Month: August 2017

Take a ride on the ferry to see  Brooklyn’s fast changing  waterfront – reported on Brownstoner today.

“ODA Architecture’s sugar crystal-inspired reboot of 10 Jay Street is taking form on the waterfront in Dumbo. On a clear day, its new facade of faceted glass reflects the sky, East River and Manhattan bridge it faces.

The faceted metal and glass curtain wall now covers about two-thirds of the exposed front of the building. Brick slab edges peek through, a reminder of the 19th century red brick factory building behind it.

Designed by sugar refinery experts George M. Newhall Engineering Company as the Arbuckle Brothers Sugar Refinery, the original factory — a steel structure with brick curtain walls — was built in 1898 in the American Round Arch style.

Sometime in the postwar period the entire factory was coated in concrete stucco and the river-facing facade of the building removed.

In 2015, Landmarks approved the contrasting curtain wall design for the missing facade and the restoration of the rest of the exterior of the building, which is part of the Dumbo Historic District, designated in 2007.

Now its original red brick and arched windows have been exposed and will be united with the new glassy curtain wall.

Developers Glacier Global Partners and Triangle Assets initially planned to convert the factory into 46 luxury condos, but later opted for office space.

Glacier Global Partners is a commercial real estate firm whose services include debt financing and ground-up development. Most of its projects are in Manhattan.

Triangle Assets, owned by the Stavrach family for more than 30 years, redevelops and manages property, mostly in Manhattan.

Manhattan-based ODA, known for its variations on the theme of assemblages of boxes, is, of course, one of the most influential architecture firms in Brooklyn right now. Its dozens of high-profile projects include the Domino Sugar Factory and Eliot Spitzer’s Kedem Winery developments — both mega-projects in south Williamsburg. ”

[Photos by Susan De Vries unless noted otherwise]

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Read more about it at ButterflyMX.

As reposted by the Brownstoner.

“On Monday August 21, North America will experience a solar eclipse, when the moon will cover the sun from Earth’s perspective. Although the places where the moon will fully cover the sun will be significantly further south than Brooklyn, that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see the event from here.

Solar eclipses occur when the moon aligns itself directly between the sun and the earth. The resultant eclipse will block the sun’s light for a short period of time for viewers on Earth. Even though the path of the total solar eclipse will travel from Salem, Ore., to Charleston, S.C., and not come all that close to New York City, Brooklynites will still be treated to a partial eclipse — about 70 percent of the sun’s visible disk will be covered.

Residents who live further southwest in the borough will get a slightly better look at the eclipse, as the path of totality will track across the U.S. from northwest to southeast. The eclipse will begin in Brooklyn at around 1:30 p.m., peak around 2:45, and last until around 4 p.m.

Remember, if you’re looking at a solar eclipse, wear proper eye protection and don’t look directly into the sun — however, normal sunglasses won’t do. You’ll need special eyewear. The American Astronomical Association and the National Weather Service have a good breakdown of what works and what won’t.

Spots with an unobstructed view upwards are the best places to catch the eclipse. Prospect Park, Coney Island’s beaches, and Brooklyn Bridge Park are a few places that could work well as viewing spots.

The last time there was a major eclipse of note in New York City was January 24, 1925. During that eclipse, New York was in the path of totality, which crossed through the city near Manhattan’s 96th Street.”

This sunny 1BR plus den is totally new. Spectacular windowed kitchen with all new stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops and plenty of cabinet space. Washer Dryer too. The windowed French doors and six windows let the light in throughout the apartment. This 2nd floor apartment is just one flight up, has beautiful hard wood floors with a large dining room off the kitchen opening into a even larger living space. Good closets and a brand new bath bring the apartment to approx. 800 square feet total. more “Only one apartment left at 511 Hicks Street!” …

As reported by the Brownstoner.

“A weekend getaway for Brooklynites without cars was formerly a giant, throbbing headache. Remember when tales of sardine-packed Jitney trips ruled the water cooler on Monday morning?

We do. Then car sharing arrived, and now we brag about it on Slack, casting to the dustbin certain types of weekend schleps.
more “Getting around, just got easier.” …