Brooklyn

This Park Slope co-op at 348 12th Street, is by no means small–in fact, it has three bedrooms, which is sprawling when you compare it to most other Brooklyn co-op apartments. But there's still something about it that feels cozy, homey, and just downright cute. This unit is also located in a modest eight-unit brick building that's quite charming, in one of the loveliest areas of Park Slope. So how much for all this Brooklyn charm? It is now on the market for $1.175 million.
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Distinctive Homes

July 21, 2015

Owen Dippie Channels Both Renaissance and Modern Artists in His Bushwick Murals

By Shiloh Frederick

Owen Dippie is starting a modern renaissance in Brooklyn. Within the past couple of months, the New Zealand-born street artist has put up two pieces in Bushwick that skillfully remix the work of the Renaissance masters and contemporary art and culture. Dippie's clever pieces appeal to art lovers of all styles. For Dippie, creating these mashups is like paying homage to his idols. Growing up, Dippie's biggest influences were Biggie Smalls, Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson, Andy Warhol, Basquiat and Keith Haring. As he grew older and became more exposed to other artists, the Renaissance masters began to grow on him as well. With such varying influences, it makes sense for Dippie to have created these pieces.
See the stunning mashups here

Events & Things To Do

July 20, 2015

Brooklyn Heights Penthouse Asking $1.75 Million Has 16-Foot Cathedral Ceilings

In Brooklyn Heights, high-ticket real estate is usually a historic brownstone or townhouse. And while this co-op does reside on 105 Montague Street, in a circa-1885 Queen Anne building that was once a hotel, the interior is a lot more modern than you may expect. This top-floor penthouse unit takes advantage of the building's striking roof line. You've got skylights, soaring cathedral ceilings, and thoroughly modern finishes. It's all asking $1.75 million.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

July 20, 2015

Live in a Rare Red Wood Cabin Near Prospect Park

By Diane Pham

One look at this unassuming wood home and you might find yourself rubbing your eyes, but rest assured this charming little cabin is indeed located in Brooklyn. Said to be the former "vacation home" of a wealthy 19th century Brooklyn Heights family, this 1800s construction has just been put on the market for $1.249 million. Interestingly, its 658 Vanderbilt Street locale in Windsor Terrace hasn't always been its address. The home was previously sited, oddly enough, in the middle of Prospect Park.
Find out more here

July 17, 2015

Brand New Photos for Bay Ridge’s Gingerbread House, Now Back on the Market for $11M

Bay Ridge's infamous Gingerbread House at 8220 Narrows Avenue is making headlines again. The incredible freestanding home is back on the market after a few different attempts to sell. As Curbed pointed out, the Arts and Crafts home was first asking $12 million in 2009, then the price was lowered a few times, then it was put on the rental market for $26,000 a month. (The broker tells us that it's only officially been on the market for around two years over a six-year period while the owners did renovations.) Now it's back again with brand new photos showing off its extravagant interior, alongside a price tag of $10.999 million. As the broker told us, "The overall market in Brooklyn is strong, particularly in Bay Ridge, which has become the new hot spot as buyers move south - this is an ideal time to put the house back on the market." We got our hands on the previously-unpublished new images, so take a look and decide if this is finally the time this special house will sell.
To the interior

July 16, 2015

SCDA’s Switchback Skyscraper Launches Teaser Site and Clears Its Midtown East Lot

By Ondel Hylton

Last November, 6sqft brought you news that a 29-unit boutique condominium would rise at the edge of Billionaires' Row, in that somewhat ambiguous zone occupied by Bloomingdale's and Bloomberg LLP. Now, the high-end development's teaser site has launched, which showcases a handful of images of the tower's common spaces, and we took a trip to the site to get a first look at the construction progress. Just last month, the two 4- and 6-story office buildings occupying the site at 116-118 East 59th Street were cleared, and recent Department of Buildings filings reveal that the envisioned $330 million tower will stand exactly 500 feet tall, making it spot-on-the-mark of what we (and other bean-counters) officially deem a skyscraper.
More details and renderings ahead

July 15, 2015

One57 Received $66M in Tax Breaks in Exchange for Just 66 Units of Affordable Housing

By Diane Pham

If you need more proof that there are some serious flaws with the 421-a program, once again, look no further than One57. As reported by the Journal, the super-luxe tower was the beneficiary of a whopping $65.6 million tax cut, an abatement granted in exchange for a paltry $5.9 million contribution to help cover the cost of 66 affordable apartments in the Bronx. That means your tax dollars subsidized apartments at nearly $1 million per unit—the highest known subsidy under the program—when affordable units on average cost a mere $179,000 apiece. It's estimated that the generous cut could have provided for 367 affordable apartments. The findings came from the latest review by the city’s Independent Budget Office (IBO).
FInd out more here

Affordable Housing

July 13, 2015

Park Slope Brownstone Has the Perfect Yard for Summer

Talk about a garden to die for. This Park Slope brownstone at 121 Lincoln Place has a backyard we wish we could camp out in this summer. The "private, lush, botanical landscaped garden," as the listing calls it, impressively extends over 86 feet. There's a shade garden in the back and a sun garden in the middle, not to mention two separate patios. As for the greenery, you've got roses, hydrangeas, honeysuckle, a rhododendron, azaleas, lilies, evergreen shrubs, a cypress, hemlock and more. Is the outdoor space enough to sell you on this home? Luckily, the interior isn't too bad either. It's on the market now for $3.795 million.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

July 10, 2015

Charming Brooklyn Heights Duplex with Versatile Backyard Asks $1.25M

Here's a nice two-bedroom garden duplex with oversized windows and prewar details, located on a serene block on Remsen Street in Brooklyn Heights. This $1.25 million, 1,000-square-foot pad offers a renovated kitchen and bathroom and a beautiful shared backyard with a private entrance onto Hunts Lane with its famed carriage houses.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

July 10, 2015

This Wrecked, Landmarked Townhouse in Fort Greene Is Asking $2 Million

How much would you pay for a completely rundown townhouse in the heart of the Fort Greene Historic District? This home, at 183 Lafayette Avenue, is a three-story wood frame that is likely one of the older buildings in the neighborhood. Its age is apparent from the facade, with its peeling yellow paint. Inside, the story is even worse, with an interior that demands a pretty significant renovation. And yet, the asking price comes in at a hefty $1.995 million. Is the Brooklyn market so hot that this crumbling home could actually fetch this price?
See the rest of the interior to decide

Distinctive Homes

My 425sqft: Tour a Bubbly Packaging Designer’s Boerum Hill Studio Filled with Eclectic Finds

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to Boerum Hill, Brooklyn. Want your home to be featured here? Get in touch!

July 9, 2015

My 425sqft: Tour a Bubbly Packaging Designer’s Boerum Hill Studio Filled with Eclectic Finds

When we heard that freelance packaging designer Amy Sprague has traveled to 25 countries, we assumed her apartment would be filled to the brim with souvenirs from far-off places including Morocco, Germany, Cambodia, Australia, and Japan. We thought this would be even more true when we learned of her love for antiquing. But the charming Boerum Hill studio is perfectly edited, providing just the right amount of eclectic touches, while still maintaining the feeling of a calm oasis. This is especially true of her lovely outdoor space, where a canopy of trees provides a serene escape from bustling Brooklyn. Amy lived for several years in the Gramercy neighborhood of Manhattan, but after dividing her time in 2013 and 2014 between New York and Offenbach, Germany (a small city outside Frankfurt), she decided to make the move across the East River. We recently visited Amy at her 425-square-foot studio and saw that her apartment's decor is just as fun and bubbly as she is. Let's have a look at how this design-minded gal was able to tastefully display her collection of antiques and travel mementos.
Tour the super-cute space right here

July 9, 2015

This One-Bedroom Co-op in Park Slope Has the Parisian Touch

Could this one-bedroom co-op, located at 404 3rd Street in Park Slope, blend right in in Paris? The broker seems to think so, calling the unit a "precious bijou on Park Slope's Champs Elysees!" Indeed, the apartment has a little French flair and is located in one of the nicest areas of the Slope, on a tree-lined block of historic townhouses. This particular unit is now on the market with an asking price of $575,000.
Tour l'intérieur

Distinctive Homes

Construction Update: Robert A.M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South Begins Race into the Sky

Image courtesy of Desimone Engineering

July 8, 2015

Construction Update: Robert A.M. Stern’s 220 Central Park South Begins Race into the Sky

By Ondel Hylton

Billionaire's Row's race into the sky continues. Two of its biggest projected selling towers are beginning to rise out of their gargantuan foundations and are rushing to claim their piece of coveted Central Park-fronting airspace. Construction of Vornado's 220 Central Park South development has an early lead against Extell Development's significantly larger Central Park Tower (formerly Nordstrom Tower) across West 58th Street. The first level of concrete and re-bar are now poking up above street level and the elevator/stairway cores are now clearly visible to pedestrian passersby.
See new images of the tower here

July 8, 2015

Park Slope Townhouse by Etelamaki Architecture Uses a Nondescript Facade to Stand Out

This renovation of a Park Slope townhouse by Etelamaki Architecture puts into practice the old saying "less is more." According to Contemporist, the recently completed project "maximizes the potential of a non-descript building shell, and limited budget, to create a modern, light filled home that acknowledges the building’s past, while envisioning the neighborhood’s future." Since the block is filled with a mix of early 20th century apartment buildings and newer condos, the architects didn't have to worry as much about maintaining a historic style, giving them the opportunity to create something totally new and bold. The top three floors were transformed into an owner's duplex and the ground-floor into a rental.
Get a look inside here

July 2, 2015

Cute Cobble Hill Condo with Fun Pops of Pink Asks $800k

The listing calls this 800-square-foot condo a studio, but given its spacious duplex layout, we think it functions more like a one-bedroom. Located at 473 Hicks Street in Cobble Hill, the apartment puts a contemporary spin on its classic bones. The huge, geometric bookshelves, translucent kitchen stools, and funky bedroom wallpaper all elevate the home from a boring box to a designer-worthy pad. But what especially draws us in is the subtle use of pink, which doesn't read girly, but rather sophisticated and fun.
See the rest here

Distinctive Homes

July 1, 2015

You’ll Never Be Locked Out of This $2.75M Boerum Hill Townhouse

Here's an interesting opportunity at the home of Miguel's Locks at 74 4th Avenue in Boerum Hill. The $2.75 million mixed-use building is 2,940 square feet, but has the potential to be built out to 9,942 square feet. That's either one heck of a mansion or one great income opportunity.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

June 29, 2015

Michelle Williams Buys Colonial Revival Mansion in Prospect Park South That Needs a Little TLC

Actress Michelle Williams is clearly a fan of big, beautiful Brooklyn houses. 6sqft got the scoop back in September that she was listing her lovely Boerum Hill townhouse for $7.5 million. The ivy-covered, corner-lot home came complete with a three-car garage and more space than is usual for the neighborhood. Likely for these reasons, she sold the house for well over the asking price ($8.8 million to be exact), just two months later. And after keeping us in suspense for seven long months as to where she and nine-year-old daughter Matilda would move, Ditmas Park Corner revealed today that Williams purchased an historic Colonial Revival-style home in Prospect Park South. Last listed for $2.45 million, the eight-bedroom home at 1440 Albemarle Road is referred to as "The Tara of Prospect Park South" in the listing. It boasts a two-story front porch with fluted Ionic columns, dormer windows, eight fireplaces, and leaded and stained glass windows. The landmarked house is definitely in need of some TLC, but that shouldn't be a problem for Williams, as she told a neighbor "I love living somewhere that feels like the suburbs but is next to an express train."
Check out the interiors, this way...

June 29, 2015

Discover Your Inner Activist in This Brooklyn Heights Home of Women’s Rights

Here's an opportunity to own a piece of history in this beautiful $2.995 million parlor-floor duplex in the mansion that once housed the Brooklyn Women's Club and the Brooklyn Woman Suffrage Association. This very building at 114 Pierrepont Street was the gathering place of visionaries like Laura Curtis Bullard, Elizabeth Tilton and Ida Sherwood Coffin, who hosted lectures on world politics and peace advocacy as well as events like card games. And the apartment is as grand as its history.
More pics inside

June 25, 2015

$2M Townhouse in Downtown Brooklyn Has a Goldfish Pond and 30 Types of Flowers

Sitting on a quiet block of colorful, historic homes in Vinegar Hill (okay, Downtown Brooklyn, but minor details...) is the perfect three-bedroom townhouse for a budding family. The 100-year-old storybook home covers 1,878 square feet and features a shady landscaped backyard with more than 30 types of flowers, a stone goldfish pond, and a winding path. And it's back on the market for $1.995 million.
Check it out here

Distinctive Homes

June 24, 2015

Renderings Revealed for Pacific Park Mega-Development’s Eight-Acre Green Space

Formerly known as Atlantic Yards, Pacific Park Brooklyn will be a 22-acre site anchored by the Barclays Center in Prospect Heights and containing eight million square feet of mixed-use development that includes 16 condo towers and 2,250 units of affordable housing, as well as an eight-acre park. Almost a year ago, developers Forest City Ratner Companies and Greenland USA (now merged as Greenland Forest City Partners) announced that they'd chosen Thomas Balsley Associates to design the green space. And now, we're finally seeing the first set of renderings for the public space, in addition to a master plan. The Daily News first shared the renderings, showing "the long, meandering park, which will follow the footprint of the new towers." The outdoor space will boast a public plaza and promenade, toddler and children's play areas, a bocce ball court, basketball court, dog run, glowing lanterns, sloping lawns, and a water garden.
More details ahead

June 24, 2015

$3M Brooklyn Heights Duplex Features Huge Outdoor Living Area Complete with a Fire Pit

Here's a $2.995 million garden duplex at 132 State Street in Brooklyn Heights with a gorgeous private backyard. The 25-foot-wide brownstone apartment features 2,275 square feet on the garden and parlor levels. And it's almost an insult to call the 1,000-square-foot rear garden "just" a backyard. It's actually more like an outdoor living room, but we'll get to that later.
More pics inside

Distinctive Homes

General Lee Avenue and Other Markers Pay Tribute to Brooklyn’s Confederate Past

General Lee Avenue and Robert E. Lee’s former home on Fort Hamilton, via Jeremy Bender/Business Insider

June 23, 2015

General Lee Avenue and Other Markers Pay Tribute to Brooklyn’s Confederate Past

We've all seen the news this week regarding the debate over Confederate flags in the South following the tragedy in Charleston. But a fascinating article today from Business Insider reminds us that the issue isn't necessarily limited to the southern states. In fact, there's an homage to the Confederacy right here in Brooklyn, and it goes largely unnoticed. General Lee Avenue is a half-mile street that runs through Fort Hamilton, the city's last remaining active-duty military base, and is named for Confederate commander General Robert E. Lee, who was the base's engineer before he left for the south. Additionally, there's a plaque marking the home where Lee lived from 1841 to 1846.
Find out more here

History

The High and Low: Architecturally Distinct Modern Townhouse in Brownstone Brooklyn

81 Hanson Place (L); 21 State Street (R)

June 22, 2015

The High and Low: Architecturally Distinct Modern Townhouse in Brownstone Brooklyn

By Michelle Cohen

Townhouses are having a moment. Manhattan’s most lavish single-family homes are top-ticket trophies for the superwealthy. And families who've outgrown their apartments, investors banking on rising rents, and a celebrity or two, are snapping up brownstones on leafy Brooklyn blocks. But a handful of more adventurous buyers -- seeking space and privacy and possessed of some architectural vision -- chose the less-traveled road of creating modern-design homes on the decidedly un-trendy historic blocks of brownstone Brooklyn many decades ago. On the market now is the rare pair below. The first, more of a compound than merely a house, has a creative pedigree and architectural icon status (and a $13 million price tag). This combination of a 1892 school building and the townhouse next door sits among the impressively ornate 19th-century mansions of Fort Greene and boasts an un-missable modern extension and peerless minimalist interior, not to mention sheer size. The second is a more modest home–for a relatively more modest $3.5 million–but is also a unique modern dwelling with a laid-back and livable interior on a coveted tree-lined block of historic Brooklyn Heights.
See more of these unique modern homes this way

June 22, 2015

Unique Brooklyn Heights Studio Comes with Clever Space-Saving Ideas and a Private Roof Deck

Here's a sweet studio in Brooklyn that's sure to grab your attention; if not for its tall ceilings and massive skylight, then for its clever use of space. Located at 56 Court Street in the heart of Brooklyn Heights, this petite light-soaked "penthouse" is a gem that's been outfitted with enough built-ins to appease even the worst of hoarders, and a huge private roof deck with wide-open views of the neighborhood. Yep, this isn't quite the cramped studio you ate dry ramen in during your college days.
Have a closer look inside here

June 19, 2015

Park Slope Pad Offers a Lot of Punch for Its $600k Price Tag

We can't quite pin down a design style for this super-chic Park Slope pad, but its eclectic decor makes it look like an advertisement from an Anthropologie catalog. It's not staged, though, and the lovely one-bedroom co-op at 416 4th Street can be yours for a very reasonable $599,000. That price tag also offers a wood-burning fireplace in the living room and a private deck overlooking a lush garden.
See the rest of the home

Distinctive Homes

June 19, 2015

After Selling 190 Bowery, Photographer Jay Maisel Buys Record-Breaking Cobble Hill Townhouse