new condos near St. John's and Classon

'We Are Developing it in a Fun, Hip Style’
PROSPECT HEIGHTS — A groundbreaking with a different flare took place Friday for some new condos about to be built in Prospect Heights. The contractors, Sun Sun Construction Inc. of Manhattan, are Chinese so, in addition to bringing hard hats and shovels, they also brought a roast pig, fresh fruit and incense to burn — offerings to the deity of the land, and to encourage happiness and harmony for the construction project, a company spokesperson said.

“We were more traditional, we brought the champagne,” said architect and co-developer Karen Jacobson of Karen Jacobson Architects in Manhattan. Her partners in the development, Mike and Cynthia Schlegel of Schlegel LLC, also participated in the groundbreaking as did Borough President Marty Markowitz, who said he stopped by to help celebrate Prospect Heights as well as the proposed development which will help in the area’s revitalization.

The 13-unit condominium development is at 530 St. John’s Place, corner of Classon Avenue. Jacobson and Mike Schlegel, who met at Middlebury College in Vermont and have worked on other projects together, said they liked this site because it’s close to Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum.

“We are building off the popularity of those places,” said Jacobson. “We also like the neighborhood because it seems friendly, there’s a lot of trees, it’s low scale.”

They will incorporate an existing three-story brick building at the corner, making it a blend of old and new.

“Our new construction is on top and to the side of the existing building. It’s a story of ‘old’ — the red brick — and the ‘new’ — aluminum and lots of glass.

“We wanted a contemporary look, so the additions are modern with a lot of aluminum and glass. But we also uncovered a cast-iron column at the corner. This will be exposed and will give it a more traditional look,” she said.

“We will be marketing to young first-time homebuyers for whom price is important — we are keeping the apartments moderated in size and price — and modern detailing is attractive. We are, therefore, developing it in a hip, fun style.”

In addition to the three-story building, there was a one-story building on the site that was also in “pretty bad shape.” This has been demolished.

Plans call for building two stories and a penthouse atop the existing building, and constructing an addition of six stories, including penthouses. Many of the new units will have balconies overlooking St. John’s Place. The top floor units and roof decks will have views of Manhattan and some will have views of Prospect Park as well, according to Jacobson.

The apartments are broken down as follows: three one-bedroom, one-bath units; three two-bedroom, one-bath units; three two-bedroom, two-bath units with a small study; plus three duplex apartments and one triplex, all with roof decks.

They will range in size from 480 to 1,500 square feet, with most averaging 720-900 square feet. There will also be a community facility of about 1,600 square feet and the developers are reactivating the retail store (formerly a deli) at the corner. This is a 1,350-square-foot space with additional 1,000 square feet in the cellar. The property is not zoned for retail but the store was pre-existing.

“We are looking for a tenant for the community facility — we have been told there’s a need for a preschool, but it could also be a medical facility or some other non-profit group,” Jacobson said.