When I was a kid I keenly remember following my parents to Brighton Beach to the various restaurants on any weeknight of the week. Back then families and groups would hang out and the establishments and outside them till 3 in the morning. I remember going outside and seeing the entire strip alive with life. People were walking laughing, smoking, talking and enjoying the Winter, Summer, Spring or Autumn Air.

That doesn’t happen anymore, ever. By 1 am Brighton is a ghost town, even in summer and trash is everywhere. For both neighborhoods its a combination of many things. Business owners don’t wash down and sweep up every day anymore. People just don’t care. They’ve fallen into apathy.

It definitely seems like the younger Russians flock to the area, while Brighton Beach caters to more older Russian immigrants.

Clemente’s, Jordans, Omiya Sushi, Masakari Sushi, Mitoushi Sushi, Wheelers for Beers and Burgers, Delmar Pizza, Connies Pizza, Trio Pizza, Brennan and Carr, That fancy W place on X and Ocean that serves french food (I think its french, at least thats what the owner tells me). If you want to eat at a chain we’ve got Applebees and Fridays, you want buffet? Seaport Buffet on Emmons is one of the better ones in Brooklyn.

Sheepshead had its share of crappy places to eat, but it has a treasure trove of awesome places too.

I don’t know what yard stick you’re measuring by but you need your head examined if you really think Sheepshead has no decent places to eat.

http://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=&ns=1&rpp=10&find_loc=Sheepshead+Bay%2C+Brooklyn+11235#find_desc=Food&find_loc=11235&places=NY%3ANew_York%3ABrooklyn%3ASheepshead_Bay&rpp=30&bbox=-73.9558410645%2C40.5792157084%2C-73.9299201965%2C40.5988999006&sortby=most_reviewed&cflt=gourmet%2Cfood%2Crestaurants%2Cchinese%2Cjapanese%2Crussian%2Csushi%2Cturkish

There you go. The top 30 places to eat in Sheepshead as rated by Yelp.

There’s a web site that has aerial photos of Sheepshead Bay from the 1950s. Poke around their 1954 map that shows parts of Sheepshead Bay as incredibly undeveloped. Go down East 12th Street from Avenue W to Avenue X, then down East 13th going toward Shore Parkway. It’s a world that doesn’t exist here anymore.

http://www.historicaerials.com/Default.aspx

In the 1920s they built block after block of one and two family homes. The very houses that it pains me now to see bulldozed. But I’m sure they too were not welcomed by those whose families had lived here for several generations or more.

There should be a balance between growth and continuity. A recommendation was made a few years ago to the City Council that a historicalness report be written before any house older than 80 years is demolished. Of course, that would make for much work for whatever agency is required to do the legwork. The report would be paid for by the developer. Unfortunately, the proposal never got out of the City Council committee that was considering it.

With the economy still not out of the woods I believe that the insane overbuilding will stop on its own. Unfortunately, much damage has been done already. Even a 1790 Dutch style house on Hubbard’s Lane was demolished and replaced with condo units. Rumor had it that the Ryder Van Cleef house at 32 Village Road North was sold and slated to be demolished. The house dates from around 1840, and still was there last time I checked. Perhaps the deal fell through.