Foundation work is underway at 85 Flatbush Avenue, where a 12-story building designed by Gene Kaufman is now rising. The structure will be a mix of residential and hotel, and – per DOB permits – will hold 69 units and 171 rooms.
Plans for the development have undergone changes since the original proposal, which would have risen 21 stories, in a spaceship-like design by Ismael Leyva. The new version is less interesting, but given that Kaufman is the architect of record, it is surprisingly nice. In this case, a relatively boring final product is significantly better than the alternative, and one need only look to Manhattan to see what Brooklyn avoided. Nevertheless, it is disappointing that such a prominent location will see such a small addition; the site would have been perfect for Leyva’s futuristic creation.
The Kaufman version of 85 Flatbush will be surprisingly urban-minded; besides the new street-wall, it looks as though the building might even have casement windows along the upper floors, which is a decidedly traditional departure from Kaufman’s tendency towards austere modernism.
With major progress evident on the foundations, 85 Flatbush should soon ascend above street level, and completion is likely in late 2014 or early 2015.
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