Condo of the Day: 105 Lexington Avenue, #2F

This loft at 105 Lexington Avenue in Bed Stuy strikes us as a pretty good deal at a time when those are few and far between. The open-plan apartment has over 1,100 square feet with high ceilings and nice aged wood floors. And with Classon and Franklin Avenues getting more amenities by the day, the location seems like a good long-term play too. The asking price is $699,000.
105 Lexington Avenue, #2F [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
More Problems on Spencer Street; Condos on Market

A neighbor contacted us about a new development at the long-troubled Spencer Street condos. The building at 209 Spencer Street has sat empty for years because of fraud on the part of the developers, and a few weeks ago homeless people and kids broke into the building, above, which is now exposed, he said. Neighbors are worried it will burn down, and have called 311 and filed reports with the DOB, but so far no action has been taken. Curiously, the building appears to be for sale, although it apparently never received a certificate of occupancy. Owners of condos in other buildings in the same development have been unable to sell their units because the buildings do not conform to zoning laws. The listing says only the building “needs cosmetic work completed throughout” and “is well-positioned to be utilized as a rental building in an area growing more popular with young professionals.”
Spencer Street Condo Saga Drags On [Brownstoner] GMAP
New Renderings for 341 Eastern Parkway

BuzzBuzzHome attended the Brooklyn Real Estate Summit the other week and picked up new renderings of the big build currently going up on the corner of Eastern Parkway and Franklin Avenue. Aptsandlofts.com will begin marketing the building in the spring of 2014; the firm’s president and founder Dave Maundrell told the summit crowd that the units will be condos. This particular project has cycled through many renderings since the empty lot sold in 2012. According to DOB records, it’ll have 65 units over eight stories, as well as ground-floor retail and community space. See the interior renderings after the jump.
341 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights to Hit Market in Spring 2014 [BuzzBuzzHome]
Eastern Parkway Build Going up Quickly [Brownstoner]
A Peek Inside the Big Build at 341 Eastern Parkway [Brownstoner]
The Latest Look for the Big Eastern Pkwy/Franklin Ave Site [Brownstoner]
Big Lot at Eastern Pkwy/Franklin Finally Sells for $8M [Brownstoner]
Long-Empty Crown Heights Lot up for Grabs [Brownstoner]
Restart Coming for 341 Eastern Parkway? [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 333 Eastern Parkway [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
Renderings via BuzzBuzzHome (more…)
Condo of the Day: 71 Pierrepont Street, #2

Strangely enough, our Condo of the Day and Rental of the Day both have a double-height living room with a mezzanine level one would not expect to find on the interior of a brownstone. But the condo at 71 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights is more lavish, with four bedrooms, a wood burning fireplace, an elevator in the five-story building, central air, and a private terrace. The finishes and conveniences are modern, as is the price of $2,575,000.
71 Pierrepont Street, #2 [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
145 McGuinness Boulevard Is Half Full

Buyers are picking up apartments at 145 McGuiness, the 10-unit Greenpoint condo that launched this April. A sales rep at Aptsandlofts.com reports that five units are now spoken for. In fact, all five offers came in and were accepted at the official building launch on May 9. Prices range from $499,000 for a one-bedroom to $949,000 for a two-bedroom. The next open house is this Sunday, from 2 pm to 4 pm.
10-Unit Condo Launches in Greenpoint [Brownstoner]
145 McGuinness Boulevard Listings [Aptsandlofts.com] GMAP
Condo of the Day: 50 Bridge Street, #609
This new loft listing at 50 Bridge Street is huge and pretty well priced for Dumbo. The defining feature of the loft apartment is the great room, which has 15-foot ceilings, freestanding columns and a circular staircase to the mezzanine level. Despite its size, though, the apartment’s not currently designed for family living, with only a single master bedroom. Nor is it designed to building codes, apparently. “Use of this loft does not conform to building department standards,” says the listing. “Consult an architect for further details.” That could explain why such a large place in Dumbo is asking just $1,500,000. A buying opportunity or a bureaucratic nightmare? You decide.
50 Bridge Street, #609 [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
Park Slope Conversion Finished
The conversion at 392 Dean Street that we have been following is all done, an open house was held on Mother’s Day, and photographs of the interior are now available and posted on the listing. Even though the townhouse is basically a brand-new build on an old foundation, the exterior and interior details such as the doors, moldings, windows, and salvage fireplaces are historically appropriate for this mid-19th century dwelling and its neighbors. The kitchens and baths are more modern in style and, as noted before, have book-end matched walnut and lacquer cabinets, and Carrara marble tile. Or, as developer Seth Brown put it, the unit for sale for $1,995,000 is a “mix of new and old, with a traditional parlor and working fireplace in keeping with a 150-year-old house, but with a very modern kitchen, home automation, ultra-efficient mechanicals, etc.” We think the whole thing turned out very well. What’s your opinion?
Condo of the Day: 85 North 3rd Street, #306
The owner of this 1,797-square-foot loft in one of our favorite Williamsburg condos — The Mill Building — found out that selling an apartment isn’t always as easy as it looks. This place was on the market as an FSBO for the month of April at $2,095,000. Now it’s back on with Douglas Elliman for $2,150,000. It’s a big place with lovely original wood beams and floors as well as high ceilings. The only negative we can see is that there is only one exposure and the apartment goes back pretty deep into the center of the building (floor plan here), meaning that the parts of the apartment don’t get a lot of natural light. Otherwise, very sweet pad.
85 North 3rd Street, #306 [Douglas Elliman] GMAP P*Shark
Condo of the Day: 306 Gold Street, #25D
If new(ish) condos in Downtown Brooklyn are your thing, this two-bedroom pad on the 25th floor of the Oro is definitely worth a look. The views through the wall of windows in the living room are great and the floors look much nicer than you usually see in new construction. On top of that, both bedrooms are decent-sized and there are two bathrooms to boot. Asking price for the 1,092-square-foot apartment is $970,000. Historically that would be a high valuation for this part of town but in this market historical pricing doesn’t seem to matter much.
306 Gold Street, #25D [Town Residential] GMAP P*Shark
Rendering and Details About New Greenpoint Build
The architecture firm Lubrano Ciavarra Architects just secured permits for a new build at 45 India Street, currently an empty lot between West and Franklin streets in Greenpoint. The four-story, seven-unit condo building will break ground in late May. The architects were given the task to design a small scale building that would reflect the neighborhood’s 19th century architecture and distinguish itself from the new glassy architecture along the waterfront, as well as the recently constructed, low-rise, fast-track developments going up around North Brooklyn. Here’s what they have to say about the design:
In exploring masonry patterning, the “corduroy” brick façade recalls the system of bays that organize the traditional industrial facades of the neighborhood. The metalwork that articulates the entry both alludes to the ironwork found at the street level of 19th century buildings to the east, and the boat-building industry that was so predominant at the bottom of India Street to the west.
And here’s what they have to say about the building itself: (more…)
Condo of the Day: 401 Hicks Street, #B6E
This two-bedroom duplex at The Arches in Cobble Hill is interesting — interesting as in it’s not your average cookie cutter apartment, and that has some good things about it and some not-so-good things. The living space features big windows and double-height ceilings (good!) but the upper level has some awkward dormer ceilings and oddly placed windows. The terrace is a nice feature, but unfortunately it’s off the master bedroom rather than the living room. Overall, the place is in very good shape (having been renovated in 2005) but the finishes are relatively charmless in our opinion (stuck in that ‘taint of the the design spectrum, neither vintage nor modern). Asking price for the 1,250-square-foot condo is $1,200,000.
401 Hicks Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Condo of the Day: 55 Berry Street, #2F
This two-bedroom condo in the converted industrial building at 55 Berry Street just hit the market with an asking price of $1,495,000. Given that this place is the same price as yesterday’s Condo of the Day in Dumbo but 10 percent smaller, it seems like a bit of a stretch to us. Williamsburg is on fire, though, so who the heck knows! This place has a lot of windows and a nice open plan. Personally, we like the finishes in yesterday’s apartment a little better.
55 Berry Street, #2F [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Condo of the Day: 30 Main Street, #5A
More than a million dollars is a lot of money for a one-bedroom, but this new listing in Dumbo’s Sweeney Building is a lot more than your average one-bedroom. First off, it’s got about 1,500 square and a big living/dining/kitchen area with (partial) river views. And, like many of the apartments in these converted Dumbo buildings, there’s a windowless “office” room, big enough for a child’s bedroom but legally disqualified from being called such. Asking price on this baby is $1,495,000.
30 Main Street, #5A [Halstead] GMAP P*Shark
Condo of the Day: 1 Hanson Place, #11K
According to the listing for this 11th-floor condo at 1 Hanson Place in Fort Greene, the K line is rarely available. And we can see why: It’s a great layout, with two good-sized bedrooms flanking the living room and kitchen area. There are also two full bathrooms and a washer/dryer. The asking price of $1,399,000 is the same as yesterday’s Co-op of the Day at 47 Prospect Park West. Which you do think is a better deal?
1 Hanson Place, #11K [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
Condo of the Day: 360 Furman Street, #904
It’s hard to believe there was a time when no one seemed to want to live at One Brooklyn Bridge Park. The converted industrial building at the end of Joralemon Street in Brooklyn Heights is now très populaire, with apartments on the waterfront side selling in excess of $1,000 a square foot. Such is the case with this two-bedroom on the ninth floor. The 1,550-square-foot pad has high ceilings, big windows, killer views and attractive modern amenities. Asking price: $1,750,000.
360 Furman Street, #904 [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
$3M-Plus Townhouses Selling at Sackett Union
The townhouses are getting snatched up at Sackett Union, now that all 32 condo units are spoken for. A sales rep reports that five of the 11 townhouses have already sold. The homes range from a five-bedroom asking $3,300,000 to a six-bedroom priced at $4,025,000. You can view floor plans of the remaining seven townhouses at the developer’s website and check out renderings here. The condos, priced from $1,105,000 to $3,100,000, sold out in February. As you can see, the facade on the condo portion of the building is almost complete. Buyers are expected to be able to occupy the development this fall.
Sackett Union Sells out, Plus New Townhouse Renderings [Brownstoner]
Renderings and Listings Appear for the Sackett Union [Brownstoner]
Sackett Union Condos Are Selling Fast [Brownstoner]
The Shelton Begins Closings Next Month
The big, 13-story Bed Stuy build The Shelton will begin closing units early in May, and occupancy will begin immediately after said closings. The 83-unit, middle-income building features one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The developers held an affordable lottery for 30 percent of the units in January 2012; market-rate units hit the open market one month later. According to a press release, “The remaining units include: two-bedrooms priced from $395,000 to $456,500 (including a penthouse with private terrace) with 986 to 992 square feet of living space, and two 1,113-square-foot three-bedroom homes from $445,000 to $455,000.” The building hit the 70 percent mark last September.
Bed Stuy’s The Shelton Is 70 Percent Sold [Brownstoner] Bed Stuy’s The Shelton Hits the Open Market [Brownstoner]
The Shelton Gets Bricked [Brownstoner]
Bed Stuy’s The Shelton Tops Off [Brownstoner]
Park Slope Condo Conversion Now on the Market
East River Partners, the developers known for brownstone condo conversions around Brooklyn, have just launched sales at 371 6th Avenue in Park Slope. They are in the process of converting the building into four units: a two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath garden duplex with a private outdoor garden, two 1,047-square-foot two-bedroom units on the second and third floors, and a 1,076-square-foot, two-bedroom penthouse with a private roof terrace. The developers said they decided to begin selling the apartments from the floor plans before the project is 100 percent complete because there’s been such a strong interest. The completed units, which range from $1.05 to $1.8 million, will be ready this summer. East River sold out another condo conversion in the neighborhood, 397 1st Street, earlier this month. They’re working on a similar project in Carroll Gardens at 364 Union Street.
371 6th Avenue Site [371sixth.com] GMAP
10-Unit Condo Launches in Greenpoint
Aptsandlofts.com just launched 145 McGuinness Boulevard, a 10-unit condo building in Greenpoint, which the marketing copy calls “the other side of Williamsburg, Brooklyn.” So far they’ve listed five units: four one-bedrooms priced from $499,000 to $799,000 and a two-bedroom asking $949,000. The first open house is May 9 from 6 to 7:30 pm. The amenities and floor plans look pretty typical for a new North Brooklyn build. How do you like the look of them?
145 McGuinness Boulevard Listings [Aptsandlofts.com] GMAP
Modern Build 253 Pacific Sells Out
After about eight months on the market, all three big-ticket units at 253 Pacific Street have sold. Last week, Unit #2 hit our Biggest Sales List after selling for $2,647,450. It was asking $2.6 million. And over the weekend a broker reported that the last unit, which was asking $2,150,000, sold. Both units #1 and #3 sold at ask, according to the broker. This townhouse building, which features private balconies, elevator entrances, lots of concrete and steel panels, was designed by architect James Cleary.
One Left at Modern Cobble Hill Condo [Brownstoner]
Modern Look for New Building at 253 Pacific Street [Brownstoner] GMAP





May 21, 2013 | 09:56 AM