Category Archives: District News

Demolition of Former Myrtle Avenue Post Office Building Complete

The building that housed the former Pratt Station Post Office has been leveled, making one for a new six-story building.

The building that housed the former Pratt Station Post Office has been leveled, making one for a new six-story building.

Last week, the demolition of the one-story building at 504-520 Myrtle Avenue was undertaken in Clinton Hill.  The structure was demolished to make way for a new six-story, mixed-use building that will house ground-floor retail with apartments above.  The new building will have 20,000 square feet of new commercial space on the ground floor, 141 rental apartments on the upper-floors, and a 115-car parking garage on the lower level.

The demolished building formerly housed the Pratt Station Post Office, which has reopened at it’s new location a few blocks away at 609 Myrtle Avenue, on the corner of Kent Avenue.  In addition to the post office, the building at 504 Myrtle Avenue was also home to Fantastic Cleaners, which can still be found only two blocks away at 570 Myrtle Avenue. The Clinton Hill Metro PCS store also moved out of the former building, and is operating down the street at 436 Myrtle Avenue.

The new 504 Myrtle Avenue is being designed by HTO Architects and the developer is Madison Realty, which also oversaw the development of the adjacent 490 Myrtle Avenue, where Associated Supermarket will be returning.  Renderings of 504 Myrtle Avenue have not yet been released.

Trilok Summer Camp Applications Now Available

Photo Credit: Trilok Fusion Arts

Photo Credit: Trilok Fusion Arts

Trilok Fusion Arts is holding its 14th annual summer camp for kids between the ages of 2 – 14 years at its location at 143 Waverly Avenue. The summer camp is filled with art, music, dance, theater, cooking, gardening, yoga and meditation. The camp also offers flexibility in students’ enrollment, from two weeks or the full eight week session.

To learn more about our summer camp, click here.  Or contact Trilok at (718) 797-1700.

Photo Credit: Trilok Fusion Arts

Photo Credit: Trilok Fusion Arts

About Trilok Sschool:

Sanskrit for “three worlds,” Trilok is where the worlds of the family, the educator and the child come together as one. Trilok School offers a unique, progressive approach to educating children while creating a community to nurture a child’s growth. Based on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, our students are taught compassion for all living things and to resolve conflicts through dialogue. They are also taught respect for the Earth, and to be dedicated to preserving the environment, which is part of Trilok’s mission. In addition, Trilok offers an art-based curriculum where dance, music, weaving and other art forms are part of the weekly curriculum. We have open enrollment for students between the ages of 2 – 10 years.

Learn more about our school here.  Sign up for a tour here.

Kid-Friendly Activities on Myrtle Ave

Kid Events at Jill Lindsey Myrtle Avenue

Kid Events at Jill Lindsey Myrtle Avenue

There is something to do for kids on Myrtle Avenue everyday. Here is a quick run-down of weekly children’s events at Myrtle Avenue Businesses.

Kids Music & Movement Class
Tuesdays, 9:30am-10:30am (Ages 2 & 3)
Move with Grace’s Yoga, Dance, Fitness Studio & Juice Bar
469 Myrtle Avenue, between Washington & Hall
(718) 230-0013

Kiddie Sing-A-Long with Hop-A-Long Andrew
Tuesdays, 11:30am ($10 per family/FREE snacks)
The Joint on Myrtle
471 Myrtle Avenue between Washington & Hall
(347) 763-1455

Kids Ballet Class
Wednesdays, 3:30pm-4:15pm (Ages 3 & 4)
Move with Grace Yoga, Dance, Fitness Studio & Juice Bar
469 Myrtle Avenue, between Washington & Hall
(718) 230-0013

Kid’s Sing-A-Long
Fridays, 4pm-4:45pm
Jill Lindsey
370 Myrtle Avenue between Adelphi & Clermont
(347) 987-4583
Various Classes (Dance & Sports) 

Jiu Jitsu for Kids
Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 4:15pm-5pm (Junior Basic)
Mondays-Fridays, 5pm-5:15pm (Junior Advanced)
**Seasonal Parents’ Night Out – movies, games, snacks for kids while parents go out!**
Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
412 Myrtle Avenue between Clinton & Vanderbilt
(718) 403-0067

Haircuts, Candy Facials, Nail Services & Events
Wednesdays & Thursdays: Weekday specials available
A Kid’s Dream
549 Myrtle Avenue between Steuben & Emerson
(800) 927-1373 – call for appointments

Toddler + Big People Art Classes
Science Class
Various Sundays, 9:45am, 2pm (call for dates)
Jill Lindsey
370 Myrtle Avenue between Adelphi & Clermont
(347) 987-4583

Variety of Classes
Ingersoll Community Center
177 Myrtle Avenue between Navy & Prince
(718) 522-5051 – call for schedule

If you know of other family fun events in our businesses, please let us know so that we can help promote to families in the neighborhood! Email us at info@myrtleavenue.org.

Mapping Brooklyn at BRIC House

BRIC Mapping BrooklynBRIC and Brooklyn Historical Society Present Mapping Brooklyn, an exhibition juxtaposing historic maps with mapping-themed works by contemporary artists. The show is on view at BRIC House, 647 Fulton Street in Downtown Brooklyn from from February 26 to May 3.

BRIC and Brooklyn Historical Society (BHS) are pleased to co-present Mapping Brooklyn, a new exhibition featuring contemporary art works that use mapping and cartography as themes alongside actual historic maps. Curated by Elizabeth Ferrer, Vice President of Contemporary Art at BRIC, and spanning the galleries at BRIC House, 647 Fulton Street, and Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street, Mapping Brooklyn explores the myriad ways that maps can represent practical matters such as wayfinding, property ownership, population shifts and war strategy, while also navigating the metaphorical, the psychological and the personal. At both venues, historic maps and contemporary works will be in dialogue, suggesting common themes—the desire to explore, chart, and analyze territory—and highlighting the innovative ways that contemporary artists use mapping, cartography and exploration, to reveal data, ideas and emotions.

The historic maps will be drawn from BHS’s collection, one of the richest collections of maps of Brooklyn in the world. Included are fire insurance maps, transportation maps, demographic maps and nautical charts, among others. A colorful pictorial road map to the 1939 New York World’s Fair, a commercial edition of a Red Scare-era map depicting enclaves of suspected radical activity, and a detailed map of one of Brooklyn’s earliest botanic gardens, showing plots of exotic plants and fruits, are among the dozen or so maps and atlases on display.

Artworks will range widely in scale and medium, including painting, photography, drawing, sculpture, installations, interactive projects, and appropriated and manipulated historic and contemporary documents. Many of the artists have conducted research into the BHS map collection and have selected the historic maps that will be shown alongside their work. Participating artists include Aaron Beebe, Daniel Bejar, Francisca Benitez, Gail Biederman, Justin Blinder, Christine Gedeon, Katarina Jerinic, Joyce Kozloff, Laura Kurgan, Peter Lapsley, Jennifer Maravillas, Simonetta Moro, Bundith Phunsombatlert, Jan Rothuizen, Patricia Smith, Nick Vaughan & Jake Margolin, and Sarah Williams.

Works include a monumentally scaled map of Brooklyn by Jennifer Maravillas, made from paper litter collected on epic walks through every block in the borough; a nine-foot diameter walk-in globe painted with aerial maps of sites involved in U.S. military warfare, by Joyce Kozloff; a special project by Amsterdam-based artist Jan Rothuizen, who will retrace the steps a 17th-century Dutch explorer laid years ago and document his modern-day journey with a series of drawings of people and places in contemporary Brooklyn; and digitized maps that study such phenomena as human emotions as tracked and mapped by Foursquare and created by data visualization designer and geographer Sarah Williams.

BRIC Arts | Media House, 647 Fulton Street (at Rockwell Place) in Downtown Brooklyn
Gallery hours are Tuesdays & Thursdays 10am-8pm; and, on all other days, 10am – 6pm.
The gallery is closed Monday. Admission is free.

Brooklyn Historical Society is located at 128 Pierrepont Street (at Clinton Street) in Brooklyn Heights. Museum hours are Wednesday to Sunday, 12 – 5pm.

 

Spring is Just Around the Corner

Spring Planting

With warmer temperatures here, we’re thinking ahead to the growing season on Myrtle Avenue.  Following is what you can expect to see in the coming months:

  • Aerate 220 tree beds on/off Myrtle Avenue between Flatbush and Classon Avenues.
  • Add compost to 35 tree beds that have ornamental plantings.
  • Add mulch to 220 tree beds.
  • Add nearly 2000 flowering annuals to tree beds.
  • Install dozens of tree gators to young trees (these are then filled each week with 15 gallons of water).

 

New Building Planned for Vacant Lot on Myrtle Avenue

491 Myrtle Avenue

A new building application was filed this past Wednesday, calling for a new five story building to rise on a vacant lot at 491 Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill.  The site, between Hall and Ryerson Street, has sat vacant for the past five years after it was demolished due to the collapse of a neighboring building at 493 Myrtle Avenue in 2009.

The mixed-use building will house six residences on the upper floors, and a 1,250 square foot commercial space on the ground floor.  According to the new building application, Issac and Stern Architects will be leading the design.  They are currently working on several other projects throughout north Brooklyn, according to their web site.  Renderings for 491 Myrtle Avenue have not yet been released.

The new building will only span the 20-foot wide vacant lot at 491 Myrtle Avenue, leaving two adjoining vacant lots untouched.  No plans have been announced for the redevelopment of these sites.

Pratt Station Post Office Reopened

Pratt Station Post Office 609 Myrtle Avenue

The Pratt Station Post Office will reopen at its new location, 609 Myrtle Aveneue, on Tuesday, February 17th, according to a press release sent out by Brooklyn Post Master Edward Roggenkamp.  The new location, at the corner of Myrtle and Kent Avenues, will serve the 11205 ZIP code with the following operating hours:

Retail Window Counter Hours:
Monday thru Friday: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Saturday: 9:00AM – 1:00PM

Post Office Box Service Hours:
Monday thru Friday: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Saturday: 9:00AM – 3:00PM

Package Pick Up Hours:
Monday thru Friday: 9:00AM – 5:00PM
Saturday: 9:00AM – 3:00PM

The post office moves to this location from their former space at 524 Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill.  The postal service has been building out the space for the past four months, after it closed its previous location in October 2014.

 

Public Meeting About Fort Greene Park

Image Credit: Brooklyn Paper

Image Credit: Brooklyn Paper

The Fort Greene Park Conservancy will host a special public forum to outline current efforts to improve the historic 30 acre park.

The free forum will be held Wednesday, February 11 at Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church, Jarvie Room, 85 S. Oxford Street (at Lafayette) from 7:30 to 9 pm.

The event features an informal conversation between community members and Conservancy staff that will highlight projects in the park, restoration of major lawns, and ways the community can get involved.  Attendees will hear from a panel of experts including the new Fort Greene Park Director David Barker, NYC Parks Department staff, and turf care experts from Central Park Conservancy who will be discussing their experiences managing Central Park and “best practices” for growing lush green grass in an urban environment.

The Fort Greene Park Conservancy, in partnership with the City of New York and the community, enhances the park’s function as the primary green space and strengthens the culturally diverse Fort Greene community by making Fort Greene Park the hub of neighborhood social gatherings through programming and park conservation.

Support MARP with an Online Gift

With your tax-deductible contribution, we can continue programs that engage and support local youth, older adults, underserved residents, and local artists. Please click  DONATE  to make your online gift today. Every penny counts.

Bike NY ride (8)_website

Have you attended one of our ribbon cuttings or arts and culture events? Have you shared suggestions at one of our meetings, or worked with us as a vital partner or volunteer on one of our Avenue efforts? If so, we thank you for working with the Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project (MARP) and for being an active participant in our community.  It is not a stretch to say that many accomplishments on Myrtle Avenue could not have been achieved without your support.

Our small not-for-profit organization depends on the support of neighbors like you. In our very first annual appeal, we are asking for your renewed commitment.

We truly appreciate your generosity!

These are just some of our past year accomplishments. We:
  • successfully advocated for significant pedestrian safety improvements on Park Avenue;
  • worked with Ingersoll gardeners to expand to a second location, doubling the number of raised beds & residents growing food & flowers at Ingersoll Houses;
  • placed 20 local youth in paid summer jobs at Myrtle businesses through our Young Entrepreneur and Mentorship Program (YEMP), now in its 5th year;
  • presented the 2nd Annual Black Artstory, a month-long celebration of African American contributions to the arts to local audiences, collaborating with 40+ artists, 15+ local businesses and 8+ partner organizations in exhibits, film screenings, performances & more;
  • launched the Wallabout Historic Walking Tours, sharing 400 years of the neighborhood’s history with 125+ people, free of charge;
  • laid the groundwork to make Myrtle Avenue an Age-Friendly district, gathering input from 70+ local seniors through interviews & focus groups on how to improve the Avenue to better serve older adults;
  • created a business retention plan to help support our small business owners that lie within the construction zone of the Myrtle Avenue Plaza, a new 25,000 square foot public space that will bring FREE public programs to the neighborhood in 2015;
  • organized the very first holiday tree installation and held a lighting ceremony in Fort Greene Park, and look forward to making this an annual community event.
But in a shrinking funding landscape, many of our programs are at risk of being cut, particularly those focused on youth, underserved residents, older adults and local artists.  And this is why we need you more than ever. 
Please help us to reach our goal by sending $10, $25, $50, $75, $100, $500 or $1000 today.  Your dollars will directly support our community-serving programs, including these:

  • Young Entrepreneur Mentorship Program (YEMP) employs local teens for a paid summer employment and mentorship experience with local businesses.  Teens complete 20 hours of work each week and participate in entrepreneurship classes.  Overwhelmingly, YEMP is a first time job experience for participating youth. To date, we have placed 112 local youth in summer jobs, and look forward to placing an additional 25 in 2015. Your contributions will help to support student salaries.
  • Myrtle Eats Fresh Community Chef Program supplies stipends to local residents (many of them older adults, aged 60+) to perform cooking demonstrations using healthy, affordable ingredients at community events, senior centers, and food pantries.  Community chefs have gone through rigorous training and have a passion for nutrition education.  Your contribution will support chef stipends & supplies, helping us deliver healthy food demonstrations in 2015.
  • Arts & Culture brings temporary artwork by local artists to Myrtle Avenue in outdoor public spaces as well as storefront windows and interiors. Our projects represent innovative collaborations between art and enterprise, transforming Myrtle Avenue into an unconventional ‘gallery’.  Your contribution will support artist stipends, commissions, & public programs like Black Artstory Month.
  • Neighborhood Walking Tours guide neighborhood residents and visitors through 400 years of the area’s rich and diverse social and architectural history. Your contribution will go toward tour guide stipends.

With your tax-deductible contribution, we can continue programs that engage and support local youth, older adults, underserved local residents and local artists. Please click  DONATE  to make your online gift today. Every penny counts.

Thank you for believing in the work that we do and best wishes for the New Year!

Checks with your contribution can also be sent to:  Myrtle Avenue Revitalization Project LDC, 472 Myrtle Avenue, 2nd Floor, Brooklyn, NY  11205 

Myrtle Avenue Plaza Construction: On Break 12/22/14 – 1/2/15

CAC Industries will be on break for two weeks, 12/22/14 through 1/2/15, returning to work on Monday, 1/5/15.  Other private construction in the area may continue.

If you have any construction-related questions, please contact the DDC Community Construction Liaison (CCL) Chris Fields at myrtleplazaccl@gmail.com or (718) 857-3283.

If you’d like to receive updates on plaza construction and its impacts on Myrtle Avenue, please sign-up here.

More New Buildings Planned on Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill

The lots shown in orange have new buildings either planned, with permits filed, or are currently under construction.

The lots shown in orange have new buildings either planned, with permits filed, or are currently under construction.

Myrtle Avenue in Clinton Hill is seeing quite a number of new buildings proposed for sites that were once parking lots or home to one-story buildings.  As of today, there are five buildings either under construction or with permits filed with city’s Department of Buildings.  All of these private construction projects will be underway at the same time as the city-funded Myrtle Avenue Pedestrian Plaza is under construction, which broke ground this fall.  Below is a summary of where all the new buildings are rising:

Myrtle Car

523-525 Myrtle Avenue

525 Myrtle Avenue: The former site of Myrtle Car (which can now be found just around the corner in the rear storefront of 519 Myrtle Avenue, facing Grand Avenue) will be transformed from a parking lot to a seven-story mixed-use building.  The proposed plans, which have yet to be approved by the DOB, call for a mixed-use building that has 22 residential units, sitting above 2,100 square feet of commercial space.  An additional 500 square feet of community facilities space is also proposed.

531 Myrtle Avenue, replacing the former White Castle building.

531 Myrtle Avenue: As previously reported, this corner site that housed White Castle (which closed its doors on 11/25/2014), will see a five-story mixed use building.  The plans filed back in May 2014 by architect Karl Fischer, called for 6,000 square feet of ground floor retail, with 27 residential units above.  However, a new developer, Greystone & Co., has taken over the project and said that the architect has been replaced, with new building plans not yet submitted.  According to The J Companies, the development’s construction managing firm, demolition will begin shortly after New Year with construction beginning in the spring of 2015.

501 Myrtle

501 Myrtle Avenue, corner of Ryerson Street

501 Myrtle Avenue: This corner property, at Myrtle Avenue and Ryerson Street, is currently home to the one-story Sapolo Restaurant.  Plans filed last week with the DOB call for a five-story addition.  The additional floors will house 11 residential units, with 1,700 square feet of commercial space remaining on the ground floor.  These plans have only been pre-filed with the city and have not yet been approved.

504 Myrtle Avenue: A new building will replace the one-story commercial building that housed the former Pratt Station Post Office, according to building plans filed in late November.  Plans called for a six-story building, with 141 residential units, 115 parking spaces and 20,000 square feet of ground floor retail.  However, according to Madison Realty Capital, the building plans may change and include a larger number of units that could be added through the city’s inclusionary housing bonus which would set aside a portion of the apartments at “affordable” rents.

490 Myrtle Avenue Scaffold

490 Myrtle Avenue, corner of Hall Street.

490 Myrtle Avenue: Construction is almost finished at the topped-out seven-story building on the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Hall Street.  The building will have 93 residential units, with 19,000 square feet of ground floor commercial space.  The ground floor will house the returning Associated Supermarket and a new TD Bank branch.

Myrtle Avenue Pedestrian Plaza: The 25,000 square feet of new pedestrian space on the south side of Myrtle Avenue between Grand Avenue and Emerson Place is under construction.  Click here to read all about this $6 million project and the planned construction schedule.

 

Tree Lighting in Fort Greene Park

Treelighting Invite

Come Join Us on Sunday, December 7th for the Holiday Tree Lighting in Fort Greene Park (entrance at Myrtle Avenue and Washington Park).  This event is sponsored in partnership with the Fort Greene Park Conservancy. 

Song, Snacks and Santa, and Fun! 

Holiday Tree Lighting at Fort Greene Park

Fort Greene Park Tree Lighting (Crowd)Elected officials and locals came to join us in lighting the Holiday Tree at Fort Greene Park this past Sunday at the corner of Myrtle Avenue & Washington Park. This was a special moment in the community, as it was the first time that a Holiday Tree is displayed at the Park. Families and friends gathered to witness this occasion as local performers led the crowd in singing carols and Assemblyman Joseph Lentol held his own in a surprise performance. Those with a sweet tooth enjoyed hot chocolate served up by the family-run Castro’s and cookies by Pushkin Creperie Bakery. Kids did not let the bitter cold bother them while they took their spontaneous photo with Santa. Others that joined in the festivities were Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Council Member Laurie Cumbo, and District Leader Olanike Alabi.

This event was the first of its kind and the Partnership & Fort Greene Park Conservancy will be seeking future sponsors to help make this an annual tradition.

If you missed the event it is not too late to catch a glimpse. Take a stroll on Myrtle Avenue before or after dinner and take a photo with friends and family.

A special thank you to Castro’s & Pushkin Creperie Bakery.

Click HERE to see a time lapse video of the tree set up.

 

#ShopMyrtle on Small Business Saturday

First, there was Black Friday. Then there’s Cyber Monday. Then came Small Business Saturday, which the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership will be celebrating for the 10th year come November 30th. On Myrtle Avenue, 9 of 10 businesses are independently-owned and Small Business Saturday is the perfect day to celebrate and support them by choosing to Shop Small.

Deals & Discounts for the Day

  • Jill Lindsey – Free Hot Cocoa or Prosecco with purchase on #SmallBizSaturday
  • Optical Gallery – 10% off product purchases
  • Green In Brooklyn – Making a purchase today will enter you into a raffle to win an assortment of eco-friendly gifts and home goods
  • Pipsqueak Children’s Shoppe & Salon – 20% off backpacks and scooter + helmet combo purchases
  • Brooklyn Sweet Spot – Stop by for free hot chocolate with any purchase. 
  • Five Spot Soul Food – Enjoy FREE homemade dessert with any entree.
  • Falafel House: Take 10% off your purchase
  • 21 Tara:  $10 off when you purchase $50 or more.

Special Lyft Discount

We’re working to make it easier to shop on Myrtle Avenue all weekend long by partnering with Lyft for discounted rides to the district. All you have to do is use this Lyft code SBSMYRTLEAVE. This code gives 20% off a ride to and from the Myrtle Avenue district the entire weekend of Small Business Saturday.

Shop Local

Every purchase you make at a Myrtle Avenue businesses lands you a chance to win a $200 Myrtle Avenue shopping spree! Each receipt from a locally-owned Myrtle Avenue business on Nov 30 will enter you one chance in the big drawing. To enter, bring your receipts to the #ShopMyrtle Station at Myrtle & Clinton on Nov 30 between 12pm-3pm.

Need ideas for the perfect gift while shopping? Visit the Myrtle Avenue Gift Guide for ideas.

Also, don’t forget to stay connected and share your #shopsmall at @myrtleavebklyn, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates. And be sure to follow your favorite local businesses on social media too to learn about specials deals and events.

Scaffolding Comes Down at 490 Myrtle Avenue

490 Myrtle Avenue Scaffold

Scaffolding has begun to come down at the new building at 490 Myrtle Avenue, on the corner of Hall Street, in Clinton Hill.  The seven-story building will have retail on the ground floor, with apartments above.  Associated Supermarket will be returning to the site, along with a new TD Bank branch.  The upper-floors will contain 93-units of housing, with 20% slated to be marketed as affordable .

A second building will soon begin construction directly to the east of 490 Myrtle Avenue, replacing the one-story commercial row that was home to the Pratt Station Post Office.  Plans for 504 Myrtle Avenue have been pre-filed and reveal that it will be six-stories, with 92 housing units and commercial on the ground floor.  In total, the two new buildings will contain 35,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space.

Myrtle Avenue Construction Bulletin: 11/19-12/5

Plaza Construction

From 11/19/14 through 12/5/14, contractors will be excavating and installing catch basins (pictured above) on Myrtle Avenue between Hall and Emerson.

There will be No Parking signs posted on Myrtle Avenue between Hall and Emerson.  Truck loading and unloading, as well as passenger pick-up and drop-off are allowed in No Parking areas.

If you have any construction-related questions, please contact the DDC Community Construction Liaison (CCL) Chris Fields at myrtleplazaccl@gmail.com or (718) 857-3283.

If you’d like to receive updates on plaza construction and its impacts on Myrtle Avenue, please sign-up here.

Rendering Revealed for New Building at Myrtle & Vanderbilt

134-Vanderbilt-Avenue

ODA Architects, who have designed a new building for the northwest corner of Myrtle and Vanderbilt Avenues, have released a rendering for the new mixed-use building.  The building will have 8,100 square feet of new commercial space and 3,200 square feet of community facilities space on the ground floor.  Upstairs will be 45 new housing units, spread across 41,000 square feet.

The very contemporary design is a stark contrast to the neighboring 19th-century homes and row buildings found in Wallabout Historic District, which includes the properties sitting just next to the site.  It’s also quite different than other new buildings construed on Myrtle Avenue in the past few years, including 379 Myrtle Avenue (which houses Walgreen’s), Pratt Institute’s Myrtle Hall, and 490 Myrtle Avenue which is currently under construction and will be home to the returning Associated Supermarket at Myrtle and Hall Street.

This site is not located within a historic district and is not subject to any design review process with the City.

Water Interruption Notice for 10/30

The Department of Design and Construction (DDC) just released a Community Advisory Notice for Thursday, 10/30.  Water service on Myrtle Avenue between Waverly and Classon will be interrupted at approximately 7am and turned back on as late at 4pm.

If you have any construction-related questions, please contact the DDC Community Construction Liaison (CCL) Ronnell Madison at myrtleplazaccl@gmail.com or (718) 857-3283.

If you’d like to receive updates on plaza construction and its impacts on Myrtle Avenue, please sign-up here.

Halloween 2014 on Myrtle Avenue — Have a BOO-tiful time

PUPkin_scary spider

The Great PUPkin at Fort Greene Park.  Image Source: PUPS.

Halloween is always a blast on and around Myrtle Avenue. Adult-, child- and family- friendly activities abound. Over 15 Halloween happenings from October 25 to 31st, check them out.  Hope to see you on the Avenue: enjoy!

From kid’s Spooktacular party at A Kid’s Dream, to Halloween Rum tasting at Gnarly Vines, to Halloween festival at Trilok, to Halloween-themed trivia night and Thriller dance contest at Putnam’s, to sexiest costume contest at Five Spot, to craziest leggings and t-shirt dance and yoga classes at Move w/Grace, to pumpkin carving and costume contests at Maggie Brown and The Emerson Bar, to candy giveaway stops at Myrtle Car Service, Just Because Salon, Klevor, Corkscrew Wines, Brooklyn Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Polish Bar of Brooklyn and Tipsy, to the Fort Greene Park Conservancy and PUP’s annual Halloween Festival plus doggie costume contest…you are bound to have a BOO-tiful time on and around Myrtle Avenue.

Here’s a full list of Halloween happenings up and down Myrtle Avenue, October 25 thru October 31.  Click each for details, and please check in regularly for any additions.

 

Pic of the Week: Food Now Served at Jill Lindsey

IMG_0803_for blog

In addition to all of the textiles, textures and treats which is Jill Lindsey, did you know the store is also a café?  Stop in for delicious pick-me-up coffee and tea morning brews, tasty baked treats and now lunch–like the citrus salad, chickpeas, feta and chili salad and almond torte pictured above.  Each day features different delicious items, so please stop in!

Jill Lindsey is located at 370 Myrtle Avenue between Clermont and Adelphi and can be reached at  (347) 987-4538.

The Runner’s Dine-In Brooklyn Special

The Runner_food

Join The Runner for its first Dine-In Brooklyn event.  Stop in for a $25 prix fixe dinner or $15 prix fixe lunch.  The Runner is located at 458 Myrtle Avenue between Waverly and Washington and can be reached at (718) 643-6500.

DINNER

First Course

Risotto, sweet potato, mosello cherry, feta, watercress

Chicken Liver Mousse,  bread & butter pickles, crostini

Flatbread, speck crème fraiche, red onion

Cherrystone Chowder anisette, lemon

Escarole Salad, rolled oats, grilled fig

Second Course

Salted Baked Trout, scallion aioli, black olives, preserved lemon

Half Roasted Chicken, watercress, fennel, lemon

Pan Seared Ribeye, chimichurri

Garden Pasta, spinach papardelle, granapadano, fresh veggies

Third Course

Chocolate ancho crème brulee

Guinness chocolate cake

Wildberry terrine

LUNCH

Small Plate

Smoked Bloody Mary Wings celery seed mayo

Cherrystone Chowder anisette, lemon

Escarole salad rolled oats, grilled fig

Flatbread speck, crème fraiche, red onion

Mac & cheese blue cheese, bacon

Large Plate

Burger & fries served with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, pickles

Short rib melt, gruyere, coleslaw

Shrimp wraps tempura, papaya salad

BLT pork belly, lettuce, tomato

Garden pasta spinach papardelle, grana padano, fresh veggies

Reservations strongly suggested.

Dine In Brooklyn celebrates the five-star flavors that make Brooklyn a ‘must-taste’ destination. Brooklyn restaurants fuel our borough’s economic engine, and this event is an opportunity to support their continued growth while encouraging diners to discover – or rediscover – their favorite Brooklyn dish. Most importantly, Dine In Brooklyn fosters the connections and memories that make ‘One Brooklyn’ like no place else on the globe.

Dine In Brooklyn 2014 will take place from Monday, October 20th through Thursday, October 23rd, and from Monday, October 27th through Thursday, October 30th with prix fixe dinners costing $25, and prix fixe lunches costing $15.

Drawing Democracies: Free Workshops at Pratt 10/25

Drawing Democracies 2

This Saturday – Drawing Democracies is a day of FREE workshops, films, exhibitions, and special drawing activities – open to community members of all ages! The second Drawing Democracies event will take place on Saturday, October 25, 2014 from 11:30–4 PM.

Drawing Democracies is an interdisciplinary collaborative project spearheaded by the Pratt Institute’s Fine Arts, Foundation, and Art and Design Education departments. It serves as a community collaborative project designed to engage with all the departments on campus through our students, alumni, faculty, as well as the broader local community in Brooklyn.

This year’s schedule includes:

  • 11:30 AM: The Future of Collaborative Drawing with Paper Explore iPad drawing with Paper by FiftyThree and try Mix, Paper’s new collaborative platform. First 30 participants receive a free Pencil Bluetooth smart stylus! Bring your iPad or borrow ours to draw throughout the day. Location: Student Union.
  • 12 noon:  Lunch for all! Generously provided by Student Activities. Location: Student Union.
  • 12:30–4 PM: Join in on the FREE Drawing workshops and exhibitions.
  • Fashion Comes to Life: The Foundation and Fashion Departments team up for a life drawing workshop. Models clothed in dramatic costumes pose in pairs, creating dynamic relationships to be drawn in a variety of materials. Location: South Hall room 301.
  • Monoprint Workshop hosted by the Fine Arts Printmaking Club. Location: Engineering Quad in front of Chemistry Building. In case of rain we will be located in the Etching Studio, hosted by the Fine Arts Department Printmaking Club.
  • “Tools for Drawing”: Take part in a large scale wall drawing using a variety of drawing materials from markers, pencils, craypas and pastels, hosted by the Fine Arts Drawing Club. Location: Student Union.
  • “SCULPTURE, IMPROVISE, MOVE, AND DRAW”:  Dancers from Brooklyn and Queens Dance Companies performing among the sculpture on Pratt’s Campus; Salma Allam, Despina from DWebb Dance Wear and Moe-tion Dance Theatre, organized by Fine Arts Faculty Mona Brody Location: Pratt’s Campus grounds.
  • SuperImposition A collaborative drawing workshop hosted by the Architecture department’s Faculty Mark Parsons. Location: Dekalb Gallery.
  • “Gestures in Time” Explore the animation process as live models do via “key-frame” poses, a method of deconstructing motion hosted by the Keyframe Club from the Digital Arts Department. Animators and non-animators of all ages are encouraged to join! Location: South Hall room 303.
  • FAMILY WORKSHOPS Presented by the Department of Art and Design Education:Transcending the Page: Text and Handwriting as Art, This workshop will focus on using script, calligraphy, and text in order to create drawings as unique as one’s own handwriting. Location: South Hall 201from 2–4 PM*13 Ways of Looking: This multimedia workshop will focus on exploring different ways of seeing by combining drawing with video. Participants will collaborate on creating mini art videos using drawing, filmmaking techniques, and simple technology like cell phones or tablets. Location: South Hall 205 from 12:30–2:30 PM**No previous experience in art required. Students must be accompanied by an adult. Limited to 30 participants. Please RSVP to: lwilso13@pratt.edu       Walk the Line: Walk the Line is an interactive game to map and interact with Pratt’s campus during Drawing Democracies. A central “cartography” office located on the Library Patio will offer maps, tour guides, and opportunities to play the game. Location: Library Patio from 11 AM–3:30 PM.
  • Art21: Art in the Twenty-First Century, Access Screening of Season 7 artists: Leonardo Drew, Elliott Hundley, and Joan Jonas; Location: Library, Alumni Reading Room, 3rd Floor.

Exhibitions on View:

  • “Drawings By The People” Steuben Gallery and third floor Pratt Library; The exhibition will feature works by the Pratt community, which will include staff, students from all departments, faculty and alumnus. Organized by The Drawing Club, whose motto is “Everyone Draws”.
  • *The Banned Book Cart*, an Installation of circulating books within the Library’s collection that have a history of censorship in the U.S. and abroad.  A collaboration with Fine Arts Faculty Lisa Bateman and Pratt’s Library, 1st floor, main entrance to Stacks.
  • Jewelry Design Renderings, 1st and 2nd floor Pratt Brooklyn Library
  • Drawing with Media Selections from Film/Video Department and Department of Digital Arts curated by the Keyframe Club, Location: Pratt Library / Alumni Reading Room and 3rd floor landing monitors”
  • Drawing Democracies Exhibition: Transcending the Page. Selections from Edward R. Murrow High School Students and Alumni, who are current undergraduates at Pratt, Curated by Art and Design Education Alum and Artist-Educator, Sarah Grace Holcomb Presented by the Department of Art and Design Education. Location: Nancy Ross Project Space, Main building 2nd floor.
  • Drawings along Myrtle, Take a self guided tour of the locations on Myrtle Avenue from Classon to Adelphi streets: Gnarly Vines, Brooklyn Sweet Spot, DC Optics, Splitty, Peck’s, Corkscrew Brooklyn, Wray’s, Pillow Café, Brewklyn Grind, and The Emerson.

Funded in part by a RiDE grant.

 

Photo credit: Pratt Institute

Pic of the Week: Scarves at 21 Tara

scarves_sized for blog‘Tis the season.  Stop in to check out 21 Tara’s Fall into Winter collection.  Colorful, fashionable batik and tie-dyed scarves are amongst the store many items.

Other store items include quilts, hats, rings and bracelets with semi-precious stones, shoulder bags, wallets and decorative masks and more.

21 Tara boasts a cornucopia of wonderful store items, stop in!

21 Tara is located at 388 Myrtle Avenue between Clermont and Adelphi.  Please call the store at (718) 237-0737 with any questions.

El Cofre’s Lunch Specials

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Baked chicken, moro de habichuelas [one pot yellow rice and beans] and platanos maduras.

Did you know about the $5 and $6 lunch specials at El Cofre? Lunch specials are available everyday, 11am-4pm. If you haven’t stopped into this popular treasure chest (‘cofre’ is the Spanish word for treasure chest) of Dominican cuisine, what are you waiting for?

We usually order the avocado salad w/grape tomatoes, romaine lettuce, red onions and El Cofre’s homemade special vinaigrette; or baked chicken, mixed veggies and mashed potatoes; or fresh fish with a side of tostones (sliced green plantains) or platanos maduroas (fried ripe plantains); or pollo guisado (stewed chicken); or a plate of rice and beans….so many choices! Most of the heaping plates of delicious cuisine at El Cofre can be shared by two!

El Cofre is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

El Cofre is located at 454 Myrtle Avenue between Waverly and Washington Avenues. They can be reached at 718.935.1153.