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Brooklyn

Published: 6/6/2016Source: New York Times HOMES

Developed by JDS Development Group and designed by VOA Associates, Baltic Park Slope, at 613 Baltic Street and Fourth Avenue, is in line to become one of the most sophisticated new boutique condominiums in the borough. When it opens next summer, the 11-story Baltic will offer 44 residences and feature a host of high-end amenities - including a covered resident drop-off area, outdoor rooftop cinema, residents' lounge, a fitness center wrapped with floor-to-ceiling windows, 24-hour lobby attendant and on-site parking.

VOA is currently designing Manhattan's first Virgin Hotel in the NoMad neighborhood, while JDS, the Manhattan-based developer, has been involved with Walker Tower, Stella Tower, 111 West 57th Street and 626 First Avenue. Baltic is JDS's first condo venture in Brooklyn. "Fourth Avenue is changing very rapidly, and you can see all the construction going on right now in every direction," said Penelope Stipanovich, Baltic Park Slope's sales director. "The vision that the Chamber of Commerce president has for Fourth Avenue is that it will become the Park Avenue of Brooklyn, mostly because it is so wide, and with a median in the middle that may one day be planted. They also are encouraging high-end retail on the ground floors of all the new developments that are popping up. The upgrade of the avenue is already well underway."

Two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments in Baltic Park Slope, at around 1,100 square feet, start at $1,325,000, while three-bedroom, three-bathrooms, averaging around 1,400 square feet, start at $1,995,000. "JDS really put their Manhattan-style stamp on it by choosing luxurious materials, marbles, walnut and ocean spray granite, and the same Cristallo gold quartz kitchen countertops and backsplashes they are using at 111 West 57th Street, where residences are priced at $25 million. So you are getting this very high-end product at a much lower price in Park Slope."

A new, contemporary-style three-unit condo frame home between Smith and Hoyt Streets at 97 Douglass Street. All three apartments feature outdoor space and very high ceilings, and all three are duplexes as part of architect Ken Hudes' clever design. His five-story, 4,000-square-foot structure, brand-new from the ground up, maximized the light with floor-to-ceiling windows (even the bathrooms have ample windows), with a full-floor unit on the ground level with a garden and deck, and two duplexes on top. One of the duplexes features a 272-square-foot private south-facing terrace, perfect for an intimate dinner party, while another pro-vides access to the huge 676-square-foot private roof terrace, with a full outdoor kitchen and views of the Manhattan and burgeoning Brooklyn skylines.

Prices range from $2,195,000 to $2,895,000.

"Unlike some developments in Boerum Hill and Carroll Gardens that are large, this is just a three-unit modern development that fits inside the footprint of what was here," said Behzad Amiri, sales agent with The Corcoran Group. "Within that context, we have maximized the amount of space that is there, and brought up the level of finish with a modern design with wide-open, double-height spaces, and walls of glass on both sides of the building. Townhouse living traditionally has light in the front and back, but can be dark in the interior. Here, the light goes through the entire space. And you could have an amazing rooftop party for 75 people - and no one has to come into your apartment."

Also near Smith Street, 345 Carroll Street is a new full-service condo in Carroll Gardens between Hoyt and Bond Streets that also offers a caliber of design and lifestyle rivaling top properties in Manhattan. Occupancy is expected this summer, and the 32-residence condo is already sold out except for one corner penthouse unit on the fifth floor of the five-story building.

The corner penthouse is on the market for $3,805,000. "The neighborhood is mostly classic brownstones, many with front gardens along the beautiful tree-lined blocks, and that was part of our design for the building, which incorporates bay windows in a modern take on 19th-century Brooklyn," explained Millie Perry, director of sales for 345 Carroll. "Inside, a wall of windows on the back of the building overlook the common garden, and we have 5,300-square-feet of outdoor space, which incorporates a bocce ball court, some vegetable gardening spots, and some seating areas - all private to the building. There is a common roof terrace, bike storage, a children's playroom and fitness center, and this apartment has a parking spot reserved for the new owner. This combination of amenities answered a real need for this neighborhood in a new luxury building that really didn't exist in Carroll Gardens until now."

Williamsburg is equally coveted. At 58 Metropolitan Avenue, a 2,400-square-foot, four- or five-bedroom combination duplex with a private rooftop cabana offers expansive Manhattan and East River views and a 28-foot-wide great room. Amenities for the building, housed at 80 Metropolitan, the sister condominium located next door, include an indoor swimming pool and fitness center.

The recently reduced price of $3,799,000 includes the right to purchase two deeded parking spaces, at $65,000 a piece. Common monthly charges are $2,118, and there is also a 15-year tax abatement, which has 11 years remaining. "Besides the views and the location, the advantage here is that the combination unit has already been customized for family living," explained Jay Overbye, associate broker with Halstead Property. "It is tough to find carrying costs this low for something of this caliber. Short of buying a townhouse, it is almost impossible to find a true four or five bedroom anywhere, especially one with water views in a full-service condominium like this in Williamsburg."

The 24-foot-wide, five-floor Greek Revival townhouse at 271 Hicks Street in Brooklyn Heights is just such a townhouse. Owned for more than 50 years by the late Herbert Kaufman, architect and Brooklyn Heights preservationist, and now his descendants, the home has more than 5,200 square feet of interior space, and 1,100 square feet outdoors, including a charming extension in the rear garden that Kaufman designed for his master bedroom.

The price was recently lowered to $6,200,000.

"The home is now zoned for three families, but a buyer could easily make this a single-family home, enclose the two covered terraces, and enjoy the panoramic view of the harbor and Manhattan from the top floor and the roof," said Joan Goldberg, associate broker and townhouse specialist with Brown Harris Stevens. "It is a townhome that needs work - but it is a very sound home that has already been improved by a great architect, and has terrific light. It is one of the better priced townhouses, if not the best, on the market in Brooklyn Heights."

Newswalk is the name of a former printing factory that was converted into a 153-residence, full-service condominium in 2002. Located in Prospect Heights at 535 Dean Street, the penthouse has several totally unique features: 25-foot-high ceilings, 3,000-square-foot private garden and patio, 2,000-square-foot private terrace, and a sound-proofed home theater that seats eight. Newswalk features a 24-hour concierge, valet parking and a Zipcar facility on the premises, as well as a fully equipped 24-hour fitness center, bicycle storage and a two-tiered, 14,000-square-foot roof deck with a landscaped garden, a childrens' playground and areas for grilling, lounging and entertaining.

The home theater was designed by the owner, Theo Kalomirakis, who has designed home theaters for Hollywood celebrities and sports heroes, including the late Michael Jackson. The list price is $3,995,000. "The home theater alone cost $1 million to build," said Deepak Hemrajani, sales agent with Douglas Elliman Real Estate. "Couple that with the huge private garden, the terrace and 1he living space itself, and now the proximity to Atlantic Terminal and Barclays Center, and the list price makes sense. Prospect Heights is an active market where prime real estate sells for between $900 and $950 per square foot. For someone who loves to entertain, both indoors and out, and who appreciates having what is no doubt one of the world's best home theaters, this is a real find." 

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