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Essentially the entire northern side of Avenue U between Hendrickson Street and Flatbush Avenue is for sale/for rent (with the exception of the the Verizon dealer).  Is this a prime opportunity for useful stores/shops to come to the neighborhood or just more of the same type of useless stores that grace most of Flatbush Avenue?

Mom and Pop Free WI-FI cafe/bakery, anyone?

Courtesy of Dumbo Books of Brooklyn

Today Sheepshead Bites posted a Courier-Life report that says the Kings Plaza Diner will be replaced by a Bed, Bath and Beyond. 

Courtesy of Sheepshead Bites:

The article, laden with enough praise for the diner that one must wonder if it’s an advertiser, says that Community Board 18 District Manager Dottie Turano mentioned at a recent meeting that she had heard “from sources” about the closing. Turano also detailed plans to move into the former Retro 50s diner on Cropsey Avenue in Coney Island, the Nebraskan Diner, which has been closed for two years.

Although owners are denying the rumors, Courier-Life reports:

The only evidence of any proposed change comes by way of city Department of Finance records, which showed a deed change at the Kings Plaza Diner back in February 2009 to Sigma Preferred Equities, which couldn’t be reached as this paper went to press. There has been no deed change for the Retro 50s diner since 1998. Residents, however, have noted that construction materials have been left at the site — possible evidence of an upcoming transformation.

Chatter about development on this site has been around for quite awhile.  Furthermore, the site isn’t large enough to accomodate a “big-box retailer” such as Bed, Bath and Beyond.  In fact, I doubt the entire site would even be large enough for the store’s parking lot.

To read the entire article from Courier-Life, click here.

Maybe it’s just the silly name that piques my interest, but “It’s All About Me Now,” located on Gerritsen Avenue off of Avenue U, has been opened for a few months now, taking up two storefronts and replacing “Roscoe’s Doggy Day Care.”  Was curious to see if anyone has been in here?  How is the merchandise?  As non-sensical as the store’s name?  However, kudos for a local business opening…hoping it does very well.

It appears that a new pharmacy is coming to Avenue U between Bragg and Brigham Streets.  Almost completed, my guess is that this is a Walgreens, based on the design and materials. Additionally, it looks very similar to the Walgreens that opened less than two months ago on Coney Island Avenue and Avenue W, featured on Sheepshead Bites.

According to the Department of Buildings, a parking lot with 27 spaces will be provided.  Due to a recent text amendment by the Department of City Planning, this parking lot must be landscaped.

Although I wish more “neighborhood serving” businesses would come to the area, it is understandable that in this economic climate only large corporations and franchises would be financially able to open a new store.

Ongoing construction of the Lowe’s Store on Avenue U (adjacent to Kings Plaza) has resulted in a gargantuan concrete wall along Avenue U.  This fortress-like barrier is not only ugly, but poorly positioned as it leaves little sidewalk space along Avenue U.  Additionally, this dense street wall obstructs views and could encourage dangerous behavior.  In the world of successful “place-making” this design fails – desolate as the street is late at night, now it is even more so.

According to the Department of Buildings, a “Partial Stop Work Order” exists on this site since the “work does not conform to approved site safety plans.”  The site currently has 11 open violations.

I don’t understand how this site plan was approved by DOB with the giant concrete wall abutting Avenue U.  It does not appear that there is a set-back, which is very hard to imagine not having along Avenue U.  The wall doesn’t appear to be temporary either. 

Does anyone have further information on this?

As many of you have noticed by now, the Department of Transportation has done a considerable amount of work on Gerritsen Avenue –  removing two lanes of traffic, re-striping of lanes and adding a center median, and adding a pedestrian median at its intersection with Avenue U.  Strongly a pessimist when it comes to “traffic reconfiguring” projects, I was not confident that this would be a successful endeavor.  Sadly, I think I am correct.  In my estimation, the removal of two lanes of traffic has caused further congestion and the turn from Knapp Street onto Gerritsen Avenue heading north has become even more treacherous than it was before.  For further information and some VERY TELLING photographs, you must visit GerritsenBeach.net’s coverage of the project. 

Does this impede FDNY from exiting their firehouse for emergencies if there is a line of traffic backed up from each direction?  How does this impact traffic on Gerritsen Avenue when buses pull over in the “parking/standing” lane?  Is traffic forced to drive on the striped median if the bus is unable to pull over?  Conversely, does this faciliate easier crossing for kids from Good Shepherd or Marine Park JHS?  Thoughts?

What are your feelings on DOT’s new traffic reconfiguration?

Valley National Bank has recently opened on Avenue U and East 29th Street.  It seems that most large developments these days are large banks and drug store chains.  This is a phenomenon all throughout New York City, with local businesses and mom and pop stores falling to the wayside.  Is there any hope of this trend being reversed?

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