Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Open House Agenda: 3 Apartments in New Developments to See This Weekend

By Emily Nonko | May 26, 2016 4:36pm | Updated on May 27, 2016 4:54pm
 Three open houses at new developments this weekend. 
Open House Agenda: 3 Apartments in New Developments to See This Weekend
View Full Caption

MANHATTAN — If you're planning to house hunt this holiday weekend, here are three new developments that will accommodate you. All three buildings are in pre-sales, meaning buyers will be the first residents once the developments open. 

138 Pierrepont St., #5I, Brooklyn Heights
Four bedrooms/Three-and-a-half baths
Approximately 2,507 square feet
Condo
$3.76M
Taxes: $3,690.30/month
Common charges: $3,800.56/month
Open House: Sunday, May 29, 11:30-1:30 p.m.

Lowdown: The Brooklyn Trust Co. Building, a Brooklyn Heights bank building turned condo, was designed with a specific buyer in mind: those who love Brooklyn townhouses but don't want to bother with the upkeep it entails.

The 12 apartments, constructed on the top floors of the bank, hold at least three bedrooms and span over 2,000 square feet.

“A lot of people are looking for larger spaces but don't want a townhouse,” said the development's sales director Vanessa Connelly. “They want a super, amenities, the boutique condo lifestyle.”

Condos boast high taxes and monthly maintenance, so the sponsor is offering to pay any property tax over $10 per square foot for five years. For a limited time, they'll also pay one year of common charges.

Although the landmarked exterior of the bank, constructed between 1913 and 1916, remains intact, the apartment interiors “are all brand new” said Connelly. The building lobby retains historic details, with the old vault designed for stroller and bike storage.

This apartment is a duplex that occupies a portion of the fifth and sixth floors, with views facing west toward the historic Brooklyn Historical Society building. There are two master bedrooms on each floor, Connelly said, “to offer options... the downstairs master could be used as a nice den or nanny suite.”

She called the interior design “classic modern,” with white oak floors, 10 foot ceilings and marble details in the bathroom. The width of the bank building ensures a wide, gracious living room.

Out of the 12 units, there are four contracts signed and one that is pending. Construction has wrapped on apartments and move-ins are expected this summer.

Location: The bank building is just one block from Montague St., the main drag of the neighborhood. “You really have the benefit of being in the Heights, but are so close to neighborhoods like Downtown Brooklyn or Cobble Hill,” Connelly said. Right around the corner is the Borough Hall transit hub, where you can catch the R/2/3/4/5 trains.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “The location, quality and size of the home make it really special,” Connelly said. 
 

190 South 1st St., #1B, South Williamsburg
Studio/one bath
Approximately 553 square feet
Condo
$655,000
Taxes: $107/month
Common Charges: $446/month
Open House: Saturday, May 28, 2 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Lowdown: Despite still being under construction, “open houses” at the sales gallery are already underway for this new 32-unit condo development. Sixty percent of the units are already spoken for, according to MNS broker Justin Daly. The building is expected to be open to occupants in the fall.

At the sales gallery, located at 165 Bedford Ave., potential buyers can view a model, renderings, even drone projections of the views from apartment windows.

This development is unusual for South Williamsburg, which is less fully developed than the area just north of it. ODA Architects designed the 14-story building to resemble the luxury towers along the waterfront.

“It's a lot of glass, a lot of views,” Daly said.

Although seven floors of the building offer impressive views of the surrounding neighborhood and waterfront, this alcove studio is located on the ground floor and looks south, toward a building courtyard and parking lot.

The ground floor location accounts for the price, which is lower than other available units. “We have prices per square foot up to $1,500, and this is in the $1,100 range,” Daly said.

This particular studio is also larger than the others, with an alcove to hold a bed. “The alcove makes it feel more like a one bedroom,” Daly noted.

About four of the building's studios have sold, according to Daly, attracting investors, young professionals and parents buying apartments for their kids.

Location: “We feel like the south side is next [for luxury development],” Daly said, who believes the area will take on more of the luxury projects that have come to define northern Williamsburg. The location, within walking distance of the J/M/Z subway line, will likely become increasingly attractive when the L train shuts down.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “It's just a really unique project,” Daly said, citing the building design and the location as perks.
 

2231 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., #PH4, Harlem
Two bedrooms/Two baths
Approximately 898 square feet
Condo
$997,000
Taxes: $159/month
Common Charges: $856/month
Open House: By appointment only, call the sales office at (212) 521-5740

Lowdown: This 115-unit Harlem building has attracted New Yorkers looking for new upscale development at lower price points.

In three weeks of sales, the building is about 30% sold, according to Halstead broker Jeff Krantz. Move ins will happen in about two months. 

The larger penthouse units have appealed to buyers and likely will get a price boost soon, said Krantz. “They're going quicker than we thought,” he added.

This penthouse comes with a lofty and open kitchen, living and dining area, which is hugged by two bedrooms.

Building amenities include a 24-hour attended lobby, fitness center, residents lounge and two levels of furnished outdoor space.

It's one of the few new luxury developments in this area of Harlem, Krantz noted.

Location: Krantz called the location “right in Central Harlem," at the intersection of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. and 132nd St. Although it's a short walk to all the retail around 125th Street (including a Whole Foods, slated to open this year), Krantz called Adam Clayton Powell “emerging in its own right” due to the arrival of new bars and restaurants. The closest subway is the 2/3 at 135th St., four blocks away.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “The apartment exemplifies a unique product, at a good price point, in this market,” Krantz said.