Brooklyn

Built by the Pierreponts in 1858, the immaculately preserved 25-foot-wide Italianate townhouse at 104 Pierrepont Street in Brooklyn Heights holds four co-op apartments developed by architect and historian Norval White. On the market for $4.825 million, the grandly proportioned parlor and garden floor make up a nearly 3,000-square-foot duplex with 700 square feet of private outdoor space–one of the loveliest gems in New York City's first landmarked district.
Explore both floors

February 23, 2016

Designer Fawn Galli’s Carroll Gardens Townhouse Is Inspired by Fantasy and Nature

By Rebecca Paul

The home of designer Fawn Galli is an eclectic and vibrant combination of colors, patterns and style, reflecting her not-so- typical childhood (she spent her early years living in a California home without electricity or plumbing) and and rich design background (she spent time abroad in Paris and Madrid). Located in Carroll Gardens, the Brooklyn brownstone is inspired by fantasy, nature and the world at large, bringing together unexpected combinations of style and influence.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

February 23, 2016

Architect/Owner of This $800K Park Slope Co-op Gut Renovated it Herself

It's hard to go wrong with an apartment that's been carefully renovated by its owner, who also happens to be an architect. That's the case at 404 3rd Street, where a two-bedroom Park Slope co-op has just hit the market for $799,000. The owner, Joana Pacheco, is not only an architect but the founder of Paperhouse, an open source architecture platform. She gut renovated the interior, opening up and brightening the space. She had good bones to work with, as the apartment retains big bay windows and its historic moldings, as well as a good location, just a few blocks from Prospect Park.
See more of her renovation

Distinctive Homes

February 22, 2016

‘Fatal Flaw Analysis’ Says Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Could Require Two New Bridges

The proposed Brooklyn-Queens Connector (BQX) streetcar may require the construction of two new bridges, one over Newtown Creek and another over the Gowanus Canal. The New York Times reported that the potential need for the new bridges–the Pulaski Bridge and the bridge across the Gowanus Canal at Hamilton Avenue might not be able to accommodate streetcars–was one of the more substantial details released by Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen and other top officials Friday. In a "fatal-flaw analysis," it was found that that though there would be "major challenges" to creating the system, it was feasible, Ms. Glen said. Like all things New York City, the proposed BQX proposal "would dwarf other recent streetcar systems in the United States." The cost involved in constructing the new bridges is already included in the project's $2.5 billion cost estimate. They would include bicycle and pedestrian paths.
Find out more

February 22, 2016

$1.4M Williamsburg Condo Comes With an Artist Studio and Private Rooftop Cabana

This two-bedroom, apartment at 125 North 10th Street doesn't come from a Williamsburg warehouse, but it's still got those high ceilings, big windows, and open floorplan. It's also got some fun, creative quirks like an artist studio and massive chalkboard wall in the open kitchen. But the major draw here is the outdoor space: the 900-square-foot apartment comes with a 160-square-foot private terrace, as well as a 328-square-foot private rooftop cabana outfitted with a BBQ grill. And once you're up there, you won't want to leave.
Take a tour

Distinctive Homes

February 20, 2016

Williamsburg’s William Vale Hotel Launches Website, New Renderings & Video

By Ondel Hylton

Williamsburg likely has the highest concentration of awful new buildings in the city. The neighborhood has lots of things going for it, but architecture has not been one of them. However, just north of Kiss + Cathcart's noteworthy Bushwick Inlet Park is a cluster of development that finally flaunts the design creativity for which the borough has become renowned. Centered around the Walentas' Wythe Hotel, four exciting new hotels and office buildings are in the works. Tallest of them all, and farthest along, is the 21-story, 250-foot William Vale Hotel between North 12th and North 13th Streets. The striking pile of structural acrobatics topped off last fall and recently launched their website with a handful of new renderings.
More info and all the renderings

February 19, 2016

Stained Glass and Pitched Ceilings at This $2.8M Freestanding Victorian in Ditmas Park

This week, 6sqft is digging the freestanding Victorians that make up the Brooklyn neighborhood of Ditmas Park. Who wouldn't, considering how charming the historic homes are, with front porches, lawns and plenty of luxurious space? This Victorian is located at 112 Marlborough Road, within the Prospect Park South enclave of the neighborhood. (It's a historic district that was developed in 1899 by developer Dean Alvord, who purchased 60 acres of farmland to build rus in urbe, "the country in the city.") The historic windows, stained glass and wood floors are still there, and the top-floor bedrooms sit under a pitched roof. But it's also been renovated with recessed lighting, new sconces and pendants, and central AC and heat. It'll cost you $2.825 million for such a lovely home base in Brooklyn.
See more of the interior

Distinctive Homes

February 18, 2016

New Rendering, Details of Brooklyn’s Future Tallest Tower

A little over a month ago, 6sqft learned that Brooklyn’s first 1,000+ foot tower, designed by SHoP Architects, would rise a whopping 1,066 feet, amounting to 556,164 square feet of total space. It all started back in 2014 when developers Michael Stern and Joe Chetrit purchased 340 Flatbush Avenue Extension (a five-story mid-century building that takes up about one third of the triangular site in Downtown Brooklyn) for $46 million with plans to demolish it. Then, in December, they closed on the adjacent Dime Savings Bank building for $90 million, providing 300,000 square feet of air rights needed to construct the 73-story tower. Along with a new rendering, a piece today in the Times reveals some additional details, namely that the supertall will have nearly 500 rental units, at least 20 percent of which will be affordable under the city's 421-a program. But there's one issue that could make things a little complicated...
More on that, here

February 18, 2016

Common’s Shared Living Concept Brings $3,000 Bedrooms to Williamsburg

The perpetual waves of recent graduates and other young professional hopefuls streaming into New York City seem to be finding themselves stuck when it comes to finding a place to bunk between cubicle and pub. So it's no surprise that a growing field of enterprising entrepreneurs--after observing the moderate success of the co-working model and the mind-melting success of Airbnb–have stepped in with a hybrid of all of the above. 6sqft previously noted the Wall Street launch of co-working startup WeWork's communal living concept. Now, another co-living player, Common, who recently brought upscale shared housing to Crown Heights, will be opening the doors on a communal residence in prosaically trendy Williamsburg at the corner of South 3rd Street and Havemeyer. Common CEO Brad Hargreaves with partner Henry Development is building a 12-suite, 51-bedroom, 20,000-square-foot residence, the company's first ground-up effort here. The most buzz-worthy bit about this new addition is that members will pay $1,800 to $2,700 a month for a bedroom in one of 12 duplex suites, with one, two or three other roommates. The higher-end numbers represent rooms with a private bath–essentially a studio with friends with benefits.
What's the story here

The Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Would Run Entirely Through Flood Zones

Map of streetcar route via NYC mayor’s office (L); Map of flood-prone areas via FloodHelpNY (R); combined image via Streetsblog

February 18, 2016

The Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Would Run Entirely Through Flood Zones

Leading up to Mayor de Blasio's press conference on Tuesday about his proposed Brooklyn-Queens streetcar plan, the internet has been abuzz with criticism and concerns, including whether or not it will accept MetroCard transfers, how it won't really connect to existing subway lines, funding matters, and the issue that the system may favor "tourists and yuppies." But Streetsblog makes another very interesting point–the fact that the proposed route will run almost entirely through city- and FEMA-designated high-risk flood zones, which "raises questions about how the streetcar infrastructure and vehicles would be protected from storm surges, as well as the general wisdom of siting a project that’s supposed to spur development in a flood-prone area."
What does the Mayor have to say about this?

February 17, 2016

$2.7M Ditmas Park Beauty Is Historic Victorian Outside, Hip Brooklyn Inside

Ditmas Park is a magical neighborhood in New York City, filled with yards, front porches and beautiful freestanding Victorian homes. This is one of them, at 536 East 18th Street, and it is now on the market for $2.725 million. The exterior has been well kept, right down to the wood front porch. The interior has gone through a big renovation that hasn't taken away all the historic details, but definitely opened up and modernized the house. (It last sold in 2012 for $1,299,000, probably before any reno.) The result is the best of both worlds: Historic Ditmas Park from the exterior, modern and hip Brooklyn inside.
Check out the renovation

February 16, 2016

My 1,640sqft: Inside Chef Devin Gaffney’s Rent-Stabilized Classic Six on Billionaires’ Row

By Diane Pham

Our ongoing series “My sqft” checks out the homes of 6sqft’s friends, family and fellow New Yorkers across all the boroughs. Our latest interior adventure brings us to chef Devin Gaffney's Central Park South home. Want to see your home featured here? Get in touch! Whenever 57th Street and the few blocks that cluster Central Park South make the news, headlines usually swirl around how there's a brand new multi-billion dollar tower on the rise or how a condo in One57 just broke some city record. But lest we forget, many mere mortals like ourselves still fill out the more elfin edifices surrounding these supertalls. One such resident is Devin Gaffney, a chef (he's whipped up dishes at Brooklyn's beloved Speedy Romeo and No. 7) who not only grew up in the area, but moved away, spent 10 years in Brooklyn, and then moved back to the island into the same apartment he called home during his formative years. Ahead, Devin takes us through his eclectic, art-filled (many works centuries-old) classic six in a 1913 construction built for musicians just a block from Carnegie Hall, a block from Central Park, and right smack in the middle of one of New York City's most coveted and most expensive areas.
Go inside Devin's home here

February 16, 2016

Former Workman’s Cottage in the Warren Place Mews Now Asks $4,900 a Month

We've come a long way from the 1870s. That's when the Warren Place Mews was constructed on a short, private block of Cobble Hill by the wealthy merchant and philanthropist Alfred Tredway White. He advocated for housing for the working class in Brooklyn and built this mews–which consists of 34 modest, Gothic cottages that share an English courtyard–specifically for workingmen and their families. Today, these cottages have been priced into the millions, with 21 Warren Place hitting the market last summer for $1.5 million. Renting isn't for the everyday workingman, either. 8 Warren Place is now asking $4,900 a month for two bedrooms and bragging rights to living in one of the quaintest homes in Brooklyn.
Check out the cozy interior

Apply Now for 13 New Affordable Apartments Across Williamsburg, Starting at $756/Month

7 Stagg Street via Joseph Vance Architects

February 16, 2016

Apply Now for 13 New Affordable Apartments Across Williamsburg, Starting at $756/Month

Last week, 6sqft announced that the affordable housing lottery had launched for 33 apartments at 149 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg. If you're in this income bracket and are looking to live in this trendy Brooklyn area, you can now up your chances, as 13 more brand-new affordable units are up for grabs at five sites around the neighborhood–568 Graham Avenue, 7 Stagg Street, 40 Scholes Street, 198 Montrose Avenue, and 44 Morgan Avenue–according to the NYC HDC. These addresses, which will offer/preserve 24 affordable units in total, are part of a project from the affordable housing developer St. Nicks Alliance. Currently available are one-, two-, and three-bedroom units for those earning between $30,446 and $60,120 annually, roughly 60 percent of the area median income.
More information this way

Affordable Housing

Vaults Under the Brooklyn Bridge Once Held Private Wine Cellars

Image via Stanley Greenberg

February 16, 2016

Vaults Under the Brooklyn Bridge Once Held Private Wine Cellars

We know the cavernous passageways and underground chambers of the Brooklyn Bridge hold many secrets–6sqft previously mentioned the Cold War-era bomb shelter, chock-full of supplies and provisions, hidden inside one of the massive stone arches below the bridge’s Manhattan side entrance. But the landmark also harbors a more pleasant secret: In the 1900s, the city rented out vaults beneath the ramps leading up to the bridge entrances for use as wine cellars (h/t NYT). A wine vault on the Manhattan side cost $5,000 a year, while Brooklyn-side storage was a mere $500 annually.
The full story

History

February 16, 2016

$775K Ridgewood Duplex Is an Urban Loft on the Brooklyn-Queens Border

Those who stake their claim beyond the fringes of New York City's upscale or trendy enclaves aren’t looking for the same things their more mainstream counterparts are. Every neighborhood can’t be the West Village–or even the Brooklyn version of it. Looking for lower prices and cheaper rent calls to the adventurous–Andy Warhol and his crew carved out their Factory scene in Midtown, for example. Similarly, in the ‘90s, a flock of young space-seekers moved into former industrial spaces in Bushwick. Ridgewood was a bit further on the L and so its notable population of new residents came a little later, but they brought the same spirit. Even for the early Bushwick crowd, Ridgewood, the quintessential border town, is different, with its mix of streetscapes from historic row houses (Ridgewood has one of the largest federal historic districts in the nation) to industrial blocks much like the one on which you’ll find this one-bedroom condominium at 852 Cypress Avenue on the Ridgewood-Bushwick border.
READ MORE

Distinctive Homes

February 12, 2016

Rent the Landmarked Clinton Hill Townhouse From ‘White Collar’ for $7,995/Month

This wood-frame townhouse at 106 Cambridge Place in historic Clinton Hill is in much better shape than some of its nearby Civil War-era brethren, many of which have been shored up and shined up with modern conveniences, leaving little remaining of their 19th century details. This 1860s house, however, is both gracefully preserved and filled with modern comforts both practical and stylish. Another distinction: The house appeared on the TV series "White Collar," as the home of FBI Agent Peter Burke. This five-bedroom, 20-foot-wide townhouse, after being listed for sale for $2.89 million last year, is now on the rental market for $7,995 a month. Since the listing refers to the upper triplex, we're assuming the garden apartment is either separately rented or otherwise used by the owners.
Take a look around

February 12, 2016

Cute Two-Bedroom Condo in Prime Williamsburg Is Priced Under $1 Million

It seems like you can't find anything in Williamsburg for less than $1 million these days, but here's a condo that's priced just below seven digits. This two-bedroom unit at 211 Berry Street, an older condo complex in the neighborhood that's been slapped with a cool name (Northside Condo), has got a price tag of $995,000. This is not one of those North Brooklyn loft condos with a pool, roofdeck or resident lounges, which accounts for the lower price in the central Williamsburg location -- it's located right near the main drags of Bedford and Metropolitan avenues.
Take a look

February 12, 2016

Revealed: Central Park Tower Shows Off Its Retail Base

Now dubbed the Central Park Tower, Extell's 1,550-foot-tall supertall on Billionaires' Row was originally known as the Nordstrom Tower, so named because of its ground-floor tenant who will be opening their first Manhattan flagship store. But despite the fact that we architecture nerds were saying "Nordstrom" for years, we had no idea how the store would actually factor into the 95-story building's overall design (which was recently knocked down from a whopping 1,775 feet with the loss of its spire). But now, the Seattle Times (the department store is based out of the Washington city) has revealed renderings of the retail base, reports NY Yimby.
All the details and renderings

February 10, 2016

Presenting Driggs Haus: 19 Condos Coming to Williamsburg-Greenpoint Border

By Julian Friedman

The Driggs Haus at 247 Driggs Avenue is a 23,500-square-foot condominium building developed by Greenpoint Luxury Development LLC (who purchased the three-story structure that previously stood on the site for $950,000 in 2013) with Gertler & Wente Architects handling the design. The project, situated at the corner of Graham and Driggs Avenues near McCarren Park, has been slow to wrap up construction, with its topped-off concrete frame shrouded in netting for some time now. Ultimately, there will be 19 homes spread throughout the project's five floors, and a soon-to-be-launched website marketing the units brings us a handful of new images and details.
Find out more

February 10, 2016

Live in a Former Bed-Stuy Underwear Factory With City Views and Rustic Flair for $895K

This converted two-bedroom condominium is located within a former industrial building in an equally industrial, but rapidly changing, stretch of Bed-Stuy near the Clinton Hill border, with the Navy Yard just to the north. In what was once the Kaiser Underwear Factory at 970 Kent Avenue, you'll find open city views, 12-foot ceilings, a wall of city-facing windows and wide-plank wood floors setting the stage for a cool loft feeling. Recently renovated by the current owner, the home's interior has been transformed into quite a unique living space, and it's now on the market for $895,000.
See the whole space

Distinctive Homes

February 10, 2016

Checking In on Clinton Hill’s Lexington Greene Apartments + New Interior Renderings

By Ondel Hylton

The formerly semi-industrial pocket between Clinton Hill and Bedford-Stuyvesant is among the most radically transformed areas of northern Brooklyn. In line with the voracious residential activity circling Pratt Institute, an 81-unit, five-story residential building has topped off at 10 Lexington Avenue. It will be known as Lexington Greene and is being developed by Williamsburg-based investor Joseph Brunner, who filed permits under the LLC 10 Lex Holdings in mid 2014. The development replaces a one-story cleaning and dyeing factory–home to the Colonial Laundry Company–that Brunner picked up in 2012 for $6,175,000.
See all the renderings and construction shots

February 9, 2016

Housing Lottery Kicks Off for $801/Month Middle-Income Apartments in the Brooklyn Cultural District

By Ondel Hylton

It's been quite a week to up your chances of snagging an affordable apartment in the city, with housing lottery applications being accepted for 175 West 60th Street, PS 186, EŌS, and 149 Kent Avenue. Now in booming Downtown Brooklyn, near BAM in the Brooklyn Cultural District, the Ashland at 250 Ashland Place has kicked off its lottery process, offering 282 below market-rate apartments, according to the NYC HDC. Unlike many of the recent launches, aimed towards low-income households, the Ashland is geared towards middle-income applicants earning between $28,835 for single individuals up to $200,400 for a family of six. Those who fall within the income guidelines have the opportunity to pay rents ranging from $801 for studios to $3,649 for three-bedroom units.
Find out more

February 9, 2016

For $1.2M This Cobble Hill Garden Co-op Is a Perfect Place to Curl Up for a Nap

In the charming neighborhood of Cobble Hill near the border of equally charming Brooklyn Heights, on a tree-lined picture-postcard street, this sweet, old-fashioned (yet updated) garden apartment appears as cozy as they come. The 1,100-square-foot two-bedroom co-op at 119 Pacific Street, asking $1.195 million, looks–except for the price (which isn't even that bad)–almost the way apartments in this part of south Brooklyn used to look, from its wood-burning fireplace to its enchanting backyard.
Take a look

Distinctive Homes

February 8, 2016

Live in Trendy Williamsburg for $563/Month, Lottery Launching for 149 Kent Apartments