Brooklyn Heights

March 22, 2017

$800K co-op is a Zen paradise in Brooklyn Heights inspired by the Botanic Gardens

It's not every day a New York City apartment listing invites us to "Sleep safely and quietly with your doors wide open in the summertime," so we definitely took notice of this top-floor co-op at 135 Hicks Street, located in a historic brownstone in Brooklyn Heights. You'll have to hoof it up three flights to get to the serenity of this "Zen-like" one-bedroom home, but once you see the terrace, complete with Japanese garden, you'll be glad you did. Eastern-inspired details include bamboo floors, grasscloth walls, and a rustic slate fireplace, all yours for $799,000.
More Zen vibes and a Mai Tai or two, this way
March 8, 2017

Modern carriage house on an exclusive street of Brooklyn Heights tries its hand at $10M

If you thought Brooklyn Heights only offered blocks of historic townhouses, think again: this carriage house at 6 Grace Court Alley, a private, one-block row that's made up exclusively of 19th-century residential carriage homes. And while the exterior certainly looks historic, the interior has been opened up, modernized, and filled with light thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and skylights. After last selling in 2011 for $2.7 million, it's now trying for a cool $10 million.
Step inside
March 3, 2017

$10.6M Pierhouse is Brooklyn’s most expensive condo sold to date

It may pale in comparison to Manhattan's $100 million record-setter at One57, but a unit at Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pierhouse just closed for $10,669,579, setting the record for most expensive condo ever sold in the borough. Curbed first spotted the sale, which took the top spot from the $8.8 million penthouse sale in Dumbo's 1 Jay Street in September 2015.
Find out who the buyers are
February 22, 2017

Oldest home in Brooklyn Heights is on the market for $6.65M

Built in 1824, 24 Middagh Street is a charming, wood-frame, Federal house in Brooklyn Heights that has the distinction of being the oldest home in the neighborhood. And it's just gotten a price chop to $6,650,000 (it first listed this past September for the first time in nearly 60 years, asking $7 million). The listing says most of the original interior details--like wood floors, fireplaces, and moldings--are intact, and the five-bedroom residence even comes with a landscaped backyard and separate, two-bedroom carriage house.
More on the home this way
February 20, 2017

Anish Kapoor will bring a spiraling funnel of black water to Brooklyn Bridge Park

Brooklyn Bridge Park is the last place we'd expect to find a menacing art installation summoning feelings of nothingness. But come May, Anish Kapoor will bring his acclaimed installation "Descension" to one of the park's busiest stretches, Pier 1. As described by The NY Public Art Fund (the project's curator), Descension is a 26-foot diameter whirlpool that funnels pitch-black, naturally dyed water below ground, inviting visitors to carefully peer into its swirling abyss.
more details here
January 26, 2017

‘Girls’ and ‘Star Wars’ actor Adam Driver checks out a $4.79M fixer-upper in Brooklyn Heights

Indie stud Adam Driver's star is quickly rising thanks to his chameleon-like abilities to play characters ranging from Hannah Horvath's troubled and emotionally rich boyfriend on "Girls" to the diabolical villain Kylo Ren in the new "Star Wars" films. Now it appears Driver is looking to take on yet another role: homeowner. Like his "Girls" cohorts, Driver's interest in multi-million dollar properties has been piqued, and The Post reports the actor was recently spotted touring a townhouse at 154 Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights (the nabe where Girls' creator and lead Lena Dunham also lives). The now-vacant home was formerly used as a multiple-unit rental property and is currently listed for $4.79 million as a 5,444-square-foot single-family residence.
more photos inside
January 19, 2017

New renderings and photos show Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 uplands are almost complete

You won't need to see more than a few renderings and photos of new park space slated for Brooklyn Bridge Park to feel ready for summertime. First posted by Curbed from the park's landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, renderings show the final design for one of the last undeveloped sections of the park between Montague and Joralemon streets. Known as the Pier 5 uplands, the hilly green space will be comprised of a stepped lawn, shaded grove, waterfront seating and new entrance off Joralemon Street. A sound-dampening berm will reduce noise from the nearby roadways. And it's all on track to wrap construction right before summer.
More images and details this way
January 19, 2017

$10.5M Federal-era house in Brooklyn Heights was Truman Capote’s muse

When he penned an essay about his neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights in 1959, it was this wood-frame house at 13 Pineapple Street that inspired Truman Capote. "Cheerfully austere, as elegant and other-era as formal calling cards, these houses bespeak an age of able servants and solid fireside ease; of horses in musical harness," he wrote, referencing the 1830 Federal-era home that was around the corner from his personal house. The Wall Street Journal reports that, for the past 26 years, the residence has been preserved by a couple who were drawn to its grey shingles as a reminder of the old houses in Nantucket they love. But now that their children are grown, they're looking to downsize and have listed the storied property for $10.5 million.
All the history right this way
January 3, 2017

$40M Brooklyn Heights townhouse with a mayoral past is now four pricey rentals

After being on the market for over two years, Brooklyn’s priciest townhouse–a $40 million home at 3 Pierrepont Place–is now being offered as four rental units. 6sqft previously featured the home, known as the Low Mansion for the previous owner and businessman A.A. Low, whose son, Seth Low, became mayor of New York City in 1902. Spanning 17,500 square feet, the eight-figure townhouse boasted 15 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, and more than 9,000 square feet of garden and outdoor space with original details galore. Though even Matt Damon toured the grand Brooklyn Heights property back in September, the house hasn't found a buyer, so the owner is now offering the mansion as four luxurious rental homes from a $4,500 one-bedroom to a 1,700-square-foot top-floor unit for $12,000 a month (h/t Curbed).
Find out more
December 13, 2016

Historic districts and landmarking: What they mean and how they could affect you

In New York City, where buying and selling real estate is a high-stakes endeavor, the topic of historic and landmark designation is frequently raised. There are heated discussions on the subject of listing neighborhoods or buildings on the State and National Register of Historic Places or having them designated by the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission. It's important to know what those organizations do and the distinctions between them. You could even be eligible for significant financial aid for your renovations if you own property in an historic district.
Find out what these designations mean, how you could benefit from them and why they're sometimes controversial.
November 28, 2016

$1.7B BQE rehab will be Department of Transportation’s most expensive project ever

When it was built in the 1940s, the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway became immediately notorious for the fact that Robert Moses planned it to rip through otherwise quiet, low-scale neighborhoods. Today, it's poor reputation has more to do with potholes, bumps, congestion, and pollution. But that will soon change, as the city is embarking on a five-year rehab of the heavily trafficked, 1.5-mile stretch of the highway that runs between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street in Brooklyn and includes "21 concrete-and-steel bridges over local roads," according to the Times. And at $1.7 billion, it will be the Department of Transportation's most expensive project ever undertaken.
More details ahead
September 29, 2016

Matt Damon checks out Brooklyn’s most expensive house, a Brooklyn Heights mansion with a mayoral past

Way back in February 2015, 3 Pierrepont Place hit the market for $40 million, making it Brooklyn's most expensive listing ever. The Brooklyn Heights Promenade mansion boasts 17,500 square feet, 15 bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, and more than 9,000 square feet of garden and outdoor space, in addition to a wealth of period details. Plus it comes with a bit of historic pedigree; it was built in 1857 as the Low Mansion for businessman A.A. Low, whose son, Seth Low, became mayor of Brooklyn, mayor of New York City in 1902, and president of Columbia. Perhaps it's all these bragging rights that attracted Matt Damon, as the Post reports that he and wife Luciana Barroso recently toured the grand property.
See the entire mansion
August 5, 2016

Friday 5: Find Free Rent in Lovely Brooklyn Heights and Bed-Stuy

If you're an urban dweller that appreciates the opportunity to disconnect from the craze of the city, Bed-Stuy or Brooklyn Heights are two of the best places to find respite. While these neighborhoods don't boast the same trendsetter vibes as other borough favorites like Williamsburg or DUMBO, they do offer an unparalleled beauty highlighted by leafy streets and rows and rows of historic brownstones and brick townhouses. Below we've rounded up five buildings in these two lovely locales offering free rent and more.
check them out here
June 29, 2016

Cool $1.075M Heights Co-op Shows You Can Have Prewar Charm and Waterfront Views

This stylish two-bedroom co-op at 32 Willow Place in Brooklyn Heights does a great job of proving that all waterfront apartments don't need to be in tall towers. Located on the top floor of a historic limestone and brick (walk-up, unfortunately) building in one of the city's loveliest waterfront neighborhoods, this renovated two-bedroom co-op offers a dedicated gated parking spot, river views, modern design and pre-war charm in what–according to the listing–Details magazine called "the coolest apartment in Brooklyn," for $1.075 million.
Take a look around
May 17, 2016

This $3M Duplex Townhouse Was Carved Out of a 1902 Waterworks Building in Brooklyn Heights

If you're looking for a home that feels like a townhouse, co-op and loft all rolled into one, this Brooklyn Heights property may be your best bet. It's located at 25 Joralemon Street, a waterworks building constructed in 1902. It has since been converted into six co-ops, each laid out like duplex "townhouse" units. All six townhouses have their own separate entrance and a unique floorplan, with this one boasting a totally lofty aesthetic.
There's also a private courtyard entrance
April 21, 2016

‘Gilmore Girls’ Alexis Bledel and ‘Mad Men’ Hubby Sell Brooklyn Heights Penthouse for $1.3M

The media frenzy surrounding the "Gilmore Girls" Netflix revival is hard at work trying to predict which love interest Rory will end up with. In real life, though, Alexis Bledel is already settled down with husband Vincent Kartheiser (Pete Campbell from "Mad Men"), and the pair just unloaded their classy Brooklyn Heights co-op, according to the Post. The couple first listed the duplex penthouse at 105 Montague Street last year for $1,560,000, slightly higher than the $1,325,000 sale price. The one-bedroom spread with a 500-square-foot roof deck was meticulously renovated and boasts lots of custom built-ins, a myriad of eclectic light fixtures, and a very Restoration Hardware-esque furniture selection.
See the whole place
April 15, 2016

20-Unit Brooklyn Heights Apartment Building Hits the Market As a $22M Mega-Mansion

If 2015 was the year of the nine-figure condo sale, 2016 may be the year of the makeshift mega-mansion. From Roman Abramovich's troubled attempt to combine three Upper East Side townhouses to a $50 million Tribeca spread with 18 toilets, wealthy New Yorkers are going to great lengths to create their dream homes. The latest over-the-top offering is in Brooklyn Heights, where a five-story, 20-unit rental building just hit the market as a $22 million single-family residence. As noted by the Wall Street Journal, the building at 50 Orange Street just sold in January for $13.5 million to Benchmark Real Estate Group, who quickly hired Lee Stahl of design/build firm The Renovated Home to draw up plans for how it could be converted to a single-family dwelling. These plans include four bedrooms (only four?), a gym, an 800-bottle wine cellar, and a roof terrace and would cost an additional $10.6 million to complete over a 16-month period.
But what about the tenants?
April 14, 2016

There’s Room for the Whole Crew in This Pretty Brooklyn Heights Co-op, Asking $2.7M

The neighborhood's gorgeous, the block is gorgeous, and all the gorgeous things Brooklyn Heights is known for (the Promenade, shops and cafes on Montague Street, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Pierrepont Playground) are steps away -- and the inside of this $2.7 million apartment in the historic co-op at 61 Pierrepont Street has no trouble living up to its surroundings. With a gracious and logical layout, the three-plus bedroom apartment is tastefully renovated and custom-configured beyond the standard bedrooms-and-common-space, all kind of squished together. There's a living room and a dining room. Not only are the bedrooms on opposite sides, but one has a cozy den next door. Find an office. Find a guest suite. Got kids? No problem. In-laws? Did we mention the thing about the bedrooms being well separated? And, there's an elevator.
Take a look around
April 6, 2016

1846 Townhouse Featured on the Brooklyn Heights House Tour Asks $4.95 Million

This picture-perfect Brooklyn Heights townhouse, at 2 Sidney Place, has been around since 1846 but is still in great shape. Since then, it's gone through a major remodel and modernization although it retains six of its fireplace mantels, all of which add an elegant and historic touch. The landmarked townhouse, in fact, is impressive enough to be featured on the popular Brooklyn Heights House Tour. But now the question is if it'll impress a buyer enough to bring in nearly $5 million.
Take a look around
March 31, 2016

26-Foot Ceilings and Stained Glass at This Brooklyn Heights Church Turned Condo

If the idea of living in a former church intrigues you, there are plenty of options on the market. Just yesterday, 6sqft featured a $3 million Williamsburg condo with soaring cathedral ceilings. But the 26-foot ceilings at this $6,900/month Brooklyn Heights church turned condo are some of the most spectacular we've yet to see in the residential realm. Located at 99 Clinton Street in the old Presbyterian Church, the architecture is downright holy, with many of the 19th century cathedral details like stained glass windows incorporated into the interior. And the exterior still boasts its historic stone facade.
Take a look
February 24, 2016

$4.8M Brooklyn Heights Duplex Has Amazing Historic Details and the Great Outdoors

Built by the Pierreponts in 1858, the immaculately preserved 25-foot-wide Italianate townhouse at 104 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights holds four co-op apartments developed by architect and historian Norval White. On the market for $4.825 million, the grandly proportioned parlor and garden floor make up a nearly 3,000-square-foot duplex with 700 square feet of private outdoor space–one of the loveliest gems in New York City's first landmarked district.
Explore both floors
February 8, 2016

Brooklyn’s Most Expensive Rental Ups Its Price to $29K/Month

The listing calls this 6,300-square-foot Brooklyn Heights townhouse at 11 Cranberry Street, for rent at $29,000 a month, "five floors of fabulous.com." We'd hope it lives up to the praise: The meticulously restored and painstakingly designed historic home is available furnished, for short or long term, and the asking rent (up from last summer's $25K monthly ask) makes it the borough's most expensive rental. The pretty–and pricey–neighborhood, transcendent bridge and river views, and proximity to Brooklyn Bridge Park already count for a premium. In addition to historic bones and soaring ceilings, the home has designer flair and up-to-the-millisecond modern conveniences like "an epic 5 zone Sonos music system" (though with five stories, we're noting the lack of an elevator).
Take the tour
February 3, 2016

Duplex in Historic Brooklyn Heights Co-op, Built for Manhattan Views, Asks $2.25M

2 Grace Court is one of the few cooperatives in Brooklyn Heights, a neighborhood mostly filled with townhouses. Built in 1922-23 by the architect Mortimer Freehof, it was specifically constructed on an elevated site near the waterfront so the building would get commanding views of the New York Harbor and Manhattan skyline. And this is the best kind of apartment you could find in such a building: The three-bedroom corner duplex has 12 large windows, southern and western exposures, and views of the East River, Statue of Liberty and Lower Manhattan from every room.
See more of the interior
January 11, 2016

Did Beyonce and Jay-Z Just Buy a Condo at Brooklyn Heights’ Pierhouse?

That's what a Brooklyn Bridge Park security guard is saying. The luxury condo building Pierhouse, which is located in the Brooklyn Heights park, has become notorious for the controversy surrounding its height, but now the conversation has turned to its potentially famous new residents, as the guard let the news slip to a long-time local who then spilled the beans to everyone at a community meeting.
Find out more
January 4, 2016

In the Historic ‘Fruit Streets’ of the Heights, a $4.5M Townhouse With a Private Garage

Tucked into one of the city’s more picturesque enclaves on Orange Street in Brooklyn Heights, this four-story, nearly-3,000-square-foot townhouse offers modern comforts with a nod to its historic surroundings. At an ask that doesn't raise eyebrows in a neighborhood whose graceful townhouses range from pricey to record-setting–sometimes regardless of interior state–this brick-clad row house, while not loaded with grand details, gets warmth from wood beams, exposed brick, a wood-burning fireplace and restored window moldings while providing turnkey touches like central air and an updated chef's kitchen. Another plus is a private garage, not exactly common in brownstone Brooklyn.
Have a look inside
November 16, 2015

$2.5M Brooklyn Waterfront Condo Has a Gorgeous Garden and a Wall Made of Shipping Containers

The loft-like apartments at 360 Furman Street–known as One Brooklyn Bridge Park–have made headlines in the past; the building was among the first wave of luxury conversions of its kind in the borough; it’s surrounded by one of the city’s favorite waterfront parks; it contains what was for a time the most expensive apartment listing in Brooklyn, and the list goes on. The building’s most alluring features are the stunning Manhattan and East River views from some of the apartments (others have less-stunning views of the BQE), luxury finishes, and convenience to the best of Brooklyn and downtown Manhattan. Interiors tend to be sleek and contemporary; it's not the first place you’d expect to find a wall crafted from shipping containers. This spacious and versatile three-bedroom apartment, on the market for $2.5 million, feels more like a laid-back loft with high-end details than a sleek new condo, with creative custom additions and steel-framed walls of glass overlooking a verdant garden-filled 600-square-foot terrace.
Check out this lofty space
October 21, 2015

Quirky Brooklyn Heights Duplex Comes With Its Own Backyard Studio Space

Charming, cute, quirky, lovely: these are all words commonly used to describe well-designed Brooklyn apartments. And we're going to use those words to talk about this one too, at 173 Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights. 173 Hicks is a five-story brick townhouse built in 1827, and this duplex co-op apartment occupies the garden and the first floors. (There's also a super-special, super-huge backyard included, which we'll get to in a bit.) The current owner has decorated well, and the apartment has more of a modern, fun vibe than a historic, stuffy one.
Take a look