Myrtle and Broadway

anonymous · February 2007

Hey There:

I moved to BedStuy a couple of years ago. It seems like most postings regarding BedStuy are about the Heights. However, I'm on the North-East end of BedStuy - serviced by the J, M and Z Trains. Broadway/Myrtle or Kosciusko are my train stops.

I have been loving the neighborhood, but don't have anywhere near enough time to explore.... I'm interested in sharing information with others regarding the Broadway/Myrtle - Kosciusko areas....what are the interesting places (shops, clubs, restaurants, hardware stores, thrift stores, art spaces...) that you've discovered? What do we want to draw to the neighborhood? Being on the corner of BedStuy, Bushwick and East Williamsburgh it seems like a great place for artists......Let's talk.

Peace, Ken

the changeling · February 2007

Hey B-S K! I'm also in North Stuy, but I'm on the west side near Clinton Hill. Nevertheless I travel up and down Myrtle Avenue so I frequent the Broadway/Myrtle area. You're right about the southside bias when it comes to information/news about Bed-Stuy. I think much more planning/development needs to go into the northern area from Classon to Broadway because although I can't speak for Dekalb and Lafayette, I can say that Myrtle Avenue is improving in leaps and bounds west of Classon. Once you pass Classon heading east, there is much to be desired. Since MARP and others are doing such a great job improving the Fort Greene and Clinton Hill sections of Myrtle, it seems like it would be a no-brainer for CB3 and whoever has power over urban development in this nabe to keep the ball rolling and extend these improvements all the way to the Bushwick border.

As for cool places, Goodbye Blue Monday (a good place for live shows) is in your area. Check out their website.

I'd like to see more artist spaces and more small thrift shops in North Stuy. I'd also like to see an independent video store that, in addition to renting indie videos, would have screenings of local filmmakers' projects.

boygabriel · February 2007

The Changeling wrote: As for cool places, Goodbye Blue Monday (a good place for live shows) is in your area. Check out their website.

what kind of music do they get?

isla · February 2007

Not exactly your neighborhood but worth checking out
http://www.artistsandfleas.com/index.php

the changeling · February 2007

Boygabriel, I might be wrong but I think that Todd P did a show there. Check out their myspace page.

http://www.frequenciesnyc.com/GoodbyeBlueMonday.html

http://www.myspace.com/goodbyebluemondayinc

anonymous · February 2007

Hey I am moving into your hood, Ken--my train will be the Koskiusko JMZ stop... as soon as I close March 1!!!

I will be checking this thread regularly and putting in my own $.02 as I discover stuff. But for now, I must say I don't feel like I am that far from all that Heights stuff like Bread Stuy and Petit Basam. My husband and I parked our car at our new place on Lewis and Van Buren and walked to Petit Basam to celebrate being in contract... it took 15 minutes. The same amount of time it takes me to get to Enids for brunch here in Greenpoint.

tommyill · February 2007

Bed Stuy is so gigantic its weird it is lumped in with Fort Greene and Clinton Hill on this board.

anonymous · February 2007

Hi.
We've been living in North East Bed Stuy for a little over a year and half now. I appreciate this thread because all the usual chatter goes on about the south end or west side.
There's a community garden on the corner of Stuyvesant and Vernon that seems like good space and a chance to get to know other people. Maybe when the weather warms up we'll see more activity. As for local places to go, I really haven't found any. I'll maybe go to Dunkin Donuts on my way to the train stop but there needs to be more diversity in shops on Broadway and Myrtle. There is an artist's space/gallery on broadway right off the myrtle stop on one of the upper floors, though, they seem to be closed at the moment. I would like to see storefronts other than nail salons, beauty salons, bodegas or 99 cent stores. Moto is a great restaurant and always has fantastic live music almost every night of the week but it's a little ways down Broadway off of the Hewes Street stop. I've been seeing beat cops out on the corners and walking up and down blocks lately and I appreciate their presence. There's also a gallery on Broadway between Dekalb and Kosciuszko Streets named A Space Gallery that I still need to check out. There are loft spaces up and down Broadway and the buildings around this area have good bones that just need some TLC. Some of the architecture on Broadway is amazing with its wooden cornices and arched windows. It's really upsetting how the Commodore Theater located off of Keap Street is being torn down.

the changeling · February 2007

Snicks, thanks for mentioning A Space Gallery! I made a mental note to visit the gallery a month or so ago, but it slipped my mind. I only found out about this place recently. Thanks for reminding me.

jimmylegs · February 2007

GBM has music pretty much every night, and is an iconoclastic (in a good way) addition to the area.

http://www.goodbye-blue-monday.com/

ToddP books some of his show there, also he books some shows at Michelene's which is further down Broadway, near the gates stop.

there's a pretty good hardware store on broadway just north of the gates JZ station. There's also a more heavy-duty lumber/contractor supply house on gates (gateslumber.net).

and of course, broadway is home to such exotic destinations as Dunkin' Donuts, Popeye's Chicken, and Rite Aid. ahh!

oh, A Space gallery site: http://www.aspacegallery.com/

the changeling · February 2007

Thanks Jimmy Legs! A Space Gallery looks very nice. I usually hibernate when we change the clocks in autumn and I don't venture out again until Daylight Saving Time starts. I might have to brave the cold and get over there in the next week or so.

I know I'm straying off topic but IMHO the only good thing that Dubya did while he was in the White House was to sign the paperwork that gives us an extra month of Daylight Saving Time starting this year. Whoo-hoo! March 11th ya'll. March 11th! Change the clocks!

anonymous · March 2007

The first thing that comes to mind as a welcome business in this area is a well edited bookstore. Although I've never been to Bread Stuy yet, it sounds like they put out fresh savory/sweet goods. It would be GREAT if something similar was in this area. There's a pretty substantial hardware store on Broadway and Stuyvesant. Their prices vary quite a bit so be alert in what they choose to charge you. It seems like they're still working out some kinks in training employees and the new computer system. They do have a new Benjamin Moore paint mixer in but like I said, keep an eye on the process because they seem to still be learning. A restaurant like Moto would be nice too - nice mood with trains rumbling above.

anonymous · March 2007

Subject: Follup on Myrtle/Broadway

Hey there:

Having started this thread a while ago, I'm just now checking in again! Good to hear from other people in the neighborhood. I will try to check out some of the places that people are recommending. Among the interesting things I've found are a local gallery/performance space and a local source for organic vegetables in the summertime.

The artist space is on Broadway a few blocks west of Myrtle/ Broadway called "Grace Exhibition Space". Since they are on a second floor space, you can actually see in their windows from the J train. The night that I went I saw an exhibit of Latin American graffitti artists and a dance performance by Movement Research. Here is their website: gracespace.multiply.com

Also, for those interested in organic vegetables, a CSA was started last year outside the "Magnolia Tree Earth Center" (on Lafayette, right opposite Herbert von King Park). A CSA is "Community Supported Agriculture" where you pay an annual fee and pick up freshly delivered vegetables each week. It's around $400 for the season (July-Oct) and you get a number of different vegetables each week. Last year the pickup was on Thursdays from 4-7PM, the vegetables were lovely and the farmer, Hector, is a real sweetheart. He has a small farm in upstate NY. If you are interested contact "Lauren Melodia" <laurenmelodia>/

Yesterday I had the day off and ran some errands in the neighborhood. It reminded me of how happy I am there and how ripe the neighborhood is for community development! Lets keep talking!

Ken

Myrtle and Broadway

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