tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48189859052459764652024-02-08T05:35:36.438-05:00Son of Planet PLG...A blog devoted to Prospect Lefferts Garden, Brooklyn, and everything true and good in the universe.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-58719131579311855882007-09-19T11:34:00.001-04:002007-09-19T11:49:55.334-04:00Ugly circulars, be gone! The magic of micro-activismOne of the larger of the small-time annoyances associated with living in a lovely neighborhood with block after block of gorgeous limestones, brownstones, and free-standing one families is the infuriating collection of advertising circulars that are deposited on people's front stoops several times a week. These circulars are: a) ugly b) wasteful c) redundant (with a sign on every block announcing that the entire neighborhood is zoned for <i>one family houses only</i> you'd think someone would have figured out that there's no need for three or four dropoffs per residence). <br /><br />They're also now d) illegal -- at least if you decide to do something about them. In March, city councilman Simcha Felder proposed a bill that would make it unlawful to distribute "any unsolicited printed materials" at residences that post notices saying they don't want them. Last month, <a href="http://select.nytimes.com/2007/08/24/nyregion/24nyc-column.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1190216417-sIA+F5JtQYaOlyR2Sh9S+g">the bill was passed without much fanfare</a>; now, companies/restaurants/etc that violate the new law can be fined anywhere from $250 to $1,000.<br /><br />In a neighborhood like PLG, posting written notices isn't always feasible...which doesn't mean you can't get rid of all that unwanted paper waste. Each circular has a phone number listed on it (the ones that come in the white plastic bags have the number printed on the bags themselves; the <i>Newsday</i> distributed ones list a customer service number). If you call that number and tell them you no longer want to receive their bundled advertisements, they won't deliver them to you anymore. <br /><br />Really. I should know -- it's been three weeks since I've come home to find a packet of these things stuck into my gate. So take five minutes, make a few calls, and save yourself a whole heap of mess...and do a small bit towards lessening the city's paper waste.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-32426410561257356602007-09-07T17:06:00.000-04:002007-09-07T18:46:26.744-04:00The continuing saga of the old PPLG HQAs our much more conscientious blog-mates over at Across the Park recently pointed out, <a href="http://acrossthepark.typepad.com/atp/2007/08/plans-thwarted.html<br />">a developer's plan</a> to turn the <a href="http://www.planetplg.com/185-OceanAvenue.htm">former PPLG HQ</a> over at 185 Ocean Ave into an eight-story apartment building has been turned down...at least for now. The city's Department of Building's <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/DocumentOverviewServlet?requestid=25&passjobnumber=302378317&allbin=3114585"?>nixed every single application</a> -- for a new building, construction, plumbing, etc. (although we'd bet that this is one of those all or nothing deals).<br /><br />Poking around online turned up some more info: the submitted plans included seven residential floors, six of which would have three units; the top floor would be divided into two penthouses. The proposed structure was slated to be 80-feet tall and total 23,000 square feet, which, by my calculations, means the floors with three apartments would have about 850-sq ft units (assuming they were all slotted to be the same size), and the penthouses would be a healthy 1700 sq feet.* (I'm allowing for stairwells, etc, here). Just as interesting is the fact that the plans included a floor of commercial space, although it was hard (for me) to tell if that was meant to be for a retail business, office space, or a "community facility" -- which is what is listed on one of the applications filed with the DoB. <br /><br />All this seems standard enough -- plans get turned down all the time, and there's no way to tell what caused these ones to be rejected. What's more interesting is the fact that less than a week after the city told him to stand down, the building was cited -- twice, actually -- for <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/OverviewForComplaintServlet?requestid=14&vlcompdetlkey=0000932707">illegal excavation without a permit</a> and <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/OverviewForComplaintServlet?requestid=14&vlcompdetlkey=0000932289">demolition without approved plans</a>. It goes without saying that we're not fully versed in the arcana of building in New York...but that does seem interesting.<br /><br />* On one of the documents there's an indication that the structure would actually be nine stories, which would obviously change all these calculations.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-74501698143249689862007-09-07T13:42:00.000-04:002007-09-07T13:44:21.816-04:00Menus, get yer menus here...I've been about as bad a blogger as one can be...but I do respond in a pinch. I know there've been calls for the old school PPLG food and drink link...so <a href="http://www.planetplg.com/food-drink/">here it is</a>. I'll put it up in the sidebar as well. And hopefully will be back with a somewhat more active presence soon...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-72186242522120599742007-08-13T08:41:00.000-04:002007-08-13T08:57:23.647-04:00The Times ignores its own clips in favor of cheerleading for the local real estate marketReal Estate sections in daily newspapers come perilously close to being advertorials: there's usually a series of listings masquerading as actual editorial content combined with some warm and fuzzy articles about how nice it is to live in such and such a area...all surrounded by paid listings, real estate agency ads, and the like. This is true in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/pages/realestate/index.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1186936064-UO6quUH9T0XPtoKnjKKrDQ"><i>Times</i>'s Real Estate section</a> as much as anywhere else, although the <i>Times</i> does do a better job of putting lipstick on this pig than most.<br /><br />Don't get me wrong; I like my real estate porn as much as the next guy. I'm not, however, much of a fan of disinformation, which is what you oftentimes end up getting come Sunday. I've noticed this most often in the <i>Times</i>'s weekly "Residential Sales Around the Region" feature, a full-page blowout that lists sales from Manhattan to Connecticut and New Jersey and includes a couple of lines of info per property sold, including listing price, sale price, and time on market. This page does as much to spark interest in local properties as anything else in the paper -- imagine you're looking for a place to live only to find out that everything on the market is selling within a couple of months, and for close to asking.<br /><br />Unfortunately, the information contained therein is often, how I say this? Oh yeah: completely false. Take <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2007/08/10/realestate/12sales_image.html">this week's run down: there's a posted sale of 60 De Koven Court</a>, a 100-year old Victorian in Midwood, Brooklyn, for $1.275 million. The property, according to the <i>Times</i>, was listed at $1.35 million and had been on the market for 13 weeks, which would mean it went on the market sometime in late April (the actual closing date is listed as being July 20) and sold for about 94% of asking.<br /><br />Both of these pieces of information are wrong. For one thing, by the time it sold, <a href="http://www.marykayg.com/html/0453.html">the house was actually listed at $1.310 million, as the website of Mary Kay Gallagher, the property's broker, shows</a>. What's more, that 13 weeks on the market is off...by about 200 percent, as a quick perusal of the <i>Times</i>'s own archives will show you: the paper featured that exact same house in its "On the Market" feature on November 12 (which, for those keeping score, is approximately 38 weeks ago) for $1.6 million* (which, for those of you still keeping track, means it only sold for about 80 percent of its initial asking price). (Quick digression: "On the Market" is shockingly advertorial-esque: the paper's list of "pros" and "cons" often is little more than an encapsulated summary of the actual listing itself and rarely includes relevant information. In the De Koven property, for example, pros include "leaded glass windows," a "back staircase," and its location on a a cul-de-sac, all of which were also listed as "special features" on the Mary Kay's site.** The <i>Times</i> does not mention that that cul-de-sac is the result of the house being about 100 feet away from an exposed subway line that is audible from everywhere in the house; needless to say, another missing item from the "cons" list was "The house is ridiculously overpriced." Instead, the only negative is "Midwood Park is a 30- to 40-minute subway ride to downtown Manhattan," which is pretty much the same as saying, "This house is located where we say it's located.")<br /><br />Since it first went on the market -- when its owners moved out of the country -- 60 DeKoven's price has been dropped at least four times. I went to one of the Open Houses in December, when, if I remember correctly, its listed price was down to $1.395 million, having already been dropped once before. The house is truly a nice one, and plenty of people aren't going to be bothered a whit by the nearby subway. From the little I know about property values in that neighborhood, $1.3 million is also about right for a sprawling three-story with nice detail, front and back yards, and a two-car garage...and if it had been listed at $1.3 last October when it first went on the market, I'm sure it actually would have sold within a month or so. But it wasn't, and it didn't. Although that's not with the <i>Times</i> would have you believe.<br /><br />* In fact, the house was actually on the market for at least two-and-a-half weeks before the <i>Times</i>'s initial item, as <a href="http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2006/10/hotd_the_common.php">this post in Brownstoner shows</a>. The hoi polloi that populate the Brownstoner comments section also realized almost immediately how overpriced the property was, quickly concluding that it was actually worth about...$1.3 million.<br /><br />** Another note: none of this is a knock in any way on MKG, who is, in fact, our all-time favorite broker ever. In fact, it makes us sad that she doesn't work in PLG -- every neighborhood could use a cheerleader as charismatic, energetic, and appealing as she is.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-48481431501666673192007-08-02T18:47:00.000-04:002007-08-02T18:48:35.948-04:00July, we hardly knew yeLook, it was a long month. My back hurts. My efforts to get through the summer without AC are getting stymied. Anyway, I know the quickest route to injury is to dive in and try to do everything at once, so I'm going to start out slow. To wit: there's <a href="http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index.jsp?stid=21&aid=72168">an interesting piece posted on NY1's website</a> about the remaining real estate bargains in the city:<br /><br />β'We are seeing people migrating to places like Prospect Heights and Crown Heights; Lefferts Gardens is really hot right now; Sunset Park is getting much more popular. You can really get a lot more bang for your buck,' says McLean."<br /><br />Wow, great news! And who is this McLean, you might ask? That would be <a href="http://www.corcoran.com/agents/listings.aspx?userid=TMM&Region=NYC">Corcoran broker Tracey McLean</a> who, for what it's worth, has listings in both Crown Heights and Prospect Heights.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-4406861772364848882007-07-14T12:43:00.000-04:002007-07-14T13:24:25.942-04:00Reaching out to the police...it should be a lot easier to do from now onSeveral people have posted comments about ways in which the PLG community can reach out to members of the 71st Precinct (and specifically to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/13/nyregion/13hospital.html?_r=1&oref=slogin">the family of PO Russel Timoshenko</a>, who remains on life support at the Kings County Hospital Center). There are several community members in touch with Officer Martinos, the 71st's community liaison; as soon as there's information about a fund set up, I'll post that info. <br /><br />In the meantime, everyone can do little things -- like tell cops patrolling the streets that their work is appreciated and how much their presence means to us. I've made it a habit of talking to cops whenever I see them (and almost all of the time it's not due to my being in some sort of trouble). It can seem surprising at first how much the guys on foot patrol respond to this...but on reflection it makes perfect sense. Cops are used to having people treat them as bad news; as an added bonus, during the summer they're stuck wearing multiple layers of clothing (and oftentimes bulletproof vests) in tropical heat. A little positive human interaction can go a long way.<br /><br />If you do decide to chat up some of the boys in blue, you shouldn't have a hard time finding them: last night at midnight, I could 11 cops on Flatbush between Empire and Maple, which works out to approximately one cop per .002 miles. The heightened level of traffic stops, particularly in the Lincoln-Lefferts-Washington-Flatbush triangle, has also been hard to miss. <br /><br />This could very well be an example of the NYPD's "<a href="http://select.nytimes.com/search/restricted/article?res=FB0911FA3D5A0C7B8EDDAF0894DF404482">Compstat on Steroids</a> program, where 1,000 rookie officers have been teamed up with 200 vets and struck out on foot patrols in particularly sticky areas, some of which can be as small as a specific building. The sudden influx is fairly obviously a response to last Sunday's shooting; it'll be interesting to see how long it stays operative for.<br /><br />Other local reports appear to show that this effort could be aimed at a significantly larger swath -- perhaps even going all the way to Grand Army Plaza. Two nights ago <a href="http://brooklynian.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36325&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=">there was a significant drug bust</a> down in Prospect Heights (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=lincoln+plaCE+And+washington+st,+brooklyn&ie=UTF8&ll=40.674584,-73.961892&spn=0.01188,0.031071&z=15&iwloc=addr&om=1">GMAP</a>) that has resulted in <a href="http://www.dailyheights.com/archives/1111">plenty of local chatter</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-53764945916352906112007-07-10T09:02:00.001-04:002007-07-10T10:22:20.971-04:00PPLG and Monday morning's shootingsI know: I've been shirking my duties. (And, to all you lefferts listserve members: I feel the love. Oh yes I do.) A combination of the heat, a now failed effort to get through the summer without AC, some travel, and huge piles of backed-up work have all conspired to create a quasi perfect storm of non-blogging conditions. <br /><br />But it'd be hard to continue to stake any claims to being a community blogger and not post about yesterday morning's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/10/nyregion/10cops.html?ref=nyregion">brutal shooting of two cops</a> at the corner of Lefferts and Rogers Avenues (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=lefferts+ave+and+rogers+ave,+brooklyn&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=25.484783,72.861328&ie=UTF8&ll=40.661076,-73.953695&spn=0.011882,0.035577&z=15&iwloc=addr&om=1">GMAP</a>) Some of the coverage has, predictably, been focused on what this means for the neighborhood/the neighborhood's identity/the local real estate scene, etc. All of those are issues worth discussing, but before we do that, let's all remember that the most important facet of this story is that two men have been shot and one of them may or may not make it. I'm sure readers have had all sorts of experiences with the local police,* some of which have been less than positive. That shouldn't keep anyone from recognizing that cops -- especially New York City cops -- have a dangerous, often thankless job that pays poorly and has crappy hours. Slogans and mottos so often ring false, but the police's duty, in a very literal sense, is to protect and serve. They perform a function (along with garbage collectors, transit workers, and teachers, among others) that lets the rest of us go about our daily lives in relative peace and comfort. The fact that two cops humping the overnight shift got ambushed at a traffic stop is something we should all stop and think about, just as we should all think about the sacrifices American troops are performing in Iraq and Afghanistan regardless of our individual feelings about the war effort. (I'm opposed to it, for what it's worth.)<br /><br />As far as our neighborhood goes, one of the things Monday's shootings has done is highlight the inchoate nature of PLG itself. Traditionally, PLG is thought to stretch from New York to Ocean Avenues and from Empire Blvd to Clarkson Ave. Lefferts Manor is a significantly smaller rectangle within that (from Lincoln Rd to Fenimore St and from Rogers Ave to Flatbush); the boundaries of the historic district, meanwhile, looks like they were drawn by a drunken city planner. (Suffice to say that if the shooting took place on either of the northern corners of the Lefferts-Rogers intersection it'd be within the historic district; if it was on either of the southern corners, it wouldn't be. To get a sense of just how odd that is, consider that the majority of the historic district is to the south. <a href="http://www.planetplg.com/images/plg-map.gif">Here's a map</a> of all these sundry boundaries.) This incident forced me to think about my conception of PLG, which I've long thought of as the manor with its southern border stretched down to Clarkson. It's also served as one more reminder of how stark the shift can be block to block (or even house to house) in all of New York City. The area around Chelsea's Maritime Hotel, on 16th St and 9th Ave, is a perfect example of this: the Maritime, on the east side of 9th, is run through with models and other assorted glitterati; across the street, on the west side of 9th, is an extremely large housing project. The public housing that rests between the Boerum Hill and Cobble Hill is another place where extreme gentrification sits next to a community that's been more or less ignored by the city's exploding wealth.<br /><br />These boundaries are more fluid in PLG. In an odd way, this points to one of the things I like most about the neighborhood: the ways in which it is more integrated -- and not just racially -- than many other parts of the city that have witnessed an influx of new residents and a surge in million-dollar plus properties. In one of the <i>Times</i> stories, a local resident is quoted as saying, "Itβs block by block around here. The next block over can be a different world." That's unquestionably true. (Turning on to Midwood from Flatbush often feels as if you stepped from a busy city to a pindrop-quiet suburb.) What's crucial for the entire neighborhood is to work to effect change throughout the area, and not just in the Manor (or the historic district, or whatever). <br /><br />Finally, in regards to everyone favorite topic, I don't think this incident will effect real estate in any significant way. The area around the Rogers/Lefferts intersection hasn't seen the exponential increases of other parts of PLG, and the blocks that have $900,000 limestones will continue to find plenty of interest. (Think of other neighborhoods, from Fort Greene/Clinton Hill to the Lower East Side, where rising prices preceded a wholesale drop in crime.) What this means for the area on the border of PLG and Crown Heights is a whole other question, and one that's worth watching, for any number of reasons. <br /><br />* One thing worth noting: whenever anyone gets pulled over, you'd do well to keep both of your hands on the steering wheel until the cop gets up to your window. Today's <i>Times</i> story begins, "Few actions police officers take are as routine β or as potentially deadly β as stopping a car. The hands of those in the stopped vehicle are hidden, and they can come out shooting, surprising an officer who only sought to check a minor infraction." Those aren't just words; I've spoken with policemen who've told me they get nervous every time they make a stop, whether they're in Westchester or East New York.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-37125678627810010782007-06-18T11:08:00.000-04:002007-06-18T11:47:06.736-04:00Prices rise...in neighborhoods where crime does, tooThere's <a href="http://brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2007/06/murder_up_in_no.php">an interesting link in this morning's Brownstoner</a> (courtesy of <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/06172007/news/regionalnews/surge_in_slayings_shocks_brooklyn_regionalnews_brad_hamilton.htm">a New York Post story</a>) about crime rates in Brooklyn for the first half of 2007. Murder rates in the Brooklyn North borough command area are up 34 percent, with a chunk of that coming in places like Bushwick; even in the tonier areas of BN (i.e. Brooklyn Heights), robbery, assault, and grand larceny have spiked. Brooklyn South, which includes PLG, has seen an overall decline. <br /><br />Interestingly, Brooklyn North features many of the neighborhoods -- Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed Stuy -- that have had a certain amount of frenzied real estate interest as of late. And while Brooklyn South has it's surging neighborhoods (Windsor Terrace, Ditmas Park, Sunset Park), PLG remains, even with the recent spate of activity, priced relatively below almost all of the other classic brownstone areas. (Judging from what's come on the market over the past several weeks -- check out the first three of <a href="http://www.bhsbrooklyn.com/search.asp">Brown Harris's local listings</a>, which you can do by clicking on the Prospect-Lefferts link -- that might not be true for long.) If anything, this reinforces my theory that services and acquaintances drive real estate in NYC as much as anything...including location. PLG, by dint of the one-family zoning in the historic district, curtails the waves of new denizens other neighborhoods have experienced, which therefore limits the overall demand for services. (Families, after all, are not going to be hitting the town as often as, say, single thirtysomethings.) <br /><br />All of this could be changing; at least the development rumors seem to be pointing in that direction. And a half-year's worth of data is just that: a half-year's worth of data. But it is interesting. <br /><br />(An aside: <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/pct/pbbnpct.html">this</a> was pretty much the only precinct map I could find. There must be better ones than that. Anyone have any idea where they'd be?)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-76692329998571706632007-06-16T14:14:00.000-04:002007-06-16T14:27:43.338-04:0027 Lincoln Road: No active permits...yetIn response to <a href="http://planetplg.blogspot.com/2007/06/this-should-be-interested-seven-story.html">Gary's question on the previous post</a>...according to the city's Department of Buildings, <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PermitsInProcessIssuedByBinServlet?requestid=3&allbin=3328157">it appears that 27 Lincoln Rd. does <i>not</i> have any active building permits on file</a>. The lot, which also includes 35 Lincoln Rd., <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/COsByLocationServlet?requestid=3&allbin=3328157">also doesn't have a C of O</a>; at the moment, it's zoned for a 2-story business/office. (Of course, there's enough pro-development sentiment that that wouldn't likely present a problem.) This doesn't necessarily mean anything one way or the other: a sale might not have gone through yet; the phantom developer could be waiting to finish up with the asbestos removal; the permits could still be working there way through the pipeline. But it is worth noting... <br /><br />(In other development news: it looks like <a href="http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/PermitsInProcessIssuedByBinServlet?requestid=1&allbin=3114585">the former PPLG HQ doesn't have any active permits out either</a>...)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-34395639562326957392007-06-13T19:47:00.000-04:002007-06-13T20:06:11.377-04:00This should be interested: seven-story condo to go up on Lincoln...maybe?According to what would qualify as unconfirmed rumor out there in the, um, straight journalism world, a seven-story luxury condo is going up next to the Lincoln Rd. entrance to the B/Q. (That's the space where a storefront is currently being gutted/going through asbestos abatement.) This, according to someone who read something on the PLG Listserve, where someone said she'd talked to one of the workers at the site. <br /><br />The beauty of this rumor is, like all good rumors, it makes a certain amount of sense. After several years of whispers of imminent development, <a href="http://planetplg.blogspot.com/2007/05/get-your-condos-here-andyour-yoga.html">a bunch of actual projects are actually in the works</a>. There's also talk of other action -- like, for instance, at <a href="http://www.planetplg.com/185-OceanAvenue.htm">the homestand of the former, fearless PPLG leader</a>, which was bought (by a developer, natch) for about a 30% above asking. <br /><br />Of course, that rumor that everyone in the final scene of the Sopranos had been featured in previous episodes made sense, too...and that wasn't true. There also the fact that a workman may or may not be the best source. But if this is true, it certainly augers for big changes. Anyone investing that kind of scrap is going to look for a major retail presence to anchor the ground floor. And I'll bet dollars to donuts that that would bring a whole lot more action...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-72908274811550946252007-06-08T09:30:00.000-04:002007-06-08T09:41:29.076-04:00Upcoming events at the Inkwell CafeOne of the joys of New York is the many opportunities to see and experience great culture for less than the price of a movie ticket. That's certainly true at the <a href="http://www.inkwellcafe.com/">Inkwell Cafe</a>, located at 408 Rogers Ave, between Lefferts and Sterling. (The Inkwell, for those of you who don't know, is possibly the country's only jazz and comedy club. Thankfully for all concerned, those two performing arts haven't been combined...yet.) The Inkwell has been nothing if not active in the PLG Arts Scene, and one of its driving interests is bringing more opportunities to PLG.<br /><br />There are some upcoming dates, all of which benefit <a href="www.plgarts.org/home.htm ">PLG Arts</a>. They are...<br /><br /><b>Tuesday, June 12</b>, 7:30-10:30<br />The Steve Bernstein Group (Note: not <a href="http://www.stevenbernstein.net"><i>Steven</i> Bernstein the trumpeter</a>, Sex Mob member and former Lounge Lizard.)<br />Steve Bernstein - g, Mathias Schaefer - b, Dan Walsh - d<br />$5 <br /><br /><b>Tuesday, July 10</b>, 7:30-10:30<br />The George Mel Group<br />$5<br /><br />Visit the <a href="http://www.plgarts.org">PLG Arts Site</a> or email rina@plgarts.org for more info...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-12020706851318994172007-06-06T10:31:00.001-04:002007-06-06T10:42:54.041-04:00Transparency (and equal access in the...um, blogosphere?)The discussion which began <a href="http://planetplg.blogspot.com/2007/05/revitalizing-our-community-how-much.html">two weeks ago</a> and continued <a href="http://planetplg.blogspot.com/2007/05/being-paid-for-community-development.html">last week</a> over PLUS's application for a community redevelopment grant and the issues brought up therein continues, and we wanted to make sure we drew attention to <a href="https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=4818985905245976465&postID=6729471328634482606">the thoughtful post PLUS president and executive director Mark Dicus made in the comments section</a>. Anyone interested in PLUS or the PLG community would be well served to read it. <br /><br />All of this discussion highlights one of the things that's so great about PLG, namely the intense connection people feel towards the neighborhood and the dedication people show to improving it. We here at PPLG are huge proponents of getting involved on any level -- in your community, on a municipal level, on a national level, on an international level -- and it's extremely rare in NYC to see so many neighbors who feel so passionately about where they live. (An extraneous and tangential plug: all Brooklynites would be well-served by checking out -- and supporting -- <a href="http://www.826nyc.org">826NYC</a>, an after-school tutoring program locating in the back of a superhero supply store. 826 is located at 327 Fifth Ave -- yes, the other side of the park -- but still, it's one of the most necessary and most wonderful organizations out there. Feel free to drop by, or to email planetplg@gmail.com if you're interested in more info. OK, tangent -- and for that matter, post -- over.)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-55177731754833044482007-06-05T09:27:00.001-04:002007-06-06T10:30:05.490-04:00It's back: the PPLG annual housetour slideshowCarrying on a great PPLG tradition, we present to you...<a href="http://flickr.com/photos/8699659@N03/tags/plghousetour/show/">the 2007 Prospect-Lefferts Garden Housetour Slideshow</a>. It's set up as a Flickr slideshow; leave comments here so everyone can read them. The absolutely gorgeous pics were taken by a fellow PLG resident Tim Sutherland, who deserves mucho kudos for getting these posted so quickly.<br /><br />WEDNESDAY MORNING UPDATE: (The inimitable) Bob Marvin has his pics up as well, also handily assembled <a href="http://tinyurl.com/2dddnz">as a slideshow</a>. Along with today's <a href="http://brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2007/06/2007_prospect_l.php">Brownstoner link</a>, hopefully we'll get some folks talking about what they liked, what they thought, and what they'd wished they'd seen...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-45681958081144602742007-06-03T22:47:00.000-04:002007-06-04T10:37:56.057-04:00Voyeuristic thrills at $20 a popThe gods smiled on PLG yesterday: with a forecast of three days of rain set to begin around midday, the weather stayed dry (if overcast) until well after three, allowing most people to get through this year's house tour <i>sans</i> raingear. (It's a good thing, too: I would not have wanted to have been one of the homeowners who opened up their abode only to fret about mud being tracked across my meticulously maintained floors.) PPLG dragged along Mrs. PPLG, his parents, and his grandmother, and mom's frequent pronouncements of "fabulous" were pretty much on the mark. (The troupe did not make it down to the Parkside and Clarkson houses, so any reports are much appreciated.) <br /><br />Several people volunteered for the job of unofficial PPLG photographer; one of those backed out (although not, unfortunately, until two hours after the tour had started, which didn't do a whole lot of good) but hopefully we'll get some electronic files soon...and, as always, the inimitable Bob Marvin will have B&W shots we should be able to post in the next several days. In the meantime, here are some of our personal highlights...<br /><br />The ultra-modern <b>176 Lincoln Road</b> and the lovingly restored (and recreated) <b>72 Midwood Street</b> provided a <i>very</i> stark contrast in what direction you can go in with a house that was born with an abundance of hand-carved wood detail. 176 was more or less gutted thirty or so years ago; now the house features an open, lofty feel that wouldn't be out of place in, say, <a href="http://www.onprospectpark.com">On Prospect Park</a>. Our favorite feature: the master bathroom, with a deliciously indulgent tub. It's filled from a water spout in the ceiling. 72 Midwood, on the other hand, has been being worked on for thirty years, and it's as true to its era as is possible, from the <a href="http://www.bradbury.com">rococo Bradbury and Bradbury wallpaper</a> (maybe it's our baseball loyalties speaking here, but it looked like the company's <a href="http://www.bradbury.com/victorian/fenway.html">Fenway line</a>; the <a href="http://www.charlesrupert.com/williammorris/wallpapers/vine.html">William Morris "Vine" line</a> was also in full effect), antique furnishings, and Victorian wall hangings. Without seeing the interior, there's no real way to do the house justice; suffice to say that the tour booklet write up included the following words: gesso, lincrusta, etagere, tournaphone, anaglypta dado gesso (a sculpture plaster) lincrusta (plastic) etagere, and tournaphone.<br /><br />One of our favorite stops was <b>210 Midwood</b>: it was the first time we'd seen one of the neighborhoods English basements truly converted into another fully functioning livable floor. Remarkably, on a day that was overcast, the space didn't feel either dark or artificially lit, an effect which we assume was achieved by the copious (and smallish) overhead lights installed throughout the exposed wood beams. The other intriguing alteration was the kitchen/dining room swap at <b>166 Rutland</b>, which originally featured a traditional grand dining room leading to a half-width kitchen built into an original extension. This won't work in every house -- the entrance to the kitchen at 166 is in line with the walk-throughs that connect the two front parlors with the original dining room -- but for those that can do it (and have the time and money), it seemed like an ingenuous way to address the fact that today's inhabitants are will likely spend more time in the kitchen and less time seated around a formal table. 166 Rutland also had our favorite garden, a Zen-ish, pebbled affair. <br /><br />As always, other reports/impressions/digressions are welcome. And hopefully we'll have some pictures up soon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-4097581381137868402007-05-30T16:33:00.000-04:002007-05-30T16:42:53.714-04:00New bar at the old Handyman? (This week's TILT SIP ProLeGs)Charles just posted an intriguing comment in <a href="http://planetplg.blogspot.com/2007/05/straphangers-rejoice-more-reasons-to.html">last week's post about the PLG commute (and how it compares to Williamsburg</a>). I didn't want it to get lost in the shuffle, so here it is, in all its glory:<br /><br />"There is a notice of a liquor license application on the gated storefront of what used to be The Handyman bar on Flatbush between Hawthorne and Winthrop." (The Handyman was at <a href="http://www.google.com/maps?q=673+Flatbush+Ave,+Brooklyn,+NY+11225,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title">673 Flatbush</a>.) Any word/rumors/speculation about what's going on here? And while we're at it, let's fire up this week's TILT SIP ProLeGs -- or Things I'd Like to See in Planet PLG. My latest fantasy: some sort of performing arts space. Yes, this was prompted by <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/theater/30gala.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1180557549-2IlQWpyKyh4S/xyVpthcmg">this morning's <i>Times</i> story about Williamsburg's Galapagos moving to Dumbo</a>. I think the <i>Times</i> overstated the effect Galapagos had on Williamsburg -- the hipster revival was already off and running (and you could argue this as a chicken/egg thing, too) -- and I think they're overestimating the effect it'll have on Dumbo. That said, there's nothing like a destination, whether it's a top-notch restaurant, an intriguing gallery, a new performing arts space, to help introduce a neighborhood to the outside world.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-67294713286344826062007-05-30T08:57:00.000-04:002007-05-30T09:15:04.775-04:00Being paid for community development and the makeup of PLUS: a follow upLast Thursday, I posted some details of the <a href="http://planetplg.blogspot.com/2007/05/revitalizing-our-community-how-much.html">Prospect-Lefferts application for a city grant and what that would mean for staff funding</a>. I'd urge everyone to check it out -- not to read the post itself, but to read the spirited responses left in the comments section. <br /><br />One clarification: in raising the question of what appears to be a $50,000 annual payment to a salaried executive director (a post which current Prospect-Lefferts United (PLUS) for Services Mark Dicus nominated himself) I wasn't trying to pass any sort of judgment...I was just raising the question. I'm one of those 'sunlight is the best disinfectant' folks, and I'm hard-pressed to think of an example where more transparency in any kind of public or civic organization is a bad thing. Maybe $50,000 a year is way too little money; I really don't know. But it can't hurt to talk about it. <br /><br />What does bother me is what feels like an attitude of secrecy within PLUS. There is currently no way for community members to communicate regularly with members of PLUS. I've received several reports from people who've tried to get information from current members -- in order to discuss various suggestions <i>and</i> to learn more about the application for the city grant -- and were told that was not information meant for the hoi polloi. And it seems as if there's still no information regarding what happened at last week's board meeting. (As it is, the only reason anyone outside of PLUS even knows about the application for city funds is because of an email snafu whereby Mark sent out what was meant to be an email to board members to the entire PLG Yahoo board.) I'm well aware of all the good work PLUS has done, just as I'm well aware of its passionate commitment to PLG. I'm also of the mind that if a group wants to speak for the community -- and get paid by the city for doing so -- we'd all be better off if more information was made available and more participation was encouraged. <br /><br />That's my two cents. Anyone else want to weigh in?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-23069441996284038132007-05-30T08:53:00.000-04:002007-05-30T10:24:47.072-04:00Wanted: one good photographerOne of the best and most beloved features of the original PPLG was a <a href="http://www.planetplg.com/tourslide.htm">wonderful photo slideshow of the annual PLG house tour</a>. As you undoubtedly know, this year's house tour (the 37th) is on Sunday from noon to five pm. (Check out <a href="http://leffertsmanor.org/annualtour.shtml">details and buy advance tickets here</a>.) Unfortunately, I'm no good with a camera...but I'd very much like to carry on in PLG's fine tradition. Anyone out there willing to volunteer for a one-day photo gig should email me at planetplg@gmail.com. Thanks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-67616296457393890232007-05-30T08:48:00.000-04:002007-05-30T08:53:22.591-04:00Nothing? Did everyone starve last night?It's been more than 12 hours since the cut-off for pick up of last night's CSA bounty...and I've received nary a dispatch on people's culinary delights. No rhubarb pie reports? No spinach and broccoli feasts? I'm happy to report that Mrs. PPLG and I enjoyed an orecchiette with kale, pancetta, and oregano, along with a mixed-greens salad. Even though I try, as a rule, to avoid all vegetables, even I have to admit this was delicious...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-6832611457231226752007-05-29T09:11:00.000-04:002007-05-29T09:16:05.985-04:00Today: first day of the CSA!Today's the first day of deliveries for the <a href="http://www.plgcsa.org/">PLG CSA</a>. Reports are the first week's bounty will be on the sparse side, and will include lots of greens -- kale, lettuce, boc choi, chinese cabbage, etc. -- but the deliveries will be getting bigger as we get further into growing street. We expect a full report on the healthyliciousness of the <a href="http://www.woodbridgefarmonline.com/index.html">Woodbridge Farm's veggie delights</a> before the night is done...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-69589827468917253662007-05-29T08:58:00.001-04:002007-05-29T09:11:13.581-04:00PLG celebrates Memorial Day weekend...with a stabbing?It was an absolutely glorious weekend here in PLG: the wonders of Prospect Park were in full bloom, the birds seem to be luxuriating along with everyone else, and the smell of over-grilled burgers filled the air. It was a wonderful time to celebrate the beginning of summer by giving thanks, sharing time with our families, and remembering the sacrifices of the men and women overseas. <br /><br />For some residents, it was also apparently a great time for a stabbing: at approximately 3:10 on Saturday morning, "a group of men surrounded a 30-year-old man and stabbed him several times" outside of <a href="http://www.google.com/maps?q=105+Winthrop+St,+Brooklyn,+NY+11225,+USA&sa=X&oi=map&ct=title">105 Winthrop St.</a> (between Bedford and Flatbush), according to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/27/nyregion/27crime.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin">this <i>Times</i> article detailing a series of six attacks over the weekend</a>.<br /><br />The stabbing occurred about 40 minutes after a drive-by shooting in Crown Heights (that victim is in critical condition) and a fatal drive-by outside of Bed-Stuy's <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&q=risley+dent+towers&near=Brooklyn,+New+York&fb=1&cid=40679708,-73937175,13181420627254051523&li=lmd&z=14&t=m">Risley Dent Towers</a>. Fatal violence can, of course, occur anywhere -- we only need the <a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyshot0315,0,976261.story?coll=ny-yankees-utility">West Village shooting spree in March</a> to remind us of that -- although the Bed-Stuy shooting was likely, according to witnesses (according to the <i>Times</i>) connected to a local gang. <br /><br />Did anyone happen to hear of/see anything related to the Winthrop St. stabbing? Or have any other news?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-71786670230914321892007-05-24T10:06:00.000-04:002007-05-24T10:54:00.230-04:00Revitalizing our community: how much should we be paid?Last night was a PLUS (Prospect-Lefferts United for Service) board meeting. (It didn't seem like there was a huge amount of advance warning about the time or location, but maybe we're wrong on that count.) The meeting, according to an email sent around yesterday at 1:45 pm, was meant to discuss Prospect-Lefferts' application for an Avenue NYC grant from the city's department of small business services. (Here's the <a href="http://www.nyc.gov/sbs">city's SBS website</a>; PLUS doesn't appear to have a site that outlines its work or mission.) Communities that receive the grants are estimated to get around $167,000 over the next four years, although funding will ultimately be decided according to "successful completion of the preceding year's activities."<br /><br />In the first year of funding, the lion's share of that money -- $50,000 out of a total of $66,000 -- is designated towards "personnel and fringe" expenses. That certainly ain't chump change. In yesterday's email, current board president <a ahref="http://ahbrooklyn.com/agents.php">and A&H broker Mark Dicus</a> nominated himself to serve as PLUS's official, salaried executive director. PLUS has certainly been active in the three years since it formed. Any thoughts on this kind of funding for personnel? Reports from last night's board meeting? Feelings about PLUS's work with other community groups? Opinions about the best way to spend a city grant? Info from K-Dog or Enduro owners on what it was, exactly, that brought them to the area? Thoughts about having a city-funded local group given the authority to speak (and spend) in the name of the community as a whole?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-88781276711571944342007-05-23T09:28:00.000-04:002007-05-23T11:43:05.440-04:00Straphangers, rejoice: more reasons to love PLGOn Saturday afternoon, I found myself in Williamsburg, which is a rarity these days; most of the time, I leave that city within a borough feeling vaguely like I'm a day late and a dollar short on the latest fashions. <br /><br />I know it's no secret that W'burg is being built out like there's no tomorrow, but it didn't hit home just how insane the boom was until I actually wandered around. I lived up there back in 1999 -- on N. 3rd between Berry and Wythe -- in one of those absolutely lovely old factories that'd been converted into (illegal) lofts. We had jaw-dropping views of Manhattan; from the roof of the building it almost seemed as if you were looking at a postcard. <br /><br />Said building is, needless to say, gone, and there's a concrete monstrosity going up in its place. I lost count of the just opened (or about to be opened) developments. I was always horrible at guessing the number of jelly beans in a jar, but it easily looked to me as if the neighborhood's population could double in the next couple of years. As I was heading home, Mrs. PPLG and I thought about the hellishness that is the L. Seven long years ago, I'd often have to wait for a whole bunch of trains during my morning commute. Admittedly I'm a bit of a sweater, but I wasn't the only one who found the long wait in those underventilated tunnels to be some modern form of torture. I can't even imagine what a commute on the L is like now. And I <i>really</i> can't imagine what it's going to be like in the years to come. <br /><br />Apparently, the city can read my thoughts: earlier this week, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/22/nyregion/22subway.html?_r=2&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin&oref=slogin">there was an announcement concerning improvements to the L that should ease the strain on the system</a>. That's the good news...<a href="http://www.gothamist.com/2007/05/22/l_train_crowded.php">the bad news is that said improvements won't go into effect for another three years</a>. And that's if everything happens on time.<br /><br />Now, I am, obviously, a PLG cheerleader...but all of this highlights yet another benefit of our fair neighborhood. <i>Way</i> back in the mid-1990s, I lived on the F-train, and it sucked back then. As anyone living in Carroll Gardens, or Cobble Hill, or Park Slope (at least from, let's say, 6th St and points south), South Slope, Windsor Terrace, or Sunset Park can tell you, things haven't improved any. The B/Q line has two very distinct advantages: they're express, they're more frequent, they're marginally less crowded, and unlike the orphaned F and L lines, <a href="http://www.mta.info/nyct/maps/submap.htm">the B/Q connects with virtually every other line in the city at Atlantic Ave</a>.<br /><br />To me, those are big-time quality of life issues. So is having more space for less money. So is being close to the park. And so is not feeling like I flunked the too-cool-for-school test by not continuing to wear my multiple earrings now that I'm on the wrong side of thirty...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-24350525034089891292007-05-17T11:31:00.000-04:002007-05-17T11:58:32.663-04:00Get your condos here! And...your yoga?The weekend's almost here, which means this weekend's open houses are almost upon us, which means...it's real estate time, folks! Today brings <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172007/realestate/lefferts_all_right_realestate_janet_huege.htm?page=0">another glowing(ish) PLG feature</a>, this one in the <i>Post</i>. The story focuses on the recent condo development, all of which highlight one of the main attractions of the neighborhood: the prices, which remain less than half as much as those directly across the park in the Slope. There's the 2233 Caton Ave development, a six-story, 15-unit, elevator building; the condos feature oak floors, balconies, and access to the buildings roof deck. It sounds like these are mainly 2-brs, with prices ranging from $400,000 to $525,000 for between 800 and 1,000 sq-feet of new development goodness. (Twenty percent of the units are in contract; closings will begin later this summer.) There's also discussion of the Rogers/Lefferts Aves building; 850-sq feet 2-br units there are priced between $350,000 and $400,000.<br /><br />Finally, story also quotes Prospect Lefferts United for Services' (PLUS) and A&H's Mark Dicus, who says there are plans to bring a wine shop, a lady-folk gym, and a yoga studio to the area. (Lord knows there's enough vacant retail space.) If those plans do pan out, I'd expect a big change here: the Ditmas exodus went from a trickle to a landslide once The Farm on Adderley, a high-end wine shop, a gorgeous furniture store, etc., joined the already-existing food co-op...<br /><br />Lord knows there have been stories touting PLG as the next big thing for years (check out <a href="http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE0DA1539F937A35757C0A9629C8B63">this <i>Times</i> story from 2004</a>), but this really is one of the last remaining neighborhoods were <a href="http://www.brownharrisstevens.com/search.aspx">single-family homes are available for a million bucks</a>, and it's the only one within spitting distance from the Park (and on an express train). As for 2-brs in new construction buildings with nice appliances for under $500,000...well, try finding that anyplace else from Prospect Park South and points north (or west). The summer buying season should tell us a lot about what's to come. With <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/13/realestate/13Deal1.html?_r=1&ref=realestate&oref=slogin">prices at or above their 2006 highs</a>, people hoping to wait out the boom are likely to wade back in before there's another double-digit increase in housing prices. And for people looking for some of the last bargains in the area...well, we're it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-88901089689531232972007-05-17T09:59:00.000-04:002007-05-17T10:14:28.875-04:00PLG: Now, with less nausea-inducing cutenessYet another reasonn to love PLG: it's not even showing up on <a href="http://www.gawker.com/news/the-dangers-of-brooklyn/brooklyns-top-five-most-precious-neighborhoods-260264.php">Gawker's recent map of Brooklyn's Historic Preciousness District</a>. The top offenders are the usual suspects: Park Slope, Windsor Terrace, Boerum Hill and Carroll Gardens, and Cobble Hill. One interesting omission is the Heights; we assume that's because it's more snooty than precious. And while Fort Greene and Clinton Hill aren't listed yet, that's only a matter of time: with <a href="http://brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2007/05/no_sleep_til_cl.php">Adam "MCA" Yauch purportedly considering a move to Washington St</a>, it won't be long before the local tots are wearing vintage superhero t's to their baby yoga classes.<br /><br />Oh, one more thing: there's still less of a frenzy here than there is in places like, say, Bed-Stuy...home to <a href="http://www.gothamist.com/2007/05/14/cleanest_street.php">the filthiest streets in the city</a>. For our money, the PLG historic district has some of the cleanest streets...unless, that is, you want to move to Staten Island.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4818985905245976465.post-3115324291346762412007-05-13T18:15:00.000-04:002007-05-13T18:24:10.751-04:00K-Dog: Now with milkshakes. (And ice cream.)OK, not <i>now</i>, per se, but soon: the <a href="http://acrossthepark.typepad.com/atp/2007/05/if_walls_could_.html">recent renovations</a> at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/BUMWGRbY0CIvgWxjSErleA">K-Dog & Dune buggy</a> -- PLG's one, true draw-'em-in culinary attraction -- are in preparation for an ice cream and milkshake counter in the back. (Said counter is currently closed over.) Oh, and if you were wondering: it'll be <a href="http://www.ciaobellagelato.com/">Ciao Bella ice cream</a>. Just in time for bathing suit season...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2