Brooklyn

Photo credit: Russ Ross for The Corcoran Group

September 28, 2023

$3.75M Prospect Heights townhouse has laid-back charm, three big apartments, and extra-long backyard

The feature that will undoubtedly impress visitors the most about this four-story brownstone at 307 Park Place in pretty Prospect Heights is its seemingly endless backyard. It's one of a fortunate handful of homes in the neighborhood to be blessed with a 131-foot lot. Within, the three-family 1910 townhouse may come up short on original architectural details, but there's still plenty of warmth and charm within its brick-accented walls. Asking $3,750,000, the property offers flexibility in the form of three large apartments that can be combined–or left as-is to maximize rental income.
tour every level

Distinctive Homes

Photos by Max Touhey

September 27, 2023

The Refinery at Domino unveils office space and grand glass atrium at historic Williamsburg sugar factory

By Michelle Cohen

The Refinery at Domino, a 460,000-square-foot all-electric office building, is now open at the former Domino Sugar Factory plant on the Williamsburg, Brooklyn waterfront. As the latest addition by Domino Park developer Two Trees Management, the new adaptive reuse project saw the conversion of the former 19th-century factory site of what was once the largest sugar producer in the world into a net zero carbon office space. The Refinery is the newest building to open in the 11-acre, mixed-use development north of the Williamsburg Bridge.
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New Developments

Lottery opens for 230 luxury apartments at huge Greenpoint rental, from $848/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

September 25, 2023

Lottery opens for 230 luxury apartments at huge Greenpoint rental, from $848/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A two-tower rental development on the Greenpoint waterfront opened a lottery this week for 230 luxury apartments. Designed by CetraRuddy, Tower 77 sits on a former industrial area facing Newton Creek at the northern tip of the Brooklyn neighborhood. New Yorkers earning between 40 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $848/month for studios to $4,173/month for three bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

$2.6M Cobble Hill condo is on three flexible floors of a converted 19th-century church

Photo credit: DDREPs for The Corcoran Group

September 21, 2023

$2.6M Cobble Hill condo is on three flexible floors of a converted 19th-century church

By Michelle Cohen

This unique Cobble Hill home will instantly get the attention of history buffs. Built within a converted Romanesque Revival church constructed in the 1880s, this three-bedroom home at The Landmark at 58 Strong Place was designed by top local architecture firm Baxt Ingui Architects. Asking $2,600,000, the 1,855-square-foot triplex takes full advantage of the building's unusual layout, creating loft-like spaces for privacy and ease of living.
interior blessings, this way

Distinctive Homes

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

September 19, 2023

Famous Bay Ridge Gingerbread House is on the market again, asking $8.75M

By Michelle Cohen

This one-of-a-kind dwelling at 8200 Narrows Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn is anything but cookie-cutter basic. Known as the Gingerbread House, this cute-enough-to-eat Hobbit-esque home is an American Arts and Crafts-style design by architect James Sarsfield Kennedy. Built for shipping mogul Howard Jones in 1918, the home was described as "the most magnificent residence in all of New York City." According to Brownstoner, the home was last listed in 2017 for $9 million. It's currently asking $8,750,000.
take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

Center for Brooklyn History reopens in Brooklyn Heights after renovation

Photos courtesy of Gregg Richards

September 15, 2023

Center for Brooklyn History reopens in Brooklyn Heights after renovation

By Aaron Ginsburg

The world's largest collection of Brooklyn history is once again accessible to the public. Located at 128 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights, the Center for Brooklyn History reopened this week following an extensive renovation of its first floor, which includes space for visitors to read, study, and enjoy exhibitions. As part of the reopening, the Center debuted "Brooklyn is...," an exhibition celebrating the borough through the photos, artworks, and words of Brooklyn residents, who are invited to submit their personal memories to be featured.
LEARN MORE

Townhouse living in Bay Ridge with a deck and a country-sized backyard for $1.2M

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow for The Corcoran Group

September 14, 2023

Townhouse living in Bay Ridge with a deck and a country-sized backyard for $1.2M

By Michelle Cohen

The barrel-fronted townhouse at 644 76th Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, may not be a mansion, but with intact pre-war details, two-family potential, and a front and backyard, the $1,200,000 ask makes it a charming condo alternative. The 20-foot-wide, four-bedroom home boasts original inlaid hardwood floors, high coffered ceilings, bay windows, pocket doors, fretwork, moldings, and colorful stained glass.
take the townhouse tour

Distinctive Homes

$16.75M Brooklyn Heights townhouse has historic layout and modern extras, like a basement movie theater

Photo credit: Scott Wintrow for Sotheby’s International Realty

September 13, 2023

$16.75M Brooklyn Heights townhouse has historic layout and modern extras, like a basement movie theater

By Michelle Cohen

The graceful brick townhouse at the aptly-named 25 Grace Court is a landmarked beauty in one of New York City's loveliest historic districts. Asking $16,750,000, the five-story urban mansion is a 5,975-square-foot single-family home, perfectly renovated from top to bottom, but with rarely-seen care taken to preserve its original grandeur. The home has received architectural preservation awards from the NY Landmarks Conservancy and the Brooklyn Heights Association–and we can see why.
Tour this historic home

Distinctive Homes

You can buy the 2023 Real Simple designer showcase home in Brooklyn’s Quay Tower for $8M

Photo courtesy of Eytan Stern Weber via Evan Joseph Images

September 12, 2023

You can buy the 2023 Real Simple designer showcase home in Brooklyn’s Quay Tower for $8M

By Michelle Cohen

The Real Simple Home 2023 has officially been unveiled in Brooklyn. And it's available for purchase. Newly-minted Brooklyn Heights condo Quay Tower at 50 Bridge Park Drive has just listed a duplex penthouse asking $7,995,000. Crowned the magazine's sixth Real Simple Home, the 2,789-square-foot duplex has been transformed by top designers and influencers, who have put a one-of-a-kind, personalized touch on the sleek space–including Bobby Berk, host of Netflix's "Queer Eye," who designed the living room.
TOUR THE DESIGNER-ENHANCED PENTHOUSE

NYC’s Atlantic Avenue rezoning plan calls for 4,000 new homes and more open space

Preliminary vision of Atlantic Avenue looking west. Courtesy of NYC Planning.

September 11, 2023

NYC’s Atlantic Avenue rezoning plan calls for 4,000 new homes and more open space

By Devin Gannon

The city wants to bring 4,000 new apartments to a stretch of Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue currently home to vacant lots and auto shops. The Department of City Planning last week released the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan, a preliminary rezoning framework for 13 blocks of an industrially zoned area that runs through Prospect Heights, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, and Bed-Stuy. The rezoning would allow for higher destiny residential and commercial use, with the potential for up to 1,550 income-restricted homes. Following additional community meetings and an environmental review, the proposal could enter the public review process in the spring of next year.
details here

For $2M, this Cobble Hill brownstone duplex includes a perfect private garden

Photo credit: Melanie Greene

September 6, 2023

For $2M, this Cobble Hill brownstone duplex includes a perfect private garden

By Michelle Cohen

If you've always envied the magical back gardens of brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods like Cobble Hill, here's a chance to enjoy your own–without having to buy a brownstone. This two-bedroom co-op at 193 Clinton Street, asking $2,000,000, spans the lower levels of a pretty townhouse. In addition to the outdoor oasis, there's bonus space on the lower level–and a laundry room.
home and garden, this way

Distinctive Homes

You can ride retro NYC subway trains this weekend

Image courtesy of the New York Transit Museum

September 5, 2023

You can ride retro NYC subway trains this weekend

By Aaron Ginsburg

This weekend, take a special ride on a historic New York City subway train. The New York Transit Museum's annual Parade of Trains event returns on September 9 and September 10 with a selection of vintage trains running between Brighton Beach and Kings Highway on the B and Q lines. Admission is free with subway fare.
All ABoard

$1.85M Dumbo loft condo has city and harbor views, plus plenty of room to live and work

Photo courtesy of Brown Harris Stevens

September 5, 2023

$1.85M Dumbo loft condo has city and harbor views, plus plenty of room to live and work

By Michelle Cohen

If you've ever admired the views from the original loft-conversion condos in Brooklyn's Dumbo neighborhood, here's your chance to gaze out on the city and New York Harbor daily. This one-bedroom-plus-office home at 70 Washington Street, listed for $1,850,000, also has two full baths, expansive living and entertaining space, and plenty of closets. The building's amenities are just right, too.
Dumbo condo tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

New Downtown Brooklyn condo tower 9 Chapel has terraces that act like front porches

Renderings courtesy of DARCSTUDIO

August 29, 2023

New Downtown Brooklyn condo tower 9 Chapel has terraces that act like front porches

By Aaron Ginsburg

New renderings were released this week of 9 Chapel Street, a unique luxury condo tower under construction in Downtown Brooklyn. Developed by design-driven firm Tankhouse and designed by SO-IL, the 14-story building makes outdoor space a central feature, with open-air terraces that act as front porches, a mix of covered and uncovered private outdoor space, and weather-protected loggias. The goal of the design is to create a feeling that is "more house than high rise," as a press release describes.
Take a look

100 percent affordable housing to replace two Boerum Hill parking lots

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

August 28, 2023

100 percent affordable housing to replace two Boerum Hill parking lots

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is moving forward with a development plan that will bring hundreds of new affordable apartments to a bustling part of Brooklyn. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development last week began community outreach for two 100 percent affordable developments on city-owned parking lots in Boerum Hill. The sites, located at 153 Nevins Street and 108-114 Third Avenue, will include 125 new apartments for families and seniors.
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Affordable Housing

Photo via Wikimedia

August 22, 2023

Feds approve asylum seeker shelter at Brooklyn’s Floyd Bennett Field

By Aaron Ginsburg

Brooklyn's Floyd Bennett Field will be home to New York City's latest migrant shelter. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday announced a deal was reached for the federal government to provide New York State with a proposed lease of the former naval air station in Marine Park. The governor said the new Humanitarian Emergency Relief and Response Center (HERRC) will be able to house up to 2,000 single adult asylum seekers. While the governor initially requested that the federal government pick up the bill for constructing and staffing the shelter, the state agreed to cover the expenses, according to Gothamist.
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Policy

August 21, 2023

Pre-Civil War church in Bed-Stuy to be demolished

By Aaron Ginsburg

A historic church in Bed-Stuy constructed in 1856 is set to be razed and will likely be replaced with apartments, according to Brownstoner. Last week an application was filed for the full demolition of the St. Lucy-St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church at 295 Willoughby Avenue and 920 Kent Avenue. The church agreed to sell the property in July for $12.25 million to developer Water Capital Group. Due to the size of the lot and zoning in the area, investment firm JLL marketed the site as a "rare opportunity to develop a sizable luxury residential building in a burgeoning Brooklyn neighborhood."
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4 NYC seafood spots that will make you feel like you’re on vacation

Photo courtesy of Brooklyn Crab

August 16, 2023

4 NYC seafood spots that will make you feel like you’re on vacation

By Lidia Ryan

Nothing says summer in the Northeast like sitting by the water with fresh seafood and a cold drink. Lobster rolls, oysters, and steamers on the coast probably conjure up images of weekends in the Hamptons, Cape Cod, or Maine, but there are some hidden gems right here in New York City that will make you feel like you’re on a summer getaway — and you don’t even have to battle that weekend traffic. Here are four spots to check out while summer is still in full swing.
see the spots

Newly-minted Bed-Stuy townhouse is filled with sunlight and fresh design for $3M

All photos courtesy of Interiors by Kat for The Corcoran Group

August 15, 2023

Newly-minted Bed-Stuy townhouse is filled with sunlight and fresh design for $3M

By Michelle Cohen

For all the ways townhouse living is near perfection in the city, modern homes with new interiors and tons of light can be a refreshing refuge. This four-story townhouse at 151 Monroe Street in Brooklyn's brownstone-filled Bed-Stuy neighborhood gives you both: The two-family home, asking $2,995,000, has four stories of living space, six bedrooms, and plenty of outdoor space. It's also a showcase of contemporary design and comfort, with sun-filled open rooms, colorful details, carefully-selected materials, and top-quality craftsmanship on every level.
see inside

Distinctive Homes

569-unit rental planned next to Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Crown Heights

Rendering via JLL

August 15, 2023

569-unit rental planned next to Brooklyn Botanic Garden in Crown Heights

By Devin Gannon

Plans for a 17-story mixed-use project with 569 rentals in Crown Heights are moving ahead. Carmel Partners acquired $233 million in construction financing for the development of the new building at 54 Crown Street, which sits just one block east of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Work has already begun on the complex, which will include both commercial and community space as well as parking for 170 vehicles.
See it here

New Developments

Affordable senior housing to replace Prospect Heights parking lot

Rendering of the proposed plans for 542 Dean Street shows the new entrance to the park and public space created as part of the design for the affordable senior housing project. Courtesy of GRAPH.

August 10, 2023

Affordable senior housing to replace Prospect Heights parking lot

By Aaron Ginsburg

A plan to replace a Prospect Heights parking lot with affordable housing for low-income and homeless seniors is moving forward. The city's Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) on Tuesday announced its selection of Jobe Development, Corp., Mega Group Development, and the Institute of Community Living Room to convert a city-owned parking lot at 542 Dean Street into the residential development "Park Edge." The redevelopment is part of the Atlantic Avenue Mixed-Use Plan (AAMUP), which found a community desire for new affordable housing projects on city-owned properties.
DetaILS HERE

Affordable Housing

New York hip-hop legends featured on limited-edition MetroCards

Photo courtesy of the MTA on Flickr.

August 7, 2023

New York hip-hop legends featured on limited-edition MetroCards

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has released special-edition MetroCards in celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, the music genre born in the Bronx in 1973. The agency on Saturday said 40,000 MetroCards featuring rappers LL Cool J and Pop Smoke are available at subway station vending machines in Queens and Brooklyn, with additional cards featuring local legends Rakim and Cam'ron available later this month.
Find out more

Transit

Rec center in McCarren Park to house asylum seekers

Photo © 6sqft

August 4, 2023

Rec center in McCarren Park to house asylum seekers

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City is preparing to house asylum seekers in a recreation center in Brooklyn's McCarren Park starting this weekend, Politico reports. Roughly 80 to 100 people will be housed within one wing of the Williamsburg rec center. Officials say public access to the pool and fitness center will not be impacted by the new shelter.
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Policy

NYC’s latest pickleball club coming to Downtown Brooklyn’s City Point

Renderings courtesy of Court 16.

August 4, 2023

NYC’s latest pickleball club coming to Downtown Brooklyn’s City Point

By Aaron Ginsburg

Downtown Brooklyn will be home to New York City's newest pickleball club. Located on the fourth floor of the mixed-use complex City Point, the 26,000-square-foot Court 16 will offer seven tennis and pickleball courts for kids and adults, with each court ranging in size from 36 feet for young players to full-sized courts for experienced players. The club’s August 28 grand opening coincides with the start of the 2023 U.S. Open Tennis Tournament finals.
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Events & Things To Do

Dumbo’s most photographed block gets ‘BIG’ upgrade

Photos courtesy of Hassan Mokaddam

August 3, 2023

Dumbo’s most photographed block gets ‘BIG’ upgrade

By Aaron Ginsburg

One of New York City's most photographed blocks got a makeover this week. The Dumbo Improvement District on Thursday unveiled new streetscape furnishings for Washington Street, the iconic stretch of street that perfectly frames the Manhattan Bridge and is a popular spot among tourists. Bjarke Ingels Group designed new modular benches for the street, which is closed to cars during certain hours as part of the city's Open Street program.
See it here

Photo credit: Russ Ross Photography for The Corcoran Group

August 2, 2023

This $1.2M Clinton Hill prewar triplex condo unfolds beneath the arches of a former seminary

By Michelle Cohen

This one-bedroom home at the rarely-available Cathedral Condominiums at 555 Washington Avenue on the border between Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights has a unique history to go with its dramatic architecture. Built in 1914, the striking building was first home to Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception. Converted to a 53-unit condominium in 1988, the building is a neighborhood landmark, noted for its Gothic design. In addition to access to the building's lushly landscaped common courtyard, the unit, asking $1,195,000, has a private, fenced-in brick patio for entertaining or growing one's own tranquil seminary garden.
More this way

Distinctive Homes

For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

All photos courtesy of SERHANT. Studios

July 31, 2023

For $11M, live in a Brooklyn Heights mansion with perfectly restored details and a literary past

By Michelle Cohen

From the wine cellar to the landscaped roof deck, this 19th-century Greek Revival mansion represents five stories of pristine restoration, with historic flourishes accenting modern style and ease of living. Asking $11,500,000, the 6,094-square-foot two-family townhouse at 20 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights Historic District has some notable literary history: Norman Mailer had his writing studio here. The house was also, according to the listing, the inspiration for Mailer's 1951 novel "Barbary Shore."
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