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.

Monday, February 11, 2019

So Long Flatbush Caton Market

One day they will look at us like we're crazy. Oh yes, we'll say, there used to be this enormous brightly hued blue and yellow warehousey corrugated shed without windows that used to house burgeoning  businesses. An incubator for street vendors to help them transition to storefronts.

"Sure. Right. No windows? Did anyone ever shop there?" they'll ask.

Not so much. It was designed poorly and cheaply, meant to shield the lively street vendors from the elements. Instead it became a bit of a tomb, and residents mostly passed without entering.

Here's to a fixture of the neighborhood that has now been razed, for a large new all-affordable (means tested) building (inset) that will radically change how we experience this corner. Particularly when they tear down the old bank building kitty-korner from this. (Catty-Corner?) Actually, it was originally Caddy Corner, from the word for four. You know, like quatro and quatre. A great thing to know! As well as Vermont, for (ready?) Green Mountains. (remember your French?)





7 comments:

diak said...

I noticed the dolllar store at Clarkson ("Bargain Hunters") is emptying out.
Any idea what's in store for that corner?

Anonymous said...

diak that also will be developed soon.

was sold a couple months ago to a developer

Anonymous said...

I hope the plan continues as proposed where the market gets a new space with windows on the ground level of the buildings. Hopefully some of the vendors can make ends meet in the mean time where ever it is they have to relocate. I transplanted here 4-ish years ago and only ventured inside two or three times. It's really imposing from the outside and impossible to even recognize it's a flee market type set-up.

Clarkson FlatBed said...

Unknown: I don't see any evidence of a sale yet. Pray tell, what do you know? Nobody at the store is talkin, so inquiring minds...

Clarkson FlatBed said...

and anon - gonna be honest here. I very much doubt the City will make good on its promise to vendors. In fact, I'd be shocked. In the three years or so that it sits vacant, a lot can change, including the Mayor and much of the council. We'll see.

Anonymous said...

IMPEACH DEbLASIO

Curious37 said...

Is it the bank across from Save a thon that's going up for sale or the Bargain Hunters? Either way, I gotta get in for some more sales before we lose another store. Still haven't recovered from the loss of the Brooklyn Shopping Center nee Phat Alberts