
The steel for the planned CityPoint development is already making its presence known on Albee Square — a sense of the building envelope can be seen above. There are many other goings-on downtown as well, among them:
- Interior demo at the future Shake Shack looks like it has begun (at the former pizza place on Boerum Place and Fulton)
- The new sidewalks and street furniture on Fulton look great, now that they are no longer buried in snow
- the future H&M location on Fulton has been demolished, and looks ready for its rebuild
- a hotel is proposed across from BAM
- all the residential development downtown is getting some attention
- Check out ISSUE Project Room’s upcoming benefit performance

Shake Shack is confirmed to be planning a new location in Downtown Brooklyn — but with all the attention on Shake Shack we can’t help but wonder, what’s next?
Here are a few of our wishlist items for the new, Shackified Downtown Brooklyn:
- Whole Foods is now a perfect fit right across the street from Shake Shack, in the 345 Adams space
- BLT would do a great steakhouse in the old Gage & Tollner space, but with an emphasis on local cuisine — after notable failures by Arby’s and TGI Fridays in that space
- Marc Forgione should open something, somewhere downtown
- Doughnut Plant also would be perfect, pretty much anywhere in Downtown Brooklyn
- Apple – would fit right in at City Point
- UNIQLO
Anything we’re missing?

The ISSUE Project Room has announced its first public concert at the historic theater in 110 Livingston Street for Sunday, April 11. The group will host a candlelit performance of Morton Feldman’s String Quartet No. 2 in what it describes as a “rare performance” of “the six hour-long contemporary masterpiece.”

The sleuths over at Wired NY have uncovered some additional renderings of 29 Flatbush, a proposed tower that appears to have received partial approvals from DOB. More renderings after jump.
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In a symbolic transition for Downtown Brooklyn, the tallest building in the neighborhood is now a residential building. 111 Lawrence, under construction by the Clarett Group, is just one of several residential buildings under construction or in the planning stages in the area. While construction appears halted currently due to stop work orders, the tower will upon completion be the tallest in Brooklyn, surpassing the Williamsburgh Bank Building.
Below is a great view of some of the other buildings going up downtown, viewed from the east. From left to right these are Toren, Avalon Fort Greene, 111 Lawrence, and Oro:

Photo credit: WiredNY forums

Borough President Marty Markowitz called for shopping on the ground floor of the Brooklyn Municipal Building, in his recent state of the borough address, a proposal which had been first floated a while back. Marty urged the city offices to relocate to the planned City Point building at the old Albee Square Mall site, to make way for retail space at the Municipal Building.
“We can open up that corner of Joralemon and Court streets for major retail – solidifying Court Street as a bona fide New York City shopping destination. Which stores would thrive there? How about Crate and Barrel, Nordstrom Rack, Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th? It’s all possible,” he said. All excellent ideas, we think.