Archive | Downtown Brooklyn RSS feed for this section
Heights’ <em>Downtown</em> Neighbor Reclaims Residential Rights

Heights’ Downtown Neighbor Reclaims Residential Rights

In recent times, the 15,000 folks that reside across the half-square mile of Brooklyn designated as “Downtown”—unfolding at the ends of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges—have again earned the right to call their locale a “neighborhood.” With a massive influx of new residential projects, it is no longer merely “near Brooklyn Heights” or “on the edge of Boerum Hill,” says Nora McCauley, who has lived in the destination for six years. “I’ve started to say just that I live Downtown.”

That’s the calling card of a Thursday New York Times story titled “To the Heights and the Slope, Add ‘Downtown’.” Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 3 }
June 14: Annual Montague Street District Mgmt Assn Meeting

June 14: Annual Montague Street District Mgmt Assn Meeting

The 15th-annual meeting of the Montague Street District Management Assn., part of the Montague Street Business Improvement District, will convene Thursday June 14, 4-6 p.m., on the second floor of Eamonn Doran’s at 174 Montague Street.

Addressing the group will be keynoter Seth Pinsky, President of the NYC Economic Development Corp., and guest speaker Tucker Reed, President of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 0 }
NYC Bike Share Program Includes Multiple Locations Across Heights, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Downtown

NYC Bike Share Program Includes Multiple Locations Across Heights, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Downtown

New York City’s Bike Share Program has announced its citywide locations that include Brooklyn’s portion of 600 city bike share stations, with multiple locations around Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn Bridge Park and nearby Downtown Brooklyn.

The initiative is sponsored by the city Department of Transportation with Alta Bicycle Share. DOT released a draft map of the first locations in this summer’s rollout of a portion of the Bike Share docking stations. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 80 }
Century 21 Department Store Commits To Fulton Mall: Opening In 2015

Century 21 Department Store Commits To Fulton Mall: Opening In 2015

Following Downtown Brooklyn’s gentrification with the recent arrival or soon-to-open Shake Shack, Gap, Panera Bread, H&M and T.J. Maxx along Fulton Mall, the latest retailer committing to the rapidly expanding shopping destination is Century 21 Department Store.

The Wall Street Journal reports that the high-end label discount retailer has signed a deal to open a 125,000 SF store in the City Point development: the first new department store in Downtown BK since the 1970s. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 10 }
BREAKING: Verdict In Death of 84th Precinct Officer

BREAKING: Verdict In Death of 84th Precinct Officer

A Brooklyn jury has just returned a verdict of not guilty against George Villanueva on a charge that he murdered 84th Precinct Officer Alain Schaberger last year. Villanueva was, however, convicted on a charge of aggravated manslaughter, and his status as a repeat felony offender may result in a life sentence.

Officer Schaberger fell over the railing at 45 St. Marks Place while assisting in Villanueva’s arrest. At issue was whether Schaberger was deliberately pushed or accidentally fell during a struggle.

Read full story · Comments { 3 }
Image Of The Week: Markowitz, Bloomie & Ratner Embrace Barclay Center’s Creation Of ’2,000 Jobs’

Image Of The Week: Markowitz, Bloomie & Ratner Embrace Barclay Center’s Creation Of ’2,000 Jobs’

On Thursday, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz joined NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Forest City Ratner Cos. Chairman/CEO Bruce Ratner to rally around the 2,000 jobs they insist will be created by the fall opening of Downtown Brooklyn’s Barclays Center.

Markowitz said, “Bringing the Nets to Brooklyn means more than exciting in-your-face basketball with a Brooklyn attitude: It will create 2,000 sorely needed full- and part-time opportunities for jobseekers, with priority placement for Brooklynites Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 10 }
Memory Lane: Abraham & Straus Department Store, Born & Bred In Brooklyn

Memory Lane: Abraham & Straus Department Store, Born & Bred In Brooklyn

Without the commanding presence of Brooklyn’s heralded Abraham & Straus, we surely would not have today’s Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Filene’s or Stern’s.

In 1865, before the Brooklyn Bridge linked New York’s largest borough to the rest of the
city, Abraham Abraham and Joseph Wechsler opened dry goods retailer Wechsler & Abraham on Fulton Street in the heart of Downtown.

In 1893, the Straus family and Simon Rothschild bought out Wechsler’s interest in the company and renamed the joint Abraham & Straus—which also had controlling interest in R.H. Macy & Co. in New York. By 1900, A&S had 4,650 employees. In April, 1912, co-founder Isidor Straus and his wife Ida went down with the Titanic. Oops. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 20 }
Reminder: Downtown’s Dekalb Market Is Mad Fun

Reminder: Downtown’s Dekalb Market Is Mad Fun

If you haven’t had the opportunity to check out the wonderfully novel Dekalb Market yet, the weekend is coming! This new community destination in Downtown Brooklyn—which was voted Best New York Architecture in 2011 by the New York Observer—is uniquely housed in a collection of salvaged shipping containers, and includes an incubator farm, weekend events, performances and a collection of 60+ eateries and work-sell spaces.

Coming up Saturday April 21 is Spring Cleaning Day, with such specialties as shaves, nails and Eco Living workshops. Sunday April 22 offers an Earth Day Seed & Garden Market and Urban Chicken Workshops. The Dekalb Market, which is open seven days a week through the summer, is located at 138 Willoughby Street and Flatbush Ave in 11201. Much more info is here. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 5 }
Downtown’s Dekalb Market Opens 2012 Season April 7

Downtown’s Dekalb Market Opens 2012 Season April 7

You’ve got to see it to believe it. Situated over an entire square block, Dekalb Market in Downtown Brooklyn is constructed from recycled shipping containers converted into 60+ food & retail shops that frame a space for outdoor events and programs.

The 2012 season launches Saturday April 7, at 138 Willoughby Street and the Flatbush Avenue Extension, offering a cornucopia of art, music, food & film events, as well as the new Dekalb outdoor performance and event space, a permanent beer & wine garden, “The Dekalb Farm” and 60 stores & food shops and outdoor weekend vendors, all “set against the gritty-cool urban backdrop of downtown Brooklyn.” Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 2 }
Downtown BK Skyline Reaches For New Heights

Downtown BK Skyline Reaches For New Heights

The long-stalled Downtown City Point Towers retail and residential complex in Downtown Brooklyn is aiming for the clouds. The Brooklyn Paper got an exclusive look this week at new mock-ups presented to Community Board 2, showing two potential horizon-altering skyscrapers at the site of the former Albee Square Mall, on the Flatbush Avenue Extension between Willoughby Street and DeKalb Avenue.

One of the two towers could reach 65 stories or more, with a targeted completion of 2015, while the second would be wrapped in 2016, said Paul Travis of developer Washington Square Partners. That would make it Brooklyn’s tallest building, period. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 4 }
Frozen Yogurt Shop iCrave Coming To Court

Frozen Yogurt Shop iCrave Coming To Court

A poster has lit up the window of a storefront at 115 Court Street between Schermerhorn and State streets on the border between Brooklyn Heights and Downtown Brooklyn, promoting upcoming frozen yogurt shop iCrave, promising to be “swirling soon” with “21 fantastic flavors” and “savory smoothies.”

Brownstoner reports that the space has turned over numerous times in recent years, including a previous frozen yogurt joint, Yogo Monster. A few doors down there’s already competition, at Red Mango. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 9 }
High Street iRobber Foiled

High Street iRobber Foiled

A tech-savvy police officer from the 84th Precinct helped catch a thief this afternoon. According to cops, a 32-year-old woman fell prey to an armed robber at the High Street station just before 1:20 P.M. The suspect fled with the victim’s pocketbook and iPhone. The victim quickly found an officer stationed on Pearl Street and reported the incident. Officer Benito Ocasio, honored as a Cop of the Month in 2009, suggested that he might be able to track the phone using the victim’s iTunes account. In doing so, they saw that the phone was then in the vicinity of 111 Bridge St. in the Farragut Houses. Responding there, police found the suspect exiting the building…with a ringing phone. He was stopped, positively identified by the victim, and taken into custody. The victim’s property, including credit cards and state ID, was recovered. Police have identified the suspect as Brian Mack, 55. He now faces charges of robbery, grand larceny, menacing, possession of a weapon, and criminal trespass.

Read full story · Comments { 21 }
Is Sephora Coming To Brooklyn Heights?

Is Sephora Coming To Brooklyn Heights?

The New York Post story that revealed Whole Foods is coming to Williamsburg also had a buried item claiming that make-up and fragrance superstore Sephora is reportedly “close to signing a lease” in the Brooklyn Municipal Building—the first we’ve heard of this.

The location of Brooklyn’s first Sephora: Joralemon and Court Street, right at the border between Brooklyn Heights and Downtown’s Fulton Street Mall. Racked reveals that the space would be a 6,500-square-foot corner spot on the first floor of the Municipal Building, where 37,000 sf are being developed as the Brooklyn Heights Plaza. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 30 }
The Bread Line: Adams Street Panera Opens For Business

The Bread Line: Adams Street Panera Opens For Business

The Panera Bread sandwich chain opened for business today, March 12, in its new Downtown Brooklyn location at 345 Adams Street, steps from the Brooklyn Marriott.

Two more restaurants are destined to join Panera on Adams Street in what is being deemed a mini “Restaurant Row”: Sugar and Plumm, a combination restaurant, ice cream parlor and chocolate retailer; and American BBQ and Beer Co. Construction on both restaurants, located side by side, began this month. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 12 }
A Sentimental Stroll Through Downtown Brooklyn

A Sentimental Stroll Through Downtown Brooklyn

It wasn’t until I worked for the U.S. Census Bureau between February and August 2010 that I truly discovered Brooklyn. While I had lived in Brooklyn Heights for a decade, my compass always seemed to point toward Manhattan, where I worked and played. [See Photo gallery below the jump]

But with the Census gig, I had the opportunity to discover on a block-by-block (if not door-to-door) basis more than I ever realized was just east of the Heights: Sunset Park, Fort Greene, Park Slope, Red Hook, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill and—my favorite—Downtown Brooklyn.

Strolling through Fulton Mall every day on the way to the Census office on Flatbush Avenue as it was just beginning mass renewal, the sidewalks were widened, new bus stands and street lights installed, streets were repaved and repositioned for bus traffic only. The age-old Fulton Mall sign came down… Something big was happening here. Continue Reading →

Read full story · Comments { 11 }