The next step in the Municipal Art Society’s Imagine Coney effort–which is bringing to together designers to develop a vision for redevelopment–will take place on Monday, November 17 at 6:30 PM at the Bamcafe at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. They will be presenting some initial results fo their work. Also, they will be having design workshops, known as charrettes, “to develop bold new ideas for Coney Island based on input given online and at two public workshops” at the New York Aquarium Cafeteria on Thursday and Friday. The meeting will be open to the public from 12:30PM-1:30PM. There’s a website about all there here. Reservations for the Coney session are “strongly encouraged.” RSVP online or call 212-935-2075.

This is 246 Bedford Avenue, a development that we’ve featured many times, and never for a good reason. We poked our camera inside to take a look at progress, and there has been some since this time last year when the front door open to a two-story deep pit we dubbed “The Door of Death.” The building is known as Sky Lofts LLC and there has been some stuff added to to the top as well. We feel comfortable predicting a 2010 completion date for whatever this thing turns out to be.

We never knew that closing sidewalks in Wiliamsburg was Republican propaganda until we came across this sign on Union Avenue. Now we know.

Have you taken the New York Water Taxi ferry to or from Ikea in Red Hook? Well, now you can, via the magic of this YouTube vid sent to us by a GL Reader. Happy sailing.

Standing at 43rd Street and Fourth Avenue in Sunset Park, you can look at any of three corners and see great architecture alongside a microcosm of the neighborhood’s history. On the southwest corner of Fourth stands one of the most distinctive and saddest structures in Sunset Park. Originally the 18th Precinct Station House and Stable, it is a powerful ruin, begging for worthy attention. Built in 1892, the design is attributed to architects Emile Gruwe and George Ingram. The mainly Romanesque-style medieval fortress has, on the avenue side, a round-arched entrance portico with a Venetian-style arcade. The side street reveals a bay of stairway windows and tiny inset balcony, of no practical use. The original brick is a warm orange and the details represent a chaotic mix of decorative forms: a corbelled parapet of rounded brick, rope moldings of terra cotta, zigzag and Romanesque carving, rock-faced brownstone and decorative ironwork. Adjacent to it on the avenue is a two-story stable with more modest detail. Vacated in 1970, the deterioration of the building accelerated with a fire in 1980—seeming to have sealed its fate. In 1984, the Landmarks Commission designated the building a landmark and the city put the property up for auction. The Sunset Park School of Music. obtained the property for $15,000 with the provision that that by July of 1986 they were to raise a minimum of $750,000 and begin a major rehabilitation. Unable to raise the money, the building has now stood vacant since the late 1980’s and is in dire need of a fairy god-developer for a good adaptive re-use.

Read more of this compelling history by clicking here

Today our friends at Eat It: The Brooklyn Food Blog take a look at Frankie’s 457 Spuntino on Court Street, a place that really needs no introduction.

Frankie’s 457 Spuntino is a charming, cozy little place on Court St., deep in the heart of Carroll Gardens. The inside is all brick and warm tones, with Edison bulbs hanging from the ceiling, and a big window at the back that overlooks their backyard and the train tracks in the distance. You can sit at the bar and have a good time watching people come and go, or you can sit at the little table for two in the front window and feel like you’re in your own private world, looking out onto the street. The first time I ate here, a few months after it opened, I sat in the front window and watched the first snow of the season fall. It was sublime, as was the food that followed.

The waiters are friendly and skilled, and there’s a wide variety of foods to choose from. Small plates of veggies and big, delicious salads are always on the menu, as are the meat and cheese plates and various sandwiches made on fabulous bread. Today though, I will be focusing on Brunch, and my favorite breakfast meal at Frankie’s: The French Toast. Mmmmm, it’s SO good. Made from two thick slices of crusty bread, it soaks up the egg just enough and is cooked to perfection so the outside is ever so slightly burnt and the inside is still moist and light. It arrives with slices of banana and strawberry and real maple syrup, and once you get it, you’ll never be able to get French Toast anywhere else.

For views of other Brunch dishes and sides, click here!

Sunset Park – The Old Neighborhood. Sunday, November 16, 2-4:30 pm – with Joe Svehlak. Our tour guide grew up here in the 1940’s and 50’s. Join him for a walk up and down the tree-lined row house streets of New York’s largest National Register District. Enjoy the spectacular harbor views from the 22 ½ acre hilltop park and see buildings that were part of New York’s first large cooperative venture started by Finnish immigrants in the early 1900’s. We’ll also learn about the many diverse ethnic groups that have made Sunset Park their home, and we’ll speak with some long-time residents along the way. The tour will end at Brooklyn’s Chinatown. Meet at the northeast corner of 43rd Street and Fourth Avenue, 45th Street Station of the N/R. Fees: $13.00 Non-Members, $10.00 BCUE Members, $8.00 Seniors & Students. For information call (718) 788-8500, ext. 217 or www.thecue.org (The photo is of s St. Michael’s R.C. Church on 42nd Street & Fourth Avenue.)

There were several reports yesterday of “brown, stinky” tap water in both Park Slope and Sunset Park. The Slope reports came from Garfield Place, Carroll Street, Second Street and 6th Ave and 1st St. The Sunset Park report came from 40th St and 5th Ave. Uh, some sediment being stirred up in pipes?–Brooklynian

· Barclays Says It’s Still Backing AY Nets Arena… [NYP]
· …But Maybe They Changed Their Deal With FCR [AY Report]
· Underground Railroad Museum Plans “In Jeopardy” [NYDN]
· More Details Surface About City Point Development [Eagle]
· Why The Long Lines at BAM Yesterday? [Brownstoner]
· Behind the Scenes at Litchfield Villa [A Year in the Park]
· ‘Yo Condo is Ugly’ [NY Shitty]

There has been some followup on the shooting in Boerum Hill earlier this week on the Boerum Hill email list. Here are some additional detail on the gunplay:

There were 13 shots in all that night. It was the third shooting incident in the same 2 block area in the past three months. As a proud resident of Boerum Hill and parent I would love the members of the group to try & take on what has been a growing level of gun violence in the neighborhood. These gunfights have been on the outer edge of the neighborhoods gentrification but clearly there has to be an effort to find solutions that address the needs of both the brownstoners & the people in the projects. Nobody wants the senseless violence that ends with police helicopters flying through our neighborhood. The 84th precincts & 78th precinct should end the bickering over the pretend line that separates the zones & I for one would be happy to participate in some community organizing that helps to heal our neighbor.

Also, here is a bit more info, along with some scary detail:

We live on the corner of Nevins & Warren. There were 7-9 shots from the Wyckoff Garden complex, one person was shot twice and several bullets hit a minivan parked on Nevins, and one stray bullet went through our downstairs neighbor’s window. Luckily no one was home, but we’re really concerned – I’ve been here 7 years, and there’s always been the occasional gun shot in the neighborhood, but definitely a lot more in recent months.

Our coop president is writing to the commanders of the two precincts (Nevins St. is the border of the 78th and the 84th) asking for increased patrols – in the past, this seemed to be standard procedure when anything happened, but haven’t seen anything this time. Also, think we need to let them know that these incidents really affect the surrounding neighborhood, and aren’t just things that happen in the project. Not sure exactly what else we can do immediately (does anyone have any info on bulletproof windows/shutters?)

We’re going to go out on a limb and suggest that when people are wondering about bulletproof windows and shutters that there may be a problem that the NYPD might want to think about addressing, jurisidictional disputes betwween precincts notwithstanding.

Developer Shaya Boymelgreen’s Novo Park Slope Condo on Fourth Avenue now has it’s “street level retail.” In this case, it’s New York Methodist Hospital’s Ambulatory Infusion Center. We won’t crack any jokes about this one because, among other things, it’s where cancer patients go to get their chemotherapy.

This is not going to be a good day to be an exec at Carnegie Hall. We can feel it in our bones. Why? Well, they have a policy that has pissed off a Park Slope mom by charging for a seat for a baby and, now, said mom is trying to rally the troops to get get them to change the policy. The mother says she was “forced to purchase tickets” for a baby sleeping on her chest in a carrier and she calls the policy “greedy and truly absurd.” The story, of course, comes from an email circulated by our dear friends at Park Slope Parents, where so many items of interest to the community-at-large originate. Here’s is the tale of ticket sorrow (and knowing the price of tickets at Carnegie Hall and other venues, this is not a minor cost):

Recently I brought my older daughter to one of the Carnegie Hall Family Concerts, bringing the new baby with us (sleeping on my chest in her carrier). I’ve brought my older daughter to many of these kids concerts over the past few years and always noticed, casually, that other moms brought babies there–I never assumed they’d been forced to purchase tickets for them, however. We’d 2 ordered tickets months in advance but–much to my surprise–they wouldn’t let us in with just the two tickets–they insisted I buy a separate full-price ticket for the baby (which–after a ten minute wait in line–I did, not having any other option and not wanting to upset my already teary-eyed older daughter further.)

It’s greedy. It’s absurd and let’s fight this!!!

There had been a report that something called Flea by Sea would be operating on the Astroland property in Coney Island next summer, but it’s not true. There may be something called Flea by Sea but it will be on the Thor Equities property on Stillwell Avenue that was home to some rides for part of the “Summer of Hope” this year. We heard from Thor Spokesperson Stefan Friedman who said: “”Flea by the Sea, a new and exciting addition to Coney’s landscape that we are confident will drive substantial traffic to the area from April to December, is just one part of Thor Equities’ comprehensive interim usage plan for the summer of 2009. Numerous rides, games, food, live entertainment and this shopper’s paradise will combine to offer residents and visitors a one-of-a-kind experience.” [GL Inbox]

[Photo courtesy of Megunski/GL Flickr Pool]

Right out there on Seventh Avenue in Park Slope in front of good, old Szechuan Delight. We assume it is not their new delivery vehicle.

All credit for this find goes to Streets Blog and it seems like the Borough President’s point right now is to say “no!” to East River Bridge tolls. Okay.

[Photo courtesy of Dalton Rooney/GL Flickr Pool]

Prospect Park has never looked more beautiful than in this gorgeous photo.

Alright boys, get that upper lip nice and clean and sign up for the Mustache for Kids! From 11/13 to 12/13 we wanna see our borough filled with the sexiest, thickest, longest mustaches you boys can muster to help the kids in our underfunded public school system. For those of you who’s always wanted a ‘stache, but don’t want to be pinned as some bandwagon rider – here’s the perfect excuse to get furry and let your hair down! Walk proudly around your neighborhood knowing you’re doing it “for the kids!”
—Vaduz Uvunt

We usually focus on trashed bikes in our Transportation Tuesday and Thursday pics, but this one was too much fun as a portrait to pass by. It comes from Williamsburg, of course.

We’ve been watching this development at N. 10 and Berry for nearly two years when the building that originally stood there was demolished. In a neighborhood that has many contenders for the title of Slowest Building in Brooklyn, this project is definitely a in the Top Ten. This is 70 Berry, designed by Armand Quadrini of KSQ Architects. It has a friend across the street that appears to be completely stalled. But, we digress, we noticed that in the last two weeks this building added another story, so it’s not out of the question that it will be done by 2010.

Click here to see a rendering of what it will look like by 2010.

And, now, some musical selection from now through the weekend:

Thursday 11/13/08
Barbes: Michael Attias Quartet (Jazz/Avant-Garde) $10, 10:00pm

Friday 11/14/08
BAM Café: Gif (Hip Hop) Free!!, 9:00pm

Music Hall of Williamsburg: James McMurty, Kevin Kinney (Singer-songwriter) $20, 9:00pm

Saturday 11/15/08
Jalopy: Two man Gentleman Band (Hot Club Jazz/Old Time Country/Vaudvillian Swing) Free!! (although since no price is listed, this is an assumption, and we all know how that could turn out) 10:30pm

Sunday 11/16/08
Union Hall: Tearing The Veil of Maya with Eugene Mirman and Friends (Not music, but well worth the price of admission) $7, 8:00pm
–Dan Bennis

Oh how we enjoy coming across interesting history about Brooklyn. Ever wonder about that big blank wall out on 3rd Avenue running between 1st and 3rd Streets? Yeah, now it surrounds a ConEd compound… but that’s a pretty damn nice looking wall for just some lame energy company’s yard. Well constructed. Sound. Ain’t nobody knocking that thing down. We’ve posted about Washington Park,the ballpark that once stood here before, but we came across the Brooklyn Ball Parks site and found a digital “picture book” of history describing the wall’s life history. It’s pretty cool.

Here’s a vid of Brooklyn shot in 16MM that has a Taxi Driver-ish feel to it because of the music. Definitely worth a view. The creator writes: “First ever test shots in 16mm while riding through Bushwick, Brooklyn NY. Camera used was a Krasnogorsk 3, stock was Kodak Vision 3 500T. DIY Telecined using a Canon HV20. Rolling shutter effect is evident, along with projector flicker…practice makes perfect and I have a ways to go. Still, coming from a Super 8 background, I was very pleased with the results and ‘look’ that 16mm has to offer. “

[Photo courtesy of PMFA]

The controversial Toll Brothers project that could be sunk by the firm’s shaky finances before a pile is ever driven into the ground, was endorsed by Community Board Six at a meeting in Park Slope last night. The vote was 23-10 in favor with 6 abstentions. Local blogger PMFA attended and noted that the most pointed questions about the project were raised by board members who aren’t even residents of the area. There will be a hearing at Borough Hall about the project on November 19. The Community Board vote is purely advisory.

· Borough Park Cross Dresser Goes on a Tear [NYP]
· CUE Celebrates its 30th Bday in Brooklyn [Eagle]
· Some Brooklyn High Schools Improve [Brownstoner]
· Fairyway’s Cafe is Pretty Crappy [Lost City]
· Teen Mugged on Henry Street [BHB]
· Toxic Boobs on Kent Avenue [NY Shitty]
· State Got Nada for AY Naming Rights [AY Report]
· Former Bklyn Nonprofit Head Charged With Aid Theft [NYT]
· Soho Restaurant Moving to Cortelyou[DP Blog]
· Clothing Swap Meet Coming to Bed-Stuy [B-S Blog]
· Blue-Lit Cranes Near Ikea [Fading Ad Blog]