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| Columbia Street Waterfront District |
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The BQE trench from Kane to Sackett Streets |
It was a part of South Brooklyn without a name.
When the boom started, Tiffany Place was an
oasis in a sea of empty storefronts, limited transportation, and cut off from its Brownstone
neighbors by the ditch of the BQE.
Realtors began calling it Cobble Hill West, giving it legitimacy. The Columbia Street Waterfront
District is poised to become a new playground. Unfortunately, the neighborhood is caught in a
massive reconstruction project that brings back memories of the birth of Smith Street, now one of
Brooklyn's hottest restaurant and nightlife locations.
The $17 million Capital Construction Project will change the face of the waterfront in South
Brooklyn. Like Smith Street before it, the infrastructure of the waterfront has not been
touched in over 30 years. The influx of residents to the area was a major factor in the timing of
the efforts. Columbia Street is receiving new roadbeds, water mains, sewers, sidewalks, and street lighting.
Columbia Street is one of the few areas in South Brooklyn that still maintains a feel of the
20th century. Live poultry markets operate in close proximity to trendy restaurants. Trucks use the
route as an alternate to the BQE causing untold damage to the roadbed. The stacks of cargo containers
on the west side of the street block the Manhattan skyline from street level and remind us of our
maritime roots. Some of the businesses have been there for years.
Moonshine, located at 317 Columbia by Hamilton Avenue, opened three years ago in a space once
known as Rocco's, a bar that served the dockworkers from 1937 to 1975. Owner Nick Forlano
discovered the former bar and immediately decided it was for him. As he renovated, he kept much
of the original bar and woodwork intact. The kitchen gave way to a pool room with Blues Brothers'
chicken wire seperating it from Big Buck Hunter II and Miss Pac-Man. The back yard replaced the
kitchen with two gas grills and a Bring-Your-Own-Meat policy, drawing parties and those with
no-outdoor-space apartments. It is a Cheers of the neighborhood, a place where everybody knows
your name.
"I knew that the 'shine would be the diamond in the rough for some time until people caught on to the potential of the neighborhood," he said. "Brooklyn is Brooklyn. People love
it here. The growth potential on Columbia StreetÊis enormous."
Mayor Bloomberg, in his PlanNYC speech on Earth Day 2007, proposed major changes to Brooklyn's waterfront and addressed the issue of the
BQE ditch.
"Our plan calls for doubling the amount of land available for possible housing development," he said. "We can do it by decking over railyards
and highways, and using government land more productively."
PlanNYC documents show a completely covered BQE opening nine-blocks of land two blocks from the waterfront to development. Columbia Street would
once more become a part of the surrounding neighborhoods.
The Brooklyn-Queens Expressway trench was rammed down the throat of the neighborhood
during Robert Moses' great expansion of the highway system in the 1950's. The BQE and the Gowanus Expressway
created a barrier, cutting off the waterfront and Columbia Street from its affluent neighbors.
In 1975 further setbacks struck the area. During construction of a sewer trunk line at Columbia and President Streets,
water seeped into the constuction trench. As workers pumped it out, the water table fell, weakening the
foundations of nearby buildings. Two buildings collapsed, and one man was killed. 33
buildings were demolished as a safety measure, and many remaining businesses and residents were
pulled out. The area was designated for urban renewal, with the city pledged in part to assist in
housing reconstruction.
In 1984, Columbia Terrace was constructed from President to Summit Streets. The first phase, consisting of 51 condominium units
in three-story buildings, sold out instantly. Tiffany Place, a cobblestoned street one block east of Columbia Street, saw the former factory of
Louis Comfort Tiffany converted to condos in 1986. The neighborhood seemed poised for recovery.
The recession of the early 1990's halted the march. Many projects were put on hold as property prices plummeted.
As property prices recovered, Columbia Street seemed to lag behind the fierce building boom in its eastern neighbors. The exception is Tiffany Place,
which quickly became the hottest location west of the BQE.
The construction is causing new headaches for the businesses along Columbia Street.
"Columbia Street is the last vehicular route in South Brooklyn area to be exploited as an alternate route to the BQE," said Whitlock.
During the project, many of the streets suffered direction changes. Columbia Street is now one way going north from Hamilton Avenue to Degraw Street. Van Brunt Street is
one way going south on the same blocks. Coming from Red Hook and the Cruise Ship Terminal, parts of Columbia Street are nearly inaccessible. Concrete barriers are in place and
traffic agents are stationed regularly in the area.
The cranes on the waterfront and the views of Manhattan are side by side
on Columbia Street. |
"We are cut off from the Cruise Ship terminal by the Battery Tunnel, separated from the end of
Brooklyn Bridge Park (ending at Atlantic Avenue) by working docks, and the ditch of the BQE
is between us and the main residential areas," said David Whitlock of the shop Main Street Ephemera.
Whitlock moved Main Street Ephemera from Smith Street in 2002 when rents spiraled out of control on the trendy boulevard.
Dealing in paper collectibles from movie posters to vintage postcards and magazines, Columbia Street was a complete
change from Smith Street. The neighborhood businesses on the street were few and far between with many empty storefronts
and little foot traffic. Whitlock was joined by Consuelo's Corner within his shop, featuring vintage cosmetic jewelry.
The Red Hook Container Terminal is the last vestige of large shipping in the Columbia Street Waterfront District. With natural 40-foot depths and up-to-date
facilities, the terminal accommodates fully loaded ships with deep drafts. Its existence is the source of major debate
on nearly every level of government and local residents. In negotiations with the city, American Stevedoring (which operates the container
port) was unable to receive a long term lease. Granted a three-year extension in 2005, Economic Development Corporation officials refused to
guarantee that the Red Hook port would remain open through 2009. The city wants to make way for a hotel and shops, a boat
repair facility, a Brooklyn Brewery plant and tourist-friendly beer garden, as well as a smaller industrial port, a ferry connection to Governors
Island and a second pier for cruise ships.
Residents point to EDC's claim that the new usage "would triple the number of jobs on the waterfront." In the past, however, EDC's projections have not come true.
The addition of The Brooklyn
Cruise Terminal, for example, created just 10 full-time jobs and 245 part-time jobs, while EDC
originally
said 370 full-time jobs would be created.
Now, the EDC is claiming that the container terminal currently supports just 133 full-time jobs -- a number it intends to greatly improve. But
American Stevedoring,
which operates the port, claims the number of jobs stand at 623.
360° image in Jalopy
Moves automatically or
click inside, hold and move your mouse around! |
"It will be a sad loss to lose the Red Hook shipping terminal," said Mark Ehrhardt of MoversNotShakers, located at the intersection of Columbia Street
and Hamilton Avenue. "They are good, steady jobs for Brooklyn."
Ehrhardt moved into the former restaurant location four years ago. He worries that as the street gains reputation and status, businesses like his will be priced out.
"We felt much more out of the way four years ago," said Ehrhardt of the location for his moving company. "There are plenty of people who like the remoteness of Columbia Street
and that is slowly being stripped away."
"The one ways are terrible. It makes it tough for the people getting off the BQE," said Lynette Wiley. "I Meet a lot more people giving out directions to Fairway."
Lynette and Geoff Wiley opened Jalopy, an eclectic performance hall with a community arts center feel. Sporting a vintage instrument store, espresso maker and wireless internet
access, they quickly became a neighborhood hangout. With live music, movie nights, and music classes, they quickly joined and became a major player in Columbia Streets
burgeoning nightlife scene.
The times will change on Columbia Street. If the BQE is covered, if the greenway is extended from Brooklyn Bridge Park, if the waterfront becomes accessible -- not quite as
overwhelming as it sounds. The times, they are a-changing. |
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HAPPENING archive of stories ......
Angels and Accordions headlines OpenHouseNY
For the sixth year, Angels and Accordions brought Greenwood Cemetary alive.
With its unique presentation of accordions, singing, striking visuals, and creepy graveyard scenes, Angels and Accordions is a site-specific show, with the audience taken on a mile-long walking tour, punctuated by scenes of angels around different memorials.
Greenwood Cemetary is one of the most beautiful sculpture gardens in the world. With mausoleums structured from pyramids to Greek cathedrals and statues for war dead to cherished child, the stages for angels are designed by Martha Bowers of Dance Theatre Etcetera.
Martha's visions come to life within this unique venue. Angels sing from a vine covered path, bringing "Over the Rainbow" to a chilling feeling of sorrow.
Some of the simplest can be the most striking, such as an angel frozen on the steps of a grand mausoleum or reading names from an alcove in the catacombs. View these images in our online photogallery on SouthBrooklynInternet by clicking here.
As the premier event of Open House NY, Angels and Accordions has been a free event. Will it remain a free event? Probably not. But believe us, it will be worth the admission price.
View a photo gallery from this year's Angels and Accordions on SouthBrooklynInternet
Friends of the Brooklyn Bridge launches mybrooklynbridge.com
In 2008, the Brooklyn Bridge celebrated its 125th anniversary, and this monumental occasion presented the Dumbo Improvement District the opportunity to unveil a new and improved pedestrian experience on the Brooklyn side of the Bridge.
Working with Emphas!s Design and artists Linnaea Tillett & Karin Tehve, the Dumbo Improvement District undertook this great project to provide a sense of direction and place to the one million tourists who cross over the Brooklyn Bridge each year. In the past when pedestrians reached the Brooklyn end of the Bridge, they frequently turned around and returned Manhattan when confronted with uninviting entrances, poor lighting and inadequate signage. Today, pedestrians are greeted with signage welcoming them to Brooklyn and a large map highlighting attractions within walking distance.
“This Way” serves as a grand entrance point to the fine borough of Brooklyn.
©Mark D Phillips, 2008
 The Friends of the Brooklyn Bridge was formed by the Dumbo Improvement District to bring together the resources to maintain improvements made to the world's greatest bridge. The initiatives website, mybrooklynbridge.com, will be a major resource for the bridge. Share your memories of your favorite experience on the Brooklyn Bridge. Watch an 1899 movie by Thomas Edison Studios of a train travelling over the bridge, and read the history of the construction.
Contributions to Friends of the Brooklyn Bridge will be dedicated to the supplemental maintenance of this project. With donations of $150 or more, you will receive a framed image of your choice from our collection, including historical images of the bridge from our partner, the Brooklyn Historical Society, and new images by Mark D Phillips. They make great gifts.
For more details, visit mybrooklynbridge.com
THE JAIL BATTLE
According to the NY Post's Rich Calder:
Foes of City Hall's plan to reopen and expand a Brooklyn jail scored a victory yesterday when the city agreed to temporarily halt work on the $440 million project and cap the number of overnight prisoners there.
Comptroller Bill Thompson, Councilman David Yassky and civic groups cut the court-OK'd deal just days after suing the city for "secretly" and "illegally" repopulating the Brooklyn House of Detention in family-laden Boerum Hill with 31 prisoners.
The agreement runs through Dec. 18, at which time the case is to return to court. Under the deal, the jail may accept up to 50 prisoners.
NY Post - Nov 21, 2008 |
The INTREPID Returns!
The USS Intrepid returned from its two-year restoration in Staten Island Thursday, October 2, to Pier 86 on the West Side. Two hundred fifty former Intrepid crew members took the short voyage, passing by the Statue of Liberty and Ground Zero.
For more photos and larger click here ©Mark D Phillips
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IKEA comes to town. Will anything be the same in Red Hook? -- They came from miles away to line up for the grand opening of Ikea Brooklyn. TV stations did live shots and asked if this was the start of Red hook.
GOING GREEN --- Movers Not Shakers brings environmentally friendly service to an age-old business.
THE WATERFALLS --- Were they good or bad?
Read our Archive of South Brooklyn Stories |
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