News From the North

Just the other side of Empire Boulevard, things are hopping. You've heard of the takeover of Tivoli Towers. You've heard the coming of Walgreens taking over for the old laundromat. You've seen the raucous opening of Checkers. You've noted the coming of the TD Bank on Bedford. You heard how the Feds busted up the infamous gang Six Tre Outlaw Gangsta Disciples Folk Nation of the Ebbets Apartments (NOT a housing project, we're reminded repeatedly).  You've heard of the battle for the restoration of the Bedford-Union Armory. You saw the Sea Crest Linen site get sold for residential development. You've smelled the Spice Factory on lower Franklin, and heard about the coming the spiritual holistic health restaurant Mountain coming to the old Chinese Food place next to the Associated on same. You've seen a new developer tear down a century-old church (St. Ignatius) on Rogers at Carroll to make way for a new apartment building. Stuff is coming to the southside of EP and Bedford, and Bedford at Empire. Breath is baited.

What more you ask? Just last night I met a guy named Chris Buckley who's opening up a Tavern at Rogers and Union to be called "The Branch Office." 225 Rogers to be exact (see site below - not Bambi, the place next door). I like the name Bambi, though one hopes the end of the movie is not a harbinger. Such a poetic thing that ending!

Buckley owns another newcomer friendly joint in the Stuy

Probably a good business move, this Branch Office, seeing the dearth of such joints south of Eastern Parkway. The church wouldn't have brought a lot of biz but the new apartment building a block away undoubtedly will. Though I do recall an article about alcoholism and priests. I suspect, however, that kind of drinking happens in the rectory, alone, late at night. Poetic, yes?

And that long moribund apartment building near the Jackie Robinson elementary school, stalled since 2008ish, has sprung back to life. On Sullivan I believe. Not really very poetic, but serviceable.

Clearly they waited til just the right time to get this one open

What else. Oh yeah, riding by it the TD Bank (a Canadian corp don't ya know, eh?) went up so quickly once they started I'd say they have it down to a science. The sign's up. I bet they're operational by Fall. Folks say we needed a financial institution near North Lefferts. And God said, Let There Be Bank!

TD Bank. Say it three times fast, and it sounds like a strip joint.