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April 9, 2007

20 Bayard: Website Ready, Building Not

20bayardcrop.jpg 20bayardapril07.jpg
The partial stop work order at 20 Bayard Street aka Karl Fischer Row hasn't stopped the project's web developers from staying busy. When it's finally done, the 80,000-plus-square-foot building is scheduled to have 64 apartments and 45 parking spaces. As the flash intro to the new web site that launched on Fridaydoesn't let you forget, the sales pitch is all about one thing: the views. No pricing info has been disclosed yet. Any guesses?
Development Homepage [20 Bayard] GMAP P*Shark DOB




Posted by Brownstoner at 9:00 AM | Comments (28)
Categories: Brooklyn, Development, Real Estate, Williamsburg

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Gee, if *I* were marketing this exquisite piece of architecture, I would be emphasizing the grace, poetry, and quality of the design in addition to the views. I'm sorry, this one really makes my eyeballs bleed. Other than that, I love it. :)

Posted by: bob999 at April 9, 2007 10:26 AM

Bob - I think you are looking at this too narrowly. You really need to focus on the entire ensemble of buildings on Bayard Street - this building and the two to the left that were all designed by KFA. Like the great apartment building architects of 1920s Manhattan, KFA has taken this rare opportunity of a prominent blockfront to creat a true ensemble.

Or not. Oh well, if you buy here, you look out of the buildings, not at them.

Posted by: Halden at April 9, 2007 10:42 AM

Notice how in the website, the building seems to stand alone, no adjacent buildings in sight.

Posted by: Emily at April 9, 2007 11:07 AM

Halden, sorry to be so sarcastic, above, but if the same firm that built *this* ugly building also is culpable for two more adjacent ones, I don't see how that's good news. There is no sense of proportion in this design. Yes, I'm sure the people who plop their money here will, indeed, have great views. I wish those of us looking the other way could say the same. Keep it simple, KFA--please.

Posted by: Bob999 at April 9, 2007 11:24 AM

On first read I assumed Halden was being sarcastic, himself. But maybe you're right, Bob999.

In any event, I still say "yuk" when I see these buildings.

Posted by: EJ at April 9, 2007 11:28 AM

Bob - Yes, I was being sarcastic too. Just following your lead!

Posted by: Halden at April 9, 2007 11:40 AM

And in the next few years, there are gonna be a heckuva lot of 29-story residential towers springing up and blocking your river views. Enjoy!

Posted by: michelle at April 9, 2007 12:29 PM

The views will NOT change - from North 7th and above their will be NO skyscrapers.

Posted by: dreadnatty at April 9, 2007 12:52 PM

Never say never.

Posted by: EJ at April 9, 2007 12:53 PM

There will be high rise towers in Greenpoint, north of Bushwick inlet. No idea how that affects the views from here, though.

Posted by: Halden at April 9, 2007 2:14 PM

What I love is in the actual photo, that tiny little building sandwiched between the two on the right. God bless those snarly souls who just say no.

I should go offer to paint him a giant sign on a sheet to hang on his facade that says:

Posted by: awesome at April 9, 2007 3:06 PM

I freaked out the comments with my characters. What I meant was:

arrow to left UGS arrow to right

Posted by: awesome at April 9, 2007 3:08 PM

yes, they are indeed ugly.... but come on people... we're talking about WIlliamsburg right?
Next to the waste treatment plant in Greenpoint, these are the best looking thing for miles!

Posted by: ImNotYourDaddy at April 9, 2007 3:32 PM

I think the new waste treatment plan is pretty cool (and I'm not being sarcastic this time).

But you don't have to go that far to find a good looking building - across the park, the "wood" building at the corner of Lorimer (?) and Driggs is looking nicer every day.

It'll be interesting to see how it looks after a few years of weathering, but so far, I like what I'm seeing.

Posted by: Halden at April 9, 2007 4:24 PM

The views will change - these buidlings abutt McCarren park, but their line of view of the city crosses the east river, and they're buidling high rises all along kent and the lower part of Franklin. So get out your map dreadnappy

Posted by: Anonymous at April 9, 2007 5:33 PM

I wasn't being sarcastic either... the treatment plant is pretty cool ;)
At least these buildings aren't aluminum sided.

Posted by: ImNotYourDaddy at April 9, 2007 5:37 PM

Anon 5:33 - YOU need to get out your map ! Lookin WEST from Bayard is CLEAR and NOT going to change -its a NYS park. Franklin has no impact on their views (and they are NOWHERE NEAR close to building anything on Franklin yet). As for Kent, Zoning laws prohibit anything > 6 stories (thats why N.8th by Halstead is only 6 stories and not 29 like Northside Piers)

Posted by: dreadnatty at April 9, 2007 7:43 PM

No anon 5:33 is correct. Bayard is angled north directly toward greenpoint and that streatch from Meserole North is zoned for towers.

Posted by: brktwo at April 10, 2007 9:02 AM

Imnotyourdaddy is right... why keep saying how "ugly" the new construction is when most of williamsburg is hideous - aluminum siding, grandma awnings, wires everywhere, gross AC units. it's not like williamsburg has this awesome housing stock. it's only the old brick commercial buildings that are nice. most houses are shite.

a lot of people will want to live in a nice, new clean space overlooking a park.

Posted by: condo dweller at April 10, 2007 12:32 PM

Orange brick, ick. Why?? Because it's "Brooklyn"? Please no more brick.

Posted by: Anonymous at April 10, 2007 12:56 PM

So, condo dweller, are you saying that ugly is the new contextual for Greenpoint & Williamsburg? Just because the recent past is cheap and ugly, we must now and forever build cheap and ugly buildings in North Brooklyn?

Sadly, developers in North Brooklyn seem to agree with you. Which means the civic opportunity presented by rezoning is being flushed away.

Posted by: Halden at April 10, 2007 1:12 PM

i'm saying that - it's just not that ugly. have you seen new condo or townhouse construction around the rest of the country? what the heck are you comparing it to? anyway who should determine the aesthetic? who would lead to establish the right look presented by this civic opportunity?

i personally think brownstones are butt butt ugly as are colonials (sure i may be in the minority here). i do like mid century a lot, but don't see that happening in Brooklyn - so I'll take these new looking buidlings anyday.

also, people on this site throw the word "cheap" around alot without any real information.

Posted by: condo dweller at April 10, 2007 1:34 PM

OK - that clarifies it. I guess I'm comparing to well-designed highrise construction, which is admittedly not that common. As I said earlier in thread, this is a particularly prominent location, so it really sucks to have such a banal building (or set of buildings) there.

I was using cheap in reference to the vinyl siding rehabs (midcentury!), but a lot of the condo construction going up is pretty cheap too.

Posted by: Halden at April 10, 2007 1:54 PM

an architect designed this, right?

Posted by: pfa at April 11, 2007 2:29 AM

Does anyone know the basement in the area of Bayard Street has flooding problems?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 7, 2007 2:21 PM

Apparently the area in question sits on an old riverbed which required that these high-rises be supported by a series of piles in order to prevent differential settlement. I believe that the Ikon was built on top of an existing warehouse which has since been retrofitted with piles.

Being that the land is an old riverbed, I imagine that the water table is high and therefore the potential for flooding does exist. I am, howevever, only speculating!

Posted by: gpb317 at May 24, 2007 1:20 AM

do any of you jokers who are actually posting all of this crap even live in the area? As a lifetime resident of greenpoint thee fact that you are calling the houses ugly because they have vinyl siding is ridiculous. Where did you people grow up? If you don't like the neighborhood then go back to wherever the hell you came from

Posted by: Anonymous at June 18, 2007 4:02 PM

Probably these jokers are from Mid-West! I've been living in Greenpoint-Williamsburg
for 25 years, these vinyl houses might be ridiculous for some but that Greenpoint.
Working class folks were living here.

If it wouldn't be for the mayor who help changed the zoning, we wouldn't have these ugly high-rise who are poorly builded.

Polish and irish have work hard to keep
the place clean and nice, it's just too bad
that they have sold there sole to those developers aka acidic jews. It's a shame!

Posted by: guest at February 3, 2008 10:24 AM

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