Signs of life at the Loews Kings Theater

Trailer at Loews

Good day to all!

The Loews Kings Theater is showing signs of life.

A first floor window was aglow with orange light and a trailer was set up in the yard of the theater.

To be continued...

Update: The Junction Streetscape Enhancement Project

S/W corner, Glenwood Rd X Nostrand Ave (facing west)

S/E corner, Campus Rd X Kensington Pl (facing east) 

S/W corner, Glenwood Rd X Nostrand Ave (facing  east)

Bike Corral, Flatbush Ave (facing south)

S/E corner, Nostrand Ave X Ave H (Facing west)

S/W corner, Nostrand Ave X Ave H (Facing east)

Happy Tuesday folks. Couple of updates to share as the Junction is being pulled apart and brought together at the same time.

1. Bike corrals have been installed on the east and west side of Flatbush Ave between Glenwood Rd and Nostrand Ave.
2. The B6 bus shelter at the s/w corner of Glenwood Rd and Nostrand Ave is being renovated.
3. Construction crews were unloading asphalt and breaking up the sidewalk with a jackhammer on the s/e corner of Nostrand Ave and Ave H
4. Construction of the new Flatbush Federal Savings Bank nears completion. Demolition of the old site at the corner of Campus Hill Rd and Nostrand Ave awaits completion.

CITYZENship: The Primacy of the City in Shaping Immigration Reform

Senator John McCain (R-AZ): Will he give his blessing on immigration reform?

The discussion on immigration reform that is taking place this Sunday morning on the New Moon hits home for thousands of New York City's residents. Heeding the Statue of Liberty's "worldwide welcome", the city possesses enclaves for many cultural, religious, and ethnic groups. Flatbush, for example, is home to Caribbeans, Africans, and South Asians.

For immigrants, "legal" and "illegal", the effort to enhance the opportunity to acquire to legal status and ultimately citizenship is intimately tied to equity and access in the urban environment. Without the legal protection of citizenship, engagement in the urban environment is subsumed to achieving the American Dream. The urban environment is simply the background for the pursuit of personal ambitions.

With reformation coming from above, reformation is needed from below as well. As inhabitants of the urban environment, immigrants ought to see themselves as cityzens who are engaged in its development. This concept envisions immigrants who, despite their status, are enfranchised to take particular action, whether collective or individual, to enhance the community.

A cityzenship approach ensures that the pursuit of legal citizenship is not merely an exercise in memorization and recitation; it is the deployment of the national standards of "liberty and justice" to grapple with the issues that impinge on city living. As an urban response to President Kennedy's inaugural admonition to "ask what you can do for your country," the cityzen can take ownership of his/her community is they aspire for legal citizenship.

Mayor Bloomberg Announces Winner of adAPT NYC Competition

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A Nosebleed View of the Loews Kings Theater Renovation

Nose-bleed seats, Loews Kings Theater

Flatbush, Brooklyn received fresh press this week as Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced the groundbreaking of the renovation efforts to the Loews Kings Theater on Flatbush Avenue. Elected officials including the mayor, Councilman Mathieu Eugene, and Borough President Marty Markowitz evoked the theater's storied past to portray a return to it.

During the BP's remarks, Markowitz recalled the theater 50 years ago where he took his first date, Brooklyn high school graduations took place in the 3200-seat theater, and Sylvester Stallone worked as an usher. The glowing terms deployed by the elected officials, while expressing a return to the glory days, raise issues of access and equity. 

The fact that the renovation of the theater is expressed in terms of a return to the "glory days" 50 years ago is telling. Many of the neighborhood's West Indian residents did not as yet settle in Flatbush and a return to the Flatbush of 50 years ago precludes access by its residents of color. 

The goal of the theater's renovations raises more red flags. When fully restored, the theater will function as a live performance venue comparable to the Brooklyn Academic of Music and Radio City Music Hall. The very design of the theater reinforces inequity along class lines. When compared with the median income of the surrounding blocks, the price of tickets seems out of reach. According to the 2000 Census tract, the median income in the census tract immediately across the street is $24,271. As is expected, great house seats will cost upwards of hundreds of dollars depending on the performance while the cheap seats will be in the nosebleed section of the house.

I also wonder what performances will be live. Will it diverse, reflecting the culture of the surrounding community? How will the community's culture be incorporated into this project? Beyond serving as a spectacle, the long-term success of the Loews Kings Theater is dependent on Flatbush's most important resource, its residents.

Flatbush Avenue Complete Street

Example of Complete Street

While enhancements are being made to the Church Avenue and Flatbush Avenue streetscapes in Flatbush, little attention has been shown to traffic calming initiatives along the Flatbush Avenue corridor. Pedestrians must negotiate a variety of hazards posed by the driving culture.

For one, pedestrians face a highly competitive driving culture among dollar van drivers picking up and dropping off customers. Drivers can be observed cutting each other off, stopping in city bus stops, and driving aggressively. Anyone who has taken a dollar vans knows how "efficient" they can be; the expression, terra firma, is appropriate for the exiting rider.

The location of a number of schools along the Flatbush Avenue corridor makes it evident that traffic calming initiatives are needed. At 3PM when school ends, students walking along Flatbush Avenue must negotiate foot-traffic on the sidewalk with vehicle traffic. Although safety officers are posted at major intersections, including the Church Avenue and Flatbush Avenue axis, students are on their own to navigate Flatbush Avenue.

A third threat to livable streets is the double park along Flatbush Avenue, resulting in bottlenecks near intersections, traffic slow-down, and a deterioration to pedestrian safety.

The hazards posed to pedestrians by Flatbush's driving culture has made it necessary to adopt a Complete Streets approach that will "enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities". Transportation Alternative, a non-profit transportation advocacy group in the city, is currently organizing around the Complete Streets issue as 2013 is an election year for mayor.

The transformations taking place in Flatbush's built environment must include attention to the community's most precious asset, its residents. 

Access and Equity in Prospect Park: Is Lakeside the new Parkside?

Lakeside (Outline)

Lakeside (Site Plan)

When it opens in fall 2013, Lakeside promises to be a "year-round destination for recreation, relaxation, and events" for Brooklyn residents; it will feature two ice skating rinks, a new boat dock, a cafe, and promenade. A closer examination of the Lakeside site plan reveals something more.

The Lakeside site plan precludes identification of Parkside Avenue and the neighboring Flatbush community on the map. Only a section of the park's entrance at Ocean Avenue and Parkside Avenue is visible and is placed at the lower right corner. Adjusting for size and spatial requirements, the Flatbush community, which borders the park's southern edge, is wholly invisible. Extolling Lakeside's accessibility to Brooklyn residents while omitting an entire community sends a double message about access and equity.

I also wonder about the name of the center itself- Lakeside. Proximity to the lake makes this name apparent and obvious. But is something else being conveyed? The very name shifts attention away from the exterior of the park (Parkside Avenue and the Flatbush community) and focuses it on the park's interior, where residents from Windsor Terrace, Park Slope, Prospect Leffert Gardens, and beyond access the space.

The absence of Parkside Avenue and the Flatbush community from the Lakeside site plan reinforces Lakeside's designation as a park facility and not a neighborhood institution. This exclusion is magnified by a non-permeable gate on the park's southern perimeter and reinforces the access and equity that the Flatbush community must strengthen.

Prospect Park Lakeside Video

Prospect Park Lakeside Project Animation - January 2012

Introductory Number 967: "Underlying Condition" legislation

Mayor Bloomberg Breaks Ground on Restoration of Historic Loew's Kings Th...

Activating Livable Streets: The First Couple's Symbolic Walk

While the Inaugural Parade is an integral part of the presidential inauguration, the site of the 57th was not. When the First Couple stepped out of their limousine on Pennsylvania Avenue to greet the crowd, they walked along a route marked by bicycle lane markings.

This walk sets the symbolic tone for re-visiting and activating livable streets in the Flatbush community. In the coming weeks, two events will seek to address this idea.

1. According to the Ditmas Park Corner, the office of Councilman Mathieu Eugene will be sponsoring a traffic calming forum on January 31, 2013
   
2. The second is the Flatbush Bicycle Coalition Meeting at the Qathra Cafe on February 4.

Coming to America: A Meditation on City Living

Coming To America

In the 1988 film Coming to America, Eddie Murphy's Prince Akeem relocates to the urban environment of New York City to find true love. Upon his arrival in the Jackson Heights section of Queens, I couldn't help but notice the urban themes that undergird the film's plot and the transformation taking place in the Flatbush community.

Immediately, the built environment portrays a community in blight. A resident throws garbage out of a second-floor window and a group of men huddle around an outdoor fire. His wealth draws the attention of residents including the landlord and is deployed by Semmi (played by Arsenio Hall) to renovate their shared walk-up apartment. Akeem's arrival mirrors the settlement of well-to-do residents in low-income neighborhoods and the economic and social transformation that accompanies it.

A second urban theme is entrepeneurship among African-Americans. Cleo McDowell, played by John Amos, proudly operates McDowell's and enjoys a middle-class lifestyle in the well-manicured neighborhood of Jamaica Estates. His choice for a partner for his daughter is Darryl Jenks, heir to Soul Glo, a company that makes hair products for African-Americans.

Coming to America is a meditation of the city, not as the suspicious place that it is often portrayed to be. Rather, it is the setting for the awakening of the heart to true love. Surpassing stereotypes that portray the urban environment as a place of lust allows one to experience love, whether it is with a person or with the city itself.

One21: A New Revolution in the Urban Environment

Martin in the City

Although the third week in January is federally designated as Martin Luther King Day and the inauguration of President Obama was pushed up one day from January 20, January 21 also recalls the urban origins of King's non-violent strategy specifically and the Civil Rights Movement generally. Like Gandhi, King's strategy for national reconciliation was influenced by the urban environment.

The deployment of a non-violent strategy by Dr. King in the contestation for equality is a well-rehearsed and well-published fact; Americans of color took part in boycotts, sit-ins, and coalition marches. It is also well-known that the Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi exerted a significant influence on the development of King's non-violent strategy; King openly admitted so.

Mahatma Gandhi did not only inspire King; he developed his strategy for obtaining independence from Great Britain as a result of his exposure to the metropolitan environs of South Africa. In his autobiography, Hind Swaraj, Gandhi admitted that "South Africa gave the start to my life's mission." There, he encountered the impact of the discriminatory policies of British rule on the various communities of color- Africans, Indians, Arabs, and Turks.

Before returning to India, the urban environment of South Africa germinated, nurtured, and harvested the prinicpal concept of Gandhi's and King's non-violent strategy- swaraj, or self-rule. South Africa effectively provided the laboratory for Gandhi's experiments in emancipatory politics and served as an excellent testing ground for his ideas.

The presidential inauguration of the first American of color on One 21, the observed birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is not simply a calendric coincidence. The confluence of these dates declare a new revolution in the urban environment, one that involves the harmonization of the design of the built environment with its ecology based on the Geddesian motto, "By Leaves, We Live."

Rehabilitation of Church Avenue Station House

The deterioration of station houses is a problem affecting the NYC subway system; since their construction in the early 1900s, many are over 100 years old. Seven station houses along the Q train line were rehabilitated as part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's (MTA) Brighton Line Rehabilitation Plan.  

For example, the Avenue H station house boasts "finished wood...around the ceiling...with steel beams hooked horizontally to the walls." A new deck/subway roof slab was constructed at the Newkirk Plaza station house. Rehabilitation work was also performed at the Ave J, Sheepshead Bay, Ocean Parkway and Brighton Beach stations. 

It is surprising then that the rehabilitation of the Church Avenue station house was not a part of the MTA's Brighton Line Rehabilitation Plan; after all, it is along the Brighton Line and boasts a 2011 subway ridership of 4,665,059 (95th rank citywide). The station house is also an invaluable part of Flatbush's ecological activity- it is located near two major business districts (Church Avenue and Flatbush Avenue) as well as Erasmus Hall High School and Prospect Park and connects riders to the B35, B41, and B16 buses.

The renovation of the Church Avenue streetscape, enhancement to the Church Avenue business environment, and renovation of other Brighton Line stations has made rehabilitation of the Church Avenue station house an imperative and the next step in the revitalization of the Flatbush built environment.

Flatbush Nostrand Junction Streetscape Beautification Project

Flatbush Ave (Facing north @ Hillel Pl) 

Flatbush Ave (Facing north @ Glenwood Rd)

Although the flow of vehicular traffic usually becomes snarled at the Junction, a Kings Plaza bound B41 crept to its stop at Glenwood Rd X Flatbush Ave. After getting off, I observed a construction crew working in a construction zone that stretched from Glenwood Road to Nostrand Avenue.

According to the NYC Economic Development Corporation (EDC), "the Flatbush Nostrand Junction Streetscape Project...includes installation of new sidewalks, curbs, street furniture, lighting, trees, new public spaces, and related improvements."

Together with the beautification project taking place at Church Avenue, the built environment of Flatbush and its ecology is being transformed.

Barack Obama, 2013 | Fifty-Seventh Inaugural Ceremonies | Inauguration of the President

Barack Obama, 2013 | Fifty-Seventh Inaugural Ceremonies | Inauguration of the President

Neighborhood Leadership Institute in East Flatbush

The Neighborhood Leadership Institute is for volunteer-led groups and individuals interested in working on community improvement projects. Those who complete four workshops (including Basics of Community Organizing) will receive a Neighborhood Leadership Institute certificate.

RSVP is required. To register, please contact Wilfredo at wflorentino@citizensnyc.org / 212-822-9568.

Download the Winter 2013 Neighborhood Leadership Institute schedule.

Basics of Community Organizing

Saturday, February 2, 11am-3pm

Bring neighbors together to work on issues that matter to you!

Media Tools

Saturday, February 9, 11am-2pm

Increase public support for your group by framing your message and alerting local media.

Navigating City Government

Saturday, March 2, 11am-2pm

Learn how government functions, who is responsible for what, and how to have your community issue addressed.

Grassroots Fundraising

Saturday, March 9, 11am-2pm

Support your group’s work with community fundraising efforts!

890 Flatbush Avenue: Flatbush Dutch Reform Church (FDR)

Flatbush Dutch Reform (FDR) Church

Standing at the southeast corner of Flatbush Avenue and Church Avenue, it is easy to see why the Flatbush Dutch Reform Church is anchoring the transformation of the streetscape and business environment. The FDR Church is not only a reminder of the transformation the Dutch brought to Vlack Bos in the 18th century; it is an expression of the cultural and economic transformation emerging in Flatbush through the Church Avenue-Flatbush Avenue axis.

As the primary resident of the axis' southeast side, the FDR Church provides a view of two activities taking place at once. Facing eastbound on Church Avenue, construction crews can be seen working on the first phase of the city's streetscape enhancement project- the removal of trolley tracks.

Enhancements can also be observed in Church Avenue's business environment. A Planet Fitness recently opened up at 2228 Church Avenue replacing the former Church Avenue Fitness. Construction has already begun on the future IHOP at 2244 Church Avenue.

Returning to the intersection and looking to the east side of Flatbush Avenue, a construction crew can be observed breaking up a portion of the street with heavy machinery.

The location of the FDR Church at the Church Avenue-Flatbush Avenue axis confirms the first of Flatbush's  two primary commercial centers (the other being the Junction at Flatbush Avenue and Nostrand Avenue).

North of Church Ave: Commercial Vacancies

836 Flatbush Ave (Formerly She She)

833 Flatbush Ave (Formerly Western Union)

839, 833 Flatbush Ave

839 Flatbush Ave (Formerly VIM) 

834 Flatbush Ave

815 Flatbush Ave (Formerly HSBC)

If one doesn't look with care and intent at the business environment along Flatbush Avenue, it is easy to miss evidence of an economic shift in Flatbush. Hidden among stores open for business are a number of vacant and shuttered commercial spaces clustered near the Flatbush Avenue-Church Avenue axis.

Already, at 833 Flatbush Avenue, a temporary "Blink Fitness" sign hangs over the awning of the previous tenant,

At 839 Flatbush Avenue, the former VIM Sneaker Store sits vacant with a lease sign on its window,

At 836 Flatbush Avenue, the former She She Boutique remains shuttered,

Next door, 834 Flatbush Avenue also sits shuttered, and

The former HSBC Bank at 815 Flatbush Avenue sits vacant with a lease sign.

3 Martense St: Flatbush's First Adult Boutique Shop?

3 Martense St 

As I headed towards Flatbush Avenue on the north side of Martense Street shortly after my walk-through of the renovation of the Church Avenue streetscape, a smirk crept across my lips when I saw the "What A Gurl Wants Adult Boutique Shop".

The store's awning displayed its name in pink with the tagline, "It's Ok to have an O" and its phone number. Also listed are the products sold including "adult toys & novelties, romance enhancers, adult costumes, and sexy lingerie." The curvaceous silhouette of a model completed the store's brand.

The store window displayed a pink curtain and "hearts" decorating the window; each heart had a word associated with human intimacy- "love," "kiss," "sexy."

Finally, the entrance contained both an invitation and a warning; "Happy Valentine's Day" inscribed in a red heart  and a warning that patrons under 18 can not enter the store.

I didn't get the opportunity to enter the store but I am curious to know who the owner, how long it has been in operation, and how successful it is.

To be continued...

Breaking Ground on Church Avenue

As I waited for the "white man" at the southeast corner of Church Avenue and Bedford Avenue, the slow crawl of eastbound vehicular traffic on Church Avenue caught my attention. As I continued to examine the street, I saw the expected indicators of street construction. A construction perimeter had been established between Church Avenue between Woods Place and Veronica Place to support the removal of the trolley tracks:

1. Signage- "No Parking Anytime Construction Zones" and "Work Zone Begins/Ends" signage was posted on the north and south sides of the street,
2. Furniture- Orange cones outlined the site for excavation to take place; orange gates sat in front of residential buildings on the north side,
3. Heavy machinery- A steam roller, wheel loader, and excavator sat in the middle of the street, and
4. Evidence that excavation had already taken place.

The ongoing construction of the IHOP franchise at 2244 Church Avenue, Church Avenue streetscape enhancement, and the undetermined status of the property at 2274 Church Avenue is ensuring that Winter 2013 is the warmest one on record for the the Flatbush community.

Activating Church Avenue's Nightlife

CHURCH AVENUE CORRIDOR
Flatbush Avenue to Coney Island Avenue

The Marriage at Cana is instructive for the activation of Church Avenue's nightlife. Like the transformation of water into wine, the activation of nightlife along the Church Avenue Corridor can revitalize the Flatbush community.

During the day and at night, the Church Avenue corridor between Ocean Avenue and Coney Island Avenue possesses two distinct characteristics.

In the day, the corridor pulses with the activity of a business district. Merchants like Bank of America and Bobby's Department Store cater to the wide-ranging needs of a mobile population; residents crisscross Church Avenue while negotiating steady vehicular flow; and the transportation infrastructure (B35 bus, B & Q trains, and livery cabs) drops off and takes away riders.

At night, the Church Avenue Corridor takes on a different mood. With a reduction in the flow of people and vehicles, a side not visible during the day is revealed. The sidewalks become passable, commercial activity becomes barely recognizable, and lighting emanating from street lights casts a festive glow.

The calming of commercial activity along the Church Avenue Corridor at night presents a unique opportunity for the activation of a nightlife intrinsic to the culture and residents of the Flatbush community. Like the Smith Street corridor in Carroll Gardens, a vibrant nightlife will strengthen Flatbush's small business community, provide a creative and social outlet to the neighborhood's young adult population, and enjoin new neighbors with the community's more established residents.

With the renovation of Lakeside and the Loews Kings Theater as well as the transformation of the Church Avenue street scape, developing the nightlife along the Church Avenue corridor is an imperative for the transformation of the Flatbush community.

100 Parkside Ave: From Caledonia to Condominium

St. Paul's Pl X Woodriuff Ave

100 Parkside Ave 

100 Parkside Ave

100 Parkside Ave

100 Parkside Ave

From 1987-2003, 10 Saint Paul's Place was the site of the Caledonian Hospital Complex, a 209-bed hospital affectionately known as "caly" to local residents and patients. In 2007, it was purchased by Joseph Chetrit of The Chetrit Group for conversion to 100 Parkside Avenue, a 270-bedroom condominium and rental development.

According to plans submitted to the city's Department of Design and Construction, the building is currently undergoing the following changes:

1. Two story addition and conversion into 122 residential units
2. Full demolition of a portion of the hospital building (on-going)

The adaptive reuse of the Caledonian Hospital Complex and its conversion into 100 Parkside Avenue will bring much-anticipated transformation to the northern approach of Flatbush. It will help to alleviate the demand for residential units in Flatbush resulting from a 3% growth in population since 2000. Its proximity to the nearly-completed Prospect Park Lakeside Center will certainly transform the Parkside Avenue corridor.

Also highly probable is the enhancement of the Parkside Avenue streetscape since the condominium will directly face Prospect Park. The installation of formal access points in the park to accommodate the neighborhood's newest residents can also be expected.

The completion of the condominium will undoubtedly lead to an increase in rental prices, bringing about further changes to an already changing community.

1025 Flatbush Ave: Loew's Kings Theater Restoration Project

Church Avenue Streetscape Beautification Project

In addition to the IHOP franchise planned for 2244 Church Avenue, the Church Avenue corridor between Flatbush and Rogers Avenues will undergo a multi-phase renovation project to enhance the streetscape beginning this January 2013.

According to the city's Department of Design & Construction, the proposed changes include:

1. Roadway Construction 
2. Sidewalks 
3. Trees 
4. Combined sewer replacement 
5. Catch Basins  
6. Manholes/ Chambers 
7. Curbs 
8. Pedestrian ramps 

It's about time that Church Avenue gets the star treatment. With the soon-coming renovation of Kings Theater by the ACE Theatrical Group, LLC of Houston, TX, Flatbush is slowly shedding its old skin to emerge as a destination-level community.

Access and Equity in Prospect Park

Informal entrance (Opposite Parade Grounds)

Peristyle entrance ( North side, Parkside Ave)

Parkside Ave X Parade Pl (site of former entrance) 

Removed park bench (North side, Parkside Ave) 

Grass patch (North side,  Parkside Ave)

Footprint of park bench (North side, Parkside Avenue)

Prospect Park is a 585-acre park in Brooklyn, NY that is bordered by Park Slope, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, Ditmas Park, Windsor Terrace and Flatbush. With the exception of the Parkside Ave corridor, Prospect Park can be accessed from numerous formal entrances along its Prospect Park West, Prospect Park Southwest, and Flatbush Avenue corridors.

Users of Prospect Park who access the park along the Parkside Avenue corridor are faced with a dilemma- the absence of formal access points between the distant entrances located at Coney Island Avenue and Ocean Avenue. This presents two disquieting options. The first involves using the two informal, man-made points near the Peristyle; during the Labor Day weekend, these "entrances" are closed off by the 70 Precinct. The second requires walking to entrances at Parkside and Coney Island Avenues. In the absence of formal entrances/arbitrary closure of the informal ones, users living between Parkside and Ocean Avenues are shut out off from the southern approach of the park.

When compared with the Park Slope and Windsor Terrace sides of the park, the Flatbush-Ditmas Park side shows ample signs of indifference. In cleanliness, landscaping, and care of outdoor furniture (benches, garbage bins), the Parkside Avenue corridor of the park remains underdeveloped and underutilized.

The absence of formal access points to Prospect Park along an already unwelcoming gate and general neglect of the Parkside Avenue corridor preclude the Flatbush-Ditmas Park from equitable access of pubic space. It points to the imminent need for a transformation in the design of the park and its relationship to the built environment.