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February 22, 2007

New Condos: Suite Sixteen Hits Market

This former vacuum bag factory on 16th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues is being turned into a five-story, 32-unit condominium residence with the unfortunate moniker Suite Sixteen. The Karl Fischer-designed building was vested under the former R6 zoning, which explains its height of 55 feet; it also used the "alteration permit" backdoor. Aguayo & Huebener has the first listing up now, a 1,400-square-foot, two-bedroom condo on the fourth floor for $1,199,000. Parking and an on-site gym are also available. The listing description is rife with high-end catch phrases and brand names and is clearly targeting a buyer with money to spend. Do you think there's going to be an appetite for this kind of listing this far south?
Suite Sixteen [Aguayo & Huebener]
GMAP P*Shark DOB

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Comments

what's the "alteration permit" backdoor?

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 11:44 AM

Worst name ever.

What about the building is influenced by the "chateaus of France", per their description? I don't see it. That's reaching too much, it's overselling it, which makes a bad impression. Also it's hard to understand why they chose the images they did; it's too hard to understand what we're looking at. It looks like the last one is a picture of the elevator doors.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 12:01 PM

Yawn boring. The language in the description made me sleepy...It looks like all the other of these types of new "modern", condos which carry a ridiculous price tag....Sorry to say it but in my opinion there is no character or design zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 12:58 PM

Not "chateaus of France" but chateau's of France. Possessive! Maybe Aguayo & Huebener aren't thinking about the first growths. They certainly treat english as a second language.

Posted by: PPSer at February 22, 2007 1:17 PM

"what's the "alteration permit" backdoor?

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 11:44 AM"

The "back door" is that they originally filed as an "alteration," i.e. they left a side wall and some interior walls.

2 reasons here: one, no change of use as far as the tax base goes. Second, it allows them to fly under the radar that some of the scrutiny that DOB may have put to a new building rather than an alt.

Leave a few walls and build a chateau!

Ultimately this little trick got them caught and there was a SWO on the property for quite a while. What I love (and you can only see it from the street) is the western wall they left, approx 15-20 ft. high, then the rest of the tan bricks start from there. Real nice aesthetic.

This is another "beam me up Scotty" NASA building like the Scarano on 23rd St.

Puke!

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at February 22, 2007 1:43 PM

Folks, I was involved with this deal, and they most certainly did NOT just "leave a wall". They used the entire foundation and support structure of the existing building, and likely saved quite a bit of money in the process.

I know you NIMBY's would love to leave the 3rd world style crap housing in the south slope there until their wood frames collapse or get blown down by the big bad wolf, but this deal was legit.

And now, instead of having 4 families living on that block, they were will be 32.

Too bad you have to share your ghetto with some fresh meat!

Posted by: Eryximachus at February 22, 2007 3:02 PM

Ah, Eryximachus, it's been such a long time.

Glad you have been brushing up on your troll-isms.

For the record (as if you would have any idea): one exterior wall (mentioned above), one foundation wall, one interior wall was observed. Period. this was not a reno nor an adaptive reuse.

the site was in open demo for a year, lots of photos and lots of witnesses. The only $$ they saved was to circumvent the system and get the building built faster.

Certainly that would be due to the fact the developer didn't want to spend time in our "ghetto."

Perhaps you can come on by, buy one of the $1.2M shitboxes and bring some sunshine to the 'nabe!

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at February 22, 2007 3:13 PM

Eryximachus, I forgot. Read before you post!

it was an old factory, not 4 houses...

So not only do developers in the area displace renters and families in lieu of luxury condos, they also displace Bkyn business as well. Let's go Gowanus next...

Who needs to work in Brooklyn, more condos!

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at February 22, 2007 3:19 PM

I walk by these everyday on the way to the gym...what ugly crap and all of those huge windows facing some dilapitaded old homes. And when those homes go---another ugly new construction with a face full of windows will go up in their place so everyone can wave to each other. Bleh...why bad design? Why?

Posted by: pastoralia at February 22, 2007 3:28 PM

Seems a little expensive for 16th street but I haven't been over there in ages.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 3:40 PM

I walked by 16th Street yesterday, on 5th Avenue after an appointment, and yeah, this is too expensive for 16th Street right now. No good restaurants or upscale shops down that far South yet. In fact, the better amenities are still many many blocks North.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 4:08 PM

What's up with the top floor units on each end of the building? The ones with the over-sized windows.

16 street, especially the block where this building has been built is literally a petri dish of toxic brooklyn architectural "styles". Maybe if left to grow, some new style will be discovered amalgamating the entire lot. For now they seem as a group to have turned the South Slope into Williamsburg.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 4:26 PM

It will be interesting to see who is foolish enough to spend the $1.2m to live this monster AND socially conscious enough to be ok with living next to the half-way house across the street....not to mention Katan towers down the hill and god knows what up closer to 6th.

I suppose that would be your average tollerant-rich-not-a-design-bone-in-body folks you meet everyday.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 4:36 PM

Good restaurants between 14th and 15th on 7th Avenue. Anthony's; Little Dishes; also the food shop fka blue apron.

Posted by: PPSer at February 22, 2007 5:26 PM

From an impact on the quality of life for the community this is a typical is POS,all the way around. Huge delays on work. Blocking off the street for hours (day after day). Coordinating deliveries, work, etc. with the Scarano gray tower across the street (buddy-buddy developers/contractors (how sweet), general BS and typical for the area.

Progress? At the expense of the community, as per usual.

And whats with the curved towers? "Chateau towers" (parapets?) to overlook the rest of the neighborhood? "Let down your golden hair, oh developer as we beseech thee for understanding..."

Posted by: ccgh at February 22, 2007 8:20 PM

1.2M and you have to pay extra for the parking spot?

I want to want to be reborn as a developer.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 8:40 PM

I actually went to the open house to see the demo unit. One would think that a demo unit they are using to sell would have above par construction. Quite the contrary. The demo unit aside from sub-standard millwork (baseboard to floor moulding is out of level, bad miters), cracking grout in the bathrooms, missing caulk, bad taping on wallboard seams.. and on and on. It really is a shoddy job, which probably doesn't come as a surprise to most people. Of course I am sure that they will get people to buy this, as this construction seems to be the standard now. Caveat emptor indeed.

Posted by: john at February 22, 2007 10:11 PM

I think this is one of the best looking condos in the Slope, I mean you people bash anything and don't know squat about design or construction. It's just hilarious to see the lame folks on these boards trash every project. Get over yourselves, go outside and walk around!!! And the name is pretty smart, but your all probably not!

Posted by: Anonymous at February 22, 2007 11:01 PM

It's "chateaux" for the record. I live in the hood and love it but the idea of comparing anything around here to that is so absurd, it just makes them look like morons. Real estate language has gotten out of control -- "Pefection in the Slope!", "Your own Mansion in Ditmas!", etc. Maybe it's always been that way but when everything's perfect, what's not? Real estate version of the boy calling wolf. No one listens anymore.

Posted by: west at February 23, 2007 6:29 AM

I agree it is defenitly one of the better looking condo buildings if not one of the best in the hood. I know Karl's work and this is a welcome addition compared to the modernest slash and drab buildings he has put up in the burg. Haven't seen the interiors but my neighbor went to the open house and said they were beautiful, apparently there a quite a few in contract as to his reporting and they were raising prices, go figure. Gonna go see for myself, I'll fill ya'll in.

Posted by: Architect at February 23, 2007 8:19 AM

Love the South Slope, because it doesn't, well didn't, have crap like this.

What are these "architects" doing, pulling rejected office space drawings and selling them as residential plans? Looks like an office park in Jersey!

Posted by: SeamusMacD at February 23, 2007 11:01 AM

Sure, it's not as hideous as the "L.A. Special" directly across the street, but if your neighbor thinks the interiors are beautiful, he/she obviously has no eye for quality work. I went to the open house a few weeks ago, signed a liability waiver (which would have no standing in court) and saw beautiful materials that were shoddily installed, tiles that were not grouted, closet and cabinet doors that did not shut properly, and what's with the giant gray door to the breaker box RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF LIVING ROOM WALL?!?! The substandard work done inside is no surprise to those of us who have had to walk past this eyesore for the past 2 years. Anyone who builds with so little regard for the laws and the safety of either their construction crew or their neighbors certainly wouldn't take the time to finish the project in a responsible and diligent manner.
All I can say for anyone who is wowed by the superficial surface materials is: Buyer beware. If your cabinet doors start falling off a few months after moving in, don't say you weren't warned.

Posted by: nabe at February 23, 2007 11:02 AM

Glad to see Karl is having his draftsmen/CAD boys shill for him in the 11:01 pm and 8:19 am posts.

Please, it's a "shit-teaux."

"What are these "architects" doing, pulling rejected office space drawings and selling them as residential plans? Looks like an office park in Jersey!"

LOL!!!

Posted by: lostinbrooklyn at February 23, 2007 1:47 PM

11:01 Have you forgot what site you are on! People who visit this site spend their lifetimes renovating brownstones-stripping paint-restoring original plaster details-Maybe they're used to, even spoiled, by a quality of construction and craftmanship that no longer exits.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 24, 2007 1:16 AM

I think 11:01 has never visited this site before now.

I can't believe the door to the breaker box is on the living room wall. What did they expect people to do, hang a poster or painting over it?

Sadly what will happen to South Slope is it will become ALL buildings like this. The developers can't knock down houses in Park Slope, or in other landmarked areas, and the city wants more housing, so buh-bye to the little vinylsiders and auto repair shops that dot South Slope.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 24, 2007 12:06 PM

Glad none of you morons will be my neighbors! I bought one!!

Posted by: Alex at February 26, 2007 7:04 AM

Congrats Alex! Welcome, you will be living directly across the street from a halfway house AND a few houses away from the now sold parking lot on 16th St & 5th Ave. The parking lot is being developed into a five-story 49 studio apts. 29 of the apts will be for individuals in the city Homeless Shelter system WITH a Mental Illness diagnosis, while the remaining 20 units will be reserved for low-income.

Your new home is not as disgustingly constructed as the building across the street at 231 16th St. However the contractors are the same and rush to assemble both shoddy buildings. Hope your interior doesn’t start to fall apart within a year.

Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 6:37 PM

No problem, actually the project is in doubts on the corner, and I could care less. I'm sure you could afford to buy one of these kick ass apartments if you got off your fat ass and stopped trying to be smart commenting on developments you can't buy because your a jealous loser. Oh and You don't know shit about construction but, you can ogle over my finishes and the other 11 or so people who are in contract any day. Jackass!

Posted by: Alex at March 4, 2007 11:53 AM

11 people in contract huh? Wow, funny corcoran only shows 3. Have fun repairing all your "finishes" jackass.

Posted by: whatever. at March 18, 2007 2:29 PM

11 people in contract huh? Wow, funny ahrealty only shows 3. Have fun repairing all your "finishes" jackass.

Posted by: whatever. at March 18, 2007 2:29 PM

I've owned my brick home in the South Slope for the past 18 years, and gone are the days of knowing your neighbors, single homes, uncrowded streets, and privacy. As I walk through my neighborhood I see the charm it once held going the way of the Dodo. Roof top views that were once free and available to all have been held captive now to the highest bidder. Some might consider these "new constructions" as improvements to this "ghetto" neighborhood, but remember you are the one moving into these "ghetto" neighborhoods. There are a lot of us "ghetto" people that you will be bumping into and that will not be moving away.
The sad part is that people that were born and bred in Brooklyn have to share space with newbies who use words like "ghetto" to describe my neighborhood and my neighbors.

Welcome to the "ghetto" neighbor.

Posted by: No Envy at May 28, 2007 8:47 PM

HUEBENER IN RUSSIAN MINS -DICKFUCKER-THIS IS FUNNYEST LAST NAME I HAVE EVER SEEN

Posted by: guest at May 1, 2008 2:22 PM

« Development Watch: 189 Schermerhorn Street House of the Day: 1219 Bergen Street »

February 22, 2007

New Condos: Suite Sixteen Hits Market

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