Brooklyn

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

Distinctive Homes

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

Rendering via Charles Mallea Architect

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

Affordable Housing

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

Images (L to R): THE DEAN, 88 LEONARD STREET, 33 BOND and TRIBECA TOWER

September 2, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

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

By Annie Doge

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

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

View of the vacant hospital complex, via Google Street View

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

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

Image via Handel Architects

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

Affordable Housing

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

428 Saratoga Avenue, courtesy of Dattner Architects

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

Affordable Housing

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

27 Albany Avenue rendering via Loci Architecture

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

Affordable Housing

August 29, 2017

$2.5M Windsor Terrace house offers suburban living right near Prospect Park

By Michelle Cohen

This laid-back little Windsor Terrace townhouse occupies a fortunate spot on a tree-lined block among similarly adorable Arts and Crafts-style homes, just on the edge of Prospect Park. The updated semi-attached, single-family home is no bargain at $2.468 million, but there are at least four bedrooms, plus more than enough space, modern comfort, and charm for the whole family. And while it may not be designer-perfect, it offers far more space than the average condo, and it's the kind of place that looks like home.
See the backyard

Distinctive Homes

August 28, 2017

$675K for a custom renovated condo in a beloved, historic building of Cobble Hill

Most Cobble Hill residents are familiar with the Cobble Hill Towers, distinctive red brick buildings—nine six-story walk-ups in all—built in 1879 by the philanthropist Alfred Tredway White. The buildings were converted to condos in 2010, and what was formerly envisioned as worker's tenements is now hot Brooklyn real estate. This particular one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment has been thoroughly renovated, with some custom touches from the dining table to the closet doors. The apartment sold three years ago for $416,120, and has just hit the market asking $675,000.
Check out the interior

Distinctive Homes

FREE RENT IN BROOKLYN: This week’s roundup of rental news

Images (L to R): 1326 OCEAN AVE, 153 REMSEN STREET, 27 ALBANY AVE and 1004 GATES AVE

August 26, 2017

FREE RENT IN BROOKLYN: This week’s roundup of rental news

By Ondel Hylton

Images (L to R): 1326 OCEAN AVE, 153 REMSEN STREET, 27 ALBANY AVE and 1004 GATES AVE Building Opens on Ocean Ave in Flatbush near Brooklyn College; Rentals from $1,800/Month [link] Brand New Rentals Debut in Brooklyn Heights (A Rare Occurrence); Peek Inside 153 Remsen Street [link] Carter Reviews Domino Sugar Rental 325 Kent, No […]

Real Estate Trends

August 25, 2017

18-foot, concrete beveled ceilings top this Williamsburg apartment renting for $6,995/month

This Williamsburg apartment takes full advantage of its soaring, 18-foot ceilings lined with concrete beams. The lofty living room features floor-to-ceiling, built-in bookshelves that require a ladder to fully access, four massive casement windows, and a loft with a glass wall that overlooks the soaring space. Located at the Esquire Lofts at 330 Wythe Avenue—a former shoe polish factory—this apartment spans 1,450 square feet and includes two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The unit hit the market last month asking $7,500 a month, but its owners just gave it a small price cut, bringing the monthly rent to $6,995.
Go take a look

August 24, 2017

This $699K custom-designed Brooklyn Heights studio elevates small-space living

By Michelle Cohen

This 589-square-foot Brooklyn Heights studio loft at One Brooklyn Bridge Park at 360 Furman Street gives you plenty to work with from the start, with 13-foot ceilings and huge east-facing windows. The kitchen, living, dining and sleeping areas each pull their own weight in the space, and the resulting whole feels like a home. The apartment is asking $699,000.
Get a closer look

Distinctive Homes

BFDO Architects renovated this Brooklyn rowhouse to capture light from every corner

Photo courtesy of BFDO Architects

August 23, 2017

BFDO Architects renovated this Brooklyn rowhouse to capture light from every corner

Photo courtesy of BFDO Architects Brooklyn townhouses aren't exactly known for their light-filled, modern interiors. But BFDO Architects (aka Barker Freeman Architects) had the opportunity to completely re-imagine this 20-foot wood-frame home, which came with a four-foot-wide side yard as well as front and rear extensions. The goal: bring in light wherever possible and bring textures to the exterior and interior in the forms of natural wood, gray tones, and graphic tile patterns. The firm "selectively carved and expanded" each room, adding skylights and window walls to create a super bright, super open house that welcomes you inside.
Time to go in

Construction Update: SHoP’s first Domino Sugar Factory building approaches completion

Image by CityRealty

August 23, 2017

Construction Update: SHoP’s first Domino Sugar Factory building approaches completion

By Diane Pham

Just over one year ago, 6sqft reported on the initial climb of 325 Kent Avenue, the first tower of the SHoP-designed Domino Sugar Refinery master plan slated for the Williamsburg waterfront. Now, CityRealty shares that the building is nearly finished with its distinct, upside-down U-formation standing tall. When complete, the 189-foot, 400,000-square-foot building will be the second largest residential structure in the neighborhood (just after 2 North 6th Street), fronted by a spectacular 11-acre park designed by James Corner Field Operations that will open next summer.
see more photos

August 22, 2017

$5,250/month Clinton Hill carriage house got a modern transformation with a lush backyard

This 19th century carriage house was utterly transformed a few years back into a modern apartment at 433 Waverly Avenue in Clinton Hill. Spanning 1,000 square feet on the first floor, the unit includes one-and-a-half bedrooms, an office, private garden, and parking space. The reno brought tons of chic, luxurious details, from salvaged doors to limestone shelving. And now it's asking $5,250 a month.
Tour the modern finishes

Distinctive Homes

Photo of Trump Village West via Trump 4 West

August 21, 2017

Loss of affordability at Coney Island’s Trump Village highlights issues with the city’s Mitchell-Lama program

Built by Donald Trump’s father, Fred, in 1964, Trump Village in Coney Island features seven 23-story towers with 3,700 co-op and rental apartments. To pay for the $70 million project, which would total $564 million today, Fred Trump used Mitchell-Lama, a government program that granted financial incentives in exchange for setting aside affordable housing. The typical rental contract lasts 20 years, and after that, landlords can opt-out of the program. As Crain’s reported, Trump Village became one of the first co-ops to exit the Mitchell-Lama program in 2007, letting residents sell their apartments for whatever the market allowed. Owners of 38,000 Mitchell-Lama apartments, representing 28% of the program's housing, have left in the past 20 years. But as the value of these apartments, which were once affordable, keeps rising, New Yorkers looking for affordable housing there, and other former Mitchell-Lama apartments, may be out of luck.
Find out more

August 20, 2017

$4,500/month Williamsburg loft is lined with a 13-foot, raw plank ceiling

You have every reason to look up at this Williamsburg apartment, renting for $4,500 a month in the condo building known as the Smith Gray. The blue cast iron facade of the building is striking, and this loft manages to also embody some of that industrial charm. The 13-foot ceiling is lined with raw plank wood, offset by iron beams and a chic ceiling fan. Exposed brick lines many of the walls, with wood flooring that mirrors the ceiling. Such a material-rich apartment deserves good interior design, which the owners provided with a nice selection of modern furniture.
Time for an interior tour

Distinctive Homes

Images (L to R): Chelsea29, One Hudson Yards, City Tower and 555Ten

August 19, 2017

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

By Ondel Hylton

Thor’s Newly-Restored 98 Morningside Offering One Month of Free Rent [link] Field Condition Captures the Completed Amenities at 555Ten [link] Om Sweet Om: Downtown Brooklyn Rental, City Tower, Introduces Meditation Classes as Newest Amenity [link] Canal-Side 363 Bond Street Unveils Model Apartments; Offers 1 Month Free Rent [link] Chelsea29 Launches Leasing; Offers Two Months Free […]

Real Estate Trends

De Blasio and Cuomo announce plans to eradicate ‘symbols of hate’ in New York

Image via Alisdare Hickson/flickr

August 17, 2017

De Blasio and Cuomo announce plans to eradicate ‘symbols of hate’ in New York

After a violent weekend led by white supremacist groups in Charlottesville, Virginia, New York officials have announced plans to review and remove controversial public structures. Mayor de Blasio said on Wednesday the city will conduct a 90-day review of “all symbols of hate on city property,” by putting together a panel of experts and community leaders who will make recommendations for items to take down (h/t NY Post). On Wednesday, Governor Cuomo called upon the United States Army to reconsider its decision to keep the street names that honor Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson, two Confederate leaders, at Fort Hamilton. Cuomo also announced the removal of the busts of Lee and Jackson from CUNY’s Hall of Fame for Great Americans in the Bronx.
Find out more

108 affordable apartments up for grabs in Downtown Brooklyn’s 33 Bond Street, from $613/month

Rendering via TF Cornerstone

August 17, 2017

108 affordable apartments up for grabs in Downtown Brooklyn’s 33 Bond Street, from $613/month

Applications are currently being accepted for the second phase of affordable apartments at 33 Bond Street, a building nestled among the bustling neighborhoods of Downtown Brooklyn, Boerum Hill and Cobble Hill. The 25-story building sits just one or two blocks from all major subway lines and is within walking distance to Fort Greene Park and the Barclays Center. New Yorkers earning 40 and 120 percent of the area median income can apply for units ranging from a $613 per month studio to a $2,519 per month two-bedroom.
Find out if you qualify

Affordable Housing

Two plaques honoring Robert E. Lee in Brooklyn will be removed

General Lee Avenue and Robert E. Lee’s former home on Fort Hamilton, via Jeremy Bender/Business Insider

August 16, 2017

Two plaques honoring Robert E. Lee in Brooklyn will be removed

Following the tragic events in Charlottesville, Va. last weekend, officials announced Tuesday that two plaques honoring Gen. Robert E. Lee outside of a Brooklyn church would be taken down. The plaques, tacked to a maple tree, belonged to St. John’s Episcopal Church in Fort Hamilton, although the church has been closed since 2014. As Newsday reported, the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island owns the church and will sell it.
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History

August 15, 2017

NYC lawyers once gifted Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin a tenement in Brooklyn

>Google Street View of 541 Clinton Street. Map data © 2019 Google In the 1940s, two attorneys from Manhattan let the mortgage payments lapse on a building they owned in Carroll Gardens. Julius Freilicher and Martin Auslander had a $3,300 mortgage with Dime Savings Bank on their tenement at 541 Clinton Street. Believing it was a better idea to not pay the mortgage, the two lawyers decided the best thing was to file a deed of gift, as the Brownstone Detectives reported. The receivers of this gift? Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin.
Find out more

History

August 14, 2017

Historic brick rowhouse asks $2.5M on a cobblestone street in Red Hook