We’re often accused (erroneously, in our opinion) of being stuffy traditionalists when it comes to our preference for architectural styles. As we’ve said on a number of occasions, we’re big fans of modern architecture. We just generally dislike mediocre, unimaginative new designs. This makeover of an old warehouse on Bond Street between Douglass and Degraw certainly does not fall into the latter category. Designed by Coggan Crawford (also the designer of the Energy Star condos on 21st Street), the project sought to retain the gritiness of the original structure while injecting a modern aesthetic and choice of materials:

To guard the budget, preserve materials, and honor the neighborhood’s feeling of toughness, Crawford and his partners retained as much of the building’s site, structure, and skin as possible. Wood joist construction supported by brick-bearing walls made it easy to remove the center section. Those old bricks remain exposed throughout much of the interior space, with concrete-filled former windows and doors also expressed as part of the industrial collage. Street-level floors were taken down to the concrete slab and freshened with an epoxy coating. Upstairs, wood subfloors were patched (with materials from the cutout section) and refinished as a final surface. Even the original stair, railings intact, still services the rear unit.

Perhaps the biggest decision was to locate the courtyard in the center of the building rather than the rear, where the views would have been less than ideal. Make sure to check out the slide show.
True Grit [Residential Architect] GMAP
Bottom photo from Property Shark