« Tuesday Linkerati Killing Bushwick, One Day at a Time »

January 24, 2006

Silver Phallus To Tower Over Fort Greene

tower And you thought the Greene House condominium was tall? Get a load of what Scarano & Associates is plotting for the corner of South Portland and Fulton in Fort Greene: A 190-foot, 80,000-square-foot mixed use tower with medical offices, parking, retail and, of course, apartments from which residents will be able to wave to their friends in Bruce Ratner's high-rises. In praise of its own design, the firm's website offers this architecture-speak:

Most residential or office towers are static objects in the city's skyline, marked by typical floors and repetition. The design concept for this unique project, presents the residential building from a different perspective: it is developed in way to provide the tower with movement and keep the structural forces evident.

Thank God we live in an historic district.
South Portland Tower [Scarano Architectss] GMAP

Comments

is this the lot where habana outpost is currently? holy smokes.

Posted by: ltjbukem at January 24, 2006 9:12 AM

scary

Posted by: clinton hillbilly at January 24, 2006 9:27 AM

revenge of the Sith!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 9:31 AM

Looks great, its like Brooklyn's version of the Calatrava tower.

Posted by: Ferrerin05 at January 24, 2006 9:32 AM

The scale is bad, but it's far more interesting looking than these terrible "Fedders" buildings that are marring the landscape. Those look like InstaSlums.

Posted by: Anon at January 24, 2006 9:32 AM

Is there a community board hearing to discuss this?

Posted by: David Heller at January 24, 2006 9:34 AM

It must be the corner where Habana is. I can't imagine any other part of that intersection being demolished.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 9:35 AM

I kind of like it...

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 9:42 AM

don't necessarily blame the architect. blame the developer or even the person who sold the lot to them. i don't think this is in the fg historic district, so it's as of right.

i myself think it would be a great addition to the nabe. would definitely raise the architectural profile of fg. but again, these obviously will be $1000/sq ft condos, i'm sure, so only the urban affluent will be able to afford these.

Posted by: ltjbukem at January 24, 2006 9:43 AM

don't necessarily blame the architect. blame the developer or even the person who sold the lot to them. i don't think this is in the fg historic district, so it's as of right.

plus it can't be worse than what's there. i'm sorry, but the habana outpost, during the off-season, functions as a parking lot for the habana cronies and that hideous sanford and sons truck and boo's bagels' chrysler pacifica (i think).

Posted by: ltjbukem at January 24, 2006 9:45 AM

Great, finally some fun architecture going on.
Welcome!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 9:46 AM

I like it. Better this than a 190-foot ugly-ass building at least. And a more attractive design than I would ever expect from Scarano. But then I don't live in FG.

Posted by: linusvanpelt at January 24, 2006 9:53 AM

Is it the corner of Not Ray's Pizza? Wasn't that group of buildings for sale? Wasn't Minsky the broker for that?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 9:54 AM

but the scarano site said it's being built on a currently vacant lot.

which seems like it should be the outdoors of habana outpost.

but yes, corcoran did have the listing for not ray's.

but re: habana lot, how do you dig deep enough while the subway entrance is right there?

Posted by: ltjbukem at January 24, 2006 9:58 AM

So clearly I'm in the minority here because I think that is the ugliest piece of s#$! that I have seen in a long time. Then of course I went to the website and realize that they were responsible for the monstrosity on Greene Ave. What happened to architecture that was in keeping with the rest of the neighborhood. 190 foot tower in that area is just way out of scale and starts to make the neighborhood look like it was designed by Lego.

Posted by: Oh Lord! at January 24, 2006 10:06 AM

this totally fills me with remorse. yuck. it's really a "there goes the neighborhood" moment for me. why don't we start a pool to bet on where the next duane reade will be. probably that old bodega on s. elliott and lafayette.

Posted by: diana at January 24, 2006 10:09 AM

a. it's a cool looking building.
b. it could be bait and switch (like the "Light Towers" in Dumbo)

Posted by: chuck at January 24, 2006 10:18 AM

That's disgusting. What a crackpot architect! When are they going to revoke this man's license?

Posted by: Archireck at January 24, 2006 10:25 AM

I wonder if the address is correct because I heard of a 25-28 story tower going up on Fulton & Ashland (where the Hot Yoga studio used to be). Could there possibly be 2 towers that high going up on Fulton?

Posted by: vh at January 24, 2006 10:41 AM

I think i'd personally throw a stone through every ugly window of that building if they build that monstrocity. good lord

Posted by: kp at January 24, 2006 10:43 AM

Problem is not architect and not developer; it is faulty zoning R6 witch allows this kind of design.
(You can blame Robert Moses and other modernist from half a century ago)
Fort Greene association is pushing to change zoning from R6 to R6B that would eliminate this kind of out of scale developments.
http://www.historicfortgreene.org/r6b.html
At this point it is kind of a race: is developer going to have it approved before zoning will change.
It does not meter if someone like it or not (personally I think it is not so bad) it is OUT OF SCALE and it will affect Fort Greene historic district.

Posted by: malymis at January 24, 2006 10:47 AM

why don't you all just get in your time machines and make your way back to "the good old days"? is every brownnoser nut commenting on this site blind to the fact this slum is improving?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 10:57 AM

First thing we do, let's kill all the (modernist) architects.

Posted by: BklynJace at January 24, 2006 11:00 AM

anon 10:57, Darth Vader is getting very mad at you!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 11:03 AM

obviously anon 10.57 does not live in FG. FG is not a slum by any stretch. When brownstones are fetching $1.5-$2MM plus and the area is full of restaurants, cafes and new boutiques, slum does not come to mind.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 11:11 AM

Hideous, but what do you expect from the "architects" who will go down in history for bringing the vegas lightshow to DUMBO?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 11:13 AM

To annon 10 47
Slum is improving without towers like this, just take a walk and see how many buildings are being rehabilitated.

Posted by: malymis at January 24, 2006 11:16 AM

this is one of the ugliest structures i've ever seen! i cannot believe some of the favorable comments on here! you must be smoking what the architects are smoking!

my bet is that it is for the corner of Not Ray's.

BOO!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 11:21 AM

Curious - the Calatrava tower - a similar structure by the same architects - has won rave reviews for being one of the most innovative designs to get built in Manhattan in a long time. I saw it referred to in an article with a title to the effect of "Design is Back" or something like that, which went on to gush that buildings like this are what makes the NYC skyline so great. Feels a little different when it's around the corner. Is FG really getting that upscale???

Posted by: Lisa at January 24, 2006 11:27 AM

well since alek and bridget live in the nabe, it must have already been upscale.

Posted by: ltjbukem at January 24, 2006 11:29 AM

I don't hate the look. Just the location.

This building would be more in appropriate standing in the desert next to Arcosanti, or in a Hong Kong suburb.

Posted by: Hal at January 24, 2006 11:32 AM

Totally out of scale with the rest of the neighborhood. Aside from the fact that it looks like something out of "The Chronicles of Riddick". While I don't particularly like most modern architecture, I understand it has its place in a modern city. Fort Greene is not that place.

Posted by: Bunky at January 24, 2006 12:18 PM

Towers! Towers! Everywhere!! Let them grow like weeds!! Brooklyn's manifest destiny will not be stopped!!!

Posted by: Tommy at January 24, 2006 12:54 PM

I think it looks cool, but $1000/sq ft? That just doesn't make sense.

Posted by: JoshK at January 24, 2006 1:14 PM

I remember the listing for Not Ray's building stressing the air rights, that is my bet for this location.

Posted by: tommyill at January 24, 2006 1:24 PM

Lisa - similar idea, but certainly not the same architect. The composition of the two towers, though, is radically different. And if you put the Calatrava tower next to this, the Scarano pales in comparison (not to mention in scale!).

Posted by: AnonWB at January 24, 2006 1:35 PM

yeah, i was lazy on the fact checking. thanks for the claro, AnonWB. I think the Calatrava was (is) very high end townhouses that would have outdoor space on top of the townhouse below it. Interesting though that that style seems to be gaining popularity.

Posted by: Lisa at January 24, 2006 2:50 PM

scarano is the worst architect in history. A cheap sell-out. This is a lame rip-off of the Calatrava tower (which Scroungo had nothing to do with! please don't give him credit for any exceptional architectural design.) Developers like him 'cause he's cheap. It shows.

Posted by: anonymous at January 24, 2006 3:46 PM

I can't help but think that buildings like this may look cool and nice for 5-10 years, (including the greene condos) but that they will age really badly. In 10-15 years they will look dirty, unkempt and ugly.

I'm sad that Not Ray's may be moving - it's my favorite pizza in Brooklyn!

Posted by: kim at January 24, 2006 5:48 PM

I'm sure the Williamsburg bank building seemed out of scale when it was built, now its a landmark. People used to think brownstones were outmoded and old fashioned, not quality, valuable buildings. Today's modern architecture will be historic someday.

Posted by: kit at January 24, 2006 6:43 PM

But when the Williamsburg Savings Bank was built, it was intended to be just one of many skyscrapers in the new Brooklyn downtown. Then the Depression hit and the building was left isolated. And as much as I love it, frankly it DOES look out of place. Context is everything.

Posted by: Anon at January 24, 2006 7:07 PM

actually, though, I just looked at their website & saw that they've already built lots of stuff in our neighborhoods (FG, CH, Boerum Hill-- also Williamsburg & E. Williamsburg). And a lot of it isn't even noticeable, and I didn't know that these were Scarano bldgs.

Not that that makes this new project any closer to the scale of the rest of the neighborhood-- but-- maybe it's a signal of the future of hte neighborhood in a way that isn't totally evil. maybe?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 8:39 PM

They left off the clothes lines with laundry drying.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 24, 2006 9:20 PM

Somebody should build a giant vagina next door.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 25, 2006 6:57 PM

Happy to see that all my good friends and critics from the crazy house are still out there. Ah yes, what is the difference between my project and my friend Santiago Calatrava's, is that my developer IS GOING TO BUILD THIS ONE! Unlike Frank Sciami.

And by the way the height was misquoted it is 360' not 190' as reported. Higher than "J" condo proported to be the tallest residential building in Brooklyn and my tall neighbor in Dumbo by about 15' without the spires.

Sorry, I cannot take the credit for my other friend, Mr. Meltzer, for the design of the Green House Condo our little neighbor.

Wow, who will win the find the building location contest? (Hint, You were all off because we fooled you on the street location and property status. Stay tuned for more details. And the prices close starting at $1,250.00?sq.ft.

Posted by: Robert Scarano at January 25, 2006 11:45 PM

Hey Bob,

Check out your own site:

"This 190-foot tall, 80,000.0 square foot tower is a mixed use development constructed above a 1 story base on a currently vacant lot.
The building’s base will house medical offices, an executive 20-space parking garage, retail shops and public spaces.
The building is conceived as a freestanding sculptural element posed within the cityscape.
Most residential or office towers are static objects in the city’s skyline, marked by typical floors and repetition. The design concept for this unique project, presents the residential building from a different perspective: it is developed in way to provide the tower with movement and keep the structural forces evident."

Notice the 190' part of it. Those peskie details.

Posted by: gotitfromyoursite at January 26, 2006 10:10 AM

So, if that's really Scarano, he's saying that his website provides misinformation on the tower's height as well as the site's location and property status. Also, he's borderline illiterate. All this provides reason to doubt his capitalized claim. Is the real Scarano dumb enough to be so certain? South Portland at Fulton would not only be affected by the City Planning Commish's proposed rezoning -- it's also within the proposed expansion of the Fort Greene historic district (http://www.hdc.org/boundariesfgmap.htm).

Posted by: heimlich at January 26, 2006 10:24 AM

Wow another ego trip from scarano!!!! still a thug though!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 26, 2006 10:27 AM

So, the location was off, touché. What other spots that are "vacant" in the area? You don't mean the children's garden on So. Portland & Dekalb do you? You like children don't you Mr. Scarano?

Please enlighten us folks from the "crazy house." Or are you not ready to tip your cards and show us your hand?

"You gotta know when to hold-em...know when to fold-em...know when to walk away...know when to run...you never count your money, when you're sittin' at the table...time enough for countin', when the dealings done." Sound familiar?

Posted by: snipe hunt at January 26, 2006 10:39 AM

He actually referred to Santiago Calatrava as his friend! HAHA!! Santiago designs museums, cultural institutions, amazing residential projects, transportation hubs and is renowned the world over. Scarano’s known for designing crap and are infamous in Brooklyn!! Hmmmm…

Posted by: Anonymous at January 26, 2006 11:26 AM

Seems like people are inclined to judge your projects severely and continue to find fault in all your efforts.

Your architectural designs apply complex aesthetic considerations to buildings which contribute heavily to the design process.

You need to remember a true Architect is who can still apply the aesthetic principles of ornamentation, edge deliniation, texture, flow, solemnity, symmetry, color, granularity, the interaction of sunlight and shadows, transcendence, and harmony while staying within the design qualities of a neighborhood.

Your designs indicate feelings of unwarranted importance out of overbearing pride such as a "PEA" "COCK" (are you compensating...?) A last small but important point, people do not like you.

Posted by: *69 at January 26, 2006 12:29 PM

i am inclined to believe that scarano's shop is a high-volume one where they pump out designs real quickly. they are geared more towards quantity than quality. judging from his site and some of the young, new architects from pratt that work there, it probably isn't the prized job most seek after graduation.

Posted by: ltjbukem at January 26, 2006 12:49 PM

The adress is 164 South Oxford. Is is a big lot fronting on both S.Oxford and S. Portland.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 26, 2006 1:19 PM

164 S. Oxford St? Perhaps not...

Brooklyn Papers reported that site (seems to be the one) that spans from So. Oxford St. to So. Portland Ave. along Atlantic is earmarked by HPD for a 9 story mixed income "lottery" style building as an addition to the row house developments near by,

http://www.brooklynpapers.com/html/issues/_vol29/29_03/29_03bp.pdf

Let's keep hunting ;)

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at January 26, 2006 2:23 PM

Ooops, forgot to say page 16:

"35 years later, Ft. Greene to be 'renewed'"
by Ariella Cohen

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at January 26, 2006 2:25 PM

Update: so we're talking up the block, not down by Atlantic.

Seems around the 164 So. Oxford St, there's an area at 167 So. Portland goes block to block, 43X200'. Same owner owns the contiguous property which is 100X115'.

Thing is both these properties have Victorian homes (or pre-1900, more like 1880's) on them from what we remember, are we right?

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at January 26, 2006 3:03 PM

told you!!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 26, 2006 5:25 PM

your getting warmer.

Posted by: Robert Scarano at January 27, 2006 12:56 AM

bad spelling!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 27, 2006 1:24 AM

hey, forgive his spelling, he's a thug after all!

Posted by: Anonymous at January 27, 2006 10:14 AM

My guess its the lot on Hanson between 80 Arts and the Salvation Army. Am I right Bob???

Posted by: CB at January 27, 2006 10:20 AM

I like the building architecturally as well. It definitely is out of context, but at the same time who says uniformity is our ideal?

Also, the title of this section is funny, given that the real Towering Phallus of Brooklyn is, has always been, and always will be, the beloved Williamsburg Savings Bank. Now what was that architect thinking?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 27, 2006 10:52 AM

with the ratner plan, these bldgs won't be "out of context" for long.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 27, 2006 10:54 AM

tell that to mr. scarano and his not so altruist manifest regarding the height of the "tallest residential tower in brooklyn" if you are to comment on the string make sure you read all posts! and it does not matter what comes after, portions of fg are landmarked and this tower wil NEVER BE IN CONTEXT.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 27, 2006 11:20 AM

Uh, am I the only person who realizes that the person who claims to be the architect is obviously not actually Mr. Scarano?

I can't believe Brownstown Brooklyn is this brain dead. I would assume the "architect" and the responses all originate from the same poster.

Posted by: Crawford at January 27, 2006 11:53 AM

I agree with CB, that Hanson place is a logical location, and my opinion is that it would be much more in context with the area if it were there.

Posted by: tommyill at January 27, 2006 12:04 PM

whether or not mr. scarano is the poster, the building is his, no doubt about that! and thats what this blog is about.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 27, 2006 12:12 PM

Keep trying.

Posted by: Robert Scarano at January 28, 2006 1:02 PM

By the way, why is everyone afraid to post their names and email addresses?
Who wants to go through life being anonymous?

Posted by: Robert Scarano at January 28, 2006 1:05 PM

check out some grass-roots activism here:

http://ltjbukem.blogspot.com/2006/01/protest-hits-streets.html

Posted by: ltjbukem at January 29, 2006 5:54 PM

Update on Scarano & ASS. website...as of today, this building (and I use that term loosely) has changed from "South Portland Tower" to "The South Tower."

Either we were getting close or he's moved it...Atlanta, GA perhaps?

Completion date 2008, and still 190' though...

Perhaps we should call him "Tricky Dick" rather than Bobby-Boy, JR?

Posted by: gottalovebob at January 30, 2006 6:12 PM

Why is tall bad?

Posted by: Robert Scarano at January 30, 2006 8:33 PM

Tall is only bad when you have it towering over the rest of your skyline- or worse, over your apartment.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 18, 2006 2:01 AM

Scarano not only fails to consider the neighborhood context, but even worse, purposely ignores it so his building will (inappropriately) stand out be remembered. Act out your rebellious midlife bullshit somewhere else please.

Posted by: Craig Notte at February 19, 2006 10:56 AM

it's 158 and 164 south oxford street (between hanson and atlantic). the back property on 164 extends to south portland street.

scurano: architects take into account the surrounding neighborhood. take the dropped boxes concept to an open parking lot in the middle of the country instead. it will look less out of place.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 21, 2006 7:12 PM

Mr. Scarano:

I will not be anonymous. I've lived next door to your projected building for 14 years. Although I'm not an architect myself, there are at least three architects in my family and a long artistic tradition. While you are, alas, in good company, you are doing a disservice to your profession by designing a building that by its scale, shape, and, I'm sure, materials, would stand out as an eyesore and actually blight the block and the neighborhood. The classic, time-honored challenge for a real architect is to design something that, while modern, innovative and commercially viable, actually FITS in its intended surroundings.

Posted by: Beatrice Beccari at February 21, 2006 8:02 PM

tit licking wet tits anime rape rape cartoons sexy young girls young teens nude horse stallion penis horse cum in pussy gang bangs bi orgies

Posted by: Jackson at May 14, 2006 11:23 AM

shame.

Posted by: Christian at June 21, 2006 10:49 AM

Scenario.
NYC Dept. of City Planning institutes rezoning of multiple areas throughout the five boroughs. They change the Zoning Resolutions that govern these ares, relating to the height and square footage that seems to have everyone up in arms. Scarano strikes while the iron is hot, and corners the market on maximizing the size of the building and square footage that is allowed as per the new zoning resolutions. Clients flock to Scarano's office like rats following the Piper. No regard to neighborhood scale, or the people that are comfortable with thier current surroundings, so called developers start snapping up any spit of land they can get thier hands on. Scarano begins to gentrify neighborhoods all the while abiding by the laws the bind him. The real estate market explodes amd condo's flood the market worse than Katrina hitting the Big Easy. As a result of his popularity amongst developers, the competition starts dropping dimes on Scarano projects. Is any one hurt during all of this? Just the ones inconvenienced by having to move out so that the building can be demolished to make way for another beautiful structure that is raising the property value and changing neighborhoods in a single blow. Are the people selling the property complaining that they are getting top dollar for thier property? Who wold have thought parts of Bed-Stuy, would be such a hot spot to the point that in order to make it more attrcative to buyers it would begin to take on a more friendly distinction, "East Williamsburg". This face lift of Brooklyn is long overdue. Landmark preservation is well and good, but it has its place. Brownstones are beautiful, and areas that have history to them should be preserved. But what is the problem with creating interesting buildings, that are eye catching most, and an eye sore to some. Its is what Brooklyn was to begin with. Diversity.

Posted by: Christian at June 21, 2006 10:50 AM

I've just been hanging out not getting anything done. What can I say? I've basically been doing nothing worth mentioning, but pfft. Not that it matters. Pretty much nothing exciting happening to speak of. I haven't been up to much these days.

Posted by: Sten55725 at January 9, 2007 10:44 AM

« Tuesday Linkerati Killing Bushwick, One Day at a Time »

January 24, 2006

Silver Phallus To Tower Over Fort Greene

Comments

Post a comment

Get Brownstoner on your Mobile Phone

Latest Restaurant Additions