Art, Fort Greene

Construction begins on Fort Greene’s newest cultural center at 300 Ashland Place

Renderings courtesy of TEN Arquitectos and Andrea Steele Architecture

The city’s Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) is starting construction on a new cultural center housed within the 32-story tower at 300 Ashland Place in Fort Greene. The new L10 Arts and Cultural Center will span across 50,000 square feet and host a range of institutions, including new gallery and performance spaces for the Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA), three cinemas for the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM), rehearsal studios and performance space for 651 ARTS, and a new branch of the Brooklyn Public Library.

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Art, Fort Greene

BAM commissions a series of public artworks for its Fort Greene campus

Rendering of Teresita Fernández’s Paradise Parados courtesy of Brooklyn Academy of Music

BAM will soon be adding a series of site-specific public artworks to its Fort Greene campus. Brooklyn-based artists Teresita Fernández and Hank Willis Thomas have been commissioned to create new works for BAM, and Leo Villareal—whose LED light installation “Stars” can already be seen illuminating the arched façade windows of BAM’s Peter Jay Sharp Building—will create two new works. One additional artist will be commissioned in the near future.

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Real Estate Wire

NYU Expansion Officially Underway; Dog DNA Testing for BK Condo Owners Who Don’t Scoop Poop

Michael Bloomberg’s ex wife, Susan Brown Bloomberg, sold her Noho penthouse in just over a month. [NYO]
NYU’s $6 billion expansion plan is kicking off with plans to demolish Coles Gym. [DNAinfo]
The owner of a $10.5 million Soho penthouse is suing the building’s restaurant for an “illegal” rooftop bar that’s caused him $1.5 million in distress. [NYP]
Because of problem with dog waste in hallways, One Brooklyn Bridge Park has taken to DNA testing it’s four-legged residents. [NYT]
Manhattan’s top ten condo flips over the past year netted sellers over $11 million. [TRD]
The Brooklyn Academy of Music is announcing a $25 million building that will connect its three current sites. [NYT]
Here’s the charities to which Donald Trump donated. [Crain’s]

Cool Listings, Fort Greene, Interiors

This Wrecked, Landmarked Townhouse in Fort Greene Is Asking $2 Million

183 Lafayette Street, Fort Greene, townhouse

How much would you pay for a completely rundown townhouse in the heart of the Fort Greene Historic District? This home, at 183 Lafayette Avenue, is a three-story wood frame that is likely one of the older buildings in the neighborhood. Its age is apparent from the facade, with its peeling yellow paint. Inside, the story is even worse, with an interior that demands a pretty significant renovation. And yet, the asking price comes in at a hefty $1.995 million. Is the Brooklyn market so hot that this crumbling home could actually fetch this price?

See the rest of the interior to decide

Featured Story

Architecture, City Living, Features

Accidental Placemakers: Grand Architecture That’s Given Way to Micro-Enclaves of Culture

Lots of clout is given to the grand scheme design of buildings and parks, and for good reason; but every so often a singular design element or function can unexpectedly emerge from a work to create something even more extraordinary. Destinations in their own right, these “accidental placemakers” turn run-of-the-mill architectural features into dynamic public spaces that create memorable connections to their immediate sites and improve the quality of everyday life. Here we take a look at five examples found in New York City showing how great architecture, in the details, can give way to something more impactful than just a pretty building.

See some of the city’s unexpected placemakers