Architecture
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