'Union Sackett' Condo Development In Carroll Gardens Getting A Brownstone Treatment

Artist rendering of 'Union Sackett' Condo Building. Image credit courtesy of Alchemy Properties

view from Court Street at the corner of Union Street

Union Street side

from Court Street and Sackett Street

Work on  Union Sackett, the 32 unit condominium development on Court Street between Union and Sackett Streets has steadily progressed all through winter and finally, the 7-story building is getting its façade.   Whereas the top floors of this Rogers Marvel-designed building are clad in glass, the lower floors are getting  a 'brownstone' treatment.   Large dark brown panels are currently being installed on the Union Street side as well as on the Sackett Street side.  Just yesterday, the first such panels have gone up on the side facing Court Street.

The treatment is infinitely better than the dark, unappealing façade originally proposed in 2008 by Roger Marvel and The Clarett Group, the first developer of the site.

When Alchemy Properties, the firm which took over the stalled project after Clarett pulled out, members of the community met with Alchemy's President Kenneth Horn to address some concerns, notably to ask that his firm consider an alternate treatment.
At the meeting in June 2011, Horn had agreed that the façade needed to be improved. "The building will not be black" he stated. "It will be significantly lighter."

Though the height of the building certainly is still out of character with the rest of Carroll Gardens, the 'brownstone' treatment is an obvious attempt to make it blend into the surrounding brownstone neighborhood a bit better

The project also includes 11 one to two-family townhouses on both Sackett and Union Street. Below is a rendering of what they will look like when completed.

It has been announced that T.D. Bank will take over the building's ground floor.

Artist rendering of 'Union Sackett' townhouses on Union Street.

Image credit courtesy of Alchemy Properties

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"The Glory Of Brooklyn": An Evening Of Art And Literature At The Carroll Gardens Library

(photo credit: Thomas Rupolo)

Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library(FCGL), a group that supports, fundraises and brings programming to our local library branch, is hosting yet another interesting event that brings literature and art together this coming Tuesday.

THE GLORY OF BROOKLYN: AN ARTISTIC AND LITERARY EVENING

AT THE CARROLL GARDENS LIBRARY

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Transcendent photographs. Evocative essays. Haunting watercolor paintings. No matter the medium, the sentiment of respect clearly shines through in the art and writings of a talented trio – Thomas Rupolo; Joan MaransDim; and Antonio Masi, who will present their works in an entertaining evening at the Carroll Gardens Library, March 19, 7 to 9 p.m.

Carroll Gardens resident Joan Marans Dim, an essayist and historian, and New York City artist Antonio Masi will discuss their book New York's Golden Age of Bridges. With a visual presentation focused on the four bridges of Brooklyn – the Brooklyn, Manhattan Bridge Williamsburg and the Verrazano-Narrows --the discussion will“span” the bridges’ artistic and cultural underpinnings, and their impact nationally as well as worldwide.

Bridges form connections over water, and many area residents feel a strong connection to the nearby waterfront community of Red Hook. Photographer Thomas Rupolo will explore the “lost continent” of Red Hook, where “even cabbies can’t find their way” in a presentation of photos as bright and vibrant as the people who live there, as featured in his book Images of Red Hook.

This event is the latest in a series of artistic and literary evenings hosted by the Friends of the Carroll Gardens Library, offeringfree refreshments of wine and cheese. Signed books will be available for purchase. Auditorium (basement) of the Carroll Gardens Library, 396 Clinton Street at the corner of Union Street.Free and Open to the Public.

ABOUT ANTONIO MASI: Antonio Masi, fascinated by bridges since childhood, began painting them a decade ago. He is drawn particularly to the 59th Street (the recently renamed Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, which his grandfather Francesco Masi helped build. Masi has won national and global acclaim for his paintings of New York City bridges.

ABOUT JOAN MARANS DIM: Joan Dim is co-author of The Miracle on Washington Square: New York University and the author of the novel Recollections of a Rotten Kid. She has traveled the bridges of New York City all her life and is a proud Carroll Gardens resident.

ABOUT THOMAS RUPOLO: Tom Rupolo has been living in and around Red Hook for 15 years. Formerly a nature photographer, he found that moving to Brooklyn provided new subjects such as industrial sites, architectural oddities, street life and close-ups of urban details.

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More Fios Finally Coming To Carroll Gardens?

Verizon crew working on utility box yesterday on President Street

Newly installed pole at Union Street and Smith Street

Fios utility box at Sackett at Court Street

It's been quite a bit frustrating as a Verizon customer, and especially as a blogger, that Fios service has been very limited in Carroll Gardens.  Since the company rolled out its broadband service in 2004, only a few blocks in the neighborhood have been able to enjoy faster internet.
Considering the fact that for almost 10 years,  Verizon has gotten tax breaks in return for bringing broad band to every customer and business, as well as schools and hospital in its service territories, it is actually a bit infuriating.
Just recently, Verizon crews have been installing more utility boxes and Fios service is expanding throughout the neighborhood, especially on the blocks west of Court Street.
I stopped by to speak to a Verizon crew that was installing new equipment on President Street at the corner of Court Street.  They confirmed that  more Fios is coming.  To those of us who are still waiting, they suggested connecting to neighbors together to call Verizon. Apparently, if several neighbors start calling the company, Verizon may make their block a priority.

I also asked the crew about a story that I had heard a few times before from local residents and also from other Verizon workers: that one block here in Carroll Gardens* got Fios years ago, because a Verizon executive lived on the block and this was part of his/her employment contract.

The workers yesterday all seemed to know about it and confirmed it was one of the blocks on Carroll Street, either between Smith and Hoyt or the block from Hoyt to Bond.

* The block in question is the one framed between Smith and Hoyt Street and Carroll and 2nd Street.

I would love to get a better idea of which blocks in the neighborhood have Fios and those who don't.  I would very much appreciate it you could let me know about yours by adding a comment below.  Thanks.

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At Noon Today, Fire Broke Out In Brownstone On Clinton Street At DeGraw Street

A friend and reader just sent me the photo above taken at around noon today on Clinton Street at the corner of De Graw Street.  Firemen were responding to a fire in a brownstone. " It looked like it was a furnace fire"  wrote the friend.
Does anyone have any more details?

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Car Flip On Huntington Street Last Night

(photo credit: Jeff Anzulewicz)

According to Reader Jeff, who provided the photos above, a driver managed to flip over his car in Carroll Gardens last night.  The incident happened on Huntington Street between Court and Smith Streets at about 11:30 PM.
Luckily, no one was hurt, but the driver was promptly cuffed by police.

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Carroll Park's Kids' Concert Series Closes Season With The Deedle Deedle Dees

The Deedle Deedle Dees , a Brooklyn-based educational rock band, will be performing in Carroll Park this Saturday as part of the much beloved Kids' Concert Series.   It's the last concert of the season, so make sure your kids don't miss it.
Here are the details:

Carroll Park's Kids' Concert Series Closes Another Awesome Season 

With The Deedle Deedle Dees

**In collaboration with PS 29’s BROOKLYN ROCKS**

PLEASE JOIN US ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29th

2pm:  GYMSTARS Hoopa Palooza!

Freestyle Hula Hoop and Circus Jam

3pm: KIDVILLE Rockin’ Railroad Band!

4pm: THE DEEDLE DEEDLE DEES

Please come with a little pocket money!
In case of rain, the concert will be held at PS 29. Please check our website on show day for more info.
Carroll Park is located at President Street and Smith Street in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Take the F or G train to the Carroll Street Station
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!

The Deedle Deedle Dees are a Brooklyn-based educational rock band which Paste magazine hailed as one of the top “Music Picks for Families” in 2011. The Deedle Deedle Dees’ latest release, Strange Dees, Indeed, was recently featured on NPR’s All Things Considered and is in heavy rotation on Sirius XM Kids Place Live and many other family radio shows across the country including Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child (Northampton, MA) and Saturday Morning Cereal Bowl (Knoxville, TN). Founded by Brooklyn-based teaching artist / songwriter Lloyd Miller in 2003, the Deedle Deedle Dees have brought their highly interactive performances to venues across the country.


ALL PROCEEDS BENEFIT THE FRIENDS OF CARROLL PARK (501c3) and the benefiting schools

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New Greek Eatery On Smith Street To Be Called "Avlee'

The new Greek/Mediterranean restaurant, which is slated to open at 349 Smith Street later this fall, will be called 'Avlee'. A web site is in the works, but does not yet provide menu information. According to owners Andrew Poulos and Peter Rogakos, the eatery will have counter service and seating both inside and outside in the back yard.

The storefront was once occupied by Joe's Superette, an Italian deli owned by Leo Coladonato. Many in the neighborhood still miss Leo's sandwiches and prosciutto balls.

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'Blue Bloods' Filming On Court Street And Smith Street Next Week

(image courtesy of CBS)

More filming in the neighborhood.  This time it's  'Blue Bloods', a CBS series, featuring Tom Selleck as  the patriarch of an Irish-American family of police officers with the NYC Police Department.
Filming will take place on Wednesday on Court Street between Sackett and DeGraw Streets as well as on De Graw Street between Clinton and Smith Streets.  The No Parking signs were put up yesterday.

UPDATE:
Blue Bloods will actually also be filming on a few blocks along Smith Street that same day.
Good luck finding a packing spot.

 

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Brownstone At 241 Carroll Street Collapses

At around 1:30 AM, the side wall of Number 241 Carroll Street, between Court Street and Smith Street collapsed and fell into the driveway of Public School 58 right next door.   According to first reports,  the 4-family,  25 foot- wide building,  will have to be completely demolished.
Thankfully, everyone got out of the building alive. The homeowners and residents of neighboring houses have been evacuated.
Service to the F and the G was temporarily halted until the NYC Buildings Department could assess the situation, but the trains are now back in service.
Brownstoner featured the building as a House Of The Day back in 2008.  It is a real beauty.

The building belongs to friends of mine, and I can't possibly imagine what they must be feeling right now.

***UPDATE***

Here are some more photos pre-demo, including a photo from the late 1920's, showing the block pre-PS 58.
Click on the link below.

Pardon Me For Asking: Update: After Wall Collapse,Beautiful Old Carroll Gardens Brownstone At 241 Carroll Street Waiting For Demo

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'Who Is On First?': Children's Enrichment Studio Coming To First Place

According to a large banner on the fence in front of 46 First Place, between Clinton and Henry Streets,  a children's enrichment studio is (presumably) opening in the brownstone soon.  'Who's On First' will be offering playgroups, music classes, baby yoga, parties, art classes, languages, parenting groups.. and more.
The website, www.whosonfirstkids.com, doesn't offer any information yet, but if you are interested, you may want to call the number on the banner.

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A Look Inside Levant, Court Street's Newest Middle Eastern Eatery

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting Sera Aghabi, the super-friendly owner of Levant at 316 Court Street. The new eatery, which opened last week-end, specializes in Middle Eastern Mazzeh, Grills and Manakeesh (a cross between pita and pizza.)
Sera and her husband, who come from Petra, Jordan, have decorated their new restaurant with objects from their native country. The feel is cozy and welcoming.
I didn't have the time to sample the food yet, but the chef offered me stuffed grape leaves which he had just made in the kitchen. They were amazing. If they are an indication on the rest of the dishes, I will certainly be back for a full meal.

Have you tried it yet?

LEVANT

316 Court Street Brooklyn, NY 11231 

1 (718) 797-1110

Open from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm

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