An ahead-of-the-curve, mixed-income condominium from a renowned architecture firm
With its 2009 completion, The Toren was officially added to BFC Partners’ world-class portfolio of developments. Designed by SOM, the firm behind iconic builds like the One World Trade Center, this 38-story condominium was forward-thinking in several respects. “The building has features which, in the early 2000s, were quite different. Now they may be more commonplace, but back then it was striking,” says Marie Bromberg, a real estate salesperson with Compass who previously owned in the building before temporarily returning as a renter. The Toren brought the finishes and amenities typical of a luxury build to a mixed-income market, a concept central to BFC Partners’ ethos. It also arrived ahead of the development boom in Downtown Brooklyn, signaling the change of the skyline to come. And The Toren set an example environmentally, achieving LEED Gold certification.
The Toren’s in-house power plant cuts back on CO2 emissions
Energy Concepts, a Rochester-based environmental engineering firm, joined the project and led the sustainability charge. The most advanced component involved constructing what the firm calls a “super-efficient, ultra-clean” power plant inside the building. The private plant generates electricity, heats and cools the building, and even provides backup power in case of blackouts. As a result, The Toren’s carbon footprint is reduced by nearly 1,000 tons per year. Residents see the results, too: “When I lived in a one-bedroom in Manhattan, I used ConEd and National Grid,” Bromberg recounts. “The utility bills I had at The Toren for a two-bedroom unit were the same or less than what I paid before. So relatively, the utilities at The Toren were cheaper since I had a lot more space to power.” Other eco-friendly features are also meaningful to owners. “They also made sure to give residents plenty of outdoor space, opting for a bi-level terrace on the fifth and sixth floors. Plus, there’s a nice bike room to encourage a more green form of transportation,” Bromberg says.
The eye-catching facade sets the tone for the interior design
Coming off the Manhattan Bridge and onto Flatbush Avenue, drivers come across The Toren, and though it’s no longer the first high-rise along the thoroughfare, it’s certainly one of the most noticeable. “The pattern across The Toren’s facade is one of the building’s most remarkable features,” Bromberg says. “There are these oscillating dark, light and reflective windows, and a white metal curtain wall that gives it an elongated effect. When the building opened, Downtown Brooklyn was still very brownstone-heavy, so it was just very striking. It still is.”
240 units ranging from studios to three-bedrooms
As far as Bromberg is concerned, the top-notch design from SOM continues inside. “They carried that variation from the facade to the units, as well, which is wonderful.” The Brazilian walnut floors have dark and light shades side-by-side, lending a sense of depth and texture to the living spaces. The ceiling heights are varied, too. “Different areas would have anywhere between nine and 10.5 feet,” Bromberg says. “The variation made it feel like the room was opening up and like you were going into different rooms, even though it was an open floor plan. For example, the living area and kitchen area are marked by different ceiling heights as opposed to something like different flooring, which is what you used to see in older buildings.” Kitchens are outfitted with integrated appliances and a green-hued marble backsplash, while bathrooms feature a skinny gray tile across the walls and floor. Some units have a trapezoidal shape, resulting in angled walls and asymmetrical spaces, and all have floor-to-ceiling windows and in-unit washer/dryers. Studios, 450 to 500 square feet, typically cost between $550,000 and $650,000, while prices for 600 to 800 square foot one-bedrooms range from $690,000 to $935,000. In recent years, two- and three-bedroom residences have sold for between $1 million and $2.3 million.
2,000 square feet of wellness space, including an indoor pool
“The amenities were one of the things that initially attracted me as a buyer. I loved how they were all connected,” Bromberg shares. Both the upper and lower terraces offer metal, bistro-style tables for outdoor dining with minimalist landscaping around the perimeter. From the terrace, residents can take the stairs one floor down to the fourth-floor fitness center, yoga studio and sauna. “It’s a 2,000-square-foot space with two huge skylights that add a lot of natural light to the gym.” The gym overlooks both a 50-foot, indoor swimming pool, which also has a skylight, and the library, a double-height, wood-clad space, whose lower half is wrapped in matching bookshelves and lined with couches. A concierge is available from the lobby 24/7, and residents may lease a parking space from the two-level, attended garage under the building.
Residents can find just about anything within a few blocks
Set at the corner of Downtown Brooklyn and Fort Greene (more specifically, the corner of Flatbush and Myrtle avenues), The Toren is convenient in practically every facet. Fourteen subway lines are available within a half mile, there’s a Citi Bike stand right out front, and drivers can head straight into Manhattan from Flatbush Avenue. “It also has fantastic perks that you don’t find in much of Brooklyn like Trader Joe’s just across the street or being only a couple blocks from Fort Greene Park,” Bromberg says. “You also have a lot of innovation and energy in the area because of NYU’s engineering school close by.” Several blocks away, Fulton Street is the epicenter of Downtown Brooklyn, lined with chain retailers and restaurants, plus City Point, a modern shopping mall with a food hall, brewery, dine-in movie theater and weekly artisans’ market.
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Quantarium
Current List Price
Sold Price
Area Factors
High Crime
Crime Score®
8/ 10
Biker's Paradise
Bike Score®
90/ 100
Walker's Paradise
Walk Score®
98/ 100
Rider's Paradise
Transit Score®
100/ 100
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
Sources: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Walk Score
WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com, Powered by CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks. Walk Score® measures the walkability of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Environmental risk data is provided by First Street Foundation® and is designed to approximate risk and not intended to include all possible scenarios.
Parks in this Area
McLaughlin Park
6 min walk
Baseball/Softball
Basketball
Playground
Trinity Park
7 min walk
Picnic Area
Trails
Fort Greene Park
9 min walk
Tennis
Trails
Events
Columbus Park
9 min walk
Picnic Area
Trails
Events
Walt Whitman Park
10 min walk
Picnic Area
Trails
Korean War Veterans Plaza
10 min walk
Picnic Area
Trails
Commodore Barry Park
11 min walk
Baseball/Softball
Basketball
Football
Maritcha R. Lyons Park
12 min walk
Trails
Playground
Cadman Plaza Park
12 min walk
Picnic Area
Trails
Events
Schools
Source:
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