Brooklyn

Where I Work: Inside Stephen Powers’ colorful world of studio art and sign making in Boerum Hill
April 26, 2018

Where I Work: Inside Stephen Powers’ colorful world of studio art and sign making in Boerum Hill

By
6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this installment, we’re touring artist Stephen Powers' Boerum Hill studio and sign shop. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch! Walking along Fourth Avenue in Boerum Hill, the storefronts all look pretty similar--pizza shops, laundromats, cute cafes--until you come to the corner of Bergen Street and see the large, colorful collage of signs gracing the side of the little brick building. This is ESPO's Art World, artist Stephen Powers' sign shop. But as you can imagine, this space is much more than that. Powers, who painted graffiti under the name ESPO for much of the '80s and '90s in NYC and Philadelphia, also uses his shop as a retail store and informal gallery where passersby can walk in and peruse his graphic, pop-art-esque, text-heavy work. Stephen recently gave 6sqft a guided tour of his shop and chatted with us about his transition from graffiti to studio art, why he dislikes the term "street art," his love for Brooklyn, and where he sees the art scene heading.
Get a look around and hear from Stephen
Brooklyn Heights co-op in a former mansion offers ‘castle-like’ grandeur for $1M
April 25, 2018

Brooklyn Heights co-op in a former mansion offers ‘castle-like’ grandeur for $1M

By
In Brooklyn Heights, a uniquely laid out one-bedroom co-op in a former mansion at 10 Montague Terrace is seeking $1.15 million. The listing says it "has all the style and grandeur you might expect of a Robber Baron’s castle," and after getting a look at the wealth of period details--intricate woodwork and moldings, stained glass windows, highly detailed inlaid floors--we can't disagree. Throw in the prime Heights Promenade-facing location with views of the river and lower Manhattan, and that price tag seems like even more of a deal.
You don't want to miss this one
Crown Heights middle-income housing lottery gets you near all the action
April 24, 2018

Crown Heights middle-income housing lottery gets you near all the action

By
But it won't really save you enough to enjoy all this happening 'hood has to offer. The latest in a string of "affordable" middle-income lotteries, this offering for three $2,716/month two-bedroom units at 85 Rogers Avenue is reserved for households earning between $93,120 and $111,670 annually, or 130 percent of the area median income. For a single person earning the lower end of the range, this is more than a third of their yearly income before taxes. So hitting up nearby Barboncino for wood-fired pizza or Super Power for tiki cocktails, might not be the most economical idea.
READ MORE
After landmarking news, historic Carroll Gardens schoolhouse is back on the market for $5M
April 24, 2018

After landmarking news, historic Carroll Gardens schoolhouse is back on the market for $5M

By
An unusual Carroll Gardens building, once the first freestanding kindergarten to be built in Brooklyn, is seeking a new owner, asking $4.95 million, now that it may not be headed for the wrecking ball. The Landmarks Preservation Commission calendared the building (along with the apartment building next door), now a unique single-family residence, at 236 President Street for landmark status consideration on Tuesday. Neighborhood residents and concerned citizens–including folk hero Joan Baez, whose grandfather once lived next door–have been rallying to stop the building's planned demolition as Brooklyn Paper reported last month.
Imagine the possibilities
Live right next to Prospect Park in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, from $1,807/month
April 24, 2018

Live right next to Prospect Park in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, from $1,807/month

By
Want Prospect Park as a backyard? Enter a lottery for 16 middle-income apartments at a brand new building in Brooklyn's Prospect-Lefferts Gardens that sits directly across from the 526-acre park. Located at 510 Flatbush Avenue (also 33 Lincoln Road), the Lincoln Road Apartments rise nine stories and contain 141 units. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from $1,807/month studios to $2,733/month two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify
A public floating food forest will come to the Brooklyn Army Terminal this summer

Swale in 2017, photo via Subhram Reddy.

April 23, 2018

A public floating food forest will come to the Brooklyn Army Terminal this summer

By
A 5,000-square-foot edible perennial garden will travel to the Brooklyn Army Terminal this summer, offering up New Yorkers the chance to harvest fruits and vegetables on top of a barge. The floating food forest, Swale, docked in Manhattan last year and featured an apple orchard surrounded by garden beds. This year, the 130x40 foot barge will set up along the Sunset Park waterfront between May 5 and July 1, and be free and open to the public on the weekends.
Details here
FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): ALTA LIC, JACKSON PARK, OSKAR and 1N4TH

April 21, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By

Images (L to R): ALTA LIC, JACKSON PARK, OSKAR and 1N4TH “Shine in the Center of it All” – Midtown’s Solari debuts website and new renderings [link] ALTA LIC, NYC’s largest co-living residence, launches leasing [link] Jackson Park, shimmering new towers in Long Island City leasing with 1 month free [link] Meet Oskar: New Midtown […]

Limestone mansion with a sunroom and garage in Prospect Lefferts Gardens asks $4M
April 20, 2018

Limestone mansion with a sunroom and garage in Prospect Lefferts Gardens asks $4M

By
Situated just two blocks from Prospect Park at 125 Maple Street in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens, this 25-foot-wide limestone beauty was built by noted Brooklyn architect Axel Hedman in the Renaissance Revival style. Built on a corner lot, the house gets enough sun to feature a stained-glass-wrapped solarium, and moody,  dramatic interior details appear luminous rather than dark.
Take the tour
Middle-income housing lottery in Bed-Stuy saves renters close to nothing

Google Street View of 867 DeKalb Avenue

April 19, 2018

Middle-income housing lottery in Bed-Stuy saves renters close to nothing

By
For the second time in two days, the city's affordable housing portal has opened the application process for a middle-income lottery that's basically no cheaper than the building's regular market-rate units. For example, this opportunity at 867 DeKalb Avenue, a recently constructed rental in Bed-Stuy, is offering 11 units to those earning 115, 125, and 130 percent of the area median income. The "affordable" apartments range from $2,163/month one-bedrooms to $2,716/month two-bedrooms. By comparison, the market-rate units start at $2,100 for one-bedrooms and $2,744 for two-bedrooms.
What's up with that?
For only $950K, this tiny townhouse in Stuyvesant Heights has a backyard shed and modern updates
April 18, 2018

For only $950K, this tiny townhouse in Stuyvesant Heights has a backyard shed and modern updates

By
We’re sensing a tiny-townhouse-as-condo-alternative trend here; and why not? Low taxes, backyard space, and basement storage are hard to pass up. This particular version is a stylishly renovated three-bedroom home at 264 Bainbridge Street in pretty Stuyvesant Heights, with an even tinier–but no less adorable–backyard shed in the covetable backyard. It's asking a diminutive-seeming $950,000.
Take a look around
Our 2,200sqft: The founders of Ample Hills ice cream give the scoop on their sweet Boerum Hill home

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to the Boerum Hill home of Ample Hills founders Jackie and Brian. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

April 18, 2018

Our 2,200sqft: The founders of Ample Hills ice cream give the scoop on their sweet Boerum Hill home

By
If you've ever indulged in an Ample Hills ice cream cone, you know that their fanciful flavors (Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, the Munchies, and Snap Mallow Pop, just to name a few!) are perfectly matched by the Brooklyn company's whimsical shops. But founders Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith definitely didn't grow in seven years from their first storefront in Prospect Heights to nine locations, including one in Disney World, and a forthcoming Red Hook factory where they'll produce 1 million gallons a year, without a lot of hard work and business smarts. And it's this combination of playfulness and attention to detail that they've carried over to their adorable Boerum Hill home, which they moved into two years ago with their eight-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. A triplex in a quintessential Brooklyn brownstone, their home has cheery pops of color, mid-century-modern furnishings, and an eclectic mix of decor and family mementos. 6sqft recently visited the couple to tour their space, hear why they love Brooklyn, and learn about Ample Hills' plans.
Tour this sweet home and hear from Brian and Jackie
Live in the heart of hip Williamsburg, from $865/month
April 18, 2018

Live in the heart of hip Williamsburg, from $865/month

By
Via Dattner Architects Although rental prices are dropping in Williamsburg due to the impending L-train shutdown, a recently launched lottery is offering up a can't-miss deal. A brand new building located at 105 South Fifth Street has 38 affordable units up for grabs. In addition to the housing units, the Datter Architects-designed mixed-use project features roughly 4,000 square feet of retail and a 1,000-square-foot medical facility. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for apartments ranging from an $865/month studio to a $1,121/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify
Middle-income lottery opens for seven apartments in pretty Prospect-Lefferts Gardens

Photo via CityRealty

April 17, 2018

Middle-income lottery opens for seven apartments in pretty Prospect-Lefferts Gardens

By
Here's your chance to live in pretty Prospect-Lefferts Gardens for, perhaps, less than the neighborhood's market-rate rents. An affordable housing lottery is opening for seven units in a new, eight-story building at 212 Linden Boulevard. As 6sqft recently uncovered, many middle-income apartments throughout the city serve more to subsidize the truly affordable units, and therefore, don't come in that much cheaper. Here, the homes are available to those earning 130 percent of the median income and range from $1,800/month studios to $2,714/month two-bedrooms. By comparison, the market-rate rentals range from $1,850/one bedrooms to $3,000/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
Despite a 30 percent drop in sales prices, Tribeca remains NYC’s most expensive neighborhood

Photo via CityRealty

April 16, 2018

Despite a 30 percent drop in sales prices, Tribeca remains NYC’s most expensive neighborhood

By
Despite suffering from a 30 percent drop year-over-year in median sale prices, Tribeca still managed to rank first as New York City's most expensive neighborhood, followed closely by Soho. Property Shark released this week its list of the 50 priciest areas in the city in Q1 2018 and unsurprisingly, nine out of the top ten are located in Manhattan. Notably, the West Village witnessed an 88 percent year-over-year increase with a median sale price hovering $2.1 million. And the Flatiron District, which ranked as the most expensive neighborhood in the third quarter of 2017, fell to sixth place, with a median sale price of $1.85 million.
See the list
$2M Greenpoint home is warm weather-ready with a greenhouse, covered patio, and lovely landscaping
April 16, 2018

$2M Greenpoint home is warm weather-ready with a greenhouse, covered patio, and lovely landscaping

By
A greenhouse is an amenity so rare in Brooklyn, home shoppers ought not ever to include it on a wishlist, but this incredibly charming renovated Greenpoint two-family happens to boast a backyard greenhouse – in addition to a covered patio, a woodworking shed, and a bench swing. The five-bedroom house at 661 Humboldt Street is currently divided into an owners duplex and third-floor rental, with a few lovely exposed brick touches and a gas fireplace.
Walk through the indoor and outdoor portions
100 chances to live at ODA’s Rheingold Brewery development in Bushwick, from $913/month

Rendering via ODA Architects

April 16, 2018

100 chances to live at ODA’s Rheingold Brewery development in Bushwick, from $913/month

By
A lottery launched this week for 100 affordable units at 10 Montieth Street, part of the massive ODA-designed Rheingold Brewery development in Bushwick. The seven-story, 392-unit building topped out last September, with its distinct modular form, sloping rooftop garden and colorful frames. Amenities at the building include a climbing wall, laundry room, interior courtyard, game room, bike storage, children's playroom, art studios and much more. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from $913/studios to $1,183/two-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify
Asking $1.4M, this little Red Hook row house has a green roof and a magical garden
April 16, 2018

Asking $1.4M, this little Red Hook row house has a green roof and a magical garden

By
Located in the bustling heart of Red Hook–which recently enjoyed a turn as Brooklyn's most expensive neighborhood–this turn-of-the-century row house at 91 Pioneer Street may not be mansion-sized, but at $1.35 million, it looks like a sweet condo alternative. It's a legal two-family dwelling though it's currently being used as a single-family home.
More this way
FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): 606W57, One Hudson Yards, 70 Columbus and View 34

April 14, 2018

FREE RENT: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By
Images (L to R): 606W57, One Hudson Yards, 70 Columbus and View 34 Special Offer on Luxury Rentals at One Hudson Yards; See New Listings 606W57 Luxury Rentals Launch from $2,795/Month; See New Photos + Floor Plans Rooftop with All the Views at VIEW 34, Luxury Rentals on the East River from $2,753/Month Renovated Homes + Ocean Views; Brooklyn's Shorecrest Towers Leasing from $1,900/Month Meet The Alexey, South Slope's Provocative Rubix-Cube-Like Rental Leasing from $2,200/Month Jersey City's 70 Columbus Rentals from $2,150/Month; 90 Columbus Set for Spring Launch
READ MORE
A Buckminster Fuller dome almost kept the Dodgers in Brooklyn
April 13, 2018

A Buckminster Fuller dome almost kept the Dodgers in Brooklyn

By
With baseball season back in full swing, talk at some point turns to the heartbreak of losing the Brooklyn Dodgers to Los Angeles. Modern Mechanix informs us that team owner Walter O'Malley had championed a Brooklyn dome stadium designed by Buckminster Fuller–and how the result is yet another reason to blame Robert Moses. O'Malley took the team to Cali, if you'll remember, because he got a better deal on land for a stadium–better than he was able to get in the five boroughs. He had wanted to keep the team in Brooklyn, but Ebbets Field was looking down-at-the-heels by then and bad for morale. In 1955 O'Malley wrote dome-obsessed architect Buckminster Fuller requesting a domed stadium design.
So what happened?
L/AND/A transforms a dark Bed-Stuy row house into a spacious, sun-drenched dream

Photo by Kevin Kunstadt

April 13, 2018

L/AND/A transforms a dark Bed-Stuy row house into a spacious, sun-drenched dream

By
LIGHT AND AIR, better known as L/AND/A, is a New York-based architecture and design studio led by architect and artist Shane Neufeld. Established in 2017, L/AND/A takes a “primal approach” to architecture by reducing design to its essential components to find clarity in a hectic world. Neufeld believes, "architecture is most powerful when elemental, and that spatial clarity and specificity have the potential to shape distinct experiences that ultimately enrich our lives- reconnecting people to their environments in meaningful and surprising ways.” This is just what Neufeld has done in his most recent project.
See the transformation
April 13, 2018

Lottery launches for nine middle-income apartments near Marine Park, from $1,700/month

By
A lottery launched this week for nine middle-income apartments in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn. Located at 2802 Kings Highway, the building sits at a nexus of Madison and Marine Park, which is home to Brooklyn's largest public park. Nearby transit options include the B and Q trains, as well as a slew of Brooklyn-bound buses. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the one-bedrooms for $1,700/month or two-bedrooms for $2,200/month.
Find out if you qualify
$4M duplex in Park Slope’s Tracy Mansion is dripping with historic details
April 11, 2018

$4M duplex in Park Slope’s Tracy Mansion is dripping with historic details

By
After struggling to sell for what would have been a record-breaking $25 million, Park Slope's grand Tracy Mansion – a Montessori School since 1970 – finally sold for $9.5 million back in 2013. Scott Henson Architect then divided the neoclassical landmarked structure into seven luxurious condos, the first-floor duplex now asking $3.85 million. In addition to a 432-square-foot backyard, the three-bedroom home boasts a myriad of historic details, an eight-foot-tall marble fireplace, tons of decorative molding, Corinthian pillars, wood paneling, herringbone wood floors, and a sweeping grand staircase that was featured in the HBO show "Boardwalk Empire."
Drool over this grand home
Sunny Crown Heights condo with stained glass and bay windows asks $775K
April 11, 2018

Sunny Crown Heights condo with stained glass and bay windows asks $775K

By
This laid-back, sunny home at 875 Saint Marks Avenue in where-it's-at Crown Heights is the kind of space you hope to find a pretty, historic townhouse across from the Brooklyn Children's Museum. With plenty of century-old details and carefully designed modern style–and did we mention sunlight?–this one-bedroom condominium looks like a great place to spend an afternoon.
Take a look
New renderings revealed for Daniel Libeskind’s affordable senior housing building in Bed-Stuy

Rendering of the Sumner Houses Senior Building, courtesy of the Architect, Studio Libeskind 

April 10, 2018

New renderings revealed for Daniel Libeskind’s affordable senior housing building in Bed-Stuy

By
Just a few weeks ago, 6sqft reported that starchitect Daniel Libeskind's first New York City building to rise from the ground up would be a 197-unit affordable senior housing project planned for Site 2 of the Sumner Houses in Bed-Stuy. Now Studio Libeskind has released three new renderings of the 10-story building-to-be, showing more of its an angular white-colored facade done in the firm’s signature un-orthogonal style (h/t Dezeen).
See more, this way
This $4M Park Slope Passive House is as green and efficient as it is chic and livable
April 9, 2018

This $4M Park Slope Passive House is as green and efficient as it is chic and livable

By
Though it would be an enviable Brooklyn townhouse even without the certification, this unique  home at 331 8th Street in Park Slope got a complete Passive House retrofit in 2013. It's a shining 21st century energy-efficient example; better yet, the home's many period details were preserved. Asking $4 million, the 3,675 square-foot three-story home has wood molding, original doors and slate mantles across four bedrooms, three full baths, a powder room and a fully finished basement. A total of four outdoor spaces multiplies what we love about townhouse living.
Take the tour
REVEALED: Jeanne Gang’s 51-story condo next to Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s

Rendering via Tishman Speyer

April 9, 2018

REVEALED: Jeanne Gang’s 51-story condo next to Downtown Brooklyn Macy’s

By
Tishman Speyer released on Monday the first renderings for its new luxury residential tower in Downtown Brooklyn, 11 Hoyt. Designed collaboratively between Hill West Architects and Jeanne Gang's architecture firm, Studio Gang, the 51-story, 480-unit condominium project will offer a variety of apartment layouts, with more than 190 different floor plans. The tower's rippling exterior seems to borrow elements used in two of Gang's Chicago projects, the Aqua Tower and the Vista Tower, which is currently under construction. The project will rise next to the Macy's on Fulton Street, which is currently undergoing renovations by Tishman Speyer, who are also planning a 10-story office tower on top of the store. Sales will launch at the tower this summer, but interested buyers can now check out the building's newly launched teaser site.
See them here
REVEALED: New renderings of Domino Sugar Factory’s waterfront park and esplanade
April 5, 2018

REVEALED: New renderings of Domino Sugar Factory’s waterfront park and esplanade

By
Almost a year to date since the first renderings were revealed for Domino Park, the 11-acre park and waterfront esplanade that will anchor the three-million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development at the Domino Sugar Factory site, a new batch of views has been released by developer Two Trees, and they showcase everything from an urban "beach" to a better look at how preserved artifacts from the historic factory will be incorporated throughout. Designed by James Corner Field Operations (of the High Line fame), the park is scheduled to open this summer, ahead of most of the buildings.
All the renderings and details ahead
Pitch a story icon

Pitch a Story

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

Distinctive Post Form

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544
Contact us image

Get in Touch

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Send us a tip image
Delivering New York stories focused on design, lifestyle & real estate.

Send us a Tip

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Let us know what you are looking for and we’ll help you find the home of your dreams. It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo
or Call (212) 755-5544

Thinking about selling your home?

We’ll provide current market comps and connect you with a trusted expert.

CityRealty Logo

Sell a Home (Footer)

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Subscribe for NYC's Lastest Design, Lifestyle,
and Real Estate Trends!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your Passport to NYC:
Subscribe for Local Insights and Stories!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.