The Q at Parkside

(for those for whom the Parkside Q is their hometrain)

News and Nonsense from the Brooklyn neighborhood of Lefferts and environs, or more specifically a neighborhood once known as Melrose Park. Sometimes called Lefferts Gardens. Or Prospect-Lefferts Gardens. Or PLG. Or North Flatbush. Or Caledonia (west of Ocean). Or West Pigtown. Across From Park Slope. Under Crown Heights. Near Drummer's Grove. The Side of the Park With the McDonalds. Jackie Robinson Town. Home of Lefferts Manor. West Wingate. Near Kings County Hospital. Or if you're coming from the airport in taxi, maybe just Flatbush is best.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

A Little Bit About A Lot Of Things

Most fascinating and freaky story of the past week? Queen sized beds. Yep. Tons of 'em. Unloaded and de-sheathed within the mysterious Moses Fried owned building at 205 Parkside Avenue. It's been nearly 2 decades sitting vacant, with rent-paying squatters covering the taxes, since this building was used for anything more than speculation. A few years back, plans were filed to build a "hotel" here, which, given Fried's less-than-savory reputation, fueled fears of drugs, prostitution and hourly rentals. Not so sure that scenario is still relevant, but Fried and his grandson Alan Tepper don't seem to care much what you or I think about them or their enterprises. Stay tuned. Real tuned. As in keep your eyes peeled like Idaho potatoes at a Knish Kontest.

The scaffolding came down on Lincoln Road and you'd think God had parted the Red Sea, what with the Hall Lay Lou Yah that erupted on the social media. It's meaningful to have a sidewalk back in the hands of the people, and folks are going to need some time to heal before embracing this new slice of gentrifier gold. (right next to park, right on top of the train station, next to the day care, and soon another gourmet grocery on its first floor, swank wine store around the corner, coffee and juice shops and cocktail lounges and micro-brews...hard to imagine just a decade back the nabe was thrilled just to have a single homey coffee and pastries place known as K-Dog.

Speaking of bagels (Nagle's is also right across the street), did you see that Bergen Bagels is coming to the NE corner of Maple and Flatbush? Google is no longer satisfied to provide current and historical information. It is now a fortune teller, and has Bergen Bagels on Google Maps even before it opens. Don't believe me, map it out yourself. Bergen has the real deal NY bagels and fixins you've come to expect.

An Italian place of some renown on Nostrand? It don't take Nostrandamus to predict anymore, just your handy cellular device. God knows blogs are hardly the place for breaking news. The soon-to-open Tiki Bar and rotisserie Risbo on the lower 'Bush, something or other by the Parkside Pizza folks on the NW corner of Westbury and Flattie Bush, record store, wine stores you name it. Can't keep up really, and who needs to when they come so fast and furious, with fairly predictable pickins'? And yet at least a dozen prime locations sit vacant along the 'Bush, just waiting for the "right" business at the right price.

Speaking of Nostrandamus, a certain prognosticator took a look at the entrance to the new building on Lincoln's OTHER entrance on Flatbush and noted the institutional look to the lobby. Could this be a separately configured building to house, say, homeless folks or social needs population? The City can set up these sorts of shelters wherever it wants with just a minimum of warning, like on Crown and Rogers. We shall see, friends, we shall see. And please, if it does come to pass, don't pre-judge. Folks of all stripes need a place to hang their hats and charge their cellulars.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wait—so the tiki bar is happening? Or that was a prank?

Also there is a sign near the new cupcake place for a new Caribbean influenced fish & chips place.

Curious99 said...

Phat Alberts is now "Brooklyn Shopping Commons" or something like that. Went in for some shower curtain liners and they were still filling shelves. Can't wait for it to be in full-swing and get some more shopping done there, they always have great prices on cleaning products and random kitchen stuff. Rumor was that the owner retired and they changed hands... And when I checked out, it was a Phat Albert's grocery bag still!

Clarkson FlatBed said...

This tiki bar is for real. I just had the wrong address.

Anonymous said...

I noticed that Phat Albert did shrink and part of it is now for rent. Do you know what's coming in that space?

What other stores have you heard opening on Flatbush or Rogers?

Q, I count on you for latest neighborhood info...have not heard much from you lately on what's happening/going on in the nab. What I've noticed is how much construction and new apartments are coming to the nab...and renting at a rapid pace. I have a friend that's been looking at 1 bedroom apartments and she can't believe the rental price...it's insane.

Gary of PLG said...

The Lincoln Rd. building is rather institutional as well; and both buildings are fuggly and cheap looking. Not welcome additions to the neighborhood.

Tiff T said...

I live in the Flatbush affiliated Lincoln property. Agree that the buildings aren't aesthetically pleasing. But as far as I can tell, there aren't any government programs in place as far as housing for the building(although I DID manage to snag a rent controlled unit!). All of my neighbors look like young professionals that work at google.