Yep, my jury duty is in recess until January 5th. Don't ask. Can't tell anyway. So it's back to my usual routine. I've been observing Atlantic Avenue which fascinates me. It's a historic main thoroughfare that runs east from New York harbor out to the middle of Queens, running out of steam at the Van Wyck Expressway. It has some of the heaviest traffic in Brooklyn and most of the way it is gritty and depressed with light industry, storefronts, small, dilapidated apartment houses and the like.
On its western end, however, it divides two lovely neighborhoods: perhaps Brooklyn's most upscale brownstone community, Brooklyn Heights, to its north and to its south, Cobble Hill. Here, from Flatbush Avenue west to the harbor, there have long been signs of gentrification and renewal. It's been proceeding slowly for a long time but it seems to be on a roll now with new luxury high rises being built and the propsed basketball stadium which, if RATner gets his way, is to rise above the Long Island Railroad tracks. Ominous signs of the Manhattanization (read "towering high-rises") of the downtown area are everywhere. What a shame that these neighborhoods, which are like precious jewels along the rim of Brooklyn are being targeted by the big money developers. As people flee the unaffordable rents in Manhattan, they cross the river and look to the very appealing and less frenetic, low-rise neighborhoods that are within a few subway stops. Of course, the rules of capital apply here too and rents and property values are zooming through the stratosphere in Brooklyn as well.
As I biked up Atlantic Avenue, it seemed a microcosm of the old Brooklyn and the new new high-rise Brooklyn that the developers have in mind. Battles are raging as many want to preserve these neighborhoods and the charming 19th century feel that they are imbued with.
Atlantic Avenue originates at the harbor and runs out to Nassau County.
On the corner of Atlantic and Henry is this old bar with a great neon sign.
The "old" Atlantic Avenue - charming old buildings, antique stores, restaurants. Will this remain or be gobbled up for development and 20 story (and up) buildings?
The "new" Atlantic Avenue. Here a municipal parking lot on the corner of Court and Atlantic is being replaced by a humongous luxury building called "The Courthouse." It takes up almost an entire city block. Behind it, on the right, another huge building on State Street. Congestion - here you come! Arrrgghh!
One of the earlier conversions...this condo apartment house was originally the factory where Ex Lax was made (see lettering on door). No comments please.
An intersting, copper-clad building on Atlantic near 3rd Avenue.
The Williamsburgh bank building (now HSBC). This is the tallest building in Brooklyn and stands at the corner of Hanson Place and Flatbush Avenue (just a smidge north of Atlantic). In the foreground, the Brooklyn YWCA at 3rd Avenue.
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