Brooklyn

Trophy pad alert: A 12,557-square-foot penthouse in Central Park Tower at 217 West 57th Street just hit the market, asking for a skyscraping $175,000,000. The duplex Billionaires' Row condo spans the 107th and 108th floor of what is to date the Western Hemisphere's tallest residential tower. It's a tower filled with superlatives–including the world's highest residence, a $250 million triplex just a few floors above. If this two-story sky mansion gets its asking price, it could be New York City's second-biggest residential sale ever.
Behold this Central Park Tower penthouse in the sky

Distinctive Homes

City pilot will add more pedestrian space to Prospect Park’s roadway

Photo by Prabu Vasan for Prospect Park Alliance

March 8, 2023

City pilot will add more pedestrian space to Prospect Park’s roadway

Prospect Park's main roadway is getting a revamp. The Prospect Park Alliance and the Department of Transportation on Tuesday released the results of a year-long study of Prospect Park Drive, a busy loop within the park for pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists. Conducted by leading traffic consultancy Sam Schwartz, the NYC Parks Department, and DOT, the study analyzed crash data, roadway grade, pedestrian count, and other metrics to determine ways to improve the roadway. As a result of the study, the city is piloting adding a second lane on the outside of the drive, which would limit the need for crossings and prevent collisions.
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The Museum of Failure exhibit is coming to Brooklyn

Images courtesy of SEE Attractions/Museum of Failure

March 8, 2023

The Museum of Failure exhibit is coming to Brooklyn

A new exhibit in Sunset Park gives an opportunity to learn about some of the biggest failures of the biggest companies. Located in Industry City, the Museum of Failure offers New Yorkers a close look at more than 130 "epic fails" by giant global corporations, including Coca-Cola, Google, and Nokia, with the intention of teaching visitors the importance of learning from your mistakes. Presented by SEE Attractions, the exhibit will be open from March 17 until May 14.
See more here

Events & Things To Do

New public artwork turns a Downtown Brooklyn plaza into a playful, colorful oasis

All photos courtesy of Cameron Blaylock for Downtown Brooklyn Partnership

March 3, 2023

New public artwork turns a Downtown Brooklyn plaza into a playful, colorful oasis

A new interactive public art installation in Downtown Brooklyn transforms a plaza into a colorful oasis with shimmering lights. The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership and Van Alen Institute on Wednesday unveiled "COMMON GROUND," a site-specific sculpture created by artist Cheryl Wing-Zi Wong with lighting design by Arup featuring colorful seating, sound-responsive lighting, and floor motifs that provide a vibrant space for people to gather. The installation will be on view from March 1 to May 1 at The Plaza at 300 Ashland.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

If you love pattern and color, this $1.5M Williamsburg condo is for you

Photo courtesy of The Corcoran Group

March 2, 2023

If you love pattern and color, this $1.5M Williamsburg condo is for you

If you love closet space–you may want to look elsewhere. This two-bedroom, two-bath unit at 221 Devoe Street in Williamsburg has plenty of appeal. Asking $1,495,000, the modern north Brooklyn condo was featured in House Beautiful; the 1,108-square-foot penthouse has an impressive landscaped 300-square-foot terrace, a wealth of art-inspired interior design–and a notable dearth of closets.
Get a closer look

Proposal to restore Prospect Park’s Vale faces criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates

Rendering of the proposed northeast pavilion. All renderings courtesy of the Prospect Park Alliance

March 1, 2023

Proposal to restore Prospect Park’s Vale faces criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates

The city's Parks Department and the Prospect Park Alliance this week unveiled plans for the restoration of the Vale of Cashmere. The proposal, presented during a Landmarks Preservation Commission hearing on Tuesday, includes a new pollinator garden, natural exploration play areas, a planted arbor, and a wooden pavilion with a green roof and bathrooms. Several LPC commissioners, preservationists, and LGBTQ+ advocates opposed the proposal for the Upper Vale, with most taking issue with the plan's erasure of the site as a significant meeting spot for the city's queer community as well as the disregard for the original vision of the Vale.
Find out more

Photo Credit: Allyson Lubow

March 1, 2023

This $2M Ditmas Park two-family home is historic and updated, with four-car parking and a yard

This two-family house at 986 Ocean Avenue in Ditmas Park is updated and ready for living and rental income as a triplex with an upper duplex unit, all while retaining its early-20th-century charm. Asking $1,999,000, the 4,305-square-foot home is in the heart of Victorian Flatbush, surrounded by the neighborhood's lovely architecture as well as its restaurants, bars, cafes, and shops. With plenty of covetable yard space, the home has the added bonus of space for four cars, with two driveway parking spots and a two-car garage.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

17-story Clinton Hill rental opens lottery for middle-income units, from $2,700/month

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

February 28, 2023

17-story Clinton Hill rental opens lottery for middle-income units, from $2,700/month

A residential building rising next to a landmarked Gothic Revival church in Brooklyn is currently accepting applications for 42 middle-income apartments. Designed by DXA Studio and located across the street from Clinton Hill, the Parish House is a 17-story rental with 138 one- and two-bedroom apartments. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced between $2,700/month and $3,400/month.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

New express ferry service takes commuters from Bay Ridge to Wall Street in 20 minutes

Photo by Shinya Suzuki on Flickr

February 28, 2023

New express ferry service takes commuters from Bay Ridge to Wall Street in 20 minutes

A new pilot program launching next month will speed up trips for South Brooklyn residents commuting to Manhattan. Starting March 8, the NYC Ferry's South Brooklyn route will take weekday riders from Bay Ridge to Wall Street in roughly 20 minutes as part of a "Faster Connections" pilot. The new express service operates between 6:15 a.m. and 10:15 a.m. on weekdays.
Find out more

Preserved Neo-Grec townhouse in Park Slope is a glimpse into the Gilded Age for $3.5M

Photos courtesy of Compass

February 24, 2023

Preserved Neo-Grec townhouse in Park Slope is a glimpse into the Gilded Age for $3.5M

A well-preserved Park Slope brownstone built 150 years ago hit the market this week. Located within the neighborhood's historic district, 34 7th Avenue is considered one of Park Slope's first Neo-Grec townhouses. Much of the home's historic charm has been maintained, seen in original carved walnut woodwork, parquet flooring, pocket doors, and seven stunning fireplace mantles. Asking $3,470,000, the home is currently configured as a four-family building, but could easily become the magnificent single-family home it was intended to be when built.
See it here

Distinctive Homes

Plans unveiled for David Adjaye’s Restoration Plaza revamp in Bed-Stuy

Renderings courtesy of Adjaye Associates

February 17, 2023

Plans unveiled for David Adjaye’s Restoration Plaza revamp in Bed-Stuy

Plans to transform Brooklyn's Restoration Plaza into a global cultural and economic hub were unveiled this week. Non-profit Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation on Thursday released renderings and new details of its plan to reimagine its headquarters with an 840,000-square-foot mixed-use campus designed by renowned architect Sir David Adjaye. The plan expands and modernizes existing space, adds office and retail space, and creates new public open space in the heart of Bed-Stuy. According to the developer team, the Innovation Campus is a direct response to the country's racial wealth gap, particularly the economic barriers Black New Yorkers face in Brooklyn.
See more here

$6M Park Slope triplex condo feels like a modern townhouse, private garden and parking included

Photo credit: Travis Mark courtesy of Douglas Elliman

February 13, 2023

$6M Park Slope triplex condo feels like a modern townhouse, private garden and parking included

In the heart of charming Park Slope, a townhouse-sized condominium with parking and a private garden is now available. Located within the boutique building The Vermeil at 133 Sterling Place, the triplex measures 3,610 square feet and contains five bedrooms and four baths. Asking $5,995,000, the home has been customized for modern Brooklyn living, with sleek built-ins and storage throughout, as well as a private rear garden designed for the ultimate city soiree.
Take a better look

Distinctive Homes

The Brooklyn Tower’s striking neo-Deco crown is complete

Photo by Evan Joseph

February 10, 2023

The Brooklyn Tower’s striking neo-Deco crown is complete

The top of the tallest tower in Brooklyn is now complete, cementing its status as New York City's newest landmark. The Brooklyn Tower rises 93 stories from a marble base with a facade of repeating vertical columns and alternating panels of colored metals that fade from bronze to black as it moves upward to the neo-Deco crown. The spired pinnacle reaches 1,066 feet, making the Brooklyn Tower the tallest building in the borough.
See it here

Architecture And Design

Photo courtesy of Douglas Elliman

February 9, 2023

This $10M historic wood-frame in Brooklyn Heights is one of the neighborhood’s oldest homes

Listed for a Heights-priced $9,950,000, this compact wood-frame home at 69 Orange Street makes up in history and location what it may lack in size. Charming inside and out, the 1829 townhouse on a covetable, picturesque "fruit street" is on the market for the first time in nearly a century. Though the home could use some TLC from what we can see, there are plenty of period details, and it has been equipped with a central A/C and a washer and dryer.
Brooklyn history, this way

Distinctive Homes

Brooklyn Heights rental with rooftop terrace launches housing lottery, from $1,528/month

Photo Credit: 200 Montague Street, Courtesy of MNS Real Estate

February 7, 2023

Brooklyn Heights rental with rooftop terrace launches housing lottery, from $1,528/month

A 20-story rental in Brooklyn Heights has opened a housing lottery for 38 mixed-income apartments. Designed by Beyer Blinder Belle, 200 Montague Street features a unique dark facade with a polished granite base and bronze-tone metal detailing, an interpretation of the neighborhood's historic architecture. Qualifying New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from a $1,528/month studio to a $3,918/month three-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

For $5.6M, the perfect Park Slope brownstone, from the bay windows to the backyard

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow

February 7, 2023

For $5.6M, the perfect Park Slope brownstone, from the bay windows to the backyard

Built in 1888 by architect William Flanagan as one of 10 four-story townhomes with curving bay windows, 854 President Street is among the prettiest homes in historic Park Slope. Located a block from Prospect Park, the two-family home, asking $5,600,000, is the picture of Brooklyn brownstone elegance. Although modernized with central air, updated electrical wiring, and plumbing, the 4,200-square-foot, six-bedroom home's interiors offer a wealth of exquisite period detail.
Beautiful brownstone tour, this way

Distinctive Homes

Bjarke Ingels to design production studio and waterfront park in Red Hook

All renderings courtesy of Samson Stages

February 6, 2023

Bjarke Ingels to design production studio and waterfront park in Red Hook

Architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) is designing another film studio in New York City. Production company Samson Stages announced plans for a new 330,000-square-foot production facility on the waterfront in Red Hook, Brooklyn. Designed by BIG, the firm also behind Robert De Niro's under-construction Wildflower Studios in Astoria, the Samson Stages Red Hook Studio will include a building with eight stacked stages and a public park.
Learn more here

Architecture And Design

A pop-up roller disco is opening at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal Mall

Rendering courtesy of The Roller Wave

February 3, 2023

A pop-up roller disco is opening at Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal Mall

An indoor roller rink is coming to the heart of Brooklyn. Set to open on February 11 at the Atlantic Terminal Mall, The Roller Wave will offer a 24,000-square-foot venue with skating, live performances, DJs, food and beverage options, and an arcade. Founded by NYC native Harry Martin, the Roller Wave is a traveling pop-up roller skating experience. The rink, which will be open through June 4, will be the Roller Wave's first true location.
Get the details

Events & Things To Do

For $2.4M, this Park Slope home is renovated with an enviable rooftop

All photos courtesy of Lesley Semmelhack Team

February 2, 2023

For $2.4M, this Park Slope home is renovated with an enviable rooftop

This Park Slope apartment is just a quarter of a mile to the tip of Prospect Park. But with a private finished roof deck that runs the length of the building, who needs Brooklyn's backyard, anyway? Asking $2,395,000, the top-floor co-op at 801 Union Street has undergone a recent renovation inside and out, including the landscaped roof deck that is a paradise of leisure and entertainment.
Look inside

Distinctive Homes

NYC announces plan for $20M biotech hub at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

Image courtesy of alh1 on Flickr

January 27, 2023

NYC announces plan for $20M biotech hub at the Brooklyn Navy Yard

During his State of the City address, Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced plans to open a $20 million biotech innovation hub at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The "first-in-the-nation incubator" would include 50,000 square feet of office, lab, and programming space for biotech startups and companies at the former shipyard, as THE CITY first reported.
See more here

Neighborhood Tours

Pretty pre-war co-op on a tree-lined Park Slope block asks $1.75M

All photos courtesy of Russ Ross for The Corcoran Group

January 26, 2023

Pretty pre-war co-op on a tree-lined Park Slope block asks $1.75M

This Park Slope co-op is what real estate dreams are made of. Located on the third floor of a 120-year-old building a block from Prospect Park, this updated three-bedroom at 259 Garfield Place offers the best of Brooklyn living. Asking $1,750,000, the home is where gorgeous parquet hardwood floors and original woodwork meet a modern kitchen and renovated bathroom.
Details here

Distinctive Homes

Sunset Park senior rental launches lottery for 57 affordable apartments

Rendering courtesy of the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development

January 26, 2023

Sunset Park senior rental launches lottery for 57 affordable apartments

A housing lottery launched this week for 57 affordable apartments at a new senior housing project in Sunset Park. Located at 6309 4th Avenue on the site of the former Zion Lutheran Church, the Sunset Ridge Senior Apartments comprises a new nine-story building and two existing adjacent townhomes. Applicants must have at least one household member who is 62 years of age or older, qualify for Section 8 benefits, and earn no more than $60,500 as a family of three. Eligible New Yorkers will pay 30 percent of their income for the available studio and one-bedroom apartments.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Photo credit clockwise: Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Jacques Torres Chocolates, Jessica Minghi/Borough Chocolates, Chocolate Noise.

January 25, 2023

The best local chocolate shops in NYC

It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to crave chocolate. But the sugar-coated holiday certainly provides a good excuse to indulge. Far beyond the red-wrapped drugstore box, creating the sweet (or bitter) treat is now recognized as a craft all its own. Chocolate purveyors range from the old-fashioned to the eco-conscious to makers who hand-mix exotic ingredients and flavors. If you're really hooked, you can make an event of it at a chocolate-themed restaurant, factory tour, or private tasting. Whether you're looking for a last-minute gift for someone special or just a sweet snack, the New York City establishments listed here have something for every chocolate lover–and you can order online or visit the source right in your borough.
Find the chocolate of your dreams, this way

Lottery launches for 53 luxury apartments at new Crown Heights rental, from $1,576/month

Rendering courtesy of StudioSC

January 24, 2023

Lottery launches for 53 luxury apartments at new Crown Heights rental, from $1,576/month

Applications are currently being accepted for 53 mixed-income apartments at a new luxury rental in Crown Heights. Located between Grand and Classon Avenues, the building at 1010 Pacific Street, dubbed Pacific House, rises nine stories, contains 175 total units, and offers residents a fitness center, a unique library room, and a large landscaped rooftop. New Yorkers earning 80 and 130 percent of the area median income can apply for the apartments, priced from $1,576/month for studios.
Do you qualify?

Affordable Housing

NYC to open relief center for migrants at cruise terminal in Red Hook

Image via WikiCommons

January 23, 2023

NYC to open relief center for migrants at cruise terminal in Red Hook

About a week after declaring there is no more room for migrants in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams announced the opening of a fifth emergency response and relief center to accommodate the growing number of asylum seekers. The new center will open at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal in Red Hook in the coming weeks and serve roughly 1,000 single adult men, providing them shelter and medical, food, laundry, and reconnective services. The men will be relocated to the terminal from the Watson Hotel, which will be used to house families with children instead. An opening date for the center has not been announced yet.
Get the details

Policy

Everything’s big in this $3.75M Ditmas Park home, from the porch to the yard, driveway and garage

Photo credit: Allyson Lubow

January 20, 2023

Everything’s big in this $3.75M Ditmas Park home, from the porch to the yard, driveway and garage