Great NYC Apartment Buildings: One Hanson Place vs. Forte

One Hanson Place (pictured top right) vs.Forte (pictured bottom right): Two hard-to-miss towers in one of the city’s fastest-growing cultural and residential hotspots–one a historic Art Deco landmark, the other a sleek new example of 21st-century architecture.

One Hanson Place

Formerly the Williamsburgh Savings Bank, this 1920s-built skyscraper – it was long the borough’s tallest – is one of Brooklyn’s most important architectural landmarks. The illuminated clocks in its impressive domed tower rise 34 stories above the 2007 conversion that resulted in 175 loft apartments with terraces, high ceilings and modern finishes. The building offers four furnished public terraces with panoramic city skyline views as well as a residents-only sky lounge, a large children’s playroom, a well-stocked gym and a full-time staff. The well-known Brooklyn Flea market also made its winter home in the building’s dazzlingly ornate ground-floor space, Skylight One Hanson, which also hosts weddings and special events.

The building’s location is at the crossroads of top residential neighborhoods like Fort Greene, Prospect Heights and Boerum Hill, near Downtown Brooklyn’s civic buildings and new arts centers and cafes and a short distance from the new Barclays Center stadium. Besides being at the center of the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) historic and cultural district and next door to that renowned institution’s Peter Jay Sharp Theater building, One Hanson is steps from ten local and express subway lines and the LIRR.

Currently available is #14M, a loft-like two-bedroom condo with a state-of-the-art kitchen, central heat and A/C, two baths and large split bedrooms with a light-filled living room in between. The unit, on the market for $1,350,000 features the many walk-in closets and ample storage space for which the building is known; this high-floor apartment also offers breathtaking city views.

Live at One Hanson Place if:
• You want to call one of the city’s landmarked Art Deco masterpieces home.
• You like the idea of living in a skyscraper with plenty of entertaining room and breathtaking city vistas.
• You love the feel of pre-war buildings and classic city lofts but want the latest in modern conveniences – like central A/C, top-of-the-line kitchens and baths and an attentive building staff.
• You enjoy living in the center of a culturally rich area that is also a sought-after residential neighborhood, near transportation and endless amenities.

Forte

The appearance of Forte at 230 Ashland Place, which was built in 2007 and designed by FXFowle Architects, was among the most widely-discussed signs that historic Fort Greene and the surrounding neighborhood had become a great place to live – although it certainly wasn’t the first. The area has been growing in popularity as a residential district as well as an important arts and cultural hub for many years. Rising 28 stories above the neighboring Harvey Theater building in the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) historic district, this striking, triangular tower was a sit-up-and-take-notice sign that the neighborhood had arrived. Interiors at Forte are elegant and modern as well; views from walls of windows are breathtaking and apartments feature spectacular living rooms; there are only four apartments per floor.

Forte’s location in the BAM historic and cultural district near Fort Greene Park at the nexus of Fort Greene, Prospect Heights and Boerum Hill gives residents endless choices among restaurants, entertainment, boutiques and galleries as well as excellent public transportation including the LIRR. The new Barclays Center stadium is also nearby.

Available units in this condominium residence include a coveted penthouse apartment: #PHD offers two bedrooms and two baths and is currently on the market for $1,099,000; the layout maximizes a convenient separation between private and entertaining spaces, with its two large bedrooms on one side of the unit and a chef’s kitchen, dining area and living space at the other. In addition to the amenities mentioned above, the building has a roof garden and a state-of-the-art fitness center.

Live at Forte if:
• You love modern, high-rise living, sleek walls of windows and innovative 21st-century architecture.
• You love a full-service building with top-of-the-line finishes and generous amenities and the conveniences of a condo.
• You'll appreciate the green spaces of historic Fort Greene Park, the cultural richness of the surrounding neighborhoods and the many nearby public transportation options.
• You’re in search of penthouse living under $2 million.