Fort Greene

November 18, 2020

This year’s best in-person and virtual holiday markets in and around NYC

Like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting, and the Times Square ball drop on New Year's Eve, many of the city's holiday markets will also be online-only this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. While nothing beats the magic of New York City during the holiday season and the traditions that come along with it, there are still ways to support local artists, businesses, and vendors this year. In addition to a few markets happening in-person this year, including the open-air shops at Bryant Park, a number have gone virtual, allowing you to shop safely from home, no matter where that is.
Full list ahead
November 11, 2020

Tired of roommates? Here are 5 studios in NYC renting for under $2,500/month

Sharing space with roommates in a small New York City apartment has never been easy. But doing so during a pandemic while many are still working from home? Almost impossible. As winter approaches and takes safe outdoor activities with it, now may be a good time to look for your own apartment. And with average rents still down compared to the same period last year, you're more likely to scoop up a decent deal. For those ready to ditch the roommates, we've found five studio apartments perfect for one, from a sunny Sutton Place rental for $1,538/month to a $2,479/month junior one-bedroom with amenities in Gramercy Park.
Details this way
October 9, 2020

This dreamy $3.25M Fort Greene condo was made for live, work, and play

From an aesthetic perspective, this Fort Greene condo has a lot to talk about--gorgeous plaster ceiling moldings, original brick arches, and creative and contemporary flourishes. But it's also got quite a lot going for it in terms of practicality. For $3,250,000, the home at 407 Clermont Avenue has three floors, three bedrooms, a multi-tiered garden and deck, and a massive basement rec room that's been transformed into a home gym, crafting area, and home office.
See more here
September 16, 2020

For $2.75M, this adorable Fort Greene carriage house is the perfect live/work opportunity

Most New Yorkers have had to get creative with their remote work situations, but if you're on the #WFH train for the long haul, you may need to consider an upgrade. And if you've got $2,750,000 to shell out, consider this incredible Fort Greene carriage house. Built in 1925, the super unique residence was fully renovated in 2014 and now includes a conference room, three offices, and even a recording studio. It's not technically set up as a private home, but with a full kitchen, rear terrace, and tons of space, it easily could be.
Go inside
August 20, 2020

37 middle-income units available at new Brooklyn rental with rooftop movie screen, from $2,370/month

Applications are now being accepted for 37 middle-income units at a new rental in Brooklyn. Located on the Clinton Hill-Fort Greene border, 810 Fulton Street (also known as 475 Clermont Avenue) rises 12 stories and contains 363 apartments. The building boasts a number of amenities, including a parking garage, children's playroom, fitness center, and a large landscaped rooftop with grills, a catering kitchen, and an outdoor movie theater. New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, ranging from a $2,370/month studio to a $3,063/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify
July 30, 2020

Second Empire brownstone in Fort Greene has been beautifully restored for $4M

There's something very romantic about this brownstone at 374 Vanderbilt Avenue in Fort Greene. The interiors have been beautifully preserved and the home modernized, but not so much so that it's lost its old-world charm. The five-bedroom Second Empire townhouse was built in 1899 and is part of the Fort Greene Historic District. It's asking $3,995,000, and has a studio apartment in the basement level for added income.
See the whole place
July 21, 2020

$5M Fort Greene townhouse has three rental apartments and a luxurious owner’s duplex

There's quite a lot to love about this Fort Greene residence at 215 Clermont Avenue, just listed for $4,995,000. Not only does it have three income-producing rental units, but the owner's duplex is as luxurious as townhouse living comes. In addition to an incredible amount of preserved 19th-century architecture, the duplex boasts a large, landscaped rear garden, a wine room, and even a mudroom that doubles as a pet spa.
See more here
July 15, 2020

Brooklyn Navy Yard is selling PPE online and at West Elm and Wegmans

Face shields, ventilators, cloth masks, hand sanitizer--this is just some of the personal protective equipment being produced by manufacturers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. To help their tenants who have shifted from their normal business models to make PPE during the pandemic, the Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation (BNYDC) announced today a a new initiative called "Made at the Yard." The program includes an online e-commerce portal where tenants can market and sell PPE and related products, as well as PPE vending machines and partnerships with West Elm and Wegmans.
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July 7, 2020

Brooklyn locals call for Barclays Center to be renamed for Jackie Robinson

The Barclays Center has made many headlines recently, as it's served as a hub for the city's Black Lives Matter protests. And some locals hope to keep this momentum going and are pushing for the arena to be renamed for Brooklyn Dodgers player Jackie Robinson, the first African American Major League Baseball player. Arthur Piccolo of Park Slope actually began the effort back in 2006, but recently revived it, telling the Brooklyn Paper, "You’re seeing certain individuals being criticized and their statutes rightly removed, and here’s the opportunity to do something symbolic."
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July 6, 2020

$999K Fort Greene co-op is super stylish with room to spare

From the just-under-a-million pricetag to the lovely historic features to the outdoor space, this Fort Greene co-op has a lot going for it. Located at 143 Lafayette Avenue, the apartment is currently configured as a one-bedroom plus home office, but that bonus space would also make a great nursery or sitting room. An added bonus--the private deck overlooks the pre-war building's English garden, which is complete with whimsical landscaping and seating areas.
Look around
June 26, 2020

An outdoor deck and bonus basement make this $1.6M Fort Greene co-op a stand-out

Some people might snub the idea of living in the garden unit of a townhouse, but what that often affords is a private backyard, such is the case at this Fort Greene co-op. Located at 154 Lafayette Avenue and just listed for $1.6 million, the two-bedroom home also has a large lower level that's currently configured as a second living room but could be converted to a third bedroom suite.
Go inside
June 4, 2020

20 mixed-income apartments available at new Downtown Brooklyn tower, from $690/month

Applications are now being accepted for 20 mixed-income apartments at a new Brooklyn high rise. The 19-story tower located at 1 Flatbush Avenue sits between Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene, conveniently located near a dozen subway lines, major shopping thoroughfares, and entertainment venues like the Barclays Center and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. New Yorkers earning 40 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $690/month studio to a $3,063/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify
April 7, 2020

Once a WWII ship-building site, Brooklyn Navy Yard returns to its ‘wartime factory’ days

During World War II, 70,000 workers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard built and repaired thousands of battleships and sent supplies to troops stationed around the world. Today, the 300-acre waterfront site is returning to its roots, with manufacturing companies coming together to create medical supplies from scratch for healthcare workers in support of the city's coronavirus pandemic response.
Get the details
January 14, 2020

This $3.5M wood-frame house in Fort Greene has high-end finishes and a delicious mint kitchen

Built in 1870, this historic wood-frame home on a block of gorgeous landmarked townhouses a few blocks from Fort Greene Park is asking $3,495,000. It's had a recent renovation that bestowed updates like well-concealed central air and an intercom system and high-end finishes like herringbone wood flooring, arriving at that magic mix of contemporary comfort and historic charm. Within the single-family home are four bedrooms, each with its own bath, plus grand entertaining rooms and plenty of family space. A large landscaped rear yard joins a patio and wood deck for indoor-outdoor living in season.
Take the townhouse tour
December 18, 2019

The city’s first LGBT-friendly affordable senior housing opens in Fort Greene

New York City’s first affordable LGBT-friendly senior housing complex has opened in Fort Greene. Originally called the Ingersoll Senior Residences, the project—which is the first to be completed under the city’s controversial plan to lease NYCHA land to private developers—was dubbed Stonewall House in honor of the 1969 riots that launched the modern LGBT movement. The building comprises 145 apartments that will be available to seniors 62 years and older who make 50 percent or less of the area median income, with 25 percent of the units set aside for formerly homeless tenants.
More details
December 5, 2019

Construction begins on Fort Greene’s newest cultural center at 300 Ashland Place

The city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is starting construction on a new cultural center housed within the 32-story tower at 300 Ashland Place in Fort Greene. The new L10 Arts and Cultural Center will span across 50,000 square feet and host a range of institutions, including new gallery and performance spaces for the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), three cinemas for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), rehearsal studios and performance space for 651 ARTS, and a new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.
More info
October 21, 2019

Sophisticated, gut-renovated Fort Greene townhouse with just enough rustic charm asks $4.35M

The bones of this two-family townhouse at 362 Clermont Avenue date back to 1899, but inside, a gut renovation has brought the property well into the 21st century. Several wood-burning fireplaces and the original doors were restored while other materials, like the reclaimed wood floors, were carefully sourced to reflect what was originally there. The 22-foot-wide Fort Greene home spans across 3,650 square feet (not including the basement apartment) and is seeking $4.35 million.
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September 4, 2019

Take a jazz-filled tour of historic Fort Greene homes

While it's always easy to admire the stunning brownstones of Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood from the outside, here's your chance to appreciate them up close. The 34th Fort Greene House Tour takes place on Sunday, Sept. 22, opening up unique homes from the 19th-century to architecture enthusiasts. Hosted by the Fort Greene Association, the theme of this year's tour is "Houses, History & All That Jazz," with some homes on tour featuring live music, in honor of the neighborhood's musical legacy.
How to get tickets
September 3, 2019

My 2,400sqft: Inside Compass agent Christine Blackburn’s custom-designed Fort Greene home

Ten years ago, Christine Blackburn and her husband built an entirely new home above two storefronts in Fort Greene. Christine is one half of the Barak/Blackburn Team at Compass. As a seasoned real estate agent who specializes in North Brooklyn and Downtown Manhattan, it's no surprise that she had the eye to create a home with a double-height living room, two terraces, a roof deck, and plenty of cool, custom design details. 6sqft recently paid Christine a visit to get a tour of her home, learn what it was like to build the residence from the ground up, and hear her thoughts on the real estate market in New York City.
Take the tour
August 8, 2019

BAM commissions a series of public artworks for its Fort Greene campus

BAM will soon be adding a series of site-specific public artworks to its Fort Greene campus. Brooklyn-based artists Teresita Fernández and Hank Willis Thomas have been commissioned to create new works for BAM, and Leo Villareal—whose LED light installation “Stars” can already be seen illuminating the arched façade windows of BAM’s Peter Jay Sharp Building—will create two new works. One additional artist will be commissioned in the near future.
More details
August 6, 2019

New York’s first fleet of self-driving cars launches at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

New York's first fleet of self-driving vehicles has officially landed in Brooklyn. Six autonomous vehicles will roll into the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Wednesday, shuttling passengers in a loop around the 300-acre industrial site for free. Optimus Ride, the Boston-based technology company behind the fleet, will run the autonomous shuttle between 7 a.m. and 10:30 p.m. on weekdays, between the NYC Ferry stop at Dock 72 and Cumberland Gate at Flushing Avenue.
Ride this way
July 18, 2019

Rent a polished Fort Greene one bedroom with a wood-burning fireplace for $3K/month

This one bedroom on the third floor of a four-story co-op at 416 Clermont Avenue is "nestled in the treetops in prime Fort Greene," per the listing. Judging from the green views out the windows, that description isn't far off. The charming apartment was recently renovated to reflect more modern tastes but it held on to some of it's best prewar details, like the wood-burning fireplace with a carved marble mantle in the living room. The unit is now available to rent for $3,000 a month.
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June 12, 2019

Historic Clinton Hill home that spawned ghost stories is back on the market for $3.6M

Here's a rare chance to own one of the city's most historic homes, the Lefferts-Laidlaw House at 136 Clinton Avenue in Clinton Hill (and part of the Wallabout Historic District). Built around 1836, the home "typified the villas that were erected in Brooklyn's early suburbs in the early-to-mid nineteenth century" and might be the "only remaining temple-fronted Greek Revival style residence in Kings County," according to the 2001 designation report. It's become known as one of the most haunted houses in the city, thanks to stories of "doorbells rung, doors rattled" on a nightly basis in the late 19th century—but the tongue-in-cheek tone of the original New York Times reports is hard to miss. Perhaps the scariest thing left about it is the asking price. The home has been on and off the market for years, last seeking $4.5 million in 2016. Now, the property is back for a significantly reduced $3.6 million.
Take the tour
May 31, 2019

$2.2M Wallabout townhouse comes with multiple outdoor spaces and two parking spots

Adjacent to Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard is one of Brooklyn’s oldest but least known neighborhoods: Wallabout. Though somewhat isolated due to its lack of public transportation, the area boasts a rich history dating back to the 17th century. It was once home to the area’s second largest producer of chocolate (second only to Hershey’s), Brooklyn’s first free African-American school, and where Walt Whitman wrote the first edition of “Leaves of Grass” while living at 99 Ryerson Street. Wallabout contains the largest concentration of pre-Civil War wood-frame houses in the city, but amid the historic homes are some contemporary gems, like this 2011 metal-clad townhouse at 336 Park Avenue. The 2,500 square-foot property—complete with a side yard, a roof terrace, and two parking spots—is currently on the market for $2,200,000.
Take a look inside
May 20, 2019

In Fort Greene, nation’s largest LGBT senior development will open affordable housing lottery

At 112 Edwards Street in Fort Greene, a completely new type of affordable housing is set to launch a lottery for 108 low-income units. The Ingersoll Senior Residences was built as part of the city's controversial plan to lease NYCHA land to private developers in order to build and maintain more affordable housing. Thanks to a partnership between BFC Partners and SAGE, Advocacy & Services for LGBT Elders, the building is the nation's largest LGBT-friendly elder housing project and the first in New York City. When the lottery opens on May 29th, individuals or couples who have at least one member age 62 or older can apply for studios and one-bedrooms for which they'll pay 30 percent of their income, which can range from $0 to $42,700.
Find out more
April 11, 2019

Will the Wegmans obsession continue in Brooklyn?

Wegmans is officially coming to Brooklyn this fall, more than four years after the beloved grocery store announced plans to open its first ever New York City location. The grocery store will open a 74,000-square-foot spot within Admiral's Row at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre site transforming from a waterfront warship building site into an industrial tech-hub. While the store already has a dedicated following outside of NYC, due mostly to its wide range of brand-name and specialty products, will the Wegmans obsession continue in Brooklyn?
Get the details
March 21, 2019

Self-driving shuttle service is coming to the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Self-driving vehicles are officially coming to New York City this year. The Boston-based startup Optimus Ride announced on Wednesday plans to deploy a fleet of autonomous shuttle vans to the Brooklyn Navy Yard, a 300-acre site in the midst of transforming from a World War II-era warship site to a modern tech-hub. When it launches in the second quarter of this year, the self-driving program will be the first of its kind in New York, according to the company.
Learn about it here