Open Thread Wednesday

By on March 30, 2022 10:00 am in open thread

What’s on your mind? Comment away!

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  • Andrew Porter

    I love those bronze lights outside the bank on Montague, Claude!

    Here’s a view of the Heights showing the destruction of the vast network of elevated trains that once fed into the train across the Brooklyn Bridge. At left, the Fulton Street elevated, with the spur to the Fulton Ferry; the spur that connected to the trains onto the BB, and the trainyard (now the Cadman Plaza Park) itself.

    At far right, the Old Post Office. Everything above it and most structures to its left were demolished. Only the Gair Industrial Complex in the distance still remains. Also, all structures to the left of the Fulton Street elevated were also demolished.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/f1d4a481ba5179d2f0e963dc79efa494f07ee12b3845cde2259e4bf9bcb7ec37.png

  • Banking customer

    Is the Citi branch moving from its building on Montague?

  • A neighbor

    Yes, on June 10 the branch at 181 Montague is closing. It will reopen, down the block,
    at 195 Montague on June 15th.

  • Historic District

    What’s happening to the building. They have a gorgeous lobby.

  • CassieVonMontague

    Jonathan Rose Companies acquired the property with plans to convert the building into either condominiums or rentals, but that was before it was landmarked, so there could be a change of plans,

    They partner with Bedrock which did the condo conversion of the top floors of Chase next door.

    https://www.bedrockllc.com/portfolio-items/the-citibank-building/

  • HunterGreenSpartan

    Did anyone around Henry and the Fruit Streets happen to hear/be woken up by what sounded like a VERY upset woman screaming insane profanities this morning? Woke me up around 5:30-5:45am

  • Banet

    I’m pretty sure the interior was landmarked as well so I’m not sure how they can make apartments in there. Even if they could gut the interior, how do they get workable floor plans in such a deep building? A big central courtyard I suppose?

  • CassieVonMontague

    Not only deep, but it’s offset. If you walk through, you’ll notice the Montague side is slightly misaligned with the Pierrepont side. But they somehow stuck condos on top of the Chase building, so who knows?

  • Alex

    Probably the worsening homeless situation making its way into the Heights.

  • Andrew Porter

    Didn’t hear a thing. And I’m a very light sleeper. But I also never heard the screeching of the infamous 75 Henry Street bird alarm.

  • Andrew Porter

    The really stupid and wasteful thing is that the place was Bank Santander’s offices until they downsized and moved up the street a few doors.

    So a perfectly good bank interior was demolished, then is being rebuilt as … a bank interior.

  • nomcebo manzini

    That’s 101 Clark, sir. No relation.

  • Erik

    I’m on Orange Street, I didn’t hear her this week but I’m sure I’ve heard the same person doing exactly that on multiple occasions, I want to say over the past couple of months at least.

  • JaneonOrange

    I looked out the window on Orange two days ago because a woman was walking down the street screaming.

  • nomcebo manzini

    It’s always a good time to remember that B.Hts has been largely free of anything other than the occasional psychotic individual. WNYC discussed “encampments,” and said that they were being defined as essentially “non-code” [which, of course, doesn’t begin to touch on their awfulness, for those who live in them] sleeping places. I’m not out late at night, but the only one I’ve seen is on Atlantic Avenue under the BQE bridge near BBP.

    I’m no fan of Mayor Adams, but this is probably an even worse “card” for him to hold than crime. There’s plenty of smarts AND money in and near S.F., and they’ve been losing ground on that front for 50 years.

    That same Brian Lehrer segment pointed out the 5 out of (roughly) 500 people agreed to City shelters when the NYPD and Sanit. Dept. basically uprooted them in the “sweep” earlier this week.

  • Chris Smith

    Fascati & Fortune House sold! (And the 3rd 1 story operation where they used to sell shawarma, too.)

    Apparently, the ink is barely dry, so an employee of one of the affected businesses asked me not to identify him by name. The buyer is thought to be Fortis, an outfit known to relish court fights about things like allowable heights of their buildings. Before you conclude that the newest building in the area – Henry & Orange – is as high as they can go, consider the building a block away (Henry & Cranberry.) Or even the 6-story 72 Orange that actually is adjacent to the lot where the building will be erected.

    Actually, my source says that he thinks they bought some air rights and are looking to go 12 stories high. Mayor Adams on a couple of occasions helped builders get their way in exchange for campaign contributions, and he’s still smarting from having come in fourth in the Heights last November.

    Gotta hope that Lincoln Restler and the BHA are ready to roll up their sleeves and fight this. It’s no “Olymbia,” to be sure – and the buildings it’ll replace border on being eyesores – but it certainly will alter the character of the North Heights.

  • Save Fascati

    Is that in the historic district? How can they do a tear down?

    We can’t lose Fascati — a 50 year neighborhood institution. Where will I go for pizza now???

  • Bill Rockland

    Rumors of new subway stop near Brooklyn Bridge Park! I have a friend who works at the Transit Authority, and he tells me that the studies have been done, and it’s been deemed feasible to put a stop on the “C” line at Cranberry & Willow, approximately.

    He says that they’re modeling it after the one one stop away at High Street, in that it will have 2 exits at opposite ends of the station. The one nearer the water will enable visitors to the park to get to it essentially at sea level, but an elevator will take others to the “Heights entrance/exit” near Willow Street.

    Apparently, when they were doing the post-Sandy repairs on the Cranberry Street tunnel that line uses, they discovered that the bedrock was absolutely ideal for this project, and while the studies predated the “Build Back Better” (infrastructure part) bill from last year, it looks like the project can be built with enough Federal money so as to make it affordable to New Yorkers.

    One last thing. My buddy told me that when the story came out in the Brooklyn Eagle a month or 2 back that there was going to be an elevator running from the Promenade to Furman Street, the people working on the new “BBP stop” couldn’t stop laughing. They thought that someone had gotten wind of the new subway station and was looking to create a distraction.

  • CassieVonMontague

    The more I think about it the crazier it sounds to have a subway entrance at Willow and Cranberry.

  • Bill Rockland

    Don’t forget – the lower entrance will not only improve park access, but it will enable the new buildings in the park and in parts of Dumbo escape from being in a subway “dessert,” as they are now.

    And the newish stops on the 2nd Avenue line and especially the one on Lex & 63rd (photo below; the stop is at the corner; you can just make out the escalator) show that they can keep a “very low profile” when they want to – or have to, in this case, cuz of “Landmarks.”
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/75f0b7551ad517cf77c71e0c9c765efd777cf8876d3ee07260fc9a2745375930.jpg

  • aeshtron

    Rumors of an extension of the LIRR from Atlantic Terminal to the WTC with a station near Boro Hall! I have a friend who works at the Transit Authority, and they tell me that the studies have been done, and it’s been deemed feasible.

    Apparently, the LIRR East Side access project is very nearly complete. It is my understanding that there are financial efficiencies as much of the needed equipment is already in NYC. Train loving Mr. Biden’s ‘Build Back Better” has about $20 billion earmarked for trains. Ms. Hochul will be making an announcement about the LIRR expansion about a month before election day and will tie it into the already announced Inter-Borough express expansion.

    If it’s completed in my lifetime an LIRR stop at Boro Hall will be wonderfully convenient!

  • A neighbor

    Please someone check with Fascati’s and see what their plans are. The pizza everyone, including Sam Sifton, grew up on and loves.

  • meschwar

    Enjoying yourself?

  • KDHicks

    AH this is not good news. Love Fascati’s! Hoping they can and / or still want to stay in the neighborhood!

  • KDHicks

    Thanks for this update — super distressing!

  • Andrew Porter

    For a while there was someone living in the garden at the intersection of Middagh and Columbia Heights, but they were evicted after a few months.

  • Andrew Porter

    April Fool or truth? Landmarking prevents any building higher than 50 feet: witness what went up at the corner of Orange, and the corner of Middagh. Both limited to 50 feet high.
    https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/687d175550a1d81f3c4844e727fb54e5b5277f0782dc0928dbf57afeaadcb30e.jpg

  • Andrew Porter

    Why is your nose getting longer?

    No Fool like an April Fool!

  • Brixtony

    We’ll done,sir. You got me going until I realized the date.

  • Brixtony

    Another excellent April 1 entry. It’s all over Nextdoor. You got ‘em!

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