City Point gets a well need push from Mayor Bloomberg

The Bloomberg administration has picked the City Point project--to redevelop Albee Square Mall--to receive $20 million in tax-exempt bonds financed by the federal stimulus program

Willoughby Windows installation Began Today

If you were walking down Willoughby Street today, between Bridge Street and Duffield Street, you would have seen the transformation begining. The Willoughby Windows installation has begun. Finally, something to bring life to a street that has been dead for a while. In speaking with on of the organizers, Alison of Ad hoc art (www.adhocart.org), I found out that there will be some festivites around the installation of the remaining store fronts. It will be from 9am to 6pm. Also, the big party will be July 10th. Expect to see guest DJs and people on stilts. More info to come. I'll be sure to keep people posted.

Revamping of Fulton Mall is still scheduled to happen (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)

Avalon Buying Bridge Street Properties

Image credit (Brownstoner.com)

$40 Million for Downtown Lots

Albee Square/Fulton Makeover

City Point (replacing Albee Sq. Mall) has got a new website

(City Point)

This webite gives you the most beautiful view of what Downtown Brooklyn will look like in the not so distant future. I love the rendition of Willoughby Sq Park. What do you think?

City Point NYC

Joe Chan's Vision of Downtown Brooklyn

"It is tempting, of course, to call this something like the “Brooklyn Plan,” but it isn’t a plan in the literal sense. No one person or group of people sat down and sketched out an entire scenario. What has been looked at in the past several weeks is a combination of individual developments." (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)

News Analysis: Radical New Look Ahead for Brooklyn (Brooklyn Daily Eagle)

Fulton Mall. Change coming soon

“With all the housing stock that we have now and the demographics in the communities that surround Downtown Brooklyn,” said Joseph Chan, president of the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, an economic development group, “the fact that there’s not a Bed Bath & Beyond, a Pottery Barn, a Pier 1 in the downtown of a city of 2.5 million people is odd.”

"And so the mall’s transformation, predicted for years, seems about to finally begin. The old Albee Square Mall, an enclosed shopping center within this stretch of Fulton Street, closed this year to make way for City Point, a high-rise tower that will house people, businesses and, on the ground floor, major retail tenants along the lines of Target.

Albert Laboz, one of the street’s biggest property owners and chairman of the Fulton Mall Improvement Association, said that deals were in the works with several leading retailers. “I think you’re going to see a nice transition in the next few years,” he said." (NY Times)

Brooklyn Mall Is Oasis and Anomaly (NY Times)

JC Penney to replace Conway on the Fulton Mall

"Next year, JCPenney will be opening its first location in Brooklyn, on Fulton Street. It will occupy the retail space presently leased to Conway's, which is directly across the street from Macy's.

Stanley Chera, a principal at Crown Acquisitions, one of the largest owners of property in the Fulton Street area, said leasing "continues to be excellent, with no slowdown in prime locations. Retailers are committed to downtown Brooklyn, and expect to see a new tenant mix over the next few years".

"With thousands of new residents moving to downtown Brooklyn, expect to see a large supermarket and health and beauty centers opening in this underserved area," a retail broker, Lori Shabtai of Winick Realty Group, said." (NY Sun)


'A Very Exciting Time' For Retail in New York (NY Sun)

227 Duffiel saved from eminent Domain.

Duffield Street Press Conference (Brownstoner)

I know that this is old news but here it is. The city will not be demolishing 227 Duffield due to it's alleged connections to Abolitionist history. Willoughby Sq Park will have to built around it.

Garage on the Corner of Willoughby and Flatbush Ave is coming down. Look at what's going up.

The 650 unit residential building should be up in no time. There is also a class A office space component to this.

Development Watch: Acadia Starts Albee Demo (Brownstoner

Department Stores Seem to be Eyeing up City Point (the old Allbee Sq Mall)

"Department stores are making a huge comeback in downtown Brooklyn, with Target, JCPenney, Kohl's and Nordstrom eying spots in the Fulton Mall, the Daily News has learned.

Target has already signed a deal to open a store at City Point, sources who are familiar with the project said. The soaring tower, slated to be built where Albee Square Mall stands, will include residential, retail and office space." (NYDN)


Target signs deal to open a store at City Point (NYDN)

Rumor has it: Target at the Albee Square Mall?

(image courtesy of Racked)


Exclusive: Another Target Planned For Brooklyn (Racked)

It really is very close to the other Target at the Atlantic Center but I think it would still be very successful in this location. It's a well shopped area. I, for one, am in complete support of this idea.

Albee Square's new face. Maybe?

Albee Square to be Brooklyn's Time Warner Center?
(Curbed)

Albee Square Mall Clears Out (BDE)