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Building of the Day: 24 Evans Street
Brooklyn, one building at a time.
Name: Quarters A: Former Commandant’s House, Brooklyn Navy Yard
Address: 24 Evans Street
Cross Streets: Plymouth and Hudson Streets, behind private gate.
Neighborhood: Vinegar Hill
Year Built: 1805-1806
Architectural Style: Federal
Architect: attributed to Charles Bulfinch
Other Buildings by Architect: United States Capitol Building, Wash. DC, Mass. State House, Old Ct. Statehouse, Maine Statehouse, University Hall at Harvard, among others.
Landmarked: Yes, individual landmark (1965), National Register of Historic Places, and a National Historic Landmark.
The story: This house is one of the worst kept secrets of Brooklyn. Sooner or later, especially if you have a car, people end up at this triple landmarked house, gawp at it through the gates, and run to find out what it is, and why it’s perched here, behind strong iron gates, and across the street from an extremely fugly Con Ed power facility. It’s one of the great Brooklyn conceits to hear people talk about “discovering” the house, and then you can say, “Oh, that’s the old Commandant’s House. You didn’t know it was there?” (Confession: I’ve done that. Mea culpa.) But I have to admit; it was only a month ago that I was able to get out of a car, and actually take some photographs. And up close, the house is cooler than ever, and is still such a tantalizing mystery.
We know quite a lot about it, most from behind the forbidding gates. It’s old, one of Brooklyn’s older buildings, dating back to 1806, when it was built to be Quarters A, the home of the Naval Yard Commandant. The architect is thought to be Charles Bulfinch, the first native born architect in America, the prolific designer of Capital buildings and State Houses, in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine, as well as the architect of part of the Capitol Building in Washington, DC. Unfortunately, there is no real documentation on that, and it may be one of those great apocryphal attributions that will stand forever. (more…)
04/26/2012 3:30 PM
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109 Gold Street Tries Again, With Rentals This Time
That was quick! Rental units are now on the market for 109 Gold Street, the Vinegar Hill condo that sold for $14.5 million dollars last month. Five units have hit the market, including a studio for $2,025/month; one bedrooms for $2,625 to $2,700/month; and a two bedroom for $3,900. There are 33 apartments in total. According to a press release about the launch, amenities include “entry garden, lobby with WiFi, furnished roof deck, fully equipped fitness center, and package and delivery storage.” Think this will fare any better than when it was on the market as a condo? Those were initially priced from $345,000 to $720,000.
Troubled Vinegar Hill Condo 109 Gold Sells for $14.5M [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Developers Throw in the Towel [Brownstoner]
109 Gold: Ready for Move-ins, but are Buyers Biting? [Brownstoner] GMAP
109 Gold Officially on the Market [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Listings Trickle In [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Fully Glassed [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Gets Windows [Brownstoner]
Glacial Pace at 109 Gold [Brownstoner]
04/19/2012 10:00 AM
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Plans Doubled for 102 Gold Street Build
The DOB approved plans for a six-story, ten-unit building at 102 Gold Street, in Vinegar Hill, twice the size of the initial build planned there. Back in July construction started up at the site, but plans were only for a three-story, three-unit build. Not much work has happened since then. This is directly next door to the condo building 100 Gold Street, which comes in at five stories.
Development Watch: 102 Gold Street [Brownstoner] GMAP DOB
04/13/2012 10:00 AM
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Is Vinegar Hill Heating Up?
This is an old story, but does it now really have momentum: Is Vinegar Hill, adjacent to Dumbo, soon to become more attractive as a residential destination, luring residents priced out of Dumbo or more interested in Vinegar Hill than Dumbo because of its cool factor? The Wall Street Journal looks into the topic today, noting the influx of new developments in the area (including many that brand themselves as in Dumbo, not Vinegar Hill, like Toll’s 205 Water Street). Per the article: “But at least some who have lived and worked in the neighborhood for years say it hasn’t yet been overtaken by the upscale crowds.” We’ll see!
Dumbo Looks to Add Room in Vinegar Hill [WSJ]
Photo by ChrisGoldNY
04/06/2012 10:00 AM
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Vinegar Hill House’s Cafe Coming Together
The exterior of Vinegar Hill House’s cafe expansion is looking a lot more charming than the boarded-up storefront it once was. (Grub Street noticed a SWO at the construction site last October.) Once it opens, the joint – to be called Hillside – will serve light food, wine, and beer. Owners are still waiting on city rigmarole before they set an opening date, but it should come in the next few months.
CB2 Approves Cafe for Vinegar Hill [Brownstoner] GMAP
04/03/2012 2:40 PM
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Troubled Vinegar Hill Condo 109 Gold Sells for $14.5M
There may yet be hope for the 33-unit Vinegar Hill condo building 109 Gold Street. The Real Deal reports that the Praedium Group, a real estate investment firm representing under-performing and undervalued assets, purchased the site for $14.5 million. This development saw its share of trouble from the get-go (most notably, the illegal demolition of an old church at the site in 2008). After that there was a switch in brokers that didn’t translate to closings, and the entire building was put up for sale late last year. Prices previously ranged from $319,000 up to $999,000. We’ll see how it fares on the market this time! Update: The Real Deal just posted a follow-up story saying the building will be turned into a rental and listings should pop up within a month, although asking rents aren’t being disclosed at the moment.
109 Gold Street sells to Praedium for $14.5M [The Real Deal]
109 Gold Developers Throw in the Towel [Brownstoner]
109 Gold: Ready for Move-ins, but are Buyers Biting? [Brownstoner] GMAP
109 Gold Officially on the Market [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Listings Trickle In [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Fully Glassed [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Gets Windows [Brownstoner]
Glacial Pace at 109 Gold [Brownstoner]
03/27/2012 10:00 AM
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Settlement in Lawsuit Over Defects at 50 Bridge Street
This morning a press release went out about how condo owners at 50 Bridge Street, also known as Bridge No. 50, have reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought against the building’s developer “and certain of its affiliates.” (The developer in question is the notorious Joshua Guttman.) The suit dates back to 2007 and, according to the release, concerned how the building “suffered from a number of construction defects including a defective roof and other waterproofing issues.” Representatives from the condo board declined to tell us exactly how much the settlement was for except to say that it’s “a significant dollar amount that combined with some special assessments within the building, will allow the building to fix the construction issues.” Repairs are supposed to begin later this year. The building was converted into a condo in 2004. GMAP
02/01/2012 11:00 AM
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109 Gold Developers Throw in the Towel
The word “troubled” comes to mind when considering the Vinegar Hill condo 109 Gold Street, a project that involved the sometimes illegal demolition of an old church, followed by very slow construction, and then a subdued marketing effort that began about a year ago. Now the entire building is being offered for sale by Massey Knakal at an undisclosed price. Over the summer the the original brokerage marketing the building was replaced with a new one, and there were some price cuts, but it appears that these efforts weren’t enough to get the job done. StreetEasy is showing that listings were pulled yesterday. Prices were running from $319,000 up to $999,000.
109 Gold Street Listing [Massey Knakal]
109 Gold: Ready for Move-ins, but are Buyers Biting? [Brownstoner] GMAP
109 Gold Officially on the Market [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Listings Trickle In [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Fully Glassed [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Gets Windows [Brownstoner]
Glacial Pace at 109 Gold [Brownstoner]
12/01/2011 9:00 AM
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Plans Outlined for Future Downtown Greenway
Last night was the third round of NYC DOT community workshops for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, and it focused on the Downtown Brooklyn segments of the 14-mile route. DOT presented eight projects (there are 24 projects, or geographic segments, in total) of the final route plan that spanned from Williamsburg Street West along Flushing, through Vinegar Hill, down into Dumbo and through Brooklyn Bridge Park. There aren’t specific time lines for the segments, as some will be done along with city sewer and water main repair work, and funding for all of them still has to be secured. A few interesting points: The addition of “smooth cobble” bike lanes throughout Vinegar Hill and Dumbo (the setup is pictured above), a revamp along Flushing Avenue and Williamsburg Street West, and a continued greenway on Kent Avenue South. Click through for the details on all eight projects…
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11/03/2011 10:00 AM
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Office Conversion for 231 Front Street
The Department of Buildings approved plans to convert 231 Front Street, the landmarked building in Vinegar Hill, from a factory to an office building. Recently the LPC heard plans to alter the property’s façade, rebuild entrance stairs, and install a canopy. The building is an example of an early 20th century commercial style factory buildings; it was designed by William B. Tubby and built in 1908. Would have made for a cool loft conversion!
A Reno for 231 Front Street? [Brownstoner]
10/19/2011 12:00 PM
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109 Gold: Ready for Move-ins, but are Buyers Biting?
The Vinegar Hill condo 109 Gold Street officially hit the market in March after being under construction for three years, and last week its marketing team announced that the building has a temporary certificate of occupancy. It’s unclear how sales are going, though, as the folks repping the building aren’t talking numbers. According to StreetEasy, only one unit is in contract. Over the summer the original brokerage was replaced with a new one, and StreetEasy shows prices were cut on a few of the units at the same time. The biggest was a 12 percent haircut on a one-bedroom that had originally been listed for $499,000 and is now asking $439,000. Have any readers checked this building out?
109 Gold Street [StreetEasy]
109 Gold Officially on the Market [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Listings Trickle In [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Fully Glassed [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Gets Windows [Brownstoner]
Glacial Pace at 109 Gold [Brownstoner] GMAP
10/11/2011 10:00 AM
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Meanwhile at the Brooklyn Navy Yard…
[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/#!/Brownstoner/status/119459828371439616"]
09/29/2011 1:19 PM
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A Reno for 231 Front Street?
While looking over next week’s LPC agenda, an application concerning 231 Front Street, in the Vinegar Hill Historic District, caught our attention. The listing reads, “An Early 20th century Commercial style factory building, designed by William B. Tubby, and built in 1908. Application is to alter the façade, rebuild entrance stairs, and install a canopy.” Anybody know how dramatic the facade alteration will be? The most recent permit filed for the commercial building a couple of months ago was to install toilets and ventilation. GMAP P*Shark
09/07/2011 10:00 AM
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Past and Present: Talman Street
A Look at Brooklyn, then and now.
One of the famous Berenice Abbot photos of Brooklyn in 1936 depicts this scene on Talman Street, a short street near the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges that no longer exists. Back in the 1930’s, Talman ran between Jay and Bridge Street, tracing an old cow path, a de-mapped street that is now part of the Farragut Houses, and more specifically, the BQE. It was part of what was called “Irish Town”, a slum consisting of rickety wood framed houses from the 19th century that had no cellars, no running water, no toilets, and no heat. The Irish immigrants who gave the neighborhood its name, as well as adjoining Vinegar Hill, had come here in the early 1850’s, escaping the Potato Famine and English oppression. They were poor before they came here, and were at the bottom of the social order after settling in, with many working in the Navy Yard and the small factories that grew up around it. (more…)
09/02/2011 10:30 AM
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Could Brooklyn Bridge Park Extend Into Vinegar Hill?
Here’s a fun tidbit from The Eagle: “For the longest time, the precious waterfront from Jay Street to the Navy Yard has been the site of a large and ugly electric power plant owned by Con Edison…Believe it or not, Con Ed is going to tear that old rattletrap down, much to the delight of Vinegar Hill residents. [Brooklyn Bridge] Park leadership has had some preliminary discussions with Con Ed about the site. No one is saying anything right now. It will take awhile to dismantle the plant; environmental surveys will surely have to be done, and finances will have to be calculated. But it is possible to conceive that at least part of the parcel could be converted to park use. Some appealing buildings could be built, and the real estate taxes from one of them could be dedicated to fund the park.” Tough to imagine this is a priority when so many other balls are up in the air with regard to the park’s finances and construction schedule, but it’s an appealing prospect.
Could Bridge Park Expand Into Current Power Plant Site [Eagle]
08/15/2011 9:30 AM
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Development Watch: 102 Gold Street
Construction’s begun at the empty lot in Vinegar Hill at 102 Gold Street, right next door to the newish condo building 100 Gold. Recent permits are for a partial demolition and a new three-story, three-unit development, although there isn’t much of the previous building left to demolish. The lot was once home to a three-story brick building that you can see a picture of after the jump. GMAP DOB
(more…)
07/18/2011 2:40 PM
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Broker Shuffle, Price Cuts at 109 Gold
The 33-unit condo at 109 Gold Street in Vinegar Hill only officially hit the market four months ago, but now it appears its developers have brought in a new sales team. The condos, which were initially being sold by Prudential Douglas Elliman, are currently listed by Halstead. There are six active listings on StreetEasy—which doesn’t show any closed sales for the building—and at least a couple of price drops: A 1,005-square-foot two-bedroom has dropped from $699,000 to $649,000, and a 479-square-foot studio has gone from asking $355,000 to being listed for $349,000.
109 Gold Listings [Marketplace] and 109 Gold Listings [StreetEasy]
109 Gold Officially on the Market [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Listings Trickle In [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Fully Glassed [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Gets Windows [Brownstoner]
Glacial Pace at 109 Gold [Brownstoner] GMAP
07/18/2011 10:00 AM
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Rental of the Day: 85 Hudson Street
There isn’t a ton of rental inventory in Vinegar Hill, so this one-bedroom unit in the condo building 85 Husdon Street caught our eye. It’s a very nice space with a lovely bedroom terrace overlooking the Commodore’s Mansion. That said, the kitchen isn’t terribly large, and the $3,100-a-month rent isn’t cheap. What say you?
85 Hudson Street [NY Casa Group] GMAP P*Shark
07/14/2011 12:30 PM
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CB2 Approves Cafe for Vinegar Hill
After last week’s CB2 meeting, it seems as if Vinegar Hill will be making way for one more eating establishment, an offshoot from the neighborhood’s one and only restaurant, the Vinegar Hill House. CB2 just approved a beer and wine license for 70 Hudson Avenue, the under-construction storefront next door to Vinegar Hill House. According to their board presentation, it is going to be a cafe. Seems pretty promising! GMAP
05/16/2011 2:00 PM
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109 Gold Officially on the Market
As DumboNYC and Curbed covered earlier this week, the condo at 109 Gold in Vinegar Hill, has formally hit the market, and it’s got a new website with floorplans, details on amenities, etc. (Listings started popping up on StreetEasy in November.) Studios in the 33-unit building, which has been branded “Vinegar Hill 109,” start at $345,000; the priciest unit currently for sale is a $720,000 two-bedroom. The condo has been in the works since 2007.
109 Gold Street Debut [DumboNYC]
109 Gold Listings Trickle In [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Fully Glassed [Brownstoner]
109 Gold Gets Windows [Brownstoner]
Glacial Pace at 109 Gold [Brownstoner] GMAP
03/18/2011 11:00 AM
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466 dad
May 21, 2012 | 02:16 PM