year round recreational facilities such as a pool, ice rink and indoor field house which could offset costs the City cannot burden.
To get all the facts, come on over to the Blue Room at City Hall at 11am (across the bridge on Chambesr St). Can’t make it? The CHA encourages you to call or email comments to the Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation:
tel: (718) 222-9939
brooklynbridgepark@bbpnyc.org
Get More for Your Brownstone
According to The New York Observer, those ready to sell a brownstone in the Bococa neighborhood are in for a pleasant surprise. Seems second-quarter housing numbers, which came out yesterday, were pointing towards good (maybe better is the precise word) times.
For “Brownstone Brooklyn,” which encompasses the northwest neighborhoods (Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, Clinton Hill, Cobble Hill, Fort Greene, Park Slope, Prospect Heights and others), high-end brownstones (single-family residences) dominated demand. The median price of those buildings rose to $2.25 million, a 77.2 percent increase from last quarter’s $1.27 million and a 181.3 percent increase from the same time in 2009. The average sales price of all types of brownstones was $1,393,216, down 1.2 percent from last quarter’s $1,410,818, but up 26.6 percent from last year.
Jonathan Miller, CEO and president of Miller Samuel and author of the Prudential Douglas Elliman’s report, was quoted as saying, “”This is clearly good news and we’ll take it, but the story is it’s really getting back to a—and I hate using the word ‘normal’—but more of a level of activity that’s consistent with historic patterns. Sort of pre-Lehman.” Good for those of you selling–not so good for those of you looking.
Happenings at Rat-Squirrel House
Taking out the trash at the Rat-Squirrel House
Not sure if this is a harbinger of things to come, but I am more than tired of staring at the cemented windows, peeling blue scaffolding and general, decrepit state of the old brownstone. No wonder it was named number 10 on Curbed’s Top 11 Frightening Buildings–back in 2009!
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