Upscale Lofts in Craptacular Mall's Future
The Fulton Mall, symbol of all that’s down-market in Brooklyn, may be taking the first step in an image make-over with loft conversion plans underway for one the area’s most glorious architectural gems. According to Brooklyn Papers, 505 Fulton Street is likely the first target: My experience is loft conversion in Soho and Tribeca, said…
The Fulton Mall, symbol of all that’s down-market in Brooklyn, may be taking the first step in an image make-over with loft conversion plans underway for one the area’s most glorious architectural gems. According to Brooklyn Papers, 505 Fulton Street is likely the first target: My experience is loft conversion in Soho and Tribeca, said Albert Laboz, the owner of 505 Fulton Street and co-chairman of the Fulton Street Mall. We’d like to do the same thing down there and we want the city to help us the way they helped neighborhoods in Manhattan. The Romanesque Revival Building was built in 1890 by Henry Offerman as a warehouse and department store. We were a little confused by the photo of the building Brooklyn Papers ran with the story–it doesn’t look like 505 Fulton to us. Help anyone?
Soho Lofts for Fulton Mall? [Brooklyn Papers] GMAP
People will pay to stay in the area. Just like they are paying on Nassau St and John St. in Manhattan. And this has nothing to do with minorities. I live and work down here and my entire office is minority and they moan about the garbage stores and fast food places on Fulton Street. People just want a clean safe place to shop and eat. That doesn’t mean all the stores ahve to be cell phone stores and cheap clothing stores. Look what happendd to 34th St. It is a dump now compared to whatit used to be. they can’t clean it up fast enough for me
Agree with that last post: the biggest (and in my opinion, only) tragedy is that there is amazing architecture in Fulton Mall that is generally unappreciated by most of those who frequent the place. (NOT because they can’t/don’t appreciate architecture, just because the Mall’s current commercial uses provide no incentive to show it off, so it gets blocked by e.g. those big glitzy Cellular Island signs.)
FYI I’m a white yuppie. I don’t mean to imply that people who aren’t white yuppies should make do with an inferior shopping experience. I take issue with the idea that Fulton Mall is in fact dirty, or dangerous, or whatever. I love Fulton Mall and have been going there for upwards of fifteen years. I can tell you, Fulton Mall is the nicest it’s been since I was born. I don’t see that much litter (except maybe at the end of the day, but with so many pedestrians wandering around that’s just natural… and if you go early in the morning you’ll see BID people cleaning it up); I see virtually no crime; I see small businesses as well as a few bigger chain stores that are more successful than ever before AND are more presentable as a result.
Fulton Mall is improving itself, it has been for years. It doesn’t need any help from ridiculous condo projects.
The merchants are responsible for the crappy service their workers provide. I worked for a retail store that strived to provide the best customer service in the world and they did. All employees were carefully selected and trained. Most of the employees that work for this company are poor by NYC standards; few own their own homes, have savings accounts, etc.
Very cranky people who have strong opinions and are bored at work post comments here. Our frustration with Brooklyn in transition is palpable.
I only hope some of this agnst gets transferred into advocacy to improve Brooklyn. It’s a full-time job to participate in your block association, PTA, Community Board, civic associations, writing to your council member, voting, attending hearings, rallies and demonstrations. That’s how these sleazy politicians and developers continue to take advantage of us.
I would rather be at home spending all my time improving Brooklyn, but I’m stuck here in an office b/c I have a mortgage to pay. boo hoo : (
It’s a lot easier to just rant and rave on brownstoner. YAY!
Once again, what’s up with the assumptions about Fulton Mall shoppers? First, someone assumed that they were “poor”, and now someone else is assuming that they are “uneducated”? Please, explain to me where this all originates.
I don’t know how a discussion about saving a distinctive building and expanding and improving retail choice and quality for all income levels turned into a heated debate about race….
the problem with the mall are the sleazy landlords and business owners who are milking the uneducated masses and keeping them in their place by never upgrading service, food or merchandise. How many minority owners do you think there are on Fulton?
While I agree that quality of life issues (such as litter, poor service, ugly signage, etc) have nothing to do with race, I think that some of the other complaints people have brought up are racist, pure and simple. For example, the term “marauding youth” is essentially a code word that people use to say “minority youth” without sounding quite so racist. There is nothing wrong with being young, and there is nothing wrong with young people shopping and hanging out. Only a person who is both racist and ageist would use a term like that to express their disdain for minority youth.
Agreed Anon 10.57pm. To equate wanting to clean up Fulton Mall, or stating that minorities should have a clean, well serviced area to shop in too, with being a racist is ridiculous, and a disservice to real race issues.