Brooklyn

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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January 3, 2019

For under $1M, this Fort Greene condo has two bedrooms and a smart split-level layout

You might think of split-levels as a throwback to your grandparents' house, but when space is limited in a city apartment, the layout serves quite well for smart storage, privacy, and an open feel. All of these attributes apply to this completely charming two-bedroom at 69 South Oxford Street in Fort Greene. The fifth-floor spread has its public and private areas separated by a small staircase and it's listed for either $950,000 or as a $3,500/month rental. To boot, it's just steps from the park and Atlantic Terminal, located in the historic Roanoke Condos.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

Greenpoint’s new ‘community-forward rental’ launches lottery for 60 affordable units

Image via Otto Greenpoint

January 2, 2019

Greenpoint’s new ‘community-forward rental’ launches lottery for 60 affordable units

Ranging from $1,045/month studios to $2,795/month three-bedrooms, 60 low- and middle-income units at Greenpoint's new rental Otto have come online through the city's affordable housing lottery. The block-long, 197-unit building boasts that it is "community-forward," with amenities like a lounge, old-school game room, gym, and a large rooftop with a pool, hot tub, barbecues, and incredible Manhattan views. For comparison, market-rate apartments are renting from $2,279/month for studios to $4,704/month for three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

January 2, 2019

One block from Prospect Park, rent an entire three-bedroom house for $5,400/month

For the price of a Manhattan apartment, this entire Windsor Terrace house--complete with three bedrooms, a rear garden, and a location on a private street just one block from Prospect Park--is up for rent. Listed for $5,400 a month, the rowhouse at 19 Temple Court recently underwent a total renovation, but it still has loads of charming details like a front bay window, brick fireplace, and original pine floors.
Check it out

Distinctive Homes

December 28, 2018

Historic Brooklyn Heights 1854 parlor home with a private garden asks $5.1M

Own a corner of historic Brooklyn Heights with this home at 23 Willow Place—part of the landmarked neighborhood known as Willowtown. The picturesque setting and old world charm of the 1854 building combine with a modern extension in the back to give an elegant but relaxed feel. The four-floor, seven-bedroom home with a private garden is on the market for $5.1 million.
See inside the townhouse

Distinctive Homes

Matt Damon officially buys the priciest pad in Brooklyn, a $16.7M penthouse

The building via DDG; Matt Damon via Wiki Commons

December 28, 2018

Matt Damon officially buys the priciest pad in Brooklyn, a $16.7M penthouse

Actor Matt Damon has officially purchased the most expensive home in Brooklyn: a $16.7 million penthouse at The Standish, the New York Post reported on Thursday. Last September, 6sqft learned Damon had gone into contract at the Brooklyn Heights building, located at 171 Columbia Heights. At that time, it was listed for just over $16.6 million. With the deal officially inked, the A-lister takes the title of the priciest property in BK from Jennifer Connelly, who bought a $15.5 million townhouse in Brooklyn Heights this year, and photographer Jay Maisel, who owns a $15.5 million home in Cobble Hill.
Details here!

City Council votes to name NYC streets after Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, and Woodie Guthrie

Via Flickr

December 27, 2018

City Council votes to name NYC streets after Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, and Woodie Guthrie

By Devin Gannon

The New York City Council last week unanimously voted to co-name streets in honor of three NYC music icons, Notorious B.I.G., the Wu-Tang Clan, and folk singer Woody Guthrie, Gothamist reported. If the bills are signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio, the block in Brooklyn where B.I.G. grew up will be called Christopher Wallace Way, after the rapper's birth name, Staten Island's Vanderbilt Avenue and Targee Street will be known as the Wu-Tang Clan District, and Woodie Guthrie Way will be found on Mermaid Avenue, marking where the singer lived in Coney Island.
More here

Policy

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

Images (L to R): American Copper Buildings, The Eagle, One Blue Slip, View34 and in center 555 Waverly Avenue

December 22, 2018

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

Images (L to R): American Copper Buildings, The Eagle, One Blue Slip, View34 and in center 555 Waverly Avenue American Copper Buildings: Waterfront Studios to 3-Bed Apartments Available in Murray Hill’s Two-Tower Rental [LINK] One Blue Slip: Greenpoint Landing Rental Now leasing and 90% of Apartments Have Water Views [LINK] The Eagle: Downtown Brooklyn’s New […]

Real Estate Trends

December 21, 2018

$10,500/month Cobble Hill duplex with four bedrooms and playful decor is a perfect family home

This four-bedroom condo on a quintessential Cobble Hill block is currently on the market for $10,500 a month. With rooms to spare, it's perfect for a growing family. The two-level unit is bathed in southeastern light, in tip-top shape, and features cute decor details throughout, like exposed brick and hardwood floors. To top it all off, a private roof deck provides a cozy outdoor sanctuary.
Take a look around

Distinctive Homes

December 19, 2018

New renderings of Norman Foster’s Red Hook office complex reveal green roofs and courtyard

Construction on Norman Foster’s Red Hoek Point, a 7.7-acre commercial campus at the former Revere Sugar Factory, started in October and this week new renderings of the future office complex were released, as CityRealty first reported. Developed by Thor Equities and designed by Foster + Partners with SCAPE Landscape Architecture, the complex will be composed of two five-story buildings that will hold a combined 795,000 square feet of office space on three levels and 23,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space on the ground level. The new views provide the first look at the nearly four acres of green roof space, including walking and jogging paths and landscaping to mitigate stormwater runoff.
Find out more

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

December 18, 2018

Historic Clinton Hill carriage house with 4,500-square-foot garden asks 3.4M

On a historic block in Clinton Hill, this three-level carriage house at 361 Waverly Avenue is a dream for those seeking country living vibes without leaving the city. As Curbed reported, the interior could use a modern refresh (or at least some curtains that don't match the wallpaper), but the $3,400,000 property is truly original and offers a ton of charming architectural details, a garage for worry-free parking, and a massive garden that could probably host a small wedding.
Take the tour

December 17, 2018

Nitehawk Cinema will open in Park Slope this week with 7 theaters and bar with Prospect Park views

By Devin Gannon

The Nitehawk Cinema will open a second location of its popular theater in Brooklyn this week after two years of renovation work. The theater will open on Wednesday in Park Slope at a refurbished Pavilion Theater, an iconic cinema that was built in 1928 and shuttered in 2016. Dubbed Nitehawk Prospect Park, the 34,000-square-foot facility includes seven theaters and a second-floor cocktail bar that overlooks Prospect Park.
More this way

New Developments

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick

December 15, 2018

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

Images (L to R): ARO, Bridgeline, Paris New York, Paramount Tower and in center, Denizen Bushwick Denizen Bushwick: The Best Rental of 2018 [LINK] The Paris New York: Upper West Side Rentals Offer 2 Months Free on 18-Month Lease [LINK] Paramount Tower: Murray Hill’s 51-Story Tower Leasing 1 to 3 Bedroom Layouts from $3,995/Month [LINK] […]

Real Estate Trends

6sqft’s series “Where I Work” takes us into the studios, offices, and businesses of New Yorkers. Want to see your business featured here? Get in touch!

December 14, 2018

Where I Work: Ample Hills opens NYC’s largest ice cream factory in Red Hook

This summer, Brooklyn ice cream phenomenon Ample Hills opened NYC's largest ice cream factory in Red Hook. Founders Jackie Cuscuna and Brian Smith wanted "to create a place where people from all over the world could come together, share a scoop and learn the magic behind making ice cream." From a single cart in Prospect Park eight years ago to the new 15,000-square-foot factory, museum, and shop that can produce 500,000 gallons of ice cream a day, Ample Hills certainly has delivered on this goal. 6sqft recently visited the factory and, of course, had a sampling of all the whimsical flavors (including the factory's signature flavor that is an homage to the Dutch settlers of Red Hook). We also took a tour of the space with Ample Hills' creative director Lauren Kaelin, who designed the space's interactive 22-foot-wide map of Brooklyn and educational exhibits. She took us behind-the-scenes in both the ice cream production side and the bakery (Ample Hills makes all its mix-ins by hand) and filled us in on some secrets of the sweet company.
Take the sweet tour

December 14, 2018

You can live on Billionaires’ Row for just $325K

It seems as if almost every day we hear of a new big-ticket sale on Manhattan's "Billionaire's Row," the glittering corridor just south of Central Park in Midtown. Eight-figure sales at a growing collection of supertalls like One57, 432 Park Avenue and 111 West 57th Street seem almost ordinary. But it's still possible to snag a home among the oligarchs and moguls: Two units on the market at the classic co-op building at 100 West 57th Street can be yours for $325K (for a studio) and $450K (for a spacious one-bedroom). If you're looking for more than a pied-a-terre, you could even combine both contiguous units and still come in under a mil.
Take a look at your options

Distinctive Homes

December 13, 2018

This $5.2K/month furnished Stuyvesant Heights townhouse is a mix of sophistication and charm

Available from January through August of 2019 at $5,250 per month, this freshly-renovated brownstone triplex at 458 Hancock Street in Bed-Stuy's coveted Stuyvesant Heights historic district presents a great opportunity to get to know the city and the neighborhood. Interiors are bright and spacious, and you don't need to bring anything but your family or friends, and your toothbrush. The four-bedroom home with lots of space to spare plus a private deck and yard comes ready for living, complete with cool furniture and plants.
Take the townhouse tour

December 12, 2018

Is $1,850/month for this 272-square-foot Clinton Hill studio a deal for the location?

It's hard to find a decent studio these days for under $2,000 a month, let alone one with 12-foot ceilings, original exposed brick, and plenty of natural light. But this Clinton Hill cutie at 126 Willoughby Avenue is asking $1,850. It is, however, less than 300-square-feet. But what it lacks in space it makes up for in location; it's just six blocks from Fort Greene Park, three blocks from the G at Clinton-Washington, and in the heart of all the neighborhood hotspots along DeKalb and Myrtle Avenues.
Some different angles

Distinctive Homes

December 12, 2018

Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 6 rental tower reveals new renderings ahead of 2019 leasing launch

The Landing at 15 Bridge Park Drive, the rental portion of the Pier 6 two-building development in Brooklyn Bridge Park, is preparing for a 2019 launch with a new website and new renderings of amenity spaces and exteriors, Curbed reports. 6sqft reported back in September that the lottery for 100 affordable housing units had officially opened. Rents for the tower's 40 market-rate units will start at $3,100 per month and range from studios to three-bedrooms.
See more of what's to come

December 11, 2018

See this year’s completely outrageous Dyker Heights Christmas lights

Where else can you see 25-foot toy soldiers, a two-story Santa, or a house decked out with 30,000 lights other than Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. The suburban neighborhood, historically a quiet, Italian-American enclave, has been putting on its legendary holiday spectacle since 1986, when Lucy Spata moved to the area. Her over-the-top Christmas displays started as a way to honor her mother's memory (she also loved holiday decorations) and quickly her neighbors followed suit. Today, Lucy is known around town as "Mrs. Claus" and the Dyker Heights lights attract up to 150,000 visitors each season. 6sqft's resident photographers, James and Karla Murray, recently visited Dyker Heights and captured the outrageous lights and decorations in all their glory. And they were even lucky enough to meet Lucy herself!
See this year's insane Christmas light extravaganza

Via Practice for Architecture and Urbanism

December 11, 2018

A megachurch in East New York will become an ‘urban village’ with 2,100 affordable apartments

A Christian megachurch in East New York is partnering with the Gotham Organization to redevelop their East New York campus into a mixed-income community, or "urban village" as Reverend A.R. Bernard calls it, of 2,100 affordable units and neighborhood amenities. The plan from the Christian Cultural Center, led by Bernard, will supplement the existing church at 12020 Flatlands Avenue in Brooklyn and create a community with CCC at its core.
Find out more

Affordable Housing

December 10, 2018

Live in this fully-furnished designer Brooklyn Heights studio for $2,450/month

On a quiet block in the heart of Brooklyn Heights, this charming studio at 38 Livingston Street doesn't offer a ton of square footage but the thoughtful design details make it worth a look. The fully-furnished unit is outfitted with chic, just-trendy-enough pieces that make a bold statement, and it's asking the semi-reasonable rent of $2,450 a month.
See the whole petite place

Distinctive Homes

Top 10 Rental Buildings in FiDi & This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Images (L to R): Renting Downtown: Top 10 Rental Buildings in Financial District + Battery Park City

December 8, 2018

Top 10 Rental Buildings in FiDi & This week’s roundup of NYC rental news

Renting Downtown: Top 10 Rental Buildings in Financial District + Battery Park City [LINK] Cobalt Lofts in Harrison Launches Luxury Rentals from $1,915/Month; 20 Minutes from NYC [LINK] Contemporary Rentals at Historic 71 Broadway: No-Fee Listings from $3,035/Month [LINK] Bed-Stuy Rentals Launch at 1247 Atlantic Avenue with 1 Month Free; Net Prices from $1,825/Month [LINK] […]

Real Estate Trends

December 7, 2018

1960s modern house in Brooklyn Heights designed by Merz Architects is for sale asking $3.9M

As one of a trio of distinctive townhouses on an almost-hidden historic Brooklyn Heights street known by locals as Willowtown, the house at 44 Willow Place is a gift of mid-20th-century architecture and holds a spot on the star map for modern house lovers–and it's on the market for $3.9 million. Designed by the beloved local architect duo Joseph and Mary Merz in 1965 for Ron and Hortense Clyne, the home is a timeless example of Modernist design as both visually appealing and ultimately livable. Treasured by the community as both brilliant designers and active preservationists, the architects also built the better-known home at 40 Willow Place along with a house at number 48.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

Images (L to R): Otto Greenpoint, Estuary, 181 Front Street, and Vernon Tower.

December 1, 2018

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

By Ondel Hylton

Vernon Tower: Astoria waterfront rentals across from Socrates Sculpture Park from $2,300/month [LINK] Otto Greenpoint: Brooklyn rentals at 211 McGuinness Boulevard from $2,317/month [LINK] 181 Front Street: New rentals in DUMBO offer 1 month free on 13-month lease [LINK] Estuary Weehawken: Luxury waterfront rentals with skyline views from $2,363/month [LINK] 111 Murray Street: Michael Cohen’s […]

Real Estate Trends

After more than 20 years, Coney Island brings back holiday lights along Mermaid Avenue

Photo courtesy of the Alliance for Coney Island

November 29, 2018

After more than 20 years, Coney Island brings back holiday lights along Mermaid Avenue