Excelsior Bike Shop - 694 Franklin Ave

Franklin Avenue has a new bike shop,  Excelsior Bike Shop!

Excelsior located @ 694 Franklin Ave., btw Park Pl & Prospect Pl., is a full service shop that sells & repair bikes.

They also sell an array of bike related accessories.

Excelsior is part of 9th Street Cycles in Park Slope

They staff is friendly and knowledgeable and the service is A+++.

They were able to fully service my  Xooter Roma, which is not even a bike, so just imagine what they could do for a bike that needs a lil’ TLC.

They have a wide selection of bikes on site for the beginner to the serious bike enthusiast.

Stop by.

Excelsior Bike Shop

694 Franklin Ave – between Park Pl. & Prospect Pl.

1 – 718 – 789 – 2502

On Dec. 3, 2011, a benefit – reunion was held at The Red Lotus Room in Brooklyn – to help raise funds to help secure a permanent home for The Starlite Lounge.

The video above is from that wonderful night!!!

The Starlite Lounge Family, Management, Staff & Owners -  in conjunction with the filmmakers of the documentary on Starlite – We Came To Sweat – hosted an amazing event full of performances, karaoke, a delicious buffet..,

Guest Deee-Jay Lady Miss Kier started the dance floor pumping & the Legendary Starlite DJ’s, Carlos Sanchez, Donna Edwards and others kept it moving all nite long!!

Now, Starlite Project: Seeking archival material from the community!

If you or someone you know has photographs or video from the inside or outside of the Starlite, or imagery of the neighborhood from a different time we would like to offer you credit in the film or monetary compensation for your efforts to dig them out of storage or where ever they may be.

Please call Kate @ 212-363-0166 or

Email us at: thestarliteproject@gmail.com

INFO ON STARLITE LOUNGE

“The historic Starlite Lounge- the oldest black-owned gay bar in Brooklyn was founded on a principle of non-discrimination in 1959, in Crown Heights Brooklyn.

For over five decades, from civil rights to gay liberation to AIDS activism, the Starlite Lounge has been a a cherished meeting place for social change, for all people from all walks of lie.

And sadly, in 2010, Starlite Lounge was victim to the negative change of rapid gentrification in central Brooklyn. They were pushed out of their Nostrand Ave. location by a new landlord who wanted to carter to the “new” people moving into the community.”

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Brooklyn Girl Film Festival -

On Thursday, March 29th @ 5 PM, Launchpad kicks off  the Brooklyn Girl Film Festival’s first annual, 3 day festival & reception!

Launchpad is located at 721 Franklin Ave.,  between Sterling Pl. & Park Pl, 646-494-7211.

Take the 2,3,4, 5 or S subway to Franklin Ave. and walk 3 blocks North of Eastern Parkway.

The festival is the brainchild of filmmaker April Mosqus, who’s goal is to: “to showcase the work of women filmmakers from around the globe.

Whether their work is a serious documentary or a lighthearted comedy, Brooklyn Girl Film Festival seeks to empower women and their unique and relevant interpretation of the world around them and strengthen the community of women filmmakers.”

Besides showing a wonderful variety of short films, feature films and documentaries, there will also be guest speakers from the film industry.

Amy Greenlaw – a film- marketing and social network guru, who will show you how to execute a DIY Marketing campaign.

Filmmaker Leah Meyerhoff – will lead a discussion about her journey from short filmmaker of the award-winning “Twitch” to feature film director on her DIY labor of love film, “Unicorns.”

Frances Lozada – the Master of Ceremonies -  is an accomplished Television, Film & Stage Actor and Producer.

Frances is also the founder of the Cinema Night Film Series.

Tickets and more information on The Brooklyn Girl Film Festival, can be found here.

"The Hole" - The Curious Case Of 341 Eastern Parkway

341 Eastern Parkway aka “The Hole” – brilliantly named by Nick at ILFA - is a very curious case of  “gentrification” and development opposed to community revitalization.

“The Hole” is a vacant, 14,000 foot lot, at the bustling, NE corner of Franklin Ave. and Eastern Parkway – a long time commercial district in the community – that is seeing a recent burst of commercial revitalization in the last few years.

“The Hole” has an interesting history, as it was hoped to be, the grande, visual symbol of  “gentrification” in a “changing” Crown Height’s, by some in the real estate and business crowd.

In 2007, Brownstoner reported that,  architect Gene Kaufman  promised to: “build a new corner,  8-story, steel-framed,  residential condominium building – with retail on the ground floor, containing 80,000 square feet and 61 apartments.”

That plan fizzled, along with the economy.

For 3 years, nothing happened, besides Crow Hill’s lovely mural painting project that enlisted local artist and children to beautify the ugly wooden fence surrounding  “The Hole”.

Yet, it’s neighbor, Fisher’s  Supermarket – the small Mom & Pop like grocery store that’s been at 805 Franklin Ave. for 28 years -  managed to under go a total build out in 2011.

It was renamed Bob & Betty’s, in honor of owner Tony Fisher’s parents who opened the original Fisher’s on Washington Ave.

Perhaps it’s truly about revitalizing a community and it’s existing resources?

Rather than the complete overhaul and the displacement that usually accompanies “gentrification”.

Once again, there’s talk that “The Hole” is back on the market.

In Nov. 2011, according to Crain’s NY, Ofer Cohen, president of the Brokerage firm, TerraCRG Commercial Realty Group, was retained to exclusively market the site.

It was boosted that:  “This is a viable site for either condo or rental development, noted Mr. Cohen.  

Rents would fetch $42 to $45 per square foot, while a condo could get $575 to $600 per square foot depending on when the project launches, according to Brendan Aguayo, a residential broker.”

Sounds swell if you make in the mid six figures, but Crown Heights is an economically diverse community.  And apparently, Mr. Cohen’s vision may have been a little off as he is no longer the exclusive broker.

Yesterday, Pinnacle Realty, has two huge billboards listing their broker, David Junik, as the one to call for information about obtaining 341 Eastern Parkway.

Yes, 341 Eastern Parkway is a very curious case indeed.

“The Hole” sits at the busy intersection of the bustling and growing commercial strip of Franklin Ave., yet no investor seems to be able to close the deal on this piece of  “prime real estate”.

Perhaps their vision needs to be revised?

What do you think should be built at 341 Eastern Parkway?  And why?

“What Does A Just Crown Heights Look Like To You?”

We would like to hear from you!

Come meet your neighbors and discuss the various issues on Sunday March 18, 2012 @ Five Myles Gallery, 558 St. Johns Pl,  from 4PM to 7PM.

On February 29^th,  a small, diverse group of Crown Heights residents met at Brower Park Library to discuss how to build on the energy of the OWS (Occupy Wall Street)  movement to organize and effect positive change right here in our community.

This Sunday’s meeting will focus on building towards solutions to issues in the following areas:

1. Housing
2. Jobs & Economy
3. Education
4. Cleaner streets
5. Programming for youth
6. Community gardens and parks
7. Programming for youth
8. Bus/Subway: better transportation

Uncommon Indicators Of Gentrification Part II -

At Nostrandpark, we’ve frequently blogged about the many complex issues concerning gentrification, especially in regards to Crown Heights.

One of the lighter & funnier posts on the effects of gentrification being Laurel Brown’s, Uncommon Gentrification Indicators, which was a list of her casual observations that “that gentrification has beset a neighborhood”.

On Franklin Ave. I passed, perhaps, an even funnier indication that your community may be in the midst of gentrification -

when the “grammar police” start correcting the grammar of the graffiti in the neighborhood.

Ironically, the “corrected” grammar is on the recently closed business – 3D’s  West Indian & American Bakery & Restaurant at 743 Franklin Ave. – that may not have been able to financially survive a changing Crown Heights.

Occupy Wall Street's 1st Brooklyn General Assembly - Franklin Ave

Occupy Wall Street – which began on Oct. 17, 2011,  is a self – pro-claimed -

“leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions”.

Agree with their stance or not, the movement has been picking up international steam, sparking similar movements across the globe.

And tonight, Oct. 20, 2011 @ 7PM @ 613 Franklin Ave., in Crown Heights, Brooklyn - OWS is having their first ever:

Occupy Brooklyn General Assembly

“Come one, come all to the next General Assembly of Occupy Brooklyn.

We would like for these meetings to be representative of the Brooklyn community at large, so we hope that people all of backgrounds living anywhere in Brooklyn will come out.

A team appointed at the first GA has identified a location and time and has offered a proposed agenda.

At the GA, all members will be able to propose further agenda items, and vote on a final agenda at the beginning of the meeting.”

Proposed Agenda:

1. -Basics of the GA, why and how this is participatory
2. -Finalize Agenda
3. -Brief Announcements and Check-ins about what work is already being done in Brooklyn
4. -Relationship to OWS
5. -Should we occupy?
6. -Possible direct actions
7. -Identify working groups
8. -Divide into working groups

If you all haven’t had a chance to check out the fabulous Vodou Bar on Nostrand yet, here is a great reason and opportunity:

Come support the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger – a nonprofit food pantry working vigorously to end hunger. The BSCAH provides the only Brooklyn based community focused urban garden,emergency food, social services including Food Stamp screenings and much more.  The pantry is in dire need of funds, as their government funding has been severely reduced, while the need for supplies has more than doubled.

For more information about the BSCAH, please visit http://www.bedstuyagainsthunger.org/.

$20 suggested donation for entry.

100% of the proceeds from the door donations will benefit the Bed-Stuy Campaign Against Hunger. A portion of the bar proceeds from the event will be donated to BSCAH.

Last year students from Brooklyn’s exceptional youth journalism workshop produced this video about Nostrand Park’s first Nostrand Ave cleanup. Well now FIRST TAKE is gearing up for a new year and is looking for high school students to participate in this dynamic experience.

The “FIRST TAKE” program meets each Saturday in the Fall at LIU downtown. First Take mentors teens who are interested in media careers and helps provide them with the tools necessary to accomplish their goals.

The application deadline is Fri Sep 23. Students can apply at:

http://firsttakenyc.com/apply

Local freelance journalist and videographer made this exceptional video montage of the recent Franklin Avenue Kids Day.

Franklin Kids Day 2011 from Aulistar Mark on Vimeo.