Development Watch: 57-59 Maspeth Avenue
Before last weekend, we’d never set foor on Maspeth Avenue in East Williamsburg. Heck, we didn’t even know it existed. So we were surprised to see that this one-block stretch has become condo row. (See photo on the jump.) The first project one sees, and the first to reach market, on the block is 57-59…
Before last weekend, we’d never set foor on Maspeth Avenue in East Williamsburg. Heck, we didn’t even know it existed. So we were surprised to see that this one-block stretch has become condo row. (See photo on the jump.) The first project one sees, and the first to reach market, on the block is 57-59 Maspeth Avenue, a 17-unit (16 one-bedrooms and just a single two-bedroom) building on the north side of the street. Nice high ceilings and Scaranoesque mezzanines galore. According to the Developers Group website, only five units are still available. The biggest bang for your back in terms of space is a ground floor apartment asking $660,000 that has 1,963 square feet and a garden. Who’s been inside?
57-59 Maspeth Avenue [The Developers Group] GMAP
Maspeth Ave in Williamsburg [Brownstoner Forum]
Looking East on Maspeth Avenue
58-60 Maspeth Avenue under construction
My name is Guy Smith, and I lived at 53-07 43rd Street, Maspeth from 1959-1963, our buildings were called “The Flats”, near the Calvary Cemetary and Kozckiosko Bridge. My old friends were the Finn family, I really miss Danny, and the twins Doreen and Darlene, who used to babysit me. Went to PS 11 IN wOODSIDE FOR THREE YEARS, THEN WE MOVED, A DAY i WILL NEVER FORGET. My Maspeth years are many moons ago, but always treasured them. We used to go to Greenpoint Anenue to the Bliss Theater, Key Food and there may have been a Woolworths and candy store nearby. If anyone remembers this time or other Maspeth Memories, you can Habs1rule@yahoo.com mail me.
I have recently “Purchased” one of these lofts and have been very happy with my decision. The place is very nice and the people that live in them are all educated young professionals, artist, etc. The park(Cooper Park) that is one block from my new place is great and has an excellent dog run! Did I mention the rooftop has 360 degree views of Brooklyn and the entire New York skyline? I’ve already had a BBQ party on the roof and it was awesome!
The shelter was a bit of a shock, but after being here for sometime I realized that it wasn’t as bad as I expected. If you ever take the subway or walk down the streets of New York you are confronted with a lot more then I’ve seen walking home.
How can the earlier poster say “transportation is bad”? This building is three blocks from the L train and there are a number of buses around.
I will admit that the buildings on this street are not that harmonious, but it looks a lot better than it did a couple of years ago. The people in these buildings will make the neighborhood what it is, not the buildings themselves.
The one thing I must note is after living one block from the Bedford stop and throwing money($2000) away on rent this is the best decision I have ever made! I hope the posters bashing this building remember that people call this building home and respect their decision to purchase in this neighborhood.
Best …..
Granted the strip of new construction there looks a bit weird, but it is a good neighborhood. Cooper Park is really great. I know literally a dozen ‘old time’ Williamsburg artists who, after leaving or being forced out of Bedford, have regrouped around the park, further down on Maspeth and up north along Kingsland beginning about 5 years ago. Plus, from these condos you are about a 5 minute walk to some the last remaining authentic Italian pork stores on Graham Ave.
ex-BK, people move to nabe first and then everything else follows.
It’s a really odd location. On the one hand, there are the vestiges of what was/is known as “Italian Williamsburg,” and people who have been there 20-30 years or longer, and then you have this massive block of new construction.
Newtown Creek is really far away, if you’re worried about pollutants worry about the proximity to the BQE, which is closer. Be real. Newtown Creek is not a concern for these properties.
The industrial zone on the other side of Morgan is more of a concern, because that’s not going to change soon if ever. Businesses get tax breaks for moving into the East Williamsburg Industrial Zone (which is where we got the E.W’burg term from, the city made it up, not us).
Only half of Maspeth gets the truck traffic (the half after Debevoise), but it is on Morgan and Vandervoort big time. Morgan starts backing up about 3 in the afternoon in both directions.
But that to me is not the biggest concern. The biggest concern is the universal Williamsburg concern: LACK OF INFRASTRUCTURE. There are two grocery stores within walking distance to these buildings, the tiny Associated on Graham south of Metro and another equally small Associated further up on Debevoise, across from the public housing. Where are you doing laundry? Where are you going to eat dinner? Where are you *living*? We’re going to have an entire street full of people who are only in the area evenings and weekends – what does that do to the character of the neighborhood – does it create a neighborhood at all?
There’s just *nothing* here, and zero potential for the neighborhood to develop into something, ever.
It is good proximity to the BQE if you have to drive, the neighborhood is fairly settled if you want to participate in it, and the Graham stop on the L puts you 10 minutes to Union Square. BUt that’s about it.
I’ve seen the units. The spaces are nice with good finishes. The construction quality is up to par with most developments I’ve seen. There are decent views of the city for the higher units in the back of the building.
I was warned by an agent that there is a big homeless rehabilitation shelter nearby. The area seem sparse to me in terms of amenities like stores.
I wanted to bid on a unit for a lower price but the developer was unwilling to negotiate. Prices have dropped since their initial offering. In 6 months time when the market drops, I wonder if they will still be so reticent in negotiating.
i was driving by when they did the open house. very strange development — there’s basically nothing around there, and it’s on the edge of weird industry. the large apartment (1900+ square feet plus garden) is mostly underground — there’s only one real bedroom and not a great one at that — but if what you need is a lot of high-quality basement space then it might work for you.
There’s new one on ainslie and bushwick that isn’t so bad – its a lot better than a scarano shack that was built near it.
The ones at Montrose and Bwick are pretty nice..the facade is pretty ugly though. The view from the terrace is insanity….the whole skyline and several bridges..really nice. Pricey though.