TD Bank Branch Will Open In New Union Sackett Building At 340 Court Street This Saturday

The windows of the ground floor commercial space at 340 Court Street in the new Union/ Sackett building have been plastered with TD Bank posters announcing a new branch opening for quite a few months now.
Apparently, the branch will officially open its doors this coming Saturday, October 25th.  TDBank is sending out invitations to local residents for the grand celebration with a promise of gifts for the first 100 customers.
Forget the gifts.  Most of us are probably more interested in finding out if this branch has a free coin counting machine.

By the way, what is your experience with our neighborhood banks? Does one stand out for customer service?
And here is another question for you: Why don't most banks with branches in Carroll Gardens offer mortgages or home equity loans for three family homes in a neighborhood full of such buildings?



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Sackett Union Condo Building: Nice Landscaping, But...

Late this summer, before the first owners moved into Sackett Union, Carroll Gardens' newest  luxury development, the outside of the main building was nicely landscaped.  Rather than restoring the original tree pits along Court Street,  a continuous border that runs the length of the building has been installed along the sidewalk.  Liriope has been planted between the trees and the whole border has been mulched.
The effect is quite nice, but there is a bit of a problem with the landscaping.
Here is an email from a PMFA reader who explains:

"While I think that the new building on Court btwn Sackett and Union meant well with their landscaping, it is adjacent to the curb for almost the whole block. It makes it impossible to get out of the passenger side of a car without trampling it, and will be more so once it snows. Is this even allowed per NYC sidewalk regulations?Wondering if anyone else has noticed this."

Yes, others have noticed as well. A few other people in the neighborhood have brought it to our attention in the last few weeks.
As for the legality, I am not quite sure if it violates NYC sidewalk regulations.  It may be part of New York City's Green Infrastructure Plan, a storm water management plan that aims to keep storm water out of our sewer system.
Large planting beds or tree pits on sidewalks certainly help absorb rainwater. That's a good thing. But obviously, the solution to one problem creates another.

Does anyone have an answer?



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TD Bank Will Be Tenant Of Alchemy's 'Sackett Union' Project In Carroll Gardens

Alchemy's Sackett Union Development as seen from Court Street 

View from Union Street

Corner of Court Street and Sackett Street

The project as seen from Sackett Street

Future garage entrance

The town homes on Sackett Street

A peek into the model unit on the Carroll Street side

Here is a community update from Ken Horn of Alchemy Properties, the development, marketing and consulting firm  which is currently constructing one of the largest projects in Carroll Gardens in quite a few decades.
The Sackett Union project, formerly known as 340 Court Street, consist of a 7 story, 32 unit condominium building consisting of two, three and four family units along Court Street and of 11 one and two family  townhouses on Union and Sackett Streets. There is also a penthouse and an outdoor lounge on the main building "breathtaking views of Manhattan and Brooklyn".

Though prices start at $1,105,00 for a two-bedroom unit, 15 of the units have already been sold.  So has one of the townhouses.  A model unit can now be visited by appointment, but there will not be an open house until February, when the main entrance on Union Street has been completed.
Work on the façade of this Rogers Marvel-designed building starting in about two weeks.  The color of the treatment has been described as "brownstone red".
The entire development should be completed by July or August 2013.
An official web site is going up in the next week.

Alchemy Properties took over the long-stalled project at 340 Court Street after the previous developer, The Clarett Group, pulled out.



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340 Court Street Construction Project: A Community Update From Alchemy

Construction of the 7 story, 32 unit condominium building at 340 Court Street has been progressing swiftly in the last few months. The steel frame has been completed and a new phase of construction is about to begin.  In addition, excavation of the town homes on Sackett Street will commence soon.
Below is a community update on the 340 Court Street construction site from Joel Breitkopf of development firm Alchemy Properties Inc.   According to Breitkopf:
"We are placing concrete floors 7 and 8 and stairwells of condo building. There will be a pedestrian walkway change on Court and Union streets as we will be placing concrete and back filling for temporary sidewalk and hoist on Court and Union Streets. We will be commencing the hoist installation along Court Street. Finally, excavation will start for the Sackett Street Townhomes. Trucking and soil removal via the Sackett and Union Street gates."

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Big Fat Inflatable Union Rat Shows Up At Alchemy's 340 Court Street Site

A rat's work is never done in New York City. This inflatable rodent showed up this morning at the corner of Court and Sackett Streets, to protest in front of the development site at 340 Court Street, which has recently been acquired by Alchemy Properties, a development, marketing and consulting firm. Alchemy took over the project after the Clarett Group pulled out.

The big, fat rat belongs to Local Union 361, which represents ironworkers in Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk.

After years of delay, construction of the 7 story, 32 unit condominium development at 340 Court Street has just resumed. The steel frame has been going up steadily in the last two weeks. Obviously, the work is being done by non-union workers.

According to the local's web site, the picket line was established in front of 340 Court as of Thursday last week.

*Thanks, M, for the use of your photos.

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After Years Of Delays, 340 Court Street Beginning To Rise

After years of delays, construction of the new 7 story, 32 unit condominium building at 340 Court Street between Union and Sackett Street is progressing quickly now. Just in the last few days, the steel frame has begun to rise quickly.

The property has recently been acquired by Alchemy Properties, a development , marketing and consulting firm which took over the project when The Clarret Group pulled out.

Renderings of the new building have not yet been published or presented to the community, but Kenneth Horn, president and founder of Alchemy, told a small group of area residents at a meeting in June that the firm is moving ahead with the original Rogers Marvel design, which was widely criticized as unappealing and its façade too dark when it was presented to the community back in 2008.

original Rogers Marvel design presented to the community in 2008

Though Mr. Horn told the group that the envelope of the building will not change, he did agree that the façade needed to be improved. "The building will not be black" he stated. "It will be significantly lighter."

We shall see. Interestingly, I found this rendering of the building on Rogers Marvel's own web site. Could this be the revised, lighter façade of the building?

rendering courtesy of Rogers Marvel

One thing is for sure: the 7 story building will significantly alter the street scape of Court Street.

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Alchemy Properties Meets With Carroll Gardens Residents To Talk About 340 Court Street

On Friday morning, a small group of area residents met with Kenneth Horn of Alchemy Properties, the development, marketing and consulting firm which just took over the long-stalled project at 340 Court Street after the previous developer, The Clarett Group, pulled out.

The project consist of a 7 story, 32 unit condominium building along Court Street and of 11 adjoining townhouses on Union and Sackett Streets. The goal of the meeting was to establish a dialog between the community and the developer and to address concerns before construction on the project resumes. It was also hoped that the developer would be open to changing the dark, unappealing façade of the Rogers Marvel designed building, which had been widely criticized when presented to the community in 2008.

Kenneth Horn assured everyone present that his firm will be responsive and will make itself available to address some of the issues that will come up during the construction phase, but was quick to point out that the project is being built as-of-right and that the NYC Buildings Department has approved all plans. He was also clear that the project will continue forward with the Rogers Marvel design and that the envelope of the building will not change.

He did, however agree that the façade needed to be improved. "The building will not be black" he stated. "It will be significantly lighter."

Construction will start very soon. The steel has been ordered and cut. It will be delivered in early August. Construction on the townhouses will most probably begin in the fall.

Alchemy has been in business since 1990. The firm has completed 24 projects, mostly in Manhattan.This will be its second Brooklyn project. (The first was at 199 State Street) .

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NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn Is Coming To Carroll Gardens Tonight To Speak About Parking

NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn

Yes, it's that time in the election cycle again! Our NYC officials are starting to campaign by making the rounds in neighborhoods that they haven't visited since the last time they needed votes.
Tonight, NYC Councilwoman and Speaker Christine Quinn will be attending the Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association meeting to talk about parking issues in our neighborhood.

(It would seem that she would like to run for mayor)

More interesting, Vincent Joseph, friend and member of the Union-Sackett Block Association, will speak about the future of the Clarett project at 340 Court Street, now that the developer has withdrawn from the New York real estate market.

Carroll Gardens Neighborhood Association Meeting

March 23 at 7 PM to 9 PM

P.S. 58/ The Carroll School

Smith Street between First Place and Carroll Streets

Entrance on Carroll Street

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With Clarett's Future In Doubt, What Will Happen To 340 Court Street?

The Clarett Site at 340 Court Street

Clarett's design for proposed 340 Court Street development

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:

Clarett Clears A Hurdle! Gets BSA Application Approval From CB6 Land Use Committee

Some Work Resumes At Clarett Site On Court Street, Despite Recent Stop Work Order

Clarett Looking For Retail Tenant For 340 Court Street

Clarett Came, Dug...And Blighted?

Clarett Restores Sidewalk In Front Of "Collection On Court'

Clarett To Pause Construction At 340 Court For Next Few Months?

Clarett Keeping Mum About Revised Plans For 'The Collection At Court Street"

Oooops! Clarett Does It Again At 340 Court Street!

Line Of Communication Not Really "Open" With Clarett Group Regarding 340 Court Street

More Deconstruction At 340 Court Street

Carroll Gardens Not Exactly Loving Clarett's 340 Court Street Design

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