Broken Angel Update 1/15

From Chris Wood: Some good news for Broken Angel. My parents signed an agreement with Shaun Andersen, a local developer on Saturday. This agreement will remove the threat of demolition by the Department of Buildings. Our thanks to Letitia James, Brent Porter, Peter Grossman and Zerlize Goodman for their help in overseeing and mediating the agreement. Under the terms of the agreement my father will work with Shaun to redesign and develop Broken Angel as condominiums. The sale of these condominiums will pay for the work that is necessary to bring the building to code and allow my father to see his vision realized and completed. In addition a second building will be created at 8 Downing Street (the lot next door) that will become an arts space. My father chose to work with Shaun because from their previous friendship, he felt that given the current circumstances, this collaboration would offer him the best opportunity to contribute to the design of the building and keep the spirit and details of Broken Angel intact. A show of photographs and my father’s plans for the original and the re-envisioned Broken Angel are currently on display at Higgens Hall at Pratt.

This sounds like a fairly good solution to me. The building as-is is definitely unsafe inside, as far as moving around on the upper levels on ladders, etc. Seems this deal will help preserve the concept of the structure as well as provide for an arts space in the adjacent vacant lot.

Mysterious Apartments

I don't usually give much thought to the high-rise apartments on St. James and Lafayette, but they are kind of mysterious. You'll never see a sales listing OR a rental listing for this place! Via Google, I found out the buildings were completed in 1963, and that the buildings are grouped into the "University Towers."

A ha! Looks like these are Mitchell-Lama co-op apartments. I figured they might be owned, since some tenants have "spruced up" their balconies.

(burzh-wa): My Review

All the praise for (burzh-wa) sounded too good to be true, so I decided I needed to try it for myself. I made myself an 8am appt on Saturday morning with the insanely-lauded Kim.

First, Kim gave me a tour of the salon. The main room is quite expansive, and there's a washing station in the back (which will eventually become the spa space). Kim was superfriendly, and we gabbed the entire time I was there. She showed me some pics of the space before she moved in. If you go, ask her to see them so you can truly appreciate the renovation.

I was a little nervous, so I asked for just a trim. I have odd hair. It's curly around my face, frizzy in the back and perfectly straight and smooth underneath. I am VERY picky when it comes to hair salons. A bad cut for me could spell disaster!

When my cut was almost finished, Kim convinced me to let her cut the sides short. I waffled at first, but I gave in. I wanted to see what she could really do. The result? A really hip look, cut efficiently, and which cost me a mere $35!!!! Pratt Students, get thee to Kim.

She cuts all kinds of hair!  My cut:

Myrtle Ave Blog!

The Myrtle Ave Revitalization Project (MARP/Myrtle BID), has done a great job on Myrtle. They also run a really well-designed website, making it easy to support local businesses there.They've just launched a blog called Myrtle Minutes. So far, they've listed info on a Grand Opening Party @ Bank of America (Jan 30), and info on Vesper. I'm hoping the blog stays up-to-date, since the last "local happenings" event listed on the regular site was back in October!

More Meditation...

If you need some zen time: Buddhist Meditation Classes - Open to All! In Fort Greene – Sundays 10am – 11:15am How to Solve our Human Problems with Prayers for World Peace January 14th, 21st & 28th February 4th, 11th & 18th Vajradhara Meditation Center 380 Adelphi St. #2

Buddhist Meditation Classes - Open to All! In Fort Greene – Sundays 7:30-9pm Angry Mind, Ugly Life – Solving our Anger Problem January 14th, 21st& 28th February 4th, 11th & 18th Lucky Lotus Yoga 184 Dekalb Ave. for more info call 718-496-5514 or check here.

Friday Photo

Kinda looks like it should be located in Chelsea or something. But I finally tried it this week and it was very tasty!

(Lafayette and S. Elliott)

Back to 11238

After my irritating experience at 11205, I hoofed it back to 11238 in the hopes of renting my PO Box. The line was surprisingly short, and the woman at the window was surprisingly friendly. However, she told me that I also needed to provide a current utility bill as proof of address. I don't recall the application mentioning that -- only that I needed two forms of ID. I guess a valid NYS driver's license AND a US passport are not enough to rent a PO Box.

Problem is, no one mentioned that to me at 11205 (why would they?), and I shred all of my bills as soon as I pay them. So, I walked back home to see what I could scrounge up. Take note that I am a 15-min walk away, so after 45 minutes of walking to and from the PO, I return with the following: a year-old mortgage statement, a current credit card bill, a current IRA statement and my cell phone contract. I get a significantly less-friendly window attendant and she tries to deny me. ALL this proof of ID and address is not good enough. Plus, do not forget that THE APPLICATION DOES NOT STATE THAT YOU NEED TO PROVIDE A CURRENT UTILITY BILL:

The nicer woman tells Meanie that she can accept the mortgage statement, but Meanie gets mad because the statement is a year old. Never mind that the other "unacceptable" statements are current and show the same address that's on my mortgage statement. Maybe this is one of the ways the post offices "do things differently." Finally, Nicey convinces Meanie to let me have the box because she feels bad that no one told me about the utility thing and doesn't want me to have to go back and forth again. Then Meanie mumbles about me under her breath while she fills out the paperwork and bitches about a customer who had to come back four times the day before because of things that were the customer's fault, and NOT Meanie's fault. Really? I find that hard to believe.

As a side note, PO Boxes at 11205 are $37/mo, while they're just $31/mo at 11238. Wtf?

So. I've had enough, especially after hearing all of your stories. I am going to contact this local politician everyone keeps talking about and see if we can actually DO something about this. Would anyone be willing to type up a description of the bad experiences they've had at either or both of these POs? I'd like to get a whole packet of complaints together.

(You can also rent a box at the Mail store on Myrtle, but they're 3x as much as the USPS boxes- FYI.)

On one slightly positive note, I did see supplies available at one of the crappy counters at Adelphi Station. However, look at what the supply bin looks like!!

All cracked and taped together.  Are they kidding us with this?

Burned Car

Saw this on one of TWO trips to Adelphi Station this morning (more on that tomorrow):

Yikes.  Anyone know what happened?

Broken Angel Will Go Condo

Thanks to Brownstoner for the latest info on Broken Angel.  Looks like the precarious building top will be dismantled and the building will be converted to condos.  Thankfully, it will also accommodate artist and community space, and the conversion will take place with help from local developer Shahn Anderson.  I've never met him, but he seems like a good guy. I suppose all things considered, I'm OK with this plan.  I hope the community space will be home to some sort of gallery dedicated to the building's long history, with lots of photos of the building as it is now. More from the NYT here.

SCH Meeting: January 17

Society for Clinton Hill General Meeting, Jan. 17, 2007, 7:00 pm St. Luke's Church, Parish House, Washington Ave. (Between DeKalb/Willoughby) Everyone invited. Refreshments at 7 pm. Meeting at 7:30 pm.

AGENDA

1. Announcements

-Call for volunteers and committee members: House Tour, Newcomer's Party, Street Tree & Tree Guard Committee, Landmarks Committee, Other committees.

-Other

2. 70 Leffert's Place, David Conrad Status report on how this free standing Italianate villa was designated as an individual landmark, and what is next.

3. Atlantic Yards- legal issues, Candace Carponter, esq. & Shabnam Merchant Atlantic Yards is now a legal issue on at least two fronts. There are the lawsuits filed by those whose properties are to be condemned through eminent domain. And, there are the lawsuits filed against ESDC for their inadequate Environmental Impact Study and their inadequate response to the questions raised about it. Ms. Carponter will provide a status report on where things stand and will answer questions. Ms. Merchant will discuss the funding of the lawsuits.

4. Broken Angel, 4 Downing St., Brent Porter After a fire in the architectural sculpture/building known as the Broken Angel, there has been a roller coaster of events, with members of the community working to help the owners deal with the Department of Buildings and others to save the building and make sure it is up to code in its structural elements. Come and see a presentation on the building, its architectural features, design elements, construction techniques, and interiors by Brent Porter, professor at Pratt Institute. You will gain a better understanding as to what this building is and why it is worth saving.

Mark your calendars:

1. February General Meeting – (Feb. 21, 2007, Refreshments at 7 pm, meeting at 7:30) Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, 357 Clermont Ave. This will be a joint meeting of the Fort Greene Association and the Society for Clinton Hill. Topics will include Atlantic Yards status report and an update on many of the other development projects in our neighborhoods by Councilperson Letitia James and more. Watch for details.

2. Precinct Council Meeting – Tues., Jan. 16, 2007, 7 pm, location to be announced. Come and hear what is happening on the crime scene in our area and raise questions you might have. Everyone welcome.

3. SAVE THE DATE – Society for Clinton Hill, Newcomer's Party, Fri. 2/23/07, 7 pm Please invite anyone you know who is new to the neighborhood – renters and owners. This is a regular event sponsored by SCH and is meant to welcome people new to Clinton Hill and surrounding areas. Remember, old-timers bring a favorite dish and newcomers bring themselves. Location and other details will follow.

4. MEMBERSHIP – Renew your membership or join SCH at the General Meeting. Your contribution helps pay for mailings and other community activities of our organization. We welcome your participation and greatly appreciate your support.

5. SOCIETY FOR CLINTON HILL HOUSE TOUR – Sunday, May 6, 2007, noon to 5 pm. Tickets: $20 advance sale; $25 day of tour. Many volunteers needed for this biannual event which is the main fundraiser for SCH and supports all the things we do for the next two years. Volunteer at the General Meeting, or contact Wash308@aol.com for all types of volunteer positions and/or sbarnes437@aol.com to volunteer for a house sitter position. We need more than 100 house sitters and many other people to make this amazing event a success.

***

My Two Cents: This meeting sounds great! I plan on being there. First, the CH House Tour is absolutely amazing, and I encourage you all to attend and/or volunteer. It's a really great way to get inside some of the nabe's most intriguing houses. Plus, it only happens every other year, switching off with Fort Greene.  Also, the Newcomer Party is a great idea (though no one invited me when I was new here -- thanks, guys). I make really good salmon toasts, so maybe I'll bring them.

Private Parties

iCi isn't the only place to throw a private bash (though it's received positive reviews from our readers thus far). This comment was posted to the blogger version of CHB, so many of you may not have seen it: My husband and I on November 17th, 2006 had a private party of 12 at Brown Betty's Cafe and no one was disappointed. First, let me expressed how comforting it was to be able to entertain our friends and feel as if we were in our own living room, except we had great service thanks to Ms Renee for hosting, great food, and fantastic music. As for the cooking staff (Mr. D & Ms. Cynthia) thank you so much for an "AWESOME" dinner. Of course, it would not have been a success if not for Owner of Brown Betty’s Café and Chef Ms. Cynthia Walker. Thank you for making Nick's Birthday a memorable evening and allowing us to literally take over your Café.

I didn't know BB was available for private events, but I'm sure a lot of local restaurants/shops would be open to it if asked. Good to know Brown Betty is an option, as the space is both beautiful and intimate. FYI, Polish Bar also does custom parties and events.

Drama at 11205

I'm at a loss for words right now as to how annoyed I am with the Pratt Station PO. So, I need to rent a PO box. The thought of heading to 11238 made my head spin, so I settled on the Myrtle PO. I'm on Myrtle more then I'm on Fulton anyway, and people seem to think 11205 is far superior.

I left early this morning to make sure I had time to take care of my postal business before work. I know how long the lines are at 11238 all hours of the day. So imagine my surprise when I arrived at 11205 to find NO LINE! My pleasure was short-lived once I realized window service didn't begin until 9:30. Wtf? The antithesis of convenient.

I arrived around 9 and weighed my options. What were the chances that if I left right away for 11238 and waited in line that I'd be done by 9:30? Very slim. So, I stayed in line for 30 minutes. Others joined the line and grumbled about how the staff will hide until 9:30 exactly. It's like they take pleasure in the bad service!

At 9:32, the first window opened. When it was my turn (I was second in line), I handed over the PO box rental application that I had printed online and filled out. The woman asked, "Where's the original?". Huh? "This IS the original. I printed it out online.". "Well," she responded, "We can't do anything with that. You have to fill THIS out." I took the form, which was the same as the online form but on different paper, and stormed out.

Why even have the form available online if it can't be used? I was curious, so I called USPS directly. When I finally spoke with a human (I had to babble about something not an option in the menu they provided, which finally sent me to a living person), I asked if the PO had to accept the online form. She said:

"I can't comment on that. Each post office does things differently."

Really? Is this 1904?

Who besides me thinks we need to bulldoze both existing POs, rebuild modern facilities and hire a whole new staff?

FYI: Sale @ Tessan Boutique

Up to 60% off! (In case it's time to do some shopping for yourself...) Tessan Boutique 280 Dekalb Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11205 Tel: 718-230-8586 www.Tessanboutique.com

Into Bed-Stuy: collecther

A friend of mine in search of good vintage finds heard about a unique shop just over the CH border called collecther. So, we scoped it out.

Located on Franklin at Lafayette, the shop is set up like a high-end boutique. Vintage purses are displayed in an ornate curio cabinet while chill music plays on an ipod stereo. It's a chi-chi feel for an affordable price, and a real find on a formerly blighted block. Franklin might shape up to be the next cool corridor. Plus, it's great to see local residents as entrepreneurs enhancing the neighborhood.

(burzh-wa): Great Reviews!

The new salon on Myrtle, (burzh-wa), has been receiving TOP reviews in the comments section of CHB.  Now what I want to know is, how are they on pricing?  'Cause I'm need of a cut.

Bagels on DeKalb

I can't even remember what used to be in this retail space:

But it's about to become a bagel shop! Maybe it'll give Tillie's some welcome competition?

A reader thinks it might be called "Bagel World."

Liquors: Finally R.I.P.

Looks like that "reopening in the spring!" sign was finally taken down. So was the restaurant sign above the door.

Now, there's a phone number hanging for rental inquiries.

The plot thickens.

Move With Grace: Opening TODAY!

Move With Grace, the yoga/dance studio owned by Grace Tappin (sister to Karen of KBB) opened this morning at 6:30am! Most adult classes (several types of yoga, dance classes including jazz, samba, African and hip hop) are 90 minutes. There are several children's class options, in addition to pilates, stretch, couples' dance nights, self-defense and other special events. I had hoped to teach a tap class, but I have enough on my plate right now. Maybe eventually...

Hope to see you there! Meanwhile, you can purchase class cards and register online here.

The class schedule will be updated regularly. Check that here.

What's Up with Sushi D?

Something's been amiss at Sushi D on DeKalb Ave. They haven't accepted credit cards in weeks, but they keep pretending it's just for one night. It's becoming silly -- if you're not accepting credit cards, just say so. Don't pretend it's a one-night-only technical problem. Also, the service has been way off. During my last visit, we never even received water at the table, and my tea cup went unfilled for the entire meal until I waved someone down.

What gives? Management change?

UPDATE: Reader and contributor MizBrooklyn has the scoop!

Last time I went they said they were being investigated by a credit card company (at least I *think* that's what they said -- there was a bit of a language barrier)...apparently a customer has had problems with having his credit card number stolen and used. The woman I spoke with insisted that Sushi D only employs very reasonable people (she said her waitresses have been there for years), and that there are other businesses that may be the actual source of the lifted credit card numbers. But until then, their credit card privileges are suspended.

Broken Angel: WTF!

Brownstoner and Gowanus Lounge have both posted stories in the last week or so about Broken Angel potentially being on the market, despite all the movement towards preservation.

Looks like it's true.  Gowanus Lounge provides some in-depth info for us this morning.

Maybe the challenge to save the building is turning out to be too much for the family.  That's understandable.  But I can't help but feel really bummed and kinda pissed about this.  It smells like defeat.  Defeat and some sort of new Fedders building.  LAME! (above photo by Dana F)