Brooklyn

Downtown Brooklyn’s Abolitionist Place park is now open

All photos courtesy of Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

May 8, 2024

Downtown Brooklyn’s Abolitionist Place park is now open

By Aaron Ginsburg

First promised 20 years ago, a Downtown Brooklyn park commemorating the borough's abolitionist history is finally open. City officials on Wednesday cut the ribbon on the 1.15-acre Abolitionist Place, located at 225 Duffield Street. Designed by landscape architecture firm Hargreaves Jones, the park offers a playground, a water play feature, a central lawn, a paved area with boulders, seating, and a dog run. The green space was part of the 2004 upzoning of Downtown Brooklyn and planning officially began in 2010. Financial issues and design changes delayed the project several times.
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Architecture And Design

Park Slope’s priciest townhouse is an $18M masterpiece of modern design

Photo credit: Kevin Scott/ Brown Harris Stevens

May 8, 2024

Park Slope’s priciest townhouse is an $18M masterpiece of modern design

By Michelle Cohen

Not all big-ticket properties live up to their astronomical price tags, but the most expensive listing in Park Slope–a custom-engineered five-story townhouse at 535 1st Street on a prime landmarked block–is the very definition of no-expense-spared reconstruction. The five-bedroom residence, asking $18,000,000, was commissioned by the award-winning architecture and design firm Leroy Street Studio. Recently featured in Architectural Digest, this British Regency-style limestone mansion has been recreated with dramatic details like double-height entertaining levels and terraced, landscaped outdoor spaces, executed with flawless engineering skill and modern design expertise. The home would become Park Slope's priciest townhouse on record if it sells for the asking price.
five floors of townhouse perfection, this way

Distinctive Homes

Original Domino Sugar Factory sign reimagined as a lobby sculpture

Photo courtesy of Etienne Frossard

May 6, 2024

Original Domino Sugar Factory sign reimagined as a lobby sculpture

By Aaron Ginsburg

Williamsburg's original Domino Sugar Factory sign has been given new life as an art installation. Two Trees Management last week unveiled "Untitled (reverse virgule)," which repurposes the iconic yellow Domino Sugar Factory sign into an 11-foot by 36-foot wall sculpture. Created by artist Virginia Overton, the piece sits in the lobby of the Refinery at Domino, a new office building that opened last year within the historic sugar factory building.
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Architecture And Design

289-unit condo proposed for Crown Heights site next to Brooklyn Botanic Garden

960 Franklin Avenue. Street View 2024 © Google

May 6, 2024

289-unit condo proposed for Crown Heights site next to Brooklyn Botanic Garden

By Aaron Ginsburg

A Crown Heights property that has seen several development proposals over the years traded hands again. A limited liability company tied to Yitzchok Schwartz's YS Developers paid $64 million for 960 Franklin Avenue, which sits a block from the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and is home to a former spice factory, as The Real Deal reported. YS Developers acquired the site from Isaac Hager and Daryl Hagler and on Friday filed plans for a seven-story residential building with 289 condos. A previous plan that called for two 34-story towers with over 1,500 apartments was successfully stopped by the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and local residents, who feared the high-rises would block sunlight to its nearby greenhouses.
details here

New Developments

Four years after start of Covid, Green-Wood Cemetery opens community art memorial honoring New Yorkers

Photos courtesy of Erik McGregor

May 3, 2024

Four years after start of Covid, Green-Wood Cemetery opens community art memorial honoring New Yorkers

By Aaron Ginsburg

Four years after the start of the pandemic, a new memorial at Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery remembers the lives lost to Covid-19 and those still affected by the pandemic. Created by Naming the Lost Memorials (NTLM) and City Lore, "A Big, Slow, Majestic Covid Memorial" features tributes created by 22 community groups from across New York City. The memorial, stretching 200 feet across the cemetery's historic wrought-iron fence near the main entrance at Fifth Avenue and 25th Street, is on view through June 3.
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Events & Things To Do

Asking $2.75M, this pale pink Greenpoint townhouse has gardens, terraces, history, and charm

All photos courtesy of Kate Glicksberg

May 3, 2024

Asking $2.75M, this pale pink Greenpoint townhouse has gardens, terraces, history, and charm

By Michelle Cohen

Among the most sought-after in Brooklyn real estate, the historic Greenpoint townhouse is a dream for many, but the good ones are few and far between. This charming rose-colored wood-frame home at 61 Norman Avenue is a neighborhood gem, just a block from McCarren Park. Asking $2,750,000, the home is currently configured as a single-family residence, but it's a legal three-family dwelling, so income potential exists. As for charm, the townhouse is blessed with a shaded front porch, a walled private patio, a bedroom terrace, and a sunroom.
explore this brooklyn beauty

Distinctive Homes

Iconic bridge views and remarkable light: Inside Annabelle Selldorf’s condo One Domino Square

All photos courtesy of William Jess Laird

May 2, 2024

Iconic bridge views and remarkable light: Inside Annabelle Selldorf’s condo One Domino Square

By Devin Gannon

Architect Annabelle Selldorf's first residential tower, One Domino Square, features a striking iridescent porcelain tile facade that shifts the appearance of the skyscraper, allowing it to simultaneously stand out and blend in with its Williamsburg surroundings, depending on the light. Following the launch of sales for the building's 160 condos last month, new images provide a look inside the residences, which flaunt stunning bridge and skyline views, airy open floorplans, and an abundance of natural light.
get the tour

Inside this $12.75M Park Slope brownstone, architect-designed perfection includes a separate studio and two-car garage

Photo credit: Travis Mark

April 25, 2024

Inside this $12.75M Park Slope brownstone, architect-designed perfection includes a separate studio and two-car garage

By Michelle Cohen

On the corner of a picturesque Park Slope avenue, the 1860s Italianate row house at 96 Sixth Avenue anchors a block of historic brownstones. Inside, the home unfolds in modern magnificence, the result of a gut renovation by the architectural firm Baxt Ingui, IA Construction, and Tamara Eaton Design. In its current form, the five-bedroom home, asking $12,750,000, combines 19th-century glamour and contemporary design. A custom-built rear extension includes a separate studio and the rare bonus of a two-car garage, connected to the main home via a modern catwalk–all without sacrificing outdoor garden and deck space.
take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Prospect Heights pre-war co-op seen in ‘Black Swan’ lists for $1.7M

Photos courtesy of Allyson Lubow Photography

April 23, 2024

Prospect Heights pre-war co-op seen in ‘Black Swan’ lists for $1.7M

By Aaron Ginsburg

The home of Natalie Portman's character in the 2010 film "Black Swan" has hit the market. While in the movie, the apartment is shown near 103rd Street, just north of the ballerina's Lincoln Center workplace, in reality, the two-bedroom co-op is at 135 Eastern Parkway, across from the Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Heights. Asking $1,700,000, the classic six home radiates pre-war charm, with herringbone oak floors and high-beamed ceilings. As the New York Post reported, the Art Deco-style apartment building, known as the Turner Towers, was the childhood home of the late comedian Joan Rivers.
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Distinctive Homes

Asking $5.3M, the elusive Williamsburg townhouse is here, renovated and party-ready

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

April 23, 2024

Asking $5.3M, the elusive Williamsburg townhouse is here, renovated and party-ready

By Michelle Cohen

Remember that impossibly perfect brownstone on "Girls?" Living in the buzzy neighborhood often means "home" is a pricy pad in a brand-new high-rise or a funky loft space; better to look elsewhere for the classic Brooklyn townhouse. But every so often an opportunity comes along that allows you to combine north Brooklyn coolness with the townhouse-with-backyard lifestyle. This 3,341-square-foot brick home at 70 Conselyea Street, asking $5,349,000, is one such opportunity. On a pretty block in Williamsburg's old-school residential section, the single-family home, built in 1899, has been freshly renovated for everyday living and easy entertaining in any season.
Williamsburg townhouse tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

$5.9M Civil War-era Clinton Hill mansion is a three-family home and an architectural gem

Photo credit: Oleg Davidoff, Allyson Lubow Photography

April 22, 2024

$5.9M Civil War-era Clinton Hill mansion is a three-family home and an architectural gem

By Michelle Cohen

Clinton Hill is known for its ornate historic mansions set on blocks lined with brownstone and brick. This three-family home at 315 Washington Avenue, asking $5,900,000, is a fine example of just such a find. Built in the 1860s, this Francois I-style home is set back from the avenue, recognizable by the mansard roof added near the turn of the century by the Parfitt Brothers architectural firm. The free-standing manse measures a generous 30 feet wide and 68 feet deep on a gated lot surrounded by front, side, and back gardens, terraces, and a private driveway.
take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

Soar into spring with free kite flying and live music at Brooklyn Bridge Park

Photos courtesy of Etienne Frossard

April 18, 2024

Soar into spring with free kite flying and live music at Brooklyn Bridge Park

By Aaron Ginsburg

Celebrate the start of spring beneath hundreds of vibrant kites in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy is hosting its annual Sound & Color! Spring Festival on May 18 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., a free family-friendly event that celebrates the beginning of the season with kite flying, live music, food vendors, activities for kids, and more. Guests can craft their own kites in a workshop and send them off into the sky with help from expert flying instructors. The festival remains the only day of the year when kite flying is allowed at Pier 5.
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Events & Things To Do

See ODA’s curving, connected residential buildings rising in Williamsburg

Renderings courtesy of Secchi Smith

April 16, 2024

See ODA’s curving, connected residential buildings rising in Williamsburg

By Aaron Ginsburg

Renderings released this week show off a new full-block residential development coming to Williamsburg. Designed by architecture firm ODA, the project includes the Lorimer House, a 270-unit rental, and Copper Lofts, a "boutique collection" of 66 residences, connected by an elevated bridge, creating the illusion of one cohesive development. Taking advantage of their corner location in Broadway Triangle, the eight-story buildings feature a curving facade marked with alternating balconies and recessed terraces. Construction is expected to wrap up this spring.
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This compact $2M Red Hook home embodies the neighborhood’s unique, inventive spirit

Photo credit: Shannon Dupre/DDreps

April 16, 2024

This compact $2M Red Hook home embodies the neighborhood’s unique, inventive spirit

By Michelle Cohen

The waterfront community of Red Hook is known for the fresh, unconventional vibe represented by the industrial-era buildings and wood-frame homes that line its streets. Built in the 1920s, this single-family home at 145 Van Dyke Street, asking $1,995,000, is simple and compact, yet offers the flexibility of city townhouse living. Set back from the street, modern architectural flourishes define the home's nearly 1,500 square feet. Perks include a private garage/studio, outdoor space, and four bedrooms.
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Distinctive Homes

New Windsor Terrace rental opens lottery for 95 units next to Prospect Park, from $874/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

April 15, 2024

New Windsor Terrace rental opens lottery for 95 units next to Prospect Park, from $874/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Steps from Prospect Park, a new rental building in Windsor Terrace is accepting applications for 95 affordable apartments. Located on the southwest side of the park, the 13-story mixed-use building at 11 Ocean Parkway, called 1 Park Point, has 375 rental units with thoughtful layouts, a suite of luxury amenities, and a prime location right next to Prospect Park. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 100 percent of the area median income, or between $33,806 for a single person and $152,500 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments, which range from $874/month for one-bedrooms to $2,832/month for two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Visit the studios of 150+ artists in Dumbo this weekend

Photos by Giles Ashford

April 10, 2024

Visit the studios of 150+ artists in Dumbo this weekend

By Aaron Ginsburg

This weekend, over 150 artists will open their Brooklyn studios to the public. Taking place on April 13 and 14, DUMBO Open Studios provides a behind-the-scenes look at the neighborhood's art scene as well as conversations with artists about their latest creations. The annual event also features interactive guides on this year's participant artists and their artworks and 11 gallery exhibitions. The event will conclude with video art projections on the Manhattan Bridge and along the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.
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Events & Things To Do

A 100% affordable rental opens in Greenpoint

Photos courtesy of Lester Ali

April 4, 2024

A 100% affordable rental opens in Greenpoint

By Aaron Ginsburg

A fully affordable apartment building officially opened in Greenpoint this week, bringing income-restricted homes to one of Brooklyn's most expensive neighborhoods. City officials on Wednesday cut the ribbon at 35 Commercial Street, a 22-story tower with 374 affordable apartments, including 57 units for formerly homeless New Yorkers. The building is the 11th completed building in Greenpoint Landing, a 22-acre development with 5,500 new homes and five acres of public open space.
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Affordable Housing

Historic Crown Heights school is now a 40-unit luxury rental

Rendering courtesy of PKSB Architects

April 4, 2024

Historic Crown Heights school is now a 40-unit luxury rental

By Aaron Ginsburg

A former Catholic school in Crown Heights is now a 40-unit rental building. The Gregory at 991 St. John's Place sits within the St. Gregory the Great Roman Catholic Church complex, designed by Frank J. Helmle and Harvey Wiley Corbett in the 1920s. GEMA Capital Partners and PKSB Architects oversaw the conversion of the historic schoolhouse into a multi-family rental. Leasing has kicked off for the project's mix of studios, one-, two-, and three-bedroom homes, starting at $3,437/month.
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Williamsburg’s porcelain-clad condo One Domino Square launches sales, from $1.25M

Renderings courtesy of Two Trees Management

April 4, 2024

Williamsburg’s porcelain-clad condo One Domino Square launches sales, from $1.25M

By Aaron Ginsburg

Sales launched this week at One Domino Square, a new residential tower within the former Domino Sugar Factory site on the Williamsburg waterfront. Developed by Two Trees Management and designed by Selldorf Architects, the building, clad in a "pearl-like porcelain tile," consists of a 39-story tower with 160 condos and a 55-story rental with 400 units, the tallest building in Williamsburg. Condos range from one- to three-bedrooms, with prices starting at $1,250,000.
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New Developments

Major East New York development opens lottery for 203 low-income apartments, from $465/month

Rendering: NYC Department of Housing Development and Preservation

April 2, 2024

Major East New York development opens lottery for 203 low-income apartments, from $465/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 203 affordable apartments at a new residential development in East New York. The development is the final part of phase four of Nehemiah Spring Creek, a decades-long project led by the city to transform former marshland and landfill into a sprawling mixed-income and mixed-use community. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 70, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $18,480 for a single person and $122,000 for a household of five, can apply for the apartments. Units start at $465/month for studios, $591/month for one-bedrooms, and $700/month for two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

See inside the Brooklyn Paramount as historic theater reopens after 60 years

Image courtesy of Evan Joseph

April 1, 2024

See inside the Brooklyn Paramount as historic theater reopens after 60 years

By Aaron Ginsburg

Fort Greene's historic Brooklyn Paramount Theater, which once hosted legendary artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Duke Ellington, reopened last week for its first season in 60 years. A multi-million dollar restoration modernized the venue while preserving its opulent latticework ceiling, hand-crafted statues, and other Baroque features. For its first show in six decades, the Paramount hosted brothers Damian and Stephen Marley, who performed at the theater during their co-headlining Traffic Jam Tour.
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Brooklyn Tower faces foreclosure

Photo courtesy of Evan Joseph

April 1, 2024

Brooklyn Tower faces foreclosure

By Aaron Ginsburg

Despite setting a record for Brooklyn's most expensive studio last week, the Brooklyn Tower is facing foreclosure. JDS Development has defaulted on a $240 million mezzanine loan issued by Silverstein Capital Partners in 2019 for the 93-story development, as reported by The Real Deal. Silverstein has scheduled a foreclosure auction for June 10.
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Real Estate Trends

$3.4M Park Slope triplex condo has a roof terrace with heavenly views

All photos courtesy of Francisco Rosario, DDreps

March 29, 2024

$3.4M Park Slope triplex condo has a roof terrace with heavenly views

By Michelle Cohen

This impeccably designed, 2,017-square-foot triplex at 390 9th Street is a house-sized apartment in a charming 1920s Arts and Crafts townhouse. It received a thorough renovation by the previous owner, who created unique living spaces–including a fabulous private roof deck–and modern amenities that complement its historic provenance. Located in prime Park Slope just a few blocks from Prospect Park, the condo, asking $3,400,000, has been featured in interior magazines like Elle Decor.
Tour the triplex

Distinctive Homes

This $5.75M Clinton Hill two-family home is five floors of brownstone perfection

Photo credit: Russ Ross and Douglas Elliman

March 28, 2024

This $5.75M Clinton Hill two-family home is five floors of brownstone perfection

By Michelle Cohen

Brooklyn townhouses can seem like fairytale castles from the outside, but they often disappoint when it comes to interiors and livability. This massive 4,300-square-foot brownstone residence at 211 Greene Avenue in Clinton Hill is as much of a dream home on the inside as appears from the curb. Asking $5,750,000, the 19th-century townhouse has been thoroughly renovated with maximum architecture and design expertise. Five stories of living space include a two-bedroom garden apartment, a four-level upper unit, and a lovely landscaped backyard.
you'll want to see this

Distinctive Homes

$905K Brooklyn Tower studio sets new sales record for the borough

Photo by Max Touhey

March 27, 2024

$905K Brooklyn Tower studio sets new sales record for the borough

By Devin Gannon

The tallest tower in Brooklyn just broke another record. A studio apartment in the Brooklyn Tower has sold for $905,000, marking the most expensive studio sale on a price-per-square-foot basis in the borough. Situated over 720 feet above ground, the 440-square-foot apartment boasts soaring, unobstructed views of the city and way beyond. According to city records, the property fetched a little over $2,000 per square foot.
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Real Estate Trends

Greenpoint rental near the waterfront launches lottery for 24 homes, from $1,546/month

All renderings courtesy of StudiosC- studiosc.net

March 27, 2024

Greenpoint rental near the waterfront launches lottery for 24 homes, from $1,546/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 24 mixed-income apartments at a new residential development in Greenpoint. Located at 33 Franklin Street, the seven-story building, dubbed Franklin Court, has 80 apartments with spacious layouts, impressive amenities, and a prime spot in Greenpoint near the waterfront. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $55,680 for a single person and $165,230 for a household of three, can apply for the apartments. Units start at $1,546/month for studios, $1,620/month for one-bedrooms, and $1,881/month for two-bedrooms.
SEE IF YOU QUALIFY

Affordable Housing

ODA-designed Crown Heights rental with 328 apartments secures $135M in financing

Rendering courtesy of ODA Architecture

March 26, 2024

ODA-designed Crown Heights rental with 328 apartments secures $135M in financing

By Devin Gannon

The Crown Heights rental development that drew the ire of residents for replacing an Associated Supermarket is moving forward. The Hudson Companies on Monday announced it closed on $135 million in financing for the mixed-use project at 975 Nostrand Avenue, a new nine-story development with 328 apartments. As part of a deal reached in 2021, a grocery store run by the same manager of the previous store will take up about 20,000 square feet at the new building.
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New Developments

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