So I've heard from a couple of places, including the Flatbush Family Network, that there's some work going on inside the building that used to house Cornerstone, the defunct, unaccountably bad bar on Cortelyou next to the train station.
Anybody know what's up?
(Photo of the bar's lovely interior via Flickr.)
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I want to know what happened that caused it to close-- other than the factoid that people in our neighborhood like to EAT here but DRINK in Manhattan.
Please, if something opens there again, combine the two, please.
Basically, the previous owner could not afford to run it anymore. Apparently, when the bar first opened and the owner was trying to allocate backers to open the kitchen someone got shot in the bar and scared of his investors. Which is too bad because he put alot of work into the bar. Hopefully, whoever rents it out won't change it too much. It would be nice to have and "Ale House" type place in the hood like the one in park slope on 5th ave.
It would have been a lot nicer if it had a beer tap. I'd love a "real" bar in the neighborhood, but given the high concentration of young families, it seems that places that combine beer with something else do better, like Vox Pop or The Farm. But I'm deeply curious to see what opens there, considering the last few openings on Cortelyou.
Sander at Vox Pop has started something called;
"Cortelyou Recruits Entrepreneurs" bringing people together to attract businesses to the street.
Sander writes;
"I, Sander, will work on networking with micro-breweries and other businesses to find a tenant for the 1052 Cortelyou space (ex Cornerstone). I have pitched the idea to the head of Dogfish Craft Ale, he already runs a successful brew pub in Rehobeth Beach, and is opening one in Falls Church, VA right now. I am also pitching my friends at Sixpoint Craft Ale here in Brooklyn. [UPDATE: still looking, no serious bits yet, will most likley be working with Julie Kestyn on this deal.]"
We'll see.
what happened to the starbucks rumors? or did it require too much work to renovate for them? it's a prime spot for on the way to or from subway business.
o the humanity.
I agree with a lot of the comments posted here--I would love an "ale house" type establishment, preferably with food, but the owner of that space, alas, is a very difficult, troubled human being. We live a couple houses down from the space and last weekend we awoke to a large fight outside our window. Apparently, our neighbor was trying to park his car, but the owner of 1052 cortelyou was LYING DOWN IN THE STREET so that nobody could park there, until his truck with his hired workers could haul stuff out of the 1052. Needless to say, we sided with our neighbor (an old man who has lived in the neighborhood for 50 years). Cops were eventually called because of the complaints OF A MAN LYING ON THE STREET PREVENTING CAR TRAFFIC. To see a man, lying on his back, on his cellphone, beside the curb, screaming at our neighbors, is not an image that will fade from our memories for some time. When my wife and I asked him a couple months ago what his plans were for the space, we told him we'd love to see a pub/restaurant type thing and he kept shaking his head no. "What about Dunkin Donuts?" he kept saying. "I want Dunkin Donuts." His last words. I asked him why. He said because the rent was going to be $6,500 a month with an $80,000 deposit (the amount he lost in backrent to the Cornerstone bar before evicting them). And he figured that only a place like Dunkin Donuts could afford it. Crazy? Lunatic? Lying in the street? $6,500? $80,000 deposit? Hey, my wife and I just moved to the neighborhood. I loved the Cornerstone. I'd love to get involved in my community, but how do you deal with people like that? Let's get something great in the space, or please please please can we get that crazy man to sell his building? You'll notice he has FOR SALE signs on the building, but when I asked him about it he said "No, no I'm not going to sell. Why would I want to sell?" Oh I don't know. BECAUSE YOU HAVE A SIGN JUST 5 FEET ABOVE OUR HEADS WHERE WE ARE STANDING AND TALKING saying FOR SALE? Please, people respond. Let's do something. The guy's seriously nuts, and possibly disturbed. Sorry for the long post.
Anonymous at 10:49:
Your account is really eye-opening. I have heard similar stories about the landlord, particularly with respect to his refusal to sell the building despite keeping it listed. Apparently, he now claims that the space has NOT been rented, despite the fact that work is going on inside the space. Can you shed any light?
What a great comment- I'm sorry I missed that scene! I may have to draw it (I do the cartoon in the daily Metro.)
I've seen lots of workers cleaning out the joint lately, but little else. Sander is fighting the good fight trying to get something to happen there, but it sounds like that guy is truly megalomaniacal, or something.
S. also said he own the Dunkin Donuts at Newkirk. Is that right?
As a last comment- the guys at Sherpa Deli/Bodega next door to it have really cleaned up the place- it's a lovely place now.
http://www.propertyshark.com/mason/nyc/Reports2/showsection.html?propkey=247259
Jhangir, Asif
1502 Cortelyou Rd
Brooklyn NY 11226-5608
Property Owned by Jhangir, Asif:
Address (*) Owner Building Class Size Floors Sq Ft
1502 Cortelyou Rd Jhangir, Asif S9: Single or multiple dwelling w/ stores or offices 23 x 60 3 4140
1419 Avenue H Jhangir, Asif C0: Three families 23 x 32 2.75 2381
Starbucks is passing up on anything in Ditmas Park and Kensington for the time being.
Oh my God Dogfish Head or Sixpoint on Cortelyou *drool*. I don't know exactly what they would put there, but I'm sure it would be absolutely amazing.
I was a frequent visitor (perhaps too frequent) around 2005-2006.
The owner of the building is, to put bluntly, an A-hole. Part of the reason the Cornerstone failed was because the owner would walk in around 5pm, go down to the basement and shut off the heat. No word and no explanation. I saw him do this with my own eyes. Customers would leave because it was so cold in the buidling. He seemed determined to see this business fail.
However, it can't all be blamed on the owner. The bar was not very well managed. They never had any liquor and were constantly running out of beer on tap and pissing off customers. The owner of bar made poor choices on building materials. For example the windows he chose were cheap and poor insulating. Wouldn't hire a porter or experienced bartenders. It's sad really because it was a charming place.
Cornerstone certainly wasn't perfect--it was painfully deficient in the Scotch department--but I miss having it as an option to meet a friend who lives over on 18th St. and who can't afford the $10+ drinks at The Farm. Would love to see another, better, bar replace it, though it seems unlikely, for the very reason Justin stated.
Though that makes me pose the following question: Why should it be a problem to get a real bar in a neighborhood just because there also happen to be a lot of families moving in? I didn't realize the two had to be mutally exclusive. I happen to know plenty of people in Ditmas and Kensington who would love a place where they could meet friends and kick back with a drink or two and not have to worry about tripping over stollers or watching what they said in public in case someone's kids were within earshot.
another rumor was that the folks from Barbes -- fantastic bar and music venue in Park Slope -- were interested in the space but rebuffed by the owner. this is truly disappointing, since the Cornerstone had some great musicians playing there (many from the neighborhood) but the vibe of the place was just too bizarre. (what are we supposed to think when the bartender doesn't know what beers he has on tap??)
Left coast life...
If your looking for a good bar in the neighborhood where you don't have to worry about tripping over strollers or overpriced drinks, try going to the 773 on Coney Island Avenue. (Right down the road from Georges). The drins are much cheaper, especially on Fridays during happy hour.
bad bar? the reason why the place "sucked" was due to an absentee owner who put every bit of responsability on the staff and an asshole landlord who knew all too well that if he didn't give the place heat, there would be no customers. it was all we had in the area and i admire those guys for at least trying to do something with the music. if anything it got all the drug dealers and thugs out of there. then again, i always heard more bitching about the place than anything else so i guess you all get what you deserve: a poorly managed left wing coffee shop run by a blazing ego maniac, an over priced yuppie trap with too-expensive drinks and now a connecticut muffin. call me a masochiost but i'd rather settle for the down and dirty cornerstone and freeze my ass off with a bad beer anyday.
Hmm. Looks like a comment disappeared. :(
I didn't disappear any comments, and i didn't see one disappear.
yep - a few comments have disappeared
I'd love a "real" bar in the neighborhood
The neighborhood already has a real bar, it's called 773 on Coney Isl Ave.
the reason why the place "sucked" was due to an absentee owner who put every bit of responsability on the staff and an asshole landlord who knew all too well that if he didn't give the place heat, there would be no customers.
I think it was also the constant smell of vomit. But I too think they deserve praise for at least trying.
Does anyone else in here think that Visions on Coney Island Ave. is a serious menace? I'm planning to complain about the noise, and the urinating in doorways (by their patrons).
anonymous wrote:
"Does anyone else in here think that Visions on Coney Island Ave. is a serious menace?"
Visions is a strange place and I suspect that more occurs there than the dispensing of liquor.
I'd like to know what others think of the place and its clientele. It's been nearly empty on the few occasions I've gone in. Weird place.
so after reading your comments, i decided to visit the farm for a drink with a friend. i thought the drinks were fairly priced. they have $5 drafts and i think i saw bud for $3. i was impressed with their scotch and bourbon collection. but its still a restaurant, not a bar. we need a bar.
Am I the only one that would HATE to have a Starbucks in the neighborhood? I've lived in New York for almost 8 years and in that time, I have seen Starbucks take over and so many small coffee shops disappear. With Vox Pop, John's Bakery and now CT Muffin, is it really necessary? That would be the worst! I'm a little freaked that people think a Starbucks would be a good thing. Also, I heard that Barbes looked at Cornerstone as well. I am in my mid-twenties and part of the growing musicians/artists/creative professionals that have moved to the neighborhood recently (no, it's not just families that live here). A good bar in definitely needed. Something like Barbes would;ve been perfect. We need something that isn't a sports bar, but is also not a restaurant (although i love the Farm, don't get me wrong). Let's hope something good happens.
I hope it comes back as a bar. In all its incarations (since Alexanders), its been amazing. My Brother and I were so excited that by the time we turned 21, it had reopened as Boxers and we could finally get real drinks there.
Cornerstone was nice. I hope it comes back.
Those of you who have seen the owner of the Cornerstone building, whose name is Asif something, in action, are totally right. He is indeed a raving lunatic, and doesn't seem to care whether he finds renters or buyers for his properties, including the apartments upstairs.
The whole building is in shambles. It's a shame that it is owned by a "business" man who doesn't understand the first rule of doing business: present your wares attractively ! The store and the apartments would get rented in the blink of an eye, instead of slowly deteriorating because of neglect and ignorance.
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