Set Speed Condo Report: The Lofts at Dekalb
Who would’ve thought the day would come when Bed-Stuy would share in Brooklyn’s new condominium development craze? Better known as a neighborhood with great housing stock, delightful streetscapes and a starring role in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, this neighborhood now gets its own new construction condo. The Lofts at Dekalb, as they are…
Who would’ve thought the day would come when Bed-Stuy would share in Brooklyn’s new condominium development craze? Better known as a neighborhood with great housing stock, delightful streetscapes and a starring role in Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing, this neighborhood now gets its own new construction condo. The Lofts at Dekalb, as they are known, seems to be quite an ambitious project. With 32 units, ranging from 742-sq.-ft. lofts at $375K to huge 1,800-sq.-ft. duplexes for $490K, this project is aiming squarely at the bang-for-the-buck budget-buyer (say that quick 4x!) Carrying costs are relatively low – $176 common charges and $15 RE taxes for the smallest unit to $400 cc and $50 RE taxes for the largest unit.
Boasting 14 feet high ceilings and large vertical windows, all the units have outdoor space in the form of a terrace, backyard or balcony and two bathrooms. The largest apartments have three bathrooms. Having neither visited the site nor seen any of them in person, I can’t speak for the quality of the workmanship or the quality of the appliances. The central air conditioning is a good sign, although the project’s logo, which seems to have been lifted off an old Atari 2600 console, does not bode well in terms of general design! A Bonus: This project is nearby to the newly-opened Home Depot just blocks away. According to the Corcoran website, 5 out of 16 units are already in contract.
The Lofts at Dekalb [Corcoran] GMAP
Every Thursday, ltjbukem, whose own blog Set Speed scrutinizes the progress and quality of new developments in the area we know as Brownstone Brooklyn, pens a guest post about goings-on in the condo market with an emphasis on new projects.
Have you thought that maybe, just maybe the space is for the people who already live and feel comfortable in that neighborhood. Isn’t it enough that the comfortable parts of Bedstuy have been priced out to the people that live there? I actually find it rejuevinating and it is my hope that it will eleviate some of the regentrification that is happening in the area.
I saw these last night. The space is AMAZING, but the block/walk to subway is not the safest. I’m a single female and I would definetly not feel comfortable walking around by myself.
I checked these out in august… awesome space… not so nice place. That stretch has a long way to go. I wouldn’t mind growing with the neighborhood if the transportation was better, but as a single woman, I wouldn’t feel comfortable walking alone at night (or waiting for a bus for that matter). I had to pass this one up and apparently from the sales so did many others… only 5 sold since this summer?
This is definitely Bed Stuy — it’s in the heart of Bed Stuy, between Tompkins and Throop — before the gentrified enclave of Stuyvesant Heights and after “Clinton Hill East.” This is hard core — most of the projects are located east of Nostrand and west of Sumner (Marcus Garvey Blvd). Prices look (comparatively) cheap, but considering the remoteness of transportation and sketchiness of the surrounding neigborhood, it’ll be a while before most people with that kind of money would want to live there.
Since we’re going farther and farther out here, can anyone clarify the boundaries of East New York vs. Brownsville vs. Ocean Hill vs. Bushwick?
That neighborhood is still kind of crappy, not to safe, the prices are probably to HIGH for that area. Don’t even think it is Bed-Stuy, more likely Brownsville.
What do you mean by “Scarano Architects”? Is that something bad?
I drive past the block and the development every day. There is nothing attractice about that stretch of DeKalb.
If Browngirl is right (and I hope she is), and DeKalb is the next street to clean up, I doubt that this block would be the place where anything nice goes up for a while.
I hope this isn’t a duplicate post, but here goes. I think that there could be worse condo purchases in Bed Stuy. Dekalb will most likely be the next major street to clean up, and my guess is that the developers are hoping this building will be the anchor.
Besides less desirable aspects of the nabe posted here, the positives are:
1. 10-15 minute ride to Fort Greene on B38 (on a bad day)
2. 20-25 minute ride to Downtown Brooklyn
3. less than 10 minute drive to Manhattan Bridge.
4. Sugarhill Restaurant- killer mac and cheese (artery clogging goodness)
This strip will shape up. I feel pretty certain.
I think the developers are hoping that this building will anchor the Bed Stuy end of Dekalb. The area is bleak, but given the signs, Dekalb Avenue will probably be the next street to really clean up. Plus, it is a 10-15 minute bus ride to Fort Greene, 20-25 minutes to downtown. Really you could walk to Fort Greene on a nice day. I’ve done it from my home on Lewis and Halsey Street.
Plus, Sugarhill Restaurant is right on that corner. It is a well kept secret. Their mac and cheese is to die for(though a definite artery clogger). The owner told me that she has been doing pretty brisk business, and my daughter’s school held their fifth grade graduation there.
I’ve seen worse blocks. Definitely.