Look! Up in the air! UPDATE: Washington/St Johns Fire

Please, please--if you are reading this, and don't have renter's insurance--GET IT. Many people don't know it exists, but it can make the difference between staying in a shelter and having a hotel, and it can help replace belongings lost due to disaster or theft. $15,000 worth of insurance costs under $20 a month.

@oshma good advice.

oshma said:

Please, please--if you are reading this, and don't have renter's insurance--GET IT. Many people don't know it exists, but it can make the difference between staying in a shelter and having a hotel, and it can help replace belongings lost due to disaster or theft. $15,000 worth of insurance costs under $20 a month.

YES YES YES.

I get it from Allstate for less than $300/year

It goes without saying to make sure that you have adequate coverage and that you can afford the deductible. $15,000 sounds like a lot, but if you had to replace absolutely everything (clothes, furniture, food) that amount might not cover it. Friends of mine had a fire several years ago, and just the dry cleaning bill reached well over $1,000. Also, make sure your policy includes temporary housing. That was an addition to one policy that I had (really cheap, but still, it didn't come with the base coverage.)

Calabar Imports was located on the ground floor of 820, and the owner is hoping to get back in the space by August.

If you are an artist, she'd love to hear from you.

Details:

https://www.facebook.com/notes/atim-annette-oton/phoenix-rising-artists-for-a-relaunchreopening-exhibition-at-calabar-imports/10150267922590067

No fatalities except for the 2 deli cats that were living there, though we hope they were able to escape.

Coffee Bites (located in 824) has been given permission to reopen.

They hope to reopen on Monday.

This may mean that some of the residents of 824 may be allowed to return as well.

posted for historical purposes.

I suspect this location may sport a new condo building as early as 2014.

any word on the bodega cats?

Top 10 Bodega Cats Keeping Cool

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/top-10-bodega-cats-keeping-cool

Any word on the cause?

rezist-

Based on steps that the "city employee" outlined to me, I have to assume the bored firemen are still awaiting a determination from their bosses.

If the fire is declared to be an accident, I assume the bored firemen will disappear, and some heavy equipment operators will be given free reign to safely get rid of the pile of debris that presently fills the site.

While the bosses continue to decide, I assume the firemen will remain bored on St. Johns.

inpixels-

I do not know the fate of the bodega's cats. However, based on your photos, I must ask: "Where does one go after heaven? Is there something even better being a bodega cat?"

I have a tip on purchasing Vita Coco in the KeyFood on Washington... *always* open the white cap to inspect the metal film to see that the Vita CoCo is not opened ---

i'm not sure if its because of:

A) a manufacturing defect

that chubby kid is drinking them

C) just the standard Washington Ave Key Food Caveat emptor

I put this image together last week to show my family and friends on facebook. Image of left is (obviously) a Google Maps screenshot, and the other is a pic I snapped last Saturday night on my way to First Night at Brooklyn Museum.

http://i.imgur.com/viRh7.jpg (Imgur link for larger photo)

Stopped by Coffee Bites and the proprietor told me that the investigators found evidence of an accelerant.

Oops.

wow.

They'll likely do a thorough investigation of the rubble to make a determination as to whether "finding evidence of accelerant" is enough to declare the fire "arson"

...then they have to determine who set said fire.

I hope the fire fighters don't have to continue be bored on St. Johns while all this works out. Can't they hire a security firm to staff a booth or something?

The owner of Calabar Imports types on facebook:

Finally got into Calabar Imports. A good amount of damage on one side and no damage on the other side. It's a wonder to see it. Now that's the bad news.

There is good news:

Bar Sepia is planning a fundraiser for Calabar Imports, will know date in a few. Thanks Delissa...Will spend the day at site with building department as they shore up the wall. And might begin processes for renovation earlier than expected, thanks to the landlord's rep.

To my surprise, the bored fire fighters are now gone and have been replaced by heavy equipment operators attacking the rubble.

I saw no visible signs of intense city supervision.

Leading me to believe that the FDNY either found everything they needed to find, or found everything they think could be found.

arsons don't tend to get solved and i suppose the authorities don't waste a lot of time trying. you can look at who has the insurance policy to make an educated guess but proving it's another matter.

I am glad that at least the fire fighters no longer have to guard the site.

Brownstoner has a good, post-heavy equipment picture

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2011/06/bulldozers-for-fire-damaged-building-on-washington-ave/#disqus_thread

The building to the left of the site was heavily damaged, and has been undergoing repairs for months.

The word is that it will have tenants once again in May. Calabar Imports will re open at that time.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Calabar-Imports/152493291482373?refid=7

Brownstoner reports that a new building is coming our way:

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/03/new-building-for-prospect-hts-property-destroyed-by-fire/#disqus_thread

As everyone is aware, the building in which the fire started was torn down.

The fire also damaged the building next door, and the tenants had to live elsewhere while the repairs were done.

Today's good news: Those repairs are now complete. The former tenants can soon move back in, and the scaffolding was taken down today.

As everyone is aware, the building in which the fire started was torn down.

The fire also damaged the building next door, and the tenants had to live elsewhere while the repairs were done.

Today's good news: Those repairs are now complete. The former tenants can soon move back in, and the scaffolding was taken down today.

Calabar Imports (the small boutique that occupied the ground floor of the "damaged, but not destroyed building") will re-open soon.

http://www.calabar-imports.com/

coming "soon"

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/08/a-rendering-for-affordable-build-816-washington-ave/?stream=true

Given the neighborhood's boom, I did not expect this property to remain vacant for long.

Top floor looks like crap in the rendering, but maybe it'll look better in reality...

$1700 for a 4-bedroom apartment! Crazy... wish I could qualify for one of those, but I know I wouldn't.

The top floors will likely get views of Manhattan.

...and the apartments on the top floors are "new units" and, thus, won't have to be rented for the prior HCR rates, or subject to a lottery.

I predict the rent these units, as well as the increased rent that will be obtained from the new ground floor commercial space will be enough for the landlord to have nice profit.

Eventually, all of the units will become unstabilized, and then he will do VERY NICELY.

It's not bad at all. It reminds me of the Abigail's building, which I think is about as lovely and contextual a new construction as it gets around here.

Like Abigail's, the top floor will not attract much attention from the street level, but will be easier to keep cool in the summer thanks to the more reflective pointing.