Development Watch: 80 Dekalb Getting Close

The 36-story development that Forest City Ratner is building at 80 Dekalb Avenue topped out in May and, according to this photo we snapped yesterday, is almost all glassed up. It looks like they changed the facade a little on the upper floors, replacing the exterior panels with windows, doesn't it?
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Comments

Good question. Yes, yes it does.

Posted by: bkre at August 5, 2009 3:17 PM

It is only on that one side - the wider sides maintain the sheeting all the way up - happens to be a beautiful building, not that anyone here would acknowledge

Posted by: fsrg at August 5, 2009 3:24 PM

I like it too, fsrg.

This and Toren are lookin' mighty nice.

I'm wondering if they are going to put a grand entrance of sorts on that Avalon building right across from Toren on the Flatbush side. If so, that could really spiff up that corner a lot too...

Posted by: 11217 at August 5, 2009 3:27 PM

I'm with FSRG. Congratulations to FCR.

Posted by: benson at August 5, 2009 3:27 PM

You guys are high. Toren is absolutely hideous and this is just mediocre.

Posted by: bagus at August 5, 2009 3:50 PM

I'm not saying this just to be contrary, but this is seriously one of the ugliest things I can imagine (aside from that castle on clifton yesterday, obviously). What's nice about it? It's exactly like all the garbage being built in Brooklyn except 10 times bigger. Ever walk down DeKalb on a sunny morning? You'll instantly go blind from the glare if you look directly at those god awful panels.

Posted by: TD at August 5, 2009 4:52 PM

Toren hot, cool, outrageous. Everything else near cookie cutter but FCR building. Of course many folks hate it but many think it superior. Building also greenest skyscraper ever in BK.

Posted by: BK realestate veteran at August 5, 2009 4:53 PM

Benson and FSRG: you are not allowed to say anything positive about FCR on this site. Don't you know that downtown brooklyn was so much better and beautiful before metrotech. And that meat market was beautiful compared to the mall.

So bagus: please educate us on what newish highrises are not hideous or just mediocre in NYC( and don't cost zillion $$ per sq ft).

Posted by: Petebklyn at August 5, 2009 4:53 PM

Agree fsrg this is a beautiful building. Really refreshing and makes us love FG even more. Does anyone know the architect? Love the Toren as well.

Posted by: pierre de taille at August 5, 2009 5:22 PM

Hello everyone I am the former Project architect/manager for 80 Dekalb.
First off the "change" to all glass on the upper floors was always part of the design.
Secondly as far as design goes this will probably end up being one of Costas Kondylis and Partners LLC's most dynamic in house building designs as the firm is quickly falling apart in this economy.(I no longer work there and that is the word among former employees)
I will admit the building is a little quirky and it was a nightmare to work on the cad files, I used to call the building the starship due to the shape of the plans.
Say what you will, FCR was going to put something there, and if you saw some of the early brick renderings you would be thankfull this is what we are hosting here in brooklyn.

and yes I am biased

Posted by: skyliner at August 5, 2009 6:18 PM

I saw an earlier rendering which appears to be a combo of masonry and the metal panels. In fact, the image is still on the Costas Kondylis website, even though it's microscopic. It would still be a turd, but better than this thing. That firm is one of the biggest perpetrators of highly visible crap architecture in the city.

Posted by: TD at August 5, 2009 6:30 PM

11217 - there is going to be a large open public access courtyard bewtween AVB FG and flatbush ave.

Posted by: BrooklynLove at August 5, 2009 8:49 PM

Not feeling much love for this giant tower as it killed our view of the Chrysler Building. If it's full of empty condos or overpriced rentals I'll love it even less.

Posted by: Brooklyn Cat at August 6, 2009 12:08 AM

nice lookin tower -- bring more of these downtown. beats 111 lawrence people. get some perspective.

Posted by: bklynite at August 6, 2009 10:06 AM

I like it, too! Doesn't anyone remember what was there before? It was an underused office building (I think they called it Metrotech 5). Walking back from the Q train, the area was always seemed dark and not so welcoming; I think this is a major improvement.

Posted by: NostrandAve at August 6, 2009 8:56 PM

Hopefully there will be some useful retail in the base as well. Maybe a cafe or restaurant?

Posted by: zinka at August 7, 2009 11:51 AM

« StreetLevel: Bistro Open on 6th Ave and 14th Closing Bell: Greenest Block in Brooklyn »

August 5, 2009

Development Watch: 80 Dekalb Getting Close

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