The Clarett Site at 340 Court Street
proposed town houses or "maisonettes" on Sackett Street
I suppose this will not come as a surprise to anyone here in Carroll Gardens, but according to the Real Deal, the Clarett Group just shuttered its offices in New York City. From an article that was published on Thursday:
"The Clarett Group, a New York residential and office building developer, has shut down its New York office, leaving one local project in limbo and the company's future in doubt. And it comes as founder Veronica Hackett has decamped for a developer of commercial space, Brookfield Office Properties.In January, following the gradual departure of staff over the past few months, the handful of remaining employees at Clarett's Madison Square Park office were let go or quit, according to former employees. In 2007, that office employed several dozen employees, the sources said."
But what does this mean for Clarett's " Collection On Court" site at 340 Court Street? Since late 2008, the project, which included a 70 foot building on Court Street, 4 townhouses on both Union and Sackett Streets as well as 3 'maisonettes', has been put on hold. Apparently, after the downturn in the economy, Clarett found it difficult to get financing.
Though Carroll Gardeners never warmed to the Rogers Marvel designed project, they hadn't signed up for a huge hole in the ground in the middle of the neighborhood either.
And now this announcement.
Jonathan Marvel, of Rogers Marvel Architects, the architect for Collection at Court Street, would not comment to the Real Deal, but he indicated to the Real Deal "that the project was in "transition" and details would be coming soon."
According to a source in the business, an out-of-town-opportunity fund is buying the site.
Stay tuned.
Related reading:
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
.JPG)
10 comments:
every time i walk by that site i think it would make a great swimming pool! so maybe that's what should be done; make a great outdoor community swimming pool and park. fun!
Thanks for reporting this. Good Job.
Thanks, Anon.
Hi Carroll Gardener,
I'll go with the swimming pool idea. It's already an ice skating rink in the winter, so it could serve double duty.
There used to be a parking lot there. It was handy for nights when we came home late and needed someplace to stick the car. They could at least re-open the open area for parking until they decide how to use it. My back bedroom window faces this site..it's going to be awful when they start construction and whatever they build will block the nice morning light we are getting now.
Or some sort of park, yes! Unbelievably lame, in any event. Great reporting, Katia!
Ashby.
I love the swimming pool idea. I also think it would be a cool skate park (it already has the ramps!) I do miss the parking, too... I really don't care what they turn it into now, I just want SOMETHING to go in there.
That Rogers marvel design was an insult.
Did Clarette ever pay the retired couple for destroying
their rowhouse? I say put a park there. Or a pool.
Yeah!
I live across the street - and its just sad that a functioning building and parking lot are gone - replaced with a cement hole in the ground. They still employ security to monitor the property - but maybe that will disappear as well. Sad to imagine too if the plans for the space were less ... greedy, it would have been finished by now - but such a large development plan was just too expensive and frankly not welcome by the community.
Couldn't agree with you more.
Post a Comment