Permits filed for parking lot on Church at Bedford

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2015/02/seven-story-59-unit-building-coming-to-empty-lots-on-church-avenue-in-flatbush/

The other half and i have been talking about this spot for ages--it's on what we consider being the saddest chunk of Church Ave in the area. Smack in the middle between two beautiful church grounds--the Dutch Reform on Flatbush and Holy Cross Church on the corner of Veronica place--it's directly opposite a seemingly abandoned newly constructed church, a gas station, and catty-corner to the dilapidated once-beautiful Flatbush School No. 1 (and views of Erasmus in the background). It's an area with great potential, particularly because the blocks of Church avenue directly east and west to it are lively and bustling with commerce, and i also think it's equidistant from the B/Q as well as the 2/5. 

This lot is a very sad looking parking lot, with an even sadder sidewalk littered with trash and nowadays, un-shoveled ice. I have to say, I welcome the construction of new apartments on this half of the block. I can hardly think of a block in the immediate area that needs a lift more than this. I wonder if new construction on this corner would somehow prompt a revitalization of the School No.1 building? Or, more likely at this point, a mercy killing? 

If YIMBY is right, it sounds like the first floor will be used for parking (thanks to regulatory requirements) even though it could be used as retail. Which really is too bad -- would have loved to see some retail there.

that would have been nice--but given that seemingly 1 in every 3 storefronts in the area seems for rent or usually shuttered, i'm not sure there's as much demand.

still, i hate cars. i wish less importance would be placed on them.

That's a very good point -- hadn't thought of it that way.

You know, with all these permit filings in the area, I can't wait to start seeing some renderings.

Some renderings would go a long way! If for no other reason than to see the tenor that the neighborhood is going to take on. There is an older run down house that I walk by on the weekends around 1506 New York Ave, and it was being torn down this week. I don't think they've filed any permits for that property.

Here's the DOB link that indicates the demo, but no indication of what will replace it: http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByLocationServlet?requestid=1&allbin=3114047&allstrt=NEW YORK AVENUE&allnumbhous=1506

There seem to be a lot of changes happening.

Another one was razed, @ 325 Lenox Road, here's a link the article: http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2015/02/24/insufferable_video_shows_new_city_point_views_flatbush_demo.php#more

Seems it happened by surprise also. Douglas Elliman is listing it for 2.15m, so it's fair to guess that it has already been rezoned. Here's the elliman listing: http://www.elliman.com/new-york-city/325-lenox-road-brooklyn-krgxxfn

They're paying $125/sq ft to have the chance to build on that lot, it seems like it will almost have to be a higher end project in order to justify the costs associated with moving forward. It is relatively close to the park (4 blocks). Which means you have options as far as trains go 2/5 or Q. 

I am not a fan of the dilapidated parking lot on Church Avenue.  That lot would have made a nice community garden or park.  I haven't noticed many parks in the neighborhood outside of the ones inside the school yards on Snyder or Albermarle.

The city would have to be the highest bidder.

...seems unlikely.

I agree, this area is in dire need of parks. Once you get about a mile away from the Prospect Park, it's not all that convenient. Then you have a vast stretch of East Flatbush with very little parks. Yet another way this neighborhood is underserved. 

We need one of those billionaires who are giving away hundreds of millions to build parks in the West Village to buy one of these lots. 

yeah...it's definitely unfortunate. granted, some parts of flatbush/east flatbush have some pretty nice standalone houses on green lawns--but it's not really enough. Holy Cross is beautiful to stroll through in warm weather, but is, after all, a cemetary. are we really at a phase in time when new city parks will be made? I mean, aside from in ultra-rich places like the meat packing district?

The city's present focus seems to be facilitating the development of as much HOUSING space as possible for tax paying residents.

These folks are getting a park. Must be that they are more park-starved than East Flatbush. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/05/nyregion/how-diller-and-von-furstenberg-got-their-island-in-hudson-river-park.html?_r=0

Parks are a lot like food: One usually needs the means to get them, not merely be starving for one.

That one looks really nice.

Well, they are paying for it.

Rendering posted:

Anybody know the deal with the big abandoned megachurch/catering hall across the street, with the brand new giant tacky chandelier and the outside covered in graffiti?

Anybody know the deal with the big abandoned megachurch/catering hall across the street, with the brand new giant tacky chandelier and the outside covered in graffiti?

i don't but i can say the graffiti is actually improving the look of it significantly. on the Erasmus side there's a giant tag that says "XANADU" that i think is pretty cool. too bad the parking lot just has a mountain of trash in it.

it's one of the reasons i'm glad this building is going up. that corner needs some love. it's blighted--from the crumbling PS 90 on the SW corner, the crappy gas station and catering hall on the SE corner, and this empty shitty parking lot on the NE. if only something could be done about PS 90 this corner would be a lot less spooky to walk around at night. And by spooky i mean literally ghost spooky. that shit's haunted for sure.

Do you think they offered to buy the little victorian to the left of the parking lot and they refused?

The Holy Cross rectory and school are some of the most beautiful buildings in the neighborhood. According to Suzanne Spellen they are designed by Benjamin Dreisler in 1899. 

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2013/03/walkabout-brooklyns-architects-benjamin-dreisler/

Wonder what the insides are like. The Rectory makes a great fantasy mansion. 

Ooo, I certainly don't mind this as a neighbor (though, not looking forward to any form of added competition for seats at the Church Ave 2/5 stop). Wonder what rents are going to be like.

Also, completely agree about PS 90 and the mega church. The mega church really does need to go, but does anyone think that PS 90 can be architecturally salvaged? I would love to see it re-purposed.

yeah, i love Holy Cross. i saw an old photo of it from before the Rectory was built i think it had some little mid 19th century wood frame buildings around it. that church is one of the saving graces of that block. the lawns are gorgeous as well.

unfortunately i think PS 90 is going to be torn down someday. barring some divine intervention, it's just going to stay its present course: demolition by neglect. it's gotten exponentially more delapidated in the past few years it seems.

Demo of PS 90 is imminent. The city filed an emergency demo permit and put up a sidewalk shed. According to FB the Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce is planning a community center. 

http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByNumberServlet?requestid=2&passjobnumber=321284141&passdocnumber=01

bummer maybe the community center will have a pool we can actually use? that would make like 3 pools within a block radius, ha

Since at some point in this thread we were talking about parks, here's a new park for downtown Brooklyn, paid for by a developer and the city. 

http://newyorkyimby.com/2016/08/an-office-building-at-217-duffield-street-in-downtown-brooklyn-gets-demolished-for-park-and-parking-garage.html

i guess i'm happy for more parks, but not surprised it's happening a billion miles away from the places that need them the most

Well, it shows that it's possible. And that is also a dense area which needs green space. They actually used eminent domain. The land in Flatbush would be cheaper to purchase than in Downtown Brooklyn. 

One thing that the Downtown site has which would be more difficult than in Flatbush: the city is funding it by selling the air rights to a developer for $15m. I don't think Flatbush air rights are as valuable right now. 

I can think of a number of sites which would make good parks which would be right in the middle of our underserved area. The whole corridor of Bedford between Snyder and Clarendon has a bunch of underused sites, some industrial, some parking lots, which might make sense.  

sears is apparently in big trouble. wouldn't it be awesome if the parking lot of the beverley road sears was sold to the city and made into a park? 

...more likely it would become something less exciting but one can dream.

Does anyone know what happened to 2415 Church?

Zero construction has happened and the lot is just a parking hut for cabs and vans again. And, there is often a car or two blocking the sidewalk there as well.

But, all of the signs and plywood are still up. Will we ever get a building?

suppleknuckles said:

sears is apparently in big trouble. wouldn't it be awesome if the parking lot of the beverley road sears was sold to the city and made into a park? 

...more likely it would become something less exciting but one can dream.

A discussion about this was held in the PLG Facebook Group.

The main takeaways: 

While Sears did announce plans to downsize and close several locations nationwide (primarily by not renewing leases), this location isn't one of them-yet.

That building is supposedly landmarked. Sears also owns it.

According to the tax map, that parking lot is actually split into several little lots for tax purposes and they are owned by city agencies. 

...which might explain why Sears does not seem to mind when you park there and shop elsewhere.

All true - but this is a different spot:

http://www.brownstoner.com/development/seven-story-59-unit-building-coming-to-empty-lots-on-church-avenue-in-flatbush/