Brooklyn Junction

Three declared candidates so far for 45th city council district race to replace Kendall Stewart

2008-06-09T16:52:00.006-04:00

Thanks to a nifty database at Gotham Gazette which allows one to figure out "who's running for what?" anywhere in the city (council and state legislature races), I now know there are three declared candidates for the 45th district city council seat which will be vacated by Councilman Kendall Stewart at the end of next year. Stewart is done at the council because of term limits, and has declared his candidacy for State Senate district 21 (some coverage about that race here).

So far with their hat in the ring for the fightin' 45th we have, in alphabetical order by last name:

1) Terry S. Hinds
2) Erlene J. King
3) Vaughan Toney

Anyone know anything about any of the candidates?

What became of Imagine Flatbush 2030?

2008-06-09T08:55:00.004-04:00

Share your thoughts in the comments, please.

As someone who attended all but the last meeting, I was wondering the other day whether there are any lasting results of all those wonderfully-process-oriented community visioning sessions that so many people came out to participate in over the winter.

Did any shared vision of Flatbush get recorded? Any indicators for how to measure our success in achieving said Flatbush by 2030? Any structure or organization left in place for helping people work together towards those goals?

Your impressions in the comments section.

For more reading on the subject, go here.

Bedford Avenue park deadline--May, Schmay.

2008-06-09T08:46:00.007-04:00

For those keeping score at home, the Bedford Avenue park between Campus Road and Glenwood Road has already missed its scheduled completion date of May.

The outer rim of the park has been planted, the playground equipment installed, and some new trees, pavers, and a wrought iron fence all grace the front entrance.

But the center of the park still has a ways to go. It is currently cement, some blacktop, and a large fenced-in area. According to the picture of the park at the site (below), which as now been removed, all of that is supposed to be turned into some combination of red and yellowish pavers, with lots of little people strolling around on them, (click on image to enlarge and enjoy full effect).

Anyone want to predict when the park will be complete?

A look inside the new Midwood High Science Annex

2008-06-09T08:35:00.005-04:00

Floors, doors and lighting are in, and the Midwood High science center is looking like it should be ready to go for the fall.

The building looks to be bringing with it a new external sign (possibly electronic?), yet to be installed. (Sorry for the image quality, the shot is taken through curvy glass.)

Victorian Flatbush House Tour this Sunday

2008-06-06T16:26:00.001-04:00

From the Flatbush Development Corporation:

Enjoy the stunning interiors of beautiful Victorian-era homes in Flatbush, Brooklyn!Sunday, June 8th 1p.m. to 6 p.m.

The tour starts at Temple Beth Emeth (83 Marlborough Rd., at Church Ave.) at 1 p.m. Tickets are $16 in advance, or $20 day of tour.

Purchase tickets through our website at www.fdconline.org , or call FDC at 718 859-3800

Random guy on street also willing to consider Obama V.P. slot

2008-06-05T11:39:00.004-04:00

Following Sen. Hillary Clinton's and former Gov. Bill Richardson's recent pronouncements that they would be "open" to being Barack Obama's vice presidential pick, some random dude on the street in Flatbush also said his hat is in the ring for veep.

"If Barack Obama asked me to be his vice president, I would be open to considering it," the random guy said.

**********

Ok, I'm joking, but sheesh, people. Let the presumptive nominee take a breath.

Menu Costs Passe?

2008-06-05T11:27:00.002-04:00

Event parking near Brooklyn College these days: 10, nay, 12 dollars. What ever happened to menu costs associated with raising prices? That was so 1990s.

Computerized Parking Attendants

2008-06-05T11:12:00.003-04:00

And you thought the job of parking lot attendant had job security. No humans needed at the new Triangle Junction parking garage. Notice the shuttered attendant's station and the red, yellow and green signs which explain how to get your ticket to enter, pay one machine to authorize your departure, and insert your stamped ticket into a separate machine to make the electronic arm raise at the exit...Which all begs the question, if the parking lot was not going to rely on human interaction, why did they build an attendant's post in the first place?

Foreclosed Homes--Out of Biz

2008-06-05T11:08:00.003-04:00

What, exactly, are we supposed to take away from this real estate sight: an office that traded in foreclosed homes is for rent? I thought the foreclosure industry was a strong buy.

BREAKING: No, literally, breaking: The ground in Flatbush under yet another crane-related snafu

2008-06-05T06:59:00.010-04:00

We're no Upper East Side, there were no falling crane cabs into penthouses, and no one died. But Flatbush is home to the latest crane-related snafu in New York City.

Flatbush Pigeon was first on the scene with the report and some good photos (The Pige's photo above). The scene of the sinking-crane-carrying-truck was in front of a new condo project called The Waterfalls on Ocean, more coverage about which here.

Newsday swoops in with these informative details:

A truck transporting a small construction crane has sunk into the ground in Brooklyn.

Firefighters say the flatbed truck was carrying the crane in the Flatbush neighborhood on Wednesday when it fell several inches into a sink hole. They worried the crane would sink deeper and damage gas pipes.

Emergency response crews slid steel plates under the crane to support it while slowly lifting it.

No injuries have been reported.

Read the Newsday piece here.

2008-06-04T10:52:00.000-04:00

On a sign post on Flatbush Avenue, across from Target.

The Target-effect three months in: some things change, some things stay the same

2008-06-03T16:30:00.002-04:00

As time goes by, I'll try to capture how (if at all) the neighborhood changes (for better and for worse) around these parts as a result of the Target-anchored Triangle Junction mall opening its doors. For starters a few anecdotes which together suggest some things change, some things stay the same.

Making use of a storefront improvement matching grant program from the Junction's Business Improvement District (BID), Bulletproof Comics and Games has put on a snazzy new face. Seen before above, and after below.

On this subject Lori Raphael, Director of the BID writes, "We are proud to announce our first complete storefront belonging to 16-year Junction veteran Bulletproof Comics and Games at 2178 Nostrand Avenue between Avenue H and Hillel Place. Improvements include sign, awning, storefront glass and open grids placed in the security gate. Bulletproof is a unique Junction business specializing in the latest games and gaming equipment, comic books, used games, T shirts, anime and other memorabilia. Bulletproof also runs competitive game tournaments most Sundays. Support a great local business and check it out! To Hank and the rest of the staff at Bulletproof--thanks for investing in our neighborhood."

What I know from talking to the owner of Bulletproof is that a major part of the impetus to invest significant money in his storefront was that both Target and Circuit City, not to mention the new Gamestop that opened in the Junction a few months ago, are all direct competition for his store. Verdict: one point in the column of new mall brings changes.

Another "some things change" story.

The eyesore seen above is a large lot at the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Avenue I, just a stones throw from the new mall. Seen before the mall opened, above, and now cleared and with a decent fence below.
Yes, the lot is still empty, but compared to what it used to be, this is like a country estate. I'll keep an eye on whether retail develops here, but for now chalk it up to, however indirectly: mall comes in down the street, and some things change.

But some things stay the same...see the next post.

Target-effect three months in: some things change, some things stay the same

2008-06-03T16:25:00.004-04:00

The mall has failed to bring any change, to date, to the biggest retail eyesore in the entire Junction area. Located across the street from Target's doors, the retail establishment seen below remains completely dilapidated. Pictured first in October, 2007:

And yesterday, June, 2008.
The property, located at 781 East 31st Street, is owned by Empe Realty Corp, located at 8203 Ridge Blvd Brooklyn NY 11209-4323. They have owned the place since 1984. When they bought it, they took out a $175,000 mortgage. In 1995, the mortgage was satisfied.

What will it take for the owner of this establishment to do us all a favor and either sell, lease, or just fix this place up themselves? I have heard that the owner is not interested in doing any of those things. Why not?

Their desire to fly under the radar is flying in the face of residents of the area who have to walk by this building on the way to work and shopping everyday. Enough is enough.

I first reported on this in October of last year. I've waited a while to see if anything would happen. Alas, it hasn't. I plan to call attention to this eyesore until it doesn't exist in its current form.

Here's some more information about the building, found at nyc.gov and propertyshark.com.

Borough: BROOKLYN Block: 7559 Lot: 8

Police Precinct: 70

Address: 781 EAST 31 STREET, BROOKLYN, 11210

Owner: EMPE REALTY CORP. 8203 Ridge Blvd
Brooklyn NY 11209-4323

Lot Area: 6760

Lot Frontage: 67.5 Lot Depth: 100

Number of Buildings: 1 Year Built: 1930

Number of Floors: 1 Bldg Gross Area: 6700

Flr Area Ratio: Max Allow Flr Area Ratio: 2.43

Residential Units: 0 Total # of Units: 2

Land Use: 05

Zoning: R6 Special Dist: N/A

Commercial Overlay: N/A Zoning Map #: 23A
Last sale date:

7/30/1984

Flatbush rezoning proposed; public hearing at CB 14

2008-06-03T15:58:00.000-04:00

From Community Board 14--

Dear Community Resident:

This is to inform you that Brooklyn Community Board 14 has scheduled a preliminary public hearing to receive public input in the matter of the New York City Department of City Planning’s Flatbush Neighborhood Study.

The study proposes to make certain changes to the zoning map in the Flatbush section of Community District 14, which includes Coney Island Avenue to the west, Caton Avenue/Parkside Avenue/Clarkson Avenue to the north, Bedford Avenue/Nostrand Avenue/East 32nd Street to the east, and the LIRR tracks to the south.

At the hearing, the Department of City Planning will make a presentation on the changes currently under consideration. The public hearing will take place as follows:

Thursday, June 12, 2008 Public School 249 Caton Avenue & Marlborough Road Brooklyn, New York 7:00 P.M.

Following this preliminary public hearing, the Department of City Planning will submit a formal zoning map amendment for certification under the City’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP). After which, Community Board 14 will hold a final public hearing to receive comment on the application.

If you would like to speak at the public hearing, you may pre-register for time by calling the District office at 718-859-6357. You may, in addition, register at the hearing on the evening of June 12th.

If you have any questions regarding the above, please do not hesitate to call the Community Board 14 District office at 718-859-6357.

Sincerely,

Doris Ortíz
District Manager

Local Politics Bombshell: Simcha Felder to enter Kevin Parker/Kendall Stewart State Senate Race

2008-06-02T15:24:00.004-04:00

Breaking from CityRoom at the NYTimes:

With one swoop, City Councilman Simcha Felder changed the dynamics of two contests that are shaping up to be among the most competitive in next year’s elections: races for New York City comptroller and Brooklyn’s 21st State Senate District seat.

Viewed for many months as an all-but-declared candidate for the comptroller’s position, Mr. Felder announced this morning that he will seek the Democratic nomination for the State Senate, taking on a three-time incumbent, and a fellow council member who is also vying for the post.

Both the incumbent, Kevin S. Parker, and the council member, Kendall Stewart, are black. Mr. Felder is an Orthodox Jew and has represented some of the most heavily Orthodox-Jewish swaths of Brooklyn in the Council since 2002.

Read the whole City Room article here.

My analysis: this State Senate race had already produced some well-documented fireworks. That was while election day was more than a year and a half away, and while there was no white candidate running.

Admittedly race/ethnicity had already been a salient issue just in the Parker/Stewart affair: Stewart is of Caribbean descent and Parker is not. The New York Times noted in April, "Many Brooklyn Democratic leaders say that Mr. Stewart, who was born in St. Vincent, might have wider appeal because the Senate district has a large Caribbean population (Mr. Parker is not of Caribbean descent)."

But throw in an Orthodox-Jewish City Councilman, Felder, who currently represents Borough Park and Midwood, among other constituencies, and this race probably just got a whole lot more racially/ethnically charged.

The context of a recent flare up in Black-Jewish relations in Crown Heights cannot be ignored.

On top of that, to think that this race *might* be taking place during Barack Obama's first year in the White House, (he, who in many ways has been attempting to run a post-racial campaign), adds a layer of depth and complexity to the racial, ethnic components.

The race for the 21st State Senate seat will almost certainly get a lot of coverage as the next political season progresses (the election is not until next November, 2009). I'll keep an eye on it and see what kind of local flavor I can add to the reporting. To be clear, I'm hoping for no particular outcome, only that peace prevails in Flatbush in spite of, or better yet, because of these political proceedings.

Whither Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, superdelegate for Hillary Clinton, if Barack Obama wins Democratic nomination?

2008-06-02T15:13:00.006-04:00

From the Huffington Post today, speculating that the Democratic primary is just about over, with Sen. Hillary Clinton planning to suspend her campaign tomorrow:

"Clinton is known to want Obama to assist black officials who endorsed her and who are now taking constituent heat, including, in some cases, primary challenges from pro-Obama politicians."

We had one such official, Yvette Clarke, who endorsed Sen. Clinton, as a superdelegate. Is she taking constituent heat? Is a pro-Obama candidate angling to challenge her in a primary in the fall? Just curious how this story will play out for the fightin' 11th Congressional district.

Mall's non-Targety parts coming along, part II

2008-06-02T11:47:00.005-04:00

Of Triangle Junction's other retail, scheduled to open early summer last I heard, Payless is farthest along with a sign plus some decor out front, and shelving being installed on the inside.

Circuit City has a coming soon sign, but nothing else in the way of visible progress inside making the raw space Circuit City-like, at least not that I noticed.

This last shot is the space that's at the NW corner of the mall, at the corner of Nostrand Avenue and Avenue H. Last I heard, this was going to be housing the restaurant, which we now know will be Applebee's.

Gas stations running out of 4s

2008-06-02T11:41:00.002-04:00

Nothing a little magic marker can't solve. Your pain at the pump, brought to you by Sharpie.

Confirmed: Brooklyn College's Roosevelt Hall to meet its maker

2008-06-02T11:19:00.007-04:00

Flatbush Pigeon has confirmed something I reported a few weeks back: Brooklyn College's Roosevelt Hall is going to be knocked down.

The Pigeon writes, "just announced at Brooklyn College's 83rd Commencement exercises BC's Roosevelt Hall will be replaced by a 'new state-of-the-art science facility' in the near future."

New state of the art facilities are nothing to shake a stick at, but will it maintain the Georgian style of the old Brooklyn College campus? Or will it join 70's concrete fortress James Hall...

And 21st Century new West Quad Building...

Leaving nothing Georgian about the new quad west of Bedford Avenue?

Applebee's signs lease at Triangle Junction mall; Two Brooklyn Junction readers win restaurant prediction contest!

2008-05-14T09:59:00.004-04:00

This just in: Applebee's will be joining the Triangle Junction mall. The scoop comes from Lori Raphael at the Flatbush-Nostrand Junction Business Improvement District who writes, "End of August, beginning of September is likely" for an opening date.

Revisiting my restaurant prediction contest from February, I am happy to report we have two winners. First, I must mention that Applebee's was the single most popular prediction. Brooklyn Junction readers were surprisingly adept at predicting restaurants (making me brainstorm what other contest I should bring to this able-minded group). Fully four people out of 16 predicted Applebee's. Two of them, however, did so anonymously, and the rules stated you had to identify yourself.

Two Applebee's predictors did so. "Brooklyn Girl" and "Linda Chavez" are the proud winners of $25 gift certificates to Applebee's upon its opening in the mall. Winners should email me at brooklynjunction [at] gmail [dot] com to make arrangements for gift card transfer!

Comment of the day: Rupert Murdoch's Courier Life

2008-05-14T08:35:00.003-04:00

Alykatz writes in:

Well, Rupert Murdoch did buy the Courier-Life chain, along with the Queens Times/Ledger papers -- hence the NY Post ads that now appear on the yournabe.com website. He's trying to consolidate News Corp's hold on local advertisers, and it looks like neighborhood-by-neighborhood custom advertising is part of the plan. The question, of course, is whether its neighborhood-by-neighborhood journalism will be as responsive to readers' needs...if I click on "Midwood" right now I get news about Sheepshead Bay, which is where Courier-Life HQ is.

Brooklyn College hires consultants to explore more dorm options

2008-05-14T07:17:00.002-04:00

Brooklyn College has hired a consulting firm, Brailsford & Dunlavey, to help plan for their future residential housing needs, according to an email sent out to select students last week by Steve G. Little, Vice President for Administration and Finance at Brooklyn College.

The hired hands created a survey [which I just accessed and took thanks to a reader's tip] that tries to size the survey taker up for just how interested he/she might be in living in a Brooklyn College dorm at some point in the near future, including biographical info, current living situation, and financial situation.

As the survey draws to a close, they drop a couple of juicy bombshells on me, that I relay to you:

1) BC is asking how far is the farthest away I would be willing to commute to school, suggesting they might be looking at multiple locations for new dorms, and not just settling for the one currently under construction.

2) BC is considering constructing dorms that have ground floor retail establishments, asking students whether they would like coffee shops, post offices, take-out food, banks, grocery stores, etc...

3) This may be the juiciest...Lifted from the survey:

The next questions refer to the housing options that may be offered by Brooklyn College in a location adjacent to the college campus as shown in the map below.

But wait a second, careful reader. There's no dorm in that little pink dot there?! Not yet, anyway! Let the record show that the dorm presently under construction is fully two blocks to the NW of that pink dot.

Is there a second dorm already in the works? Where in that pink dot could a dorm possibly go? Is it going to be housed on top of the Target mall? Better yet, in Target itself?

To close, I offer you a look at the floorplan porn they are dangling in front of survey-taking students:

The one above says it's for 2 people to share for $900-$950 per person per month (Why two people would need 4 beds, I don't know. I'll ask the consultants).

This second one is available to students with families and children for only 1600-1650 per month. $1600 a month!?! Wife, baby, pack your bags. Brooklyn College dorm here we come.

Brooklyn College community garden

2008-05-14T07:15:00.000-04:00

You say bills, I say balls

2008-05-14T07:10:00.000-04:00

Let's call the whole thing off.

Flatbush Pigeon covering Junction mall development beat

2008-05-13T14:26:00.001-04:00

Somebody's gotta do it, and it doesn't seem to be me these days. Thanks, Flatbush Pigeon, for an update on the goings on at "Triangle Junction". Fancy, that name, eh? The story is The Pigeon's and so is the pic. Glad to have you on the beat.

A reader recently wrote in to ask what other stores will be in the mall. As far as I know, the list is still the same. Signed leases besides Target include David's Bridal, The Children's Place, Payless Shoesource, and Circuit City (which may be Blockbuster by the time the mall opens and the credit finishes crunching).

Anyone know of any other leases signed? Please advise.