Friends, the moment for which we’ve been waiting for months has arrived. A tipster let us know that the scaffolding was down at 111 Kent Avenue, so we trudged down to Kent Avenue in yesterday’s freezing cold to see if it’s as ugly as the redone rendering had promised. All we can say is: it does not disappoint. Not one bit. Of course, anyone who favors creamy, vomit-colored brick might enjoy it. And one needs to point out what the building has going for it: it’s got spectacular views of Manhattan that won’t be blocked because East River State Park is across the street and a rooftop swimming pool. But the building itself sort of lulls you to sleep with all that creamy tan brick goodness, although we do like the way the windows are angled. The irony is that the original design was quite inventive, if not attractive.
5 responses so far ↓
1 Resident at 111Kent // Feb 8, 2009 at 12:37 pm
I completely disagree with your denigration of 111 Kent. Personally, I think it does add quite a bit of charm to an otherwise overly-monotonous neighborhood.
You say that the building “does not disappoint” in its “ugl[iness]” and yet the only thing that you can comment on is the color of the brick. One would think that a blog as insightful as yours might have had a bit more to back up its reflexively-negative comments, particularly after you “trudged” over in the “freezing cold” just to look at the building. You do us, your blog-readers, a disservice by positing such negative thoughts without any backing.
In any event, despite the fact that the neighbors will, as you claim, find the building “ugly,” you can be assured we, the residents, will look across the river from the comfort of our rooftop swimming pool or from the situs of our floor to ceiling windows and appreciate the magnificence that is New York, all the while staring down upon you hapless blog-writers and grinning.
2 fuzzydude // Feb 8, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Hey that’s color of my girl’s ass. DAMN YOU for making fun of it. Let’s just say…”It does not disappoint”.
3 1 : 1.618 // Feb 10, 2009 at 11:42 am
Looks kind of cool! wonder how many hipsters you could fit in that rooftop pool?lol.
At least its not another horrid tower. I wonder how the interior finishes are? anyone see them yet?
4 Resident of N8 // Jun 14, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Hey banker-wanker (aka: Resident at 111Kent) , not a “hapless blog-writer” here, but agree completely with the critique of this building’s aesthetic shortcomings. I have had to look at this ugly thing everyday for the past year since it is now part of my view. The hideous brick color is quite enough to put this into the fugly category. And I think the angled windows are cheesy as well. This building kind of reminds me of the package holiday hotels for English lager-louts on the Costa Del Sol in Spain. And that is not a compliment.
FYI, this response was prompted by your obnoxious, “I’m so much better than you because I live in a spanking new ‘luxury’ condo with floor to ceiling windows” attitude. Wanker.
5 JJinBklyn // Aug 18, 2009 at 3:22 pm
The problem with living on Kent is that at night the street is filled with trucks and sanitation vehicles going to and from the depot just three blocks north, as well as the treatment plant in Greenpoint.
Your beautiful peaceful condo at 111 Kent, with all those city views will become hell the first night you move in. Guaranteed.
And the hot-rodders like to race down kent at night – no stoplights for 20 blocks and a nice gentle curve.
Before buying anywhere in the city, esp in a semi-industrial place like W’Burg/Greenpoint, go there and sit outside the building from midnight-4am a few nights a week and see what you have to deal with.