broken angel
Wow. Unbeknownst to us (and many of you, we assume), the Broken Angel and an adjacent lot has been being stealthily marketed for sale by Massey Knakal’s Michael Annunziata. As a result, the listing is not up on the web but we’ve seen the tear sheets on the prop. The Angel itself is at 4-6 Downing Street and sits on a 40-by-100-foot lot zoned for R6. At 13,000 square feet, the current building is actually overbuilt by about 4,000 square feet. The empty lot next door at 8 Downing is 20-by-100-feet. The properties are asking $1,400,000 and $425,000, respectively. One can only surmise that the cost of bringing the structure up to code has turned out to be too great for the Woods. Maybe they couldn’t get a loan against the property for some reason or maybe they just became overwhelmed with the whole thing. Regardless, the big question now is whether the person who ends up buying it will try to salvage some of the design and spirit of the former trolley factory or just erase the symbol of artistic freedom forever. Interested parties can contact Michael at 718-238-8999 x 6526.
Photo by silkcut.


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

  1. Does anyone have a sense of how the neighbors feel about the vision of Broken Angel? Would they want it preserved if it could be made safe and be completed? Or do they consider it a problem? I am not a developer but I am taken by the vision of Broken Angel and would consider buying this property, bringing it up to code, giving the Woods family an opportunity to live in their lifelong creation, and making a home for my family, too. Would the neighbors support such an effort or would they want it developed into “old trolley condos,” but not “broken angel”?

  2. I did note it would probably not happen. I imagine Woods is selling because he has no choice. No need to be snarky. Just trying to suggest a creative way of marketing whatever they do develop. as for the structure, the old trolley building is actually nice looking (I’ve seen old pics) from the outside. Maybe that can be preserved, dunno if it would be too expensive or not to do that, but it would probably be more attractive than what could, and probably will, be built in its place. I think more attention to exterior aesthetics, and less emphasis on high end kitchen finishes like subzeros, marble tiles, etc., would be one way to go. I’d be interested if that would save enough money to make saving the facade viable…

    Brainstorming people…