Storm Causes Some Excitement in the South Slope

Yesterday’s big rainstorm caused some excitement in the South Slope. The photos above and below were shot and posted by f.trainer who also produces the excellent Food of the Future blog. He emailed us to say:

lots of carnage on 20th street between 6 and 7th aves this afternoon. around 1pm they closed of the street after a tree fell onto a car on the other side of the street. not sure how it fell over but there was a pretty massive lightning strike right before that. but that could be unrelated…oh and also a light pole had been knocked down just down the street. from the looks of it, it seems like the pole may have been struck by a firetruck turning around or backing down the hill.

Photo below.

UPDATE: The pole came down because, per an email we got, “a firebox cable strung from streetlight to streetlight got caught in the tree’s branches, and when the tree went, so did the streetlight.”

Brooklyn Crack: South Slope Crack Building Rising

Followers of construction-related mayhem in the South Slope might recall the South Slope Crack Building. It’s formally known as 406-408 15th Street and has caused an exceptional amount of upset among neighbors as well as such severe damage to a neighboring building that it had to be evacuated in the summer of 2006. Well, the Crack Building is slowly rising (though not as much as one would think, given how long it’s been going on) and the damage to 1504 Eighth Avenue has been covered up. The five-story building (which will have 27 units) has generated a mindboggling 104 complaints to the Department of Buildings and construction is far from over.

Brooklyn Nibbles: Park Slope/Gowanus Openings

1) We assume the new cafe at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Carroll Street on the Gowanus side of the tracks is still going to be called Brooklyn Bean, although the mural on the plywood has come down revealing the storefront. It’s of interest because the Fourth Avenue Brooklyn Bean is not related to the Atlantic Avenue and we’ve been wondering if there was a legal War of the Beans, uh, brewing in the background.

2) A reader writes that a new barbecue spot is going to be opening on Third Avenue and Sixth Street in Gowanus. We don’t know if this is a new location for a South Slope/Greenwood Heights restaurant that is said to be closing. In any case, our tipster writes: “We were walking our son to daycare this morning and noticed that on 3rd and 6th (I think)–across from the big commercial project with the blue plywood fence–the brick building on the corner with the corrugated metal doors had ‘Brick Oven Barbe-QUE Coming Soon‘ written on them. It wasn’t there yesterday. We’re psyched.”

3) Work is progressing on Bar Toto’s sister establishment, which will be opening at Third Avenue and Ninth Street in a space that looks like it’s going to be quite nice. It’s named Bar Tano and will feature a long zinc bar, pressed tin wall and grilled pizzas. The same reader who informs about the barbecue spot says that the new restaurant “is set to open in the next few weeks apparently.” If a couple of more eateries open, does it mean that Third Avenue is the new Fourth Avenue?

Bklink: The South Slope Royals

“On the corner of 15th and 8th you find the Royal businesses, the Royal Deli on the South East side of the intersection and the Royal Supermarket on the North East. The Royal Supermarket was just gutted and revamped, it is now brighter, cleaner and more spacious inside. The people who work their seem a little more cheerful, I hope they are enjoying the overhaul…”–Broolynometry

Bklink: South Slope Slurpees

We’ve been watching the building being renovated at Fifth Avenue and Thirteenth Streets wondering what would go there, and now we know: a 7-11. It’s unclear how widely the news has spread in the neighborhood or whether the 7-11 will be welcomed or greeted with derision. Chains and bank branches have been slowly opening on this stretch of Fifth Avenue.–Brownstoner

Street of Blinding Light in the South Slope

Ever wonder why people can become somewhat desperately angry when a new building rises in their midst? The tall building at 162 Sixteenth Street in the South Slope, called the VUE, has been one of the most contentious new buildings to go up in all of Brooklyn. Even posts about the building tend to develop into long back-and-forths between neighborhood residents and commenters that are clearly tied to the either the developer or those selling units.

We say all that as background for the following email we got from Concerned Citizens of the South Slope about the very, very bright lights in the parking lot behind the new condo which are now lighting up their lives and probably making it possible to read in one’s bedroom without turning anything on. Residents are frustrated because they say that no city agency seems interested in the problem and that the Department of Buildings, with whose actions or lack thereof they have taken issue on many occasions, is basically saying that a building that turns night into day isn’t their problem. Here’s the email we got:

Attached please find a photo taken from the back yard of one of the houses that adjoin the parking lot for 162 Sixteenth Street. Aka as the VUE, designed…The first question that is usually asked is – What is that? Could it be UFO’s are landing in Brooklyn? No! It’s just the lights that glare into in the back of about 30 houses that adjoin the parking lot of 162 Sixteenth Street.

The next question is always – That can’t be allowed… Why don’t you just report it so the City will make them remove (or replace) them? Guess what? It has been reported. The DEP says it’s not their responsibility and the DOB says that it “has no rules or regulation govern the type of light fixtures that should be used.”…It’s important to note that the DOB took a picture of the light fixture in the middle of the day. Not at night.

The adjoining neighbors have asked every elected and appointed official for help. To date nothing has or, it seems, will be done to stop this quality of life, abuse.
Is it true that in the most taxed City in the USA, there is no city (or state) agency responsible for this kind of abuse? If not then – Does anyone know who’s responsibility it is to address these issues?

A superb question. Perhaps the Borough President’s Office or the local City Council Member could supply everyone on 16th Street with blackout curtains? Possibly special ones with the Borough Seal and/or the City Council Seal?

Rumor Watch: Big Development Taking Shape in South Slope?

The big strip of new developments and construction sites on 16th Street in the South Slope (that’s “Suite Sixteen” in the photo above) may be getting a new addition. Via the South Slope news group:

Rumor on the street is Ganmar electronics is sold to the developer currently building next door, as well as the one almost finished across the street. Anyone know this for a fact?

I am worried now because they may be pressuring the owner of the parking lot next to ganmar (and the building associated with it) into selling as well. If that lot is sold, it will result in a huge footprint to build on.

The business in question is at 224 16th Street (which is near Sixth Avenue), and the parking lots are at 220 and 222 16th Street. Notes neighborhood activist Aaron Brashear: “I don’t think I can handle any more construction work on this block.” Will the last original building left standing on 16th Street below Sixth Avenue turn out the lights?

Bklink: They’re Really Calling It "Sun Slope"?

When we saw this yesterday, we couldn’t get it out of our minds: A six-unit condo on Sixth Avenue with an awful history (including the death of a worker) is trying to market itself as being in “Sun Slope.” Dear God.–Brownstoner

Park Slope Vue Petition Endorsed by Community Board

That petition about the quality of life and development issues surround the Park Slope VUE at 162 16th Street was taken to Community Board 7 this week and the board is reported to hve voted unanimously to endorse the petition. Activist Aaron Brashear has sent out this email:

Bo Samajopoulos, representing the Concerned Citizens of the South Slope community group, gave testimony in regs to the on-going quality of life issues surrounding the development of 162 16th Street (aka the VUE) and the long-standing illegal work on the site that has continued for 3 + years…[The community] is asserting the DOB has willingly worked with the developer (Issac Katan)/architect (Bricolage Design) to “fix in the mix” any outstanding issues with the project. It is possible some of these issues (many dealing with open space=less FAR=less stories on the building) were never correct prior to the rezoning in November 2005, thus the building is illegal and should have 5 floors take off. Bo’s testimony, as well the the petition, is asking for help and oversight from CB7 and all local and State elected officials.

On behalf of CB7, Randy Peers, CB7 chair, accepted the 200+ written and on-line signatures. While there was some discussion about the petition, the Board unanimously voted to endorse the petition.

More to follow.

South Slope’s "Vue" Petition Goes Online

Like any good Brooklyn neighborhood effort, the one to ask for “responsible and lawful development” in the South Slope and at 162 16th Street (aka the Vue) quickly morphed into an online effort. As to the Vue, the iPetition says:

Please help ensure the safety and security of our community in the face of the disregard demonstrated by the developer, Barry Katz/Issac Katan of 162 16th Street, Brooklyn, NY aka “VUE.” Our points outline above in this multi-neighborhood petition are outlined as specific examples of the illegal activity that Mr. Katz and Mr. Katan have violated, destroying the quality of life of our community at 162 16th Street, Brooklyn, NY. (92 311 complaints / 18 DOB violations / 14 ECB violations / Countless “stop work orders).

Mr. Katan, whose projects and tactics have not endeared him to some residents in the South Slope is also one of the developers behind the massive New Domino proposal in Williamsburg. The entire petition can be viewed and/or signed by clicking here.