Attn Vanderbilt Ave: These folks will want lunch

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Attn Vanderbilt Ave: These folks will want lunch

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whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

Interior work is happening at the huge building at 470 Vanderbilt Avenue, off Atlantic Avenue, where the Human Resources Administration signed a lease last fall. The latest work plans filed with the DOB are for an “interior fit out of tenant space.” HRA is shooting for a spring 2012 move-in and has said the move will bring 1,800 staff, 1,500 visitors and an estimated two to four million dollars in economic activity to the area.

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2011/07/development-watch-470-vanderbilt-ave/#disqus_thread

City workers don't have lots of money, but they have enough that they are going to want something better than McDonalds for lunch.

Maya Burritos, they might come to you.

Encourage them to cross Atlantic!

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
tjaded
getting it
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 54

Maya Taqueria. For an inexpensive lunch, Eton on Vanderbilt is a good deal too, slider sandwiches and dumplings, yum.

# Posted 1 yr ago
Bricktop
getting it
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 187

This is going to be a welfare office, right?

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

Bricktop said:
This is going to be a welfare office, right?

Yup. The building will serve welfare clients, but it will mostly be HRA's new staff headquarters.

HRA is a massive city agency, with thousands of employees who provide:

TANF (aka public assistance/welfare)
Child support enforcement
Medicaid
Food stamps
Domestic violence assistance
Adult protective Services
HIV/AIDS services

The agency's workforce consists of hundreds employees (mostly female) who have civil service titles like "Case Manager II", and "Senior Program Analyst", and earn between 40 and 75k.

There is often a copy of the Chief Leader in the waiting area.
http://thechiefleader.com/

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
Amighty
art lover
Joined: Apr '09
Posts: 42

If I just had the money to open up a Lenny's!

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

Quiznos also seems like it would be a good fit.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
Jack Krohn
My Baby's Gone Shootin'
Joined: Dec '05
Posts: 1,063

Other than McDonald's, the place that will rake in the cash is the White Castle a few blocks down Atlantic. Too bad Cornelius is so expensive, as they would probably do well, too.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

A new upscale deli/bodega is about to open on Vanderbilt right by Woodwork.

It looks like they will have sandwiches, and such.

If the owner is smart, s/he will forget completely about selling paper towels and whatnot, and install a indoor seating area. Soups, salads and sandwiches would make a killing in that location.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
tateinbk
above average
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 503

Is Nick's Diner on Vanderbilt and Dean still open or has it been shut down by the health department for good?

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

Nicks diner will become a noodle- ramen bar with beer and wine.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
tateinbk
above average
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 503

When did this happen? Criminies. I'm sure a noodle-ramen bar will fit into the neighborhood better than Nicks did at least recently, but I still find that a little sad.

I remember when I was paying $500 a month (with roommates) for a place on Vanderbilt and was nannying part time and poor as heck. When we were feeling self indulgent my roommates and I would head over there for the $2.50 breakfast. Of course once we started making a little more we leaned more towards The Usual. I guess Nick's was doomed for a while (the health dept. shut it down more than once) but good times, good times.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

Construction is presently happening on what used to be Nicks.

Are your memories of living on Vaderbilt pre-2005?

Back when Juenes was a fish market?
Back when the Haitian Times had a storefront?

....sorry affordable rents have left Vanderbilt. One must sell a lot of bagels, burritos or sandwiches to survive.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
tateinbk
above average
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 503

Yeah, my memories started there in 02' or '03. I'm sadly aware that the affordable rents have left Vanderbilt ave. and that is why I live in Crown Heights now.

Let's also not forget the Miracle Church of Christ Incorporated on Bergen and Vanderbilt. But what is this Juenes? I haven't thought of the Haitian Times in a while.

As a side note, while my rent was affordable, the landlord was a complete crazy, we only had a lease for the first year, ever time something broke (in the entire 6 years I lived in that apartment) he blamed it on the tenants. When he wanted to make a point he was sharp as a tack but as soon as a tenant had a problem he became conveniently senile AND deaf.

I miss Vanderbilt and cheap rents, and it was great for the time I lived there and my needs. But as I've grown up and gotten more choosy about wanting someone to come and fix problems without yelling at me to stop breaking things, I realize I don't miss that place as much as you might think. And the noise.... Especially after the area began picking up and restaurants and bars came in.

If I had to guess, The Old Man is probably still alive and torturing the tenants with freezing apartments in winter as I type this.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

Whoops.

June's should be Joyce's

Joyce's bakeshop. Too far from Atlantic to be of any value to the HRA folks, but still yummy

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
tateinbk
above average
Joined: Jun '11
Posts: 503

Oh yes, I absolutely predated Joyce's.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

The Ramen noodle place opened this week

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

This place is presently under construction
http://nymag.com/guides/fallpreview/2011/restaurants/ilene-rosen/

...Goodprospect posted it on a related thread.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
inpixels
above average
Joined: Oct '05
Posts: 543

http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=5&id=46780

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

I would not be surprised if the car wash at Vanderbilt and Atlantic is gone by 2014, and replaced by food or retail.

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

HRA's move in is now delayed until Spring 2013.

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/03/hras-470-vanderbilt-move-in-date-pushed-back/#disqus_thread

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
whynot_31
Former Lurker
Joined: Mar '06
Posts: 16,096

It sounds like the building will offer a lot of retail space, as well as office space.

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2012/05/what-sort-of-retail-will-470-vanderbilt-get/#disqus_thread

For better or worse, the change on Nostrand is going to make the change on Franklin look minor.

# Posted 1 yr ago
withachaser
getting it
Joined: Jul '05
Posts: 164

the building is up and running with at least one social services program: a young children's day treatment for elementary school-age kids with psychiatric and/or learning/motoric disorders. the space enjoyed a beautiful renovation for these little ones!!

# Posted 1 yr ago