The City Needs Money…

The City has been actively monitoring local restaurants and watering holes…  I know Moe’s capacity has not been limited to 75 people and the buildings owner has to apply for a public assembly license in order for the occupancy limit to be increased.  75 people is not near capacity and they were turning people away last night.  Not me of course but other people that don’t put in all the quality time there that I do.

Habana Outpost has been shut down due to health code violations.  If they don’t get their act together today they will most likely be closed on what would have been one of their busiest weekends of the year.   Habana closed, combined with Moe’s limited capacity will result in a serious lack of nightlife options this weekend.  Looks like the house parties and bbq’s will be on and poppin’…

Although I have a good source, I haven’t confirmed the information on Habana.   Moe’s capacity is definitely limited to 75 for the next week or two until the proper papers are filed with the City.

Maybe now we’ll get a grocery store…

Now that John Catsimatidis has realized he has no chance against King Mike the Third and dropped out of the mayoral race (surprise, surprise) maybe he can finally focus on finally providing a grocery store for the residents on Myrtle Avenue.  The City is pushing for more grocery stores so hopefully there will be something to replace the store that was torn down at the beginning of the real estate boom.  Many low-income, elderly and infirmed in the area have to place to go to buy food.  Maybe all the protests will finally make developers focus on something other than luxury condos and rentals.  There are other consumers in this neighborhood (at least for now)…

Brunch?

I tend to like a late brunch… Somewhere between 1:30 and 3:00. I prefer to miss the crowds but people keep telling me that’s ridiculous and I need to make it out earlier… What about you?

For an old post on brunch in Fort Greene look here…  Since that post was written we’ve got some impressive (and some not so impressive) newcomers.  Kif (my favorite), General Greene (better for brunch than dinner), Catherine Caffe, Bati and others I’m probably forgetting.

Review – Picnic

I’ve been convinced to keep the blog up…  That being said I will most likely post less frequently.  Anyway, I wanted to give my review of Picnic, the new spot next to Thirst on Dekalb.

I like the ambiance of the store and my whiting on ciabatta was excellent.   My smoothie wasn’t great but it wasn’t bad.  The two cost me $14 which is an expensive lunch in the neighborhood but acceptable.  The service was friendly, the music was good.

That being said I’m not sure I understand the store’s strategy.  They sell sandwiches, salads, juices and smoothies.  They have a cooler with some things that you should see at a nice sandwich/salad shop such as Pellegrino and juices, but they also have arugula, some type of rutabaga looking vegetable  and a few other things.   I just don’t see anyone going there to buy vegetables, especially when they only offer 2 or 3.    The Korean market on Dekalb & Clermont offers a much better variety.  Why are they trying to compete?

In additional they have random things such as incense, essential oils, kites, children’s books, etc.  I actually have less of an issue there as many of these items are created by neighborhood residents and many are connected to the picnic theme.  With it’s proximity to the park kites and picnic blankets make sense.  They are high margin items that customers will look at and hopefully buy as they wait for their food.

My advice…  You’ve focused too much on style (per the owner’s fashion background at Triple5Soul) .  The fruits and vegetables display well and bring a sense of freshness but nobody is coming in to do their vegetable shopping.   Make your menu clearer and easier to read.  Expand your list of salads.  Good salads are one of the few things we still don’t have in this area.  Focus on what you’re good at where you don’t have competition.  High end sandwiches, salads, juices – Yes.  Interesting tchotchkes – Yes.  Fruits & Vegetables – No.  Opening a little earlier to take advantage of the morning commute crowd – Yes.

Re-Post: Can Ft Greene Maintain its Cool?

Here’s another post from June 2008…  How can we as a community do a better job of managing the changes happening around us?  A few of my thoughts on how Fort Greene can “maintain it’s cool”.

How can a neighborhood maintain it’s “cool” in a time of rapid gentrification/”mallification”? This post references my earlier “Has Ft. Greene Gotten Too Cool” post. I’ve been reading the Vanishing NY blog and I’m a little worried. As the prospects for Atlantic Yards dim I’m trying to keep hope alive. It’s not too late to save Ft. Greene from the “mallification of NYC”!

Luckily we have a few things going for us…

1. Landmark status – severely limits what developers can build, limiting the possibilities of big box stores (Target, Best Buy, etc.) who prefer new construction

2. Zoning – In the past Ft. Greene/Clinton Hill was zoned R6. Construction of tall apartment buildings without a height limitation was permitted (ex. Greene House condos). As of July 2007 a 99 block area from roughly Flushing to the north, Ashland to the west, Fulton to the south and Classon to the east (with some exceptions for commercial overlays) has been rezoned. 84 of those blocks (85% of the total) have been rezoned R6B. This means any new construction must “reflect the prevailing brownstone character of these areas”.

3. History – Ft. Greene has been a place of diversity for a long time. Whether it’s jazz musicians, authors or investment bankers the neighborhood has seen it’s fair share. I really hope that won’t change.

4. Strong neighborhood organizations. The Pratt Area Community Council (PACC), Business Improvement Districts on Myrtle & Fulton (BIDs), The Fort Greene Association, etc.

So how do we maintain our cool? While I worry about gentrification it’s an economic phenomena that will not change. If I buy a building I want to maximize my investment by charging the highest rent the market will bear. I understand that. I don’t see landlords as greedy. It’s business, not personal. That being said I hate seeing businesses like 7 Corners Hardware, 4W, Little India, Keur N’Dye leave the neighborhood. Here are my thoughts on trying to maintain the neighborhood’s “cool”. The fact that none of these locations has found a stable long term tenant tells me that they may be asking too much already. $7500/month for Little India? That’s a big chunk of change…

1. Public/Private Partnerships. Local government (i.e. Tish James/Hakeem Jeffries, Ed Towns is a waste of time) should work with local organizations (i.e. PACC, and the various BIDs) to identify local entrepreneurs and help them get up and running with consulting advice and inexpensive capital. One example was Bodegas. Great idea but the entrepreneur was overextended and had other issues. Something similar can work.

2. Private Markets for Property Acquisitions. By identifying local buyers for properties we can insure that the people who own buildings want to invest in the community, not just the building. There are plenty of local buyers willing to pay market price for properties. Let them trade in a private, local market for a while. If there are no bidders at the reasonable price point make it publicly available.

3. Less publicity. Don’t tell your friends how cool your neighborhood is. Don’t invite anyone outside of BK to meet you at Habana or Stonehome. Don’t write a blog   Tell them BAM is overrated. Definitely skip the Brooklyn Flea. I figure they will read this so for the record, I like Brownstoner. That being said, I blame them for some of the PR that went into bringing all these “tourists” to our neighborhood, put the flea market out near the Navy Yard or something. They need the foot traffic (and the parking is better).

4. Crime. Keep a few crack houses around. Nothing like a little Brooklyn crime to keep the hood a little gully. Gotta keep people on their toes. Slightly depresses property values but keeps those who are scared of the dark side of the city out of the neighborhood. No violent crime, just petty stuff.

Okay the last two points were jokes (ok not the publicity one but definitely the crime one). Anyway I figured I’d put some random thoughts down since this is always a hot topic…

What are your thoughts?

Talented Locals…Therapeutic Massage

I want to recognize talented locals who offer services I can recommend with full confidence.  One of these talented locals is Jessica Carter.  She is offers therapeutic massage and can make all the stress and anxiety of your hectic life disappear (at least for an hour or so that is).

I get older, I’m slowly but surely beginning to appreciate more holistic approaches to health and well being.   Jessica has opened my mind to an entirely different way of thinking.  Maybe it’s the fact she grew up in California or that she’s the daughter of a massage therapist…  Either way I highly recommend her service.  Check out her website for more information…

The End is Near…

May 10 marks the 1 year anniversary of this blog and sadly the end of the line…  I’ve enjoyed interacting with many of the readers and I’m sure we’ll cross paths in some other forum.  As I mentioned last week, I’ll display some of the most popular posts over the past year but after June 1 I’ll probably take the content down.  I’ve decided to decrease my digital footprint…  At least for now.

Re-Post:Has Fort Greene become “too cool”?

Now that we are approaching the one year anniversary of this blog I’ve decided to re-post a few of the most read items each Friday in May…  After seeing the crowds on the street last weekend this one is definitely still relevant.

Change is inevitable but has the neighborhood become so popular it’s no longer cool?   Has gentrification killed its soul?  Has it’s new designation as a “destination neighborhood” destroyed the local vibe?  Or is the Fort Greene renaissance still in effect? Have these changes improved the area?  Are people foolish to worry about something that has been a part of NYC since the Dutch…  Change?  My next re-post discusses some of my thoughts on how the neighborhood can “maintain it’s cool”.

What are your thoughts?

This was originally posted in June 2008.

On Saturday night I got a text from an acquaintance who lives on the Upper West Side… They were coming to Brooklyn to check out Madiba, Habana Outpost and The Hideout. Normally I wouldn’t be concerned but it made me think… Has Fort Greene become “too cool”? Is the neighborhood too popular? Has it lost that “it” factor that makes neighborhoods hot? Now my friends who have lived here forever have been saying this for years. They consider the “classic” Fort Greene period as 1988-1998. Have the changes over the years now hit a critical mass which will kill the vibe of the neighborhood? Will its popularity drive up rents/leases destroying the socioeconomic diversity associated with Fort Greene?

I don’t really have an answer to this question but I do think certain spots that used to be in my weekend lineup are totally out of the question. Habana Outpost? Are kidding me? Maybe on a Monday night… Moe’s on weekend night? As Whitney would say, hell to the naw. Brunch at Maggie Brown? Nope.

I find myself hanging out in random spots in Red Hook or Crown Heights or Sunset Park to escape the throngs during the weekend. I guess I’m used to thinking of Brooklyn as my escape from all the hustle and bustle of the city. Now I’m starting to feel as if the city followed me home. Maybe we just need more supply to meet the growing demand, maybe it’s just summer, maybe I need a vacation… Luckily we still have our tree-lined brownstone blocks but I’m wondering if things will continue to change as more and more people move to the neighborhood…

What are your thoughts?