BROOKLYN — The Municipal Art Society of New York presented Fairway Market at Red Hook with a Masterwork Award for Best Neighborhood Catalyst at its awards ceremony held May 9, at the General Motors Building Fifth Avenue Plaza in Manhattan.
The Neighborhood Catalyst Award “recognizes a new or a newly restored building that is spurring revitalization in the surrounding neighborhood.”
According to The Municipal Art Society, “Developer Greg O’Connell has converted an abandoned, city-owned warehouse into a sought-after Red Hook destination for both local residents and tourists.
Adaptively reusing the building to accommodate a Fairway grocery store, an outdoor café, and apartments, Mr. O’Connell also took full advantage of its unique waterfront location, creating an on-site ferry dock offering NY Water Taxi service on weekends.”
O’Connell remarked that the project has served as an anchor for economic development in the community. Since Fairway opened last May, retailers have increased their business, vacant storefronts along Van Brunt have filled up, and Steve’s Authentic Key Lime Pies down the street is reporting more walk-in business than in the previous seven years.
“I’m very honored to receive this award, but I feel a bit like that book The Little Engine that Could when I look around and see the other projects in Manhattan that are receiving this award,” O’Connell said. “It’s pretty impressive.”
As part of O’Connell’s team, Susan Doban Architect, PC, was responsible for designing the mid-19th century building’s interior courtyard and 45 apartments above the Fairway Market. The apartments combine residential living with artists’ studios, reflecting O’Connell’s dedication to the creative community.
“It was a unique opportunity in so many respects,” said Doban, president of Susan Doban Architect, PC. “To some degree we acted as stewards of the historic building and we were determined not to detract from its original character. Luckily we had a client who was committed to preservation. It also was a pleasure to work with a team so devoted to the neighborhood of Red Hook and Brooklyn in general, and work on a project that used the creative resources of Brooklyn.”
Doban said her architectural firm juxtaposed sleek, modern materials with the original brick in the existing structure and laid out the site to accommodate the influx of retail and residential traffic and the cogeneration facility, which provides electricity for the building.
“Everyone knows a lot about Fairway because they see it and use it and love it,” Doban said. “But there is additional excitement in the interior courtyard of the building and the apartments above with their views from arched windows of sunsets, the harbor, and Statue of Liberty.”
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2007
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