The Corcoran Group has now posted some units for sale in the Clermont Condominium up on its website, with listed one bedrooms starting at $409,000 (669 sf) and three bed, two bath units topping out at $865,500 (1323 sf). As many have noted, the building is attractive and well-constructed, and fits in considerably well with the existing Myrtle Avenue buildings in both scale and materials. With 52 units, this is the first new condo building of its size to go on the market within the Myrtle Avenue BID (Flatbush to Classon).

From the listing, it appears the developers have included some "green" features and some extra amenities, with "maple and bamboo together with thermal insulated 8 ft. windows, a high end energy efficient cooling/heating systems and energy efficient Jenn-Air stainless appliances. Amenities at the Clermont include: concierge service, underground parking, a fitness room, video intercoms, and a shared terrace with spectacular views."

We look forward to having these units sell and fill up, to bring more people to the Fort Greene side of Myrtle Avenue.

The six story condo building at 375 Myrtle / 150 Clermont that has been under construction for the last 2 years has released units for sale, including condos with one, two, and three bedrooms. The building's sales site is at Clermont Condominium, with floor plans and interior photos, though prices don't currently appear to be listed on the site yet. Units should be up on Corcoran's site later this week.

Over 200,000 square feet of retail is on the way for the long-planned Red Apple Group development taking shape on the south side of Myrtle between Ashland and the de-mapped Prince Street. Linda Collins at the Brooklyn Eagle has the full story and a break down of the retail space.

"As previously reported in the Eagle, the project, at 162-184 Myrtle Ave., between Flatbush Avenue Extension and Ashland Place, is a mixed-use development combining approximately 500 luxury residential units, more than 200,000 square feet of retail space plus underground parking.

The tri-level retail space includes:
• 61,000 square feet at street level with up to 23 foot-high ceilings;
• 79,000 square feet on the lower (below grade) level with 14-foot ceilings; and
• 89,500 square feet on the second floor with 15-foot ceilings."

As we've mentioned before, the Duane Reade will be back and relocating to the corner of Ashland. We've compiled a list of the many other businesses community members have told us they would like to see, and we are working with the Ingersoll and Whitman Tenant Associations to help ensure that their service needs are met. We have played at active role in recruiting businesses to the avenue for the last eight years, and plan to assist Winick Realty and John Catsimatidis where possible to secure tenants that are reflective of the community's needs. Please drop us a line if you have additional suggestions.

Rendering by Dattner Architects, courtesy of the Brooklyn Eagle

Condo applications are now available for 150 Myrtle Avenue. Forty two (42) units will be available at restricted prices for eligible buyers. Households that earn no more than 195% AMI ($138,255/year) are eligible to purchase these homes. There are 10 studios, 22 one-bedrooms, and 10 two-bedrooms being offered. Preference in the lottery for 50% of these units will be given to current residents of Community Board 2.

Further detail can be found on the developers' website: Myrtle Avenue Condominiums.

After a considerable amount of planning and negotiations, Pratt Institute has made its plans to build a second building on Myrtle Avenue official. Pratt will be building a 120,000-square-foot building at the former "KFC site", with 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail. The new building will further extend Pratt’s presence on Myrtle Avenue, joining the Prattstore, the Institute’s art supply and bookstore, which opened in 2005 at Myrtle and Emerson. Pratt will be aiming to achieve a LEED Gold certification for the new building, and recently received a $75,000 Kresge Foundation grant to help plan for integrating green building technologies. Green features currently being considered for potential application include a landscaped roof to help insulate the building and prevent water runoff, photovoltaic solar panels, and a geothermal climate control system.

Pratt's new building will house several academic programs and administrative offices, including the offices of admissions, financial aid, the bursar, and the registrar; the Pratt Center for Community Development, (formerly PICCED); the offices of the Institute’s Division of Development; The Department of Digital Arts and the Digital Arts Lab; and studios for graduate students.

The building is being designed by the multi-disciplinary architectural and engineering firm of Clinton Hill resident and Pratt alumnus Jack Esterson, Studio A and WASA. The firm is designing the new building to serve as a connection between Pratt’s campus and Myrtle Avenue with an atrium allowing views into and through the building from both sides.

Excerpted from Pratt's press release:

“We are committed to the idea that the building be exemplary, both as architecture and in its environmental performance,” said Jack Esterson, partner in charge at Studio A and WASA, who received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Pratt in 1975.

“The North façade is highly insulated and finished in brick and glass, in order to complement the 19th century commercial architecture of Myrtle Avenue without imitating it,” added Esterson. “On the South side, a glazed wall with ultra high-performance clear and translucent glass and solar shading is designed to bring daylight into the building year round, while keeping summer heat out.”

The firm’s Director of Sustainable Design and the point person for this project, Tony Daniels, is one of New York City’s most well known experts in sustainable architecture. His work has been recognized for excellence by numerous organizations, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the World Renewable Energy Congress, and the New York Society of Registered Architects, among others.

Pratt plans to break ground on the new project in spring 2008 with an anticipated completion date sometime in summer 2009. Stay tuned for further details, as the Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn Partnership will be working closely with Pratt to integrate the new building into the commercial corridor, and to make major streetscape improvements along that part of Myrtle Avenue.

We’ve recently heard the repetition of old rumors about the future of NYCHA’s Walt Whitman and Ingersoll public houses on Myrtle Avenue. These rumors were dispelled nicely by Dana Rubinstein in this week's Brooklyn Paper. To further set the record straight we reached out directly to NYCHA’s Spokesman, Howard Marder.

MARP: There has been a lot of work at the Whitman & Ingersoll public houses. What’s going on?
NYCHA: In 2003, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) embarked on a major modernization project at Whitman and Ingersoll to ensure the two developments remain in optimum condition as public housing for present and future generations. NYCHA is committing over $150 million to preserving over 3,000 public housing units and replacing the elevators at the two developments.

MARP: Are the public houses going to made into condos and sold?
NYCHA: No. NYCHA wants to ensure long-term preservation of Whitman and Ingersoll Houses as public housing and has no intention of selling neither the Whitman nor Ingersoll Houses.

MARP: Are income levels at the public houses going to change as a result of the modernization of the housing units?
NYCHA: No. Income levels are set by the Federal government. They don’t change.

MARP: When is the project going to be finished?
NYCHA: The apartment renovation is ongoing. Work on 61 elevators in the low-rise buildings should be completed by August 2008. For the taller buildings, elevator work will begin in spring 2008.

MARP: Where are the residents living while their units are being rehabilitated?
NYCHA: Residents have been relocated either to other apartments within Whitman and Ingersoll or to other NYCHA developments around the City. Residents are notified of the right to return when work has finished.

The GLC Group recently posted a rendering of their plan for 163 Washington. The 17 story building would house 50 condos in a tower behind the well-known restaurant Kum Kau (Myrtle - Hall/Washington).

Considering the recent rezoning of Fort Greene/Clinton Hill, which requires new buildings in the project area to be no higher than 50 feet, the ultimate design of the building is uncertain at this point, as was highlighted by Brownstoner last week.

In order to continue as planned, the developer would be required to get authorization from the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) to renew ("vest") their building permits, which under Section 11-331 of the Zoning Resolution means that the project has to have completed excavation and has to have made substantial progress on the foundations, and the BSA determines whether or not these qualifications have been met.

To learn more about the BSA, click here.

This building's going up fast! The frame of the west side is up, and the foundation on the eastern side has been poured. The Manhattan-based firm overseeing the development is Meltzer/Mandl Architects, P.C., the contractor is MGI Construction.

Meltzer/Mandl's niche appears to be urban development (surprise) and they do affordable housing, rehab, and large scale projects, like the Queens West Development (across from the U.N.) In this nabe, their last project was the Green House Condos (383 Carlton), which lit the fire behind local residents to push the FG/CH rezoning into full speed.

At the firm's website, they have renderings for 174 Vanderbilt and the first floor plan, see here. Looks like a swimming pool with flowers will be provided.

According to the images, it'll top out at 6 stories, and Brownstoner says they'll have 73 residential units and 38 parking spaces, which, yes, are required by zoning, and since they're building in accordance to the Quality Housing Program, they only have to provide parking spaces for 50% of residential units.

For more on NYC Parking regs in residential districts, view the pdf here.

Today's New York Post provides a good overview of what is reported as $3.1 billion worth of real estate construction taking place along Flatbush Avenue between the Manhattan Bridge and the Williamsburg Savings Bank building. The construction includes almost 4,500 residential units, 645,000 square feet of retail, and 190,000 square feet of office space. More details at the link. We'll have more info in the near future on site numbers 7, 8, 9, and 12 from the map.

The fifth floor is going up at this construction site on the corner of Clermont and Myrtle. The developer is the BRP Development Corp.

According to their website, the building will top out at six stories, with the top floor set back. The project includes 52 apartments and ground-floor retail.

For Brownstoner's take on the site, click here.