Development Watch: 110 4th Avenue
We’ve been checking out the development site at 4th Avenue and Warren Street for around six months now, where a crew’s been readying the foundation for a 49-unit building called the Park Slope Court (see rendering on jump). Tona Development, which had a hand in the Novo and Hotel Le Bleu, is behind the planned…
We’ve been checking out the development site at 4th Avenue and Warren Street for around six months now, where a crew’s been readying the foundation for a 49-unit building called the Park Slope Court (see rendering on jump). Tona Development, which had a hand in the Novo and Hotel Le Bleu, is behind the planned 58,000-square-footer. The building’s a Scarano design that’s slated to have interiors by Andres Escobar, who also worked on Le Bleu. Like the looks of it? GMAP DOB
“In time, the usury based economy we have today will end”
And be replaced with what? Poleguy, your posts make less sense with each passing day.
It is very ugly. Whenever you see pictures of Brooklyn, to set the scene they always show streets full of beautiful brownstones, not modern buildings. Why don’t the builders get the message.
Agreed, Polemicist. Would also point out that the usury based economy you mention is what prevents people from building beautiful *modern* buildings, too, because that also requires more money than the average building. It requires hiring a real architect, using good materials, and perhaps rarest of all, having taste, sensitivity, and an understanding of the impact of a building on the nabe. Again, many of us here love the old and the new when it’s done well.
Folks, relax.
This Building is not going to look like on this picture: the Brownstoner posted a very old rendition of it.
There are two factors that limit the creation of high quality architecture as was built in the past:
1) Extensive money lending. In the past, houses, office buildings, etc were built with cash. Banks would rarely lend for more than 50% of the value. The limitation of financial models is that cannot qualify the value of beauty – and as such, banks will only lend on fundamentals that are fairly universal. These universal factors necessarily preclude the kinds of whimsical architectural elements the average brownstoner reader admires. Unfortunately, the accountant and the artist have fundamentally different ways of quantifying and qualifying value, and this will never change.
2) Restrictive zoning laws that produce shortages of real estate. In a sellers market, basic needs must be met before other needs are given consideration. Just as a starving man would not complain when he can only purchase hardtack and swill, a person desperate for housing will not complain as long as he gets a roof over his head. This is a secondary consideration, but is still a big one in Brooklyn in comparison with someplace like Chicago.
In time, the usury based economy we have today will end, and hopefully people will start to make decisions using real money they have earned rather than debt created out of thin air by a bank. When that happens, we just might see a revitalization of all form of art.
I don’t know of a citibank on 5th, just the one on 7th.
where is the new citibank on 5th?
i know of a new chase on 5th, but no new citibank…
There’s a new citibank on 5th.
Actually, I for one would LOVE a Citibank there…
And that’s about it in terms of banks!