BREAKING: Underground Railroad House Spared

The Underground Railroad House at 227 Duffield Street will be spared from eminent domain and the wrecking ball. A press release has gone out from the owner and several groups working to save the building that the city “has pledged that it will not use eminent domain to condemn” the building and that it “has agreed to re-draw its plans for Downtown Brooklyn so that the condemnation of 227 Duffield Street will not be necessary.” The building is on the site of the proposed Willoughby Square Park atop a big underground garage that will serve some of the massive developments planned downtown. The city was planning a commemorative of the Underground Railroad. Could the shift indicate that after enduring bad publicity in what became a national story, the city might be planning a museum that would include an actual Underground Railroad structure? (The other buildings on Duffield aren’t involved in the agreement.) There will be a press conference on Monday. Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn has posted the press release.

Call for Independent Atlantic Yards Security Study Gets Louder

[Photo via Jonathan Barkey/pBase]

A broad-based group that includes local officials supporting the Atlantic Yards development renewed their call for an independent study of security at the planned arena at Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. Citing a setback that is only 20 feet in some places, the officials said a full public airing of issues is needed. Some of the strongest criticism actually came from arena supporters. “If they start talking about street closings, they will have unyielding opposition,” said Council Member David Yassky. “They will have two choices—push the building back, or close streets.” Atlantic Yards Report picks up the Yassky narrative:

“When the security thread is pulled, it may unravel a whole ball of yarn,” Yassky said, noting that security considerations in Lower Manhattan caused “serious changes” in building designs. McClure noted that the Freedom Tower had been moved back 90 feet from the original 25 feet after a security review.

Council Member Bill de Blasio, who is a candidate for Brooklyn Borough President and was a vocal supporter of the Atlantic Yards development said, according to AYR:

“I don’t think that people want to be baited and switched…We need an independent review that says there’s no need for street closings.” He said he had some hope that the administration of Gov. Eliot Spitzer would recognize the importance of transparency.

“The ball game’s not over,” he said, noting that subsidies and other issues must be resolved for the project to move forward. If the developer doesn’t behave more transparently, “then the future of their project is in danger,” he warned.

There is full coverage of the press conference in Atlantic Yards Report and by Jotham Sederstrom in the Daily News. A document by a security consultant says the developer has considered “in detail the ability of the structures to resist progressive collapse or to otherwise fail in a manner that could compromise life or interrupt facility operations.” The press release from the Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods, which sponsored the event, is here.

Meanwhile, on Dean Street Again: Buy Now

A sign of the times? Perhaps. Or just another Brooklyn come on. A GL reader spotted this on the construction fence in front of 47 Dean Street, which had a serious Stop Work Order issue until a couple of week ago. That’s all better now, but the owners of the building being advertised as being in pre-foreclosure could be another story. Act fast. It needs to be sold TODAY.

Minerva Stop Work Order Music Video

Here’s a Stop Work Order music video from Concerned Citizens of Greenwood Heights. It concerns 614 7th Avenue, aka the Minerva Building site. Their narrative:

Lots of shiny new DOB and DOT permits up …and what do we have here? TWO SWOs! Deplorable conditions on the site that includes TONS of garbage, tires, hazardous waste and a huge water filled (no longer mosquito producing) pit in the middle of the site. Seems DOB felt it was unsafe, let alone untidy! Stinky eyesore be gone! Minerva thanks you DOB…as do the residents. Category Code:* 73 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN

One has the sense this site–which is in disgusting shape–will continue to entertain in 2008, just as it has in previous years.

Roebling Oil Building Update: Warehouse 11 on the Market

The building that we’ve been waiting for–having been photographing and posting about the building site for more than year–is upon us. The Roebling Oil Building Warehouse 11 is on the market. It is “modern industrial design redesigned.” There are eight apartments listed so far and the opening screens of a website, a couple of screen shots of which we reproduce here. The marketing copy says that it was “created with a Whimsically Artistic, Outside-the-Lines Approach. Crisscrossing Chic Industrial and Sumptuous Modern in Williamsburg’s oh-so-sweet Bedford Avenue/McCarren Park location.” It goes on to say:

Life at Warehouse 11 is anything but by-the-book. Industrial sensibilities overlap with modern design, and decadent five-star amenities take the Lifestyle component to the most luxurious of levels. At Warehouse 11, you’ll be properly catered to by your attentive full-time doorman, seated in style in your modern gallery lounge, exercised to perfection in your state-of-the-art fitness center, spiritually awakened in your yoga garden, refreshingly wowed in the open-air rooftop sun deck. And for the little ones—they’ll be imaginatively inspired in the children’s playroom.

Amusingly, the website refers to the building perched atop the former (and cleaned up) Roebling Oil Field as W-11, which is one letter and 29 numbers away from WD-40. If you and the little ones want to see what the W-11 site looked like around this time last year, click here. Also, if the little ones are interested in learning about the “localized plume” of oil in vicinity (and the test wells in the sidewalk outside), in the words of a state Department of Environmental Conservation Official, you can click here and read them a bedtime story imaginative inspiration.

Brooklyn Nibbles: Tempo Presto Closure Edition

[Photo courtesy of aaronchamberlain/flickr]

There are Park Slope food & drink-related developments to report, with one being a closure and another being an opening:

1) It would appear that Tempo Presto on Seventh Avenue at Third Street is about to become Tempo Morto. First came the rumor: Tempo Presto is closing. Then came word on Brooklynian that a “For Lease” sign has been spotted in the window of the storefront that has gone through a number of incarnations. Says one poster on Brooklynian: “its not the place. its Michael Fiore. he brought down both Cucina and TP. Hopefully he will let the dream go and find another venue to torture his employees. I say good riddance.” Safe to say, then, that not everyone in the Slope was a convert, although many are mourning the potential loss of favorite sandwiches.

2) Beer Table is getting closer to opening further south on Seventh Avenue in the space formerly occupied by Tost. According to Beer Table’s website: “Beer Table is an intimate drinking and eating room that serves a daily selection of rare and special beers paired with an unusual assortment of snacks, preserved foods, and small meals.” Beer Table will be at 427B Seventh Avenue, which is between 14th and 15 Streets.

Williamsburg Rising: N. 5th and Berry

This is both the (artist’s version of) future and current state of the northwest corner of N. 5 Street and Berry in Williamsburg. The rendering is of 154 Berry, a six-story Karl Fischer building with 40 apartments. (The rendering was posted by Brownstoner back in late October.) The bottom photo is the construction as it appeared a couple of days ago.

Bklink: Dealing With Construction Next Door

“Say that you and your neighbors have been living a quiet, peaceful life on your tree-lined city block for years and years. Suddenly, you see construction workers digging in that vacant lot next to your condo or co-op building. So you go down to the city offices—or these days, go online—and find out that someone has bought the lot and filed plans to construct a new, taller building. Even if you’re not upset about having your vistas blocked by new development, what about the work itself? What can you do if there’s excessive noise or dust—or worse, problems like a broken water pipe or phone line?” Continue reading for some basic answers.–The Cooperator

Williamsburg Slice of Life: Siege of the Bulldozers

The subject of this thread on the Williamsboard caught our attention: “It’s Official! Williamsburg is now the worst place to live in N.Y.C.!!” Here’s the post that started the thread:

Woken up at 6:00 am because there’s bulldozers on 3 sides of my fucking apartment. Can’t find a god-damn parking space ‘cuz they’re takin up by the 100’s of construction workers whom are working on one of the Giganto-rectangular boxes on every fucking corner of every fucking block. Will the last person out please take the fucking flag!!!! This place is OVER!!!!

Nothing like a good Williamsburg construction rant to start the day.

Brooklinks: Friday End of November Edition

Brooklinks is a daily selection of Brooklyn-related information and images.

• Much to Note in Greenpoint [New York Shitty]
• Price Cuts at the Fusion in the South Slope [Brownstoner]
• Boro Park Gives Police Commissioner Warm Welcome [Sun]
• Cops Step Up Presence After Day Ridge Stabbings [Bay Ridge Rover]
• Nasty, Nasty Trash Problem [Kensington Brooklyn]
• Do People Litter Because It Feels Good? [Brooklyn Junction]
• First 110 Livingston Unit Up for Resale [110 Livingston Blog]
• 110 Livingston Building News [Dumbo NYC]
• Arts in Bushwick Open Spaces Sunday [New York Shitty]
• Brooklyn Films 1899-2007 @ the Brooklyn Historical Society [Brooklyn Skeptic]
• Coney’s Past, Present and Future with Charles Denson [Kinetic Carnival]
• Brooklyn Parrots on 15th Street [Brooklynometry]