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July 7, 2008

Development Watch: 162 Myrtle Avenue

162-Myrtle-Avenue-0708.jpg
Work has been underway at John Catsimatidis' project at 162 Myrtle Avenue for a month or so at this point. The action for now seems to be focused on the eastern end of the site, at the corner of Myrtle and Ashland Place, where a sizable hole has been dug and foundation work is presumably underway. As you may recall, in May the developer told the Brooklyn Paper that current market conditions were making it necessary to eliminate the affordable housing component of the project and to break it up into four (more easily financed) separate buildings.

UPDATE: Per a request in the comments thread, we called Red Apple HQ to find out more about the ultimate configuration of the project. Turns out that the tower is still slated for its original location at the western end of the site; if you look at the rendering here, you can see how the non-tower part of the building is already designed in three natural sections. All that's happening is that these three sections plus the tower are being financed as four different projects. Nothing's happening to the scale or layout.

UPDATE II: See the permit for the first new, nine-story building issued on June 23 here.
Catsimatidis Tweaks Blueprints for Myrtle [Brownstoner] GMAP P*Shark DOB
Development Watch: Catsimatidis Ready to Go on Myrtle? [Brownstoner]




Posted by Brownstoner at 12:01 PM | Comments (22)
Categories: Development, Downtown Brooklyn

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Comments

Brownstoner, any chance you could use your clout (i.e. by contacting Red Apple) to determine whether the plans for those four separate buildings include a tower, or just 4 mid-sized buildings?

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 12:04 PM

Dear Brownstoner,

I second that request.

Best,
Interested Toren Buyer

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 12:08 PM

shakeshead....

Or you guys can do it yourself and do your own homework. Come on, what's next? You want me f*(k your wife for you too?

Lazy!

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 12:50 PM

12.50, You're a knob.

If Mr. Noone calls Red Apple, they'll just as likely ignore the call. If Mr. Brownstoner calls Red Apple, they're much more likely to be open about what' s going on.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 1:07 PM

Yeah, because on the phone people never lie about themselves.

Call and say you are whoever you want to be to get the answers. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 1:13 PM

There's an update above. Tower is still planned. Unsurprising.

Posted by: zinka at July 7, 2008 1:57 PM

Whoever buys into this "project" has some beautiful background scenery.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 2:25 PM

There will indeed be 4 separate buildings on the site. The city has "re-mapped" 2 streets that will separate the first 3 buildings. Yes, the re-mapped "streets" will be very short and of virtually no use, except to separate the buildings. The eastern-most building now under construction will take 14 months to complete. The next building (to the west) will not begin construction until the first is finished. The 3rd won't begin until the second is finished, etc. Note that this first building will include a much-needed grocery store. The second building will include a drug store. I am surprised that none of your readers have shared this information with you to date.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 2:34 PM

it's looking like oro 1 and 2 are going to have the lock on marquee views from this bunch of towers. suddenly those oro 3 brs look more attractive.

i tried posting something earlier with info but apparently it was lost in the abyss.

Posted by: BrooklynLove at July 7, 2008 3:04 PM

Great. So the estimation completion date for the tower is....7-8 years?!?!!??

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 3:06 PM

....so on that schedule we're looking at completion of all the buildings by March 2013 (or thereabouts)?

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 3:07 PM

Dear Brownstoner,

This is 12.04pm. Thanks very much for digging into this for us - it is very much appreicated.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 3:07 PM

Brooklynlove,

From that far back, does anyone really have a 'lock' on views? With all the development going on, it is really impossible (or unlikely) that some other tall building will come up between Oro and the river?

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 3:15 PM

12:50

The reason why anyone inquired is because it wasn't very clear to begin with the information out there. Why do you think blogs like this exist? What's with some commenters??

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 3:18 PM

The truth is as long as the projects aren't touched, there will always be a very clear view of the Williamsburg bridge from the northeast corner of the building.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 3:20 PM

of course, but any likely development site for a 30+ tower in oro's manahttan view corridor would be so far away that it would more compliment the view than block it.

note my use of the word "likely".

contrast with toren and cats tower which we know will not have any direct north views.

just some food for thought when you're crunching your numbers.

Posted by: BrooklynLove at July 7, 2008 3:25 PM

Toren will only have no views , good thing it has so many interior amenities. Must be why the outside deck is only on the 5th floor...nothing to see otherwise.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 4:08 PM

The lower portion of these buildings wil be in the view of Hanson place and Forte, but will not impede upon the city view.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 4:09 PM

Call me nuts but it warms the cockles of my heart. ( Don't ask me what cockles are? I don't know but it is a common phrase I repeat without knowing what the hell it means.)

Imagine having a problem with too many towers in Downtown Brooklyn. It is fantastic. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Hope Avalon Bay and City Point build some beauties in the next 2 years.

As far as views from the Toren, I'll enjoy the view of walking up to it and entering this gorgeous building after a hard days work. I can't wait.

Posted by: Junkman at July 7, 2008 4:23 PM

Brooklynlove,

From that far back, does anyone really have a 'lock' on views? With all the development going on, it is really impossible (or unlikely) that some other tall building will come up between Oro and the river?

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 6:26 PM

of course but the likely spots for future towers are not close so would provide more of a complement effect than an enclosure effect - the open view feel and manhattan skyline would be mostly preserved. the point here is that among this cluster of condo towers the only building currently with indefinite open north views is oro. this is surely a plus to oro's evaluation relative to toren and cats towers. however toren (and cats tower will) has its own different relative plusses ...

Posted by: BrooklynLove at July 7, 2008 7:17 PM

Only a gullible fool would choose to live next to the projects.

Posted by: guest at July 7, 2008 11:03 PM

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