12 franklin street

12 FRANKLIN STREET
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Offering Memorandum
12 Franklin Street
Asking Price: $24,000,000
EXCLUSIVE AGENTS:
Brendan T. Maddigan
Mark L. Lively
Ethan S. Stanton
Taylor A. Wos
Michael L. Gigante
718.307.6507
Brendan.Maddigan@cushwake.com
718.307.6524
Mark.lively@cushwake.com
718.307.6553
Ethan.Stanton@cushwake.com
718.307.6506
Taylor.Wos@cushwake.com
718.307.6555
Michael.Gigante@cushwake.com
Cushman & Wakefield
205 Montague Street, Third Floor
Brooklyn, New York 11201
T: 718.238.8999
F: 718.238.6091
12 FRANKLIN STREET
I.
Description of Property……………4
Table of Contents
Setup Flyer…………………………..5
Lease Abstract……………………….6
Aerial Photo…………………………7
Building Photos……………………...8
II.
Neighborhood Information……….17
Neighborhood Map…………………..18
Transportation Maps………………....19
Zoning Information………………......23
III.
Property Specific Information……28
Tax Map……………………………...29
DOB Overview……………………....30
Certificate of Occupancy……….……35
Quarterly Property Tax Bill………….38
Tentative Assessment Roll…………...41
IV.
V.
Landmarks & Attractions……….44
Press Releases…………………….67
2
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Section I
Description of Property
3
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Setup Flyer
4
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Lease Abstract
CURRENT / PROJECTED INCOME
TENANT
SIZE (S.F)
MONTHLY RENT
ANNUAL RENT
Dirck The Norseman
5,500
$6,147
$73,759
Eastern Metal Supply
7,000
$9,561
$114,736
Northern Territory
4,500
$7,167
$86,005
Scilabs Music
6,000
$9,738
$116,850
Bacik
5,500
$6,775
$81,299
TOTAL
28,500
$39,387
$472,649
GROSS INCOME PROJECTED AT $75 / SF
$2,287,500
GROSS INCOME PROJECTED AT $100 / SF
$3,050,000
EXPENSES
REAL ESTATE TAXES (14/15)
INSURANCE
COMMON ELECTRIC
GAS
WATER & SEWER
REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE (3%)
MANAGEMENT & RESERVES (5%)
TOTAL
NET OPERATING INCOME
full combined tax bill
estimated at $1.00 / SF
paid for by tenants
paid for by tenants
paid for by tenants
Projected @ $75/ SF
Projected @ $100/ SF
$96,733
$30,500
$14,179
$23,632
$165,045
$96,733
$30,500
$68,625
$114,375
$310,233
$96,733
$30,500
$91,500
$152,500
$371,233
$293,425
$1,977,267
$2,678,767
5
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Aerial Property Photograph
N
6
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Northern Territory
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Northern Territory Interior
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Dirck the Norsemen
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Dirck the Norsemen
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Dirck the Norsemen
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Eastern Metal Supply
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Scilabs – Sound Studios
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Bacik - Interior Photos
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Skyline- Views
15
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Section II
Neighborhood Information
16
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Neighborhood Map
12 Franklin Street
17
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Transportation Information
12 Franklin Street
12 Franklin Street
12 Franklin Street is six blocks from the Nassau Avenue G train station and 7 blocks from the Bedford Avenue L Train station
with direct access into Manhattan. The area is also serviced by the MTA B24, B43, B43 and B63 bus routes.
18
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Transportation Information
12 Franklin Street has access to major modes of transportation. The G train, which
connects Greenpoint to Long Island City as well as to the L train, is accessible six
blocks away at Greenpoint Avenue. The subject property is also seven block away
from the Bedford Avenue L train station. The area is also serviced by numerous MTA
bus routes, which transport passengers locally throughout the borough.
By car, there is easy access to the Pulaski Bridge, which is accessible via McGuinness
Boulevard and provides access to the Long Island Expressway and Manhattan (via
the 59th Street Bridge or the Midtown Tunnel). Also in the area are The Williamsburg
Bridge, which connects Brooklyn to Downtown Manhattan by way of the BrooklynQueens Expressway (BQE). The BQE leads throughout Brooklyn and Queens and to
most major thoroughfares such as the Long Island Expressway, Grand Central
Parkway, Prospect Expressway, and the Belt Parkway.
The three major metropolitan airports, LaGuardia (10-15 minutes drive), John F.
Kennedy (15-20 minutes drive), and Newark (25-30 minutes drive) are located in the
immediate Metropolitan area.
The caliber of quick access from 12 Franklin Street to local and regional business
destinations is unusual and definitely enhances the attractiveness of the property.
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12 FRANKLIN STREET
Transportation Information
Boundaries:
Greenpoint: from Newtown Creek to the north, Queens County Line to the
east, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway to the south and the East River to
the west.
Subway:
IND Crosstown G: Nassau Ave. and Greenpoint Avenue
L: Bedford Avenue Station
Bus:
B43: Manhattan Ave. B61: Driggs Ave./Manhattan Ave. B24: Greenpoint
Ave. B48: Nassau Ave.
How it got its name: Brooklyn’s northernmost point was once covered in
trees, hence “Green Point,” now Greenpoint.
Special Events: Festival of Polish Culture and Polish film festival at the
Polish and Slavic Center (October-November).
Historic District: Within an area roughly bounded by: Java Street on the
north, Leonard Street on the east, Meserole Avenue on the south, and
Franklin Street on the west.
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12 FRANKLIN STREET
Transportation Information
12 Franklin Street
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Zoning map & information
New York City’s zoning regulates permitted uses of the property; the size of the building allowed in relation to the size of the lot (“floor to area
ratio”); required open space on the lot, the number of dwelling units permitted; the distance between the building and the street; the distance
between the building and the lot line; and the amount of parking required.
12 Franklin Street is zoned M1-2
Manufacturing FAR: 2.0
Community facility FAR: 4.8
12 Franklin Street
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Zoning Information
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Bushwick Inlet Park
In 2005, the City of New York promised the neighborhoods of Greenpoint and Williamsburg a 28-acre park along
North Brooklyn’s waterfront.
12 Franklin Street
BushwickInletPark.ORG
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12 FRANKLIN STREET
Bushwick Inlet park
Bushwick Inlet Park Goes Green
On October 8, NYC Parks Commissioner Veronica M. White joined Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, State Assembly Member Joseph R. Lentol and
Council Member Stephen Levin to cut the ribbon on a brand new headquarters building with community space and an accessible green roof in Bushwick Inlet
Park. The $31 million construction project, funded by Mayor Bloomberg, also includes a new playground, and the creation of public access to the waterfront at the
water's edge. The additions to Bushwick Inlet Park build on the 2005 Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning which creates a framework to provide continuous public
access to the area’s shorefront.
“All over Brooklyn – from Shore Road Park in the south to Bushwick Inlet in the north —waterfront parks are attracting pedestrians, picnickers, and sports
enthusiasts to spend time outdoors,” said Commissioner White. “The new waterfront Bushwick Inlet Park complements the existing soccer field by accommodating
community art exhibitions, community meetings and public programming, a kitchen for catering public events, playground, public comfort stations and Parks
district headquarters.”
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Bushwick Inlet park
Bushwick Inlet Park Goes Green (continued)
The facility includes an accessible green roof, which connects the multipurpose
field area with a hilltop recreational space and playground. It is designed to achieve
high environmental performance standards with a highly efficient heating-cooling
system that uses geothermal wells, heat pumps and radiant floors, a green roof with
a shade structure composed of photovoltaic cells that will provide solar energy
power to the building, and a rainwater collection system to provide irrigation water
to the green roof. This project is on track to receive LEED Gold or higher
certification for its innovative sustainable design. The building was designed by
Kiss + Cathcart Architects with Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects.
12 Franklin Street
“The city is in
the process of
expanding the
park’s borders
at the northern
end. The parks
department
plans to acquire
the larger of two
parcels from
Bayside Fuel Oil
Depot in June
for $68.5 million.
It recently paid
$5 million for the
second parcel, a
2.5-acre lot
belonging to an
oil-refining
business.” The
New York
Times
Feb 10, 2015
Bushwick Inlet Park lies from North 9th Street to North 10th Street, between Kent
Avenue and the East River. The site, a former rental car storage lot, is situated at
the southern end of the planned park, and is adjacent to East River State Park. The
first phase of Bushwick Inlet Park included the construction of a synthetic turf
multipurpose field for soccer, football, lacrosse, field hockey, rugby, and ultimate
frisbee. The soccer field opened in January 2010.
The Park received a 2008 Design Award from the Public Design Commission of
the City of New York and the 2013 Honor Award from the NY Chapter of
American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA).
The 28-acre planned Bushwick Inlet Park is comprised of approximately 5.5 blocks
along the bustling East River Waterfront. The first two sites that make up the park
have already been acquired and the acquisition of a third parcel (Bayside Fuel) is
underway and expected to be complete in 2015. With extensive community input
and public review throughout the planning and development process, Bushwick
Inlet Park is part of the City’s historic investment in the creation, improvement and
expansion of parks in Greenpoint and Williamsburg, as a result of the 2005
rezoning.
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Section III
Property Specific Information
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Tax Map and Location
12 Franklin Street
Brooklyn, NY
Block 2614
Lot
1, 3 & 8
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DOB Overview, Lot: 1
No Open DOB or ECB Violations
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DOB Overview, Lot: 3
No Open DOB or ECB Violations- Partial stop work order resolved
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DOB Overview, Lot: 3
Stop work order relates to roof; resolved
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DOB Overview, Lot: 8
No Open DOB or ECB Violations
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12 FRANKLIN STREET
DOB Overview, Lot: 3
Stop work order was for electrical work without permit; resolved
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Certificate of Occupancy, Lot: 1
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Certificate of Occupancy, Lot: 3
35
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Certificate of Occupancy, Lot: 8
36
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Quarterly Property Tax Bill, Lot: 1
37
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Quarterly Property Tax Bill, Lot: 3
38
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Quarterly Property Tax Bill, Lot: 8
39
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Tentative Assessment roll, Lot: 1
12 Franklin Street is assessed as tax class 4
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Tentative Assessment roll, Lot: 3
12 Franklin Street is assessed as tax class 4
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Tentative Assessment roll, Lot: 8
12 Franklin Street is assessed as tax class 4
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Section IV
Landmarks & Attractions
43
Greenpoint Amenities Map
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Greenpoint Galleries
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McCarren Park
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McCarren Park, the largest public park in the Williamsburg/Greenpoint area, is a
constant attraction to Greenpoint natives and tourists alike. Ever since its
establishment between 1903 and 1905, the park’s beauty has been matched only by
its utility: from the beginning city officials spared no expense to supply the park
with state-of-the-art athletic facilities, including a ¼-mile track, a field that was
adapted for use as an ice rink in winter, tennis courts, a platform for dancing, play
equipment for small children, and fields for baseball, football, and soccer.
(Bird’s Eye View of Track and Athletic Facilities)
McCarren Park Pool
12 FRANKLIN STREET
(Annual winter ice rink open to the public )
(A vibrant McCarren Park Pool today)
McCarren Park Pool, three times the size of an Olympic size swimming pool and a
capacity of 6,800 people, was first constructed in 1936 during the LaGuardia
administration. One of the eleven pools constructed by the Works Progress
Administration at the height of the Great Depression. During its golden age, local
residents were frequented the pool and it became a cornerstone of the community. By the
1970s the pool fell into disrepair. In 1979 the city approved the spending of $100 million
to halt further deterioration and restore the pool. McCarren Pool eventually closed for
repairs in 1984 but the project remained in limbo for years after.
The pool sat empty until 2005 when it was opened as a popular venue for concerts, dances,
and movies. Renovations for the park began in late 2008 and by 2012, a refurbished
McCarren Pool opened just in time for that summer. The historic bathhouse building and
entry arch were rehabilitated and preserved to the relief of locals and activists. The pool is
transformed into an ice skating rink in the winter which only serves as a testament to the
pool’s chameleon-like history.
(Concert at McCarren Park Pool, August 2007)
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Monsignor McGolrick Park
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The World War I memorial, sculpted in 1923 by artist Carl Augustus Herber showcases an
angel atop a pedestal to commemorate the 150 men from Greenpoint that fought in the
war. The other memorial is a statue of a sailor created by artist Antonio de Fillipo in 1939.
Called The Monitor and The Merrimac, this memorial commemorates the battle between
the two ships in the American Civil war by those names
(The Shelter Pavilion and WWI Memorial)
The Monitor was the ironclad Union ship constructed in Greenpoint. Winthrop Park’s name was
changed in honor of the pastor Monsignor Edward McGolrick, a charismatic leader in the community
who was instrumental in bringing about a school, hospital, and church to the neighborhood.
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Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
12 FRANKLIN STREET
With over sixteen beers on tap and dozens more from around the world, the
Mark Bar at 1025 Manhattan Avenue serves food and drinks every night to
4:00 AM. Residents from both Greenpoint and Williamsburg flock to The
Mark Bar to see some of New York’s hottest bands and DJs perform. If its
your mental capacity that you would like to improve, come in any Monday
night to test your trivia skills.
(The Mark Bar, 1025 Manhattan Avenue)
The Pencil Factory Pub, 142 Franklin Street at the corner of Greenpoint Avenue,
is the perfect place to relax with friends and have a pint. After opening in midDecember in the home of the former Miltonian Social Club, the much needed
neighborhood bar quickly attracted a real cross-section of the community: Polish
gents, artist types and some of Brooklyn’s bravest.
(The Pencil Factory, 142 Franklin Street)
Enid's may be a shoulder-to-shoulder singles scene on weekend nights, but its
kitchen turns out surprisingly satisfying comfort food during the day and evening.
The menu is small and focused on hearty, southern-style grub: fried chicken,
blackened catfish sandwiches, pulled pork, and gooey baked macaroni and cheese.
All-American desserts like chocolate bourbon cake and apple pie come from the
nearby Blue Stove bakery. For people-watching (and smoking) during nice weather,
there’s also a small strip of coveted sidewalk tables. — Kaitlin Jessing-Butz, New
York Magazine
(Enid’s, 560 Manhattan Avenue)
50
Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Peter Pan, on Manhattan Avenue between Meserole and Norman Avenues, has been
around since the 1950s. It has been owned by Cristos and Donna Siafakas since
1993. Mr. Siafakas began baking there in the late 1970s. In addition to doughnuts,
the shop’s menu includes breakfast sandwiches and milkshakes. The countertop
seating, uniforms and signs have not changed since Peter Pan opened, and some
customers have been coming in for almost as long, Ms. Siafakas said recently, while
gesturing to a group of regulars seated at the counter and having their usuals. – New
York Times, Tatiana Schlossberg
(Peter Pan Donut & Pastry Shop, 727 Manhattan Avenue)
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Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
12 FRANKLIN STREET
There are a lot of Polish restaurants in Greenpoint, but, to the best
of our knowledge, only one has knights on the outside and doilies
on the inside: Królewskie Jadło. The silver sculptures guard
thick doors, which open into a narrow dining room filled with
glowering portraits, tarnished swords, and solid tables decorated
with the aforementioned lace accouterments. Decor-wise, it's
medieval meets crafty grandma. Food-wise, it's Polish staples
done deliciously. - Jessica Allen & Garrett Ziegler, Serious Eats
Karczma sets itself apart from other Polish spots in Greenpoint by playing up the Old
World décor-- appropriate for a place whose name means “farmhouse.” Upon entering
the heavy, windowless front door, you’re greeted by costumed servers and ushered into
the farm-themed dining room, replete with bucolic accents like a barrel, wagon,
wooden-wheel chandeliers, and even an old-fashioned well. Despite the kitschy accents,
real Polish people actually come here. Tables are occupied by families speaking the
language and the bar is a mix of natives and locals grasping tall, thin glasses of Zywiec.
The pierogies (served fried or boiled) are filling and come with sour cream, as do the
crunchy potato pancakes. The grilled plate for two includes spicy kielbasa, thick bacon,
seasoned chicken, beef-textured ham, charred salmon, and an eight-inch bitter, black
blood sausage with roasted potatoes and a mound of sauerkraut.. — Daniel Benjamin,
New York Magazine
52
Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
12 FRANKLIN STREET
The only place in New York where we don’t mind waiting 45 minutes to eat
pizza. It’s that good. (Plus we can always meander next door for craft beer at
Browerj Lane while we wait.) Paulie’s brick oven pies, served up in a
beautifully renovated warehouse that looks more like a barn you’d find in
upstate New York, are our favorite Brooklyn. Start with the Greenpointer — a
white pie with Fior di Latte, Baby Arugula, Olive Oil, Fresh Lemon Juice and
Shaved Parmigiano Reggiano — and be sure to try one of the pies that has hot
honey on it. Wash it all down with one of the many craft beers they have on the
menu. A true Greenpoint gem. – Free Williamsburg
(Paulie Gee’s, 60 Greenpoint Avenue)
Vinny Milburn was determined to stay clear of his family’s venerable seafood
business in Boston, the John Nagle Co., so he became an entertainment lawyer.
But seafood lured him back, and he is opening this modest but well-conceived
fish market and restaurant in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, with Adam Geringer-Dunn,
whom he met in the music business. “There was nowhere to buy decent seafood
in this neighborhood,” Mr. Geringer-Dunn said. “And at too many fish markets,
there’s no transparency; you don’t really know where the fish is from.” The
white tile space features a marble counter and a few high-top tables. The menu
includes fish tacos, lobster rolls, raw and steamed shellfish and a pad Thai made
with kelp instead of noodles. Mr. Geringer-Dunn does the cooking, and Mr.
Milburn works the retail fish market up front, where they sell sustainable
seafood, mainly local. –Florence Fabricant, New York Times
(Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co., 114 Nassau Avenue)
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Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
12 FRANKLIN STREET
A tell tale sign that your neighborhood is changing is the sudden
influx of multiple Thai restaurants. Greenpoint is no exception to
this rule. If it’s a more traditional Thai dish you are looking for, try
Ott at 970 Manhattan Avenue. Thai Café at 925 Manhattan Avenue
was founded by the owners of Planet Thailand in neighboring
Williamsburg. Their dishes are on par with their sister restaurant to
the south. For the best Chinese in Greenpoint, head to the Chinese
Musician where you get fast service for low prices on food far
superior to the usual Chinese takeout.
(Chinese Musician, 151 Greenpoint Avenue)
Greenpoint’s Polish residents have made their own contributions to the area’s
culinary atmosphere. Polish delis and bakeries are situated throughout the
major retail corridors of the area. The smell of fresh baked bread often fills
the air along Manhattan and Nassau Avenues. Star Bakery at 176 Nassau
Avenue is a good bet if you are looking for the freshest loafs. Café Riviera at
830 Manhattan Avenue serves their home-cooked style of Polish cuisine for
both lunch and dinner.
(Café Riviera, 830 Manhattan Avenue)
54
Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Contrary to its name, Pop’s doesn’t feel old-timey; its style and food more closely
resemble a cozy bar. The small space is painted dark red, has barely a dozen seats, and one
high-mounted flat-screen. Portions are generous and prices low, but there are higherquality deals in the neighborhood. Sliders are strong on the horseradish mayo, but without
enough juicy fat to cut the sharpness; lettuce in the Caesar salad is shredded in the fashion
of a burger topping; a hot Italian sausage is deliciously and even delicately spicy, but its
flavor is besieged by added jalapeños. — Amanda Niu, New York Magazine
(Pop’s Burgers, 167 N. 8th Street)
If you’re looking for Mexican food in the Williamsburg neighborhood, Vera Cruz is
the place to be. Featuring a menu that has all the classic Mexican foods, including tacos,
burritos, and rice and beans, Vera Cruz offers some other inventive combinations as
well. These include soft shell crabs in orange tequila sauce and grilled corn on the cob
with mayonnaise and cotija cheese. The food and drinks are moderately priced and the
atmosphere epitomizes Northside Williamsburg.
(Vera Cruz , 195 Bedford Avenue)
Though the design and vibe of Sweet Chick is generic Williamsburg kitsch, the food here
is outstanding. If a hankering for buttery fried soul food can counter the ceiling chandeliers
made from rusty feed troughs and water served in recycled Jim Beam bottles, you’re in
business. We’re talking mac 'n' cheese that is mercifully creamy, and bacon-wrapped
oysters that will make you consider ordering a second plate. And that’s just appetizers.
Though a steady rotation of daily specials like roast quail on a bed of cheese grits and
arugula are appealing, it’s hard to pass up the venue’s claim to fame: the fried chicken and
waffle entrée. — John Knight, New York Magazine
(Sweet Chick, 164 Bedford Avenue)
54
Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
12 FRANKLIN STREET
Located steps from the from the bustling Bedford L stop, Station serves contemporary
French cuisine in a setting inspired by an old European train depot. Past the sidewalk
tables and through the tall, arched-iron gates, the small space is mostly dark wood with
white tiling and an open kitchen, tin ceilings, and dangling luminous globes. A bowl of
mussels swim in a beer and garlic broth, served with thick bread slices. Rotating entrees
may include duck a l’orange, salmon with creamy corn pudding, or fillet steak
Provencal on potatoes. A short list of sweet cocktails highlights seasonal fresh fruits. —
Daniel Benjamin, New York Magazine
(Station, 166 N. 7th Street)
Tucked into the former Sound Fix digs in North Williamsburg, the Bedford
puts out a an array of solid, locally sourced, upscale comfort food in a space
that manages to be simultaneously spacious and cozy. The kitchen works
sophisticated flavors into homey, stomach-lining classics—a touch of truffle
shavings on the macaroni and cheese, a hint of jalapeño in the chimichurri.
The menu rotates regularly, offering more adventurous fare like salt-andpepper blowfish tails alongside hamburgers and pasta dishes. Tables made
from vintage military desks and dark wood paneled walls give the spot a
schoolhouse-meets-saloon feel, though the back room, dotted with stately
leather armchairs, veers more toward an eclectic grandparent's study. At
night, the back turns into a speakeasy-style cocktail bar, offering house
concoctions like the vodka and ginger-based Kicking Mule as well as craft
beers and organic wine, all to a carefully curated mix of post-punk tunes. —
Margaret Eby, New York Magazine
(The Bedford, 110 Bedford Avenue)
55
Neighborhood Bars & Cafes
(Juliette, 135 N. 5th Street)
12 FRANKLIN STREET
French bistros in this town can feel like Disney World, referencing the idea of Paris and its
informal cafés but failing to capture the city’s discreet charms. Williamsburg’s Juliette,
however, resists the temptation to take French accents too far, instead offering a restaurant
with just a touch of Amelie whimsy. The large space comprises a bar area with floor-toceiling glass windows, a banquette-lined back room, a glass-ceilinged indoor patio, and a
large roof garden with its own bar. Throughout is a romantic mix of French country, deco,
and Art Nouveau—warmly lit by antique light fixtures. The menu is equally classic, with an
assortment of salads followed by favorites like moules and steak frites. The French onion
soup is surprisingly sweet, with a stronger beef-bullion flavor than one might expect, but the
Cambraix yellow-and-red-beet salad is beautifully dressed with a light vinaigrette and touch
of horseradish cream. Steak dishes rely on their sauces (Bordelaise or peppercorn) but lack a
beefy or char-grilled flavor on their own. The roast half-chicken—what some would argue is
the litmus test of any bistro—is a winner, the skin crunchy and slightly caramelized, the
meat tender and juicy. — Andrew Sessa, New York Magazine
Just off the L train, Michael Ayoub’s popular pizza spot offers dozens of classic and fanciful
pies divided into three categories: Naples, First Generation; Italy, the Second Generation;
and Fornino, the Third Generation. All pies are cooked in a wood-burning oven—check out
all the logs in the main dining room—and the crusts come out crunchy on the outside with
doughy insides. Simple pies like the Margherita are topped with fresh mozzarella and basil,
a satisfying option for any pizza snob. More adventurous toppings like anchovy, chicken
sausage, and artichoke hearts pop up on the menu. From the wood oven, traditional
appetizers are served in skillets as dainty pizza precursors. Portobello mushrooms, cherry
tomatoes, and goat cheese is glazed in sweet balsamic, and roasted clams are served with
fennel sausage and garlic, rich and doused in lemon. Ayoub’s penchant for blown glass is
illustrated above the open-air kitchen toward the back of the restaurant. An exposed-brick
dining room is accented by huge, wall-size abstract paintings and a wardrobe filled of
flatware. Pitchers of red and white sangria and a comprehensive wine list complement
Fornino’s established Mediterranean flavors. — Jessica Goodman, New York Magazine
(Fornino, 187 Bedford Avenue)
56
Nightlife
12 FRANKLIN STREET
The Charleston used to be your stereotypical rock-and-roll rathole: bathroom conditions
that would make GG Allin hold it in and a light system consisting of one guy running
frantically around the stage flipping switches on and off. But things have been changing
since the owners of the Alligator and Crocodile lounges took over—well, except for the
bathrooms—and the place has assumed an almost-quaint retro feel, complete with comfy
booths and comfort food in the form of personal pizzas (free with any order during happy
hour, $1 each after that). The crowd is vintage Williamsburg, with hoodies and leather
jackets predominating and the occasional youngster rocking an ironic bowl cut. — John
Metcalfe, New York Magazine
(The Charleston, 174 Bedford Avenue)
Soft Spot is not what you might expect from a musician-run bar in Williamsburg. Rather
than open yet another rocker hangout, owner Matt Webber has built a classy, sensual piano
bar, decorated with purple and red walls and hanging votives, and set to the tune of live
jazz. The homey “living room” has fake bookshelves, a fireplace and the bar’s centerpiece:
Webber’s grandmother’s piano.– Time Out New York
(Soft Spot, 128 Bedford Avenue)
In a time of low-carb lagers and slickly designed environments in which to drink them, this
tavern remains defiantly—and refreshingly—old school. And yet the charming Christmas
lights strung around the top of the walls year-round and the festive, seasonally changing
window displays draw a thoroughly new-school, hipster clientele, who seem to regard the
proprietor lovingly (if a bit warily). And, why wouldn’t they? It serves what basically
amounts to a Bedford Ave. blue-plate special: 32 ounces of Bud in a giant Styrofoam cup,
for only $4. — Sean Kennedy– Time Out New York
(Rosemary’s Greenpoint Tavern, 188 Bedford Avenue)
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Nightlife
12 FRANKLIN STREET
If you could somehow transport to North Williamsburg one of those hearty Cheers-like
Irish pubs in Boston that attract slumming college kids, you'd have an approximation of
Mug’s Ale House, an oak-filled tavern and restaurant with arguably the best beer selection
in Brooklyn. Dark, spacious, and festooned with, yes, mugs, a light-up American flag, and
paraphernalia from seemingly every brewery ever invented, the place just might pass for the
headquarters of a labor union. Though not as gloriously blue-collar as the clientele at
Turkey's Nest Tavern down the street, the folks lifting big mugs of Weihenstephaner
Hefeweisen at the bar do seem like the last remnants of Williamsburg's pre-hipster wave;
they're novelists and journalists in their late twenties and early thirties, rather than college
drop-outs looking to conquer the world with rock-and-roll. Jada Yuan, New York Magazine
(Mug’s Ale House, 125 Bedford Avenue)
Radegast Hall & Biergarten, Williamsburg’s Austro-Hungarian beer hall serves a deep
selection of imported brews and Hofbräuhaus-style brats one block and half a hemisphere
off the Bedford Avenue drag. Slovakian-born partners Ivan Kohut and Andy Ivanov gutted
adjacent warehouses to create two distinct drinking spaces. The garden side boasts a
retractable roof under which a grill man serves up sizzling meats and savory fries gobbled
up at the long rows of wooden benches. Inside the "hall," patrons line the hand-hewn tables
made from 150-year-old barn logs. Twenty-two drafts on tap and at least 58 beers by the
bottle can be ordered at the polygonal red-oak bar or from one of the waitresses, who are
occasionally cinched into full beer-wench regalia. Here, rib-clinging grub, whipped up by
Ivan’s wife and executive chef Joanna, includes veal schnitzel, stuffed blintzes, and a
scrape-the-plate-delicious apple strudel. — Amanda Pressner, New York Magazine
(Radegast Hall & Biergarten, 113 N. 3rd Street)
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Nightlife
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Brought to you by the same promoters from Manhattan’s Bowery Ballroom, Music
Hall of Williamsburg straddles the line between attracting bigger names and
established acts as well as nurturing up and coming bands. Some of the best things
about this venue are its excellent sound system and upstairs and downstairs bar as
well as its great location at the heart of Williamsburg’s Northside.
(Music Hall of Williamsburg, 66 N. 6th Street)
Established in South Williamsburg in 2006, Glasslands is a converted warehouse
turned “psychedelic venue partyhaus.” Things get especially trippy in the summer as
there is no A/C. The acts at Glasslands tend to be more below the radar and rawer than
those found at Music Hall. Plus, the beer is pretty cheap.
(Glasslands, 289 Kent Avenue)
Pete’s Candy Store is a another popular venue attracting a younger and cuddlier crowd
than Glasslands. In addition to hosting new and upcoming bands, the venue regularly
holds spelling bees, stand-up comedy, poetry readings and cabaret performances.
(Pete’s Candy Store, 709 Lorimer Street)
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Art Galleries
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The Black & White Gallery is a gallery at 483 Driggs Avenue for emerging artists in
Williamsburg to explore modern themes in painting, sculpture, photography and
drawing. To the right is a work by Jonas Pihl called Go With The Flow, made in 2005.
The gallery was founded by Tatyana Okshteyn, an investment banker for 20 years
with a strong passion for art. Growing up in a family in Russia that collected art and
nurtured artists, she continues the tradition here in Williamsburg with this gallery
featuring the works of dozens of artists. The Black & White gallery frequently has
exhibitions and projects going on.
(Black & White Gallery , 483 Driggs Avenue)
Brooklyn Art Library is run by two independent art librarians who specialize
in collecting sketchbooks from artists across the country as well as the
Williamsburg area. Visitors can get a “library card” and view sketchbooks for
free as well as stay for the frequent readings, workshops and visual art
performances hosted throughout the year.
(Brooklyn Art Library, 103A North 3rd Street)
Pierogi is an underrated small gallery specializing in off-beat and unsung artists. The
surreal piece to the right by Johan Nobell entitled Desperate Trails is just one example
of the many strange pieces often showcased at the gallery. It is also one of the older
galleries first opening its doors in 1994 well before Williamsburg was a gleam in a
hipster’s eye.
(Pierogi, 177 N 9th Street)
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Movie Theaters
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Opened in 2011, Nitehawk Cinema offers the now legal novelty of
drinking in a movie theater, watching an acclaimed foreign or indie film
your friends have probably never heard of and eating popcorn cooked in
truffle oil. If the idea of sitting next to both film and food snobs is too
much you can always head downstairs to the bar which is a worthy
establishment in its own right.
(Nitehawk Cinema, 136 Metropolitan Avenue)
indieScreen’s neon blue sign beckons Williamsburg’s cinephiles. Like Nitehawk, the
theater serves alcohol although it is a much more low key experience There is only
one screen and two or three films are periodically shown throughout the day at
different times. This offers a smaller, classic-style feel.
(indieScreen, 289 Kent Avenue)
UnionDocs specializes in screening documentary films that normally have trouble
getting distribution. In addition to serving as a general theater, UnionDocs also doubles
as a meeting center for experimental filmmakers, journalists, media theorists, visual
artists and local partners to share their ideas on documentary filmmaking.
(UnionDocs, 322 Union Avenue)
Williamsburg Cinemas offers the mainstream multiplex option for those who just look
to movies as pure escapism. Sometimes you are just not in the mood for a challenging,
three-hour foreign film.
(Williamsburg Cinemas, 217 Grand Street)
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Local Breweries
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Founded in 1987, Brooklyn Brewery is a craft beer company located in Brooklyn, New York.
The brewery completed the first phase of its expansion project with the addition of a new local
facility in February 2011.
In October 2009, the Empire State Development Corporation granted $800,000 for the project
from the Downstate Revitalization Fund. The expansion generated ten additional jobs and is
expected to create another 15 permanent jobs by 2013. The brewery complex currently
employs 49 full-time and 20 part-time employees.
The $8m project is part of the company's plans to increase its overall production capacity over
the next three years due to increasing demand. It will also aim to increase efficiency and
profitability.
FX Matt Brewing Company of Utica, New York, used to produce 80,000 barrels a year (bbl/y)
for Brooklyn Brewery under a brewing contract. The production increase desired by Brooklyn
Brewery could not be facilitated by FX Matt due to its configuration, size and older brewing
equipment. Brooklyn, therefore, decided to increase production locally by shifting the
operations from Utica. FX Matt, however, continues the six-pack production.
Brooklyn Brewery capacity
The expansion will increase the brewery's capacity from the current
12,000bbl/y to 120,000bbl/y over the next three years. A barrel of beer is
equal to 14 cases or 336 bottles.
Expansion site
Brooklyn Brewery had problems for five years in finding a suitable site
for the proposed expansion. The company also considered relocation to
Maryland, Maine or Massachusetts. In early 2010 a vacant distribution
centre on North 11th Street in Williamsburg in the North Brooklyn
Empire Zone was chosen for the expansion. The site is located adjacent
to an existing brewhouse of Brooklyn. The company has leased the
13,500ft² unused building for 15 years.
Local Breweries
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Along the northern edge of McCarren Park, around the corner from
squat warehouses, vinyl-sided homes and shiny condos. You can find
Spritzenhaus. It means “fire station” in German, and this 6,000square-foot space tries hard to live up to the macho name. Think
exposed sprinkler systems, raw metal and a wood-fired oven. Two
walls also open up with garage-style windows, affording pastoral
views of the park in the warmer months.
By JED LIPINSKI Published: July 6, 2011
Local Breweries
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In 1626, a Scandinavian ship builder by the name of Dirck Volckertsen or
Dirck The Norseman crossed the East River from the island of Manhattan. He
planted his roots as the first European settler in the verdant forests and lush
meadows of what would become Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
Today, just a stones throw from the site of his farmhouse, stands Brooklyn's newest brewery/restaurant
named in memory of this pioneering Greenpoint settler. With a seating capacity of 240, Dirck The
Norseman specializes in industrial comfort dining. Our menu consists of hearty, traditional European
cuisine, a natural complement to its stellar drink list. Along with an extensive wine and spirits menu, the
house offers 16 varieties of beer
German-style brewpub
crafting a variety of beer
& grub in a cavernous
space with communal
seating
Historical Conversions
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The Greenpoint Manufacturing and Design Center (GMDC) is the premier
nonprofit industrial developer in New York City. Since its inception in 1992,
GMDC has rehabilitated six North Brooklyn manufacturing buildings for
occupancy by small manufacturing enterprises, artisans and artists. Currently
GMDC owns and manages four of these properties, and has recently acquired
a fifth property that is in the beginning stages of redevelopment. Together,
these buildings represent more than half a million square feet of space, and are
occupied by more than 100 businesses that together employ more than 500
people. –GMDC bio page
The “how’d they end up here?” Newtown Creek-side location, the atypically roomy
layout, the quietly inventive melding of zesty Middle Eastern flavors with Überseasonal produce—all these factors conspire to make the month-old Glasserie truly
unique.
It’s hard to categorize the cooking, but bowls both small and large tend to share a few
distinguishing structural characteristics: a puddle of tangy sauce below, a smattering
of bright herbs on top, and the dish’s featured ingredients shoved to one side in an
artfully off-kilter arrangement.
Cocktails are shaken with conviction and, at mostly $9, priced to move. And the
chocolate tart, topped with sesame whipped cream? Bittersweet perfection.
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Section V
Press Releases
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Press
Greenpoint, get ready to
get Williamsburg-ed
March 25, 2015 | 6:41pm
What happens when a neighborhood beloved for its small town charm
runs smack into a development boom?
Greenpoint is about to find out.
Tucked into Brooklyn’s northwest corner — just above Williamsburg and
south of Long Island City — the area has of late shed its sleepy image
and emerged as a borough hot spot.
Condo prices in the neighborhood now regularly surpass $1,000 per
square foot, with multifamily townhomes selling for as much as $2.5
million.
The dining scene is going great guns, as well, with the opening of the critic-favorite Middle Eastern Glasserie, Nordic stand-out Luksus and coffee shop Búðin,
home to what’s been cited as the city’s most expensive latte, at $10.
And let us not forget the 2012 arrival of Lena Dunham and her HBO show “Girls,” which adopted Greenpoint for its setting, giving a boost to the hood’s pop
cultural cache.
And yet, the real action is still on the horizon. Over the next decade, Greenpoint is slated to add some 8,000 new apartments as a years-in-the-making wave of
residential development sweeps the neighborhood.
Much of it will be concentrated along the area’s waterfront, which, along with the Williamsburg waterfront, was rezoned in 2005 for increased residential
projects. A slew of new buildings have risen in Williamsburg since that rezoning; Greenpoint, however, has lagged behind.
The neighborhood’s development plans were initially stalled by the 2008 financial crisis, says David Maundrell, president of real estate firm Aptsandlofts.com.
“You had the [2005] zoning changes, but then you had the financial crisis and no one was lending at all,” he says.
Even after the economy recovered and commercial lenders came back to the table, though, would-be Greenpoint developers were still struggling to make the
numbers work, he says.
But with the area’s rising rents and sales prices, large waterfront developments are now more feasible, Maundrell notes.
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Press
And while many of those developments are still several years from
completion, current demand for Greenpoint housing is skyrocketing. For
Construction on the largest development planned for the neighborhood —
instance, in April of last year, 58,832 people applied for a shot at one of the
the 10-building, 5,500-unit Greenpoint Landing rental project — began last
105 affordable units (studios from $494, one-bedrooms from $532, twoyear. Work is currently under way on two buildings housing a portion of the
bedrooms from $647) in Domain Companies’ 210-unit rental (market-rate onecomplex’s roughly 1,400 affordable units, says Greenpoint Landing
bedrooms from $2,727, two-bedrooms from $3,827) at 1133 Manhattan Ave.
Associates’ Johanna Greenbaum.
Things are equally frenzied on the condo side, Kazemi notes.
In addition to its residential component, the site will include retail, some 4
“There is definitely a shortage,” he says, adding that bidding wars and all-cash
acres of public open space and a 640-seat pre-K-to-8 public school.
deals are becoming routine. “The last four deals I’ve done, I would say there
“So planning and working on that, in addition to the [residential] buildings,
has taken time and coordination,” Greenbaum says, noting that the developer were 30 people at each open house, and each was one open house and done.”
Demand is also strong for the neighborhood’s single and multifamily
has been at work on the project since just before the 2005 rezoning. She
estimates Greenpoint Landing will take around eight to 10 years to complete. townhomes, says Miron Properties’ Bram Lefevere, who notes that over the
A spate of other rental developments are planned for the neighborhood as well, last three years, prices for these properties have risen from between $400 and
including 145 West St., a 600-plus-unit tower from Palin Enterprises and Mack $600 per square foot to the $750-to-$1,000 range.
Doug Perlson, CEO of real estate firm RealDirect, says the area’s inventory
Real Estate Group; 77 Commercial Street, a three-building, 720-unit project
from developer the Chetrit Group; 93 Dupont St., a planned 400-unit building crunch is due in part to owners holding onto properties rather than selling — in
from Dupont Street Developers; and 29 Clay, a 12-story, 60-unit project from the hope of capitalizing on a price bump once the anticipated waterfront
developments bring new amenities and buyers to the neighborhood.
developer Andru Coren.
Perlson believes that much of this expected increase has already been priced
into the market, though.
And bigger things could be coming still.
“Everyone realizes that [new development] is going to have an effect on the
Last August, London-based private equity firm Quadrum Global paid $45.5
community and will probably continue the gentrification of the
million for a 179,000-square-foot site at 161 West St., where it’s planning a
neighborhood,” he says.
residential development that could ultimately encompass some 430,000
“But we are already seeing costs per foot on par with Williamsburg, where you
buildable square feet.
already have a very mature neighborhood as far as services. So I don’t think
“The big players have realized that there’s a lot of value in Greenpoint now
and have started building these crazy projects,” says David Kazemi, an agent there’s a ton of upside in Greenpoint from an investment standpoint.”
with Bond New York.
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Recent arrival Domenico Pellegrini, who with his wife, Jessica, closed in February on a two-bedroom condo in a nine-unit building near the
neighborhood’s waterfront, is hoping for a solid return on his investment, of course. More than that, though, it was Greenpoint’s low-key vibe that
attracted them to the area.
Formerly renting in Long Island City, the couple, both 28, began trekking to the neighborhood to visit friends who lived there. “And we just sort of fell
in love with the charm of it,” says Pellegrini, who works in commodities. “You have the Manhattan skyline right there, but it feels cozier and more
intimate than a lot of other parts of the city.”
That could change, however, as thousands of new apartments are added in coming years.
The development will “obviously help bring more businesses and commerce to the area and potentially help out with property values,” Pellegrini notes.
“But I just hope it doesn’t destroy the character of the neighborhood. Because it is so charming, like a little village escape.”
He says he’s optimistic that the close-knit feel that drew him to the area can remain intact.
“Maybe I’m naive as to how fast change can take place,” he says. “But it seems to me like the Greenpoint fabric is pretty strong.”
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Bushwick Inlet Park Supporters Demand That De Blasio "Live
Up To The Promise"
Mar 13, 2015
Infuriated Brooklynites flooded the steps of City Hall yesterday afternoon to protest the
delay in the construction of Bushwick Inlet Park. Back in 2005, residents of Williamsburg
and Greenpoint were assured that the green space would be created as part of Mayor
Bloomberg's waterfront rezoning, but ten years later progress on the park has slowed. "I'm
angry you have to be here. I'm angry I have to be here. I'm angry my kids have to be here,"
said Agnieszka Gac-Chlebosz, a 30-year-old mom of two from Williamsburg. "They should
be in the park!"
The protesters are especially nervous about the park's future after last month's 7-alarm fire
took out one of the CitiStorage facilities that occupies 10 of the 28 acres promised by the
Bloomberg administration.
If the CitiStorage lot isn't bought, the park will be unable to accommodate the youth athletic
field, a play area, dog run, and bird roosting area proposed in the initial blueprints.
"City Hall promised us a park, instead we got a flaming warehouse," Democratic District
Leader Nick Rizzo said at the event. "There's a scorching mark on the lungs of the
neighborhood."
The rally followed a protest last Friday night at the park site—a 30-foot tall "light graffiti"
message was projected onto the charred shell of the CitiStorage building.
The plans for Bushwick Inlet Park include six lots—the city's already acquired three, and
another's set to be paid for by June, but there's no schedule in place yet to take over the
CitiStorage lot, and at this stage, it can be purchased by someone other than the city.
The plot's owner indicated in 2011 that he'd be willing to sell the parcel of land for $120
million, andcity officials said the green space couldn't be finished because the city lacked
the funds to buy the CitiStorage tract.
In a statement, the Parks Department said that they would continue to take "substantive
steps toward the development of Bushwick Inlet Park’s additional parcels," and come June,
with the acquisition of another lot, they "will begin the important work of environmental
remediation at this former industrial site."
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Bushwick Inlet Park Supporters Demand That De Blasio "Live
Up To The Promise" (continued)
Mar 13, 2015
"I've been living in the neighborhood 15 years now, and I've seen a lot
of changes," said Mary Patterson, 38, a mom of two from Greenpoint,
in reference to the condos shooting up on the waterfront. "I've been
very excited about Bushwick Inlet Park, I've known about it for a
number of years, and I'm wondering when it's going to happen," she
said, holding her baby daughter Amy on her chest as her son Elliot
played at her feet. "I walk past the area every single day."
By 1.30 p.m., no more protesters were allowed to join the chanting
masses on the steps of City Hall. —"We're filled to capacity!" yelled
one man. "Where's our park?", "Flowers not towers", and reworded
lyrics to "This Land Is Your Land" backed up the speakers, which
included a range of community leaders, representatives from El Puente
and the United Jewish Organizations of Williamsburg and North
Brooklyn, and other elected officials.
"There's a green necklace around Manhattan. There's a green necklace
around Queens. We need it around Williamsburg and Greenpoint," said
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney. "[De Blasio] must keep the
promise of the prior administration."
The group who organized the rally, Friends of Bushwick Inlet Park,
encouraged residents to contact De Blasio to voice their displeasure,
and plan on holding another rally in the near future at the Bushwick
Inlet Park site.
Assemblyman Joe Lentol echoed the Congresswoman's call to hold the
current administration accountable for their predecessors. "[De Blasio]
will try to blame this on the Bloomberg administration," he said. "I
don't care if it's a prior mayor...We don't care about the money they
have to pay, they have to live up to the promise."
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Press
Brooklyn councilman: Build a park, not housing
City Councilman Stephen Levin will rally Thursday to protest the sale of any part of an 11-acre parcel
along the Williamsburg waterfront. The site was supposed to become an extension of Bushwick Inlet
Park.
City Councilman Stephen Levin wants to put a halt to developers' plans to build on an 11-acre parcel, worth hundreds of millions of dollars,
along the Williamsburg waterfront that the city promised to turn into a park.
Mr. Levin said he plans to hold a rally on Thursday on the steps of City Hall to call for the city to purchase the site and convert it to a park.
The new green space would become a part of Bushwick Inlet Park. The site is currently home to a warehouse owned and occupied by a filestorage business called CitiStorage that partially burned down last month.
"The city can’t afford not to do this," Mr. Levin said. "This speaks to the credibility of our local government and my credibility as a City
Council member whether we can do the things we say we're going to do."
Bushwick Inlet Park was created when Williamsburg was rezoned in 2005 and was seen as much-needed green space in the neighborhood
after high-rises were permitted along the water as a result of the zoning changes. The city built about five acres of the planned 28-acre park
just south of the warehouse. The warehouse, which is sandwiched by the existing park and another city-owned site to the north, is owned by
real estate investor Norman Brodsky. Mr. Brodsky operates CitiStorage at the site, a portion of which burned down in a fire in February.
Even before the fire, several major developers had circled the parcel amid rumors that Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration would endorse
a rezoning of the site to allow for residential development, including affordable housing, one of the mayor’s central initiatives. In return, a
developer would pay for the cost of the land and the construction of a park on it.
According to several sources familiar with the site, recent offers from investors reached well north of $250 million for the parcel.
Mr. Levin said he would not endorse such a development deal because it would mean the public would get a smaller park than originally
promised. “I like affordable housing, but that’s not something I would be interested in here for this site,” Mr. Levin said.
The City Council's blessing would be needed for the CitiStorage site to be developed because the land is zoned for manufacturing and
would require a public review process to permit residential construction. Without Mr. Levin's support, it's unlikely a rezoning would be
approved because generally the council champions the position of the local member.
Correction: The existing size of Bushwick Inlet Park is roughly five acres. The de Blasio administration may endorse a rezoning of the park.
These facts were misstated in a previous version of this article, published online March 10, 2015. Daniel Geiger
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The area, traditionally Polish, still retains that
flavor. Polish is spoken by customers at
traditional bakeries like Cafe Riviera, butchers
and pharmacies on Manhattan Avenue, the
main commercial strip. Although destination
restaurants have arrived in recent years, newer
residents still line up for kielbasa or pierogis
at Lomzynianka and Karczma Polish
Restaurant before a night out.The stylish bars
and restaurants clustered around the Nassau
Avenue subway station and near the rapidly
developing waterfront, including the minimalist
craft-beer hall Torst and the industrial-chic
restaurantGlasserie, are a particular draw for
younger residents and visitors.
“Everyone thinks Greenpoint is like a little
European town — it has that vibe,” said Victor
Wolski, a broker at Greenpoint Properties who
grew up in the area. “There are a lot of people
from overseas who buy in the neighborhood.
German, French and Polish families are still
buying in the neighborhood.”
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Stock is the name of the game—and the name of the restaurant, in its
English translation—at Le Fond, a new French bistro in the Greenpoint
neighborhood of Brooklyn.
“The term is important to the restaurant in that we have very Frenchstyle sauces,” chef and partner Jake Eberle said of his newly renovated
restaurant, which took over the space that pierogi hot spot Antek used
to occupy. Mr. Eberle begins all of his stocks with roasted chicken feet.
“I love them for the gelatin they create,” said Eberle, who studied at Le
Cordon Bleu and recently worked as the chef de cuisine at the Lambs
Club in Manhattan. “They give great body to the sauce.”1
He then adds beef or chicken scraps, depending on the stock, as not
wasting is also important to his restaurant’s ethos. Indeed, he said the
term le fond is also “cook slang” for the brown caramelized bits that
form at the bottom of a saucepan and are used in deglazing.
The stock is evident in most of the entrees, mainly one-pot dishes that
evoke a sort of home-cooked French cuisine.
Options include the Creek Stone hanger steak, served with potatoes á la boulangère, hen of the woods mushrooms and wilted spinach ($23)
or the white bean cassoulet with Rohan duck, berkshire pork belly and garlic sausage ($24).
On Tuesdays all bottles of wine are half off with the purchase of an entree.
Lighter fare is served during happy hour—daily from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.—where customers get half off house wines and Brooklyn tap beers.
Drinks pair well with the irresistibly buttery foie gras terrine with Cabernet gelée, hazelnut butter and poached pear ($16), a nice selection of
cheeses ($14) or a “bite” of smoked-char tartare ($4).
Combined, the small plates can make a meal.
—Rani Molla
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While some say Brooklyn’s northernmost neighborhood as
up-and-coming, others insist Greenpoint has already
arrived.
Historically a home to a large community of Polish families
and industrial warehouses, its proximity to Manhattan and
the trendy neighborhoods of Long Island City and
Williamsburg of which it borders have made Greenpoint a
desirable place for an increasing number of businesses to
set up shop.
“Twelve years ago I used to describe this as New York
City’s best-kept secret. The rent used to be low – but
when you create a great neighborhood the demand to live
here goes up,” said Joe Haines, 36, who works at Coco
66, a music venue on Greenpoint Avenue
He also previously lived in Greenpoint for more than 10 years.
A great bar scene and international cuisines are what Haines attributes to the noticeable increase in “foot traffic” on the neighborhood’s
main thoroughfares, such as Greenpoint and Manhattan avenues.
The quiet waterfront blocks in the west end of the neighborhood are increasingly coveted by real estate developers. Stunning views of the
city’s skyline are offered from places like Transmitter Park at West and Kent streets.
Palin Enterprises, for example, recently announced plans to construct a 39-story tower at 145-155 West Street. A nearby development site
was purchased by UK-based private equity firm Quandram Global for $45.5 million with plans to build at 161 West Street.
Other locals, like Andrew Orlowicz, 28, a writer, appreciate Greenpoint for its integrity and the charm it retained despite changes in the
neighborhood over the last few years.
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(Rendering of Proposed Development at 77-87 Commercial Street)
Construction on the first of two long-awaited parks along the Greenpoint waterfront is set to begin in 2015, spurred by money from the developers of two
massive residential projects on the waterfront that were approved last year. In preparation, the city's Economic Development Corp. issued a request for
proposals Friday, seeking a contractor who could begin roughly doubling the size of the one-acre Newtown Barge Park at the beginning of 2015, and
construction of the nearby, 2.5-acre Box Street Park one year later.
"We're very glad that these two major, open-space amenities that were committed to back in 2005 are finally moving forward," said City Councilman Stephen
Levin, D-Brooklyn. Plans for the parks were first floated when the gritty Williamsburg-Greenpoint waterfront was rezoned for residential development in
2005, yet cash to actually bring the greenspaces to fruition vanished. Fast forward to the end of last year, when two massive, controversial projects were
approved by the city. The developers of those complexes each contributed money to build the parks on top of millions in city capital dollars, albeit in
different ways.
The Park Tower group, which is behind the 5,500-unit Greenpoint Landing project, chipped in a total of $5.5 million to fund the construction of Newtown
Barge Park. The Chetrit Group, on the other hand, is expected to purchase air rights from the Box Street Park site for roughly $8 million, which will be used
to help fund construction. That site is currently occupied by a Metropolitan Transportation Authority parking lot, though the city is chipping in up to $10
million to move that facility to the Bronx, which is expected to happen at the end of 2015. Some of the park funding was increased as a result of last-minute
negotiations between Mr. Levin and the developers in December.
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'Tis the season for rooftop bars, and now the Land of Leeches has added a brand new one to its
repertoire. Northern Territory, an Australia-themed restaurant and bar, opened off the Nassau stop
about a month ago, and is offering up small plates, entrees, cocktails and a view of the Manhattan
skyline.
The eatery is run by the folks behind Berry Park, a beer hall and popular rooftop bar located just a
few blocks away on Wythe Ave. Inside, Northern Territory's a little smaller than its big sister, with
a few tables, booths and a long L-shaped bar that doubles as a dining counter. As is becoming de
rigueur in Northern Brooklyn, the restaurant boasts a rustic decor, with wood-paneled walls, dim
lighting and street art-esque wall art.
(Northern Territory, 12 Franklin Street)
Menu-wise, Northern Territory offers an assortment of small plates—grilled calamari ($10),
"chips" with with sweet chili & sour cream ($5), tomato and garlic bruschetta ($4)—and skewered
meats and veggies, like sirloin steak and onions ($5) and mint marinated lamb ($6). You can also
opt for larger entrees, with Down Under standouts including "fish in foil" served with rosemary
potato wedges ($16) and beef meat pies made by Aussie sandwich cafe Tuck Shop ($13). They've
got Australian, New Zealander and domestic beers on tap ($6-$8) and by the bottle ($7-$12), along
with an assortment of wines, and $11 specialty and classic cocktails.
Naturally, though, the real draw here is the rooftop. Though it's only a few floors above ground,
the roof boasts a solid view of Midtown and the Empire State Building; it has its own bar, and
there are about a dozen or so tables and booths for elevated boozing. We haven't quite hit solid 7080 degree weather, but once it happens, you can bet this rooftop will be packed—maybe it'll take
the heat off Berry Park and Williamsburg favorite Night of Joy nearby.
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The wheels are starting to turn on the construction of Greenpoint Landing – a mega-project that
will fill 20 acres of the Greenpoint waterfront with about 5,000 apartments.
Greenpoint Landing Associates, an entity of Manhattan-based developer George Klein's Park
Tower Group, has filed plans with the city Buildings Department for two relatively small
residential buildings – a prelude to planned towers of 30 to 40 stories at the site at Commercial
and West streets.
A Buildings Department plan exam is in process for a March filing by Handel Architects to
construct a six-story, 93-unit apartment building with about 2,500 square feet of commercial
space at 21 Commercial St. And this week, Langan Engineering applied for a permit to build a
sidewalk and curb at this location. The desolate fenced-in parking lot has jaw-dropping views of
the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and other jewels of the midtown skyline.
Architect’s Rendering of 33 Eagle Street
On April 1, the Buildings Department disapproved a plan exam for Handel Architects' filing for
the construction of a seven-story, 98-unit apartment building with about 1,500 square feet of
commercial space at 33 Eagle St. There's a new Langan Engineering application for a sidewalk
and curb construction permit for this site, too. The fenced-in vacant Eagle Street lot, which has
views of 1 World Trade Center, is right next to the city Department of Environmental
Protection's East River Sludge Storage Tank. The huge concrete tank will be torn down. Most of
Greenpoint Landing's high-rise apartment construction is as-of-right because of a 2005
Greenpoint-Williamsburg rezoning.
Greenpoint Landing – which includes affordable apartments, a park and space for a public
school – has been a long time coming. With big changes getting underway in Greenpoint, it's a
fitting moment to take a look at the cherished streetscapes of this once-mighty industrial
neighborhood.
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On Commercial Street, Future Site of Greenpoint Landing
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Nearly four years ago, Knitting Factory alums Joshua Richholt and Shay Vishwadia found the perfect space for a music venue-cum-beer hall in an industrial part
of North Brooklyn. This summer, their vision is finally becoming a reality. “I’m super excited,” Richholt told the Greenpoint Gazette. “We’re in the home
stretch.”
Instead of one space, they’ve created two and dubbed them The Wick and The Well. Brooklynites will be able to get their music fix at The Wick, an 8,000square-foot space that will offer food and drinks along with live performances from bands both big and small. Just next door is The Well, an expansive beer bar
and outdoor space with room for over 1,000 people. “We’re trying to keep it as a blank slate,” Richholt said, referring to The Well. “We called it the “public
house” because we didn’t want people to think it’s just a beer garden — the space lends itself to a bunch of different things.”
When this “public house” opens in May, bartenders will offer 60 beers on tap and 150 beers in bottles, mostly from New York breweries. The space is outfitted
with a full kitchen that will serve up comfort foods like pulled pork and barbecue chicken dreamed up by the guys who run the Lodge and Urban Rustic Food.
The backyard area will also feature a food truck.
Richholt envisions the The Wick as a “cornerstone of music” in the East Williamsburg/Bushwick neighborhood, which seems to be crawling with musicians
these days. “There are so many musicians in this neighborhood and so many artists,” he said. “It has such a great music scene.”
But while there are a few smaller music venues in the neighborhood, Richholt says there’s nothing as large The Wick. It works to their benefit that they’ve set
up shop in an industrial area, where they won’t have to deal with noise issues as they would in other areas.
Bringing the building up to code has been a long, stressful process, but Riccholt and Vishwadia were up to the challenge. They’re veterans of this line of work
after all: Together they have nearly 30 years of experience running music venues. They met while working at the Knitting Factory, but split off over three years
ago to get to work on The Wick and The Well. In that time, they’ve seen many smaller music venues open up in North Brooklyn, as more and more
establishments are priced out of Manhattan. It’s only natural they’d all end up in Brooklyn, Riccholt said.
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Home of Lena Dunham's character on the HBO show "Girls,"
Greenpoint is slightly safer and cheaper than neighboring
Williamsburg. There are a few parks and a whole lot of young people,
making this Brooklyn neighborhood a fun place to shop, drink, and eat.
The median rent in Greenpoint is $1,157 with residents averaging a
median income of $31,703. 14% of residents are 25 to 34 years old.*
*Methodology for Top Metro Areas from Niche Ink as reported by Business Insider reads as follows:
“The Top 25 Cities and Neighborhoods for Millenials ranks the top metro areas in the United States using
more than a dozen factors, including data from the U.S. Census, FBI crime rates, and proprietary Niche
rankings based on surveys of nearly 500,000 college students and recent grads over the last four years”
Click here for full methodology.
or
See article link here: http://ink.niche.com/methodology-25-best-places-live-millennials/
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