Williamsburg

The MTA's long-dreaded Canarsie Tunnel repairs are finally underway, and we're all still here. And, as AMNew York reports, we've even discovered other subway lines that function similarly enough to the beloved L train to meet our transportation needs. The result of the current transit non-apocalypse is that at least one of the backup solutions–the "Williamsburg Link" shuttle bus service intended to mitigate an anticipated crush of stranded riders–is being nixed and replaced by a shorter route after experiencing "extremely low" ridership.
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Transit

Williamsburg’s tallest tower tops out at Domino Sugar Factory development

Photo by Max Touhey

May 21, 2019

Williamsburg’s tallest tower tops out at Domino Sugar Factory development

Williamsburg officially has a new tallest tower. One South First, formerly 260 Kent Avenue, topped out this week at the Domino Sugar Factory redevelopment along the waterfront. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, the 435-foot-tall tower features two interlocking buildings with white precast concrete facades inspired by the molecular pattern and forms of sugar crystals, a reference to the former factory site.
Domino details here

May 17, 2019

A gut renovation turned this Williamsburg condo into a hip $3M loft

When the current owners of this condo at 119 North 11th Street in Williamsburg bought the two-bedroom pad five years ago, it was in need of some major TLC. Its historic bones--brick walls, beamed ceilings, and exposed piping--got lost in drab white walls and yellowed parquet floors. But after an extensive gut renovation, the apartment displays both its loft features and hip, modern additions. Now, the owners have enlisted the same broker team to sell their home for $2,985,000.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

Lena Dunham, still eager to part ways with Brooklyn, relists her Williamsburg pad for $2.65M

Listing images by DDreps, courtesy of Compass; Photo of Lena Dunham via Wiki Commons

May 1, 2019

Lena Dunham, still eager to part ways with Brooklyn, relists her Williamsburg pad for $2.65M

By Annie Doge

Lena Dunham was over her Williamsburg pad almost as soon as she bought it, but selling it has taken quite a bit longer. Dunham bought the three-bedroom condo at 60 Broadway for $2.9 million in April 2018, several months after she broke up with Jack Antonoff—who kept the Brooklyn Heights apartment they had shared—and first listed it just three months later for a marginal profit, at $3,000,000. It disappeared from the market shortly after 6sqft first reported the listing, and now it’s back under a new brokerage and with new, fully-furnished listing images. Dunham’s latest real estate moves include buying homes in Los Angeles, an apartment in the West Village, and working on building a small house on her parents’ Connecticut compound. With all that in the works, the actress seems more motivated than ever to officially part ways with Brooklyn, and she’s willing to settle for a deeply discounted $2,650,000 (h/t Observer).
Have a look around

New rendering shows 277-foot tower rising next to Williamsburgh Savings Bank

Rendering courtesy of Stonehill Taylor. Bank image via Wikimedia cc.

April 22, 2019

New rendering shows 277-foot tower rising next to Williamsburgh Savings Bank

The 26-story tower rising at 159 Broadway next to South Williamsburg's landmarked, domed Williamsburgh Savings Bank is making progress on its way to becoming 21 condos and a hotel. A new rendering courtesy of architectural firm Stonehill Taylor depicts the 277-foot-tall tower on the rise thanks to air rights above the bank, purchased by developer Cornell Realty Management along with the lot adjacent the bank hall.
More this way

New Developments

April 5, 2019

$1.25M Williamsburg triplex comes with two terraces and dramatic curved glass walls

By Alexandra Alexa

A curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows is the centerpiece of this two-bedroom triplex at 117 Kingsland Avenue. The 1,127-square-foot Williamsburg pad offers some cool custom built-ins, two terraces, and a convertible mezzanine level. Located in a boutique condo built in 2007, the apartment is equidistant from both the L and G trains and within walking distance of McCarren and McGolrick Parks. Last sold in 2017 for $995,000, the unit just hit the market seeking $1,250,000.
Take a look inside

Distinctive Homes

POPULAR Williamsburg BUILDINGS

277 South 5th Street 277 South 5th Street

260 Kent Avenue 260 Kent Avenue

325 Kent Avenue 325 Kent Avenue

420 12th Street 420 12th Street

85 North 3rd Street 85 North 3rd Street

1 North 4th Place 1 North 4th Place

321 Wythe Avenue 321 Wythe Avenue

184 Kent Avenue 184 Kent Avenue

420 Kent Avenue 420 Kent Avenue

94 North 3rd Street 94 North 3rd Street

429 Kent Avenue 429 Kent Avenue

2 North 6th Place 2 North 6th Place

60 Broadway 60 Broadway

178 North 11th Street 178 North 11th Street

123 Hope Street 123 Hope Street

330 Wythe Avenue 330 Wythe Avenue

66 Ainslie Street 66 Ainslie Street

371 Humboldt Street 371 Humboldt Street

223 North 8th Street 223 North 8th Street

234 North 9th Street 234 North 9th Street

Sample the wares and see what’s new at NYC’s top flea and food markets

Image courtesy of Brooklyn Flea; photo credit: Scott Lynch

April 5, 2019

Sample the wares and see what’s new at NYC’s top flea and food markets

The city's local flea and food markets set up shop in springtime, bringing irresistible edibles and covetable goods to a neighborhood near you. Though dates and locations vary and favorite vendors come and go, the mighty market phenomenon keeps growing. The shop-and-nosh mecca Brooklyn Flea again changes locations (hello, WTC!), a favorite night market returns in Queens, and the Manhattan classics are back to offer more of what you didn't know you couldn't live without. Some of the best fairs are the most fleeting, and one-offs like the annual Renegade Arts and Crafts Fair are always worth the trip. The list below rounds up the city's top food and flea picks. Let the hunting and gathering begin!
Plan your market strategy

Events & Things To Do

Renderings courtesy of Citi Habitats New Developments

March 28, 2019

Eliot Spitzer’s Williamsburg-waterfront development opens lottery for 121 low-income units

Back in June, an affordable housing lottery launched for 65 apartments at one of Spitzer Enterprises’ trio of rental buildings along the South Williamsburg waterfront known as 420 Kent. These apartments were located in the northernmost of the ODA-designed glassy towers. Now, a second lottery has come online (20 percent of the development's 857 units are affordable) for 121 low-income apartments at the southern piece of the complex. These residences are reserved for households earning 60 percent of the area median income and range from $867/month studios to $1,123/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Live one block from the G and L trains in Williamsburg, from $1,058/month

Via Wikimedia

March 13, 2019

Live one block from the G and L trains in Williamsburg, from $1,058/month

An affordable housing lottery launched this week for six apartments in a 10-story Williamsburg building. Located at 467 Keap Street, the rental is a short one-block walk to the G and L trains at Metropolitan Avenue. In addition to being close to the subway, the building, known as the Ainslie Tower, also sits near Brooklyn haunts like Union Pool, Rocka Rolla, and Pete's Candy Store. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for three $1,058/month one-bedrooms and three $1,280/month two-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Lottery opens for 41 middle-income apartments in the cultural hub of Williamsburg, from $1,231/month

Via Korye Logan on Flickr

March 7, 2019

Lottery opens for 41 middle-income apartments in the cultural hub of Williamsburg, from $1,231/month

A housing lottery launched on Thursday for 41 middle-income apartments in Williamsburg. Designed by Aufgang Architects, the brand new rental at 123 Hope Street opened last summer and features a modern design mixed with a factory feel. The rental sits near all of the neighborhood's hot-spots, including restaurants like Emmy Squared and Don Pancho Villa and bars like St. Mazie Bar & Super Club and Banter Bar. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, which range from a $1,231/month studio to a $2,759/month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

February 14, 2019

$995K Williamsburg loft nails the contemporary western look

For under $1 million, you can own this uber-trendy South Williamsburg loft at 138 Broadway, the historic Smith-Gray Building. Though the loft is technically a studio, it has a separate kitchen and plenty of room in its 925-square-foot layout for individual sleeping, living, and dining areas. But what makes this unit even more desirable is its impeccable contemporary-western vibes--a mix of historic elements such as whitewashed brick walls and wooden ceilings with modern nods to the style like lots of caramel leather furniture and bold, geometric textiles.
See some more

Distinctive Homes

February 4, 2019

Amazing photos show COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar tower getting its crystalline facade

The installation of 1 South First's (formerly known as 260 Kent Avenue) innovative exterior is officially underway, its molecular pattern now visible. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, the tower, part of the Domino Sugar project in Williamsburg, will feature concrete window panels made using 3D-printed molds. New photos from the Gate Precast Company reveal the start of the crystalline-inspired facade as the building's construction is more than halfway complete (h/t CityRealty).
See the photos

LPC approves sky bridge between landmarked Williamsburg church and new residential tower

Via Syndicate Architecture and Li/Saltzman Architects for LPC

January 17, 2019

LPC approves sky bridge between landmarked Williamsburg church and new residential tower

The Landmarks Preservation Commission on Tuesday approved a plan to build a sky bridge between a historic 19th-century church in Williamsburg and a neighboring residential tower. The new mixed-use building is currently under construction at 304 Rodney Street, next to the landmarked St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. As Brownstoner reported, commissioners expressed concern over the financial feasibility of the project and whether proceeds from the sale of the church's air rights would be enough to cover the substantial work planned.
More here

January 15, 2019

Williamsburg townhouse offers a unique live/work solution for $4.5M

By Alexandra Alexa

Located in a prime Williamsburg location one block away from the water, this townhouse at 64 East 4th Street is a catch with an asking price of $4,495,000. The four-floor home was gut renovated a few years ago and boasts a slew of modern amenities: a top-of-the-line kitchen, a home gym, and a beautiful garden. Best of all, the entire top floor is a ready-to-go office, making this an exciting opportunity for those seeking a live/work solution.
Have a look for yourself

Distinctive Homes

January 4, 2019

Where I Work: Jun Aizaki’s architecture and design firm CRÈME gets creative in Williamsburg

Japan native Jun Aizaki started Brooklyn-based CRÈME / Jun Aizaki Architecture & Design 14 years ago when both the design and architecture firm's Williamsburg location and their portfolio were much different. Today, with more than 15 employees, CRÈME has become a leader in hip restaurant design (think Redfarm, L'Amico, and Mr. Purple), along with more innovative product design such as gourd cups and indigo-dyed furniture. The firm also has a pulse on urban planning projects, such as a proposal to build a timber bridge connecting Greenpoint and Long Island City, as well as a master plan of Denver’s Dairy Block. And it's this combination of cool-factor, outside-the-box thinking, and style that CRÈME embodies in their industrial Williamsburg office space. 6sqft recently visited the firm to take a look around and see their work, as well as to have a chat with Jun.
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Apply for 14 middle-income apartments on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border, from $2,081/month

Photo via Flickr cc

December 19, 2018

Apply for 14 middle-income apartments on the Williamsburg-Bushwick border, from $2,081/month

With the L train shutdown looming, some of the best rental finds are those in parts of Williamsburg that have easy access to another train. Like this new 45-unit building at 46 Cook Street that's just two blocks from the M and J trains at Flushing Avenue but still a quick walk to cool 'spots like Roberta's, Sweet Science, and the Well. Even better, 14 middle-income units at the new, 12-story rental just came online through the city's affordable housing lottery. Available to New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income, they range from $2,081/month one-bedrooms to $2,888/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

November 27, 2018

Lena Dunham is so over Brooklyn, she’s willing to forego a profit on her Williamsburg pad

By Annie Doge

The celebrity many New Yorkers love to hate really wants you to know she is so over Brooklyn. In a recent interview with The Cut, Lena Dunham talks (or shall we say rants?) about relocating from Williamsburg to the West Village in the wake of her recent hysterectomy: "My whole identity was, like, Brooklyn, and now I’m like, Thank you, Lord. I’m back amongst my tribe, which is like old people puttering around the health-food store... … I just wanna live around old people who are not reminding me every day of my infertility and loneliness." And to drive the point home, Variety has now gotten the scoop on the official listing for her former pad at 60 Broadway, which is on the market for $3 million, just a hair over the $2.9 million she paid for it back in April.
Get a look around

Rental Offers: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): The Lewis, The Rollins, 1510Lex, and 46 Cook Street

November 25, 2018

Rental Offers: This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

By Ondel Hylton

Newly-Built Rentals at The Lewis Leasing Serene Midtown West Rentals from $2,825/Month=[LINK] The Rollins at Essex Crossing: New Lower East Side Rentals Leasing with Special Offers[LINK] Carnegie Hill Luxury Rentals from $2,995/Month at 1510 Lexington Avenue[LINK] Newly-Constructed, No Fee Rentals at 46 Cook Street in Williamsburg; 2-Beds for $2,999/Month[LINK] SEE MORE RENTAL NEWS AND OFFERS […]

Uncategorized

November 19, 2018

New Williamsburg rooftop hotel bar looks like a water tower you can party inside

Any new Williamsburg rooftop hotel bar has some tough acts to follow given the reputation and views at veteran hotspots like The Ides at the Wythe hotel and the doesn't-even-need-a-name rooftop bar at the McCarren Hotel and Pool. The Williamsburg Hotel at 96 Wythe Avenue, however, has decided they're not taking any chances and created an attention-grabbing rooftop party spot that resembles a classic New York City water tank, wrapped in glass. Dubbed The Water Tower bar, of course, the chic new nightclub and lounge officially opened on November 16.
Check it out

City Living

My 850sqft: Graphic designer Ksenya turned a raw Williamsburg loft into an industrial-chic oasis

6sqft’s series “My sqft” checks out the homes of New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to graphic designer Ksenya Samarskaya’s industrial-chic Williamsburg loft. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch!

November 7, 2018

My 850sqft: Graphic designer Ksenya turned a raw Williamsburg loft into an industrial-chic oasis

Ten years ago when graphic designer and typographer Ksenya Samarskaya moved into Williamsburg's famous artist loft 475 Kent, the building and neighborhood were much different. Her view of the Williamsburg Bridge remains, but it's now obscured by the slew of glassy towers rising along the waterfront, a literal representation of how the area has lost some of its creativity to corporate entities. And though the building has seen its share of controversy, Ksenya's loft feels like stepping back to Brooklyn's Millenium-era artist boom. In true artist loft fashion, the space was completely raw when Ksenya moved in. With a little help from her friends and neighbors, she achieved the perfect balance of industrial charm and chic, minimalism. From staining the concrete ceiling and retaining the original floor and wooden beams to having custom multi-use furniture pieces designed, Ksenya created her own little oasis.
Take the tour

November 6, 2018

Live across from Bushwick Inlet Park in Williamsburg, from just $907/month

This new luxury rental in the heart of Williamsburg is offering the best of the neighborhood, located just steps from the East River waterfront and the Bushwick Inlet Park, as well as all of the trendy eateries and hot spots. The building at 56 North 9th Street launched a lottery on Tuesday for nine affordable apartments, all which boast floor-to-ceiling windows, high ceilings, and state-of-the-art appliances. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income can apply for the units, ranging from a $907/month studio to a $1,165/month two bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Updated looks for COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar building, Williamsburg’s will-be tallest

A previous rendering (left) and new rendering (right) of 1 South First via DBOX for Two Trees Management

October 19, 2018

Updated looks for COOKFOX’s Domino Sugar building, Williamsburg’s will-be tallest

Fully above ground, the second tower to rise at the massive Domino Sugar site has a pair of new renderings. Designed by COOKFOX Architects, 1 South First (previously 260 Kent Avenue) is a 42-story mixed-use tower on the Williamsburg waterfront development, which was formerly home to the sugar manufacturing facility. When 1 South First opens next fall, it will join already opened 325 Kent Avenue and Domino Park, all developed by Two Trees Management.
See them here

Not-so-affordable housing lottery launches for 8 units in East Williamsburg, from $2,253/month

Via CityRealty

October 17, 2018

Not-so-affordable housing lottery launches for 8 units in East Williamsburg, from $2,253/month

While 130 percent of the area median income is technically considered affordable in New York City, paying $2,253/ month for a one-bedroom apartment in East Williamsburg is still hard to swallow. The neighborhood does have a lot to offer in terms of nightlife and cultural activities, but the area's transit options, mainly the soon-to-be-shuttered L train, leave a lot to be desired for those commuting to Manhattan. But if you can look past the price and the far-out location, consider applying for eight middle-income units at 310 Graham Avenue, a newly constructed seven-story building. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the AMI can apply for the apartments ranging from $2,253/month one-bedrooms to $3,132/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Photo via Flickr cc

October 17, 2018

Smorgasburg opening two indoor food halls in Brooklyn