Chelsea Piers Fitness coming to Downtown Brooklyn

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April 23, 2018

We’re getting a fancy gym. Chelsea Piers Fitness is coming to Downtown Brooklyn. The “showroom” is now open for new members. I heard through the rumor mill that “founding member” prices are about $150 per month, and that price will go up once the gym actually opens. That puts this gym in roughly the same category as Crunch, Equinox, or (RIP) David Barton.

The place sounds pretty sweet. Aside from all the regular workout equipment, there’s a A 3-lane, 75-foot pool, two areas for CrossFit-like HIIT training, steam and sauna, and even a “co-working space,” whatever that turns out to be.

From what I hear, the original Chelsea Piers is pretty popular, and this is their first outpost of the brand. If high-end fitness is your thing, it’ll be worth checking out.

If you don’t want to pay that much, there’s always Planet Fitness around the corner.

The new gym is going to be at 265 Schermerhorn Street (between Bond and Nevins), but the “showroom” for interested members is at 442 Atlantic Avenue.

Community Board votes against development of imposing 80 Flatbush tower

Neighborhood

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Dann Berg

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April 19, 2018

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Image via 80 Flatbush

The community has spoken. Well, the Brooklyn Community Board 2’s Land-Use Committee has spoken at least. And they’ve voted against the giant construction project at 80 Flatbush Ave at a meeting held Wednesday.

Unlike other, approved development projects in Downtown Brooklyn, the planned tower at 80 Flatbush met a wave of backlash from the community. A group called Block 80 Flatbush Towers formed to fight against the construction project. They’ve been vocal online, as well as covered the neighborhood with their message. With this vote, it appears as if their vote has been heard.

It’s not over yet, however. The next public hearing will be on April 30th, and the full Community Board 2’s vote will be at their next scheduled meeting on May 9th.

Unlike Downtown Brooklyn, which was re-zoned in 2004, the location of 80 Flatbush (between Flatbush Avenue, State Street, 3rd Avenue, and Schermerhorn Street) Beorum Hill, and isn’t zoned for such tall buildings. That means the developer, Alloy Development, needs to have the zoning changed to continue with this planned 986 foot tower.

Community members are having none of it, though. If voting continues this trend, Alloy Development will need to come up with a new plan for the space.

Construction on 9 Dekalb Ave tower seemingly at a standstill

Neighborhood

By

Dann Berg

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April 17, 2018

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Construction appears to be at a standstill at 9 Dekalb Ave, the giant skyscraper coming to Downtown Brooklyn that will be twice as tall as any current building in the neighborhood.

The image is an aerial view of the construction site, with the old Dime Savings Bank in the lower right-hand corner of the image. Construction crews were hard at work removing floors of the attached building last summer/fall, but it seems like no progress has been made since then.

I assume the next step will be pile-driving. Which, if my experience living in Carroll Gardens during the early construction of 365 Bond is any indicator, will be neighborhood-shaking.

Does anyone know what’s the hold-up? As much as I dislike the building design, I am excited for more of these giant construction projects to be done.

Image via CityRealty

A Macy’s Parking Garage No More, Ready for 11 Hoyt

Neighborhood

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Dann Berg

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April 16, 2018

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It can be hard to see from the street, but Macy’s old parking garage is no longer a parking garage. The first step in constructing the next skyscraper being added to Downtown Brooklyn’s skyline, at 11 Hoyt. I shot this photo from our roof on April 14th, 2018, so everyone could get a look at the current progress.

You can click through to the 11 Hoyt website, to see renderings of the new building. New York Yimby has even more. Not too bad, IMO. Definitely not as utterly terrifying as the monstrosity coming to 9 Dekalb Ave.

I don’t think the 11 Hoyt website has been updated in a while, because it still says “anticipated launch summer 2018.” Although, who knows what “launch” refers to. Maybe that’s when they’ll start selling units? Apartments at Brooklyn Point, the third City Point tower that’s currently under construction, went on sale a few weeks ago.

Units in 11 Hoyt will apparently start at $600k and go up to $4M, competing directly with Brooklyn Point. But have you seen the renderings of Brooklyn Point’s amenities? That rooftop pool…rock climbing wall…children’s playroom…those are going to be hard to beat. Yimby says that 11 Hoyt will also “include a pool, squash court, game room, children’s area, and an exercise room.” We’ll have to wait and see how the renderings stack up.

What do you think of these two upcoming additions to the Downtown Brooklyn skyline?

Construction near future(?) Willoughby Square Park

Neighborhood

By

Dann Berg

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April 13, 2018

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It came out last week that the promised park-above-a-parking-garage might not be going as planned.

Back in 2004, when this neighborhood was first rezoned (prompting the building frenzy that’s happening now), the city promised a one-acre public park right across from the new City Point structure. The city even approved tearing down rent stabilized buildings to make way for this new park slash parking garage.

But the construction company that won the bid (back in 2013) to complete the project couldn’t seem to get funding. So they just tore down the existing buildings…and here we are today.

You can see the edge of the perfectly cleared lot in the top right of the above picture. It’s just waiting for a park.

The construction pictured above is for…what? I don’t know. Is that supposed to be part of the park as well? Is it some new structure? Whatever it is, it’s actively being worked on.

If anyone knows anything, let us know.

Albee Square welcomes spring!

Neighborhood

By

Dann Berg

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April 13, 2018

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Spring weather has finally arrived!

After a long beginning of spring, filled with snow day after snow day, we finally have 80 degree weather. People are out and about enjoying the sunshine, as seen here at Albee Square, next to City Point.

Behind is the old Dime Savings Bank, which will eventually be more retail. Originally, I had heard that Apple was scoping that spot out for an Apple Store, but it looks like they got impatient and headed up Flatbush Ave a few blocks instead. Although, I have no idea whether that rumor was even true in the first place.

Come 2020 (or so they say), we’ll be seeing a towering monstrosity of a building above the iconic dome. It’ll be the tallest — and most terrifying — building in Brooklyn.

But let’s not focus on that now. Let’s just enjoy this lovely weather. Right?