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May 30, 2007

Condos of the Day: 297 Driggs Avenue

297DriggsAve00.jpg
The Manhattan Park Condos at 297 Driggs Avenue on the northwestern corner of McCarren Park in Greenpoint have been on the market for a good year and a half now. Eleven units are in contract and three are still available. There's a two-bedroom on the second floor for $715,000 and a couple one-bedrooms on the upper floors for $649,000 and $699,000. We happen to think the building is one of the better-looking Scarano designs that dot the neighborhood and couldn't help but notice the bustling cafe across the street that gives the location some street-level charm. Any buyers out there who can tell us when the closings are expected to be? What's the story on the building behind the Manhattan Park Condos?
297 Driggs Avenue [Apts & Lofts] GMAP
Condo Report: Manhattan Park Condos [Brownstoner]




Posted by Brownstoner at 12:37 PM | Comments (24)
Categories: Brooklyn, Condos, Greenpoint, Williamsburg

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I passed it by yesterday, and I think people are already living there, maybe it was the model unit, but there were I think 2 units that seemed occupied, you know, with lamps, furniture etc.
Word on the street is, that this building sold for "meshugana" prices, even higher then the bayard bunch just 2 blocks down.

Posted by: mentch at May 30, 2007 1:02 PM

Not only one of the better-looking Scarano buildings, but so far (and by far) the best looking new project fronting McCarren. Granted, the competition is pretty awful, but these are nice looking buildings in their own right.

Good to see that they are finally moving along - the project sat in limbo for ages.

Posted by: Halden at May 30, 2007 1:24 PM

If you look at the picture, you see many plants on one of the balconies, I guess someone is living there.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 30, 2007 1:45 PM

That blue one there isn't occupied at all, I don't think - I walk by there regularly and the windows are smashed and broken, the walls are covered in graffiti, and none of the rooms looks finished.

Posted by: anyonymosuh at May 30, 2007 2:03 PM

Nevermind, I'm thinking of that Aqua thing down Leonard - it's scary looking.

Posted by: anyonymosuh at May 30, 2007 2:06 PM

No - I think you are right, uh, the "blue" building is still under construction. The building in the foreground is what is being occupied.

Posted by: Halden at May 30, 2007 2:10 PM

this is definitely one of the best of the new construction in the area. very danish. and with Enid's and Park Luncheonette across the street, there's always good brunch nearby. if you lived there you'd have to walk or take the bus to the L at Lorimer though. Or you could go up to Bedford or the G at Nassau... that's kind of annoying.

Posted by: yourmom at May 30, 2007 2:46 PM

Personally I like Matchless and the MotoGP Monday nights.

But ooooh, I really want to live in Twenny Bayard. Did you know it was radically chic and chicly radical?!

Posted by: Rainman at May 30, 2007 2:54 PM

How is the building Danish?!? Becuase it has wood paneling!?!?

Log cabins are made out of wood too, are they Danish?

Nice work your mom.

Posted by: yourdad at May 30, 2007 3:00 PM

This smells too much like a shill piece. "One of the better looking Scarano jobs." I mean do really care about a building that can't sell out 2 years later?? Did apts and lofts call you on this?

Posted by: Anonymous at May 30, 2007 3:28 PM

Really??? Up close this building is fugly.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 30, 2007 3:42 PM

The street level parking at the base of the building puts me right off the design -- its something you see in the burbs, not the city -- it's a street wrecker.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 30, 2007 3:46 PM

Yes, because it has wood panelling. And also because
it's good modern design. The geometry and balance of materials are both appealing. Granted, you won't find many buildings of this height in Denmark. But it's actually got quite a Scandinavian feel to it. I've actually spent quite a bit of time in Copenhagen, so I'm not talking entirely out of my ass, ok? It also reminds me of a building I photographed in Iceland.

Posted by: yourmom at May 30, 2007 3:57 PM

Why did this take so long to finish? And remember that "wood paneling" was originally a different material. It was blue (methinks) and I heard they had to change it for some reason.

Posted by: YourDoctrinaire at May 30, 2007 4:04 PM

The wood panel material is a product called Prodema. The blue was a waterproof membrane installed before the panel. I believe the holdup was waterproof issues around the windows.

Posted by: urbny at May 30, 2007 4:35 PM

not a shill piece at all. we heap enough criticism on Scarano that it's only fair to say something positive about a building when we think it deserves it. we just happen to like this one.

Posted by: Brownstoner at May 30, 2007 6:17 PM

I Heard closings were going be this summer. The building behind 297 Driggs is coming this summer I heard. Named Loftology.

Posted by: dreadnatty at May 30, 2007 8:18 PM

I like it - the units look like they get a lot of light. Distance from the L sucks, but I think this location is better than the aqua, which feels like no man's land when you walk by it.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 30, 2007 9:00 PM

By Williamsburg or Greenpoint standards, this is not a long walk to the L - its 10 blocks in a straight shot to the Bedford Avenue stop. Plus, half the walk is through the park. If you're so inclined, the B61 runs right by the building.

Posted by: Halden at May 30, 2007 9:13 PM

i can see scandanavian in it too because of the wood paneling - but its not quite clean enough...sort of danish meets american eccentric meets german tech....

at any rate, you've got to give scarano credit for having his own design sensibility....i am personally not a big fan, but you could do worse.....

here's a question: i'm new to the blog: do you 'heap criticism on Scarano' because you don't like his style or because of the whole 'i self certified this job and 'oops' my floor area just doubled' thing?

also, what architects do you like?

i'm sure it the building was on hiatus because it was in audit with the dob, by the way...

Posted by: neophytitect at May 30, 2007 10:59 PM

Closings have begun on this building. Check out the SOLD listings on the website: www.manhattanparkcondos.com

Posted by: Anonymous at May 31, 2007 5:46 AM

I live right down the street from this one. The ugly cinder block tower next door has been in partial limbo for ages, and this one has taken more than two years to build.

It's a really short walk the the L from here - I've done it every morning for 5 years now. The problem is that all this new lux crap in the neighborhood is being marketed to suburban morons who prefer to live in a building with a parking lot out front and feel entitled to drive everywhere, This isn't the only new local development with street level parking. It really ruins the neighborhood.

Posted by: Anonymous at May 31, 2007 10:45 PM

All of these luxury apartment buildings are the same miss-mash of trendy building materials geared to draw in trendy buyers. None however have any architectural value in regards of interaction between the user and other users, the building itself, and the community. They do not weave themselves into the community but rather segregate themselves from it. This is not what these types of buildings should be accomplishing.

This building is actually on the right track whether they know it or not, by opening up the plinth to the community, even if it is for parking. It could have been an extension of the adjacent green space and the park, but its not.

It is very disappointing to see so much money going into nothing.

Posted by: yourdad at June 5, 2007 5:42 PM

YD- are you suggesting that the architect should have weaved in elements from the neighborhood into this building's design? A neighborhood consisting of vinyl siding townhouse and 2 story brick commercial? I think they did a good job with this one on a great corner.

Posted by: Reverb at July 18, 2007 12:57 PM

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