Brooklyn

September 19, 2017

Williamsburg townhouse gets a ‘mullet’ reno with business in front and a party out back

Yes, you heard that right--the architects characterized this East Williamsburg townhouse renovation as having "a mullet strategy" of a "business/historically correct approach in the front and a party/modern attitude toward the back." The architects, BFDO, were tasked with restoring the facade of a historic wood frame house, while also modernizing and expanding it. The result? A pleasing blend of older historic details with a brightness and openness not often on display in a Brooklyn townhouse.
Check it out
September 18, 2017

‘American Horror Story’ actor Denis O’Hare lists Fort Greene carriage house condo for $1.6M

Actor Denis O'Hare might be known for taking roles in creepy shows like "American Horror Story" and "True Blood," but his Fort Greene home is anything but. He bought the unique duplex at 159 Carlton Avenue, a landmarked 2,015-square-foot carriage house that was once the Feuchtwanger Stable, for just $175,000 in 1998 when he was still acting on Broadway (h/t WSJ). Over the past 19 years, his husband, interior designer Hugo Redwood, completely renovated the condo, preserving its amazing arched windows that once allowed horses and carriages to enter but creating a more open, loft-like space. And it's now on the market for $1,595,000.
Check out the layout
September 14, 2017

Could the new Amazon headquarters be in Sunset Park’s Industry City?

After Amazon announced last week plans to build a second corporate headquarters in North America, the competition among cities hoping to be chosen remains fierce. The company’s proposed headquarters, called HQ2, would bring $5 billion in initial city investment and 50,000 new jobs, making it very appealing for most cities. According to Crain’s, a group of landlords in Brooklyn is working together to pitch Amazon the borough’s many office properties, including space in Industry City, a massive 6.5 million square-foot complex in Sunset Park. Proposals are due by Oct. 19 and Amazon is expected to make a decision by next year.
Find out more
September 13, 2017

This renovated Park Slope co-op, asking $995K, has its own Instagram account

If there was a contest for most popular apartments in New York City, this one would be in the running as the winner. Apartment #3L at the Park Slope co-op 749 Union Street has been profiled in Lonny and Architectural Digest. It has its own Instagram account. And it was designed by Dan Mazzarini, the former director of store design at Ralph Lauren who went on to open his own design firm, BHDM. Envisioned as a black-and-white bachelor pad with a sleek, modern kitchen, the apartment is now looking for its next owner at an ask of $995,000.
Read more about the reno
September 13, 2017

REVEALED: 27-story tower at Lincoln Savings Bank site will be tallest in East Williamsburg

The first renderings for the mixed-use rental development planned for 525-545 Broadway in Brooklyn’s East Williamsburg neighborhood were released this week, showing a creative reimagining of the 20th century Lincoln Savings Bank. As CityRealty learned, the project’s developers Blesso Properties and Bravo Builders, plan on building a 27-story, 298-foot tall building with offices and retail on the lower floors and 218 rental properties above it. The plan also calls for 37,000 square-feet of landscaped space, a food hall, nightlife venue and a wellness center.
See the renderings
September 13, 2017

Matt Damon may set record for Brooklyn’s priciest sale with $16.6M penthouse buy

He may fly under the radar in Hollywood, but when it comes to Brooklyn real estate, Matt Damon seems to be all about high life. This time last year, he toured the historic Brooklyn Heights mansion at 3 Pierrepont Place, which was the borough's most expensive listing ever at $40 million. Though he didn't follow through, it looks like he's still poised to set a record, as Mansion Global reports that sources say the actor has gone into contract on the penthouse at the nearby recent condo conversion The Standish. If the sale closes for its most recent price of $16,645,000, it will take the crown for priciest residential sale ever in Brooklyn, stealing the title from a $15.5 million Cobble Hill townhouse sale in 2015.
READ MORE
September 12, 2017

Loci Architecture took this 1878 Carroll Gardens brownstone and decked it out with wood

The Manhattan-based firm Loci Architecture took plenty of care in the renovation of this historic Carroll Gardens townhouse, which dates back to 1878. (According to the firm, the home was once occupied by the last queen of Sikkim, a northeastern state of India.) In a complete renovation and rear extension, Loci completely decked the interior out with wood--everything from salvaged pine, to Douglass Fir, to reclaimed barn timbers. Wood floors, ceiling beams, built ins, and storage space make for a warm, textural interior.
Now go see the finishes
September 12, 2017

In the early 20th century, Finns in Sunset Park created NYC’s first not-for-profit co-op

While the co-op movement officially began in Europe in the late 1800s, its legacy as the dominate housing choice in New York City continues today, all thanks to the large groups of Finnish immigrants that landed in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park during the first half of the 20th century. Instead of renting the typical tenement-style buildings of the time, a group of 16 Finnish families decided to combine their resources and set up a housing cooperative called the Finnish Home Building Association in the South Brooklyn neighborhood in 1916 (h/t WNYC). Just over 100 years later, the Finn’s idea of co-ops, which spread quickly throughout the five boroughs, remains prevalent in the city today.
More this way
September 12, 2017

Affordable housing lottery opens for 19 units at new South Slope rental, from $813/month

This stacked, Tetris-like facade is the type of thing we're used to seeing in neighborhoods like Williamsburg and Long Island City, but ND Architecture and Design has brought a similar look to the less-trendy and more industrial area where South Slope meets Gowanus. The mixed-use building known as the Alexy was recently completed and features commercial space, parking, and 95 rental units, a mix of market rate and affordable apartments. The latter group of 19 residences, ranging from $813/month studios to $1,016/month two-bedrooms, is now accepting applications from New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income, quite the deal considering market-rate units are renting from $2,400 to $5,100 a month.
Find out if you qualify and check out the amenity package
September 11, 2017

VIDEO: Drone footage shows construction of ODA’s massive Rheingold Brewery site

Slated to be the largest influx of housing created in Bushwick ever, ODA Architect’s two projects on the old Rheingold Brewery site continue to progress. Rabsky Group’s 10 Montieth Street, a nearly 400,000-square-foot, seven-story building with 392 units, just topped out. And All Year Management’s impressive development, totaling one million square feet, at 123 Melrose Street is currently being clad. Overall, the two projects will span three full city blocks.
Watch the video
September 11, 2017

John Catsimatidis wants his Coney Island development to have its own street car

As part of his “Ocean Dreams” development in Coney Island, billionaire real estate mogul John Catsimatidis plans to build a streetcar that would link the mixed-use project to the Stillwell Avenue subway station in Coney Island. Developed by Catsimatidis’ Red Apple Group, the project at 3514 Surf Avenue includes three buildings between West 36th and West 37th Streets that will feature retail space, 440 market-rate apartments and a 254-car garage. As the Coney Island News first reported, Catsimatidis said the streetcar would be available to everyone, not just residents of his development.
Find out more
September 9, 2017

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

Images (L to R): AVALON BROOKLYN BAY, SKY, HENRY HALL and ELLIPSE Live Inside the World Famous McAlpin Hotel; Spacious Rentals from $2,575/Month [link] South Brooklyn’s Tallest, Avalon Brooklyn Bay, Starts Leasing [link] 30-Story Hudson Yards Rental Opens with Unobstructed Views, Apartments from $3,200/Month [link] Live in the Sky: Coveted 42nd Street Rental Tower Offers […]

September 7, 2017

‘Uncle Sam’ may have been born in Brooklyn instead of upstate

September 7th is often credited with being the date, in 1813, that the United States received its moniker Uncle Sam. It's said that upstate New York butcher Samuel Wilson was the real-life inspiration behind the unofficial “human face” of the U.S. Government. The Troy, NY butcher supposedly stamped cuts of meat he delivered to American troops during the War of 1812 with the initials “U.S.” But the NY Times tells us that a Nebraska professor who has been tracing the origin of the top-hatted elder statesman has turned up an earlier reference. History professor and War of 1812 expert Donald R. Hickey from Wayne State College brings the origin of Uncle Sam back to New York City–the nation’s first capital–and a young midshipman’s use of the Navy slang of the day.
So what's the Brooklyn story?
September 7, 2017

Crown Heights’ controversial homeless shelter development opens lotto for 33 low-income units

Facing an unprecedented homelessness problem, in February, Mayor de Blasio announced plans to open 90 new shelters and expand 30 existing ones. But when it came down to which neighborhoods would house the developments, it became a not-in-my-backyard issue, especially in Crown Heights, an area already heavy with shelters and transitional houses, where the Mayor said three of the first five projects would be built. The animosity intensified shortly thereafter when it was announced that one such shelter would open in a new building at 267 Rogers Avenue, originally planned as a condo. But despite opposition from local residents and a temporary restraining order, the building began welcoming tenants over the summer, with space for 132 homeless families and another 33 units reserved for low-income New Yorkers. The latter, set aside for those earning 60 percent of the area median income, are now available through the city's affordable housing lottery and range from $931/month one-bedrooms to $1,292/month three-bedrooms.
See the qualifications
September 7, 2017

Trump could earn $14M from the sale of a Brooklyn housing complex he co-owns

The owners of Starrett City, the largest federally subsidized housing project in the country, recently announced they found a buyer for the $850 million Brooklyn development. Located in East New York, Starrett City sits on 145 acres and includes 5,881 affordable apartments for 15,000 residents. As the New York Times reported, President Donald Trump partially owns the housing development and will benefit from the sale of the property. Since the sale requires federal approval from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and state officials, this puts the president on both sides of the agreement, creating a potential conflict of interest for him.
Find out more
September 7, 2017

Fort Greene brownstone co-op with a private roof deck is a deal at $949K

On a picture-perfect block in the heart of historic Fort Greene, this brownstone co-op is both lovely and livable–with two bedrooms and plenty of pre-war charm–for under $1 million. Located at 154 Lafayette Avenue and currently listed at $949,000, this quintessential Brooklyn home is only two flights up from the stoop and has the added bonus of a private rooftop deck.
Take a look around, then head up to the deck
September 6, 2017

VIDEO: Tour MÔTÔ Spirits, a motorcycle-inspired distillery in Bushwick, Brooklyn

6sqft's new series "Where I Work" takes us into the studios, offices, and off-beat workspaces of New Yorkers across the city. In this first installment, we're hitting up MÔTÔ Spirits, a whiskey-distillery-cum-motorcycle-shop located in the heart of Bushwick.  Marrying whiskey and motorcycles seems like a lethal combination, but at MÔTÔ Spirits the pairing is a match made in heaven. Founded by Hagai Yardeny, Marie Estrada, and Tim Harney, MÔTÔ isn't your average whiskey producer: On top of being the first and only distillery in the U.S. to produce rice-based whiskey and jabuka (an apple-based Croatian liquor), their deliciously potent potions are both inspired by motorcycles and concocted in the back of a motorcycle shop! In our exclusive video, Yardeny, Estrada, and Harney take us on a tour of their space and share how, and why, MÔTÔ Spirits has interlaced two unlikely businesses into one extraordinary endeavor.
take the tour here
September 6, 2017

Albo Liberis’ Red Hook office concept proposes a colorful kaleidoscope next to the BQE

Unusual and flashy aren't words that come to mind when describing the industrial architecture of Red Hook, but a new proposal from the architects at Albo Liberis wants to infuse some colorful personality into the relatively sleepy waterfront 'hood. First spotted by CityRealty, the firm published renderings for a kaleidescope-looking, glassy office building at 150 Mill Street, right next to the BQE and less than a five-minute walk from Ikea and the NYC Ferry stop. And though the renderings are merely conceptual at this point (no permits have been filed), they certainly think outside the box, complete with a festive roof deck, their signature diaganal angles, and ground-floor retail.
More renderings right this way
September 5, 2017

$4,300/month Bed-Stuy duplex is chock full of pre-war details

For those old house lovers who can't afford to buy an entire old house, here's a gorgeous pre-war rental in Bedford-Stuyvesant that's loaded with details like fireplaces, high ceilings, woodwork, moldings, and a clawfoot tub. Occupying two floors of the townhouse at 464 Marion Street, the home also boasts three bedrooms, an office, media room, and formal dining room. And the best perk: a 20-foot-wide terrace with room for dining and a large grill.
Go right inside
September 5, 2017

Nine chances to live in a new Bushwick building for just $1,039/month

Permits were first filed for a new rental building at 810 Flushing Avenue in Bushwick, near the Bed-Stuy border and the Woodhull Medical Center, back in 2014, and nearly four years later the affordable housing lottery is open to New Yorkers earning 60 percent of the area median income for its nine $1,039/month units. In addition to being just a few blocks from the J,M,Z trains, the building offers a roof deck, fitness center, attended parking, and a two-story glass retail base. Apartments have open kitchens with granite counters and stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, high ceilings and oversized windows, and, for certain residences, private balconies.
Find out if you qualify
September 2, 2017

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

Images (L to R): THE DEAN, 88 LEONARD STREET, 33 BOND and TRIBECA TOWER Leasing Update: 555Ten Offers 2 Months Free + Launches Affordable Housing Lottery [link] A Church from 1869 Is Now Quirky Loft Rentals with Cast Iron Catwalks – Flex Units Now Available [link] 33 Bond Opens Debuting Dozens of Units + New […]

September 1, 2017

Emily Blunt and John Krasinski list historic townhouse in Park Slope for $8M

Actors Emily Blunt and John Krasinski have put their recently restored four-story Brooklyn townhouse on the market for $8 million, which the couple first purchased for $6 million last fall. The seven-bedroom, 20-room home sits on a prime block in Park Slope at 586 4th Street, just steps away from Prospect Park. According to the Wall Street Journal, Blunt and Krasinski are selling the recently-purchased property because they’ve haven’t spent enough time there because of work.“We’ve been nomads for a while now, but that’s the nature of the business,” Krasinski told the WSJ. “The house is so special—someone who can spend every night there should have it.”
See inside
August 31, 2017

City will convert long-vacant Greenpoint Hospital into hundreds of affordable housing units

It's been 35 years since the Greenpoint Hospital shut its doors, since which time the city has tried and failed to convert the vacant 146,100-square-foot complex into affordable housing. But Mayor de Blasio, explaining that the "the need for affordable housing in Greenpoint and Williamsburg is too high to leave even one stone unturned," will now seek proposals from developers to transform the site into anywhere between 300 to 600 below-market rate apartments and supportive housing, along with green space, commercial space, and a relocated 200-bed shelter and clinic (h/t DNAinfo).
The past and future of the site
August 31, 2017

Lottery opens for 74 affordable units at new Downtown Brooklyn rental, from $947/month

At the beginning of the year, Downtown Brooklyn's new 26-story rental tower at 210 Livingston Street, best known for having its own subway entrance, topped out, and it's now accepting applications for the 20 percent of units reserved as affordable housing. These 74 brand-new apartments are set aside for those earning 60 percent of the area median income and range from $947/month studios to $1,230/month two-bedrooms. In addition to the super-convenient location, all tenants will have access to an impressive suite of amenities (though many will require an additional fee), including a courtyard, 15th-floor landscaped terrace, roof deck with grills and a sun deck, lounge, game room, business center, laundry room, fitness center, and an underground parking garage.
Find out if you qualify
August 30, 2017

107 affordable units up for grabs in Brownsville’s Prospect Plaza, starting at $558/month

Back in April of 2016, 6sqft shared the first affordable housing lottery to come online at the Dattner Architects-designed Prospect Plaza. Located in the Brownsville section of East New York--which has seen a slew of new below-market rate housing after a controversial rezoning--the 4.5-acre development will include a total of 364 units of of affordable and public housing, a 22,000-square-foot supermarket, 12,000-square-foot community facility, and a rooftop greenhouse. As of today, New Yorkers earning 40, 50, and 60 percent of the area median income can apply for 107 of these apartments at 428 Saratoga Avenue, ranging from $558/month one-bedrooms to $1,224/month three-bedrooms.
Find out if you qualify
August 30, 2017

Apply for 12 affordable apartments in Bed-Stuy, from $1,230/ month

Applications are currently being accepted for 12 affordable apartments at 27 Albany Avenue in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant. Located on the bustling corner of Fulton Street, the building rises 10 stories with 50 residences. Amenities include on-site parking, a virtual doorman, package room, fitness center, communal terraces and a lounge. New Yorkers earning 80 percent of the area median income can apply for five one-bedrooms for $1,230 per month and seven two-bedrooms for $1,486 per month.
Find out more