Photo by enrevanche
From NewYorkology:
Not only will access to the island remain free this summer, but more of it will be open to the public and for more days, according to the schedule released Monday by the Governors Island Preservation and Education Corporation.
We think the photo says it all.
Update: New York Mag has a feature on a concept for futuristic farming on the island.
According to Curbed, prices range from $650/sq. ft. to almost double that. We found this 3-bedroom floorplan (pdf) which will go for at least $1.8M, according to Curbed’s source. Shudder to guess the pricetag of this penthouse (pdf) with a 130-foot wraparound terrace.
Still unclear from the building’s site: whether a shuttle will be provided, and when the park breaks ground. Anyone have more info?
Elsewhere in Downtown Brooklyn — looks like sales are coming along, well, just fine at Oro Condos (map, rendering). We count 38 units in contract according to the listings page, which may sound like a lot until you realize that’s not yet one unit per floor of this 40-story tower. To be fair though it hasn’t been a full two months yet that they’ve been on the market.
Oro has a pool, basketball court, and screening room, but also a singles bar, according to the Brooklyn Paper. With free, um, Goldschläger for residents? Also notable is that the paper’s reporting is starting to sound like curbed.com copy.
Check out our full map of Downtown Brooklyn condos and development.
While the jail is slated to open across the street, progress at the site at 252 Atlantic (a former carwash) seems to have stalled, as suggested by a smooth grade, parked cars, and what seems to be a billboard frame facing the House of D. Interesting. See an old rendering of the plans here. Anyone know more?
Meanwhile across Boerum Place the BP station has shuttered and relocated — is this the next site for possible development?
The New York Times reports that:
The city’s Department of Correction wants to double the number of prisoners it plans to house at a reopened Brooklyn House of Detention as part of its effort to ease pressure on the aging jail complex on Rikers Island, officials said yesterday.
The reopening of the jail is part of a comprehensive city-wide plan to relocate inmates away from Rikers Island, to borough facilities. The DOC will solicit plans from developers to expand the Brooklyn facility and will consider ground-floor retail as a component.
What the Times does not say is that while the expansion could take five years, according to DOC’s website “the existing jail building could be reopened on short notice.”
Needless to say, the neighborhood has changed since the facility closed in 2003. Sandy Balboza, president of the Atlantic Avenue Betterment Association, argues that “the reopened jail could hurt the rebounding neighborhood’s momentum.” Balboza also points out there is no guarantee that retail in a jail facility would be viable. We’ll continue to follow this story and will update.
UPDATE: The Times has a followup article on the effects of the jail on local residents & businesses. NY1 says DOC would give 48 hours notice of reopening.
