Brooklyn, New York
2013
As part of the growing investment portfolio of Weissman Equities, the Halsey Street project in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn brings about positive change to an underperforming property, as well as to the surrounding neighborhood.
Improvements to the property include redistribution of the space occupied by the existing ground floor liquor store. Reclaiming storage space in the existing cellar allowed the building owner to capture valuable ground floor storage space and make it a profitable second retail space. This solution called for the installation of a new material lift for the liquor store to better access the cellar storage spaces with inventory, new security walls, and the restoration of a former retail storefront that was bricked over in past years.
Since the building is on the western edge of the newly expanded New York City “Bedford-Stuyvesant Historic District”, all work on the project was subject to review at a hearing of the city’s Landmarks Preservation Committee (LPC). Our storefront proposal was the first project in the expanded historic district that was reviewed by the committee, and it was overwhelmingly approved at the first hearing.
Plans for the new storefront call for a modern interpretation of a traditional storefront in steel, aluminum and glass, complete with inset entry doors and “bay windows” for retail display and/or restaurant/café seating. Historically sensitive improvements to the remainder of the façade include the removal of excessive and garish liquor store signage; installation of a secure trash bin enclosure; concealment of existing security gates behind new awnings; signage upgrades; and lighting, signage and aesthetic upgrades to the residential apartment entryway.
The residential scope of the project gut-renovated four of six existing apartments. Kitchens were installed with new cabinets, attractive finishes and modern appliances, including a washer/dryer in each unit. Bathrooms were rearranged with a separate water closet room, accessible from the common hallway, to better accommodate multiple roommates. Bedroom space in each apartment was redistributed to make the three bedrooms more equal in size and with more spacious closets. New lighting and flooring finished off the look and feel of a tasteful and highly marketable New York City apartment.
Press:
brownstoner.com 'Developer Expands in Bed Stuy, Starts Leasing in Landmarked Building' | 18 February 2014 PDF