"...Developers say that many for-sale condos in Downtown, Dumbo and the Burg are seeing price cuts of 15 to 20 percent and that many Brooklyn builders are considering turning their projects rental.
"...Lenders looking for a reason to call in defaults? Banks showing up at closings without any money? Fire sales on newly-built condos? These are just some of the grim realities that New York City Developers are dealing with in this less-than forgiving economic terrain..."
"...key components of the [Atlantic Yards] development are now on hold -- not because of public outrage, but rather due to increasing construction costs, a slowing economy sliding toward recession and a tightening credit market.
From congregations to condos: the new Bay Ridge.
News from the CECPP Preservation Summit on April 17th, including what you can do to contribute to CECPP initiatives: http://www.savelpc.org/
This is how it happens.
Condo developments depend upon condo buyers. Condo buyers depend upon financing. Financing depends upon credit. Credit depends upon eligibility. And eligibility for credit is increasingly rare.
Never mind spray paint -- here's how the big boys do it.
Join us at the following events this coming week:
From Kathleen Walker:
From Dorcas Kimball:
"There is a stack of coffins in the parking lot of the church and a bulldozer on the grounds. Many members of our group are there, outside the locked church gates."
"...Preservationists Michael Perlman of Queens, founder of the Committee To Save The Cheyenne Diner, and Kyle Supley of Brooklyn were the driving forces behind the Cheyenne’s rescue. (Both also helped to ensure that the Moondance diner was spared last summer, and it is on track to open this summer in LaBarge, Wyo.)
Could demolishing old buildings to put up new buildings possibly be "green"? I think you know the answer to that:
Just published: an atlas of community-based (197a) plans in New York, from MAS: http://www.mas.org/planningcenter/atlas/
Although the recent "flipping" buzz in the local blogs and papers may provide a revealing look into the character of Abe Betesh and Robert Emerick, be reminded that, by the time the property is "flipped" by Abe Betesh, the Church will not exist.
"...We received credible information from first-hand sources that objects are being moved out of the church. There is also a garbage truck or bin that has been seen in the parking lot, and surveyors are seen on the property on a regular basis.
From Francis Marrone's New York Sun article:
"Today, many prominent members of New York's French community, including Société Générale USA chief executive officer Jean-Jacques Ogier, and Deloitte & Touche partner Pierre-Henri Revault, are among the signatories to a letter, written by a parish activist, Olga Statz, to Mayor Bloomberg. It urges that St. Vincent be designated a city landmark. Surprisingly, few Catholic churches have been so designated. Such masterpieces as Thomas Poole's St. Thomas the Apostle Church (1904–07) in Harlem, Henry Murphy's Church of St. Bernadette in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, and Helmle & Huberty's St. Barbara's (1910) in Bushwick, Brooklyn, lack landmark status, yet each is architecturally more distinguished than most of the designated churches in the city.
This tells us that the Archdiocese of New York has been particularly effective in forestalling the Landmarks Preservation Commission. It's interesting to ponder this in light of the visit this week of Pope Benedict XVI, who has shown a passionate commitment to art and architecture as essential props of the faith."
For the complete text of Francis Marrone's article from the New York Sun:
The local bloggers have picked up on a Dakota Realty posting on Craig's List offering a development parcel on Ovington and Fourth. The Craig's List posting has been sighted off and on for months.
Now that the Richard Martin "crazy old man" frenzy that powered the local blogs for weeks has dissipated, Lysiak is presenting local mockumentarian Mike Rizzo and his prankster film crew as the "Borats of Brooklyn".
Why doesn't New York City have a demolition review ordinance, like that enacted by the City of Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1979?
Digested from a 4/3/08 Courier article by Helen Klein:The Committee to Save the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church has proposed turning the church into a community arts center.
With seating for 600 and excellent acoustics, the church would be an ideal performance space for local groups such as the Ridge Chorale and the Narrows Community Theater, according to Karen Tadross, producer of the Ridge Chorale.
Tadross broached the idea of turning the church into a performance space to members of the Bay Ridge Community Council (BRCC) in the days before the Committee to Save the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church held its fourth rally at the church.
The church is due to come down – possibly as soon as next month, as part of a deal with a Brooklyn developer, Abe Betesh, holder of the $9.75 million contract of sale, which requires the congregation to demolish the church. Betesh (a/k/a Abeco Management) intends to build a large condominium development on the site.
Tadross' presentation to the BRCC’s was received with both cheers and jeers at St. Ephrem’s auditorium on 74th Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway. Her premise was simple: with so many arts groups being closed out of performance and rehearsal spaces, it's logical to use an existing space that could easily accommodate them.
“The Ridge Chorale, along with Narrows Community Theater and countless Bay Ridge dance schools, choruses and orchestras have, are or will face the same problem – no place to perform,” Tadross told the group. “Most of us are essentially homeless.” The Ridge Chorale, she noted, pays $10,000 to rent the performance space at Poly Prep, a cost that will only increase after the space is renovated, which will raise the cost of tickets.
Having a local performing arts center would benefit both the performance groups and local residents.
“With Broadway tickets now out of reach for most people, community theater brings an opportunity to expose children to theater at an early age at a reasonable price,” said Tadross. It provides local entertainment for seniors on a fixed budget who can no longer afford a Broadway show, and gives local residents a chance to contribute their talents and entertain their neighbors.
Turning the church into an arts center would also provide economic benefits to the surrounding community, Tadross said. “Restaurants, bars, diners and other local businesses would see an increase in revenues, much like the business surrounding NJPAC (New Jersey Performing Arts Center) when it was built.,” she told the group. “Their revenues increased 12.3 million in the first year alone.”
Although there is presently no funding available to make Tadross’s vision a reality, something she acknowledged when she spoke before BRCC, she said that with a combination of public and private fundings and enough creative thinking, funds could be secured.
Members of the Committee to Save the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church support turning the church into a performing arts center. “Let the community use it, let the organizations use it and let it be as a beautiful space,” said Kathy Walker, Commitee Coordinator.
Preservationist Victoria Hofmo, founder of the Bay Ridge Conservancy and a member of the Committee, agreed. “It...is to the church’s advantage to have someone else buy it who doesn’t want it demolished, because they would have more profit.” A performing arts center is a natural fit, she added, pointing out that, because the church was designed in an “auditorium style” by architect George W. Kramer, it has “great sight lines and acoustics.”
Hofmo also said that, with the passing of time, there are fewer and fewer venues available to local performing arts groups. Some spaces have become too expensive, she noted, while others, such as Fort Hamilton, are basically off-limits because of security issues.
There are churches with under-utilized space and there are people who need space, so why not make partnerships? “Hopefully other churches will see the potential...and..look at the opportunities.”
The congregation of the Bay Ridge United Methodist Church was given the go-ahead to sell by state Supreme Court Justice Larry Martin in January, and Pastor Robert Emerick has said that demolition would take place by May.
Link to the complete Helen Klein article on the Courier Website:
Manhattan preservationist, Virginia Parkhouse, announced at a public hearing in October, 2006 that she would read a letter from the borough president, Scott M. Stringer, in support of landmarking two stables on the Upper West Side.
On March 5th, the Citizens Emergency Committee to Preserve Preservation (savelpc.org) filed a lawsuit against New York City's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) in State Supreme Court.
We were out on the corner of Ovington and Fourth again today, from about 11-1, with our tombstone posters, our folding table with the green paper cloth, our clipboards and our flyers.
Heartshare Human Services pre-school, located in the Sunday school building on Fourth Avenue next to the Green Church, is rumored to be moving out. Their lease is up in June and will apparently not be renewed.
"...[George] Kramer [architect of the Green Church] was one of the most significant church architects in American history, and the church is the very definition of a neighborhood landmark."
[Italics mine.]
More about Francis Morrone: http://www.francismorrone.com/
High-end realtors, developers, and wealth managers, such as Massey-Knakal and Bruce Ratner and their Wall Street cousins, have mastered the art of pre-emptively positioning themselves as the "good guys" in their target communities. Their budgets carve out big donations to the local pols, with whom they appear in smiling photos at local events "in honor of"; they sit on the boards of local charitable organizations; they support local cultural institutions; they are feted at annual fund-raising galas; they issue heart-warming joint press releases with children's charities, such as this one: http://www.brooklyncareworks.org/pressreleases/july_27_07.html
Fourth Annual St. Mark's Historic Landmark Fund Lecture
Photo from Gowanus Lounge
Our friends at Juniper Park anticipate that they will need additional funds to fully restore St. Savior's Church, once it has been relocated.
