A new rendering has been released for 182 Duffield Street, a 30-story residential skyscraper in Downtown Brooklyn. Designed by Hill West Architects and developed by Watermark Capital under the 188 Duffield LLC, the 323-foot-tall structure will span 102,224 square feet and yield 115 rental units with an average scope of 852 square feet. The project will also include 3,658 square feet for community facility space and a healthcare facility in the cellar level. The property is located between Myrtle Avenue and Willoughby Street.
The aerial rendering in the main photo shows the tower rising directly behind the row of four landmarked 19th century Duffield Street Houses, with a cantilever partially overhanging their roofs. The façade will be composed of tan brick framing floor-to-ceiling glass, and the massing features a series of setbacks just below the flat roof parapet. The footprint of the building is set to span 9,584 square feet.
The below Google Street View image shows the historic homes at 182-188 Duffield Street.
188 Duffield Street in Downtown Brooklyn via Google Maps
Forest City Ratner sold the property to Cheskal Landau for $10 million in December 2022. Permits for the upcoming tower were originally filed in July 2024. The project will also include the restoration of the historic structures, but a timeline for this work has yet to be announced.
The closest subways from the development are the A, C, F, and R trains at the Jay Street–MetroTech station to the west; the 2 and 3 trains at the Hoyt Street station to the south; and the B, Q, and R trains at the DeKalb Avenue stop to the east.
An anticipated start and completion date for 182 Duffield Street has yet to be announced.
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I’m all for density, so I’m not totally opposed to this project. But it looks absolutely grotesque, hovering above these historic structures and at the same time blocking dozens of lot-line windows next door. It’s rather unfortunate, especially since this thing will be completely invisible in the downtown skyline. There are a lot of other spots in the surrounding area where a 30 story tower would hypothetically look better and stand out more (with the help of a little rezoning).
I actually LOVE the “creative use”, of otherwise wasted space. I fail to understand all of your “aesthetic objections”!?🤔. As an architect, I’ve actually thought about doing a whole Tower from the ground up, with the first couple of floors looking like traditional 19th century townhomes. I actually like the look. Plus you’re putting all this extra space right in the heart of it all so to speak. So that’s the “vertical integration synergy” here 🤷😅🤗🌳, that to me, is a win-win for the urban landscape👍
Are the landmarked houses part of the project, or just innocent bystanders?
Looks like the landmarked homes will become unlivable since they will be right up against the skyscraper. The developer should be required to leave the homes with backyards and remove or raise the skyscraper’s cantilever to protect the integrity of the original historic homes
Why would they be unlivable just because they abut a skyscraper? There are plenty of configurations like this elsewhere in the city.
Encapsulating the historic row of houses inside a tall all glass atrium lobby to the new tower would have been interesting. It could have killed two birds with one stone: Preserved the structures while utilizing all the land they currently occupy, and turning them into an attractive unto themselves. A little theme-parky? Sure, but so are the aesthetics of this for many.
attraction
These wonderful houses will never be the same, but that’s pro-greed for you. The new tower design is actually pretty good, so it could be worse. Hopefully the renovations won’t end up looking liking newly built with modern materials, as we’ve seen elsewhere.
Obviously this project choice is a better option over the usual thoughtless historical destruction and removal to a landfill that just keeps happening.
Pro-greed would be letting the interests of a few multi-multi-millionaire homeowners overrule the need for new homes for the rest of us. I love that they’re keeping these homes – if the shade annoys the landowners, I’d happily take a house off their hands!
“multi-multi-millionaire homeowners” don’t live there
Those houses are ruined now. No yards, no light, no privacy.
Aside from the vertical glass portion, the remaining tan brick structure on the left side is giving Creedmoor Psychiatric Hospital vibes.
How is the building getting around the rear yard setback requirement for this lot? Based on ZoLa, it looks like they have 43′ rear yard behind the historic structures. Assuming the core is along the rear lot line and not utilizing the space for Light and Air there should still be a set back requirement for the bulk. Are they claiming this is a corner lot with the covered Metrotech Roadway? Is there something in Landmarks that can overrule this requirement?
If they still have David West on board-he is a genius about zoning-West is the Best 🙂
Those old homes look like a movie set.
Can’t they take the cantilever up one more floor at least? It looks so awkward almost scraping the roofs of those historic homes like that.
Why 30 story building??? Make it at least half the size 10 – 15 story, so it wouldn’t look so a monster against the smaller buildings and hide the Sun.
Hmm, other factors are involved here.
I’m a preservationist, but those houses should just be demolished in my opinion. There’s no context for then in Downtown Brooklyn, and they’re completely jarring and disruptive aesthetically with what the area has become. When preservation of the character of the area is this far gone, does it make sense at this point?
I agree with this as well – these houses are a dime a dozen across the rest of the city and we have an entire area of Brooklyn Heights that is landmarked nearby with beautiful brownstone row houses. Downtown Brooklyn doesn’t really need to hold onto these – it’s utilizing prime location land located next to dozens of subway lines in the city – if people really want to save the structures they should be trucked somewhere else in the city.
My first thought was the developer should have been required to.just mive them. I’m sure a little corner of Red Hook would love to have these.
I love these little houses and hate to see them overshaddowed by more development. But more, I live in the area and it has become overwhelmed by all of the new housing and residents. We now regularly have water issues and I just don’t think the infrastructure can handle any more people.
Hill West trademark mediocrity in full display…someone should strangle their lead designer…
I have lived in this neighborhood for a decade and worked here for 15+ years.
No one lives in these houses. Some unhoused folks camp there under the stoops from time to time one of them recently died. Sadly, mentally ill and refusing help. One other lady hangs there a lot and asks for money and sometimes tries to punch you in the nuts when in a fugue. For a decade. It’s quite sad.
There is not a lot of street frontage. There is a phrase from this kind of passive neglect.
There are some small walkways but I’m otherwise puzzled as to where the lobby would be… There is no street access behind them.
They will be accidentally knocked down or worse during construction. Oops cement truck
I feel like no one who has read this article or written. This article has been by these intentionally bereft husks. .
Those homes weren’t even originally there!