The Darkness at Richard Meier's Brooklyn Tower
When Richard Meier, the architect famous for his glass and steel towers such as those on Perry Street in Greenwich Village, announced plans in 2005 for one of his signature buildings at Grand Army Plaza, the idea met with plenty of resistance from residents of Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, and Park Slope, as well as…
When Richard Meier, the architect famous for his glass and steel towers such as those on Perry Street in Greenwich Village, announced plans in 2005 for one of his signature buildings at Grand Army Plaza, the idea met with plenty of resistance from residents of Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, and Park Slope, as well as Brooklynites throughout the borough. Thus, some people might have read with relish the New York Times article profiling the building, now open ten months but on the market for much longer. Through interviews with neighbors and residents, the article leaves final judgment somewhat up to the reader: its vacancy rate proves the Richard Meier experiment in Brooklyn a failure, or a building planned in the boom years that is now struggling to fill spaces (the developers report sales of 50 percent of the units, while Streeteasy has recorded only 25), just like many other new developments, independent of architect or developer. Some residents of the sparsely occupied glass box expressed worry about the dropping values of their new purchases, while one retired couple showed more longevity of thought: “We’re living here for the rest of our lives. We know there are ups and downs in the market. It’s not a time to panic.”
Glass Half Empty: Richard Meier’s Brooklyn Tower [NY Times]
On Prospect Park: Is Anybody Home? [Brownstoner]
Photo via Curbed
Thanks, fsrg
Many/ most “geeen” buildings – as in LEEDS certified – are predominatly glass-
Glass allows lower heating and lighting costs and when the right kind is used can offer almost as much insulation as more solid walls. Not to mention Glass is a totally renewable resource.
“except you’ll be spending thousands on curtains for that expanse, and one person even mentioned having to get extra thick blinds (whatever that means).”
I’m sure you’re right. But I’m sure anyone who can afford an apartment in this building can afford some pretty fancy curtains/blinds, etc. Good question though on how “green” the building is.
OH and for those of you who think looking at GAP and prospect park is not amazing… think again. It is like transplanting yourself to Paris. Her apt. is amazing!
Anyone arguing that this building is overpriced because it is in PH rather than PS should just stop. The plaza is the plaza. If it was overpriced, which it was, it is because they priced it too high during pre-construction for apartments that, because of the their size and luxury, wouldn’t move quickly even in a bubble. Then the bubble burst and they were stuck. I love this building. It is beautiful. I have some friends who bought an apt. there. The floor to ceiling windows makes the views in even the smaller apartments on lower floors, hers is about 1600 square feet (which is huge for any other building but not huge for this one apparently), amazing. She got in after the bubble and paid I think about $750/sq.ft on a lower floor. When you walk into the apartment (furnishings aside as she is still unpacking) it looks like a trophy apartment. This is what people are paying for. Interesting layouts and beautiful views. They want Manhattan luxury in Brooklyn’s more relaxed setting. Wow, I sound like a broker!
I would love a view of (into) this bldg if only the demographics were a bit (well maybe a lot) younger.
I don’t get the attitude that there is something morally offensive about living in a glass modern building in Brooklyn. That repeated use of “glass houses” carries an implicit judgment, like “These people are exposing their shame!” Like the market is giving them a well-deserved comeuppance for their hubris. And I say this as someone who lives in a 120-year-old house.
It’s a freaking apartment building, not the Tower of Babel.
Living right on top of the deathtrappy-ist intersection in Brooklyn: no thanks.
eny- true. except you’ll be spending thousands on curtains for that expanse, and one person even mentioned having to get extra thick blinds (whatever that means). I wonder how green this building is in terms of heating and cooling?
(so benson by your lights isn’t winelover also suffering “envy” since he has stated he hates “stifling victorian ugliness?”)