Street View of Bogart Street, a future home to an independent mall
Observer brought news this morning that an 80,000-square-foot retail and nightlife complex is being planned at 88 Bogart St.
“North Development Corp. acquired the 200-by-400-foot behemoth across the street from the Morgan L train stop in August for $12.15 million, and the developer plans to turn the building, which takes up an entire block, into a sprawling nightlife, retail and artist gallery complex on an otherwise underwhelming stretch in Bushwick,” Observer writes.
Andrew Clemens, a director of leasing at Massey Knakal, the firm selected to exclusively market the space, told Observer that while the project is in the very preliminary, conceptual stage, the idea is to create something like a “grittier Chelsea Market.” An independent movie theater, music venue or museum are expected to be the potential big tenants. There was mention of an Urban Outfitters or Guitar Center. Clemens also said that they are considering studio workspace for artists on the upper floor or maybe a hotel/hostel.
Andrew Clemens said that they plan to cater to the local artsy, hipster crowd as Williamsburg is not considered cool by locals anymore. “Bushwick is cool,” he said.
A mall at Bogart St sounds pretty unimaginable at the moment. The project is in its initial stage; the concepts and ideas are being laid. The change is clearly inevitable, but the question is whether we will see a new kind of cultural entrepreneurship which is considerate to the local rich culture or simple mainstream madness. We believe it’s now up to Bushwick to have its voice heard. What is your opinion?
[Observer]
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About Katarina Hybenova
Proud founder of Bushwick Daily. She writes, takes photos, and sometimes video. Born and raised in Slovakia, she has studied in Prague, Leuven and New York, traveled the world only to find home in Bushwick or should we say Ridgewood :) She is interested in yoga, running, human & cat friends.
I live practically across the street from this building and wondered what would be done with it. This is awful.
Places like The Loom are great because they started from community efforts and growing local businesses. But what seems to be happening here is a new wave of gentrification. People in suits and clipboards are coming and seeing the “hipsters” and “bohemians” that live here and are trying to capitalize on them. Not to mention they don’t even understand their target demographic. It probably will never happen, but Urban Outfitters, seriously? That is the exact antithesis of what Bushwick is all about.
I always thought Bushwick will never become the next Williamsburg, but now that seems to be a future reality.
This is an appalling idea, and illustrates why it is Bad for companies like north Development Corp and Massey Knakal to have money. It is certainly not the way to keep Bushwick cool.
“Williamsburg is not considered cool by locals anymore.”
East Williamsburg is now.
http://peopleforanindependenteastwilliamsburg.com/
This isn’t Bushwick. It’s EAST WILLIAMSBURG (industrial zone). Check the signs outside your window. That area is a sh*thole anyway. Anything is better than nothing.
Is cool or not cool really the issue here? To me it isn’t anyway.. To me it’s all about the influence, that this thing will have on the area in general. Whether it “officially” is East Williamsburg or Bushwick doesn’t really matter; in both media, real estate and in the minds of most people Morgan Town, or whatever else you wanna call this area, is being referred to as Bushwick (and also East Williamsburg I guess). So if they’re calling it Bushwick the effects of this mall will be effects on Bushwick.
Yes, change is inevitable. Whether or not this will be a positive change depends on the neighborhood and it’s willingness to make sure that it won’t be like any other mall – mainstream madness or whatever – make sure that it is not a place of Urban Outfitters (anti-thesis a pretty strong word I guess), but a place of localness. Take up North Development Corp. on their offer of artist lofts. Make an effort to get hispanic vendors. Make it a Bushwick-mall. That way it might become new kind of cultural local entrepeneurship, that can benefit the local community. Especially if it brings in jobs and commercial opportunities for this community. And I’m not speaking of the arts community, or the hispanic community, but the Bushwick community as a whole. It should be a common project, that gathers Bushwick in its entirety. If the mall ends up appealing and aiding the local community then it is not awful, then it is not about keeping Bushwick (or East Williamsburg for that matter) cool, then it might just be helpful.
It’s a perfect location for the theme restaurant Roberta’s has been contemplating.
We need an international food court like a hawker center in hong king or Singapore. Bushwick is a food wasteland.
i know the owner of this building and one of the people who will be managing it. i think the word ‘mall’ is wrong, they’re simply converting part of it to retail space to be rented out independently. in addition the owners will be partnering to open a couple businesses of their own. they definitely are not local or know anything about the neighborhood, and it’s true they’re looking for a large national/regional anchor tenant.
still, i’ve lived in this neighborhood for years and the only thing surprising is that it took this long for retail businesses to come to this block.