Park Slope Development

[ltjbukem73]

at park place and flatbush, here's a multi story new residential condo development:

http://www.lausterradu.com/index.php?cat=1&sec=3&prj=11&pag=117

it's financing provided by magic johnson's company:
http://www.cjuf.com/2003-04-15%20Park%20Place.pdf

[Gulcrapek]

By Anderson & Associates, who have taken down their site (anderassoc.com). It's topped out since at least yesterday, no facade on the Flatbush side yet.

edit: Apparently the site's back...

[hilz]

Can anyone help me out-
I am looking to buy a COndo 1 to 2 bedrooms
Slope area for $400K

Anything exist??
Thanks
In Advance

[Derek2k3]

Project # 1

Park Place Condominium
145 Park Place
8 stories 80 feet
Lauster Radu Architects/Tom Anderson of Anderson Associates
Dev-Anderson Associates
Residential Condominiums
47 units 101,000 Sq. Ft.
Under Construction 2003-2005

http://www.lausterradu.com/projects/11/63.jpeg

http://www.lausterradu.com/projects/11/117.jpeg
Photo Credits: Mihai Radu Architects / Lauster & Radu Architects


Daily News
Tale of two condos
By HUGH SON
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Call it the Jekyll-and-Hyde condo.

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/story/198132p-171107c.html

A new apartment building with a dual personality is rising on the former site of the Brooklyn Gospel Tabernacle in Park Slope. At eight stories, it will instantly become one the tallest structures on busy Flatbush Ave.

On the side facing Park Place - a leafy, landmarked residential block replete with gas lanterns - plans call for the new structure to blend in with century-old brownstones.

But the side facing Flatbush Ave. will be a modern, all-glass and aluminum facade that will tower over the neighboring row houses and stores on the commercial strip.

"It's unlike anything else on Flatbush," declared architect and developer Tom Anderson, president of the real estate firm Anderson Associates. "It's a very dramatic facade, all glass and aluminum, and I thought it would be fun."

The 47-unit building, tentatively named Park Place Condominiums, is due to be completed in April. Anderson expects the average 1,200-square-foot apartment will fetch $660,000.

"This building goes out of its way to acknowledge the historic value of the community, but it also goes out of its way to enliven a pretty dreary portion of Flatbush Ave.," Anderson said. "I hope it will be appreciated as an architectural statement."

Neighbors of the new building, however, aren't so sure they'll appreciate Anderson's statement.

"My first impression was that I didn't like it," said a neighborhood homeowner who didn't want her name used.

"I'm not opposed to modernist structures going up in brownstone Brooklyn, but this didn't feel right to me."

Jennifer Rawe, president of the Park Place Association of Neighbors, said that Anderson Associates has been attentive to the group's concerns thus far.

The building's Park Place facade will be covered with real brownstone stucco and will have a unique setback that visually conceals the top three floors - design aspects that Anderson said neighbors requested.

But Rawe cited the noise of demolition and an exodus of rats from the ruins of the old church and onto Park Place as the two main gripes being voiced by neighbors.

The Park Place Condominium is the latest example of new construction projects in ultra-hot Park Slope.

With real estate values in the neighborhood near historic highs, developers are snapping up any land available to build apartments, said Hal Lehrman Jr., co-owner of Brooklyn Properties.

However, the new condo development hasn't been free of road bumps. The project's contractor, HRH Construction, was issued two violations for failing to post signs and provide approved plans during a Feb. 24 inspection, according to Jennifer Givner, spokeswoman for the Department of Buildings.

A $3,500 bill must be paid before the building is awarded a certificate of occupancy, she said.


Park Place Condominiums is going to have two fronts. Side facing Park Place is going up first and will have a facade (below) that blends in with brownstones. Side facing Flatbush Ave. will have modern glass and aluminum facade (3rd photo).

Originally published on May 30, 2004



Wired New York thread here:
http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4906

Other links
http://newyork.construction.com/news/building/archive/2005/02.asp
http://www.anderassoc.com
http://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=30343
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/archive/brooklyn_space.php?id=1917
http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobDetailsServlet?requestid=5&allisn=0000980819&allboroughname=&allnumbhous=145&allstrt=PARK+PLACE&s=DCB051D04D4345256F48D12433631AE6

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/40682208.jpg
Photo from Fall 2004. I'll post new ones later.

[Derek2k3]

Project # 2

Lumber Yard Condominium
565-569 Carroll Street
4 stories 55 feet
Scarano & Associates Architects
Dev-Anthony Guarna
Residential Condominiums
18 units
Completed October 2003

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/40682882.jpg

Scarano & Associates Architects

http://www.scaranoarchitects.com/multifamily2.html

The Lumber Yard Condominium is located on tree-lined Carroll Street in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, New York.

The Condominium is comprised of 18 beautifully appointed residential units including such amenities as central air conditioning, strip white oak hardwood flooring, pre-wiring for telephone and television, elegant kitchens and baths, laundry facility, gardens and roof terraces, handsome natural stone floor entry and more!

565-569 Carroll Street is located in the P.S. 321 school district and only five blocks from the school. The N, R, M - Union Street Subway Station entrance is one block from the building and the F Station approximately 9 blocks. Prospect Park, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Brooklyn Museum are all within walking distance!

Up the block from the property is Fifth Avenue, with the best and hippest of Park Slope’s nightlife. Restaurants, bars, and cafes line the Avenue as well as boutiques, carrying everything from high priced antiques to used children’s clothing and accessories. All the requisite conveniences and luxuries are within blocks of the site.

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/40682891.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/40682890.jpg



Can anyone help me out-
I am looking to buy a COndo 1 to 2 bedrooms
Slope area for $400K

Anything exist??
Thanks
In Advance
Brown Harris Stevens

http://www.brownharrisstevens.com/detail.aspx?id=347093
LUMBER YARD CONDOMINIUM

This is one of two units left in this 18-unit new condominium building, The Lumberyard Condominiums. It is on the second floor of a 4 story walk-up in prime Park Slope. The apartment faces south. There is no storage in the building. Close to all shops and the N and R trains.

Listing ID: 347093
Type: Condominium
Price: $495,000
Maintenance/CC: $193
Monthly real estate tax: $58
Approx. square footage: 760


Rooms: 4.0
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1.0


Period: Pre-War
Building Type: Hirise

[BrooklynRider]

The "Pre War" period would be an error, unless it's "Pre-War with Iran & Syria." Also, it is not a highrise.

[arbeiter]

Can anyone help me out-
I am looking to buy a COndo 1 to 2 bedrooms
Slope area for $400K

Anything exist??
Thanks
In Advance

They do - you can find something as long as you're not irrational about being on 7th, 8th, PPW, or north of 9th street.

Try 5th ave, 4th ave, or south slope (prospect ave area) or windsor terrace.

[Derek2k3]

Project # 3

28 Garfield Place
28-32 Garfield Place
5 stories 55 feet (4 story addition)
Bernard J. Doyle Architect
Dev-Rue Premier Development Ltd.
Residential
16 units 17,508 Sq. Ft.
Completed Late 2004

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/40845171.jpg
Couldn't find any other info on it.

More photos in these WNY threads:
http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4689
http://www.wirednewyork.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3671

[Derek2k3]

Project # 4

Prospect Gardens
249 & 251 16th Street
4 stories 40 feet
Rothzeid Kaiserman Thomson & Bee, P.C.
Dev-CPC Resources Inc.
Residential Condominiums
8 units 10,186 Sq. Ft.
Completed 2003

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/40878460.jpg

http://www.aiany.org/designawards/2004/architecture/jpegs/326a.jpg
http://www.aiany.org/designawards/2004/architecture/arch7.htm


http://www.corcoran.com/property/nd/photo/ProspectGardExt.jpg


Corcoran: Prospect Gardens
249 & 251 16th Street
Brooklyn,NY11215

http://www.corcoran.com/property/nd/detail_fr_overview.asp?ndevid=75

Overview
Brand new four story buildings on 16th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues in Park Slope. The building offers layouts as well as duplex and garden apartments. The 4th floor spaces are adorned skylights on the mezzanine levels, while 1st floor units enjoy handsome courtyard landscaping.

Amenities
1-2 bedrooms + dens, duplexes, private gardens, skylights, mezzanine levels, granite counter tops, maple hardwood cabinets, high-end brushed steel appliances, video intercom systems and washer and dryer hook-ups


http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/40878459.jpg

[Derek2k3]

Project # 5

The Shinnecock Condominiums/Shinnecock Tower
937-939 Union Street
16 stories 145 feet
Anderson & Associates/Hugo Subotovsky
Dev-Union Development Group, LLC
Residential Condominium
22 units 49,210 Sq. Ft.
Completed 2001-June 2003

http://www.anderassoc.com/images/portfolio/shin_d01.jpg

http://www.anderassoc.com/images/portfolio/shin_d02.jpg
Lobby


Anderson Associates:The Shinnecock
939 Union Street, Brooklyn NY 11217

http://www.anderassoc.com/portfolio/shinnecock.shtml

The Shinnecock is the first new building to be constructed around Prospect Park since the 1960's. This striking, 16-story condominium will present a level of service and quality of finishes unequalled anywhere in Brooklyn.

The Shinnecock offers family-sized half floor, two bedroom residences of over 1,200 square feet and full floor, three bedroom residences comprising 1,800 to 2,400 square feet. For those requiring even more space, there are two rare triplex maisonettes with six bedrooms, as well as two spectacular triplex penthouses with private roof terraces. Many residences afford spectacular views of the harbor, the river and the glittering City skyline.

Ideally situated around the corner from The Montauk Club in the most sought-after area of Park Slope, The Shinnecock is surrounded by historic brownstones, stately pre-war apartments and Brooklyn's finest selection of quality shops and superior restaurants. The building's proximity to the major transportation hub at nearby Grand Army Plaza allows for an expeditious commute to Manhattan.

Anderson Associates has acted as developer and construction manager for the project. Among the many challenges faced with this project, none were as daunting as overcoming local community opposition. In spite of the fact that this project has enhanced local property values significantly, delays of over one year were the result of legal actions taken against the project. These actions were all successfully overcome and the project is slated for a fall 2002 grand opening.

Building Features
Doorman/Concierge service
Sumptuous lobby finished in exotic marble, brushed nickel, dark walnut and mosaic tile
Striking limestone and brick façade
Rear garden enclave
Common meeting and activities room
Private storage
High speed elevator service, individually keyed for floor-thru units
Superb access to local transportation, parking and Prospect Park

Residence Features
Luxurious finishes and appointments
Wide plank maple flooring
Individual heating and air conditioning controls
High-speed Internet access
Video intercom
Fireplaces in penthouse units
Breathtaking river, harbor and skyline views from many residences

Kitchens
Elegant cherrywood cabinetry
Granite countertops
Slate and ceramic tile flooring
Top line GE appliances
Asko washers and dryers
Brushed nickel hardware

Bathrooms
Buff limestone walls and flooring
Jacuzzi tubs in master baths
Kohler toilet and fixtures
Marble powder rooms


http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/41252459.jpg

Links
http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=140027
http://www.condosinbrooklyn.com/shinnecock.htm
http://www.hugosuboarchitects.com/mf2.html
http://www.anderassoc.com/about/n_200109.shtml
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/archive/brooklyn_space.php?id=236
http://a810-bisweb.nyc.gov/bisweb/JobDetailsServlet?requestid=2&allisn=0000642098&allboroughname=&allnumbhous=939&allstrt=UNION+STREET&s=DCB051D04D4345256F48D12433631AE6

[Gulcrapek]

Re: 28 Garfield Place, the restaurant my sister sometimes works at is a block away. I saw that thing go up and was pretty disappointed. The facade is painted concrete or something and there's no detailing and no color variation anywhere.

[Derek2k3]

Project #6

103 St. Marks Place
4 stories 56 feet
Mark Gould Architects
Dev-Millennium Construction Corp.
Residential Condominium
2 units 5,290 Sq. Ft.
Completed 2002-2004

http://thedevelopersgroup.com/images/building/bld_1010_dt.jpg

103 St. Marks Place
103 St. Marks Pl. Brooklyn, NY 11217

http://thedevelopersgroup.com/buildings/building.aspx?buildingid=1010&

Soho-design coupled with 5,000 square feet of space makes the most amazing 2 unit condominium built in Park Slope. The lower triplex is 2,425 sqft and features 3-bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a lofted double-height living room, oversized windows, dramatic staircases and a large private backyard. The kitchen is top of the line and the master suite comes complete with a five-piece bathroom. The upper triplex is 2,412 sqft features 3bedrooms, 3.5 baths, a lofted double-height living room, oversized windows, dramatic staircases and two large private terra-paved roof deck.

Amenities

Private outdoor spaces including roof terraces and private gardens
Central heating and air conditioning
Washer and dryers in each unit

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/41383844.jpg

[Derek2k3]

Project #7

9 Prospect Place
4 stories 40 feet
James Harwood
Dev-James Harw0od
Residential Condominium
2 units 2,700 Sq. Ft.
Completed 1999-2000

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/41383957.jpg

[Gulcrapek]

8 by 8
4 floors, 16 units (permit says 8)
Van Brody Architects

"This beautifully situated exclusive new building consists of 16 generously sized family homes. Finished to the highest standards and touched with luxury, these apartments feature large outdoor spaces and breathtaking views of the Manhattan skyline. The opulent penthouses are highlighted by loft style ceilings and every aspect designed with only the best craftsmanship. A prime location, close to shopping and transportation to Manhattan, this building is destined to be a fast sellout. "

http://www.thedevelopersgroup.com/buildings/building.aspx?buildingid=1034&

[Gulcrapek]

284, 286 20th Street
4 floors, 55 ft
8 units
Dev: Pat Fierro
Scarano & Associates
Approved
http://www.scaranoarchitects.com > multifamily

"Two 25 X 100 lots allow the creation of twin buildings. The facades of each were not duplicated, but rather were designed to compliment each other and create the look of a single structure and clean, simple lines help reinforce the modernist look.
Two colors of brick masonry, metal panel and glass make up the palate. Large expanses of glass bring light into the multi-height interior spaces at both the front and rear elevations, creating dramatic interiors and exteriors.
The eight families that will reside at each of these structures will be treated to
large, detailed interior spaces. Upon entry to the unit, living room heights approach 15 feet.
The opportunities for evolution in a neighborhood come from an uncomplicated progression from one style to another. Using simple materials enhance the volumes this building creates. Making infill buildings flatter their neighbors requires contextual and independent thinking. They bring a stabilizing element to the block, while raising the bar for future developments."

[Derek2k3]

Project # 1

Park Place Condominium
145 Park Place
8 stories 80 feet
Lauster Radu Architects/Tom Anderson of Anderson Associates
Dev-Anderson Associates
Residential Condominiums
47 units 101,000 Sq. Ft.
Under Construction 2003-2005

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/42143565.jpg
4/13

[Derek2k3]

Project #10

84 Fourth Avenue
59-67 St. Mark's Place
5 stories (1 story addition)
Sandor Weiss
Dev-Ed Kurtz
Residential
9 units 8,300 Sq. Ft.
Completed 2004

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/42146378.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/42146386.jpg

[Gulcrapek]

What crap. Sandor Weiss is on the d-list.

[Derek2k3]

Heh, it seems like his stuff is better suited for tropical climates, where colors and frills disguise crap.

Project #11

81 St. Mark's Place
DeFonseca Associates Architects
Dev-St Marks Place Assocaites LLC
4 stories 37 feet
Residential
4 units 5,655 Sq. Ft.
Under Construction 2004-2005

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/42188707.jpg

[Derek2k3]

From Transfer
Brooklyn's Ugliest New Row House

http://www.usemenow.com/web-log/archives/2005/04/brooklyns_uglie.html

"Usually, as I mentioned earlier, these are reserved for further outterboro neighborhoods, but this is nearside Brooklyn, Dean btw 4th & 5th Ave. Prime 'underdeveloped' southslope real estate."

Map of the block:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Dean+btw+4th+%26+5th+Ave+Brooklyn+New+York&ll=40.682556,-73.976661&spn=0.030396,0.058375&hl=en



Project #12

399 Dean Street
4 stories
Gerald J. Caliendo, R.A.P.C.
Dev-Ocean Management
Residential Condominium
2 units 4,560 Sq. Ft.
Under Construction Spring 2005

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/42265983.jpg

Transfer: "What a pile of uninspired insipid trash. Love the wood awning, the curvaceous railings... Yowsers."



Project #13

Park Slope Manor Condominiums
391-393 Dean Street
4.5 stories 50 feet
Bricolage Designs
Dev-Park Slope Manor LLC
Residential Condominium
8 units 12,080 Sq. Ft. (x2)
Completed Spring 2005

http://www.corcoran.com/property/nd/photo/dean_03.jpg

Corcoran
391-393 Dean Street
Brooklyn,NY11217

http://www.corcoran.com/property/nd/index.asp?CGM=Y

Overview
Park Slope Manor Condominiums ensures residents all the comforts and conveniences for exceptional living. Every resident will enjoy their very own private outdoor space. The 2nd and 3rd floor simplexes all have gracious juliet balconies in the front and full balconies in the back. The duplexes offer much more space with their remarkably large recreation rooms. First floor residents will take pleasure in having their own patio and huge backyard where the top floor duplexes will enjoy spectacular views from their private roof deck. Other features include: state-of art kitchens with stainless steel appliances, magnificent baths with Jacuzzi tubs, w/d in unit, central A/C, beautiful wide plank hardwood floors, walk in closets, private storage, oversized windows, southern and northern exposure. These luxury condos are located on a lovely block near absolutely everything. One block from every train (B,D,Q, M, N, R, 2, 3, 4 & 5) offering a short 15 minute commute to the city. Near restaurants and shopping on Park Slope’s always talked about 5th and 7th Avenue and Brooklyn’s famous Prospect Park.

Amenities

state-of art kitchens with stainless steel appliances
- magnificent baths with Jacuzzi tubs
- w/d in unit
- central A/C
- beautiful wide plank hardwood floors
- walk in closets
- private storage

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/42266080.jpg

Links:
http://www.brooklyneagle.com/archive/brooklyn_space.php?id=3342
Park Slope Manor Sells Out in Under 4 Weeks
by Emily Hart (ehart@brooklyneagle.net), published online 12-09-2004

Elevators Open Directly Into Units

PARK SLOPE — Park Slope Manor, a 16-unit luxury condominium development at 391-393 Dean St. in Park Slope, hit the market and sold out in under four weeks, according to Peter Noonan, who was handling sales for The Corcoran Group Brooklyn.

One of the attractions is that the five-story building, located between 4th and 5th Avenues and just off Flatbush Avenue, offers a level of comfort and convenience not common here — with elevators opening directly into the apartments, Noonan said....


Project #14

405 Dean Street
Gino A. Misciagna
Dev-405 Dean St., LLC
4 stories 50 feet
Residential Condominium
6 units 10,000 Sq. Ft.
Under Construction Spring 2006

http://www.pbase.com/archit_kderek2k3/image/42266070.jpg

Transfer: "The two above do a really nice job highlighting the beauty, stature, and class of some of the 19th century wood frames - one below - that dot this same block of Dean St."

More photos of these beauties at Transfer:
http://www.usemenow.com/web-log/archives/2005/04/brooklyns_uglie.html

[Gulcrapek]

391-393 Dean brings a kind of stately presence with it, it's not bad. The other two are hellish, especially the first one.

[Derek2k3]

Project # 1

Park Place Condominium
145 Park Place
8 stories 80 feet
Lauster Radu Architects/Tom Anderson of Anderson Associates
Dev-Anderson Associates
Residential Condominiums
47 units 101,000 Sq. Ft.
Under Construction 2003-2005

http://www.lausterradu.com/projects/11/63.jpeg

Nice photos and commentary at Transfer.
http://www.usemenow.com/web-log/archives/2005/05/new_constructio.html

[sfenn1117]

FANTASTIC 4TH

ONCE-GRITTY STRETCH OF PARK SLOPE BOOMS WITH NEW CONDOS & HOT SPOTS


By MAX GROSS


May 17, 2007 --

There's something in the Park Slope mindset that ends at Fifth Avenue.

Seventh Avenue is that sublime block of baby carriages and bookstores. Sixth Avenue is the picturesque collection of brownstones and garden apartments that scream classic Brooklyn. Fifth Avenue is the trendy stretch of restaurants and nightspots. But go one block farther, and the scene changes rapidly.

The townhouses start disappearing. There are fewer trees along the sidewalks. At Fourth Avenue, the wine bars and cute children's outfitters give way to a gritty, multi-lane boulevard dotted with auto-body shops. Auto-body shops and a large number of holes in the ground.

Those holes are worth taking note of: Over the next year-and-a-half, they will be filled with hundreds of new high-end condo units. And Fourth Avenue will be radically transformed as a result.

Consider the first of this latest crop of buildings (out of more than a half dozen we've counted). Novo, at 343 Fourth Ave., between Fifth and Sixth streets, came on the market earlier this year. At its first open house in March, there was a line of potential buyers out the door. Within an hour and a half, four of the six one-bedrooms being released had accepted offers. As did three two-bedrooms.

"It was crazy," says Dave Bell, one of those who waited on line the first afternoon and made a bid. "I actually didn't get [an apartment] at first ... I called my broker that night and told her I wanted it and to make an offer, but someone had already gotten it. But I decided to put my name on the waiting list." Three weeks later - after the first offers had fallen through - Bell's offer was accepted.

Part of the appeal was the pricing, of course. Small one-bedrooms were going for $309,000, while two-bedrooms measuring almost 1,000 square feet were priced at less than $700,000. (These are bargains for Park Slope.)

Novo's just one of the many neighborhood-changing buildings rising on Fourth Avenue. From Warren Street all the way south to 19th Street, there's one development approximately every three blocks.

The Crest, at 302 Second St. (at Fourth Avenue), opened its sales office this past weekend and eight units were spoken for in just one day. The 68 units - one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms - start at $354,000 and go up to $751,000.

Within the next 18 months, there will be a slew of others: Park Slope Court, at 110 Fourth Ave., near Warren Street, with 49 units consisting of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms; 255 Fourth Ave., a 41-unit boutique Scarano Architects and Developers Group project at Carroll Street; The Argyle, 410 Fourth Ave., at Seventh Street, a 12-story, 54-unit condo; and 500 Fourth Ave., at 12th Street, a 137-unit, 12-story luxury building. There are even more developments in the works, farther south along Fourth.

Those who know Fourth will likely be shaking their heads right now.

"Fourth Avenue was always a dead zone between Park Slope and Carroll Gardens and Smith Street," says David Stuart, an associate at Meltzer/ Mandl, which is designing the Argyle.

And, yes, there is still the big, freestanding KFC drive-thru and the block-long Hess station. Nevertheless, this "dead zone" has given developers room to get creative.

The types of buildings that are going up - high-end with gyms, concierges and parking - are new to this part of Park Slope. (The condo itself is a somewhat alien concept here.) And many of those who have bought were willing to trade being in the center of a beautiful neighborhood to being on the edge of one.

"We wanted to be on Fourth Avenue," declares Lindsey King.

King and her husband, Kevin, had been renting between Fifth and Sixth avenues for a year. "We went to a lot of open houses, starting in December," says Kevin. They looked at co-ops farther up the hill but decided that Fourth Avenue was the more interesting bet.

"We saw it as an opportunity to invest in an area that's changing," says Lindsey. They bought a two-bedroom, two-bath at Novo.

The floodgates on most of this new development opened in 2003, when much of the Fourth Avenue corridor was rezoned for residential use. Price change took effect quickly after the rezoning.

"You can see it in the BP Station on Fourth Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets," says Michelle de la Uz, executive director of the Fifth Avenue Committee, an affordable-housing advocacy group. That's now the site of, you guessed it, a proposed residential building.

In addition to the new housing, there are many other things hitting Fourth Avenue as well. Andres Escobar has a new boutique hotel, scheduled to open this year - it almost seems to float above an enormous taxi depot across the street from Novo. A spate of new restaurants and bars have opened on Fourth. And development is creeping even farther west to Third Avenue (see sidebar).

"My wife and I still hear the 'Bup! Bup! Bup!' of cars whooshing by at night," says Fran Pizzani who, with his wife, Carly, moved to Fourth Avenue two years ago. They traded their one-bedroom on West 96th Street in Manhattan for a duplex rental with outdoor space on St. Marks Place that was $300 a month cheaper.

"There was really nothing [back then] - we would go to places on Fifth Avenue, or occasionally make the trek to Mooney's Pub on Flatbush [near] Seventh Avenue," recalls Pizzani. "It's amazing how much it's changed in just two years."

"It's the natural progression," says Jason Crew, co-owner of Sheep Station, an Australian gastropub that opened on Fourth Avenue in September. "I've been in the neighborhood for 14 years ... and I knew that Fourth Avenue was ripe for development. We bypassed Fifth Avenue altogether when we were deciding where to open."

Business at Sheep Station, as well as the other bars and restaurants that have opened along Fourth, like hipster hangout Cherry Tree and lesbian bar Cattyshack, has been booming.

"Cherry Tree gets more of the young, college-age crowd," says Crew. "We get more of the neighborhood people, the 30-somethings."

In a way, Park Slope has seen this kind of shift before.

Old Brooklyn hands will remember just how dodgy Fifth Avenue once was. Ten years ago, it was rare that a Park Slope resident would venture west to Fifth Avenue. The street wasn't much more than 99-cent stores, the odd Spanish-American diner or pizza parlor and seedy bars with tinted windows.

"Now Fifth Avenue is phenomenal. It's flourishing. You've got Al Di La, and the butcher and the baker and the candlestick-maker kind of thing," says Peggy Aguayo of Aguayo & Huebener.

"It was the restaurants opening that started it," says Aguayo. "Other chefs started moving in, and little boutiques followed."

That, and crime went down.

"What you're seeing is a move towards the water," says Professor Kenneth T. Jackson, author of "The Neighborhoods of Brooklyn." "It used to be that people were always afraid to get too far down the hill. Now, it's, 'How can I get to work?'"

One thing Fourth definitely has going for it is subway access, with stops at Union Street and 9th Street. (The Hampton Jitney is stopping there, too!)

"Whoever thought anything would be anything in Gowanus or Red Hook," Aguayo says. Why not Fourth Avenue? "It's non-residential, grungy, but it has that center [traffic] island. If they did plantings on that island, it would be great!"

"As a result of the land value, they found it was much more valuable to develop than to pump gas, even at $3 per gallon," de la Uz says.

The Fifth Avenue Committee has gotten in on the Fourth Avenue act, too. They moved their headquarters to Fourth Avenue two-and-a-half years ago.
"It was a practicality issue," says de la Uz, "and we wanted to own our own space. As rents go up, this was the way to sustain ourselves."

http://www.nypost.com/seven/05172007/realestate/fantastic_4th_realestate_max_gross.htm?page=0

[sfenn1117]

Some renderings with the article:

Park Slope Court (110 4th):
http://i14.tinypic.com/538lc0g.jpg

Argyle (410 4th):
http://i11.tinypic.com/642xjj7.jpg

500 4th:
http://i15.tinypic.com/4kl9tlx.jpg

And we all know how the Novo turned out:
http://i13.tinypic.com/4yg2us4.jpg

Other renderings:

The Crest (302 2nd st):
http://i18.tinypic.com/5z5604j.jpg

255 4th:
http://i10.tinypic.com/62gdnj5.jpg
http://i9.tinypic.com/4leooht.jpg

Park Slope Apartments (391 4th, by 10 arquitectos)
http://i4.tinypic.com/6gwhr2f.jpg
http://i17.tinypic.com/4th2jb4.jpg

[antinimby]

Unfortunately, most of the newcomers have terrible ground floors with little or no retail whatsoever with the Crest above as a perfect example.

Filling in what was once parking lots and garages is great but they add very little vitality to the Avenue.

City planning totally goofed by not also adding in a commercial overlay as part of the rezoning.

[sfenn1117]

Yeah the ground floor of the Crest completely ignores 4th avenue. I think the Novo will have retail....and at least some new retail is going in the old walkups.

Next step for 4th avenue should be to green that horrible center median. It's just a concrete block...since Flatbush Ave ext. is going to get some greenery in the median, 4th avenue should too.

I'd say within 10 years that entire stretch of 4th will be built out with condos....I would have to assume that the stretch in the 20's, currently zoned manufacturing, will also change to accomadate 12 story buildings. Sunset Park I'm not so sure about, and Bay Ridge certainly not...though 8 story buildings are allowed.

The architecture isn't great but getting better...the Scarano buildings aren't bad and the Ten Arquitectos building is great. It's Boymelgreen and his horrible buildings basically.

[Eugenious]

Hey all, I'm seeking your opinion on buying one of these cheap condos (Novo,etc) i have great credit, young (25yo) stable job, savings and no debt.

Would these appreciate in the next few years? please help a fellow poster.

:)

[sfenn1117]

It will certainly appreciate. Like I said I'm sure 4th Avenue will be beautified in time, and since lots near the Gowanus Canal are going to be rezoned for residential, 4th Avenue won't be on the outskirts in a decade.

Just hope a 12 story tower doesn't go up across the avenue killing your views!

[Merry]

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

BSA Postpones Decision on Carroll St Norten Again

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/580%20carroll%20variance%20rendering.jpg

On Tuesday the Board of Standards and Appeals once again postponed its hearing on the fate of the controversial development at 580 Carroll Street. The world will have to wait until November to find out if the proposed Enrique Norten-designed structure, rendered above, will be built. The developers have appealed to the BSA on the basis of a variety of hardship claims, saying they need to construct a denser building than zoning allows in order to make money on the project. Needless to say, some in the community are less than sympathetic to their claims.

580 Carroll Decision Postponed (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/07/580_carroll_dec.php) [Brownstoner]
Slope Rallies Against 580 Carroll, Rags on the BSA (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/07/slope_rallies_a.php) [Brownstoner]
Battle Over Carroll St. Norten Build Heats Up This Week (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/07/battle_over_car.php) [Brownstoner]
CB6 Doesn't Buy Carroll Street Hardship Claim (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/06/cb6_doesnt_buy.php) [Brownstoner]
580 Carroll Developer Trying to Supersize Norten Project (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/05/580_carroll_dev.php) [Brownstoner]
Development Watch: 580 Carroll Street (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/03/development_wat_385.php) [Brownstoner] GMAP (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=580+Carroll+Street,+Brooklyn&sll=40.67587,-73.982985&sspn=0.008885,0.009592&ie=UTF8&ll=40.676521,-73.982985&spn=0.008885,0.009592&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr)
Enrique Norten-Designed Project in Park Slope Revealed (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/03/enrique_norten_2.php) [Brownstoner]
Four Developments Coming to One Stretch of Carroll (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/06/carroll.php) [Brownstoner]

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/09/bsa_postpones_d.php

[Merry]

A different sort of "development"? That "permastone" stuff is horrible.


What Historic District Designation Might Not Allow - Part 1

Today we're featuring some photographs of alterations that might not be permitted by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, if the properties had been within a historic district when the alterations were proposed to the LPC.

Note we say "might not be permitted". The cases below represent our opinions only, based on our understanding of what the LPC does and does not try to promote. We might be wrong here; we are not the LPC and we do not claim to represent them. The following cases are based only on our own casual understanding of how the LPC works. We invite interested readers to review the LPC's website (http://www.nyc.gov/html/lpc/html/home/home.shtml) for more authoritative information.

Note also that some of the cases below are inside the current Park Slope Historic District, which was designated in 1973. The LPC does not force any property owner to change any conditions that existed prior to designation; the LPC only reviews proposed work and changes undertaken after designation.

Here we focus on modifications to existing buildings. In subsequent posts we will review new construction that might possibly not pass muster with the LPC, and also highlight some recent changes that have been sanctioned by the LPC.

First up, Park Slope's famous "Pink House":


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQogno67fI/AAAAAAAAv4s/bWohqDBnSno/s400/233-Garfield-hd.JPG (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQogno67fI/AAAAAAAAv4s/bWohqDBnSno/s1600-h/233-Garfield-hd.JPG)
233 Garfield Place, Park Slope Historic District


We can actually see "Big Pink" at this very moment, because we happen to live across the street from it. And we have to say, during the fifteen years that we've been gazing at it, the Pink House has grown on us. Although already included in the Historic District, it's almost landmark-worthy on its own, due to its amazing hue. It is a kind of throwback to an earlier Slope; it is by far the most photographed house on the block; and it is enormously popular with children. We once witnessed a wedding party climb up to be photographed on its stoop. And we're very fond of its elderly owner, who cares for it meticulously. In any case, there are so many greater abominations (http://www.nolandgrab.org/) underway in Brooklyn, it's hard to get exercised about pink paint...

All this said, the LPC would probably discourage such an unusual color choice, were someone to propose this within a historic district. We suspect the LPC would try to work with the property owner to discover a more historically compatible choice. And, although we may feel a tinge of regret when the Pink House is inevitably restored to its original brownstone glory, perhaps it's all for the best.

Next up, a house within the current Historic District that has done everything wrong:



http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoMpxhBWI/AAAAAAAAv4k/zXvcuvksyqQ/s400/190-8thAve-hd.JPG (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoMpxhBWI/AAAAAAAAv4k/zXvcuvksyqQ/s1600-h/190-8thAve-hd.JPG)
190-188 8th Avenue, Park Slope Historic District



The two buildings shown above were once twins, but the one on the left was ruined by a long-ago "remuddling". The stoop was demolished, and the scars left when the stoop was torn away were covered by "Permastone" around the ground-floor entrance. One parlor window has been bricked up. The lovely original peaked roof, visible on the house on the right, was destroyed. This kind of desecration would most likely be disallowed by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and rightly so, we feel.

Below, more "Permastone" on the center three buildings, which are part of a larger row in 10th Street:


http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoMWZyLtI/AAAAAAAAv4c/kGw312eZdSw/s400/10thSt-8th7th.JPG (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoMWZyLtI/AAAAAAAAv4c/kGw312eZdSw/s1600-h/10thSt-8th7th.JPG)
10th Street above 7th Avenue, north side


These three buildings once matched their companions on either side. Note that the cornices have been removed, and the projecting window frames have been shaved off as well. The LPC would probably disallow these kinds of changes.

Below, another pair of buildings about which we have fulminated before (http://savetheslope.blogspot.com/2008/10/remuddling-in-9th-st.html), that once were twins:


http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoMI1131I/AAAAAAAAv4U/A76xJudUEXw/s400/9thSt-5th4th.JPG (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoMI1131I/AAAAAAAAv4U/A76xJudUEXw/s1600-h/9thSt-5th4th.JPG)
9th Street between 4th & 5th Avenues, north side


Here, the lovely projecting window bays of the 8-family apartment house on the left have been shaved off. We suspect such changes would be disallowed by the LPC.

There are a great many "two-and-a-half" story houses in Park Slope, often in continuous rows of 10 or 15 houses, all alike. The houses often have a pitched roof and tiny windows in the front, but a full-height, flat-roofed 3rd story in the rear. Some long-ago owners thought it would be a good idea to remove the cornice and raise up the front of the 3rd floor, as in the cases below:



http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQohiuJOoI/AAAAAAAAv5M/UZcsiorRT1I/s400/497-1stSt-hd.JPG (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQohiuJOoI/AAAAAAAAv5M/UZcsiorRT1I/s1600-h/497-1stSt-hd.JPG)
497 1st Street, Park Slope Historic District



http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQohMu5Q2I/AAAAAAAAv48/1V8sL1kOiyM/s400/362A-6thAve.JPG (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQohMu5Q2I/AAAAAAAAv48/1V8sL1kOiyM/s1600-h/362A-6thAve.JPG)
362A 6th Avenue



Unfortunately such modifications break the lovely symmetry of these long rows of formerly identical houses. We suspect the LPC would disallow these kinds of changes.

In other cases, the owner decides to add an entire new floor or floors atop an existing building, as in the examples below:



http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoheCjpmI/AAAAAAAAv5E/n2ztxa4fICE/s400/393-6thSt.JPG (http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoheCjpmI/AAAAAAAAv5E/n2ztxa4fICE/s1600-h/393-6thSt.JPG)
393 6th Street



http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQog7dn4zI/AAAAAAAAv40/XSyhvlvKfT8/s400/304-7thAve.JPG (http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQog7dn4zI/AAAAAAAAv40/XSyhvlvKfT8/s1600-h/304-7thAve.JPG)
304 7th Avenue



http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoLT5Qy3I/AAAAAAAAv4E/prhXJxA779M/s400/7thAve-14thSt-ne.JPG (http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoLT5Qy3I/AAAAAAAAv4E/prhXJxA779M/s1600-h/7thAve-14thSt-ne.JPG)
7th Avenue & 14th Street, northeast corner



There are definitely ways to greatly expand an existing building in a way that satisfies the LPC, and we hope to showcase an example in a subsequent post. But we suspect the above examples, where the new construction is so highly visible from the street, might encounter difficulties during LPC review.

Occasionally an owner decides to expand the existing building both upward and toward the rear, as in the following example:




http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoL1h0t_I/AAAAAAAAv4M/1QupaojYW4I/s400/7thAve-15thSt-sw.JPG (http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6EhUdqIyKj8/SyQoL1h0t_I/AAAAAAAAv4M/1QupaojYW4I/s1600-h/7thAve-15thSt-sw.JPG)
7th Avenue & 15th Street, southwest corner



Such an expansion creates an odd juxtaposition in which the new construction appears to envelop or swallow up the old. There is a famous case (http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2006/09/real_photos_of.php) in Carroll Gardens which some have dubbed the "Tetris House". The LPC might not immediately approve such a proposed change.

We never cease to be amazed at the ingenious ways people find to mess up a perfectly lovely old house. All we can suggest is that the LPC really, really wants to hear from you before you make any changes to the exterior of your building. They will work with property owners to insure that proposed changes are compatible with the historic fabric of Park Slope. We will present examples of permitted modifications in subsequent posts.

http://savetheslope.blogspot.com/2009/12/what-historic-district-designation.html

[Merry]

Hottest in town! Park Slope gets dose of cool modern architecture with 580 Carroll by Enrique Norten

BY Jason Sheftell
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2010/04/30/alg_home4.jpg
580 Carroll St. in Brooklyn, designed by Enrique Norten and developed by Sean Ludwick

Park Slope is to world-class modern architecture as New York City is to boring. The first two haven’t gone together since the 1920s. They do now.

Just 17 units, set back from the street, slightly hidden behind a simple cedar fence and 3,500-square-foot garden, 580 Carroll by Enrique Norten brings a dimension that most neighborhoods beg for: a signature site by a world-class architect.

Those buildings, though, don’t always deliver. Sometimes, as in the case of Richard Meier's On Prospect Park, apartments sit empty with dark and dreary units in the back of the building with windows looking out onto a concrete courtyard.

In other cases, they transform a neighborhood, as was the case with Meier’s three glass towers on the West Side Highway and Jean Nouvel’s 40 Mercer St. in SoHo, all of which proved that Manhattan could embrace modern residential buildings. Stylish home hunters continue to pay top dollar to live there.

It’s Park Slope’s turn now, which is a good thing for the neighborhood and for New York. It’s about time people stop talking about baby carriages and problems with parking. It’s about time they start talking about how boroughs, such as Brooklyn and Queens, are just as important a canvas for modern architecture as Manhattan, Buenos Aires, Shanghai or Paris.

If this neighborhood wants to be on the map as New York’s finest, then it has to look at this structure as crucial to its growth. It has to look past the butchery of Fourth Ave. by developers who put profit in front of quality, and pay attention to its most recently arrived development.

So far, it has. Everyone who walks by 580 Carroll can’t help but stare past the cedar fence up into the building’s concrete, glass and steel facade. Sitting back from the street, the building makes a peaceful, quiet and strong statement, a simple study of materials in their most natural elements.

“I like the lightness of the building amidst the heavy, more historic structures on the street,” says Norten, whose firm, TEN Arquitectos, was tapped to design the Guggenheim Museum Guadalajara and the Reforma 296 tower in Mexico City. “I want this to bring the spirit of hope, so the neighborhood is not condemned to look into the past, but can see a
possibility for its future.”

With full-height windows of insulated glass strengthened by a high-performance low-E coating, which allows for light and views while protecting owners from cold, heat and noise, the building is anchored by a reinforced concrete superstructure that squares off the units. The glory of the facade is in its childlike shapes.

A southern exposure on Garfield Place and the western portion of the north side of the building are triangular, angling out from the flat glass. Inside, each of the 17 units has a unique feel. Some are floor-through apartments with views to both streets. Others look onto Carroll St., which fronts the garden below. Almost every apartment has some outdoor space.

Duplexes, one with a private entrance on Garfield Place, are sleek, minimal spaces with high ceilings and their own backyard spaces. An 11-car private parking garage sits under the structure. Thin wires serve as balcony barriers. Some bathrooms are European in style, lacking a shower door. Norten’s team also designed the kitchens, which stand along a strip fronting the living and dining space in each home.

“There are people with a modern soul who live or want to live in this neighborhood,” says Norten, who designed One York on Canal St. “They now have a place where they can live differently. It will also bring people to this neighborhood that have that same, contemporary vision. Developers like Sean Ludwick, who found this site, they are heroic for building different structures in New York. It would have been so much faster and cheaper to build some brick building, like everyone else. But what does that add to a neighborhood? Nothing.”

Ludwick may not think he’s a hero. Humble and hopeful, Ludwick will likely just break even on the building, where units range from $675,000 for a 910-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath apartment to $1.4 for a penthouse. When he started the project five years ago, the economy was different, and so was his profit margin.

“This building was not exactly a good business decision, but it will be an important architectural statement and a beautiful place to live,” says Ludwick, 37. “Just getting this done, through the construction phase, was an incredible learning experience.”

The site is Ludwick’s first development since he branched out on his own with Ashwin Verma, forming BlackHouse Development Co. Born to a Flatbush, Brooklyn, father and a Peruvian mother, Ludwick speaks fluent Spanish — hence his connection to the Mexican-born Norten. He knows the neighborhood, too, having watched his father buy a house there in the early 1990s, when Park Slope’s Fourth and Fifth Aves. were not as safe for strolling as they are now.

“Park Slope is a smart neighborhood,” says Ludwick, who lost a zoning variance that would have allowed him to build three townhouses fronting Carroll St., paving the way for more profit. “I wanted
intelligent design. I just couldn’t throw crap up here. At the end of the day, you want to do something good for a good place.”

It seems to be paying off. In just two weeks, eight of the building’s 17 units have offers and three contracts have already been signed. Marketed by Brown Harris Stevens SELECT, helmed by *Shlomi *Reuveni, the small boutique property is proving that good design, priced right, will sell. It bucks some current market indicators that supposedly show well-thought-out new construction to be risky and difficult to move.

“As soon as people open the gate and see the building, they know they are somewhere special,” says Reuveni, who reports having back-to-back showings and a constant flow of broker and buyer apartments since selling began 10 days ago.

“At the end of the day, these buildings are not museums. They have to sell,” says Reuveni. “But this building has everything. The best design in the world, the best neighborhood in New York, parking, great public schools and the garden.”

On a recent Sunday, two neighbors of the building who live across the street weren’t sure about the all-glass facade. One complained the shades weren’t
uniform. The other wasn’t keen on seeing directly into people’s bathrooms.

Norten grimaces when asked about this. His initial design called for wooden louvers that would open and close, protecting privacy or allowing sunlight. The economy scuttled that plan, but the architect is still pleased with the result, and also pleased by how people react to the building.

“I want people to stand in front of the building and have a moment of reflection,” he says. “If you walk by and stop for a second and think about life, what’s right about the building, what’s wrong with it, about if it works for your neighborhood, if people are happy in it, about the changes to the community, well then that building is already contributing to the future of our culture.”

What about the developer, who has to worry about profit, and who stayed committed to finishing the building?

“I know when people come to this building they will be emotionally affected,” says Ludwick. “It is a strong and well-built. Our lives are so cluttered. This building is not. It is clean, compact and simple. It is less in some ways, but so much more in others.”

http://www.nydailynews.com/real_estate/2010/04/30/2010-04-30_hottest_in_town_park_slope_gets_dose_of_cool_mo dern_architecture_with_580_carrol.html#ixzz0nuKIMS bo

[Merry]

Exploring the Green Grass and Shiny Glass of 580 Carroll

June 22, 2010, by Joey

http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4064/4720372908_1081f710ae_o.jpg

http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4058/4720401780_11d71f1914_o.jpg

http://cdn.cstatic.net/cache/gallery/4054/4719730563_62ef6fb39b_o.jpg

(more pics on Curbed (http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/06/22/exploring_the_green_grass_and_shiny_glass_of_580_c arroll.php))

Now that the locals have warmed up to 580 Carroll Street, Mexican starchitect Enrique Norten's 17-unit Park Slope controversy magnet, we thought it a good time to finally go see the glass and concrete condominium for ourselves (we didn't want to get egged by neighbors). Though only five stories, the building has taken a lot of heat for adding something "starkly modern and cool" (in developer Sean Ludwick's words) and "Miami" (in critics' words) to a 'hood more known for its brownstone blocks, though this stretch of Carroll Street between Fourth and Fifth Avenues is a mixed bag when it comes to architecture. The building's attention-grabbing centerpiece is its big communal front yard, intended as a High Line-inspired "living lobby" for residents and accessed through the building's front gate. (A gated community in Park Slope? Now we've seen everything!) The yard is a bit Zen right now, but furniture and other fun stuff is on the way.

According to Ludwick, five units are now in contract, and the Temporary Certificate of Occupancy should be arriving this month, meaning those buyers will soon be able to close. For high-end new construction with a name-brand architect attached, asking prices at 580 Carroll are pretty reasonable: From the mid-$600s for 900-square-foot 2BRs/2BAs, to around a million bucks for a pair of ground-floor duplexes with big private outdoor spaces, to $1.2 million for a top-floor pad with views all the way to Red Hook.

The units themselves feel pretty lofty with their 10' ceilings and ginormous windows, but it's that intended loft vibe that has caused some of the love-it-or-hate-it sentiment regarding the building—best illustrated through the epic kitchen debate. (Our take: Perfectly fine, but maybe cook Thanksgiving dinner for 12 elsewhere.) As for the "Garfield Sparta" nickname slapped on the building in the early stages, Ludwick told us the previous owner of the property established a Garfield LLC—the building also has an entrance on Garfield Place—and he needed to change the name. Inspiration struck when he exited the movie theater after seeing the bloody swords-and-sandals flick 300. Garfield Sparta LLC was born, though the name was never considered for the actual building. Boo!

Given the building's rocky road to completion, is Ludwick calling it quits on the development game? Nope. His Black House Development, formed with his business partner Ashwin Verma, is already working with Enrique Norten on the Hi Line Hotel in West Chelsea. Hey, that's in Manhattan! Park Slope can put away the pitchforks...for now.

580 Carroll (http://580carroll.com/) [Official Site]
580 Carroll Street coverage (http://ny.curbed.com/tags/580-carroll-street) [Curbed]

http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2010/06/22/exploring_the_green_grass_and_shiny_glass_of_580_c arroll.php

[iclimb1998]

I've always liked this neighborhood. Whats the market like, if anyone is listening...
________________________
south beach penthouse (http://www.penthouselife.com)

[Merry]

Attractions Multiply in the South Slope

By SHELLY BANJO

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AQ837_NYBLOC_G_20101209165742.jpg
A YMCA sports complex opened last year in the Park Slope Armory in Brooklyn's South Slope neighborhood.

Brooklyn's trendsetters have flocked to Park Slope from the beginning of the borough's renaissance into an up-and-coming haven for young families and urban hipsters.

As the area grew in popularity, so did its real-estate prices. While much of that was driven by the northern part of the neighborhood, residents say the southern end of the section is well on its way to catching up.

Dubbed the South Slope, the area's boundaries are loosely defined as Ninth Street to Prospect Avenue and Fourth Avenue to Prospect Park West, which borders the 585-acre park.

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AQ838_NYBLOC_DV_20101209171525.jpg
New restaurants are moving into the South Slope.
Thistle Hill Tavern, a gastro-pub, opened in October

"With a mix of housing options and an added slew of amenities that continue to pop up, the South Slope has just become more accessible," says Dennis McCarthy, a broker with Corcoran Group who lives and works in the area.

While real estate prices in Park Slope as a whole have increased, there are more affordable options in the South Slope due to the mix of housing stock in the area, Mr. McCarthy says.

Multi-million-dollar brownstones and carriage houses mix with older cooperative buildings and new boutique condominiums that continue to be built.

For instance, a 1,100-square-foot, two-bedroom apartment on 16th Street near Fifth Avenue is on the market for $649,000. A few blocks down, a $1.5 million three-story brick townhouse with seven rooms is for sale.

"There's something for everyone here," says Simon Feil, an actor who lives in the area with his wife and 3-month-old baby. He says the couple moved to the South Slope from Manhattan 2½ years ago because they "got priced out of the city."

Earlier this year, the YMCA opened a 144,000-square-foot recreation arena at the historic Park Slope Armory on 15th Street, a multipurpose athletic and educational center with a basketball court and track that underwent a $16.2 million renovation. In addition, eight classrooms were built apart from the recreation area for youth and family fitness classes, and other after-school, summer camp and community programs.

It's like a backyard for the community, says Sharon Tepper, a mother of two and owner of Brownstone Nannies Inc., a child-care referral service. As many as 80 strollers can be lined up at the armory on any given day, says Ms. Tepper, who moved to the South Slope in 2001 from downtown Manhattan.

http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AQ839_NYBLOC_G_20101209165413.jpg
Thistle Hill Tavern

"You don't even need to make a play date anymore—you just go to the armory and the whole neighborhood is there," she says.

Other amenities are on their way: The 103-year-old Park Slope Library, which closed in October 2009 for renovations to improve accessibility, is set to reopen next year. Meanwhile, construction continues on the lot of the old William Butler School for a new school for the area.

Priced out of the North Slope, new restaurants are moving south. Thistle Hill Tavern, a gastro-pub run by neighborhood residents David Massoni and chef Rebecca Weitzman, opened in October. Similarly, locals Peter Sclafani and his wife, Kristen Hallett, have been steadily expanding their mini-restaurant empire. They opened Provini, a European café and wine bar, last year, joining their nearby Italian restaurants, Bar Toto and Bar Tano.

"Restaurants aren't leading indicators—they're following indicators," says Michael Cairl, president of the Park Slope Civic Council, a volunteer neighborhood association.

"There's very little commercial space on the northern end for any price and entrepreneurs are going where they can find reasonably priced space."

Amid the development and revitalization of the neighborhood, Mr. Cairl says it's up to the residents to make sure Park Slope "preserves its existing character."
http://sg.wsj.net/public/resources/images/NY-AQ808_NYBLOC_NS_20101209132822.gif
For that reason, Mr. Cairl is leading the Civic Council's efforts to expand part of the neighborhood's existing historic district designation to include eight square blocks between Seventh and 15th streets between Seventh and Eighth avenues.

"We don't want huge developments in the neighborhood or buildings that look out of place," he says. "Landmark designation will preserve Park Slope for future generations and allow the city and community to consider the amount of density the neighborhood could support."

The group was successful in 2003 and 2005 in lobbying the city to restrict construction of new buildings to 55 feet on the side streets and 70 feet on Fifth and Seventh avenues.

The city's Landmarks Preservation Commission is expected to make a decision on the area's historic district expansion in 2011.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703766704576009522429956708.html?m od=WSJ_NY_RealEstate_LEADNewsCollection

[Merry]

Gorgeous. Calling the Landmarks Preservation Commission...

Building of the Day: 47 Plaza Street

by Montrose Rose

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/47-Plaza-1.jpg (http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2011/06/building-of-the-day-47-plaza-street/?stream=true#)

Name: Apartment Building
Address: 47 Plaza Street West, between Union Street and Berkeley Place
Neighborhood: Park Slope
Year Built: 1928
Architectural Style: Italian Renaissance with hints of Deco
Architect: Rosario Candela
Other buildings by architect: Manhattan-740 Park, 834 5th Ave, Brooklyn- Berkeley Plaza Building, 39 Plaza Street West.
Landmarked: No, believe it or not.

The story: Rosario Candela was born in Sicily, and came to the United States permanently in 1909. The son of a plasterer, he graduated from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture in 1915. He was exceedingly talented, so much so that he was said to have put up a velvet rope around his drafting table, so other students couldn’t copy his work. After graduation, and work in a couple of established architects’ offices, he put out his own shingle, and began to design apartment buildings.

This is a story of a man being in the right place at the right time, with the talent to match the need. The ‘teens and early 1920’s saw unprecedented growth in luxury apartment buildings in Manhattan, and Candela soon found himself designing large buildings on Park and Fifth Avenue, Sutton Place, West End Avenue, Broadway and Riverside Drive. Many of his buildings are rather understated, but Candela mastered the art of the terraced setback as well as being a master of his interiors. He loved puzzles and cyphers, and his apartments could be a wonderful jigsaw of shapes, interlocked and intersecting in novel ways. Many were duplexes, with dramatic entry hallways, with swooping staircases, the apartments containing the most modern of conveniences and features. The rich loved him, and living in a Candela building, then and now, gives one bragging rights.

The Great Depression put an end to the rush of luxury buildings, causing Candela to have to lay off a lot of his staff of 50, but he stayed in business, designing smaller, and what some may consider more mundane commercial and residential buildings. In the late 1930′s, he took up cryptography, and broke the code of a famous French cryptologist working in the 19th century. He taught the only class of cryptology in the US at Hunter College, in 1941, and wrote two books on the subject. With at least 60 buildings to his credit, he worked up until his death in 1953.

This building is a gem. Known as Brooklyn’s Flatiron Building, the co-op apartment building hugs the circle approaching Grand Army Plaza, with the point of the building ending in a single window.

Candela designed this at the peak of his popularity and it shows what great architecture should show: a building making an aesthetic statement of its own, while being perfectly placed in its environment. The brick and terra-cotta trim is extremely attractive, and also echoes the buildings surrounding it, and I think, gives a nod to the nearby Montauk Club. The apartment building’s shape itself, leads the eye towards the park, and gently curves around the oval. The AIA Guide praises it as homage to the great Circus (a ring of buildings enclosing a central space) at Bath, designed by John Wood in Bath, England, in 1754. This is a fine apartment building at its best. GMAP (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=47+Plaza+St,+Brooklyn,+New+York,+NY&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=35.136115,86.572266&z=16)

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/47-Plaza-2.jpg (http://cdn.brownstoner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/47-Plaza-2.jpg)

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/47-Plaza-3.jpg (http://cdn.brownstoner.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/47-Plaza-3.jpg)

http://www.brownstoner.com/blog/2011/06/building-of-the-day-47-plaza-street/?stream=true