Where is this?

As we walked by Dean and Vanderbilt for the first time in a few weeks, we were struck by the mortar holes in the backside of the Ward Bakery.

This looked more like the Middle East than smack dab in the middle of Prospect Heights, Brooklyn.

Atlantic Yards rally

Today's Atlantic Yards rallying cry was 'TIME OUT' on the Yards project, but the unions and contractors outwitted the protesters by showing up en masse to stage their own rally. Separated from each other by a phalanx of NYPD officers and a few strategically placed cars, the union members shouted slogans while whistling and pressing on air horns. Soon after, they walked counterclockwise around the footprint, going east on Pacific, north on Vanderbilt, west on Atlantic, south on 6th Avenue and then east on Pacific.

The cops were nearly caught unaware until they ran and cut them off at Carlton to prevent an ugly fracas.

Check out the pictures below - the anti-Atlantic-Yards protesters were definitely sparse in comparison to the union members.

Did sensational assets spare Atlantic Yards?

Did the tits, ass and lips of Ashley Dupre spare the Park Slope, Fort Greene and Prospect Heights neighborhood from the blight of the Atlantic Yards?

Due to Eliot Spitzer's love of twenty-two year old trim, he's resigned and noted anti-eminent-domainer David Paterson will be taking office on Monday.

Carlton Avenue townhouse rental

Here's a sweet-looking townhouse rental on Carlton between St. Marks and Prospect Place. $4000 for a 3 bedroom duplex.

A bit pricey, though, due to the AYE.

Boerum Hill condo by Atlantic Yards listed at 995K

In June of this year, there was another unit being listed by Corcoran in this condo building at 391-393 Dean Street. It was listed at $699K for 874 square feet. According to public records, this unit has not sold.

Now, Brown Harris Stevens has a larger unit - 1,226 square feet and list price is $995K. It seems like sellers are listing this at $800 psf or so. As we're writing this, we're noticing that BHS has the address as 328 Bergen, which is between 3rd and 4th Avenues.

Now, we're wondering whether these two units are in the same building or not. From the pictures it seems like they may be.

No matter - thoughts on this price, half a block away from 3rd Avenue??

Rental at the Merchant House Condos on Dean/Carlton

Here's a two bedroom, two bath rental at the Merchant House Condos on Dean Street between Vanderbilt and Carlton. Last month there was a listing for sale. Perhaps owners are getting antsy about the potential Atlantic Yards project.

The space looks large and empty and is listed for $3500 per month.

Develop Don't Destroy Brooklyn couple wed

Shabnam Merchant and Daniel Goldstein, of Develop Don't Destroy, were both in today's wedding listings in the print edition of the New York Times, but for some reason, they're not found online.

A conspiracy? Given that they have derided the NYTimes often for their Atlantic Yards-related viewpoints, could this be a sort of payback?

"Atlantic Yards" development opportunity across from the Washington

Check out this listing on craigslist for the white building that houses the auto parts store on Dean between Underhill and Washington, directly across from the Washington Condo.

The FSBO is being offered at $899K for a 25x126 lot. The extra-long lot actually has two separate buildings, both of which can be developed -- one is a two-story residential (closer to Bergen) and another is a three-story mixed-use.

Price: $899,000.

Verdict: interesting, but I don't see anyone purchasing this lot to renovate these two buildings. It would be quite interesting as a tear down with an extra long lot, but then again, who would want to pour in $2 or $3MM in this neighborhood at this time?

The other case of not-so-publicized eminent domain in Fort Greene

The building which housed a financial concern, Track Data Corp, at 95 Rockwell Place, in Fort Greene has fallen into the hands of the evil purveyors of eminent domain. According to this Daily News article, under the aegis of the BAM Cultural District, the city was allowed to take over the building.

Unfortunately, the building will be destroyed and its longtime 150 workers will be displaced. A current employee, Rafi Reguer, was quoted as saying, ""There used to be a welfare hotel down the street and crack vials all over the place. We had a policy then that nobody could leave the office alone. We left in groups of two or three because it just wasn't safe...But we stuck it out, and now we're getting our reward for sticking around during the lean times."

Sad indeed, the least of which is that we didn't realize there was some online trading platform and market data provider doing business in the good 'ol FG blocks away from where we used to live?!

Merchant House Condos on Dean Street price drop

Located on Dean between Carlton and Vanderbilt, the Merchant House Condos were originally marketed by Brown Harris Stevens.

This unit, originally listed at $860K for a 1,350 square foot two bed, two bath, recently dropped in price to $799K. The price represents $592 psf.

According to this brownstoner post, there are roof issues and the board is in the process of suing the sponsor.

Will one of the board members contact us at ltjbukem@gmail.com? We have some questions we'd like to ask.

The buyer likely is making at least $250K on this unit if we remember correctly.

Boymelgreen faux-townhouse sells!!

The poster-boy Boymelgreen townhouse, on Carlton between Dean and Pacific, which was infamous for 1. one of the worst faux-townhouse renditions of all time and 2. being unable to sell due to its' proximity to the rumoured Atlantic Yards project has finally sold.

Having been listed in the past at anywhere from $2.1MM to $1.525MM, the house finally sold earlier this July for an underwhelming $1.35MM. Does anyone know if the listing broker was Corcoran or Aguayo?

The lucky owner has put out a listing on craigslist attempting to rent the bottom duplex for $3600 a month. There are also photos of the interior in a link in the listing.

Begin discussion now...

More Ward Bakery shots with construction men

Taken on Saturday, more scaffolding, more plywood going up at the Ward Bakery site.

Perhaps by the end of this week, this building may cease to be??

More demos in the Atlantic Yards footprint

Here's the latest Ratner-related demolition at 614 Pacific Street at the intersection of Pacific, 5th Avenue and Flatbush Avenue. Once again, another passing week, another demolition of a lot within the footprint.

I believe this is #13 in the link in this Atlantic Yards Block and Lot map.

Ward Bakery scaffolding up

With each passing week it seems like a demolition begins on a building within the footprint, as in this case. Scaffolding and plywood has gone up on the Pacific St. side of Ward Bakery. Nearly two months after the collapse of the parapet, can we guess that FCRC has taken the opportunity to condemn the building and possibly begin demolition?

Note that the each space where windows used to be (?) has had a few bricks punched out. Is this for the demo crew to know where to put the battering ram?

On Friday we noticed that an NYPD police car was holding vigil on Pacific Street.

Boerum Hill condo sale

No discernible Atlantic Yards effect here. This 874 square foot condo is selling for a spritely $800 psf, at a price of $699K.

Just two blocks away from Atlantic on Dean Street, this new construction condo is changing hands for what is surely a nice profit for the buyer.

536 Carlton aka 565 Dean Street open house

More details emerge from the large-footprint condo going on sale at the NW corner of Dean and Carlton in Prospect Heights. A commenter on our previous post mentioned that the building may have been built by two Columbia professors who were bought out by Ratner at a "very good price."

Further, today's NY Times RE section lists the open house for Sunday between 2 and 4PM. The two are principals, perhaps, at SRT Architects.

The website contains two .pdf documents which reveal nearly every detail one would want, including the fact that there are features such as radiant floor heating, winter/summer shutters and high velocity cooling and heating systems. The kitchen includes a Viking range and hood, quartz countertops, etc..

A bit more digging reveals that the duo may have been paid $2.975MM by Ratner for their two coops at 475 Dean Street. With their windfall, they promptly purchased a penthouse unit at Park Slope's famed and prestigious Ansonia Muse Condominiums.

526 Carlton sells, in spite of the AYE

This townhouse on Carlton between Dean and Pacific has sold for $1.23MM, quite a bit lower than the original ask of $1.499MM. Back in December 2005 nolandgrab had a post on this property, as did brownstoner.

536 Carlton Avenue behemoth hits market

The building at the NW corner of Dean and Carlton has completely maxed out its' available FAR. According to a nearby homeowner, the developer has used up every ounce of space allowed and thus, blocked out sunlight and space from all of its' adjacent properties.

Two of the (three?) units are now on the Brown Harris website. Unit 1 - a garden triplex with 2,190 sq ft of living space and over 2,000 sq ft of outdoor space for $1.4MM. Private gated parking is $45K.

Unit 2 - 1,388 sq ft of living space and 1,061 of outdoor space for $1.375MM.

Hefty prices for being around the corner from the Atlantic Yards Effect.