Lawanna’s, which moved this past year from the heart of the Bedford strip to Grand Street, is having a closing sale. Apparently, the Grand Street location did not have the drop-in foot traffic necessary to maintain the business. (Grand Street, is a great retail area, but realistically, it probably is more of a destination retail area.)
Nearby, a new storefront for a new restaurant has gone in at 167 Grand (the former head shop/coffee shop next to La Villita Bakery).
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Photo: Neighbors Allied
for Good Growth
Among the many things going on this weekend:
Williasmburg Walks: Week 3. Saturday, from noon to 7 p.m., Bedford Avenue will again be closed from Metropolitan to North 9th. Last weekend saw cooler temperatures and more use of the sidewalks by merchants. The forecast for tomorrow is for even cooler temps (and maybe some rain). Come out and help this urban experiment evolve.
Stop the Violence Rally. Saturday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., at Continental (Washington) Plaza, Roebling and South 5th. Rally to protest the recent spate of violence in the Southside. Will include a mass at 7 p.m. and music all night.
268 Wythe (MDIM Architects)
Photo: MDIM, via Curbed
Finally, some architecture for Williamsburg.
Via Curbed, we learn that MDIM Architecture is responsible for two new buildings now under construction. The above rendering is of 268 Wythe, at the corner of Metropolitan (and across the street from 80 Metropolitan (the former Dutch Mustard site)). Unlike 80 Met and just about every other building in Williamsburg, 268 Wythe will not be using gray brick. Shocking, yes.
Judging by the rendering, the screen wall seems to have a lot of similarities with what Norman Foster is proposing for 980 Madison Avenue. The material looks to be different (wood on Wythe?), but the concept looks to be the same: an adjustable array of louvers that forms the outer facade, with the operable window walls behind.
MDIM’s second Curbed site is at 50 North 1st between Wythe and Kent (also across the street from 80 Metropolitan). The renderings are less clear than Wythe, but this too seems to be using screening elements. The screen elements could well serve as shading (certainly at Wythe, less clear at North 1st) – does anyone know if either of these projects is looking for LEED certification?
Also of note is that MDIM did a study for 184 Kent (the Austin Nichols Warehouse). Their proposal called for a tall slab addition on the west end of the building, a clear riff on the massive sign that once graced that end of the building. Like the scheme prepared by Arquitectonica, this design shows some inspiration and attention to design. But it also goes a step further, and shows some attention to the history and context of the building.
And speaking of 184 Kent, is there an architect in the world that has not prepared a study for this building? I can name six off the top of my head that have worked on this project.
The MDIM site is worth a look – they have a lot of projects in Williamsburg, all of them decidedly not your typical gray brick and stucco north Brooklyn special. (Their list includes 131 Wythe, another personal favorite of mine, as well as 190 Green.)
Rededication at 306 Union.
Yesterday, St. Nick’s Neighborhood Preservation Corporation held a rededication for its property at 306 Union Avenue (WilliamsburgIsDead was there too). St. Nick’s acquired 306 Union from the City in the 1980s. They rehabbed the abandoned building using low-income housing tax credits, and turned it into a model housing development for formerly homeless residents. Those tax credits had a life span of 15 years, after which the property could revert to market-rate rentals.
This is where the waterfront rezoning comes in. One of the biggest selling points of the rezoning for long-term residents was the inclusionary housing bonus which, theoretically, would result in 33% of all new housing units being developed as affordable housing. Most famously, developers would receive a density bonus for developing new affordable housing (about 1.25 new market rate units for each affordable unit developed). But there was also a provision in the inclusionary program for the preservation of existing low-income housing units.
306 Union is the first projects to utilize this part of the inclusionary bonus. In return for additional floor area on a new development elsewhere in the neighborhood, St. Nick’s received money to rehabilitate and upgrade 306 Union. More importantly, by using the inclusionary bonus, St. Nick’s is committing to keep 306 Union affordable forever.
With the exception of waterfront developments like Northside Piers and the Edge, the inclusionary program has not yet resulted in large numbers of new affordable housing units. But it is resulting in the permanent preservation of existing affordable housing units throughout the neighborhood. 306 Union is just the first among these.
It was postponed last week (apparently because the developer was selling the property – does anyone have any further information on that?), but the Finger Building appeal at the Board of Standards and Appeal is scheduled to go forward this morning.
The hearing will be held at the BSA at 40 Rector Street, 6th Floor: Hearing Room E 10:00am. (Take the #1/ W/R train to Rector St. or the 4/5 trains to Wall St in Manhattan.)
A number of local politicians and churches are sponsoring a prayer rally and concert on 2 August to protest the recent spate of violence in the Southside. The rally will start at 5 p.m., at Continental Plaza at Roebling and South 5th Street.
Williamsburger (South 2nd and Wythe).
Last night, CB1’s land use committee approved an application for a sidewalk cafe at the new Williamsburger restaurant, located at the corner of South 2nd and Wythe. According to the owner, the restaurant will be a burger and shake joint, and should be open with a week or two. Williamsburger still needs to visit CB1’s public safety committee for a liquor license (beer and wine only).
Hopefully this will be a good addition to the block. Certainly it will be a vast improvement on Fire and Ice, the bar that operated with impunity at that location for a couple of years.
152 Broadway
Architect: Spencer Bush Associates
Why am I not surprised that 152 Broadway is a KAI development? A year ago, this building was a twin to 154 Broadway (immediately to the left). The rooftop addition was never a promising sign, and the insertion of bicycle racks balconies screamed insensitivity. Still, the original facade remained, leaving open the possibility of reversibility.
No more. Sometime in the past few weeks, 152 has gotten a new skin. In place of the original Philadelphia brick, there is now a generic modern brick. Gone too are the original Berea stone neo-Grec details at the lintels, sill courses and elsewhere. In their place is some cheap cast stone meant, no doubt, to evoke the past architectural glory of the building. Even without the original artifact next door, this would be a complete travesty. With 154, it defies words.
So it really was not a surprise when I noticed today that there was a KAI sign on the project. These guys have been responsible for some of my favorite architecture in the Southside. Although at least they are branching out and not using Bricolage on this project.
The Mark of Kwality
Grand & Berry
This Saturday (26 June) there will be a benefit party for “Bummer”, a large-scale sculpture that has officially been selected by the Burningman cultural committee. The benefit runs from noon to midnight, and will be at Grace Space, 840 Broadway (near the Flushing J/M/Z stop). There will be a bunch of live bands, a host of DJs and an art exhibit. More details here.
