Two buildings downtown have shed their scaffolding this past week or so, giving us a peek at new facades. The first is Lookout Hill Condo on State Street, where the blue-green plastic is out in full force:
Check out a not-so-subliminal religious message from 63 Schermerhorn below.
The Times’ “Thinking of Living In…” feature this week turns to the charms of Downtown Brooklyn — most notably the area’s proximity to excellent transportation and neighborhood amenities of adjacent Brooklyn Heights, Atlantic Ave, Smith Street, and Fort Greene.
One striking figure — there are 7,000 residential units estimated to come on line in the near future. With this influx the area is on the verge of being a 24-hour neighborhood, according to some. Other highlights: Cadman Plaza’s 10 acres of green space, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and prices that are attractive (the article notes lofts here cost half of what they do in Chelsea). To all of this we would add: the neighborhood’s historic architecture.
Photo by daluvdood2007
Ran across an excellent report from the Municipal Art Society on the landmark-worthy buildings of Downtown Brooklyn–and there are quite a few, ranging from a modest wooden house built before the Civil War, to neo-gothic, to amazing art deco.
The architecture also reflects Downtown Brooklyn’s history as a destination for shoppers and corporate headquarters. Check out the some highlights below (click ‘more’):
Renaissance style 1922-23 Brooklyn Edison Building, at 345 Adams
Bubbling up in the Wired NY forums is this rendering of a new hotel which is apparently already under construction (the blue fakey building, below). It will be 24 stories and house a Sheraton and an ‘aloft’ hotel (by W Hotels). It will be easy to visit relatives living in Belltel, right next door:
Another rendering in a darker blue.
Coming soon to 200 Livingston (formerly known as 189 Schermerhorn): “280 market-rate condominiums and ground floor retail”–that’s quite a few new downtown neighbors. Check out our Downtown Brooklyn development map, or see a pic of construction at Brownstoner.
The Brooklyn Papers profiles Two Trees’ new cultural affairs director, Zannah Mass, and describes the company’s wish to reach out and encourage artists in Brooklyn. She comes from St. Ann’s Warehouse, and one of her responsibilities is to find the theater group for 110. Check out the full article.
