Construction is under way on what will become a 14-story building with condos and retail at 211 Schermerhorn Street in Boerum Hill, on the former site of the notorious Princess Hotel. Workers were busy digging the foundation and installing what appears to be a retaining wall Monday.

When the building is complete, it’ll house 48 condo units, according to the building’s website. The design, by noted architect Morris Adjmi, features a highly symmetrical facade of brown brick with large windows — including two courses of arched windows at the top and bottom. While the design is modern in its simplicity, elements such as the arched brick windows and brick recall Romanesque Revival and 19th century commercial architecture.

brooklyn development downtown schermerhorn
Photo by Susan De Vries

The Manhattan-based firm’s other Brooklyn projects include the Wythe Hotel, a metal and brick apartment building at 465 Pacific Street in Boerum Hill, and the Landmarks-approved expansion of 70 Henry Street, which once housed the Brooklyn Heights Cinema.

The condos will range from one to three bedrooms, and amenities will include a rooftop terrace with outdoor kitchen, 24-hour attended lobby, children’s playroom, yoga room, and storage for 26 bikes.

brooklyn development 211 schermerhorn street downtown brooklyn
Photo by Susan De Vries

A new-building permit issued in July calls for a total of 74,115 square feet of space, including 67,807 square feet of residences and 6,308 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

The developers on the project are Oestreicher Properties and Chelsea-based GBP Capital Holdings. Oestreicher works mainly out of Manhattan – they’re behind Tribeca’s Sky Lofts at 145 Hudson Street. GBP Capital is an asset management firm that focuses not just on real estate, but also other areas like healthcare and automotive retail, according to their website.

Rendering by Morris Adjmi Architects
Rendering by Morris Adjmi Architects

The site used to be the home of the Princess Hotel, a spot notorious in the area as a haven for drugs and prostitution. The property sold in 2016 for $30 million, according to public records.

The building brings more construction to Boerum Hill, which like nearby Downtown Brooklyn, is seeing an increase in new buildings. A notable example is 265 State Street, which last year brought apartments and a Hilton hotel to the neighborhood known for mid 19th century Greek Revival, Gothic and Italianate townhouses.

The site in 2007 with the Princess Hotel still standing. Photo by Scott Bitner for PropertyShark
The site in 2007 with the Princess Hotel still standing. Photo by Scott Bitner for PropertyShark

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