Finished exterior of 51 Jay Stret in DUMBO (CityRealty)
One block to the DUMBO waterfront, 51 Jay Street is a beautiful ODA Architecture-designed industrial warehouse conversion that consists of 75 elegant condominiums and penthouses. The combination of classic, historic details with sleek, contemporary finishes create gorgeous homes with the highest craftsmanship. According to Carter Horsley, the building is most notable for its multi-pane windows and the railroad tracks that run through the double-height lobby.
The building’s amenities include a fitness and yoga room, children's playroom, residents' lounge, communal rooftop terrace with outdoor kitchen, grill and fireplace, landscaped courtyard, bicycle storage, residents' storage, pet grooming station, a large capacity laundry room and a 421-a tax abatement. Parking available for separate purchase.
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51 Jay Street entryway and inner courtyard (ODA Architecture)
"One should think of 51 Jay as a container of historical narratives, much like the past brings pleasure to the present in a bottle of finely aged wine." -Eran Chen
ODA’s Eran Chen said of the building, “I like the idea of embracing history in order to create the future.” Chen told New York Spaces that he greatly laments the lack of connectivity, authenticity, and context with most new construction. "One should think of 51 Jay as a container of historical narratives, much like the past brings pleasure to the present in a bottle of finely aged wine. The building's structure tells stories of its manufacturing heyday in the early 1800's when raw materials came in on train tracks and were then shaped with heavy machinery under the natural light pouring in through the skylights, windows, and courtyards. We've added our own interpretation by using a palette of materials inspired by what luxury meant in those days, collaged in a contemporary way. The layers of old and new combine to create a totally fresh and original product that could only exist in DUMBO—a living experience that is authentic to and highly expressive of its location," said Chen.
Virtually staged living room (Halstead)
Model living room (Halstead)
(Halstead)
Previously known as 201 Water Street, 51 Jay Street was built in 1913 as a Daylight Factory style factory building, according to the Landmark Preservation Council website. The "Daylight Factory" design used steel reinforced concrete to create strong, fireproof structural systems that supported concrete slab floors. The design typically featured large unobstructed floor plans and exposed concrete exterior frames that could be filled with large windows to let light and air.
Although the $4.25M, three-bed, four-bath Penthouse C is under contract, there are three remaining listings: a fifth-floor two-bedroom, a four-bedroom penthouse, and three-bedroom townhouse.
5J, a fifth floor, two-bedroom is 1,757 square feet and flooded with light. Asking $2,795 million, 5J has an expansive wall of casement windows and oak herringbone floors in living areas. The oversized kitchen includes beautiful, dark custom cabinetry by Aster Cucine, La Rochelle Gris marble slab countertops and Gaggenau appliances. The master bathroom features lacquered dark brown vanities with copper detailing, walnut brown marble floor in, and a glass-enclosed wet room with walk-in shower and soaking tub.
An available three-story townhouse spans nearly 3,500 square feet with 760 square feet of outside space including a balcony that spans the length of the second and third bedrooms and a rooftop terrace. The townhouse entrance is either off the street or through the lobby. There is a fully outfitted chef's kitchen with La Rochelle Gris marble slab countertops, a Gaggenau appliance package that includes electric convection oven and gas cooktop with 6 burners, refrigerator/freezer, wine cooler, dishwasher and microwave built-in drawer. There is also an open dining area overlooking a large sunken living room with smoked and wire brushed herringbone-patterned oak floors.
Virtually staged bedroom
The last remaining penthouse (PHA) is just over 2,600 square feet with four bedrooms and four and a half baths with three separate multi-level terraces totaling 1,388 square of private outdoor space. All of the bedrooms have access to outside space. This duplex penthouse was built on the top of the existing building and has stunning views over DUMBO with north, south, east and west exposures.
The penthouse has expansive floor-to-ceiling casement windows to flood the home with natural light. In addition to the high-end finishes of the other units, the penthouse master bedroom has a private southern-facing terrace. The second bedroom also has an ensuite bathroom with tundra grey honed marble and an oak vanity. The third and fourth bedrooms both have access to a third terrace facing east.
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DUMBO is Brooklyn's most expensive neighborhood to buy in with 38 condos currently for sale coming in at a median of $1,725,000 ($1,411 per square foot.).
The average closing price per square foot in the neighborhood is $1,264. The units at 51 Jay are asking well over average, with the closest being 5J’s asking price at $1,591. Closings began last year with the closing average for the 62 sales recorded so far at $1,581 per square foot. Despite being above average, this is still below the neighborhood's price per square foot record-holder 1 John Street, where closings have averaged north of $1,700 per square foot.
In the neighborhood, there is the Brooklyn Roasting Co, DUMBO Kitchen, Vinegar Hill House restaurant as well as Olympia wine bar and Pedro’s no-frills Mexican.
All of that and the building is one block from the waterfront and a new section of Brooklyn Bridge Park.
Google Earth aerial highlighting location of 51 Jay Street (CityRealty)
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Contributing Writer
Michelle Sinclair Colman
Michelle writes children's books and also writes articles about architecture, design and real estate. Those two passions came together in Michelle's first children's book, "Urban Babies Wear Black." Michelle has a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Minnesota and a Master's degree in the Cities Program from the London School of Economics.
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