Condo of the Day: Top of the Oro

won't last the weekend...

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 12:49 PM

I'm a little surprised, Usually new apartments have tons of closet space. This has relatively little closet space. Only one closet in the master bedroom?. Means one of the partners will have to keep their stuff in a suitcase. No linen closets for the baths. No extra "junk" closet. That's a definite flaw. People who buy these units tend to have a lot of stuff.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 12:50 PM

Bedrooms 2& 3 look too big to me - would have been much nicer to use that space for a bigger living room. But I guess that's what people like these days? Was just in a modest but gorgeous prewar on the UWS this past weekend. They really don't design layouts like they used to I must say.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:03 PM

pretty costly considering you can get a similarly sized townhouse for that price.

I do like the layout. It does a good job of separating the "public" and "private" spaces, which a lot of new places don't do. The plan looks like it will work and it doesn't have a lot of wasted space (aka mezzanines).

Just my $0.02.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:04 PM

Many people don't like townhouse living and would much prefer an apt.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:05 PM

I noticed the absence of square footage in the floor plan. I must say that for the money and besides the awesome views, it's small and cramped.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:06 PM

Pardon me, I posted the absence of square footage. I meant it doesn't look like a 1,647 sf pad.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:09 PM

Why does everyone in a condo need their own bathroom? Can't these people pee in the same place? Never understand this.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:22 PM

There should be two closets in the master bedroom. Anyone who is married to a clothes-horse will tell you that women think of closets as indivisible units. If there is a closet, no matter how big, its hers.
Every bath should have a linen closet.
There is a storage closet in the center of the apartment but no pantry, no broom closet,
everything is very tightly engineered.
The selling point here is the views. The floorplan is not inspired or even that gracious.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:23 PM

Did they call it Oro because of Gold St?

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:29 PM

great bachelor pad.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:29 PM

According to my quick calculations it is about 1400 square feet (actual square feet).
It is not small.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:32 PM

I would do without the powder room and make that a closet. With all that "grey" in the fp, there is 100+ sq ft of unusable space. And there are killer views but no terrace. A stretch...

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:37 PM

1:04 pm, where can I find a townhouse for a similar price in the same neighborhood? Been looking and looking!!!

And to whoever said that some people prefer apartment living to townhouse living, that may be true -- especially if you're an older couple with empty nest syndrome -- but then why would those people move here? Everyone I know who's moved to brooklyn has done so because they wanted a home over a "pad".

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:44 PM

Anyone who would turn the third bath into a closet is an idiot.
The place needs closets, but it is also needs three baths. The ownere will need to make an extra closet in the master bedroom and on the end wall of the living/dining.
All glass facades make it tough to tweak the interiors.
I really really like some wall along with my windows.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:45 PM

Three bedrooms means it's designed for a family with two kids, or with one kid and one office/study, right? But the common area here looks too small relative to the bedrooms; given the layout (NOT the SF, notice I'm saying) it seems hardly big enough for more than two people to enjoy it at any given time, unless they're specifically all doing the same thing. Or is the presumption that shared family time at this point is limited anyway, and that it's more important for people to have their individualized private space in their bedrooms? Sad.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:47 PM

1:45: I am the idiot. There is no way a fmaily is going to live there -- you will have the master BR, guest BR and an office/den. Two people max -- 2 baths are all that is needed. If it HAD closets, the PR would be great but ---

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:49 PM

It's overpriced.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:51 PM

1:47
Get real, this is a large apartment.
Plenty of space for a couple with two kids.
Your points are ridiculous.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:51 PM

1:47 here -- I specifically didn't say the amount of space, I referred to the layout and whether it was conducive to sharing that space. But thank you for the advice, and for referring to my points as ridiculous.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:54 PM

I work at Goldman Sachs and just bid $1.4 on this apartment. I only have one kid, but am going to use the third bedroom as a meth lab, so the third bathroom will probably be useful to me.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:56 PM

for 1.6 mil....I don't want to enter my apt and walk past the kitchen to get to my living/dining room....what happened to a sense of entry...this casual living costs too much!!

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 1:57 PM

@1:47 you make valid points. The living area is too tiny.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:01 PM

I live in Brooklyn have a wife, kids and dogs and you know what - I prefer an apartment (albeit a large one with outdoor space); a Brownstone is nice and all but between work, kids and general responsibilities, I love having the garbage, snow, general repairs, common area cleaning etc... all taken care of for me.

I got enough on my plate without having to care for a whole house - but hey if you love it like a hobby then all the power to you.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:03 PM

It's overpriced...

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:03 PM

"for 1.6 mil....I don't want to enter my apt and walk past the kitchen to get to my living/dining room....what happened to a sense of entry...this casual living costs too much!!"

So you'd rather have the butler allow guests in to the parlor room to wait for her heiness to come down from dressing?

What the hell are you talking about?

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:04 PM

I own a condo in brooklyn. married with a kid. i have owned a 2 story house and a 4 story brownstone. really over the whole house thing. you just end up with small kitchens and weird rooms in a brownstone or brick house, like formal parlor floors that are never used if you put the kitchen downstairs with a family room. And, if you do the kitchen on the parlor, then you still have a smallish living room/family room on that floor, or again, it's on another floor. prefer the more open spaces of new condos. we have 1000 sq feet of just living space (not including the bedrooms) with high ceilings,. it's really nice for a family to spread out and great if you have relatives over a lot.

running up and down stairs, hauling kids and their crap just sucks too.

so, I think this place looks great. not understanding the negativity. probably will be sunny, nice size rooms, elevator, close to storage in the area like Moishe's, it seems like a good family apartment to me. sure this will sell.

had this been on the market when we were looking, we would have considered it.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:06 PM

Glass buildings are the future and brownstones are old and rickety you hear neighbors cough and hack. Gross. It has elevators and great views, it feels like heaven. It's nice to have money.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:08 PM

Would work as a Bklyn pied-at-terre. Designed for too much of a mish-mosh of functions otherwise (family, couple, entertaining) without being especially well-suited for any one.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:11 PM

The kitchen will need to be spotless 24/7. Not only is it wide open to the living and dining area but it is also in the entryway.
These layouts are meant for people who do not cook or eat. The fridge and cabinets can be used as a spare closets.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:11 PM

1:23 Good lord, where do you live? If you have an apartment with the amount of storage and closet space that seem to need, don't ever plan on moving again because you won't find it anywhere else. Linen closet in every bathroom! I'm not sure I've ever seen it.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:15 PM

Still overpriced.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:17 PM

"but 10 years from now, this place will be paying handsome returns. "

in 10 years it will be even uglier than it is now, if possible.

and most likely falling apart at the seams.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:18 PM

This looks great, and will really help with the economic revitalization of downtown Newark! Look out, midtown Manhatan!

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:19 PM

I think there is that person also, 2:24.

Sadly she has passed on.

Her name was Hellen Keller.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:27 PM

I think it is kind of cute the way a certain segment of Brownstoners are so wed to the idea that the only civilized/reasonable/moral way to live is in a 19th century townhouse.
- its almost Amish in its devotion...

I think eventually we might be able to create a tourism around it; people will come from miles to see these people in their quaint homes, driving their old volvos and subarus shopping at their specialized food markets - now if only they had some sort of cookie.....

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:32 PM

1.6 million for this unit is luxury living. Entering an apartment and the first thing you go past is the kitchen is a bad layout. When entertaining, I don't want the first thing my guests to see is the mayhem in the kitchen from cooking and bags of groceries, etc.

When people enter that apartment, they should come in through the foyer and then, bam...they should see the wall of glass. The butler escorting them in shouldn't have to tell them, we're going to go past the kitchen, but don't look.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:43 PM

The apartment is nice, needs more closets, but nice. The building's location on the other hand, kind of sucks. Where exactly is it? Kind of on the Fort Greene/downtown boundary?
Lots of upscale shopping on Flatbush and Myrtle? Prestige price for Fulton Mall location. I Don't know. I guess folks who are new to Brooklyn and think it is all hip, and all swell, will take the plunge. Convenient if you teach at Poly Tech and inherited ten million dollars. There must be at least one of you.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:45 PM

2:43 - This 2007 NYC, your off by a price factor of 10 when your talking of butlers

While I'm not saying this is the greatest layout ever - open layouts are fairly typical today and hiding the cooking from the guests are a thing of the past (for good or bad)

Again if your talking about they type of entertaining where butler's escort you around and 'staff' is in the kitchen while hosts mingle - then you are talking about a far higher price point then 1.6M (and a much different neighborhood then Flatbush Ave Ext.)

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:55 PM

A similar apt in Forte was on that NY "OpenHouse" infomercial/show. Woman looked at it -- loved view but passsed -- didn't like the neighborhood.

And you can't put your flat screen TV in the living area -- no wall except next to kitchen and there would be glare from the windows. I love the look -just woudln't want to actually live there as it is.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 2:57 PM

2:51 = assistant to the assistant architect for oro condominiums

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:03 PM

"I don't want the first thing my guests to see is the mayhem in the kitchen"

Please seek help for your inexplicable kitchen phobia.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:15 PM

Well, let's see. There's a gazillion condo clone apartments to choose from (if you want to call it a choice), and there are little to no houses to buy in this area. I'm not saying one is better than the other, I'm just saying that I would prefer a house, but can't find one in the 1.6 m range.

Anyway . . . it is called Brownstoner not Condoer..

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:17 PM

Me thinks there's a team of realtors on this thread. All of them plugging this crap.

Someone mentioned "pros" -- the only pros involved in these developments are accountants.

And whoever lives so happily in an apartment with 1000 sq feet of "just living space" with high ceilings DOESN'T live in one of these forte /oro cubicles.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:20 PM

I'm 2:43 and when I said Butler escorting you, I said it in jest in reference to 2:04.

In a 'WOW'...apartment, and that's what this one is hoping to be. You shouldn't have to walk past a kitchen to get to the 'piece d'resistance'. An open kitchen can be very beautiful and dramatic, it's just not the first thing you should see, when coming into this apartment.

Brooklynlove - "the people who conceived, planned and designed this building do those things for a living" - Yes, they do, and one would think that they would consider the experience of entering and being in a space. It's all about the approach and leading up to the 'View'.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:27 PM

I was wrong. There is a townhouse in this area (well, a good twelve blocks away) for similar price. But apparently from an earlier thread, it needs tons of work. Meaning, another 1mil.
http://www.prudentialelliman.com/Listings.aspx?ListingID=926014&rentalperiod=&SearchType=houses&Region=NYC

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:29 PM

Someone mentioned "pros" -- the only pros involved in these developments are accountants.

You are so right 3:20.

There are so many Condos on the market right now. Poorly laid out, medicore finishes with high price tags.

They're peddling kohler fittings and GE Profile appliances as luxury living...Please.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:41 PM

BooklynLove -- the TV hanging from the ceiling gives an instutional (hospital) vibe that is just not aestheticaly pleasing.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:44 PM

Again I really dont know where you people think you live but you are VERY hard pressed to find a 3br apartment in Manhattan/Downtown Brooklyn/LIC (with views) that has a layout other than 'cookie cutter' (i.e. where there is any consideration to things like "entry experience") for under 3M.

Sorry but that is just reality. But if your interested there is some real nice stuff in pre-war Bronx buildings offering that.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:56 PM

Brooklynlove - a better, high end solution would be, a drop down screen recessed in the ceiling with projection TV of course also recessed. Maybe, you didnt' know that, cause you didn't step up your game enough!

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 3:59 PM

And the comparisons to a Brownstones are also asinine.

1st of all there are no (already renovated) Brownstones anywhere near this area for 1.6M and even if they were, the cost of ownership will be far far higher. The maintenance and taxes on this apartment is approximately 14,000 a year - which includes a doorman, a concierge, a gym with a pool and other shared public space and there are no Brownstones except maybe 3 dozen in Brooklyn Heights with these views.

You are comparing apples and oranges but if your going to do so, at least be fair about it.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:07 PM

i personally love apartments where you walk into the kitchen dining area. it's where the heart is. feels modern and casual and comfortable.

think that brownstone owners believe that condo owners don't cook or entertain, we do! just tend to be more hip and less old fashioned.

also, we don't wear mom jeans.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:13 PM

3:56 sounds like the classic snooty-ass NYC realtor.

my favorite snooty-ass quotes:

"if you can't afford three million, there's always the south bronx for losers like you"
or
"I can't hold this for you, you need to decide yes or no tonight."
or
"What do you expect for a million three?"
or the all-time classic:
"I have another four families waiting to snap this up"

-Realtor-speak. Tune it out.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:21 PM

3:56 here - not a broker at all; and I didnt say South Bronx either.

In fact I am a bigger proponent of the Bronx and there ARE beautifully layed out family-sized apartments that are very affordable in the Bronx - but in the areas generally mentioned here- Manhattan, Brownstone Brooklyn, LIC and a few others - to get all that you are talking 3M+ - its not snobbery - its the facts.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:27 PM

Everyone's going back and forth on what ifs and what are good and bad about bldgs, but the point is if architects and developers are more creative, they can create amazing modern spaces in any area. And it need not affect so much the $$$ bottom line. Most of them are just intellectually lazy, in my very humble opinion.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:31 PM

yes every single developer and architect is a lazy intellectually bankrupt shell.

- So says the collective genius known as the Brownstoner blog commenters

BTW - if you disagree please site one recent comparable development/apartment that you praise.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:38 PM

4:27, when will the 'facts' of getting a property for 3M+ be obscene.

The middle class are outpriced from most of NYC.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:41 PM

Sorry 4:41 - I dont make the news; only report it and expecting much more at this price point in these areas just isnt realistic in today's market.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:49 PM

Architect here, I always look at new developements in NYC and say to my architect partner, Is this the best that can be done, it's sad.

There are alot of things that can be done creatively and not cost alot. We're not intellectually lazy. The individuals financing the project have alot of say on the design and materials used. Ultimately, we do what the client wants, they pay the fees.

As an architect, married to an architect. We can't afford these units on the market. they are overpriced and I don't think they are worth the asking.

I know how much things cost to build:
$200-225 sq, ft. for an average construction
$400-500 for a high end construction
Which this one is?
$400 X 1,647sq. ft = 658,000 (and I doubt this cost that much).
so why is it listed for 1.6m, cause there people that want to make a tone of $$$ and live outside of NYC in McMansions.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 4:56 PM

"The middle class are outpriced from most of NYC."

Just as god intended.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:23 PM

And the land is another 200-250 a buildable foot - so now your at - 600-650 a sq ft - plus financing and other soft costs and now your at $700sq ft =1.1M

Architect - potentially the reason why you and your wife (who are both professionals) cant afford a an apartment that can be afforded by a couple earning 325,000 a yr (which isnt that crazy for 2 architects working in NYC in the biggest boom ever) is because you dont know what your talking about.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:23 PM

everything looks very tight. The kitchen is really small, it has very little workable counterspace.
Very tight, too expensive, weird location.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:26 PM

Dope - that was harsh.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:27 PM

5:23 = developer, trying to justify the high cost of crappy buildings in medicore neighborhoods selling to rich willing to overpay for manufactured 'trend'

crack open the Help Wanted's, an Architect makes 70,000 - 80,000 year, and when you come down to reality, maybe start developing housing for middle class NYers, cause we're the ones that deserve it.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:32 PM

4:56 YOU ROCK. Thanks for putting it in perspective.

The profit margin for this POS is staggering.

You can hate brownstones or houses all you want, but at least it appreciates over time. This stuff just gets cruddier and tackier every month (see upper east side yuppie projects, et al).

But I guess this what it comes down to, as the "supposed realtor" (who I'm sure isn't) sees it: comps.

And 4:13pm, As far as hipper "less old fashioned" kitchens in modern buildings? I hate to break it to you (since you seem so assured of your hipness), but the fashionable Manhattanites I've known over the years have all somehow descended on brownstone brooklyn in the past year (stylists, models, photogs, editors). I have nothing against all this high voltage glamour, but it is weird to have once bumped into these people on Lafayette in Soho, only to find the same crew on Lafayette in Brooklyn. Where do they live? Fuddy duddy old brownstones. And boy do they make mom jeans look hot. ;)

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:33 PM

5:23: "what *you're* talking about" (not YOUR)

5:32: "we're the ones *who* deserve it" (not THAT)

Hey pontificators, let's at least speak the damn language correctly, shall we?

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:36 PM

5:33 - what planet are you living those 'yuppie projects" on the Upper Eastside have appreciated as fast or faster then any Brooklyn Brownstone. In fact please cite any yr over yr period of history where the price of apartments (including new condos) didnt appreciate (or depreciate) almost in lockstep (%-wise) with any nearby Brownstones.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 5:57 PM

crash, housing market, crash...so I can laugh at all this

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 6:10 PM

There are no doors shown on the plan, do you have to pay extra for those.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 6:11 PM

THIS PLACE SUCKS..... PROJECTS NEXT DOOR. HIGHWAY. HOPE THOSE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THERE HAVE GUNS

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 6:13 PM

if you don't want to have to walk through the kitchen, build a wall there and make people take a right and go through bedroom 3 instead. you would have to knock a hole in bedroom 3's wall and you would still have to walk past 2 bathrooms and a couple closets. but i'm sure people with only 1.6mn will "settle" for this solution, as they have no other choice. the nyc market can easily live without them. maybe they will go back to ohio or something.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 6:29 PM

I'm curious, is this joint still overpriced?

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 7:19 PM

"Everyone who wanted a home had one"

Poleguy once again posts from some imagined paradisaical past. His ignorance reaches a previously unimagined height with each new post.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 7:37 PM

Polemicist, you are truly romanticizing a non-existent past.

From the Brownstoner archives, an interesting stroll down memory lane with Charles Lockwood, including housing shortages, astronomical prices, rich v. poor, etc.:

http://tinyurl.com/2cq6y7

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 7:57 PM

1 bathroom per bedroom is totally exaggerated. No need to waste space like that. This floorplan makes is the perfect roommate scenario for 3 single meatheads/ex-fratboys--essentially a bachelor pad to share.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 8:00 PM

There were no post from anyone who has actually been to there ORO. I went a couple of weeks ago and saw some units on the 20th floor. I think it was the C and D lines. There were both 2 bedrooms and they were going for about $660 per square foot. Overall, I was impressed with the finishes of the main and secondary bathrooms. The kitchen was what I expected for this level of "luxury". EXCEPT for the GE profile appliances. Since when is "GE profile" the bench mark for luxo-hotness? They also skimped on the floors. One of the units had some of the wood exposed so I could see that they were extremely thin. They seemed a step or two above pergo, and not what I'd expect if i was to pay $850K.
The views from the 20th fl were "nice" I saw the Manhattan side view and the Broolyn side view, but neither was awe-inspiring.

I had no problem with the layout, it was definetly usable and something a family of 3 or 4 could easily make the most of.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 8:38 PM

Overpriced crap. There'll be a glut real soon, no matter how "nice" the views.

Posted by: guest at December 17, 2007 11:52 PM

Faux gold rush. Just call it "gold" not "Oro". Is that why it's so overpriced? The Conquistadores sailed into Brooklyn. And BrooklynLove, nuff with your rah rah hard sell crap. You work for these guys, did their order you to blog? Bottom line is I'm not sure they really care about you nor the suckers that may include us. Sucks to hear architects cave in to developers who cares only about cookie cutter drudgery because they have no couth. Where's the integrity in design? Must admit I like what's happening here, but then again, it's quite surreal and over the top. Saw the rooms albeit the whole pad and there won't be much room after all the furniture come in and you'll sure to bump your knees and even stub your toes on them. No way it's 1,647 sf. Welcome to the obstacle course.

Posted by: guest at December 18, 2007 12:48 AM

Get over yourself. This place sucks.

Posted by: guest at December 18, 2007 10:58 AM

Why is everyone so negative about this place. i would jerk off a homeless man to live in such a great pad. For all the haters that complained about closet space, who the hell has a linen closet anymore. What the crap! Are you living in the 1800's. You have a bath towel, when it is dirty you wash it, end of story. I live in a 1.5 million dollar apt near the Oro and would trade apt in a heartbeat.

Posted by: guest at December 18, 2007 11:06 AM

11:06 Haven't heard of a 1.5 mil apt near Oro. Where is it? Educate me.

Posted by: guest at December 18, 2007 11:10 AM

BellTel Lofts is in the are and so is 110 Livingston.

Posted by: guest at December 18, 2007 11:53 AM

"You have a bath towel, when it is dirty you wash it, end of story. I live in a 1.5 million dollar apt..."

You only own one towel? Guess we know how you managed to save up to buy that pricey apartment.

Oh wait, you just you "live in" it.

Wait, the pieces are coming together... the writing style... the tone... You're like 14 years old, am I right?

Posted by: guest at December 19, 2007 12:59 AM

Check this out:
http://oro-condos.blogspot.com/

Posted by: guest at January 3, 2008 12:01 PM

I read a discussion regarding getting out of a condo contract, prior to closing, in light of the new realities in the real estate market. My opinion would be that the buyer may have some leverage with the developer of an unfinished building since the one thing that every developer wants to avoid is litigation prior to final approval by the attorney generals office and prior to selling all of the apartments. The reason for this is that all law suits must be disclosed to the AG and this must be included in offering. Depending upon the nature of the litigation, such a disclosure can have an immense effect in the time it takes the AG to approve the plan and even greater effect on the ability for the other buyers to get a mortgage.

The worse type of litigation that a developer can face is issues regarding disputes of property boundary. In such cases, banks are often forced to back off from providing mortgages to buyers, regardless of the banks relationship with the developer, since boundary litigation places an substantial level of obstacles to sell and package the mortgage on the open market. Some examples that come to mind include the cases where entire walls had to be removed because of minimal infractions and in cases where cornices or overhangs infringed on the adjacent property. My advice to any developer in such a case is to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate and at all costs, avoid litigation. In cases where a person wants to back out of the deal, I recommend to the developer to sweeten the deal and again, avoid any litigation for the reasons mentioned above. It is important to also consider what other potential buyers would think of litigation against a contracted buyer. One method might be to reduce the price, offer free maintenance for a period of time or perhaps exchange the contracted apartment for a “better” or larger apartment. Settle such disputes. A developer must handle disputes with “silk gloves” and swallow their pride, with the end objective of sales in mind

Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 9:12 PM

I though at one time no one wanted to come to Brookloyn. What is the excitement all about now. Building condos for the rich and hope that the rich keep what they have because of the economy coming down on everyone. If you want to pay 1.6 million for a crowded congested atmosphere, then you may need to look in Cali for the real homes if you are considered to be rich and living in brooklyn. Is a view of a river the excitement or looking at a skyline, or just keeping the middle class working from making reasonable purchases.

Posted by: guest at February 18, 2008 1:34 AM

Oro has failed construction inspection for temporary CO. All of the buyers that are in contract will have problem moving into the building, and who knows how long the DOB will take?

Posted by: guest at April 13, 2008 11:18 AM

I've been to the Oro and seen the layout above (facing Manhattan). Idiosyncratic preferences aside, it's an amazing apartment. I've also bought a unit at the Oro, a one-bedroom, above the 20th floor facing Manhattan. I looked for condos throughout Brooklyn and I must say The Oro was well-priced compared to a lot of places I saw. I'll be honest - I'm thrilled and nervous about the Oro. The location is lacking, no doubt. The building's appearance is not what I imagined when I started my search. But the space (trust me, the apartments are spacious), views (they are indeed killer facing the manhattan side), REAL amenities and proximity to transportation is what got me. Uh, yeah I realize there are projects next door. But there's also a scary homeless man in my current neighborhood (Gramercy Park) that occasionally poops on squirrels. There's also a jail in Boerum Hill and methadone clinic in Fort Greene. But I digress. Personally, I'm really excited about the place.

Posted by: guest at May 15, 2008 1:51 PM

Have you seen the homeless shelter other than the projects, next to it?

Posted by: guest at May 17, 2008 9:41 PM