Completion Date: June 2007
Project Category: Adaptive Reuse
99 Gold Street is an adaptive re-use of a former warehouse in Vinegar Hill, which is the neighborhood adjacent to trendy D.U.M.B.O. (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Both neighborhoods maintain many elements that reflect the 1900s old world style in which they were first built but punctuated by modern structures and contextual adaptations.
The concrete and block structure, originally a souvenir factory, was converted into a residential community containing 88 loft-style apartments, ranging from 600-square-foot studios to 2,000-square-foot penthouses. All of the apartments have high ceilings, balconies and dramatic wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling windows.
The unique floor plan for the above-ground floors of the rectangular structure was achieved by re-orienting the direction of interior walls on a carefully calculated angle so that each apartment features Manhattan and river views, all with completely usable space within.
Overlaying a new grid pattern askew from the existing footprint allowed for deep, yet light-filled apartments with the best possible views of the Manhattan skyline. The traditional manufacturing window openings were widened, and new large floor-to-ceiling sliding glass low-e doors were installed. Each apartment has a triangular-shaped balcony, an extension of the new grid pattern, manifesting the “new” interior within the “old” building core. Consolidating the service cores and creating a design that went against the existing grid maximized the perimeter of the building by leaving it open and free of obstacles.
The building’s cellar, often an accessory feature used for storage and parking, has been adapted into a full-sized basketball court.
When viewed from the East River, 99 Gold Street gives the appearance of a cruise ship floating on the water. A penthouse addition and recreational roof deck, along with extensive glazing and bright white exteriors complete the building’s fresh, nautical theme.
As the first upscale project in the Vinegar Hill area of Brooklyn, 99 Gold has become a benchmark for future projects in the area with its refined design approach which enhances the original structure with modern accents. The original scale and concrete materials have been maintained in reference to the history of the area, while distinct new balconies, glass walls, and entrance details have been added to improve the streetscape and provide the immediate area with an architectural “facelift.”
As 88 new families moved into this previously abandoned location at the center of Vinegar Hill, 99 Gold Street transformed the neighborhood overnight by linking the thriving DUMBO neighborhood to the west, the precious Vinegar Hill historic district to the east, and the large scale NYCHA residential buildings to the south into a cohesive active streetscape without derelict gaps.
