Permits have been pre-filed for a 14-story hotel at 186 Remsen Street in the Brooklyn Heights historic district of Brooklyn. Saint Louis-based HOK, the largest architecture firm in the US, will be responsible for the design. Located right across from Brooklyn Borough Hall, the site will have access to a plethora of transit options. Within just three to four blocks, guests can find the A, C, F, N, Q, R, 2, 3, 4, and 5 trains.
186 Remsen Street terracotta close up, via Google Maps
Demolition permits have not been filed for the existing structure. It is a historic Romanesque Revival building completed in 1887, and within the domain of the LPC. Considering that context, HOK will likely need to go before the commission to receive approval.
Brownstoner covered the history of the building in 2012, revealing it to be the second oldest building in the then-new Skyscraper Historic District, surpassed only by Borough Hall. The design was very common throughout the neighborhood at the time it was built.
186 Remsen Street, via Wikipedia Commons
The 185-foot tall structure will yield 58,900 square feet and adding 37 guest rooms to the district. The building will include eating and drinking establishments on the ground floor, second floor, and floors eight through ten. Floors eleven through fourteen will each by occupied by a single hotel room.
Streeteasy has reported that the building rights were transferred in November of 2015 at a cost of $0. Upventures LLC is listed as responsible for the development.
The estimated completion date has not been announced
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Please pardon me for using your space: If everything in the details straight to development. I ready to agree. (Hello YIMBY)
They want to demo this historic building for a 14 floor/185 foot replacement!?! Seriously can they not save the facade and add new construction/addition that is set back? Seems like a shame.
Expect local opposition to any radical proposals to replace this with a “modern” design.
I don’t understand how they can expect to demolish this if it is part of a NYC historic district, and I ardently hope that Landmarks refuses permission to destroy this beautiful survivor. This is an example of how real estate developers absolutely need to be curbed.
We need to do whatever necessary to get this proposal derailed.
HOK are the 5th largest firm in the US. 1st is Gensler.
This is such a beautiful building. I always enjoy walking by, despite its derelict state. I hope it is respectfully incorporated into whatever the developers build; maybe like our own Beekman for Brooklyn!
What a shame. This would never happen in Western European cities. Sad how there remains so little respect for the architectural legacy in this country.
You all are morons. They aren’t going to demolish the existing structure, for two reasons. 1. It’s in a historic district so LPC needs to approve any changes. 2. The owner is going to keep it, rejig the inside and maybe add a story or two.
there will, of course, need to be some alterations at ground level for it to work, but HOK is very good at melding the new and the historic https://www.hok.com/about/news/2017/04/21/hok-plan-for-san-franciscos-iconic-ghirardelli-square-wins-asla-award-for-historic-preservation/. I live up the block and this will be a great addition. Now if we could only get St. Francis sold off…
To MontMan: “moron” seems like questionable language in this context. The article clearly says “permits have been pre-filed for a 14-story hotel,” and does not make any mention of retaining the existing facade. If HOK retains the facade, great, but that is not specifically mentioned in this article. The article does mention that the structure is in a NYC historic district and would need LPC approval, but as can be seen from what happened with 46-74 Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District, the LPC is liable to bend over backwards to appease a big developer – especially in the de Blasio era – so there is absolutely no guarantee in this climate that a structure in an historic district cannot be dramatically altered.
Also, the article mentions that the intention is a 14-story hotel at 186 Remsen Street, so that right there refutes the suggestion that the developer will “maybe add a story or two.” That is not to say that a 14-story building that retains the original facade is ipso facto bad – it could turn out as an attractive addition to the district, but we need to be vigilant.
Klaus, I think you may be overacting a bit. The article doesn’t really provide that much information or context. While the LPC is inept at designating buildings, they are actually pretty strict when it comes to altering or demolishing structures in historic districts. 46-74 Gansevoort Street is a tough argument, considering the upper floors of those buildings had been removed at some point – and were probably deemed to be “non contributing”.
If I had to guess, I would say the developer is probably proposing to build the 14 stories in the back of 186 Remsen while preserving most of the existing building. But, of course, I would agree with you its important to be vigilant.