Author Archives: Chad Purkey

Fort Greene Park Tree Lighting Sunday 12/4

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Save the Date on Sunday, December 4th for the 3rd Annual Fort Greene Park Tree Lighting, sponsored by Apple Bank. Join us at the community event which will feature FREE cookies, hot chocolate, live holiday music performed by the Dr. Susan McKinney Secondary School of the Arts choir, a toy drive and Santa Claus!

Enjoy all of the fun happenings beginning at 4:30pm, and see the lighting of the tree at 5pm. Please bring new, unwrapped toys to be collected and donated to neighborhood holiday toy drives held by Fort Greene SNAP and the Whitman Resident Association.

FREE Hot Cocoa and Cookies are being served from Brooklyn Sweet Spot and Castro’s.

The event is presented by the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership and Fort Greene Park Conservancy.

Opening Soon: The Halal Spot

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A new eatery will soon be opening on Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill, providing a new option for fast, convenient dining.  The Halal Spot is planning a December opening at 474 Myrtle Avenue, between Washington Avenue and Hall Street.

The restaurant will offer a full salad bar, loaded with fresh veggies and healthy dining options.  A hot-bar will also be available, providing customers an opportunity to craft their own personal bowls and plates via counter service.  The fast, casual eatery will place emphasis on having quality food ready instantly for Clinton Hill diners.

Hours will include both lunch and dinner.  Stay tuned for more details in December.

The Halal Spot, 474 Myrtle Avenue, between Washington Ave & Hall Street

Depend on Your Local Wine Shop this Holiday Season

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Some people may choose to drink Pumpkin Ale at their Thanksgiving feast because the fall classic is their favorite, but we recommend that you reach out to your local wine merchants to plan your drink menu for Turkey Day!

If  you are the host of a Thanksgiving feast, you’ll most definitely want to find the perfect wine to pair with your turkey. Contact these Myrtle wine shops for the best recommendations:

karin-torres
Karin from Corkscrew Brooklyn Wines
489 Myrtle Ave between Hall Street & Ryerson
(718) 230-WINE
GnarlyVinesBrian from Gnarly Vines
350 Myrtle Avenue between Adelphi & Carlton
(718) 797-3183

tipsy_businessowners_2015-10TIPSY
584 Myrtle Avenue between Emerson & Classon
(347) 599-1672

 

Small Business Saturday Happy Hour Specials!

blue-drinkSaturday, November 26th is Small Business Saturday! The blue and white signs (the trademark colors of Small Business Saturday) are all around.

And after beating off the crowds to score great gifts and bargains for your favorite people, we’d bet there’s nothing you’d like better to come back to the neighborhood and into the comfort your favorite restaurant or bar. And you’re in luck!

Myrtle Avenue Small Business Saturday Drink Specials — yep, blue-colored drinks served at a special price from 4pm to 7pm in honor of Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26!

#ShopSmall

  • Soco, 509 Myrtle Ave between Grand and Ryerson (718) 783-1936

Soco Island (pineapple vodka, blue curacao, fresh lemonade) + F-Que wings (smoked jumbo wings, housemade pepper jelly, tzatziki dip) — $7

  • Putnam’s Pub & Cooker, 419 Myrtle Ave, corner of Clinton Ave (347) 799-2382

Blueberry Margarita (tequila, blue curacao, blueberries) — $6

  • Five Spot Soul Food & Supper Club, 459 Myrtle Ave, corner of Washington Ave (718) 852-0202

Blue Long Beach (Blue Long Island Iced Tea) — $7

  • Los Pollitos III, 499 Myrtle Ave, corner of Ryerson (718) 636-6125

Blueberry Margarita (tequila and blue curacao) — $5

  • The Emerson, 561 Myrtle Ave, near Emerson Place corner (347) 763-1310

Nothing’s off limits in this Happy Hour. From the blue-labeled Pabst Blue Ribbon to $5 well           drinks, drafts from $3 to $5 and cocktails at $10 and tis the season for $9 hot whiskey ciders.

Pre-Order Your Favorite Thanksgiving Foods

pecks_pecanpie_thanksgiving_2016-768If the thought of playing host or hostess this Holiday season stresses you out, why not call in for some help and order some pre-made Thanksgiving dishes? Peck’s is ready to help make your Thanksgiving Feast easier and delicious.  Whether you need a side of mashed potatoes and mac & cheese or you need the whole bird, Theo and his team are there to help make your Thanksgiving one to remember. The specialty food shop will be OPEN from 7:30am- NOON on Thanksgiving Day! Check out their menu below.

BOARDS
Meat, Cheese, or Meat & Cheese Boards  ranging from $75- $175
Crudite Platter with Feta Herb Dip $50
Peck’s Pate, Small or Large for $12- $16

BITES (six per order)
Mini Kielbasas in a bacon blanket with Horseradish Mustard for $15
Pastrami or Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms for $15

THE BIRD
Whole Turkeys (Organic, Pasture Raised, Hormone Free, Local) for $7.99 per lb
Roasted & Pastrami Stuffed Turkey Roulade $24 per lb.

SIDES
Pastrami, Rye, Kraut, and Pepper Stuffing for $15.00 per lb.
Homey Black Pepper Gravy (12oz in Pint Container) for $12.00 per lb
Star Anise & Cinnamon Cranberry Sauce Pint for $12.00
Corn and Green Bean Succotash 1lb for $15.00
Mashed Potatoes with shmaltz fried onions 1lb for $15.00
Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar, Marshmallows, Candied Pecans 1lb for $15.00
Brussel Sprouts with onion jam and pancetta bits 1lb for $15.00
Maple / Orange / Chipotle Glazed Carrots 1lb $15.00
Mac & Cheese Casseroles $15.00 each

BREADS
Mini Gougeres ($10 for 6)
Mini Corn Muffins ($12 for 6)
Maple Biscuits ($9 for 6)

PIES
Pumpkin Pie ($45)
Pecan / Chocolate Chunk Pie ($45)

Peck’s encourage orders to be made by Monday, November 21. 

Peck’s, 455A Myrtle Avenue between Washington & Waverly
(347) 689-4969

Myrtle Avenue Plaza Work Resumes

myrtle-plaza-constructionAfter a long hiatus on the Myrtle Avenue Plaza construction project – being managed by the NYC Department of Design & Construction (DDC) – crews have returned to Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill to continue work on the forthcoming plaza.

During the week of November 14, crews will be excavating and laying framework for the small plaza area at the corner of Hall Street and Myrtle Avenue.  Once completed, this pedestrian space, directly in front of TD Bank, will include a raised planting area with two trees, six fixed benches and a number of bike racks.  The seating area – just outside of Key Food, Liberty Pizza, John’s Diner, and so many other eateries – may be a favorite new lunch spot for the neighborhood.

The city’s construction management agency, DDC, is projecting that plaza construction will be complete by mid-December 2016.

[Salon] 718 Owner Heads to San Fran With Top Small Businesses

michaellaMichaella Blissett-Williams, owner of [Salon]718, a much respected and loved hair salon with three locations in Fort Greene / Clinton Hill, including one located at 456 Myrtle Avenue between Washington and Waverly Avenues, has been invited to Yelp headquarters in San Francisco along with 100 other small businesses across the country. The exclusive group are invited to Yelp’s 2nd annual Coast-to-Coast: Community Powered Progress! conference, which brings together small business leaders in 80 North American markets for two days of inspiration and education to help them continue their major success in promoting their businesses, including their utilization and understanding of Yelp tools.

Leaders at Yelp will share expertise and arm these small business champions of local businesses with best practices that will help them to continue to grow. Attendees represent a wide range of categories and different levels of experience and years in business. The one thing they all have in common is their steadfast desire to build a robust business in the local market, according to Yelp.

Congratulations Michaella and [Salon] 718!

Follow [Salon]718 on social media to keep up with their attendance and experiences at the Coast to Coast conference.

[Salon]718, 456 Myrtle Avenue between Washington and Waverly Avenues
(718) 802-9200salon 718 IMG_2830

Mildred Keel-Williams, Soldier for Economic Development in Brooklyn

mildred-cypress-hillsThe Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation (CHLDC) announced the passing of Mildred Keel-Williams, the long-time former Director of Economic Development Programs. Mildred lost a long and courageous battle with cancer earlier this week. Known for her passion for and wide knowledge in the field of economic development, Mildred, who always made time for a kind word or a listening ear, will be tremendously missed.

“Mildred was a true visionary who led the community through change and development, organizing and engaging local merchants, revitalizing local commercial strips, and engaging businesses in the civic life of the community. She ran our SYEP program for many years, managed our first adult employment center, and led public benefits enrollment and free tax preparation efforts that served thousands of community members. She opened a thrift store with a retail training component and she worked tirelessly on every ‘WE LOVE CYPRESS HILLS DAY!’ In her 25+ years with Cypress Hills Development Corporation, she touched all of us with her warmth and passion, her love for Cypress Hills and her unmatched commitment to making our community a wonderful place to live and work. In her personal life Mildred was a loving wife and mother; an inspired artist and poet; a woman of strong, unwavering faith and a true friend to so many of us, shared the staff of the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation on their website.

We’ll miss you Mildred. Sending our thoughts and prayers to our friends at the Cypress Hills Local Development Corporation, friends and family, including Mildred’s husband Michael and daughter Mari.

Call for Artwork Extended: Black Artstory Month

suhalyThe Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership is proud to present the 5th Annual Black Artstory Month, titled The Altar: Rituals of Healing in the African Diaspora.

Programs and exhibitions are curated by Suhaly Bautista-Carolina:

The Altar is an exploration, through the lens of arts and culture, of healing rituals that span the African Diaspora; a celebration of the practices that fuel us and allow us to thrive in the world as African Descendants; an acknowledgment of our individual and collective healing practices as innate acts of resistance. Through visual art installations, performance, film, poetry and other creative mediums and practices, viewers will encounter how artists are honoring these longstanding healing rituals and traditions. The Altar  is thus both an exhibition and an offering of healing strategies, anchored in community, that aim to overcome stress, reinforce our intentions in the world and heal trauma. It is an invitation to learn how we can spiritually protect ourselves and each other and a commemoration of our legacy of healing throughout time and place.

Keywords and concepts:

Altar, Offerings, Heal, Spirit, Soul, Breath, Power, Transference, Inheritance, Ritual, Tradition / Traditional, Generational / Intergenerational, Ancestry / Ancestors / Descendants, Lineage, Timelessness / Time / Temporal, Recipes, Natural Knowing, Blood Memory, Art as release, Art Therapy, Religion, Church, Sacred spaces, Holiness, Liberation / Freedom, Community / Communication, African Diaspora.

Artwork and idea submissions are due by: Please note that deadline has been extended to Monday, November 21st at midnight.

For additional information and to submit, please email Suhaly Bautista-Carolina at blackartstory@myrtleavenue.org.

Please submit:

  • name, email, website
  • artist statement
  • 3-5 images of work (jpg)
  • 1 paragraph that ties your work to the theme

Black Artstory Month celebrates the influences and contributions made by African Americans within the visual and performing arts worlds.  The month-long celebration, which was designed to coincide with Black History Month, will take place from February 1-28, 2017 at venues, storefronts and merchant spaces along Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, Brooklyn.

FREE events will take place every Friday in February and visitors can also enjoy the artwork any day on display at independent businesses along Myrtle Avenue. 

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Cupcakes & Other Delights at Brooklyn Sweet Spot

cookiesCupcakes, cookies, cobblers, oh my!

Treat yourself to a sweet treat at Brooklyn Sweet Spot: custom cakes, cupcakes, including, red velvet, ‘All American,’ white grand marnier truffle, mango lime mojito; banana pudding; and peach cobbler. And if you’re lucky — fresh from the oven chocolate chip cookies, like the ones above.

Myrtle Avenue Shopping & Dining Guide

The Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership published the 2017 Shopping & Dining Guide featuring listings of 170 businesses within the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Business Improvement District (businesses located on Myrtle Avenue between Flatbush & Classon Avenues). Click below to check it out.

Pic of the Week: Leisure Life’s Vintage Sweatshirts

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This week we are featuring the hand stitched sweatshirts from Leisure Life NYC. These colorful vintage sweatshirts are crew neck and made right here in Brooklyn with embroidery by the business owner himself, Charnier Corey. Add that much needed pop of color to your wardrobe with these classic crewnecks. Limited quantities and sizes are available at the shop only.

Leisure Life NYC, 559 Myrtle Avenue between Emerson & Classon
(347) 725-3167

European Wax Center Coming to Myrtle Avenue

European Wax CenterA new waxing center has announced plans to open a location along Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill and plans to kick off their opening with a week of free services.  The European Wax Center has signed a lease at 531 Myrtle Avenue, near the corner of Steuben Street, marking their fourth location in Brooklyn.

The wax center provides an expansive menu of waxing services for both men and women.  Those looking forward to the opening can sign-up to receive alerts for when “Preview Week” launches at the location, which will offer complimentary wax services for an entire week!

531 Myrtle Avenue is a new construction project, on the site of a former White Castle, which will house three retail storefronts.  The two remaining storefronts are available to lease through RKF realty.

European Wax Center was founded in 2004 by a trio of siblings, growing from a single location in Florida to now over 500 locations across the United States.

Buff Patty, Serving Delicious Caribbean Cuisine for Nearly 20 years

buff-patty_business-owner-_2015-1-sized-to-600-jenniferMeet Patrick, owner of Buff Patty, located at 376 Myrtle Avenue between Adelphi and Clermont. Buff Patty has been serving delicious, authentic Caribbean dishes in the neighborhood for nearly 20 years.

Stop in and enjoy hot, heaping dishes of oxtail rice and peas, curried goat, stew beef, escovich fish, cod fish cakes and a whole lot more.  Housemade drinks include ginger beer, sorrel, peanut punch and Irish moss.

Buff Patty, 376 Myrtle Avenue (between Adelphi & Clermont)
(718) 855-3266

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Halloween Party Ideas for the Host

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Hard Cider 
For that Halloween Hoop-la, head to Tipsy and check out the hard ciders, two are made locally in New York.  The True Believer Hard Cider ($13) is made in Long Island, NY, Eve’s Cidery Beckhorn Hollow Traditional Sparkling Cider ($19) is made in the Finger Lakes, NY and the Astarbe Sagardotegia Sidra Natural ($12) – traditional Spanish cider from the Basque region in Spain. Their Annual Fall Sale is going on now through the month of October online & off.
Tipsy, 584 Myrtle Avenue between Classon & Emerson
(347) 599-1672

screen-shot-2016-10-21-at-9-09-26-pmTombstone Cookies, Ciders & Homemade Dinners
Peck’s is making tombstones & candy corn cookies this spooky season. These custom written delights (with people’s names on them) will be creepy & fun. If you don’t feel like cooking on these family-fun filled days, pick up a rotisserie chicken & two sides of vegetables for $26 or a pint of matzo ball soup $8. Seasonal Ciders and Oktoberfest beers are also available.
Pecks, 455A Myrtle Avenue between Washington & Waverly
(347) 689-4969

Get Your Spook On in Fort Greene & Clinton Hill

Fort Greene & Clinton Hill were named the best neighborhoods in Brooklyn to go Trick-or-Treating. Check out the fabulous list of kid-friendly haunted houses & events below and see why our neighborhoods are the best Halloween destination.

HALLOWEEN EVENTS

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Pupkin Dog Contest
The Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest is Brooklyn’s largest and most outrageous dog costume contest and is in its 18th year!  The dog costume contest, sponsored by Fort Greene PUPS, allows dogs to enter and compete for fabulous prizes and the coveted Great PUPkin rosettes.  Interested participants can register early through eventbrite for $5. Day-of registration starts at 10:30am on the monument plaza for $10. Registration is limited to the first 120 people. For more information e-mail info@fortgreenepups.org.

Backard Boo-Ya!
Mr. Theodore Peck & the entire team at Peck’s are throwing a mini-Halloween party where they will be giving away chocolate, decorating mini-pumpkins & playing spooky games.
Monday, October 31, 2-4pm
Pecks, 455 A Myrtle Avenue between Washington & Waverly
(347) 689-4969

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Halloween Festival
Join Fort Greene Park Conservancy for their biggest event of the year, the 16th Annual Halloween Festival that features live music, dance workshops, games with giveaways, face-painting, a pumpkin patch, and more! Come dressed in your Halloween best and march in their costume parade around the festival.
Saturday, October 29, 
Central Lawn by Dekalb Avenue & Washington Park

Halloween Weekend Fun
Cultura, the Pan Latin restaurant between Clinton & Vanderbilt will have a kid-friendly haunted house on Monday, October 31st with candies and spooky decor. On the weekend, from Friday 28th-Sunday 30th, they will also be serving sparkling apple cider sangria, spiced red apple cider sangria & sparkling peach lambic sangria for parents at happy hour prices – for just $5 each. If you stay for dinner make sure to try the Sopa Temporal, it is a creamy roasted butternut squash blended with homemade chicken stock and garnished with grilled shrimp and crispy cassava.
Haunted House opens Monday, October 31, 4-8pm
Cultura, 425 Myrtle Avenue between Clinton & Vanderbilt
(718) 855-8106

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Halloween Walk
Society for Clinton Hill presents the 23rd Annual Halloween Walk. Meet rain or full moon for a walk to generous homes giving out treats and see the dazzling shows at 313 Washington Avenue.  Costumed trick or treaters up to age 12 are invited to join in the fun. Friends can also start on their own from Myrtle Avenue by picking up the map of homes at Peck’s at 455 A Myrtle Avenue between Washington & Waverly. This walk is sponsored by Mekelburg’s.
Monday, October 31st

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Trilok Halloween Festival
The Trilok Fusion Center for Arts & Education is holding their Annual Halloween Festival in their lot on the corner of Myrtle and Waverly. Kids, families can stop in for lots of Halloween fun! FREE admission and open to all. The festival features pony rides, bouncy castle, games, face painting, a costume parade, foods by local vendors and much more.  All proceeds will go towards improvements at the school. The event is also posted on Facebook.
Saturday, October 29th, 1-7pm
Trilok School lot is located near the school at 143 Waverly at the corner of Myrtle
(718) 578-2563

HALLOWEEN COSTUME PARTIES (FOR ADULTS)

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10th Annual Halloween Costume Party
Music by Dem Dey Soundz & Costume Party will take place at Five Spot Soul Food on Saturday. Doors open at 10pm. Buy tickets online.
Saturday, October 29, 10pm
Five Spot Soul Food, 459 Myrtle Avenue at Washington Avenue

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The Emerson Halloween Party
The Emerson Halloween Party put on by the bar’s Arts Collective & New Wavey X will feature 80’s movies, a Famous Painters Costume Contest (win a $50 bar tab!) & Live DJ Music by New Wavey Resident DJ. FREE.
Saturday, October 29, 10pm-4am
The Emerson, 561 Myrtle Avenue (between Emerson & Classon)

Halloween Happy Hour & Thriller Dance Contest
The Halloween Happy Hours at Putnam’s will take place Saturday, October 29th – Monday, October 31st, 4-7pm. The restaurant & bar will be offering Spiked Spiced Apple cider (and virgin for the kids!) and $1.50 oysters. Downstairs in the “Lair”, they will have a live DJ playing Friday & Saturday night. The Annual Thriller Dance contest takes place Halloween night at midnight along with a best costume contest with prizes for the winners.
Putnam’s Pub & Cooker, 419 Myrtle Avenue at Clinton Avenue
(347) 799-2382

 

Parks Without Borders Community Meeting 11/2

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This past spring we reported on the NYC Parks Department Parks Without Borders program and their selection of Fort Greene Park as one of the finalists. Fort Greene Park will receive a share of $40M for the redesign of its entrances, edges and underused park spaces. The Parks Without Borders initiative is a new design approach to connecting open spaces to neighborhoods across the city.

NYC Parks Department needs to hear from you as they engage community in conversation on the redesign. Please join in on the conversation as Parks hosts a discussion with refreshments:

Where: Fort Greene Park Visitors Center Willoughby Avenue and Washington Park
When: Wednesday, Nov. 2, 6pm – 7:30pm
Children are welcome!

Can’t make the meeting?
You can share your ideas online at nyc.gov/parks/pwb for two weeks after the meeting.
For more information or to get involved, call (718) 965-6991.

Fresh Pantry Distributes 125,000 lbs in One Year

healthy-communities_fresh-pantry_anniversary_2016-61Neighborhood residents and community partners were on hand this past Saturday to help distribute food and celebrate the 1 Year Anniversary of the Fort Greene & Farragut Fresh Pantry, our partnership with City Harvest to help fight high levels of food insecurity and meet the need for access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

Deputy Borough President, Diana Reyna came to congratulate the team of partners including MARP, City Harvest, Forest City Ney Yorks, Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation, Farragut, Whitman and Ingersoll NYCHA Tenants Associations and Brooklyn Navy Yard Boys and Girls Club.  Together, we’ve been able to distribute over 125,000 pounds of fresh food in one year alone. 

Over 900 households from Farragut, Ingersoll and Whitman Houses have registered for the fresh pantry, which serves anywhere from 300-500 people each month.  We are especially grateful to all the committed volunteers who work hard every month to make this distribution possible!

Click here to watch November 2016 social media trend; mannequin-challenge

healthy-communities_fresh-pantry_anniversary_friends_2016-768 Thank you to all of our donors and sponsors who have helped support our food work this year, we could never do it without you! We look forward to continuing to serve our community!

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Win $100 For Your Thoughts

Fort Greene & Clinton Hill SurveyDo you have ideas on how to make Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill an even better shopping and dining district?  Share your thoughts on what types of new businesses you want to see or how you think the area could be cleaner or safer through our 2016 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn District Survey.

Respondents to the survey will be entered to win one of four $100 gift certificates to a Myrtle Avenue of their choice (dependent on the availability of gift cards or certificates from the chosen business).  Hurry, the survey closes November 13!

CLICK HERE to take the short survey.

Pic of the Week: Pumpkin Spice Latte

connecticut-muffin_pumpkin-spice-latte_2016-768Tis the season for some pumpkin spice! Our pic of the week features the tasty Pumpkin Spice Latte at Connecticut Muffin made with the fall spice & frothy steamed milk. Warm up with this cup of goodness and add extra whipped cream for additional sweetness. Prices are $4.30 for small and $5.35 for large cup.

Connecticut Muffin, 423 Myrtle Avenue at the corner of Clinton Avenue
(718) 935-0087

Monthly Supper Club Memberships To Help Hudson Jane’s Build Out

hudson-jane-promotionsWant to help a small eatery open its doors while scoring some monthly delicious eats and goodies?

Consider joining Hudson Jane‘s monthly supper club
Memberships include:

4-course dinners + wine pairings one Saturday evening each month
seasonal cocktail + snack “welcome hour”

plus these recently added bonuses:

2 Free cooking classes at Hudson Jane’s cooking school ($200 value!)
Holiday gift bag with treats from our house-made provisions line
10% off in our retail store for 1 year
Annual memberships start at $1250!
Visit hudsonjane.com to join!

*Limited spaces available, don’t delay – dinners begin summer 2017.

Hudson Jane will be located at 360 Myrtle Avenue.

Your Full Round-up of New Construction Along Myrtle

While many construction projects on or around Myrtle Avenue in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill are wrapping, new ones are just beginning.  The recent building boom is a mix of private developments, as well as the reconstruction of Myrtle Avenue itself as part of the creation of the new Myrtle Avenue Plaza.  Below is a summary and status update of 11 local construction projects currently in development:

220 Classon Ave. Source: CMC Development.
220 Classon Ave. Source: CMC Development.

220 Classon Avenue

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church filed new building plans with the city’s DOB to construct a 16 story tower on their property at the corner of Willoughby Avenue and Classon.  The residential building will include 142 apartments and rise to a height of 163 feet.  Pratt Institute also recently plans for a tower on this block, though it’ll only rise ten stories, reaching 118 feet in height.

The new development calls for the demolition of the historic rectory, but will leave the landmarked church intact.  DXA Studio Architecture provided designs for the new building.

504 Myrtle Avneue in Clinton Hill, between Ryerson Street and Grand Avenue.

504 Myrtle Avenue

A new eight story building is fully framed out at the site of the former Pratt Station U.S. Post Office.  When completed in spring 2017, the building will hold 141 apartments and 20,300 square feet of new commercial space on the ground floor.  Commercial spaces are currently available and being marketed by Winick Realty.

28 apartments will be set aside through the city’s affordable housing program.  Details have not yet been released on how to apply for these units through the city’s affordable housing lottery.

The project is being developed by Madison Capital Realty and was designed by HTO Architects.

501 Myrtle

501 Myrtle Avenue

Demolition work has begun at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Ryerson Street on the former one story building that housed Sapolo Restaurant. New building plans call for a six story building that houses 10 apartments and a 1,700 square foot ground-floor commercial space.

The project was designed by Raymond Chan Architect.

531 Myrtle Avenue, replacing the former White Castle building.

531 Myrtle Avenue

Windows have gone in at the new five story building that has risen at the former White Castle site, at the corner of Steuben and Myrtle.  When completed, the building will house 27 apartments and three storefronts spanning 6,000 square feet of commercial space.

The European Wax Center has been announced by broker RKF as the first commercial tenant.  Two commercial spaces are still available and interested tenants can contact RKF.

525 Myrtle Ave Myrtle Car

525 Myrtle Avenue

The former site of Myrtle Car Service, between Grand and Steuben, now holds a topped-out seven story mixed-use condo building.  On the ground floor, one commercial and medical-use condo are available, as well as 22 residential condos on the upper floor.

The new building was designed by Gerald J. Caliendo and is being developed by FBS Realty.

135 Emerson_2016

Pratt Institute Dormitory

A new 10-story tower has been planned for 135 Emerson Place, between Myrtle and Willoughby Avenues.  Developed Pratt Institute has announced that the building will hold 148 beds for student housing.  The project will result in the demolition of a one story garage building that faces Myrtle Avenue, between Emerson and Classon.

Cannon Design served as the architect for the project.

Plaza Photo

Myrtle Avenue Plaza

Construction work is underway to build the new Myrtle Avenue Plaza, which will span two blocks alongside Myrtle Avenue between Grand Avenue and Emerson Place. Click here to read more details about the new 25,000 SF pedestrian space.

After a summer break, crews have currently finished resurfacing Myrtle Avenue, allowing two-way traffic to be restored.  The final phase of plaza construction, including pouring of new sidewalks and creating plaza features, is underway and is scheduled for completion in December 2016.  Plantings of new trees and installation of plaza fixtures, including seating, will take place in early Spring 2017.

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491 Myrtle Avenue

This formerly vacant lot (which witnessed a building collapse in 2009), will be home to a new five-story mixed-use building.  Six new apartments and 1,220 square feet of commercial space will comprise this 5,000 square foot building.

The commercial space is currently available to lease. Contact Ripco Real Estate for more information.

The project is being developed by MLR Holdings and was designed by Isaac Stern.

Ingersoll NYCHA New Building

Ingersoll Senior Housing

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced in spring 2016 that a 16 story tower will rise within the Ingersoll Houses at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and St. Edwards Street.  The new building will exclusively provide affordable housing for seniors, with 144 apartments available in either studio or one-bedroom configurations.  NYCHA estimates the building will be available for move-in in early 2018.

Click here to view a NYCHA fact sheet about the development.

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86 Fleet Place

A 32-story tower has topped out at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Fleet Place in Fort Greene. The building is the largest of four projects that part of Red Apple Development’s Myrtle Avenue holdings.  Next door to the tower, flanking the south side of Myrtle Avenue between Fleet and Ashland, sit the development company’s other three buildings: The Giovanni, The Margo, and The Andrea.

Residences are currently being leased within The Margo by Corcoran.  Retail leasing within The Margo and Giovanni are being represented by Winick Realty, which recently announced the signings of Gold Coast Bank and The Wine Legend.  Contact Winick to learn about the remaining commercial spaces.

134-Vanderbilt-Avenue

134 Vanderbilt Avenue

The former Gulf Gas Station at the corner of Myrtle and Vanderbilt Avenues, which closed in 2014, is slated to see a new eight story building.  The new development will house 46 apartments and 8,050 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor.

Construction work has not yet begun, though new building permits were issued in June 2015.

The property is being developed by All Year Management and was designed by ODA Architects.

Myrtle Ave Plaza Fence Art

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As the summer rolls into autumn, and construction on the Myrtle Avenue Plaza continues, we welcome the work of artist Nami Yamamoto that dresses the construction fence near the southwest corner of Myrtle Avenue and Emerson Place. The piece,  entitled Hakoniwa, is a wonderful use of construction landscape. Here is a bit of what Nami has to say about her work:

“The word Hakoniwa translates from Japanese as “miniature garden”, manifested as small, tabletop trays filled with sand and used by people to play out imaginative story lines tapping into inner feelings, thoughts, and unconscious insights. Borrowing from this idea, this piece takes the form of temporary banners used to cover the construction site along Myrtle Avenue and consist of arrangements of many motifs, creating different visual narratives based on the disparate yet orderly groupings of shapes of varying degrees of tangibility. These colorful, oversize silhouettes are drawn from a diversity of objects collected from the neighborhood, such as: a fragment from a plastic toy, leaves from sidewalk trees, crushed tin cups, plastic combs, a bicycle gear, oyster shells from a local business, and unidentifiable detritus. With these magnified collections of shapes, I invite pedestrians to engage in a visual dialogue of free association and reflect upon their relationship with the experience of identifying with a place.”

While you’re here please remember to stop and support the amazing restaurants, bars and shops in this area between Washington & Classon. They are all open for business and welcome you! Help us ensure that the 60 business impacted by construction continue to thrive by continuing to patronize your favorite businesses that have served the neighborhood for years.

Here’s how you can support businesses impacted by construction:

  • Choose a favorite business to support consistently until the end of construction.
  • Pick a business category (restaurants, salons or delis), and make an effort to visit every one of these in this particular area!
  • Order food by phone instead of using online services, when possible. Restaurants sometimes pay a significant portion of their sales (sometimes between 12.5-20%) in fees when customers order their meals via online platforms. Ordering by phone helps keep all of your money in the neighborhood and fully supports our independently owned restaurants.
  • Pick up an Eating & Drinking guide to see all of the restaurants and bars that are offering special discounts every Tuesday! Check out Tasty Tuesdays’ promotion.
  • If you are a construction worker, check out our Hard Hat Specials.