Spiffy Brochure, 360 Degree Views And Steep Rental Prices At 360 Smith Street

Brochure images and renderings via 360 Smith Street

360 Smith Street +70 feet= 360 degree views. Get it?

Someone forwarded me the entire rental brochure for 360 Smith Street, the almost completed, quite controversial 70 foot building at the corner of 2nd Place and Smith Street.

According to an agent, there are no rental fees, the first month is free and utilities, except for electricity, are free as well.

Sounds good, but the rental fees are rather steep.

*Apartment G, a1,092 sf two bedroom, two bath apartment facing Smith Street goes for about $3,800 on the second floor to about $4,150 on the fourth floor.

*Apartment type A, also two-bedroom, 2-bath, is slightly bigger at 1,105 sf. It faces Second Place and costs $3,995 for the 2 second floor and $4,200 for the third floor.

*The J line penthouse at 1613 sf facing 2nd Place will rent from$5, 750 on the second floor to $6,050 on the third floor.

The rest of the brochure offers some photos of the area, some exaggerated renderings of the front of the building and of the rooftop, as well as some platitudes about our neighborhood, including this gem:"A close-knit community of long-time Carroll Gardens residents who warmly greet you from their 19th century garden brownstones."
One neighborhood friend chuckled when I read this last part of the brochure out loud. "Yeah!" she said "We have a special greeting here in the neighborhood. But it takes two hands..." (It's also called the Italian salute)

And one more thing....An eagle-eyed reader spotted someone who looked suspiciously like Bill Stein, the original developer of 360 Smith Street, standing in front of the site. It had been rumored that Stein was out of this deal, but he may still be involved.

Stein once told the Carroll Gardens community that he would occupy the penthouse apartment of 360 Smith Street because his wife "loved" the neighborhood.

Well, if that is still the case and he is moving in, lets all remember to greet him warmly (not) from our brownstones. Remember! Use two hands...

Is this Bill Stein (gray hair) standing in front of 360 Smith Street?

******UPDATE*****

Just got some additional plans and details for 360 Smith Street from a PMFA reader.

He writes:

Here are the renderings for the penthouses. They are all priced north of $7m per month.
The apartments are nice but not too well thought out. The bedrooms are on the smallish size (with the last bedrrom begin tiny) and there is an oversize a/c unit that takes up a lot of space. I did not think they were nice enough for the rents that they are asking. It will be very interesting to see if the Carroll Gardens residents will be willing to pony up these kind of $’s.

There are storage units on each floor. They are ridiculously priced @ $200 per month
There is indoor parking available, which is a pretty awesome feature

The roof deck has stellar view. Literally 360 views that take your breath away. However, the idea of a playground up there is probably not too well thought out.

Brochure images and renderings via 360 Smith Street

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360 Smith Street Gets" Bricked"

KSQ Architects' design for 360 Smith Street/ 132 Second Street

All spring long, construction at the controversial building at 360 Smith Street, at the corner of Second Avenue, progressed steadily. By the middle of June, the new building had reached 70 feet (plus bulkhead) and was towering over the neighboring brownstones on Second Place. In the last three weeks, crews have been applying a dark brick façade to the building and most of the windows have been installed.

The design by Armand Quadrini of KSQ Architects seems to adhere closely to what was presented to the community back in February 2008. During that presentation, many local residents expressed their objection to the height and design of "Oliver House" and urged developer Bill Stein to, in particular, rethink the 70 foot glass tower at the corner of Smith Street, right above the former F train subway station. It was felt that it made the building look too industrial. However, it is unlikely that any changes were make to make the building more contextual with the neighborhood.

I suppose it could have been way worse. Originally the developer had retained the services of Brooklyn's 'Bad Boy Of Architecture', Robert Scarano. Below was his vision for that corner of Carroll Gardens. Mercifully, developer Stein and Scarano parted ways before construction started.

(picture credit: Scarano Architects)

Original design for 360 Smith Street By Scarano Architects

abandoned when the architect and developer parted ways in 2008.

To read more about 360 Smith Street, click here

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It Ain't Pretty: Checking In On 360 Smith Street

Back in 2009: Big sky over Brooklyn

In early March, as seen from First Place

(photo credit: Tim)

Same View In April 2010

(photo credit: Tim)

As it looks now.

Photo taken on June 14th, 2010

UPDATE

Photo taken in March 2011

(Credit: Tim)

KSQ Architects' design for 360 Smith Street/ 132 Second Street

Reader Tim has been kind enough to sent me occasional photo updates of the 360 Smith Street/ 132 Second Street site as seen from First Place. The construction project has risen slowly to 70 feet and is now in the process of getting cinder-blocked, which makes it look even bulkier. The building has not only changed the skyline of Carroll Gardens, it has dwarfed neighborhood brownstones and blocked the sun of many residents along First and Second Place.

Though we are still months away from its completion, it is safe to say that the neighborhood's fears were founded when local residents objected to "Oliver House", as it was once called.

When Developer Bill Stein first presented his plans to the community, he was met with opposition. Many in Carroll Gardens felt that his building was too high and looked too modern for this brownstone neighborhood and no one seemed to like his architect, Robert Scarano, who has quite an unsavory reputation and recently has been barred from filing any more permits with the NYC Department of Buildings.

Stein eventually switched architects and had the plans (slightly) changed.
Construction at the 360 Smith Street/ 131 2nd Place started, but came to an abrupt halt in July 2008, when developer Bill Stein's "Oliver House" was slapped with a Stop Work Order immediately after the City Council passed the Carroll Gardens Wide Street Zoning Text Amendment, which limits permitted building density in Carroll Gardens.
Developer Stein promptly took his case in front of the Board of Standards and Appeals, that oh-so-contentious board that grants developers exemptions in cases such as this.

In order to be able to continue, Mr. Stein had to prove that a significant portion of the project's foundation had been completed before the Stop Work Order went into effect. Though inspectors from the NYC Department of Buildings determined that only 20% of the foundation had been completed, the BSA gave Stein what he wanted at a hearing in November 2008. The Stop Work Order was lifted. He was now free to proceed. By September 2009, construction resumed.

God knows what the building will really look like when completed, but one thing is for sure: it ain't pretty.

What do you think, dear Reader?

Read more here:

Before, There Was Blue Sky, Now ....360 Smith Street Finally Tops Off

Construction Incident At 360 Smith Street Yesterday

Did You See This Happen? Man Injured By Falling Construction Fence At 360 Smith Street

2nd Place Subway Station Now History

Last Glance At Old Carroll Gardens Subway Plaza on Second Place

Boom, Boom...Construction Resumes At 360 Smith Street

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Before, There Was Blue Sky, Now ....360 Smith Street Finally Tops Off

Before, there was blue sky....

In early March, as soon from First Place

(photo credit: Tim)

AND

TODAY

(photo credit: Tim)

KSQ Architects' design for 360 Smith Street/ 132 Second Street

What a difference a few months makes.

Reader Tim sent me a current photo of Bill Stein's "Oliver House" at 360 Smith Street/ 132 Second Street from his vantage point. He writes:

"So, want to see what it looks like now from our window? It was bad before, take a look."

The steel structure has been slowly but steadily rising to 70 feet, with a 20 foot rooftop bulkhead. The building has now completely dwarfed the surrounding brownstones. It has also changed the Carroll Gardens landscape forever. It can now be seen as far away as Park Slope when looking down 3rd Street as well as from Boerum Hill when looking up Smith Street. It is particularly visible when coming down Smith Street from 9th Street.

Tim writes: "I am still amazed that permission was given."

So am I, considering that Stein's monstrosity had been stopped by the Wide Street Text Amendment. Unfortunately, the Board Of Standards And Appeal gave him an exemption and allowed him to continue building.

To read more about the history of 360 Smith Street:

Construction Incident At 360 Smith Street Yesterday

Did You See This Happen? Man Injured By Falling Construction Fence At 360 Smith Street

2nd Place Subway Station Now History

Last Glance At Old Carroll Gardens Subway Plaza on Second Place

Boom, Boom...Construction Resumes At 360 Smith Street

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360 Smith Street Starting To Block The Sky And View In Carroll Gardens

Before...



Now..
A view from First Place
(photo credit: Tim)

KSQ Architects' design for 360 Smith Street

K.S.Q.Architects' rendering of new subway plaza

Reader Tim posted the two photos above of Bill Stein's 360 Smith Street development on Pardon Me For Asking's Facebook page.
He writes:

"Just thought someone might like to see how our view has changed in three and a half months!"

I feel his pain. Steadily, the steel has been going up, blocking the sky and sunlight at the corner of Smith Street and Second Place.

Eventually, the building will top off at 7 stories, so Tim's view will be even more obscured.

The "Oliver House", as it was once called, has been in the works for quite some time now. When Developer Bill Stein first presented his plans to the community, he was met with opposition. Many in Carroll Gardens felt that his building was too high and looked too modern for this brownstone neighborhood and no one seemed to like his architect, Robert Scarano, who has quite an unsavory reputation.
(Just last week, Scarano was barred from filing any more permits with the NYC Department of Buildings.)

Stein eventually switched architects and had the plans (slightly) changed.


Construction at the 360 Smith Street/ 131 2nd Place started, but came to an abrupt halt in July 2008, when developer Bill Stein's "Oliver House" was slapped with a Stop Work Order immediately after the City Council passed the Carroll Gardens Wide Street Zoning Text Amendment, which limits permitted building density in Carroll Gardens.
Developer Stein promptly took his case in front of the Board of Standards and Appeals, that oh-so-contentious board that grants developers exemptions in cases such as this.

In order to be able to continue, Mr. Stein had to prove that a significant portion of the project's foundation had been completed before the Stop Work Order went into effect. Though inspectors from the NYC Department of Buildings determined that only 20% of the foundation had been completed, the BSA gave Stein what he wanted at a hearing in November 2008. The Stop Work Order was lifted. He was now free to proceed. By September 2009, construction resumed.


The eventual inhabitants of 360 Smith Street will forever have 360 views, but all other residents of Carroll Gardens will have to live with a monolithic building and a darkened sky over that corner of the neighborhood.

Related reading:

Construction Incident At 360 Smith Street Yesterday

Did You See This Happen? Man Injured By Falling Construction Fence At 360 Smith Street

2nd Place Subway Station Now History

Last Glance At Old Carroll Gardens Subway Plaza on Second Place

Boom, Boom...Construction Resumes At 360 Smith Street

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

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360 Smith Street Construction Site Gets Steel Beam Delivery

At First Street, looking down towards 360 Smith Street



Steel delivery to 360 Smith Street construction site

A view of the site from 2nd Place



Cars backed up on Smith Street because of lane closure

Telescopic crane as seen from Second Place

The sky couldn't have been bluer on Monday, which made the huge yellow telescoping crane, which hovered over the 360 Smith Street/ 131 2nd Place construction site, look even more offensive. Slowly, ever so slowly, it hoisted huge steel beams over the blue plywood fence. All I could think of was that in the not too distant future, these steel bars would make up a 7 story building which would obscure the same sky which looked so open and wide at that very moment.

The "Oliver House", as it was once called, has been in the works for quite some time now. When Developer Robert Stein first presented his plans to the community, he was met with opposition. Many in Carroll Gardens felt that his building was too high and looked too modern for this brownstone neighborhood and no one seemed to like his architect, Robert Scarano, who as quite an unsavory reputation.

Stein eventually switched architects and had the plans (slightly) changed.


Construction at the 360 Smith Street/ 131 2nd Place started, but came to an abrupt halt in July 2008, when developer Bill Stein's "Oliver House" was slapped with a Stop Work Order immediately after the City Council passed the Carroll Gardens Wide Street Zoning Text Amendment, which limits permitted building height and density in Carroll Gardens.
Developer Stein promptly took his case in front of the Board of Standards and Appeals, that oh-so-contentious board that grants developers exemptions in cases such as this.

In order to be able to continue, Mr. Stein had to prove that a significant portion of the project's foundation had been completed before the Stop Work Order went into effect. Though inspectors from the NYC Department of Buildings determined that only 20% of the foundation had been completed, the BSA gave Stein what he wanted at a hearing in November 2008. The Stop Work Order was lifted. He was now free to proceed.

By September 2009, construction resumed. There have been some rumors that Bill Stein had sold the property to another developer, but he was just spotted with a large group of people, including his architect, in front of the site. So obviously, he is still involved.



Related Reading:

Did You See This Happen? Man Injured By Falling Construction Fence At 360 Smith Street

2nd Place Subway Station Now History

Last Glance At Old Carroll Gardens Subway Plaza on Second Place

Boom, Boom...Construction Resumes At 360 Smith Street

For Home Page, click Pardon Me For Asking

Read more