Brooklyn

This New York City artist is painting portraits of 200 South Brooklyn residents for free

All photos courtesy of The Free Portrait Project

January 11, 2023

This New York City artist is painting portraits of 200 South Brooklyn residents for free

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new artist residency will tell the story of South Brooklyn through paintings of its residents. The Free Portrait Project is inviting 200 Brooklynites to be the subject of oil portraits and share their oral histories with the project's founder, artist Rusty Zimmerman. The project, part of a yearlong residency at Sunset Park's Industry City, aims to "promote unity across boundaries" within the community.
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Events & Things To Do

Hochul’s 14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ connecting Brooklyn and Queens will use light rail

View of the Bay Ridge Branch from below 5th Ave, which would be incorporated in the proposed Interborough Express. Image courtesy of Marc A. Hermann/MTA on Flickr

January 11, 2023

Hochul’s 14-mile ‘Interborough Express’ connecting Brooklyn and Queens will use light rail

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Interborough Express, a highly-anticipated train line that will connect Brooklyn and Queens, will use light rail, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced in her State of the State address on Tuesday. While the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is still conducting its environmental review of the project, Hochul stated that selecting light rail would "provide the best service for customers at the lowest cost per rider," according to a press release.
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Rooftop bar made of ice opens on the Brooklyn waterfront

All photos courtesy of 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge

January 9, 2023

Rooftop bar made of ice opens on the Brooklyn waterfront

By Aaron Ginsburg

New Yorkers will soon be able to relax in an ice lounge with cool views of the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn Bridge. Located atop the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Polar Lounge at Harriet's Rooftop offers patrons a glacial experience with seating, sculptures, and drinks made from ice. The lounge opens to the public on Thursday, January 12, and will stay open until February 26.
How to book

Everyone can have their own room in this charming $2M Brooklyn house with parking and a yard

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow Photography

January 6, 2023

Everyone can have their own room in this charming $2M Brooklyn house with parking and a yard

By Michelle Cohen

For just under $2 million–$1,995,000, to be exact–this detached house at 525 East 3rd Street in the Kensington neighborhood of Brooklyn has plenty of room for family and friends, plus a deck, a front porch and a spacious yard and parking for three cars. The four-bedroom Victorian home is sun-filled and bright, with original details like heart-of-pine floors, stained glass windows, and ceiling medallions and moldings.
Come on in

Distinctive Homes

Apply for 15 mixed-income units in Clinton Hill, from $1,036/month

Rendering courtesy of Aufgang Architects

January 6, 2023

Apply for 15 mixed-income units in Clinton Hill, from $1,036/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 15 mixed-income units at a new residential development in Brooklyn. Located at 108 Downing Street in Clinton Hill, the 8-story building offers residents spacious units and a prime location in the heart of Brooklyn. New Yorkers earning 70, 80, and 120 percent of the area median income, or between $38,160 for a single person and $172,920 for a household of five people, can apply for the units, which range from $1,036/month studios to $2,883/month two bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Brooklyn icon Sahadi’s recognized by the state as a historic business

Image via WikiCommons

January 3, 2023

Brooklyn icon Sahadi’s recognized by the state as a historic business

By Aaron Ginsburg

Sahadi's, a New York City staple for more than 120 years, has been added to the state's Historic Business Preservation Registry, as first reported by the Brooklyn Paper. The Middle Eastern grocery store and cafe first opened in Lower Manhattan in 1895 before moving to Brooklyn's Atlantic Avenue in 1948 where it has been located ever since. The registry, overseen by the Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, recognizes businesses that have operated for at least 50 years and have "contributed to their communities' history."
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Announcing 6sqft’s 2022 Building of the Year!

Photo on left courtesy of Pavel Bendov; Renderings courtesy of Marchmade

December 29, 2022

Announcing 6sqft’s 2022 Building of the Year!

By Devin Gannon

The votes have been counted. 6sqft's 2022 Building of the Year is Olympia Dumbo, the new 33-story condo tower on the Brooklyn waterfront. The Hill West Architects-designed project sailed over the competition, receiving 779 votes, or 26.8 percent of the 2,903 total votes cast. Developed by Fortis Property Group, Olympia Dumbo contains 76 residences and offers 38,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor amenities that put health and wellness at the forefront.
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New Developments

Lottery opens for 45 mixed-income rentals a block from Green-Wood Cemetery, from $1,473/month

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

December 23, 2022

Lottery opens for 45 mixed-income rentals a block from Green-Wood Cemetery, from $1,473/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 45 mixed-income units at a new residential development in Brooklyn. Located at 875 4th Avenue in Greenwood, the luxury rental rises eight stories and has 150 apartments. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income, or between $53,863 for a single person and $187,330 for a household of five people, can apply for the apartments, priced from $1,473/month studios to $2,975/month two bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

Iconic yellow ‘Domino Sugar’ sign returns to Brooklyn

Photo by Wes Tarca

December 21, 2022

Iconic yellow ‘Domino Sugar’ sign returns to Brooklyn

By Devin Gannon

An iconic sign that was part of the Brooklyn skyline for nearly a century has returned to its rightful place. A replica of the 40-foot Domino Sugar sign was installed and fully illuminated this week atop Williamsburg's Domino Sugar Refinery building, which was part of a massive sugar factory that operated from the 1880s to the early 2000s. Located at the 11-acre Domino Sugar redevelopment, the landmarked 19th-century building is currently being transformed into a modern commercial building.
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This $750K South Slope co-op is a sun-filled refuge with a roof deck and shared garden

Photo credit: Kate Norberg at Russ Ross

December 14, 2022

This $750K South Slope co-op is a sun-filled refuge with a roof deck and shared garden

By Michelle Cohen

This sun-filled South Slope co-op at 426 13th Street is that rare New York City refuge in a great neighborhood that's listed for well under $1 million. The one-bedroom home offers exposed brick details, hardwood floors, high ceilings, good-sized rooms, and communal outdoor space, for $750,000.
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Distinctive Homes

NYC designates Flatbush block with distinctive ‘Kinko houses’ as historic district

Photo of Parkside Avenue courtesy of LPC

December 14, 2022

NYC designates Flatbush block with distinctive ‘Kinko houses’ as historic district

By Aaron Ginsburg

Brooklyn gained another historic district this week. The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday voted to designate the Melrose Parkside Historic District, which includes a collection of 38 intact single and two-family homes built by two renowned Brooklyn architects, Benjamin Driesler and Axel S. Hedman. Located on Parkside Avenue between Flatbush and Bedford Avenue in Prospect Lefferts Gardens, the row of homes has a "distinctive appearance and sense of place," deriving from the two architects' use of "then popular Neoclassical vocabulary in their designs to harmonize three different types of residences," according to the commission.
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Policy

City Council approves Boerum Hill rezoning that will create 450 affordable housing units

Street view of 280 Bergen Street © Google

December 8, 2022

City Council approves Boerum Hill rezoning that will create 450 affordable housing units

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Council on Wednesday voted to approve the rezoning of nearly an entire block in Boerum Hill that will make way for 450 new housing units, roughly 50 percent of which will be fully affordable. The rezoning includes a stretch of Nevins Street to Bond Street between Wyckoff Street and Bergen Street, the last manufacturing block in Boerum Hill.
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Affordable Housing

New sculpture of Biggie Smalls unveiled at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo

All photos courtesy of Noemie Trusty

December 7, 2022

New sculpture of Biggie Smalls unveiled at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo

By Aaron Ginsburg

A new sculpture of the "King of New York" now greets visitors entering Brooklyn. The Dumbo Improvement District and the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership on Tuesday unveiled a 9-foot-tall bronze structure depicting hip-hop legend Christopher "The Notorious B.I.G." Wallace at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in Dumbo. Created by artist Sherwin Banfield, the structure, titled "Sky's the Limit in the County of Kings," is dedicated to the "art, life, and legacy" of Wallace, who died 25 years ago.
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Events & Things To Do

For $1.6M, two bedrooms and a terrace in the treetops of Brooklyn Heights

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow photography for The Corcoran Group

December 5, 2022

For $1.6M, two bedrooms and a terrace in the treetops of Brooklyn Heights

By Michelle Cohen

On a tree-lined block in historic Brooklyn Heights, this co-op at 123 Pierrepont Street, asking $1,595,000, is tucked within a landmarked circa 1848 townhouse. Although thoroughly renovated, the two-bedroom home offers the kind of light-filled prewar charm often found in this sought-after neighborhood. Gracious proportions, hardwood floors, and high ceilings are a backdrop for details like a wood-burning fireplace and custom shelving. The most pleasant surprise: A terrace just outside the primary bedroom.
Take the co-op tour

Distinctive Homes

Go behind the scenes at the Brooklyn Museum with this free virtual guide

Photo courtesy of Alison Day for New York Hotels Magazine on Flickr

November 30, 2022

Go behind the scenes at the Brooklyn Museum with this free virtual guide

By Aaron Ginsburg

The Brooklyn Museum this week launched a new digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app that allows art lovers to learn more about the museum's expansive collection that spans 5,500 years of human creativity. Aimed at enhancing in-person and virtual visits, the museum's guide includes audio tours led by curators and creators that focus on artwork found across its five floors.
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NYC Council approves two projects that together bring 5,000 apartments to Brooklyn and Queens

Rendering of the proposed Innovation QNS district. Image courtesy of VERO Digital

November 23, 2022

NYC Council approves two projects that together bring 5,000 apartments to Brooklyn and Queens

By Aaron Ginsburg

The New York City Council on Tuesday voted to approve rezonings Innovation QNS in Astoria and Innovative Urban Village in East New York, two mixed-use districts that will create more than 5,000 units of housing, with 65 percent of them designated affordable. Over 34 percent, or 1,900 of the new housing units, will be deeply affordable for extremely or very low-income households.
Details here

Park Slope’s Lesbian Herstory Archives becomes first official LGBTQ+ landmark in Brooklyn

Street view of the Lesbian Herstory Archives at 484 14th Street in Park Slope; © Google Maps

November 22, 2022

Park Slope’s Lesbian Herstory Archives becomes first official LGBTQ+ landmark in Brooklyn

By Aaron Ginsburg

A row house in Brooklyn that is home to the country's oldest and largest collection of lesbian-related historic material is New York City's newest landmark. The Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) on Tuesday voted to designate the Lesbian Herstory Archives building as an individual landmark, the first in Brooklyn designated for its connection to the LGBTQ+ community.
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On a quaint cul-de-sac in Brooklyn Heights, this $14.9M townhouse doubles as an art gallery

Photos courtesy of Michael Weinstein/ Brown Harris Stevens

November 22, 2022

On a quaint cul-de-sac in Brooklyn Heights, this $14.9M townhouse doubles as an art gallery

By Devin Gannon

With special windows to protect the art from sun damage and lighting fit for a museum, this Brooklyn Heights townhouse doubles as a gallery. Located on a historic mews block at 12 College Place, the brick home also has a drive-in garage, a fully furnished basement, and over 1,000 square feet of outdoor space. Asking for $14,975,000, the property is one of the priciest listings currently on the market in the borough, as first reported by the Wall Street Journal.
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Distinctive Homes

Two major projects that would bring 3,200+ affordable homes to Brooklyn and Queens get key approval

Rendering of the proposed Innovation QNS district. Image courtesy of VERO Digital

November 18, 2022

Two major projects that would bring 3,200+ affordable homes to Brooklyn and Queens get key approval

By Aaron Ginsburg

Two major housing developments proposed for Brooklyn and Queens are moving forward. The New York City Council Committee on Zoning and Franchises on Thursday voted to approve rezonings Innovation QNS and Innovative Urban Village, which together would create more than 5,000 units of housing, 3,200 of which would be affordable. The two developments also include over 1,600 apartments for extremely or very low-income households.
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Here are NYC’s best holiday markets and pop-up shops of 2022

Image courtesy of

November 16, 2022

Here are NYC’s best holiday markets and pop-up shops of 2022

By Aaron Ginsburg

FAD Holiday Market The holiday season has arrived in New York City, and with it comes the dozens of festive winter shops that offer unique gifts and locally-made goods for New Yorkers and their loved ones. Ahead, discover the city's best holiday markets and pop-up shops, from the long-revered markets at Union Square and Bryant Park to newcomers like the Brooklyn Borough Hall Holiday Market.
Find something for everyone on your list

New York City’s latest food hall opens in Williamsburg

All images courtesy of Lexi Lambros

November 16, 2022

New York City’s latest food hall opens in Williamsburg

By Aaron Ginsburg

New York City's growing list of food halls just got longer. The Williamsburg Market, located at 103 North Third Street, officially opened its doors last week. The 15,000-square-foot space features 17 well-known and upcoming vendors and craft cocktails in an industrial loft space. Designed by Ogawa Depardon Architects, the hall boasts a 360-degree bar, a cozy dining room, and kiosks for each vendor.
Details this way

Food & Dining

Quirky converted warehouse loft in East Williamsburg hits rental market for record $35K/month

Photo credit: Rachel Kuzma/REPN for Corcoran

November 11, 2022

Quirky converted warehouse loft in East Williamsburg hits rental market for record $35K/month

By Devin Gannon

A quirky converted warehouse loft in East Williamsburg has hit the rental market for $35,000/month, a new record for the neighborhood. Since 2018, the property has been home to Casa Powers, a bohemian-chic community event venue created by brother and sister duo Sydney and Cole Blumstein, who are real estate agents with Corcoran. Located at 139 Powers Street, the home--which measures over 4,200 square feet, boasts 15-foot ceilings, and has several skylights--comes rented with all its funky furnishings.
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NYC is considering making Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza car-free

Photo courtesy of Jordan Rathkopf/ Prospect Park Alliance

November 11, 2022

NYC is considering making Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza car-free

By Aaron Ginsburg

Brooklyn's Grand Army Plaza may become the city's next car-free space. As first reported by Gothamist, the city's Department of Transportation (DOT) is considering connecting the Prospect Heights plaza to the Open Streets program on Vanderbilt and Underhill Avenues. The plaza, anchored by its ornate Soldiers' and Sailors' Arch and the official entrance to Prospect Park, has long been the target of safe street activists due to its vehicle traffic and poor sidewalk conditions.
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Apply for 77 mixed-income units in East Williamsburg, from $770/month

Image courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

November 10, 2022

Apply for 77 mixed-income units in East Williamsburg, from $770/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

Applications are now being accepted for 77 mixed-income units at a new development in Brooklyn. Located at 269 Wallabout Street in East Williamsburg, the eight-story mixed-use building contains 58 modern apartments. New Yorkers earning 40, 60, and 115 percent of the area median income, or between $29,760 for a single person and $202,515 for a household of nine people, can apply for the apartments, priced from $770/month one-bedroom units to $3,250/month four-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

$2.9M Clinton Hill brownstone is a first-rate example of 19th-century design

Photos courtesy of The Corcoran Group

November 9, 2022

$2.9M Clinton Hill brownstone is a first-rate example of 19th-century design

By Devin Gannon

This four-story Brooklyn brownstone is a treasure trove of 19th-century architecture, both inside and out. From its triple-arched windows and brickwork to the wainscoting and intricate woodwork, the home at 206 Saint James Place rightfully sits within the Clinton Hill Historic District. Asking $2,985,000, the row house features four bedrooms, four baths, a garden apartment with a private entrance, and a deck and backyard surrounded by trees.
Take the tour

Distinctive Homes

199 affordable apartments available at new Bed-Stuy rental, from $375/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

November 4, 2022

199 affordable apartments available at new Bed-Stuy rental, from $375/month

By Aaron Ginsburg

A housing lottery opened this week for 199 affordable units at a new housing project in Brooklyn. Located at 1921 Atlantic Avenue in Bed-Stuy, the 14-story mixed-use building has 236 total units, several community facilities, and a ground-floor grocery floor. New Yorkers earning 30, 50, 70, and 80 percent of the area median income, or between $16,218 for a single person and $132,400 for a household of seven people, are eligible to apply for the apartments which range from $375/month studios to $2,501/month three bedrooms.
FIND OUT IF YOU QUALIFY

Affordable Housing

Jehovah’s Witnesses hotel-turned-affordable housing complex opens in Dumbo

Photo of 90 Sands Street from Brooklyn Bridge; Courtesy of Breaking Ground

November 3, 2022

Jehovah’s Witnesses hotel-turned-affordable housing complex opens in Dumbo

By Aaron Ginsburg

Breaking Ground on Thursday opened 90 Sands Street, a former Jehovah's Witnesses hotel in Dumbo that has been converted into 491 affordable and supportive apartments. Renovated by Beyer Blinder Belle Architects, the 30-story building will offer onsite social services to residents provided by the Center for Urban Community Services (CUCS).
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Affordable Housing

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