From Cracking Coal to Cracked Wheat Salad: Whole Foods on the Gowanus Canal.

Green Light for Whole Foods Market 201_?

1924          THIRD STREET AND THIRD AVENUE's INDUSTRIAL PAST
The Gowanus Canal extended outward to Fourth Avenue.  You can click on the photos to enlarge.  Notice the coal yards and baseball stadium across the street.

By 1951, a block long section of the Canal had been filled in.

1996

2006

2008

2010 Google Earth View

2010 
That little brown cube positioned on the corner of Third Street and Third Avenue  is the landmarked New York and Long Island Coignet  Stone Company building.

Related Posts:1924 Aerial Photo Tour of the Gowanus Canal Superfund Site

South Slope Stoop Series: Companion Urns

18th Street

Rim Jacked in the Slope.

Photo Denton Taylor

19th Street between 8th Avenue and Prospect Park West.  Neighbors say they have come across this scene at least 4 times in the last few months. This past Spring thieves hit 16th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues leaving the vehicle similarly stranded on four plastic milk crates.

K.O. for South Slope's O.T.B. Horsey Set Landmark

South Slope's Clubhouse Closed

Historic 493-495 5th Avenue and 12th Street.  Looks like removing the stench of 30 years worth of remorse required a total gut right back down to the floor joists.

OTB Bankruptcy   nydaily news link:
Mayor Bloomberg is right to fight Gov. Paterson's plan to stick city with OTB debts

How landlords can win big betting on OTB to lose.
The Real Deal

Stalled Site 400 15th Street Sold. Construction permits renewed.

400 15th Street.  There are currently 708 stalled sites in NYC, 326 in Brooklyn alone.  LINK 

Rendering: Corporate Design of America

Short Sale?
Good news for Fifteenth Street... It appears that the construction-troubled,  stalled out 2004 condominium  development located at 400 15th Street has been sold.  According to ACRIS, a deed in lieu of foreclosure was filed between the developer 400 15th Street LLC, their bank Capital One Bank N.A.,  and the new buyer, Fox Reality Properties LLC back in July.  The transfer documents indicates an amount of $3,831,159.61
(A Deed in lieu of foreclosure is a deed instrument in which a mortgagor (i.e. the borrower) conveys all interest in a real property to the mortgagee (i.e. the lender) to satisfy a loan that is in default and avoid foreclosure proceedings.)

The building was originally listed back in April 2009 by Maximillion Realty, Inc. for $5,599,000.

The new owner, Sarantos Plagianos,  has hired the architect Cherico King, AIA of the firm KCC Architects, PLLC to complete the mothballed job.  Applications have been filed and permits renewed.   They will be replacing the original architect of record Robert J. Palermo of the firm Corporate Design of America, P.C.  It will be interesting to see if there is any reworking of the original design.  As the building stands now, it is nothing more than a two story cinder block shell on a poured foundation.  No new DOB paperwork has been posted on the construction fence yet.

Grandfathered?
Existing approved plans call for  18 dwelling units within a 5 story, 53' tall structure.    Fifteen off street /basement parking spaces are planned (4,200sft).  There is no rear yard setback.

 VESTED by BSA

"Despite unyielding community and elected officials’ opposition through three months of Board of Standards and Appeals hearings, Tuesday June 20, 2006, the BSA voted unanimously to grant the financial hardship appeals of two South Slope/Greenwood Hts. properties, 400 15th St. and 639 Sixth Ave.
The Board also unanimously rejected both properties’ BZY (foundation substantially complete) applications.

The developer/owner of the property, Gennady Borokhovich, managing member of 400 15th St. LLC is now able to continue building under the properties’ previous R6 zoning, which was changed to R6B on November 16, 2005." -From the South Slope Comunity Web Page Archives.

                                                                    

This job is not subject to the Department's Development Challenge Process
It appears that the approved plans can be transferred, but does anyone know if there is a statute of limitations for their grandfathered R6 zoning variance issued by the BSA? 

400 15th St. Disaster Area:  One of my favorite photos from the IMBY Archives... Collateral damage to 396 15th St.

Hey Fox Realty,  Please be a good neighbor and introduce yourself to the many adjoining property owners on 16th Street who have been waiting patiently for the last 6 years for their rear yards to be repaired...