765 
Throughout New York's history, the banks of the East River have mostly been studies in contrast. On one side, the towering skyscrapers of Manhattan spread out across a vista that makes the city seem endless. On the other side, the more intimate rooftops of Brooklyn (and, further north, Queens) seemed a world away, and in many ways still do. Yet, for all the historic character and distinctive ambiance that still defines the borough, Downtown Brooklyn is quickly becoming a dense, highrise counterpart to the iconic skyline across the river. As an influx of development transforms the landscape, SkyriseCities takes a closer look at some of the projects that are remaking 21st century Brooklyn.
*
Among current construction projects, the 58-storey tower at 100 Willoughby Street is set to become the tallest building in the borough. Rising to a height of 182 metres, the condominium is among a glut of ongoing highrise projects currently in various phases throughout Downtown Brooklyn. The Avalonbay Communities Inc. project features a design by SLCE Architects, and is currently under construction (below).
100 Willoughby is set to narrowly overtake the neighbouring 388 Bridge Street (seen below) as Brooklyn's tallest building once it tops out. The 51-storey Stahl Real Estate tower at Bridge Street, also designed by SLCE Architects, was completed relatively recently in 2013, evidencing the sudden impact of recent projects on the local skyline. In fact, of the four tallest buildings in the borough right now, three have been completed within the last five years, while the fourth—the historic Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower (below, right)—dates all the way back to 1929.
Considering the Brooklyn skyline remained largely unchanged throughout the latter half of the 20th century—in fact, relatively little new high-rise construction occurred after the 1920s—the recent wave of construction is particularly striking, bringing about a radical and sudden transformation of the borough's urban fabric.
Among other highrise projects currently underway, DT Salazar Inc. and Gotham Organization Inc.'s 590 Fulton Street tower (below)—located slightly southeast of 100 Willoughby—will reach a height of 173 metres, which will make it the third tallest building in Brooklyn once construction tops out. The 51-storey, FXFOWLE-designed tower is set to bring 586 new units to market in 2016, bringing a sudden influx of urban density to the neighborhood.
Just around the corner from 590 Fulton, Steiner NYC'S The Hub (rendering below), now under construction, will rise to a nearly identical height of 172 metres, becoming the fourth tallest building in the borough. The Dattner Architects-designed tower will bring another 52 storeys of new residential space to the rapidly developing intersection of Fulton and Flatbush, which is set to soon become one of the densest residential communities in New York City.
590 Fulton Street and The Hub will join The Dermot Company and Ismael Leyva Architects' recently completed 66 Rockwell Plaza in transforming the area into the first highrise community of its kind in Brooklyn.
Slightly to the southwest, the Barclays Center (above) has already brought a significant influx of urban vibrancy to the borough, as the new home of the Brooklyn Nets (formerly the New Jersey Nets) and the New York Islanders.
*
The prominent projects outlined above are by no means an exhaustive overview of current development trends—there are currently dozens of projects underway throughout the borough—but they do evidence a strong trend toward highrise densification. One that, for better or worse, is reshaping the architectural and socio-cultural fabric of Brooklyn.
Share your thoughts about the changes in Brooklyn in the comments below, or by heading over to the New York City section of our Forum.
| Related Companies: | Rebar Enterprises Inc |
