Here’s What Eliot Spitzer’s Williamsburg Waterfront Empire Will Look Like
Former governor Eliot Spitzer–AKA Client 9, AKA Luv Gov, AKA The Steamroller–has reportedly abandoned politics for the time being in favor of heading up his family’s real estate business, Spitzer Enterprises. With his first project, Spitzer will steamroll the Williamsburg waterfront to build a massive apartment complex, which ODA Architecture describes as resembling “molded icebergs.”
ODA has just released renderings for the three-tower, 24-story, $700 million complex, to be located at 420-444 Kent Avenue, overlooking the East River. Designed by ODA’s Eran Chen, the cubist-influenced skyscrapers, which look more like giant glass Jenga games than anything found in nature, will have two rooftop pools, a public park, and an esplanade. The “molded iceberg” is “sculpted to create the maximum number of views and outdoor spaces,” Chen told the New York Times.
Just a few blocks south of the $1.5 billion Domino Sugar Factory development, the complex is only the latest and flashiest addition to Williamsburg’s real estate explosion. Thousands of apartments are underway in the area. But the Steamroller isn’t one to be deterred by competition. “Can Williamsburg absorb 4,000 units?” Spitzer asked the Times. “I don’t think there’s any question the answer is yes.” To make sure rent will be as high as possible, Spitzer was careful to get the project off the ground before De Blasio’s proposed raising of affordability requirements by 30% gained any traction.
If you see such buildings as giant tombstones for an older, cheaper, better Brooklyn, the property’s marketers urge you not to worry: “Eliot is very in touch with what people want,” David Maundrell of Aptsandlofts.com said. “He’s done his research. We really want to make this authentic Brooklyn, not an extension of Manhattan.” Molded icebergs = authentic Brooklyn! Got it.
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