In early 2016, Banana Republic suddenly closed its Brooklyn Heights location at 133-135 Montague Street. The Brooklyn Eagle, who first reported the news, attributed the closure to rising rents on the shopping strip, which has shuttered a number of stores nearby. Now it appears a redevelopment of the retail-office building is on the table where its owner, Eli Dweck of 135 Montague Street Associates, is seeking to double the height of the building and introduce nine residential units.
135 Montague Street via LPC Presentaition
Built as an office building in 1920 by insurance brokers Pendelton & Pendleton, 133-135 Montague features a Neoclassical limestone façade drawn up by Clinton & Russel, Wells Holton and George architects. The building is located between Henry and Clinton streets in the heart of the Brooklyn Heights Historic District. Its block is composed of mostly of two- to -four-story walk-ups with St. Ann's and the Holy Trinity Church anchoring the southern end of the block.
Marin Architects is steering the design of the building's next chapter and the team will go before the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) tomorrow to seek their feedback and approvals. Per the submitted presentation document published on LPC’s website, the development team will keep all historic elements of the existing building intact (thankfully). The more controversial aspect of the plan is a roughly 20-foot-tall addition (not including mechanicals) that would setback just three-and-a-half feet from the existing street façade.
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Renderings show the new addition will have a modern language with large sections of glass framed by light-colored metal mullions and spandrel sections. The addition would be adorned by a contemporary metal cornice which would help conceal a stair bulkhead set far behind. The vertical rhythm and proportions of the existing building would also be carried through to the addition.
Unapproved filings with the Department of Buildings, from July 2017, show the ground floor will remain dedicated to the retail use and above will be three residential apartments on floors 2-5. Plans show there will be studio to two-bedroom units. The two-bed unit on the third floor will have a long, shallow terrace overlooking Montague. A rendering in the presentation also shows the building would be topped by a large communal terrace. The public hearing will take place tomorrow, March 13, at the Municipal Building at One Center Street, 9th floor.
Common roof deck
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