http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categor..._id=5&id=28730
Tallest B’klyn Building Yet Has Topping Out
by Linda Collins
06-10-2009
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — Calling it “The Brooklyner,” the Clarett Group celebrated its topping out last week for what may well be Brooklyn’s tallest building.
The 51-story, 514-foot tall building at 111 Lawrence St. in Downtown Brooklyn, is two feet higher than the iconic — and previously tallest — Williamsburgh Savings Bank, now One Hanson Place, which is 512 feet tall.
The topping out was not a public event, but rather one for the development teams, architects, financial and construction people, said spokesperson Jimmy Lappas.
According to Veronica Hackett, managing partner at Clarett, occupancy is anticipated for late 2009 or early 2010.
Hackett said the new name — The Brooklyner — is “a moniker that embraces Brooklyn’s standing as the city’s hottest residential borough.”
Designed by Gerner Kronick + Valcarcel Architects (GKV), the new rental building is constructed of “cast-in-place concrete consisting of a combination of window wall and metal panels on the eastern and western facades,” said Randy Gerner, GKV principal and lead architect on the development.
“With varying shades of earth tones and patterns reflective of Brooklyn's historic brownstone homes and architectural elements found in the nearby neighborhood, the exterior walls are designed with a basket-weave aesthetic,” he said, adding that the design was influenced by the textures and colors of the nearby neighborhoods. “The architecture is intended to weave the urban fabric into the facade, transforming the building into a structure that is distinctly modern, attractively innovative and authentically Brooklyn.”
Commented Hackett, “As the tallest building in Brooklyn, the tower presents unrivaled views of the East and Hudson rivers, the New York Harbor, and the Brooklyn and Manhattan skylines. The views include almost every iconic image and landmark for which New York City is famous.”
The tower will have 491 rental apartments comprised of loft-style studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms. A 24-hour concierge and “a complete fitness and lifestyle amenities package” are also planned.