As beautiful as brownstone Brooklyn is, the protection of buildings outside its historic districts is limited and typically up to the discretion of the property owner. The latest preservation-worthy casualty to fall is at 441 Fourth Avenue on the Park Slope-Gowanus border, where a Neo-Grec brick building designed by the prolific George L. Morse once stood.
The building's most recent tenant, Good Shepherd Services, sold the site to developer Joseph Banda, who completed the transaction under the entity Vibes of One LLC, for $15.5 million in July 2018 (per Acris). Demolition permits were also filed that summer and construction permits soon after by architect J. Frankl Associates. Published renderings show a contemporary design of red brick, balconies of various sizes and a glazed curtain wall wrapping the corner of its upper stories. A recent January 2020 visit reveals construction well underway with the superstructure eight floors high.
The building's most recent tenant, Good Shepherd Services, sold the site to developer Joseph Banda, who completed the transaction under the entity Vibes of One LLC, for $15.5 million in July 2018 (per Acris). Demolition permits were also filed that summer and construction permits soon after by architect J. Frankl Associates. Published renderings show a contemporary design of red brick, balconies of various sizes and a glazed curtain wall wrapping the corner of its upper stories. A recent January 2020 visit reveals construction well underway with the superstructure eight floors high.
January 2020 (CityRealty)
January 2020 (CityRealty)
According to permits, the first floor of the new building will be devoted to retail space and a community facility, with 63 apartments starting on the second floor. Renderings show that the units will have high ceilings, oversized windows and, in select units, private terraces. Amenities will include a roof deck, gym, lounge, laundry room, bike room, and storage. An offering plan has not yet been filed, but CityRealty listings show that the median price of a one-bedroom condo in Park Slope is $749,000.
The new building marks the latest chapter in the site’s extensive history. According to Brownstoner, the original three-story building was constructed in 1875 at a Democratic Ward clubhouse before being sold to St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic Church in 1893 and used as a convent and school. The title was transferred to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, who later established non-profit Good Shepherd Services in 1988. At the time of the sale, the building housed a family counseling facility. An adjacent group home was also included in the sale (h/t The Real Deal).
441 4th Avenue (Google)
441 4th Avenue rendering (via J. Frankl Associates)
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