(The lot at 800 Pacific Street where Brooklyn's Ward Bakery once sat is now a construction site for the Atlantic Yards Project. Photo by Phil S. Kropoth)

By Pete Catapano
pcatapano@am-ny.com

This month, ground was supposed to be broken on the Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn, the biggest development in the borough’s history.

But no symbolic shovels have been dug into the ground — and, opponents say, there may never be.

Although neighborhood residents have seen buildings demolished, coped with a closed bridge, and heard the rumblings of underground construction, the project has hit a wall.

Lawsuits and the economy have thwarted the Atlantic Yards mega-development in Prospect Heights, said Daniel Goldstein, spokesman for opposition group Develop Don’t Destroy Brooklyn.

“There are not constructing anything,” Goldstein said. “They don’t have the land or the money to build anything.”

The uncertainty of the $4-billion project’s future was punctuated with the news that developer Forest City Ratner has halted work in a 22-acre area of the site that was slated for the New Jersey Nets arena and 16 other buildings. Citing a lawsuit filed over the project’s use of eminent domain, a spokesman for the developer said the project’s preliminary work has progressed as much as possible until the legal action is resolved.

“Once the litigation is resolved we will be well positioned to begin the construction of phase-one of the project, including the Barclays Center," said Forest City Ratner spokesman Joe DePlasco.

Until that lawsuit is settled - as well as another regarding the project's environmental impact - and other issues are resolved, the developer cannot purchase the land where the Nets arena will sit from the MTA. Goldstein, whose group organized and funded a lawsuit against the Empire State Development Corp. for using eminent domain to take the land for the project, says he doubts it will ever be built.
“I think they don’t have the money,” he said. “The economy is a big obstacle. The bigger obstacle is the litigation. Even if they bought everybody out they still don’t have the money build and they still don’t own all the properties.”

Instead of construction, there’s been only destruction in Prospect Heights; 26 of the 53 building slated to be demolished have been taken down.

The Atlantic Yards project has been an enemy to many residents, wary of the car traffic high rises and an arena will bring, as well as shadows replacing the sunlight they’ve grown accustomed to.

Some residents say the work has been blight on the neighborhood.

“It’s gotten a lot scarier since they started tearing things down,” said Ellen O’Shea, a bartender at Freddy’s Bar and Backroom, referring to her former apartment on Sixth Avenue and Vanderbilt Avenue. “After dark, I’d feel really uncomfortable walking those few blocks now.”

Freddy's is one of the plaintiffs in the suit to stop the project. Developer Bruce Ratner owns the building that houses Freddy’s and will likely tear it down to make room for the arena.

During summer construction at the Dean Street-Sixth Avenue intersection, Freddy’s looked like an “abandoned edifice,” O’Shea said. “You couldn’t even see the front of Freddy’s” from the street until last week, she added.

One small business owner in the area, who only wanted be identified as Joe, seemed perplexed at the kind of work being done in the neighborhood.

“They made a bunch of holes, and then covered them up. They’d do it again and again,” he said.

Despite all the griping, the Atlantic Yards has a big backer in Borough President Marty Markowitz.

“We all knew there would be delays until litigation is finalized, and it is my understanding that should the ruling clear the way, progress will move at a faster pace,” he said yesterday. “There's no question these are challenging times; I still believe the weakening of the American economy underscores the importance of moving ahead with projects like Atlantic Yards.”

Aline Reynolds and Marlene Naanes contributed to this report.

"The Real World: Brooklyn" cast, from left to right, Devyn (holding dog Brooklyn), Sarah, Chet, Ryan, Baya, Katelyn, Scott and J.D. (RJ Mickelson/amNY)

By Julie Gordon

There's a little online dispute about the number of "Real World: Brooklyn" cast members staying in NYC after the show ends. Well, we were at the Red Hook loft earlier today, and we got the answer: Four.

Three of them are living together — Devyn, Baya and Scott — and already got an apartment in Stuyvesant Town they'll soon be inhabiting. Here's what they, and their other former castmates, will be doing while in NYC:

Devyn, 20, Kansas City, Mo.
Wants to pursue an acting and singing career, and is signed on as a spokesmodel for an up-and-coming fashion designer

Baya, 21, Salt Lake City
Trying to be a professional hip-hop dancer

Scott, 23, Salem, N.H.
Continuing with modeling pursuits (he was already given a best abs award by Men's Health)

Chet, 23, Salt Lake City
Hopes to be a host of a "Total Request Live"-style show

Video via TapThat2012 on YouTube

We'll be dedicating Throwback Thursday to old-school holidays in the city for the rest of the month. First up, we offer you a glimpse of Channel 5 in 1985, during its last Christmas as "WNEW-TV," before it was purchased by Rupert Murdoch and his fledgling Fox Network, and the station's "Foxification" began.

This clips contains a great collection of vintage NYC staples. They include ads for 1010 WINS, New York Telephone (a Nynex Company), Lafayette Circuit City, and a movie ad for "Silk Stockings" voiced by longtime Channel 5 announcer Ed Ladd.

-- Roland Pujol

Talk about creative marketing. Unlikely pair Starbucks and Zipcar have teamed up to reward good samaritans.

Starting today, Zipcar will be driving around New York City with life size magnetic version of Starbucks signature red holiday cups attached to their roofs. When someone stops to warn the drivers about their coffee, the drivers will then spread the message, “Happy Holidays,” and rewards the good Samaritans with a Starbucks gift card. The promotion will continue through Friday, December 12.

Tim and Nina Zagat with some of the city's top chefs, who will take part in the Vintage Dinner Series. Credit: Marty Katz/Zagat.com

Today, Zagat Survey unveiled its plans to launch the Vintage Dinner Series, in which 16 of the city’s top restaurants will host dinners inspired by grand 19th Century banquets. Each restaurant will plan its own menu, and feature many dishes, ingredients and cocktails that have not been seen in years.

Thomas Keller, chef at Per Se, said his restaurant in particular will look to recreate not only the dishes, but the “entire experience and ambiance” of a 19th Century banquet, with an “abundance of food and wine.”

The dinners will take place from January 12-March 25, and reservations can be made from today on through the restaurants themselves. Among the restaurants participating are Bouley, Chanterelle, Daniel, Jean George, Le Bernardin, Per Se, and many others. More on the series to come in amNewYork.

The Haier Building in midtown was once home to the Greenwich Savings Bank, which went bust in 1981. (Photos by Rolando Pujol)

The neo-classical Haier Building stands out among the warehouses and offices buildings of the Garment District. Considered among the best works of the firm York and Sawyer, the building is now headquarters to Haier America, which sells everything from HVAC systems to wine cellars.

But the building was once home to the Greenwich Savings Bank, which had it roots in the Village, not the tony neighborhood full of well-heeled finance types in Connecticut.

Haier's name is now prominently displayed outside the building, but the Greenwich bank's link to the site has not entirely been chiseled away. Just look down on the sidewalk, where small brass plaques demarcate the property line of the Greenwich Savings Bank. We're told somewhat imperiously that we are "crossing by permission only" and that "permission is revocable at will."

Take that, wanna-be squatters! And read more for an explanation behind these plaques, which are designed to prevent "adverse possession" of a property by someone who does not own it.

And by the way, the bank's ending came in a way that's all too familiar to us today. It collapsed in 1981, its remnants were absorbed by Metropolitan Savings Bank, then Crossland Savings, and today, its DNA survives in HSBC.

-- Rolando Pujol

A recent college basketball game between two SUNY schools ends with an amazing behind-the-back buzzer-beater.

To suggest a viral video, e-mail Sean Joseph.

A perfect place to appreciate Inwood’s beauty is the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Cloisters in Fort Tryon Park. Below, the Mamajuana Cafe, whose name is inspired by a Taino Indian miracle potion. Twenty-four photos of Inwood HERE.(Photos by Alana Abel)

By Magdalene Perez
Special to amNewYork

When schoolchildren in New York are taught that the Dutch purchased Manhattan Island from American Indians for just $24 and trinkets some 400 years ago, it’s unlikely the teacher also mentioned the transaction occurred in Inwood, the borough’s most remote neighborhood.

Perched at Manhattan’s north end, Inwood blends a unique mix of big-city feel with serene settings. Three beautiful parks, Fort Tryon, Isham and Inwood Hill, surround the Art Deco walk-ups in an oasis of green. Apartment buyers are often attracted to Inwood by the prospect of Hudson River views and good schools, at prices much lower than downtown.

Once the setting of some of the most heated battles of the American Revolution, Inwood transformed from rural to urban in the early 20th century. With the subways came development, and for many years Irish and Jewish families dominated the neighborhood.

That changed in the 1970s and ’80s, when an influx of immigrants from the Dominican Republic gave the neighborhood a distinctly Caribbean flavor.

A concentration of buyer-owned co-ops west of Broadway and rented apartments on the east side shape the neighborhood. But that is changing. With younger downtowners coming north in search of cheaper rents, Inwood is seeing a transformation, with more bars, restaurants and hangouts opening to suit the newcomers’ tastes.

Continue reading "City Living: Inwood" »

Tasti D-Lite added the new tagline, "Dessert Your Guilt," to be more health-centric. (RJ Mickleson/amNewYork)

By Julie Gordon

In a city crowded with frozen dessert shops, Tasti D-Lite’s recent brand re-launch may be just what the company needs to reclaim its title as king of New York’s market — or at least be able to compete.

This fall, Tasti opened two flagship centers, gave a facelift to 27 of its outposts, updated its logo, added a health-centric “Dessert Your Guilt” tagline and began advertising on taxi toppers and buses. Those efforts, along with converting the business to a franchise format, are designed to help expand Tasti to 500 locations worldwide during the next few years, said Bill Zenke, chief marketing officer for Tasti D-Lite.

During the past few years, Pinkberry, Red Mango and a number of other soft Korean-style yogurt stores have exploded around the city, breathing new life into a stagnant market. Now, it’s only natural that Tasti — which says its soft treats are technically neither yogurt nor ice cream — wants a piece of that resurgence.

“Pinkberry has really done a big push in New York, which has been Tasti D-Lite’s turf, so it could be a defensive move on their part,” said Emily York, who covers food for Advertising Age. “And Red Mango’s going into New York as well. That’s huge.”

Continue reading "New Tasti look, same D-Lite taste: Chain adapts to fro-yo competition" »

By Jason Fink

New Yorkers are sure to end up paying off the MTA’s $1.2 billion deficit, it seems.
Under the MTA’s plan to hike subway and bus fares and a governor-appointed commission’s proposal to charge drivers on East River bridges, all city residents will feel the pain.

“You can’t balance the budget on any one group,” said William Henderson, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA. “There’s a range of stuff you could do.”

In the spirit of every-little-bit-helps, amNewYork has compiled other ideas that could generate revenue for the MTA without breaking the backs of riders or penalizing outer borough drivers.

Continue reading "A modest proposal: Some other ideas for the MTA" »

By Jason Fink
and Marlene Naanes

The commission that’s been working for nearly a year to find ways to shore up the MTA’s flagging finances is expected to endorse two familiar solutions tomorrow: Tolls on the East and Harlem River bridges and an 8 percent fare hike.

“They’re coming up with the same old tired solutions that the public has rejected already,” said City Councilman Tony Avella (D-Bayside). “We have too many bureaucrats who can’t think out of the box.”

The governor-appointed Ravitch Commission, which was formed in February to come up with recommendations for the state legislature, will also call for:

•A payroll tax imposed on businesses in the region

• Combining of some services

• Reducing administrative staff at the MTA

• A regional bus authority that would oversee lines in Long Island and Westchester

“I’m not sure how people are going to deal with paying those fares,” said Alex Muniz, a fragrance sales consultant from the Bronx. “Jobs are being cut, and businesses are cutting on employee hours.”

Continue reading "The Cover Story: Familiar fix for budget crunch — Raise fares and toll bridges" »

The Knicks have suffered seven consecutive losing seasons, but they’re winners financially.

The team is the most valuable franchise in the NBA for the fourth straight year, according to Forbes magazine’s annual rankings.

The Knicks are worth $613 million — up from $608 million last year — and generate $208 million in annual revenue.

The Lakers, worth $584 million, are the league’s second-most valuable franchise.
The Knicks and amNewYork are both owned by Cablevision.
(amNY)

Please curb your pets
Re “Pooper Troopers Keep City Clean,” Dec. 3: Beyond picking up (or not) after their pets, people need to be reminded to lead their pets to the curb to do their business. Too many pet owners allow their pets to pee and poop smack in the middle of the sidewalk — where the rest of us walk.
— Melissa Bell, Manhattan

Mayor shouldn’t try to influence the law
With all due respect to Mayor Bloomberg, I think he is wrong to suggest to the authorities that Giants star Plaxico Burress should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. I am not a fan of Mr. Burress, but I think that when someone holds the position of mayor, their words have a lot of power and influence on a lot of things. This is a law enforcement problem that they can handle without his input. The only person harmed in this matter was Burress himself. It was a foolish mistake, and as it stands now with the mayor’s input, it would be hard for him to get a fair trial. Let good sense prevail.
— Valentine Young, Manhattan

A record year for MTA
The MTA hit us with two of the largest fare hikes in NYC history over the last decade and has record ridership, so they have more money than ever. How is it that they now have the largest debt ever, rather than the largest surplus? There is only one possibility if we let them raise the fare again: more record debt, more record service cuts, more record waste, more record fraud. If Gov. Paterson and Mayor Bloomberg won’t do their job, they must be fired.
— Liam Kirchberger, Brooklyn

By Emily Ranager
Special to amNewYork

After having strolled through the city in the cold, you and your guests deserve to warm up with one of the city’s best hot chocolates.

Max Brenner is a chocoholic’s paradise, with more than 10 varieties of hot cocoa. Kids will love Choco-Pops ($4.50), a hot cocoa with crunchy chocolate wafer balls, and sophisticated adults can opt for the chocolate chai ($4.20), a chai spice blend infused with hot white chocolate truffle. 841 Broadway between 13th and 14th sts., 212-388-0030; 141 Second Ave. at 9th St., 646-467-8810.

City Bakery may serve Manhattan’s most well-known hot chocolate. The lines can be long, but the thick, rich cocoa topped with homemade marshmallows is worth the wait. 3 W. 18th St. between Fifth and Sixth aves.; 212-366-1414.

One of the city’s most celebrated chocolatiers, Jacques Torres Chocolate Haven serves up five varieties of cocoa. Try white hot chocolate with a hint of mint or the Wicked, a classic cocoa with a dash of ancho and chipotle peppers ($3 each). 350 Hudson St. at King St.; 212-414-2462.

City Bakery's hot chocolate. Credit: Jori Klein

Naples 45's pizza. Photo credit: Phil S. Kropoth

By Emily Ranager
Special to amNewYork

Out-of-town guests flock to New York when the lights and tinsel go up. Escorting family and friends to major holiday attractions can make even the most cheerful hosts hungry. Here, amNewYork recommends convenient eateries that will keep you well fed while showing guests around, without breaking the bank.

If you're checking out the Rockefeller Christmas Tree:

Naples 45
200 Park Ave. at 45th St.,
212-972-7001
Watch your dinner get toasty at Naples 45, which serves classic Neapolitan cuisine prepared in a wood-fired oven. Thin-crust pizzas are the biggest draw, ranging from $32.50 to $34.50 for a half meter of pie (which serves 3-4 people). Try the Quattro Stagioni — topped with artichokes, ham, fresh mozzarella, eggplant, mushrooms and tomatoes.

Taksim
1030 Second Ave., btwn 54th and 55th sts
212-421-3004
Taksim is a cozy Turkish joint known for affordable, hearty stews and classic meze. Try eggplant salad ($5.50), stuffed cabbage leaves ($5), lamb casserole cooked in a clay pot with vegetables, or the seasonal vegetable stew (both $12). Turkish wines are $20 per bottle, so imbibe without breaking the bank.

Continue reading "Avoiding the tourist traps" »

By Emily Ranager

Dec. 7, Greens Holiday Party: The Greens, an under-40 group of James Beard Foundation members, will host their seventh annual holiday party. From 6 to 8:30 p.m., drink holiday cocktails and eat food prepared by some of the city’s top chefs, like Ricardo Cardona of Hudson River Café. The Beard House, 167 West 12th Street; 212-627-2308. $70 for JBF members, $85 for the general pubic.

Dec. 9, The Raw Milk Wars: Anne Mendelson, author of “Milk: The Surprising Story of Milk Through the Ages,” will give a talk about unpasteurized milk at this meeting of the Culinary Historians of New York. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., learn whether pasteurization is really one of the greatest life-saving public health initiatives of all time. Holiday treats will be served. National Arts Club, 15 Gramercy Park South; www.culinaryhistoriansny.org. $25 for CHNY members, $40 for the general public, $22 for students.

Dec. 11, SoHo Stroll: More than 100 bars, restaurants and retailers in SoHo will be open late and offering special promotions at this dining and shopping event to benefit New York City’s homeless. From 6 to 11 p.m., buy a bracelet to gain access to deals like 15 percent off your check at Moroccan restaurant and bar L'Orange Bleue and happy hour until midnight at Spring Lounge. Retailers like Kate’s Paperie and Maclaren will also offer discounts and complementary holiday hors d’oeuvres. Visit www.sohoholidaystroll.com for a complete list of participating locations. $20.

Through Jan. 11, Gingerbread Adventures: Learn about the different plant parts used to create this favorite holiday treat at a workshop at the New York Botanical Garden. During park hours daily, children can grind and examine cinnamon, ginger and other ingredients, decorate pots and plant wheat seeds. Bronx River Parkway and Fordham Road; 718-817-8700. Free with park admission.