Wednesday, February 10, 2010

My Dream in D.U.M.B.O.

We are expecting a big snowstorm tonight in New York City and temperatures in the high 20's low 30's.  Snow accumulation is estimated to be a foot to a foot and a half.  Needless to say I will be shoveling a lot of snow tomorrow.  So what am I dreaming about tonight?

This:
 photo source: Ángel Franco/The New York Times

It is  the Clock Tower Building, one of the tallest buildings in a neighborhood in Brooklyn known as DUMBO  .. an abbreviation for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. I blogged about this neighborhood once before.  It was once a manufacturing district, housing factories and warehouses that made and stored machinery, paper boxes and Brillo soap pads, among other things. When those businesses left the area, these buildings became primarily residential for artists and other young homesteaders, who were seeking relatively large and inexpensive loft apartment spaces for studios and homes. As popularity for DUMBO grew many of these buildings were renovated and converted into luxury apartments and condos/co-ops.
So why would I be thinking about this building on this winter night?   For this reason:


   photo source:  Ángel Franco/The New York Times
And this:
 
   photo source: Ángel Franco/The New York Times

They are the spectacular views taken from the terrace of the penthouse condominium this past summer, and shown in this New York Times real estate article.   I have been dreaming about it ever since. It has unobstructed views of New York Harbor, the East River, Lower Manhattan, and both the Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge! I would love to sit here on my teakwood lounge chair on a balmy summer night and watch the city lights twinkle all around me as I sipped my ice tea.   Yes, I could spend many hours on this terrace observing the car traffic on the bridges and the boat traffic on the river, listening to the hum of the greatest city in the world, and watch both the sun rise over Brooklyn and set over Manhattan.
 
Of course the interior is also a thing that dreams are made of:
 
   photo source: Ángel Franco/The New York Times

The interior of the 6,800 square foot triplex condominium is dominated by four working synchronized clocks housed in four 14-foot-high round windows, which provide nearly unobstructed views out to the four points of the compass of the buildings tower.
 
   photo source: Ángel Franco/The New York Times

The New York Times article states

"The 3,000-square-foot main floor has an open living room, dining room and kitchen with 16-foot-high ceilings. A glass-walled elevator and a three-story floating staircase at the center of the space lead to smaller floors that narrow toward the top of the tower. There are three bedrooms on the 2,300-square-foot second floor (watch your head as you walk along the exterior walls), and on the floor above that, a 988-square-foot open loft with a 15-foot ceiling."


 photo source: Ángel Franco/The New York Times   Mosaics made by me.


A fabulous video about this condominium, as well as the floor plan and additional photos, can be viewed on http://www.clocktowerny.com/

The building is owned and developed by David C. Walentas, and the price for this condominium is 25 million dollars  -- the highest asking price for a home in Brooklyn to date!

So for me it will forever remain a dream ....but what a fun dream it is!


I am linking this post to Susan at A Southern Daydreamer blog's "Outdoor Wednesday"event and Jenny of the Jenny Matlock blog's "Alphabe Thursday" event....the letter this week is "D"  Thanks Ladies! 





Bookmark and Share

76 comments:

Laura in Paris said...

Beautiful space ... though I am not sure I'd like to be reminded contantly of time passing by ... tic tac tic tac

Sandy said...

Surely this condo has been used in a movie? It's a fantastic setting one would not forget soon with those glass clocks.

Teacup Lane (Sandy)

RoeH said...

In my next life, I want to be very wealthy. Just to see what it would be like. I'd pick that place to live. :)

vignette design said...

What a beautiful condo with a fantastic view.

Anonymous said...

Great place, great views, and probably a GREAT price!!! The clock reminds me of the one at the Musee D'orsay in Paris:- http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/europe/orsay07.shtml

"To love life is to love time. Time is the stuff life is made of" Benjamin Franklin ( 1706-1790)

Thank you for the wonderful post. Jackie in UK.

Gracie said...

WOW is all I have to say...WOW again....I'd like to live in a place like that! I know it would be hard to go out of it....
Gracie @ http://mylittleplace.blog.com

My name is Riet said...

Oh my goodness, what a beautiful place. Yes I would dream and look over New York with you. Have a nice day

Anonymous said...

WOW....Beautiful.... but I am holding out for a Brownstone!! LOL!!
Happy Valentine's Day!
Marilyn
xxoo

eileeninmd said...

Lovely views and an awesome looking condo. I love the clock windows.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

What a great place, the view must be wonderful. Standing and watch the time go by.
But not for me..love my garden, the lake and the trees.
Lots of snow in New York?
And here in Toronto?
We got a litte bit more than one inch of snow overnight.
The first snowfall of the season!!
It is not enough snow to get the shovel out of the garage.
I love shoveling snow.
It is a good exercise;).
Hopefully we get more, the garden needs the moisture.
- Cheers Gisela

Tracy said...

What a wonderful building--and such views from it!!...*swoon*... The clock is just beautiful...very exciting post, Pat! And do be keeping safe, keeping warm with all that snow... My folks in PA were slammed with snow this past weekend, and now more on the way...they've got 25" already---yikes! Careful too with the snow-shoveling... Don't forget to take pics! ;o) Happy Day, my friend ((HUGS))

Catherine said...

That`s a great building and how nice would it be to watch the snowfall drifting over the city from that height. Beautiful.

Old Kitty said...

Hi

Oh wow.

I'm still scraping my jaw off the floor not only for the asking price (that is like, whoa, outta most mortals' reach!) but for how BEAUTIFUL the views are! And such a lot of space and atmosphere. And what a history - from manufacturing to artists haven to fabulously gorgeous penthouses!

And there's a chocolate cafe there too! What more could a girl want?!

Beautiful, beautiful. I think I'll join you for tea...

Thank you

Take care
x

Kat said...

Wow! This place is breathtaking. What an incredible space, and the views are amazing. I could live in the city again in a place like that. But alas, a bit out of our price range lol. Be safe with all the snow, my niece in Philly got 28 inches over the weekend and they are expecting a whole lot more. Yikes! I think I'll stick with my little house in Texas - it's cold, but no snow. Great post, Pat! Kathy

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

What a beautiful space. It's breathtaking. I agree with the others. I wouldn't want to know what time it is all of the time.

Stay warm. I'm watching the news this morning and it looks bad. My brother-in-law in Mineola was going to drive to SC today but that's out of the question with your snow and the snow in DC.

Happy Valentines Day.
Sam

prashant said...

I want to be very wealthy. Just to see what it would be like. I'd pick that place to live.

Work from home India

Jenny said...

Oh wow. I love the light and shadow play from that intriguing architecture Pat. It is just gorgeous. I am moving that onto my "must see" list... The feeling of that space is astonishing. Thanks for sharing this. McLinkey will be up after 9 tonight.

black eyed susans kitchen said...

Pat, I thought someone would have bought this space by now! Maybe we should buy lottery tickets..it is obviously waiting for one of us...lol. I can just imagine decorating a space like this. Stay warm and don't do too much shoveling.
♥, Susan

Anonymous said...

Holy moly! (That's for the condo.)

HOLY MOLY!!! (That's for the price.)

The clocks are amazing, the way they shadow on the floor. Wonder how it would look with furniture? Talk about being caught in a time warp!

I like the terrace best.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh-come on Pat... That's just pocket change... Why don't you buy it????? ha ha

All I can say is WOW.... Has it sold yet???? Looks like a Bernie Madoff type of place!!!!! ha

What a VIEW though....

It's snowing like crazy here today--but nothing like NYC.
Hugs,
Betsy

Elizabeth said...

What an awesome place & a great dream. I am so glad I stopped by, your blog is wonderful & I have bookmarked it.

Just a little something from Judy said...

No wonder you are dreaming about this condo. It is so much fun to see the interior of this interesting place. The architecture is so unique. The views would be breathtaking. I think I might dream about this condo too today, since we are also having a "blizzard" as they are calling it right now.

Hope you stay warm.

CatHerder said...

KEEP WARM AND DRY PAT...im dreaming of margaritas, cicadas singing, chirping birds, buzzing bees and an abundant tomato garden...****sigh**** i can dream cant i?

Helen said...

Pat, I am completely blown away by this condo! Mouth is hanging open in fact! (not a pretty sight before 9am) .... WOW is all I can say.

Anonymous said...

I wish I had 25 mil, me and you would be the proud owners the possiblities are endless,let's keep dreaming, sometimes dreams come TRUE.

Ms. Bake-it said...

Wow! What a fabulous place! I cannot even comment on the asking price... Definitely a dream... Love the clocks and the views.

~ Tracy

Tara said...

Hi Pat:
One of my son's FIT professors lives in DUMBO and invited my son to his apt. He said it was unbelieveable,the views fantastic and it is such an artsy community. The building the professor lives in had--if you can believe this--community guest apartments on the ground floor for visitors so my son and his roomate were able to stay...he has had such amazing experiences in NYC, where else but New York, right?

:0)
Tara

Nola said...

Wow what a view! And I love the look of the clock window; the shadow of it on the floor is spectacular!

Joyce said...

Living there would be a dream come true for anyone that lucky to buy that amazing place. I would say have fun shoveling the snow but that is never a fun part. Perhaps you can hire some kids in the neighborhood to shovel for you. Stay warm and cozy and a snow day is a good day to curl up and read a good book with a hot drink while wearing some big furry slippers:)
Joyce

Char said...

Wow, that space is perfect and the views are beyond gorgeous, Char

annie said...

Wow, some condo! Dumbo is cool as is Vinegar Hill. Places people really rarely see.
I love the photos you posted.
Keep warm in all this snow.

Punctuation Mark said...

OMG! I have no words... this place is amazing!!!

Sara said...

What can I say that would even be equal to that beautiful space. I can't even imagine living there - but, I think I could daydream about it a lot.

Well, if 365 of us pooled our money - and it amounted to the sale price - we could each spend a day there...

wildcatwoods said...

That would be such a wonderful place to live!

Carolina Mountains

steviewren said...

Immediately I thought of it as a movie location. It somehow looks familiar.

How I would love to live there as well. It would be the ultimate home for a clock lover...and I do have a thing for clocks.

Lorrie said...

This does make a fabulous dream home Pat. The views are truly magnificent. It would be fun to watch the snow falling from up there.

I've been watching the news and talking to friends in the NY and PA area so I know how you are really getting an old-fashioned blizzard right now. I hope your power stays on. Enjoy the magical transformation that the snow will bring to the Big Apple!

The Quintessential Magpie said...

How fascinating, Pat! Such a neat place!

Stay warm. It's cold in the Sunshine State, too!

XO,

Sheila :-)

Unknown said...

Beautiful open space, I love that :) Happy weekend Pat.

Beth Leintz said...

But think about how hard it would be to find curtains for those round windows....<---just kidding- I'm off to visit the website of the developer, what an incredible place.

Jo said...

OMG that loft is just breathtaking!!! As soon as i win a lottery or something I am going to make it mine!!!
PS ... send some of that snow my way ... here in Vancouver bc, with the olympics days away and with the balmy tshirt & light jacket weather we need all the snow we can get!

Jenny said...

I was already here this morning but I wanted to say that you got an A+ on your D post...it is beautiful.

Amanda Lee said...

Imagine sitting in your luxury condo snuggled up with some hot chocolate and watching the snowfall...

GardenOfDaisies said...

That is so amazing!! Incredible space!

GardenOfDaisies said...

Hi again Pat, I have never been to Ireland, but would love to go someday. My ancestors came to America from Wicklow.

People Who Know Me Would Say: said...

HOLY COW! What a place! The views are unbelievable, but those clock windows? Me want. Me no can afford, but me want.

I am loving having you tour me around NYC!

Jacque said...

Good Morning!!

Girl..I am dreaming with ya! I've got dibs on the condo with the Clock windows!! Move over, here I come!!

Thanks for sharing today!

Betty said...

As I was reading I was taking guesses as to the cost. I knew millions, but never for a moment guessed that many. Enjoyed your post.

Julie Kwiatkowski Schuler said...

I often daydream of living in New York. And getting my work into some fashionable gallery!

Anonymous said...

Wow that is a beautiful place Pat the stuff of dreams only for me too. I love the clock windows and the enclosed balcony so you could be outside in most weathers.

Terri Smith said...

Oh Pat..all the photos were magnificent! My favorite of course is the loft style apartment. Would I love to have my art studio in that gorgeous place or what? Of course, I'd for sure have to sell a lot of roosters to cough up 25 million. Whew Wee!

I'm telling you true..your photographs help me walk vicariously through NY. What a fabulous city! I'm a Southern Girl whose heart belongs to Dixie, but a quick visit to this lovely place would sure be nice. My first stop..that loft of course!

Unknown said...

Awesome photos!

MrsJenB said...

Fab-u-lous! Amazing! Breathtaking! I am now dreaming of this place!

In case you couldn't tell, I am very enthusiastic!

Amy said...

I love learning about New York through your blog!

Viki said...

Now that is a gorgeous place and view.

Claudia said...

Oh my...timepasses and passes. The condo is incredible. And I am sure they have someone else shovel the snow?

Carol said...

Wow, what amazing condo, spectacular views! Amazing how the manufacturing districts have become fashionable!

Did you get bombarded? We did on Long Island, it never stopped snowing until the wee hours this morning. It was very pretty to wake up to, until we had to dig out!

Now you have me dreaming of condo's :) Great post, Pat!

maryt/theteach said...

Pat, thanks for commenting on my "Favorite Photo of the Week." I pass the area you show all the time, DUMBO, my nephew lives in Brooklyn. wouldn't I love to live in a condo like that! :)

Sarah said...

Now I'm going to be dreaming about this! What an amazing space. Thanks for shairing this one. Like you, I can just imagine sitting out on the teak deck taking in all the sights. Simply wonderful!

Kathy said...

25 Mill, I'll take two please haha, seriously that apartment is amazing and what views, I immediately thought of D'Orsay too. love the shadows those clocks create. hugs, Kathy.

pam said...

wow...beautiful. I do wonder about the clock noise???? What an amazing perch to view a magnificent city.

mub said...

Wow, that view is amazing!

Unknown said...

wow! what a spectacular place! my hubster and i have a home we dream about that is out of our reach financially too...but it isn't nearly as drop dead gorgeous as this. i am swooning
found you through alphabe-thursday

Catherine said...

Beautiful place and superb view! love it

Unknown said...

Can I join you for tea on the veranda?
This is a lovely place! But I'm a country kinda gal. It would be a place I would like to visit for a few days though. You would have to learn to tell time backwards. LOL
Love the photos!
Judy

Loretta a/k/a Mrs. Pom said...

Oh please! Buy it so I can visit you! Spectacular! Note sure about 4 clocks - kind of hard to hang any art that would compete in scale. Gorgeous space and view, though.

RNSANE said...

My goodness, Pat, I could only like that better if it looked out on the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay Bridge and the city of San Franciso but, of course, we have no Statue of Liberty here. What a spectacular place..perhaps a bit too modern for my tastes but I love the square footage and all the space. I suppose it will be purchased by some oil rich sheik from Dubai or one of the Chinese to whom we are getting increasing indebted.

What a wonderful post you did...all I kept thinking is what a sad thing that the twin towers aren't part of that amazing view.

Vee said...

Wow. Only 25 million. It is fun to dream. I like the sculpture of the clocks, but I wouldn't want them to make any noise.

I've been wondering how the snow removal has gone and have hoped that you had help and that you have power and that you've spent a quiet, cozy kind of day.

Brenda said...

How wonderful to have such a dream. I think if I keep visiting you I will finally want to visit New York City. I'm not much for the big city but your posts are very informative and I enjoy seeing and reading everything you post!

BALLET NEWS said...

yes,what a lovely dream.

Have a wonderful weekend

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

wow...i'm dreaming too

love seeing new york through your blog...

i'll be back soon

kary

Unknown said...

that is amazing and I would love to live there...Can I dream about it too? melinda

Linda Lou said...

ALL I CAN SAY IS WOW-$25 MILLION, WELL YOU KNOW IT JUST MIGHT BE WORTH TO SOMEONE BECAUSE THAT VIEW IS TO DO FOR...KEEP DREAMING PAT, YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN THEY MIGHT COME TRUE!

Sniff said...

Hi there! Came across your blog as I was searching for bloggers writing about NYC, since I'm visiting your city in April.

What a fantastic place to live - and I mean both the city and the apartment you're showing us!

Greetings from Oslo, Norway :)

myletterstoemily said...

how cool is that!

Unknown said...

that is totally amazing...I know the Clocktower building