Carpet Bomb: Western CarpetWarehouse Next to Fall?

Pure speculation here, but in a week where two of our previous outlandish predictions have either come to pass - or at least been seriously discussed - we'll go for it.

We think the half-a-city-block Western Carpet warehouse at 149 Kent Avenue / 202 Wythe is soon to be on the market as a prime development site. Either that, or this summer was a really good season for carpet sales: a peek inside the cinder block beauty reveals that the massive warehouse is nearly empty, and in our estimation has been for some time.

The carpet importer actually occupies two handsome mustard and ketchup-hued buildings facing North 5th Street, and appears to be consolidating operations to the slightly smaller structure on the south side of the block. The massive lot - facing the Northside Piers and Edge developments - is zoned for six-story residential/retail, and would be a logical addition to what's quickly becoming the Northside's condo row.