Architecture
May 13, 2008
Upscale Green Townhouses Coming to Bed Stuy
Here's a rendering for a trio of green, modular townhouses planned for a plot of land in Bed Stuy across the street from Restoration Plaza. Designed by Garrison Architects, the 2,900-square-foot houses have highly efficient heating, insulation and lighting systems. They also look pretty darn good, we think. According to the listing agent, one of the three houses is already spoken for, which is impressive since a $1,300,000 price tag isn't easy to pull off in this part of town these days. Then again, nothing like this has been done in the area as far as we know. Think they'll be a market for this approach?
22 New York Avenue - In Contract [Corcoran]
24 New York Avenue [Corcoran] a style="text-decoration:none" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=22+New+York+Avenue,+Brooklyn&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=90.516324,97.558594&ie=UTF8&z=16&iwloc=addr" target="_blank">GMAP
24A New York Avenue [Corcoran]
Continue reading "Upscale Green Townhouses Coming to Bed Stuy"
May 2, 2008
TONY Takes a Walk Through Green-Wood Cemetery
As part of its Walking Tour issue, Time Out NY this week serves up an unintimidating plan for tackling the sights of Green-wood Cemetery. A few of the stops on their suggested route include the grave of Bill the Butcher, a bust of Horace Greeley and the Steinway family mausoleum. Any must-see personal faves from readers?
Green-Wood Cemetery Walk [Time Out NY]
April 16, 2008
On Prospect Park: Ready For its Close-Up
Yesterday we had the distinct pleasure of touring On Prospect Park, the Richard Meier-designed condo next to Grand Army Plaza. The building's on-site sales office opened last week, and it consists of a model four-bedroom unit on the second floor. Details in the unit are legion: The kitchen, for example, has integrated appliances like a microwave "garage" and a Sub-Zero fridge, both of which completely blend into the white cabinetry; high-end finishes abound, with Zuma soaking tubs in the bathrooms, Gaggenau gas cooktops with integrated electric ovens in the kitchens, and walk-in showers in the master baths with Dornbracht rain heads. Unsurprisingly, though, the real star of the show at OPP are the views from the floor-to-ceiling glass walls. The view from the most expensive unit, a 16th-floor duplex penthouse that costs $6 million, includes Prospect Park on one end and both the Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan skylines on the other. The building is now around 40 percent sold—its sales director, Cheryl Nielsen-Saaf of Corcoran Sunshine, said two more units went into contract on Monday—and move-ins should happen by September.
On Prospect Park [Official Site]
Brooklyn Can Finally Get Down With OPP [Brownstoner]
April 4, 2008
Glassy PLG Tower Bad News for Birds, Says Expert
Scores of migrating birds would smash into the glassy 23-story tower planned in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, on Lincoln Road and Flatbush Avenues, creating a mess on the crowded sidewalks below, said Prospect Park Audubon Center senior naturalist Gabriel Willow. He said adjacent Prospect Park, at 585 acres, is a popular resting place for birds along the Atlantic Flyway, and added that glass towers in Manhattan near smaller, less popular parks have been the death of hundreds of birds a year. "You'll just find the ground littered with birds," he said. Tom Gilman of Gilman Architects didn't respond when asked if his design took migrating birds into consideration (the flock was added to the rendering). Meanwhile, developer Henry Herbst said he's been busy polling the community about their preference for the ground floor retail compenent—so far, they're leaning toward a bank and organic market, even though the short block already has two non-organic markets. Herbst said, "They claim there's no organic foods in the area," which is basically true. Cage-free hens, anyone?
Wings Meet Deadly Glass [NY Times]
Form Follows Feathers: Bird-Friendly Architecture [Architectural Record]
Lefferts Gardens Gets a Few New Arrivals [Brooklyn Daily Eagle]
April 1, 2008
Latest Addition to BAM Complete
A few days ago the Brooklyn Academy of Music unveiled the new glass canopy outside its landmark Peter Jay Sharp building. The multi-million-dollar restoration of most of the building was completed a few years ago, and BAM's website says the canopy was supposed to be finished in 2005. The organization declined to comment on the addition since it's issuing a press release about it in a couple of days, but our understanding is that the structure marks the end of Peter Jay Sharp's restoration. How do you think it looks? GMAP
March 4, 2008
Admiring 1024 Dean Street
Driving through Crown Heights last weekend, we took notice for the first time of the building at 1024 Dean Street. The most striking conversion of an industrial building we'd ever seen in the area, 1024 turns out to have won an award from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce in 2005. The 14,000-square-foot development known as the Ice House had to have been one of the first LEED-certified projects. The six-unit conversion was done on a $1.4 million budget (wow!) and from the street looks fantastic. Any readers been inside?
Building Brooklyn Awards - 2005 [Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce] GMAP P*Shark DOB
February 5, 2008
It's Nomination Time for the Brooklyn Building Awards
The Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce is currently soliciting nominations for its 2008 Brooklyn Building Awards. The annual event, which has been held since 2001, "recognizes recently completed construction and renovation projects that enrich Brooklyn’s neighborhoods and economy." Last year's winners included the Bed Stuy YMCA, MoCADA and Brooklyn Law School's Feil Hall. You've got until February 15th to submit your picks (though we're told this is a flexible deadline). We just wish they'd created a category for the worst buildings too!
2007 Building Brooklyn Awards Winners Announced [Brownstoner]
December 21, 2007
Introducing Gowanus, the Condo
Does the rendering above signal that Gowanus has suddenly become marketable? The building in question is the under-construction 255 1st Street (see photo on jump), which was designed by Steven Kratchman Architect, the firm that had a hand in designing Chelsea Piers. It's entirely possible that the building's name has changed since the rendering was produced, but we're fascinated by the fact that the developers would name a condo between 4th and 5th avenues (in Park Slope!) after the canal/industrial neighborhood. The condo will have three one-bedrooms, 16 two-bedrooms and 13 three-bedrooms, and it's supposed to hit the market soon. GMAP DOB P*Shark
December 5, 2007
Closing Bell: Beautiful in Bushwick
We went for a little driving tour around Bushwick a couple of weeks ago. The highlight of the day was undoubtably this little two-story brick treasure that feels like a carriage house but, judging from the original arched windows and arched lintels (is that the right term?), it never was. A Google search suggests that it's currently the headquarters for an elevator company but the building appears to be part of a larger parcel that includes an empty lot to the left of the building. According to PropertyShark, the property was purchased a year ago for $1,600,000, a price that suggests the new owners are going to do more than just sit on it. If that's the case, let's hope they have they have mercy on this building. GMAP P*Shark
November 7, 2007
Scarano Sounds Off
The Real Deal has a profile in its new issue of Robert Scarano that summarizes the prolific architect’s recent woes (which include increased scrutiny of worker safety at construction sites for buildings he designed; charges that he’s repeatedly flouted zoning regulations; and the possibility that the state is going to revoke his architecture license). Since 2002, there have been 1,349 Environmental Control Board violations at 600-some-odd Scarano-related sites; a DOB rep said it’s difficult to assess whether that’s an inordinate number of violations. There are also a bunch of fascinating quotes from Scarano in which he defends himself against his critics; in a telling bit of self-aggrandizement, he talks about how his firm likes to “push the envelope.” And he once again makes the case that as an architect he shouldn’t be singled out for mishaps at the construction sites of buildings he’s designed: "The architectural profession is seen as some sort of prophet to the building industry…They think we should monitor and coddle jobs. The reality is, architects are hired to produce a set of plans for construction entities to build."
Scarano Pointing the Finger Back [Real Deal]
Scarano: Licensed to Ill? [Brownstoner]
Guv Signs "Scarano Bill" and New Building Safety Law [Brownstoner]
De Blasio Continues To Go After Scarano [Brownstoner]
Scarano Cuts Deal, Gives Up Self-Certification [Brownstoner]