Neighborhood Threat

On Calyer St., between Lorimer and Guernsey, two blocks down from Manhattan Ave., is a tiny commercial space. One side is a laundromat, and the other side has had a few tenants.

When I moved to Greenpoint, that side was occupied by a shop that seemed to only sell fabric softener and motor oil (at least, that’s all that was ever in the window). One of those stores that you look at from the outside and think, “How on earth do they stay in business?”

They were replaced by an Italian sandwich shop called Frangello’s. We were excited when this place opened because Greenpoint needed a good sandwich shop. And they were very, very good - but it took them 20 minutes to make one sandwich, and they were never open. They closed at 3pm on Saturday. Not open on Sunday. Closed by 5pm every weekday. We would walk by there and say, “I’m going home to change and I’ll be back in 15 minutes on my way to the ball game, I’d like to get a sandwich” and they’d reply, “Sorry, we’re closing.” Needless to say, all of these factors is probably why they barely lasted three months.

A few months back, the shuttered space had a sign taped to it, announcing the William Taft Vegetarian Restaurant. We weren’t sure if it was a joke or not. Walking by once to find people inside cleaning, we asked when the place would open and were told April 15. That day came and went, and I just assumed it was another NYC restaurant venture that just never got off the ground.

A few weeks ago, we noticed that the bright red FRANGELLO’S awning had been removed. We hoped that meant progress. And last night, the boyfriend noted that there was a new sign out front. I walked up today to get this shot:

There were people inside painting, who claimed they should be open by the end of the month. Hey guys, here’s a tip: DON’T CLOSE AT 5PM BEFORE ANYONE IS HOME FROM WORK. If they actually are open at times that people want to order food (and the delivery will be key), and the food is any good, the location is excellent and they should do well.

Hey, at least it’s not another bar.

Right next to the laundromat on Franklin St., between Greenpoint and Milton. The door was open and the place is ready to go any minute now.

Just what we need, another bar.

On the positive side, I do appreciate the authentic restoration of the window wells and the fact that the decor actually blends into the neighborhood.

There are a couple of choice storefronts on Manhattan Ave. that have been empty for a while. One is at 880 Manhattan, right next to the church. It was formerly a chiropractor’s office, and then it sat empty for a while, and then the building permits went in the window. It was a good location, right near the subway, so I was hopeful.

Tonight, on the way home from the G, I noticed that the newspaper was down from the front window.
What is it?
A money order shop.
Right across the street from - a money order shop.

*sigh*

I’m eyeing the former international phone center on Manhattan in the other direction, right across from the Starbucks. But I fear that it too will be a center for envios de dinero (sorry, don’t know the Polish for money order).

My favorite graffiti ever in Greenpoint was on the construction hoarding in front of the now-Bank of America:
WE NEED A MOVIE THEATER, NOT ANOTHER BANK

Right now I’d settle for a grocery store that was open until 10 or 11pm and didn’t specialize in 47 kinds of Polish juice, but nothing else.

I believe the ground floor of this 4-family house at 43 Franklin St. was being used as landlord-look-the-other-way live-in commercial for a while, and then the FOR RENT sign went up. Everyone had the property for a while, that apts. & lofts sign would go down, and then go up again, and I pretty much gave up on anything useful for the neighborhood going into that space.

A few months ago, I parked my car on that block and noticed DOB permits and activity, and the DOB permits noting something about restoring an existing restaurant or cafe. I was hoping for a coffee house, the boyfriend fervently wanting a closer bodega (as much as we love the God Bless Deli Grocery, it’s still not around the corner).

Yesterday, I parked the car in front and this time, there were people inside working that looked like they might know what the place is. Excitedly, I stopped in front of the door and asked, “What’s this place going to be?”
“A bar!” the gentleman answered, equally excitedly.
My face fell.
“Come here, come here. Where do you live?”
I pointed, and said, “I just hope you guys are going to be better neighbors than Studio B is.”

Yeah, I’m bummed. We don’t need another bar on this block; the faux-Irish pub next to the laundromat is about to open any day now (there’s a name painted on it now). And with a bar that close to Studio B, the hipsters will all flock to drink there before going to shows at Studio B, meaning their inane chatter about where to go next and where is the subway and whatever other bullshit they feel the need to discuss on my corner at 4am is going to be carried even further throughout the neighborhood.

There was a reason I left the Lower East Side, but even there, the bars all have PLEASE RESPECT OUR NEIGHBORS AND KEEP YOUR VOICES DOWN signs outside. The only thing Studio B has started doing (in its defense) is sweeping up the sidewalk, so it’s not completely disgusting every morning after the club is open - but we still won’t chance parking on that block any more because of all the broken bottles left on the curb and in the gutter.

I like living in a city and I like living in a neighborhood. We would have no problem with Studio B if the patrons STFU on their way to and from the subway and stopped throwing their trash up and down the block. And same goes for the new, soon-to-open bar at 43 Franklin.

I started this blog about a year ago, imagining a place for a photoblog and some occasional commentary. And then I spent most of my time on flickr, and it seemed like duplicate effort. However, that never stopped me from commenting on other neighborhood blogs, which made me realize I still have 1) a unique viewpoint and 2) something to say.

So 11222 is back.