Late last month, YIMBY reported on the first permits for a new residential tower coming to 88 Schermerhorn Street, between Court Street and Boerum Place, in Downtown Brooklyn. Now, we have the reveal for the project, which is being designed by Think Architecture and Design.
Second Development Services is behind the project, and the firm paid $11 million last year for the site, which is a mere 33 feet wide. The transition from four-story walk-up to 27-story residential tower is possible because the project lies within the boundaries of the Special Downtown Brooklyn District, which largely eliminates parking requirements while also encouraging higher-density infill.
88 Schermerhorn Street, image by Think Architecture and Design
Specifics for 88 Schermerhorn Street indicate the building will span just 39,040 square feet in total, which will be split between 23 units, averaging approximately 1,700 square feet apiece. Starting on the third level, each unit will take up an entire floor, until the 25th and 26th penthouse levels, which will be taken by a duplex penthouse with its own private roof deck.
The building will stand 280 feet tall, and while that would make it semi-prominent in many cities, the Downtown Brooklyn skyline has quickly filled out over the last few years. While the tower may be visible from the immediate surrounding blocks, its overall profile will be relatively invisible, especially given its extremely slender 33-foot width.
While the lack of retail space is disappointing, the redevelopment of an old walk-up will provide another minor increase to the neighborhood’s overall housing stock. Alone, it would mean nothing, but the current Downtown Brooklyn boom is very impressive, and thousands of apartments will soon join existing supply. Most of those will be rentals, so including condo product in the boom is also important, and it seems very likely 88 Schermerhorn would be condos, given its generous average unit size.
In terms of design, the building is a major improvement compared to the old walk-up that it’s replacing. Unfortunately, the new tower does not stick to the street-wall, but at least it doesn’t include PTACs — translating into a simple but attractive glass exterior.
Demolition permits for the old building have already been approved, and while a completion date has not been announced, 2017 or so would seem like a reasonable guess.
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Another stupid setback. Hello NYC building code???
Demolition of historical architecture with crown moldings, curvature, lovely masonry, and other features of great craftsmanship is not an improvement but a tragedy. That glass tower fan could go on any vacant lot in Brooklyn.
Why can’t they keep the facade of the old building? It has human scale, rich materials and great proportions and is part of the street wall.
No. 88 is 33 ft wide, but from the rendering, they are building on the 2 adjacent lots as well (with identical buildings) for a total of 100 feet. It is a tragedy, but at least its downtown rather than a low-rise, residential area.
I dont understand how the building can go uo to 270 feet when the zoning district would appear to limit buildings to 120 feet. See paragraph 2 under “Zoning Map Changes”
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/zone/bkrezone.shtml