Williamsburg

A state-of-the-art fitness center, yoga room, roof deck with cabanas, designer interiors, and a prime East Williamsburg location just a few blocks from the G, M, J, and L trains--this is all up for grabs for eight qualifying New Yorkers at 73 Montrose Avenue through the city's affordable housing lottery as of today. Those earning 60 percent of the area media income can apply for $985/month one-bedrooms and $1,114/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

March 24, 2017

$665K sunny Williamsburg co-op looks like a chic Amsterdam flat

With a subtle and stylish renovation, lots of irresistible textures like pale wood and whitewashed brick, and tons of sunlight, this two-bedroom co-op at 111 South Third Street in prime south Williamsburg is the kind of home you don't see every day in this city. Its $665,000 ask, while not dirt cheap, is well below the average market price for two bedrooms in this neighborhood. Some caveats: The apartment is only 680 square feet (though there are indeed two bedrooms); it's a walk-up though only on the third floor; and it's an HDFC income-restricted co-op, which is why the price is lower than average. But none of those things make this lovely little apartment seem any less like a charming, chic flat right out of Amsterdam.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

March 14, 2017

Eight chances to live in East Williamsburg from $1,020/month

Starting tomorrow, New Yorkers earning between 50 and 60 percent of the area media income can apply for eight units in the heart of East Williamsburg. The apartments--six one-bedrooms for $1,020/month and two two-bedrooms for $1,224/month--are located at 845 Grand Street, a new contemporary rental building with high-end interiors and a bevy of trendy amenities, including a 4,000-square-foot roof deck with hammocks and a turf lawn, communal backyard, gym with yoga room, bike room, laundry room, and indoor lounge with pool tables.
See the interiors

Affordable Housing

March 10, 2017

Rare 19th-century Williamsburg townhouse offers gardens and river views for $4M

This four-unit, 19th-century townhouse at 52 South 6th Street isn't your average Williamsburg dwelling, if only because 19th-century townhouses are the exception in the trendy north Brooklyn neighborhood. This particular home, however, didn't get the memo and awaits with sunny interiors, gardens, and a waterfront spot where–according to the listing–you can watch the boats on the East River from your front porch, all for $4 million.
See what's happening in the garden

February 16, 2017

$2.7M penthouse loft boasts 25-foot ceilings and two terraces in Williamsburg

This is penthouse loft living at its finest at the Williamsburg condo 138 Broadway, also known as the Smith Gray. Constructed in 1884 as the cast-iron Smith and Gray Department Store Building, this building was converted to condos back in 2002. This unit last sold in 2006 for $1.2 million and now it's hit the market for twice that much. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom penthouse boasts ceiling heights anywhere from 9 up to 25 feet, with lots of the building's original exposed brick on display.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

February 16, 2017

LOT-EK erects a stunning single-family mega-home from 21 shipping containers in Williamsburg

It would hardly raise an eyebrow to note that the Brooklyn couple behind the wildly popular Williamsburg barbecue joint Fette Sau hired an architect to build them a 25-by-100-foot home on a corner lot in the neighborhood. But in this case, the architects are Ada Tolla and Giuseppe Lignano of the firm LOT-EK, which means the house in question is likely to cause at least a few double-takes. Rising from that corner lot, this remarkable single-family residence was made from 21 steel shipping containers, tamed and transformed into a sleek and surprisingly livable home.
See more of this unconventional home of corrugated steel and glass

Architecture And Design

February 6, 2017

Construction update: Domino Sugar Factory tower tops off and gets its skybridge

Things are moving ahead swiftly at the Domino Sugar Factory since Two Trees broke ground at the three million-square-foot Williamsburg mega-development last spring. In November, the lottery opened for 104 affordable units at 325 Kent Avenue, the first building at the site. Designed by SHoP Architects, who are also responsible for the project's entire master plan, the $200 million tower has now topped off at 16 stories, and the skybridge connecting its two wings has also gone up. CityRealty paid a visit to the construction site and got a look at these new views, as well as the copper cladding that's taken shape on the lower face of the building.
See it all here

February 1, 2017

Industrial-chic Williamsburg loft in a 1914 shoe polish factory asks $3.2M

Another big bi-level loft is for sale in the Esquire Lofts, one of Williamsburg's more iconic factory condo conversion buildings. Built in 1914, the former shoe polish factory at 330 Wythe Avenue offers the essence of loft living with 2,146 square feet of open space with the added bonus of the waterfront neighborhood's direct views of the East River and the Manhattan skyline. Currently configured with two bedrooms, the space could sleep three or four. It's currently on the market (for the first time as a resale) for $3.195 million.
Have a look

Distinctive Homes

January 9, 2017

Built in Poland and shipped in pieces, NYC’s biggest modular hotel project is 55 percent complete

The 20-story, 300-room project at 185 Bowery was constructed in Poland and shipped to New York in 210 pieces. Owned by Dutch hotel developer/operator Citizen M with Brack Capital Real Estate, the high-rise hotel at 185 Bowery is more than half done, reports the Wall Street Journal. It will be the largest permanent modular hotel project ever in NYC. Modular construction is more common in Europe; the developer already has nine hotels up and running and 14 in the works. They’ve used the technique of stacking sealed, factory-made units containing finished hotel rooms on the majority of those projects.
Check out photos of the sealed hotel pods arriving

December 16, 2016

$4M Williamsburg townhouse adds industrial interiors and contemporary drama to 19th century brick

It's a good thing there's so much to see in every direction while strolling the sidewalks of Williamsburg, because this $3.995 million single-family Northside townhouse looks a lot better on the inside than the outside. The three-story-plus-finished-basement home's interiors will definitely appeal to someone looking for a jumbo "loft alternative" accented with authentic materials like brick and wood, but with none of the hassles of the actual 19th century left to contend with.
Tour this 'Brooklyn masterpiece'

Distinctive Homes

December 13, 2016

Lofty two-bedroom Williamsburg pad with massive windows asks $1.395M

This two-bedroom condo comes from 80 Metropolitan Avenue, which you might mistake for a converted warehouse. But this blue brick building with punched, multi-paned windows was actually constructed in 2009 in the loft style that's popular around Williamsburg. From the inside of this apartment, 10-foot ceilings, huge windows and wood floors make it hard to tell the difference between old and new. The condo first hit the market this fall for $1.435 million and now the ask is down to $1.395 million.
This way for a tour

Distinctive Homes

December 9, 2016

KBA Architects reveal ziggurat-like tower for Kellogg’s Diner-adjacent site in Williamsburg

Back in March, 6sqft reported that a new hotel/rental tower at 500 Metropolitan Avenue had risen above ground, but there was still a bit ambiguity surroundings its final design. Now, just as the Williamsburg building has topped out, CityRealty uncovered the final renderings from KBA Architects. The firm created a 14-story, ziggurat-like structure that will slope down from the adjacent site of longtime local haunt Kellogg's Diner and offer a slew of trendy amenities.
More views and details

December 9, 2016

Public petition asks Mayor de Blasio to back East River Skyway

A month ago, U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, City Councilman Stephen Levin, and State Assemblyman Joseph Lentol drafted a letter to the Mayor, urging him to advocate for the East River Skyway as a solution for the impending L train shutdown. Building on this momentum, a digital petition addressed to de Blasio has launched on Change.org where the public can show their support for the plan, as well.
Find out more

Transit

December 5, 2016

$4.5M Williamsburg building has two apartments and one great backyard

This Williamsburg building has two big things going for it: lots of space and a central neighborhood location. The home is right around the corner from the Bedford Avenue L train, and it holds two apartments and a ground-floor commercial space. Out back, there's an incredible private backyard that looks like the best part of the property, which is now on the market for almost $4.49 million.
See it all

Distinctive Homes

November 30, 2016

Renderings revealed for adaptive reuse Maker Park along the Williamsburg waterfront

Plans for Bushwick Inlet Park, a 28-acre open space along an unused industrial stretch of the Williamsburg waterfront, first came about in 2005, when the Bloomberg administration rezoned the area to allow for new residential development in exchange for the open space. Fast forward to last week, and the city finally acquired the last piece of land for the project, the controversial Citistorage site. Now that the park is on its way to becoming a reality, a trio of grassroots creatives hopes to bring their alternative vision for the former Bayside Oil Depot site to the forefront. Maker Park is the proposal to adaptively reuse this seven-acre parcel's architectural infrastructure--namely the ten 50-foot decommissioned fuel containers--and create a "park as creative as the neighborhood around it." The Architect's Newspaper recently revealed the first set of renderings, which showcase performance venues, art galleries, hanging gardens, reflecting pools, and an adventure playground.
More views and design details

November 30, 2016

The 15 best NYC holiday markets and indie pop-up shops

December's first days bring a dazzling parade of holiday gift markets all vying for the opportunity to find new homes for a bounty of goodies and crafty gifts. We're all familiar with the big NYC markets at Bryant Park and Union Square, but some of the best finds—and the most fun—can be found at smaller, cooler pop-ups and neighborhood markets. Some are only around for a weekend, others for the whole month or longer. In addition to locally-made jewelry and crafts, vintage finds, artfully curated fashions, home items and other things we didn't know we needed, these hip retail outposts sparkle with drinks, food, workshops, tarot readings, nail art, music, and family fun to keep shoppers' spirits bright.
Find out where to get the goods

November 28, 2016

Live in SHoP’s Domino Sugar Refinery tower for $596/month, lottery open for 104 units

Earlier this fall, the first building at Two Trees’ three million-square-foot Domino Sugar Refinery mega-development topped out. The 16-story, $200 million tower at 325 Kent Avenue was designed by SHoP Architects, the same firm responsible for the entire Williamsburg project's master plan, and features a two-winged scheme with a central courtyard. It'll hold a whopping 522 rental units, 104 of which will be reserved for individuals earning 40 percent of the area media income. As of today, these affordable apartments are up for grabs through the city's housing lottery, where availability ranges from $596/month studios to $979/month two-bedrooms.
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Affordable Housing

November 14, 2016

Apartment building designed by notable Brooklyn architect Montrose Morris asks $6.25M

The prolific and talented Brooklyn architect Montrose Morris was known for designing some of the first multi-unit apartment buildings in the borough. This is one of them, at 109 South 9th Street. Built in 1890, the Williamsburg building is decorated with stone, brick and terra cotta alongside oversized, bracketed cornices. Inside is a massive, four-story space with nine bedrooms and eight bathrooms. To make the whole building look good, it's going to require a big renovation from any buyer.
Take a look at this reno project

Distinctive Homes

November 10, 2016

East River Skyway endorsed by local politicians as L train alternative

By Diane Pham

It looks like the East River Skyway is getting a big boost from local elected officials. Three politicians have jumped on the idea, including U.S. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, City Councilman Stephen Levin, and State Assemblyman Joseph Lentol. The trio together drafted a letter to Mayor de Blasio, encouraging him to back the transit initiative as a solution to impending L train closure. "This is the coolest thing we could do for the neighborhood," Lentol, told DNA Info. "I don’t want to denigrate the BQX but this is even a greater plan to have a gondola going from Brooklyn to Manhattan forever."
find out more here

Transit

November 10, 2016

NY1 anchor Pat Kiernan keeps townhouse, sells duplex condo in Williamsburg

Popular NY1 news anchor Pat Kiernan made news himself when he and his wife Dawn and their two children moved from an Upper West Side co-op to a four-story townhouse at 135 Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg. The Kiernans bought the house for $2.03 million–a neighborhood record for a single-family home–and proceeded to undertake major renovations. Turns out that in 2013 the Kiernans also purchased a two-bedroom, two-bath duplex at 171 North 7th Street for $860,000. The condo must have become one property too many; it was recently sold for $1.095 million (h/t Observer).
Have a look, this way

Celebrities

November 2, 2016

14th Street and Williamsburg no-car zones proposed for L train shutdown

Transit advocacy groups and politicians who have been promoting the idea of ridding Manhattan’s 14th Street of private car traffic during planned L subway tunnel repairs, and only allowing bus, bike and pedestrian traffic, have also suggested that the no-auto plan would be good for Grand Street in Williamsburg, the New York Post reports. Grand Street is a major neighborhood thoroughfare similar to 14th Street, and advocates say giving the streets to bikes, pedestrians and shuttle buses would be one way to lessen the impact of the shutdown.
Find out more

Transit

October 28, 2016

Domino Sugar Factory reveals renderings of creative office building The Refinery

Commercial landlords looking to compete with cutting-edge co-working spaces like the Navy Yard's New Lab or amenity-filled developments like Industry City have their work cut out for them, and it looks like Two Trees is pulling out all the requisite stops for their new office building The Refinery at Williamsburg's massive, under-construction Domino Sugar Factory complex. Curbed got its hands on the first set of renderings of the 380,000-square-foot office space, which show how tenants can work with architects Beyer Blinder Belle to customize their spaces for "innovation" and "authenticity." The interiors preserve the former industrial details (exposed brick, ceilings beams), while incorporating creative perks such as suspended glass-and-steel office pods, an indoor skate park, and a bevy of common areas.
More details and renderings ahead

October 18, 2016

Modern $4.5M townhouse by the Williamsburg waterfront has an art studio, parking and four terraces

6sqft previously featured this unusual property at 257 Berry Street, in the heart of trendy Williamsburg two blocks from the waterfront, when it was being offered as a $12,000/month rental. Now, just 14 months later, the glassy townhouse—whose exterior more resembles the neighborhood's ubiquitous new construction apartments—is on the market for $4.5 million. Though it may look nondescript-contemporary, the five-story single-family home packs a few impressive surprises, including an adjacent two-story art studio with direct street access and a loading dock.
Investigate the many interesting details in this modern townhouse

Distinctive Homes

October 7, 2016

41 affordable units up for grabs in Williamsburg, starting at $788/month

The city's latest affordable housing lottery is for 41 apartments in a newly constructed Williamsburg building just two blocks east of McCarren Park. A project of Dunn Development, the Meekerman is the second development in the state completed under the LIHC Mixed-Income Pilot Program, and it provides housing for those earning less than 40, 50, 60, and 80 percent of the area median income. Rents in the energy efficient building--it employs high-performance systems and appliances, as well as solar panels--range from $788/month for studios to $1,403/month for two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

September 28, 2016

Modern Williamsburg condo with its own fire pit asks $1.89M

With its giant windows and 808-square-foot landscaped backyard, this Williamsburg condo marries indoor and outdoor space quite well. Located at 550 Grand Street, the two-bedroom duplex spans over 1,500 square feet and has just hit the market for nearly $2 million. Big windows that front the backyard bring a tremendous amount of light into the pad, including the lower-level bedroom area. And although 550 Grand is an older brick building, the interior has been completely redone with a modern, sleek aesthetic.
See more of the duplex

Distinctive Homes

September 19, 2016

Stay in NYC’s first shipping container home in Williamsburg for $96/night