Justin Mitchell

Vacancies High As Flatbush Avenue Navigates Changing Demographics

Cookie’s Department Store is one of the shopping highlights on the Flatbush Avenue BID. (Justin Mitchell/Bklyner)FLATBUSH – The wave of rapid development sweeping over Brooklyn is hitting the Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District, but that does not make it immune to the issues facing other neighborhoods that we

bergen beach

Slow Progress on Surge Barriers, Surge Gates and Other Flood Mitigation Measures For Southern Brooklyn

The Army Corps of Engineers gives a presentation on its ongoing study on protecting the region from severe storms. (Justin Mitchell, BKLYNER).CANARSIE – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shared its latest report on an ongoing study about how to best improve New York and New Jersey’s defenses

Bay Ridge

As Bay Ridge Frets About Vacant Businesses, Officials Search for Answers

Vacant storefronts on 86th Street in Bay Ridge on February 28, 2019. (Justin Mitchell/BKLYNER).BAY RIDGE – Last December, City Councilmember Justin Brannan wrote an Op-Ed [https://brooklynreporter.com/2018/12/guest-op-ed-store-for-rent/]giving voice to widespread concern in his district, which covers Bay Ridge, Bath Beach and parts of Dyker

Bay Ridge

De Blasio Announces NYC Ferry Service For Coney Island – in 2021

NEW YORK – Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Thursday that Coney Island will finally get ferry service as part of a Coney Island-Bay Ridge-Manhattan route. “Every day millions of us lose minutes, sometimes hours, just getting to work or to school or wherever we have to be,” de Blasio said during

Business

City Council Passes Awnings Act, What You Need To Know If You Have A Storefront

Signs were taken down throughout the city by business owners fearing fines. (Photo: Justin Mitchell/BKLYNER).City Councilmember Rafael Espinal’s Awnings Act [https://legistar.council.nyc.gov/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3458219&GUID=B0C7E025-D09E-4A05-A48B-7BCB7EBE7E33&Options=&Search=] overwhelmingly passed the City Council Wednesday, providing relief to small businesses throughout Brooklyn, especially

Food & Drink

Bookery Cafe Brings Coffee, Books And Pastries To Sunset Park

The Bookery is located at 462 36th St in Sunset Park. (Photo: Justin Mitchell/BKLYNER).SUNSET PARK — Near Greenwood Cemetery, nestled in a glass-lined space just off Sunset Park’s 5th Avenue business corridor sits Bookery, a recently-opened coffee shop with a literary bent. “I am the type of person

community

Sheepshead Bay Church Calls For Donations To Help Repairs

The Sheepshead Bay United Methodist Church is adding support to its steeples and doing extensive internal and external renovations. (Photo: Justin Mitchell/BKLYNER).SHEEPSHEAD BAY – The Sheepshead Bay United Methodist Church is asking for the community’s help. With its 150th birthday looming this year, the church, located at 3087

bath beach

Openings And Closings South Of Prospect Park

It’s easy to lose track, so we have compiled the openings from this fall, roughly south of the Park. Please do let us know whom we missed in the comments. OPENINGS: Tanoshii Ramen, 7718 5th Avenue, Bay Ridge This ramen place had a soft opening in December. The management

Big Story

Espinal’s Signage Bill Finalized With Vote Expected Next Week

City Councilmember Rafael Espinal speaks in front of City Hall on December 5. (Justin Mitchell/BKLYNR).City Councilmember Rafael Espinal’s bill to provide relief from the signage crisis sweeping the city [/merchants-take-down-signs-as-panic-over-fines-sweeps-city/] has been finalized, his office said Thursday. Espinal introduced the Awnings Act to combat onerous signage fees

Development

Sheepshead Bay Church Hopes To Wrap Up Repairs By Early 2019

The iconic steeples of the Sheepshead Bay United Methodist Church are undergoing repairs. The entrance to the adjacent Russian Orthodox St. John the Forerunner Cathedral is at the right. (Justin Mitchell/BKLYNER).SHEEPSHEAD BAY – Passers-by may notice the cables propping up the steeples to a church at the corner of

Business

City Council, Including Espinal and Menchaca, Supported 2017 Bill Raising Penalty On Violation Fueling Signage Crisis

Councilmembers Rafael Espinal (left) and Carlos Menchaca (right). (Justin Mitchell/BKLYNER).BROOKLYN — Despite being out front handling Brooklyn residents’ confusion and outrage [/officials-take-action-amid-outrage-over-signage-fines/] over a wave of signage violations sweeping the city in recent months [/merchants-take-down-signs-as-panic-over-fines-sweeps-city/], City Councilmembers Rafael Espinal and Carlos Menchaca both sponsored a bill last year that

Bay Ridge

Officials Take Action Amid Outrage Over Signage Fines

Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams speaks in front of City Hall on Wednesday, December 5, 2018. (Justin Mitchell/BKLYNER).NEW YORK – From City Hall to Sunset Park, city officials scrambled this week to help constituents caught up in the wave of sign and awning violations sweeping the city, [/merchants-take-down-signs-as-panic-over-fines-sweeps-city/] which

Business

Owners Promise KarVér Brasserie & Bakery Cafe Will Be Back, But Different

KarVer around its opening in August 2017. (File).BROOKLYN – Just over a year after opening in Sheepshead Bay [/karver-bakery-cafe-opens-sheepshead/], KarVér Brasserie & Bakery Cafe has closed at that location and another on Livingston Street that just opened earlier this year. [/karver-korilla-open-outposts-downtown-brooklyn/] The owners say they will be back, but in a

Bay Ridge

Merchants Take Down Signs As Panic Over Fines Sweeps City

Salahi Deli’s new sign has a deeper backstory. Justin Mitchell/Bklyner.BROOKLYN – A local business in Ditmas Park got an eye-catching new look last week, when Salahi Deli substituted the awning it had used as a sign for almost three decades with a graffiti-style design painted directly onto its

Bensonhurst

Brooklyn’s Street Homeless Raise Worries, But Officials Warn It’s A Long Haul

Several street homeless men huddle together in Borough Park as it snows on Thursday, November 15. (Justin Mitchell/Bklyner).BOROUGH PARK – As the first snow of winter 2018 dumped on Borough Park Thursday afternoon, a handful of men stood huddled beneath a small awning at 61st Street and Ft. Hamilton

Bensonhurst

Garbage-Dumping Creates Eyesore Along The Train Tracks

Piles of trash are an ongoing problem on this strip of 61st Street between 8th and 15th Avenues. (Justin Mitchell/Bklyner).BOROUGH PARK / SUNSET PARK – Food containers, industrial lights, protective diapers, tiles—one stretch of the sidewalk next to the tracks carrying the N-train through southwest Brooklyn is an ongoing

Business

Socceroof Opens 10 Fields In Sunset Park

Patrons attend Socceroof’s opening party on November 1 in Sunset Park. (Justin Mitchell/Bklyner).SUNSET PARK – Socceroof [https://www.socceroof.com] threw its grand opening party in Sunset Park Thursday night. The brand new facilities feature 10 fields, a bar and a rooftop view of the Statue of Liberty

Bay Ridge

6 Years After Sandy, Brooklyn Still Vulnerable To Storms

Mild flooding over the weekend renewed worries about how well Brooklyn would weather another Sandy-like storm. (Photo by Susanna Stein).Hurricane Sandy slammed into New York City six years ago Monday, causing 43 deaths and $19 billion in widespread devastation [http://www.nyc.gov/html/sirr/downloads/pdf/final_report/

Dyker Heights

DOT Studies Dyker Heights Intersection, Residents Worry It Will Take Forever

A student crosses the street at 81st Street and 11 Avenue Wednesday after school. Justin Mitchell/Bklyner.DYKER HEIGHTS – Students joyfully poured out of IS 201 in Dyker Heights Wednesday afternoon, heading home after another day of school. But many of them would need to be careful. The intersection at

Bay Ridge

After $2 million to repair cave-ins along Shore Road Promenade, CB10 to request a proper study

The Shore Road Promenade and Bicycle Path runs 4.5 miles along New York Harbor. Photo: Justin Mitchell/Bklyner.BAY RIDGE – The Brooklyn District 10 Community Board voted Monday to request a study of the Shore Road Promenade and Bicycle Path infrastructure, citing “recurring cave-ins threatening public safety.” The request

Business

New Karaoke Bar Set To Open In Sunset Park

Euphoria will open up at this site near the 8th Ave stop on the N subway line. Photo: Justin Mitchell/Bklyner.SUNSET PARK – Brooklyn’s District 10 Community Board voted Monday night to recommend the State Liquor Authority approve a liquor license for Euphoria, a new karaoke bar at 834

Bay Ridge

Orion’s Belt Liquor License Delayed Over No Quarter’s Reputation

No QuarterBAY RIDGE – The Brooklyn Community Board 10 voiced deep concerns about whether to recommend a liquor license for Orion’s Belt, a bar looking to open at 8015 5th Avenue in Bay Ridge – the former location of No Quarter, but voted to give the prospective owners the opportunity to