Burg Bummers: Developers Just Don't Get It
New architecture in Williamsburg just continues to disappoint. Our most recent stroll brought us face-to-face with these two atrocities. The left one is on North 9th between Bedford and Driggs. The right one is on Bedford between North 4th and North 5th Streets. It’s almost as if developers were trying to build ugly buildings…At least…
New architecture in Williamsburg just continues to disappoint. Our most recent stroll brought us face-to-face with these two atrocities. The left one is on North 9th between Bedford and Driggs. The right one is on Bedford between North 4th and North 5th Streets. It’s almost as if developers were trying to build ugly buildings…At least they’re consistent!
Geez, go away for a week and more ugliness peeks above the sidewalk sheds. The Bedford Ave. building is a true shame, since its sits next to one of the neighborhood’s little gems – the building at the corner of N 4th and Bedford (terra-cotta clad in what looks to have been the 1920s or so).
3 towers?….bummer
Ron Weasley
I know a lot of folks don’t like him, but Iceberg makes a point – why should developers care about looks if people will spend insane amounts of money to buy something that requires less of a developer’s time and money?
Ron W.,
You wish it was just a 10-story building. Minimally it will be 124′ (12-stories) per current DOB filings. http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobsQueryByNumberServlet?requestid=5&passjobnumber=301791318&passdocnumber=05&s=4F669CACC2CC7742D4BAAB12088F0A5C
The latest rumor floating around is that it will be (3) 11-story towers. Who knows?
I’ve got three words for you though – “out of context”
But he does have some sharp south of the border crackerjacks doing the demolition with hand tools, one brick at a time. At this rate, they should be done by next Spring.
It would be interesting to read an interview with one of these builders to find out what they are actually thinking.
The desire and drive to build that people had in NYC a hundred years ago must be the same as today, but why are so many new buildings so ugly?
Meat-head builders are likely partly to blame as well as the current economy in which anything with a bedroom, kitchen, and bathroom can fetch a couple hundred thousand dollars. Why paint a Picasso when you can sell a paint-by-the-dots for the same price?
No Ayn Rayn fans to tell us that if the buidling serves it’s purpose, it’s good?
I think most professional architects would hate to put up another woolworth building, but like buildings like the Richard Meile buildings on the West Side H’way, so if we let them decide, some of the people on this blog may not be happy with the results..
(apologies for any spelling errors)
What is the verdict on Isaac Katan? He is building the 10 story high-rise where Delmonico’s was on 15th Street in the South Slope.
Ron Weasley
I know ugly buildings are sad, but yes, as long as people are buying them, they will continue to go up. We live in a truly ugly building– really little redeeming about it from the outside– but it’s beautiful on the inside. Someday we dream of having both, but for now… inner beauty will have to do!
Plus all of our neighbors are a) quiet and b) very cool. Lucky us!
iceberg is right