Brooklyn Dems, Bagels, Redistricting, BQE, and the Best in America
NYT says the best restaurants in America are in Brooklyn, but we can't seem to win at our own Bagelfest. Today's rain is the sideshow of Hurricane Fiona that wreaked havoc in Puerto Rico on its way to Canada, dropping 20" of water. Adams administration is sending help. We are in the middle of Climate week and peak hurricane season. The surf is high, housing is scarce, and politics is a mess. Take care.
Politics
Can the Brooklyn Dems ever get their house in order? Yesterday was another epic show of - who knows what - Malfeasance? Misfeasance? Jeff Coltin had an intense thread on Twitter.
County Committee members have waited 90+ minutes to get into the #kcdcc2022 meeting. Not great! pic.twitter.com/OoF5dGZ8zG
— New Kings Democrats (@newkingsdems) September 22, 2022
But wait, there's more drama. When it comes to attempts to redistrict, the city's efforts are no less contentious than the state's. At today's meeting, the city's Districting Commission voted 8 to 7 against the proposed new maps for the city council districts. The commission will reconvene after the Rosh Hashanah holiday to hold a public meeting to deliberate on district lines, City & State reports. A final plan must be submitted to the City Clerk by Dec. 7, before next year's City Council elections.
Transit
Even though crime levels across the transit system are at about the same level as in 2019, and while ridership remains below pre-pandemic levels, the rush hour cars are pretty crowded as is - you don't need surveys to tell that.
However, the MTA still plans to install two security cameras in every subway car, Gov. Hochul announced this week, as well as additional cameras across the stations, funded with grants from the Department of Homeland Security and the Subway Action Plan, with a completion date sometime in 2025.
Streetsblog reports the city's Department of Transportation is a mess, with little chance of 'getting stuff done.'
And Mayor Adams would like to keep the BQE, after all. More meetings have been announced (dates at the link).
Real Estate
I skipped this section last week, so here goes. In Brooklyn, average rents are up 23.6 % compared to August 2021, and the rent stands at $3,976 a month, according to a report released today by Douglas Elliman. The median rent stands at $3,500, up 25%.
Affordable Housing
Now, compared to the above, some of what comes next may look like a steal, but at all of them, heat and hot water are extra, potentially significantly increasing the affordability of some units. The rent includes heat and hot water in the older buildings.
Broadway Triangle (Williamsburg, Bushwick, Bed-Stuy): Throop Corners, a 140-unit 100% affordable housing development at 88 Throop Avenue, and the first of five affordable housing developments planned, is underway.
But while that will take time to open, there are several affordable housing lotteries you can apply for in new developments in Brooklyn as well as citywide. Even middle-class families qualify.
Linden Terrace II (East NY)
1010 Bedford Avenue & 263 Skillman Street Apartments
1709 Park Place in Crown Heights/Brownsville
Luxury Residential
Developer TF Cornerstone has released new exterior renderings of 595 Dean Street, a two-building mixed-use development in the Pacific Park in Prospect Heights.
A new seven-story building is coming to 625 New York Avenue (between Rutland Road and Fenimore Street) in PLG/East Flatbush. Paperwork filed with the city proposes 45 residences and 28 parking spaces. An 11-story building is also coming by Winthrop Ave Station at 633 New York Avenue (between Fenimore Street and New York Avenue) and will have 75 residences and 39 parking spaces.
Commercial Real Estate
238 Conover Street in Red Hook was sold for $8 million. Zoned for manufacturing (M2-1), the 17,900 SF commercial/industrial building sits on a 12,800 SF lot at the corner of Van Dyke Street, on the same block as Liberty Warehouse, The Red Hook Winery, Steve's Authentic Key Lime Pie, and Strong Rope Brewery. No word yet on the buyer.
Food
Ahem, no Brooklyn bagels were among the winners at the Brooklyn Bagel fest, which I think can only be explained by the fact that few participated. Where were Shelsky's, Terrace Bagels, or Tasty Bagels, or ... ? Was the Bad Bagel bad? (I know, I know, we all have our favorites). Top honors went to PopUpBagels from Connecticut, again, which won a spot to operate out of DeKalb Market for a month and $20,000 for marketing.
Meanwhile, Bonnie's and Zaab Zaab of Brooklyn landed on the NYT list of America's Best Restaurants! It only lists 50, and just five were from NYC.
Back Alley Bread, a bakery that grew out of a Ditmas Park apartment during the pandemic and developed a loyal following in the neighborhood, is now operating a pop-up out of Greenpoint bar, the Mallard Drake at 43 Franklin Street. Can someone please help them find a permanent spot?
David Sheridan of Wheated, the excellent Ditmas Park pizza spot, is working on bagels. If they are as good as his pizza, PopUp Bagels should watch out, and Ditmas Park and Kensington residents should be excited. More soon.
Gabriel Stulman told Eater he's working on opening something at the old Black Iris spot (228 Dekalb Ave) in Fort Greene, where he moved from West Village.
Speaking of Fort Greene, the opening of Slutty Vegan (690 Fulton Street at Lafayette Ave C station) this weekend was quite something. The vegan burger (like Pecking House) has a cult following and long lines.
Greedi Vegan has opened another location at 326 Tompkins Ave in Bed Stuy, and Hartbreakers, another vegan spot, has moved to 313 Knickerbocker Ave. in Bushwick.
