Denizen Bushwick: ODA-designed art- and amenity-rich rental now leasing from $2,250/month

By Ondel Hylton | From Brooklyn Tuesday, May 26, 2020

Photo of Denizen Bushwick by Eric Laignel via ODA New York

Occasionally, a new project raises the bar for all-inclusive urban living a notch higher. In 2016, Via 57 West's "courtscraper" design gave residents their own Central Park-proportioned courtyard while introducing a new silhouette to the Midtown West skyline. Last year, the city gained the American Copper Buildings, whose oxidizing skins energized the east side while offering residents an unparalleled amenity package that includes a connecting sky-bridge with a 75-foot lap pool. More recently, as the young and creative continue to flock to Brooklyn, an aspirational and artistic rental building called Denizen Bushwick promises to satisfy all the wants and wishes a renter could desire.

Denizen Bushwick was conceived by Williamsburg-based developer All Year Management and designed by ODA Architecture. Addressed at 54 Noll Street in northwest Bushwick, the hefty 492-unit structure rises on part of the 10-block site occupied by the Rheingold Brewery, which ceased operations in 1976. The building will join three new sister buildings at 123 Melrose (part of this same development), and the Rabsky Group's 10 Montieth (also designed by ODA) and 115 Stanwix Street. From its art-infused corridors to its melding of public and private spaces, we present the ways Denizen has raised the bar for New York rentals.

The Architecture

Standing eight floors tall and thrusting flush from its surrounding streets, Denizen's brick facade is broken by diagonal bracing and deeply-recessed windows lending it a robust factory-like appearance. Window surrounds are painted a rusty-red color that echoes Cor-ten steel, says Juan Roque Urrutia, a designer at ODA who led a tour of Denizen's spaces.

Spanning nearly an acre and a half, the seemingly monolithic structure is dissolved by a system of interconnecting open spaces that make the project unlike any other in New York City. According to ODA, the layout is to encourage both leisure and discovery – a guiding principle of the design. The project is said to have been inspired by a European village, and like a well-designed street, circulation areas are bright, interesting, and inviting. Corridors are lined with art, gathering areas, and offer visual connections to other parts of the building. The pair of meandering courtyards flows to an 18,000-square-foot public promenade that separates Denizen from its counterpart at 123 Melrose Street, which is still under construction.

The Apartments

As of this writing, there are 12 units on the market. Studios start at $2,250/month, one-beds at $2,650/month, two-beds at $3,250/month, and a three-bed is available for $4,499/month. In spring 2018, an affordable lottery was held for 183 units from $947/month.

All interiors have hardwood floors, expansive windows, central air, and in-unit washers/dryers. The apartments come in a variety of finishes, some with a light or classic dark wood look, others with a contemporary and clean aesthetic. Select apartments have private balconies.

Light and dark finishes

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The Amenities

Upon arrival, residents/guests enter an airy lobby featuring brick-vaulted ceilings and glazed herringbone floors. The space is on axis to a landscaped central courtyard with Ping-Pong tables. To the right, behind the service desk, are rows of moss-topped mailboxes, and to the left is a seating area and counter reserved for a coffee shop. Other amenities sprinkled throughout include a tenant lounge, co-working space, conference rooms, a library, and a fitness center. Unique amenities include a bowling alley, a beer/wine brewery, a pet space, a kids' room with rock climbing, bike parking, and a demonstration kitchen.

However, Denizen has not stopped at simply presenting amenity space. These are used as the settings for activities that bring residents together and cultivate a sense of community. The building has hosted craft beer happy hours and exclusive cooking classes, and the past autumn and winter offered events like a building-wide Halloween party, a champagne brunch and a children's holiday party.

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The Outdoor Space

The star of the show is the building's 60,000-square-foot roof deck with landscaped walking areas that can serve as a private Brooklyn High Line, especially as the weather warms. With panoramic views of Brooklyn and Manhattan serving as the backdrop, the roof features a plethora of seating areas, a faux lawn area to walk pets, and mini-golf sets. A hydroponic urban farm allows tenants to produce and harvest crops, and the roof will eventually host a pool.

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The Art

ODA Architecture and the non-profit organization OPEN selected artists to create the public art in the complex. Residential corridors are themed with different materials and glazed sections offer improved vantage points of the large-scale art installations that run up courtyard perimeters. Through the creation of OPEN, ODA’s Public Engagement in Neighborhoods, they collaborated with local charitable organizations to provide grants to local artists to create the art in the complex. Denizen's team placed an emphasis on weaving the creativity of the neighborhood into the project; building on the neighborhood's spectacular street art scene and its strong sense of community, they created unique and extraordinary art pieces throughout the property. Eran Chen of ODA has shared a video showing off one such large-scale creation.