As you’ve probably heard, Relish closed last weekend (we happened to be there for dinner the Wednesday before it closed, so we (unwittingly) had a last meal there). For many years, Relish’s diner was a ghost ship in the neighborhood – this cool old building that sat vacant and unused. I guess now it will go back to being a ghost ship.
Time for the Beast to Take Another Nap
Did Gothamist Stumble Upon the New JellyNYC Outdoor Venue?
Gothamist [via FreeWilliamsburg] has a new take on the future of the Kedem Winery site, or more specifically, the huge parking lot there. According to the post, JellyNYC is going to start a smaller Saturday concert series somewhere in South Williamsburg. The concerts would be outdoors, and the original Gothamist speculation was that the parking lot at Kedem Winery was the chosen location. JellyNYC has confirmed the new series, but – while not naming a location – has said that they won’t be at Kedem.
If the concerts are really in South Williamsburg (as opposed to the Southside), this would open a whole new chapter in the hipster-Hasid culture wars.
It’s ‘Hollywood on the East River’ for Kedem Winery Site
Aaron Short follows up on the CineMagic story at Kedem Winery.
Sort of makes you wonder about all those claims about manufacturing no longer being viable on the waterfront. This project will bring far more high-paying, good-benefit jobs to the waterfront than the eventual mixed-use residential/retail project will. The problem isn’t that manufacturing isn’t viable, the problem is that we haven’t changed our definition of “industrial” to match the changing face of manufacturing in 21st-century Brooklyn.
Amid Warehouses, Gourmet Sandwiches, Yoga Classes and Yarn
When asked whether she lived in [Bushwick], Ms. Snyder replied: “I live by the Montrose stop on the L, which is technically East Williamsburg. But I tell everybody I live in Bushwick.”
New Law Stamps Out Illegal Hotels
The law passed by the legislature is aimed more at SROs and apartment hotels in Manhattan, but should help enforcement of illegal “hotels” in Williamsburg.
Fire at 80 Devoe Street
Only one minor injury, thankfully.
The High-Priced Origins of the Christie St. Cut
In the end, construction of the Chrystie St. Connection took 10 years while K trains ran through the Cut for just eight.
But now it’s back in business for the M train.
At City Hall, a Brooklyn Waterfront Project Inches Across the Finish Line
At the brand-new Capital NY blog Katherine Jose has a blow-by-blow of the City Council’s deliberations on the Domino rezoning (spoiler – it was very unexciting).
[I’m excited to see how Capital NY works out – they have some great talent and pretty far-reaching mandate.]
Year After Evacuation, Brooklyn Tenants Still Aren’t Back Home
The Times has an update on the saga of 172 North 8th Street, whose residents were evacuated last June by DOB, let back in, and then evacuated again.
Among other things, the tenants and the landlord are now fighting over who did the most recent work in the cellar that led to the latest vacate order. The tenants say the landlord was trying to excavate the basement to create retail space. The landlord suggests the tenants are culpable. The landlord’s lawyer says “eh, maybe it just happened”.
Wythe Still ‘Kent’ Do It!
DOT met with the Community Board last night about the Kent Avenue bike lanes and traffic on Wythe. Highlights included the news that Kent Avenue is now the second busiest bike route, traffic on Wythe is up 600%, and DOT is planning on installing traffic lights along Wythe at North 6th, North 4th, Grand and South 4th (no news about lights on Kent, though, which surely needs them).
