I called Kai Construction today to try to find out what exactly is going on at the newly plywooded flatiron lot at 960 Willoughby/1237 Myrtle. As usual, a rude, annoyed, brusque person answered the phone and rushed me to my point. “What do you want to know for?” I explained my purpose, and the woman snapped “Well I imagine it’s an apartment building — I mean, that’s what we do, right?”
Okayyy…do you have any specific info on what kind of building it will be? “No, that’s all the information I can give you on that property.” Thanks.
The permit application so far only mentions the “creation of a new building” with “J-2″ occupancy, defined hilariously as “housing persons on a 24-hour basis who are capable of self preservation.”
Keep your eyes on the lot at Willoughby and Myrtle — I guess the only way we’ll find out what’s up there is by seeing it as it’s built. Considering the manner of the person answering the phone, I’m not expecting anything splendiferous.
Andrew June 25th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Jeremy, you should post her number here so we can all call and ask the same question. That would piss her off even more (hopefully). Sounds like she deserves it!
derwood June 25th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
i commented on this about a year ago
http://bushwickbk.com/archives/114 comment 45.
these guys were around the place they were buying up air rights wherever they could in that area, at the time they said it would be condos..i’m assuming it will be rentals now though, but who know. This area is really gaining momentum it has become a hub..go bushwick!
electricgreek June 25th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
here’s the number to kai 718-387-0400
the dob webstite says 14 floors , 122 ft tall and 84 units
Jimmy Legs June 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
i assume then that the mckibbon dorms do not have J-2 status, those kids can barely take care of themselves.
Tony June 25th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Warning: Old fart about to chime in.
I grew up around the corner at 210 Evergreen Avenue. As a kid around 1970, I recall there was a huge apartment building located on that lot. It was probably built late 19th century, all wood (no brick face) and very Gothic in design. Sometime about 1971 or 1972 a fire destroyed part of the building and it was abandoned. A few years after that, all the kids in the neighborhood were treated to a very cool “control demolition”. It was the first I have ever seen. The building was torn down by the city and over the years the lot served as junk yard, car storage and junkie haven.
Maujer June 28th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Her name’s Joelle. Kai’s pretty bad. Our old apartment was assessed as a low-income condo, but pretty much everyone in the (rental) building was an NYU college student.
homeseekes June 29th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
That’s funny, I just passed by there today and was wondering what was going to be built there.
By the way, has anyone seen the inside of the building around the corner at willouby and evergreen? are they nice?
my gf and I are looking for something near the J train.
Thanks,
~Marc
Jeremy Sapienza June 30th, 2008 at 10:58 am
http://bushwickbk.com/archives/156
AKAdemic08 September 16th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Great website! I just wanted to chime in here. I have lived on Suydam between Evergreen and Central for 26 years. I have always known the area to be a junkyard/car storage lot. Tony, you probably know the “Bajero” that owned it for a while. I heard that this will be a huge apt building. I have mixed feelings about that choice. I can see the conjestion coming and the crime increasing. Everyone knows each other on my block and we have had no problems. NYC is already overcrowded, now Bushwick will be. The biggest problem I have with the gentrification/renovation is the loss of the architectural character of the buildings. The new houses/condos are horrible. They have no character whatsoever.